Niek

New album: The Hawaiians || Pop Punk VIP

Time to put on your tight jeans, Chuck Taylors and your Hawaiian shirt. Here is Pop Punk VIP, album #4 (I think) from German bubblegum pop punk three piece The Hawaiians. It’s a Travoltas meets The Queers bubblegum beach party leaving you with significant loss to the glazed layer of your teeth but positive vibes all around. The Hawaiians invite you to leave all pretentions, cynicism and worries at the gate and just enjoy the ride – and the waves. What a fun and catchy record. To top it off, there even is a guest vocal appearance of Richie Ramone on What’s Normal For The Spider, arguably the fastest song on the record.

Pop Punk VIP is out now on vinyl through Last Exit Music.

Add to wantlist: Last Exit Music || Mom’s Basement Records

New album: Uni Boys || Do It All Next Week

Note: If you are short on time, just press play below and read my one word review here: HITS.

Despite the album title hinting upon Uni Boys’ talent for procrastination, their new record Do It All Next Week is all about rockin’ out right here, right now. For the past couple of years, Uni Boys have been on a mission to recapture the magic of ’70s rock’n’roll and powerpop – particularly the sound of bands like 20/20, Shoes, Milk ‘N’ Cookies and The Records. The yields in their short existence have been impressive and Do It All Next Week is the band’s highest point to date. It’s hard not to get into hyperbole mode writing about this record. The twelve good-time rock’n’roll tracks of the Uni Boys sound unpretentious yet authentic and far from simplistic. The guitar work is fingerlicking good, and the hooks keep on coming. Combining powerpop worship with rock’n’roll romanticism (the band looks like they came walking straight out of ’70s NYC), Uni Boys may very well have written the best powerpop record of 2022.

From the looks of it, this is a really strong release week – probably fueled by the return of Bandcamp Friday. I should probably check that out sooner or later (RIP my e-mail), but I have trouble staying away from this record that we’ve been anticipating for such a long time. Do It All Next Week is a highly addictive record that I could play today, tomorrow or any day for that matter. It’s out now on Curation Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Curation Records

New single: Friends of Cesar Romero || Summer Melts Faster b​/​w Spector In Technicolor

J. Waylon Porcupine is synonymous for prolific. By now, his back catalogue exceeds 300 songs and it’s not like he started simultaneously with Dylan, Springsteen or Prince. Rather, his career started in the latter half of the ’90s as a teenager with The Reddmen – make sure to check out that band’s anthology, there are so many gems on that one.

After The Reddmen collapsed, Porcupine released (at least) 11 full lengths with Friends Of Cesar Romero and a train load of singles. His latest release (surely not his last) is installment #30 in his ongoing Doomed Babe series and it’s another example of Porcupine’s craft. Porcupine seems incapable of writing crappy songs, and his upbeat and poignant powerpop hits come across as effortlessly written. And yet, they never feel like throwaway songs. The only proper response is to sit back, enjoy the tunes and be grateful.

“Is there a song that hasn’t been already written about you yet? Or one you’ll soon forget?”



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Itches || Kingdom Upstairs

Wow, Vorselaar (Belgium) three-piece Itches hold nothing back on their EP Kingdom Upstairs. It’s a wild and loud affair of ramshackle garagerock that the Belgians bring to the table. If you are into modern garageacts like Ty Segall and Oh Sees, I’m pretty sure you’ll like this one. What I’m even more sure of: Itches sound like they are a must see live act when they are in your neighborhood. Put on Down The Drain, play it loud and get swept away by this exciting act.

Out now digitally through Ronny Rex, vinyl coming sooner or later.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: KMES || King Mike Entertainment System

Mike Abbate is best known as the bass player of Screaming Females and co-founder of State Champion Records (New Jersey), but he also gets creative as a solo artist under the moniker KMES. King Mike Entertainment System is his first record as KMES and it’s a thing of beauty. That is, if you are a fan of punchy powerpop that makes up what it lacks in polish with a strong sense of melody. Not that I’d count the unpolished scrappy sound as a negative by any means. KMES reminds me of two bands I love: Laika’s Orbit and Tenement. Like both those bands, KMES sounds essentially as a punk outfit, but with a record collection that includes many other styles and genres.

