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New album: Emily Jane Powers || Always

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Earlier this week, Dennis shared a 50 song (4LP) record. That’s insane – not by Dennis but by the artist. For a blog trying to strike a balance between sharing as much great new music as possible but also spending sufficient time with said music, a record of that size is close to a nightmare. Here’s one that is more like a dream: Always by Emily Jane Powers. Listening to the record will take less than 13 minutes and you get 10 songs in the time spent. That’s great! Even better, Always is a treat to the ears. Inspired by the songwriting of Tony Molina, the spontaneity and straightforward nature of Always works really well. There is a natural flow to the songs, which are meant to be experienced in sequence and in one sitting.

Expect short and sweet upbeat indie rock songs which Powers infuses with ’60s girl group melodies. It’s hard to beat the feeling of stumbling on songs like I Don’t Miss You Much When You’re Around, I’d Love You More (If Only You Want Me), Will You Call Me Over and I Changed My Mind. Always is out on Tape in a small run of 50 pink cassettes with handmade artwork, most of which are sold already.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Mt. Misery || The Time It Takes

By / / Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

Hartlepool (UK) three piece Mt. Misery are a fine example that quality indie pop is not exclusive to the San Francisco Bay Area or Australia. There are just four songs on their new EP – 3 originals and a lovely Wannadies cover. They pass by like a breeze, sounding way more sunny and upbeat than the band’s name and location suggests. What’s next for Mt. Misery? A second full length they are currently working on. If the songwriting of The Time It Takes EP is any indication, we’re in for a treat!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: GLUER || GLUER

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

There is nothing subtle about the music of Stockholm punks GLUER. Similar to their band name in all caps, the band throws 15 songs at you with full force. It’s an exciting collection of song though. Dark, moody, aggressive, GLUER are like a primal beast unleashed. And they show they are unafraid to rock out. When a band sounds this intense on record, I can’t wait to experience their live show.

GLUER is a hell of a debut, and will be available on vinyl through Push My Buttons and Svart Ljud.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Penpals || CAARRS

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

Penpals are a legendary ’90s altrock/altpop band from Japan. The band broke up in 2005, then reunited in 2011, but CAARRS marks their true return to writing and recording new music. And boy, what a glorious return it is. CAARRS is a strong collection full of slacker rock and altpop in the vein of contemporaries like Evan Dando and Stephen Malkmus. Warm, fuzzy, unpolished, laidback and rockin’, Penpals sound inspired on CAARRS.

It’s always tricky when bands reunite and record new music, but in the case of Penpals I’m impressed with the outcome. CAARRS is out now on CD through Testcard Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Testcard Records

New album: Zorton and The Cannibals || Just Desserts

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Three years after they recorded it, Zorton and The Cannibals (Toronto) have finally released their sophomore album Just Desserts. Featuring six orginals and two covers (the major hit I Think We’re Alone Now and The Mummies’ (You Must Fight To Live) On The Planet Of The Apes), it’s a fun and loose mix of garage, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll music that Canadian bands seem to have patented. Turn up the volume and listen to I’ve Got A Hunch and Love Me Greasy and get that head boppin’ and booty shakin’.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New Album: Near Dark || Make Our Way Back

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

In the mood for some fun throwback melodic punkrock with hardcore and pop leanings? Look no further than Near Dark, a side-project out of the East Coast of the US featuring members of Maniac, Set Your Goals, Restraining Order, Wet Specimens, and Sinking. The Make Our Way Back 12″ has 6 new songs, and includes the band’s three-song Silver Lining (2021) demo. Near Dark walks a tightrope between opposing forces (aggression versus melody, pace versus accessibility, polish versus authenticity), and is a joy to listen to.

