Niek

GIMME 5! || Scott Davis (Virginia Trance) Shares 5 Records To Listen To in 2021

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Psych, Uncategorized / 1 Comment

With Gimme 5! we take a peek into the collections of artists we admire. The premise is simple: artists WE like, share 5 records THEY love.

We are absolutely thrilled to present this week’s curator of Gimme 5!: Scott Davis. Scott is the main man behind Virginia Trance, who released Vincent’s Playlist last year – Niek’s favorite indiepop record of 2020. Scott also played in the psychelic rock band Psychic Ill’s. In his list, Scott challenges us to wander off the beaten path, and discusses the importance of an eclectic listening experience – which we love, and probably should do more often.

Click below to read and listen. Scott added short explanations for each pick. He even throws in his top 5 Lou Reed albums for good measure. We added YT video’s and Discogs links so you can add these records to your wantlist. Thanks a lot Scott!

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New album: Cheekface || Emphatically No.

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

Cheekface is a prolific band, with songs, singles, and EPs seemingly appearing every few months. If you’ve been keeping tabs on the band, you’ve probably already heard about half of their new full length Empathically No. And if that is the case, you’ll also know that this record will be fun as hell – the record includes both songs of the Emotional Rent Control 7″, which made my best singles of 2020 list. If you don’t know this band yet, Cheekface are an offbeat indiepop band that write extremely catchy popsongs with a talksinger and huge choruses. I guess they sound like a K Records version of They Might Be Giants? Anyhow, put this record on and let it put a smile on your face.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Specialist Subject Records

“New” album: The Seeers || Happy Peak

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

Seeers, where have you been for the past five years*? In 2015, The Seeers were my band to watch and I frequently played their single in the Windian Records Subscription Series featuring the awesome Without Lites. But then…crickets, like they vanished. It’s absolutely a nice surprise (2021, let’s keep em coming okay?) that they released a full length this week. But is it any good? YES! Better than that actually, it’s full of garagepoppunk hits with a healthy dose of psych influences. Crossed fingers for a physical release, because I need to have this in my collection.

*UPDATE: The band informed me that technically this is not a new release. Happy Peaks was recorded back in 2015 on a Tascam 4-track tape machine. It was never released and this is the first time it’s made available online. Regretfully, this the last recorded material of The Seeers. They stopped being a band in 2016.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The Feels || She’s Probably Not Thinkin’ Of Me

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

You may have heard She’s Probably Not Thinkin’ Of Me by The Feels last year. If you, like me, LOVE powerpop that song probably made a lasting impression. Originally, the song was planned to be part of a perfectly titled EP 11 Monthly Listeners Can’t Be Wrong! I am not sure what happened, but that EP has not been released yet. Fortunately, Hurrah! Musica will release the single on a 7″ next month. The B-side is excellent as well.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Midnite Snaxxx || Contact Contamination

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

It’s great hearing Midnite Snaxxx take their sound to new heights with each release. It’s still high intensity punk, but are layers of sounds that were not present on their early releases. Here is the excellent new single Contact Contamination, accompanied with a trippy video. I think I like the B-side Fight Back even more. And as if these two songs alone aren’t already worth the purchase, take a look at the gorgeous artwork by Sarah Sequoia. Make sure you check Sarah’s other work as well!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album : Petite League || Joyrider

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

Petite League released Joyrider today, their fifth record in six years. I enjoyed their previous outings, with their last one only just missing out on my 2019 AOTY list. New York Girls is still among my favorite songs of that year though. On Joyrider they have retained their distinct brand of catchy lo-fi indierock, but they are not afraid to try out new things and take the foot off the gas every now and then (pun not intended). Upon first listen I am intrigued by this one. So put it on, and while you’re at it, I recommend reading this sincere instagram post from Lorenzo of Petite League on creating the record. Let me finish with the band’s own introduction to the record: “Enjoy the ride! What else is there to do???”


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Miracle Debt || Miracle Debt

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Miracle Debt come from a long pedegree of bands from Minneapolis that incorparate classic rock elements into punkrock. Or vice versa, depending on your frame of reference. I’m referring to the Replacements of course, but also Hüsker Dü, the Hold Steady (/Lifter Puller), and more recently Lutheran Heat. Miracle Debt will self-release their self-titled debut next month, but the full album is already available on Bandcamp. The band reminds me of early Avail, and that’s a compliment.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Morgus Creeps || Skin People

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Okay, enough with the 2020 reflections already. Time for the first 2021 release I am genuinely excited about: the Skin People EP by The Morgus Creeps. This UK band, who I guess are named after a 1964 horror single by Daringers, play a creepy kind of garage rock. The songs on this killer EP would fit perfectly on the garage compilations of Crypt! Records. For now, this appears to be a digital only release, available as a name-your-price download.

Add to Wantlist: Bandcamp

Looking Back || Niek’s Overlooked Records of 2020

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Punk / 4 Comments

I’ve been checking out several 2020 AOTY lists in the past couple of weeks and have to admit: I missed a few. It happens, right? Perfection is overrated anyway. Here are 20+ releases from all kinds of musical directions that I either overlooked or was too quick to dismiss in 2020. They are on my wantlist now, that is all that matters. Click below to check them out. As always, I’ve included links to the purchasing locations for these releases. ICYMI also check out my favorite 2020 albums, singles and EPs, 2020 playlists and Dennis’ 2020 AOTY list. Happy new year!

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New Compilation: The Young Sinclairs || O.P.P.

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

The Young Sinclairs have been releasing excellent indiepop records since 2007. Throughout the years, they’ve recorded several cover songs, which they’ve recently wrapped up and made available as a name your price download as their Christmas present to the world. It’s worth checking out, and not just because you’ve always wanted to know what a jangle pop version of Sweet Child O’ Mine sounds like.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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