KMES is very much an Abbate project. He wrote everything on the record and the bass, guitar and synth work (and singing) is all his. Jenna Fairey helped out by providing drums on all the tracks, and Marissa Paternoster and Quinn McDonald make an appearance on the excellent closer Algorithm & Blues. With songs like that one, and Ended Up Dumb, It’s Nice and Just Another Mike, it’s easy to fall for King Mike Entertainment System. Purchase the record on tape now through State Champion Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || State Champion Records

New EP: Big Rat || Rock ‘n’ Roll Fever

Enjoying that Tuxedo Cats EP and in the mood for more garagerock’n’roll? Here’s Big Rat, a four piece I have trouble finding any intel on. I’m guessing here, but surely, these dudes must like their rock’n’roll sleazy, dirty, snotty and with a punk rock edge. The four song Rock ‘n’ Roll Fever EP, out now on tape through Oakland label Manic Noise Records, sure is a fun introduction to the band. There even is a Leader Of The Pack like dialogue between the members in one of the songs (ACAB) that fits this band very well.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Manic Noise

New EP: Tuxedo Cats || Out The Bag

Every now and then you stumble on a record that makes you drop everything and tell all of your friends that you’ve found a new favorite band. It’s that time (again)! Please meet Tuxedo Cats, a NYC five piece featuring members from Tough Shits, Apache and Dancer. If you are familiar with those acts, you should know what to expect: Glammy garagerock-‘n’-roll with a strong ’70s vibe. That’s right in my wheelhouse so I expected to like this release. I did not anticipate to be blown away though, which is exactly what Tuxedo Cats did with Out Of The Bag – the band’s debut EP. And still do after four consecutive spins of the EP. Tuxedo Cats lure you with massive hooks, electrifying dual guitar work, gang vocals and all around coolness. Their songs are like magnets that you can’t escape once you get exposed to them.

The Out The Bag EP is out now on 7″ vinyl through Reminder Records, a record label that usually only puts out killer music from past eras. That alone tells you something about the authentic awesomeness of Tuxedo Cats.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Reminder Records

New EP: The Bundy Bunch || The Bundy Bunch EP

The Bundy Bunch hail from Kopervik, a coastal town in Norway that’s a three to four hour drive from Bergen. They debut with a five song self-titled EP which offers a nice blend of garage pop and slacker indie rock. They have a knack for writing songs that are easy on the ear, instantly likeable and don’t outstay their welcome. Already curious what these fellows will cook up next. We’ll be listening. The Bundy Bunch EP is out now through In Black Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: State Drugs & ZEPHR || Split

In their latest release, Snappy Little Numbers send two of the finest parts of their roster to the frontlines for a 7″split single. Catering to their strengths, State Drugs and ZEPHR both return unscathed. State Drugs (no strangers to regular visitors of our site) showcase their distinct sound (i.e., subtle ’90s alt pop influenced punkrock) in a song called Mr. Untitled. It’s a good one, though I may prefer ZEPHR’s contribution Landline (J’ai Une Ãme Solitaire). It’s quite the punkrock anthem with hints of ’90s indie rock and emo that’s given me just the right amount of nostalgia.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: AVEM || Three Birds Stoned

Don’t expect Ontaria Ramonescore three-piece AVEM to go down to the basement. Don’t expect them to sniff glue, or hang out at the Burger King neither. Nope, AVEM rather walk in nature and do some bird watching.

Birds. It’s all they sing about on their new record Three Birds Stoned. Even the sole love song (Let’s Go Watching) is about birds. Throughout the record, AVEM are unafraid to share their knowledge about specific birds, like in the 26 second Red Winged Blackbird (“Red winged blackbirds are called red winged blackbirds cause they have red wings”). Arguably the weirdest songs on the record are when AVEM takes the perspective of birds. For example in Mother Nature Really Sucks (“Grounded // I can no longer fly // The ice crystals they chill me to the bone // Accepting this twisted cruel fate // I’m gonna die so far away from home“) and Rotten Egg (“I thought that as a child i’d lead a perfect life // you’d puke food in my mouth all day and every night.”).

I guess AVEM is Teenage Bottlerocket but with birds…? One worry with a concept band/record like this, is the idea can get old quickly. And sure, 19 (!) songs (including some previously released songs) is a bit too much. But to my ears, the record is too much fun too worry about any of that. I don’t think I heard the word binoculars in a pop punk song before. And I had no idea there is a bird to rhyme it with (the meadowlark). Three Birds Stoned is a fun and catchy record that is executed well. It’s out now on Toronto Blue Jay vinyl and Birdshit Splatter vinyl through Mom’s Basement Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Mom’s Basement Records

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