The Make Our Way Back is out digitally and available for pre-order at Patient Zero Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Patient Zero

New album: Spielbergs || Vestli

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

Oslo’s loudest and most anthemic Spielbergs weren’t lying when they named their 2019 debut LP This Is Not The End. The record, which included instant classics in Distant Star and We’re All Going To Die, marked an exciting start for the band gathering critical and popular acclaim. If you liked that record, you are in for a treat with their new album Vestli. Spielbergs come screaming out of the gates with the first four songs, all of which score a 10 out of 10 on intensity, energy and melody. Those first 14 to 15 minutes are so enjoyable it is a good thing that the band included a 30 second breather (Kano GM) before moving to the more diverse second half of the record. Thoughout it all, Spielbergs still sound very much like a mix of Cloud Nothings and Japandroids, with Vestli appearing a bit more consistent and durable than This Is Not The End.

I still need to experience Spielbergs live, but anticipate it being like a VO2 max test – in a good way. Vestli is out now through Big Scary Monsters.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Joey Joesph || Do You Bongo?

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / 1 Comment

Joey Cook used to play in psych indie pop outfit Pomegranates, but currently records and performs as Joey Joesph – which I keep reading as Joey Joseph. Despite several releases preceding Do You Bongo, it is the first post-Promegranates work I’ve heard from Cook/Joesph. The record is hard to overlook though. Opener Bellezebub immediately grabs your attention with its Warm Sodaesque retro powerpop. From there on out, Do You Bongo is a delightfully weird mesh (mess?) of sounds and styles. There is proto punk, glam, power pop, synth pop, rock’n’roll, psychelic rock, and new wave. Psychedelic Baby Magazine sums it up as “rock & roll through a lens shaped by Saturday morning cartoons, half-remembered AM pop, and home-recording hero worship,” and that makes totally sense once you’ve listened to the record.

As such, you probably won’t like all of the songs on Do You Bongo, but the gems here (like Bellezebub, Little Brother, Rock & Roll Music, I Feel Nervous and Bongo 3) make the trip worthwhile nonetheless. Cool concept, cool execution.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Pinoles || Just Wanna

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

And now for something completely…similar? Pinoles (Pinole, California) aren’t trying to put square pegs in round holes on their debut album Just Wanna. Expect pop punk that makes up what it lacks in originality with fun and infectious energy. The influences of Pinoles are easy to guess, but what I like most about their new record is the early Green Day meets Riverdales vibe.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Liquid Mike || A Beer Can And A Bouquet

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop / 2 Comments

Back to Marquette we go! Liquid Mike returns with their third full-length, and it’s everything I could’ve hoped for. Liquid Mike is fronted by Mike Maple who frequently pops up on our site with his own music and contributions in the work of the extremely talented circle of musicians from Marquette. Cody Marecek of Yard Waste (drums), Monica Nelson (synths), and Raymond Little (guitar – make sure to check out his excellent solo record) round out Liquid Mike on A Beer Can And A Bouquet.

Liquid Mike have kept all the good parts about their previous record Stuntman. They still very much sound like a punchy and energetic indie rock/powerpop hybrid in the vein of Midtown, Piebald, Laika’s Orbit and The Promise Ring. Liquid Mike pour their heart and soul in these nine new recordings. The band calls it their most collaborative effort to date and had a blast creating the record. It shows. Songs like Lease Agreement, Elmer’s Glue, Snoozer, I’ll Get Back To You all stand out, and the quality throughout the record is consistently strong. There is a bittersweet element to the record though. Drummer Cody Marecek moved away recently, and the future of the band is unclear. Will it mark the end of Liquid Mike? Will they continue with a different drummer? Will the band become a recording project exclusively?

The final song on A Beer Can And A Bouquet is called There’s No Rock and Roll No More // Death to Liquid Mike. It starts out as a melancholic campfire acoustic track, and finishes as a loud instrumental track. The song kinda hurts and hits hard, even though I’m sure the people involved with or without each other will continue to create music worth our ears. I cross my fingers that this is not the last thing we hear from Liquid Mike. But whatever happens, thanx for burning bright Liquid Mike!




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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