Niek

New album: Farewell Horizontal || An Argument With An Idiot

By / / Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / 1 Comment

Melbourne has around 5 million inhabitants and I am starting to believe that its bands may in fact exceed that number. Here is another example of the quality indiepop and -rock that is coming out of that Australian city. Farewell Horizontal are Pat (guitar, bass, vocals) and Lauren (drums). They are prolific songwriters who plan to release an album every time they have ten songs that they are content with and their health allows it – Pat recently recovered from a life changing lung transplant. With the exception of the 6-minute opener Freud’s Shit Nephew, An Argument With An Idiot contains mostly songs around the two minute mark. It’s a diverse record musically, full of wry humor lyrically. Album closer Doesn’t Matter, No One Cares (below) is an instant favorite, but this record feels like a grower. By the way, as if this duo needs any more goodwill, they donate their share of bandcamp revenues to charities.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The Sorels || Spring Break

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Punk / 2 Comments

With temperatures of 20 degrees below zero this week, Winnipeg is an unlikely location to birth summertime glammy poppunk. The Sorels are probably hardened by the cold or simply don’t care, because today marks the official release of their Spring Break single. The 7″‘is available in North America through Reta Records, and in Europe through the ever reliable Surfin’ Ki records.


Spring Break! // Can’t Wait! // Summer’s coming // Come On // Give Me A Taste

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New on vinyl: Fun Time Objects || C20/20 GO-GO!

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Fun Time Objects have a playful take on garagepoppunk. The songs on C20/20 GO-GO! are bouncy, catchy and full of hit potential. Fans of Pale Lips and Nikki and The Corvettes, and fans of bubblegum punk in general will appreciate this one. For a sample, check out the video for their Ramones tribute Hey Joey. The record was originally released in 2020 as a tape on Fuzzy Warbles Cassettes, but is now also available on vinyl thanks to the kind folks of the GOOD TIMES Rock N Roll Club label. The name of that label basically says everything you need to know about this release. Enjoy!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Liquids || Life Is Pain Idiot

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

Please, if you ever hear someone exclaim that “Punk is dead,” put them in a chair, and let him or listen to all 27 tracks on the new Liquids record Life Is Pain Idiot. Then ask whether they are sure.

Liquids play relentless garagepunk with snotty vocals at a blistering pace. And yet, underneath that trashy sound, the band often sounds surprisingly melodic and musical. For example, listen to Don’t Wanna Get To Know You or Think Too Much. Both songs sound like lost Exploding Hearts tracks (I am aware this is my second Exploding Hearts reference of today, but listen to those songs and tell me I am wrong). Or what about the r’n’r party track on speed Lemon Rice (Doomed To Live). Liquids even make Meatloaf sound good in their cover of Bat Out of Hell – don’t worry, they cut the ten minute original by almost 7 minutes with blunt force. Many of the songs on Life Is Pain Idiot have surfaced before online, but digital only. If I am not mistaken, the songs have been rerecorded with/by Erik Nervous. Anyhow, Liquids has never sounded this good before.  A vinyl release of the record with alternate “scary” artwork is due this summer. It’s a must own.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Sino Hearts || Rock ‘N’ Roll Hurricane

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 2 Comments

The Sino Hearts are based in Bejing, China. They play garage/powerpop/rock-‘n’-roll hits with a punk attitude – it is clear that the band adores Exploding Hearts. The band already has two records under its belt, neither of which was perfect, but both contained several killer tracks. That’s why I am excited by their new release. On Rock ‘N’ Roll Hurricane the band picked the best tracks of both albums, added an exclusive track and pressed them on randomly colored vinyl. Out now on Texas indie label Otitis Media Records. I am definitely buying this.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: Civic Mimic || Selective Listening

By / / Punk / 2 Comments

Civic Mimic is a side-project of Jeff Hersch from the band Glazer. The songs I’ve heard from Glazer to me sound a little like a mix of Parquet Courts and Nirvana. Civic Mimic has a more garage and punk sound. Their new EP Selective Listening reminds me of one of my favorite punk bands of the past ten years: Tenement. I am not saying Civic Mimic is on that level yet, but I am really enjoying songs like Pity Patterns, Business Whip and Grass Placebo. Apparently, Selective Listening is Civic Mimic’s third EP, which is impressive considering their first one was released only nine months ago.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Amoeba Earhart || Brain Eater

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Amoeba Earhart is fun. The name of the band is a fun corruption of the name of the aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. The band describes their garage pop as “happy, fuzzy, and scuzzy,” or as I would put it: fun. Just listen to Getting Older Sucks, and you will see what I mean. That song is a classic simple and effective protopunktrack. Fun, right? Or what about Too Involved? Fun. Speaking of fun, if you want to sleep tonight, don’t google Amoeba Earhart Brain Eater.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp (Name your price download)

New single: Ma’aM || Cruisin All The Time / A Horse Is A Corpse

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

The tags on Ma’aM’s Bandcamp page include country, outlaw, cowpunk, and garage rock, leaving plenty of room to put their music in whatever corner you prefer. Wat I do know is this: Cruisin’ All the Time, the A-side to their latest single, has an earworm chorus that I don’t mind at all. Out now on a hand cut clear 7″ lathe record.


So I’ll get into my car and drive away // Cruisin up and down the highway // Thinkin’ about the things I shouldn’t say // And I’ll be quiet

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Modern Cynics || Auditory Postcards

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

Auditory Postcards is a fitting title for a record that plays 18 tracks in 19 minutes. I am referring to the first full length release by Modern Cynics,  which is the brainchild of Matty Grace of Future Girls. Matty plays all the instruments on Auditory Postcards, another quarantine project born out of isolation and  frustration.  Staying in line with a world full of restrictions, the lyrics to the songs were limited to 20 words or less.

Call it punkrock or quarantine core, there is a dark edge to these songs, creating a haunting listening experience that won’t be for everyone, but I am intrigued. Dirt Cult Records has a way of finding these sorts of bands. RIYL Mind Spiders.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Telephone Numbers || Leviathan

By / / Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

When we talk about quality indiepop, we often talk about Melbourne. We should not count out San Francisco though. Here is one example: The Telephone Numbers released their first physical release Leviathan today on Fruits & Flowers. The A-side is a jangle pop gem, the B-side has hints of Teenage Fanclub. Suffice to say, I like this a lot.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top