Alternative Rock

New album: Taze Latimer || 1111

Exploring the depths of life armed with a microphone and a guitar

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Not much more is known about Taze Latimer aka Taze Skipworth than that he exchanged Florida for Western Australia, that he has some background in hip hop, and that he also creates appealing music under the moniker of ASBC, but his latest solo output speaks for itself. Mini-album 1111 was released two months ago, but hasn’t gotten the media attention it deserves and continues to intrigue me—a good reason to share it here, right? The seven songs—24 minutes in total—blend personal street poetry with dark indie rock, soulful and melancholic. The distinctive vocals full of emotion and the mesmerizing groove provide an immersive listening experience that feels urgent, not least because of the stories exploring the depths of life. Fascinating in every way.


1111 is available via streaming services (self-released).

New single: Vacation/Whippets || Split

A soulful rocker and a dark post-punk gem

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Released quietly during the holiday buzz, here is a single worth circling back for: a split 7″ released by Nomad Eel Records featuring Vacation and Whippets.

Vacation, the prolific indie rockers from Cincinnati—known for their mix of garage, punk, and arena rock—contribute Armory of Bay. It’s a soulful, upbeat rocker that brings to mind Laika’s Orbit and Royal Headache joining forces. On the flip side, Whippets, a Wisconsin trio with members of Wristwatch, The Hussy, and Tenement, deliver C-Thru, a fiery and slightly dark alt-post-punk track. 

7″ available now in three color variants.


Add to Wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Krystian Quint & The Quitters || Something Like That

Krystian Quin (The Stools) goes from punk to indie rock on latest (solo) project

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Almost like they want to give you ample time to settle in or buckle up, Krystian Quint & The Quitters start Lost & Found—the opening track of their debut album Something Like That—with 50 seconds of echoing guitar and easy bass riffing sans drums. Then, the song kicks into what is easily one of the year’s first standout punk rock tracks.

But don’t let Krystian Quint (of The Stools, Expest, etc.) fool you into thinking Something Like That is simply another punk record. The press release cites C86, twee, and major-label indie bands like Velvet Crush, Blake Babies, and Pavement. For every punk track (Outer Drive is another favorite), there’s an indie counterpart that does much more than soothe your eardrums. Quin, who does all the heavy lifting here, clearly knows his way around a tune. While the samples below give you a taste, I highly recommend exploring the whole album to get fully acquainted.

Something Like That is out now on cassette via Quality Time Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: CuVa Bimö || CB Radio

Bold first transmission that slides from noise to gaze

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Somewhere to the left of the dial you might come across CuVa Bimö, a Californian noise rock band featuring Sebastian Moeller (guitar, vocals), Pete Vadelnieks (guitar, vocals), Jake Bilich (bass) and Ricky Cunliffe (drums). With their full-length debut album CB Radio they present a confident calling card by fusing post-punk, new wave, grunge and gaze in an idiosyncratic way. The contradictions and searching of the personal but outspoken lyrics are reflected in the dynamic interplay between the heavy guitars and tight rhythm section, held together by distinctive, potent vocals. Haunting but admiring.


CB Radio, recorded by Kevin O’Connell, is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of December 2024

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

Da Doo Ron Ron || Cover: The Peawees || Original: The Crystals
First the good news: Italian punk rock band The Peawees have finally released a studio version of their cover of this Phil Spector classic—always a highlight in their live shows—on 7″ vinyl, as the flip side to their self-penned song Drive (taken from this fall’s One Ride LP). The inevitable bad news: the single was a present for the 300 attendees of the Wild Honey Christmas Party, that reportedly never will be reprinted. A cold comfort: you can download it for free.

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Gimme 5! James Harding Shares 5 Records That May or May Not Have Influenced the Latest Best Bets LP

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

Best Bets have an impeccable track record on our site. Their On An Unhistoric Night LP topped my list of 2022, and their The Hollow Husk of Feeling LP had a prime spot among my favorites this year. Both albums also landed on Dennis’ year-end lists, cementing Best Bets as one of those rare acts we universally agree on. So when the opportunity arose for the band’s guitarist/singer James Harding to do a Gimme 5! feature, we didn’t hesitate for a second.

In addition to sharing five records he loves—woven together with insightful connections—Harding has exciting news for the new year. His other band, Transistors, will release their new album Everything Will Never Happen Again on February 28th (preorder here). Transistors, which predates Best Bets, includes fellow member Olly Crawford-Ellis, with production by another Best Bet, Joe Sampson. Based on the teaser tracks, this release is already a lock for the wantlist.

But that’s for later—now, let’s hand it over to James and his picks!

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New album: The Stewart Dolly || II

A late-year gem from Edison, New Jersey

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Power Pop / 2 Comments

If you’ve noticed my absence here over the past week, fear not—I’ve been knee-deep in renovating our new home. Posts will be a bit sporadic through January, but with new releases slowing down, the timing works out. That said, I couldn’t pass up sharing a late-year gem: II, the sophomore album from Edison (New Jersey) three-piece The Stewart Dolly.

The Stewart Dolly deliver Weezer-inspired geek rock without falling into imitation. In fact, “scrappy Weezer” might be the most concise and precise way to describe II. Alternatively, the band would have fit right in with those late ’90s and early ’00s acts in the slipstream of modern pop punk, like The Stereo or Ultimate Fakebook—but with a rawer, less polished edge that sets them apart.

II is out now on LP and CD, and it’s sure to scratch that itch for new music.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Late Shift || The November Tapes

Another three captivating tracks from four old friends

By / / Alternative Rock / Leave a Comment

About ten months ago we were introduced to South Wales alt rock quartet The Late Shift. They now follow up that Not Yet A Ghost… EP with The November Tapes, three new captivating stories over compelling dynamics. From the first notes (potent guitar melodies that go well with the charismatic vocals) and words (“Oohh… I was on my way home, when my phone rings // So I choose: Hello?”) of opening song My Boat we can only listen with full attention, to conclude at the end of closing track The Heart is a Graveyard that these were fourteen minutes well spent.

The November Tapes EP is out now digitally via Used Films.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Balto || No Hard Feeling

Americana masterpiece with lyrics that deserve a place in your heart

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

“Hey hey hey, I want to feel everything // Love as a tidal wave, pain as a razor blade // All of the weight, everything.” That’s what we hear Dan Sheron sing in Novocaine, one of the fourteen original songs he recorded with his fellow band members of Balto for their new album, No Hard Feeling. It’s tempting to quote more lyrics, because line after line is memorable here, but perhaps it’s even more that mix of emotions, which goes together with variation in tempo, instrumentation and intensity, that makes this record so appealing. The Californian roots rock quartet tops it off with heavenly harmonies, captivating guitars and a grooving rhythm section, wrapped up in a warm sound—it’s all done so well that this would have made my year-end list if it had come out a few weeks earlier.



No Hard Feeling is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to Wantlist: Bandcamp

Music Year-End List || Niek’s Favorite Albums of 2024

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / 1 Comment


2025 is banging on the door, so in the slipstream of Dennis’ amazing and eclectic list of last Tuesday, let’s take a final look at the musical year that was. What’s been on my mind a lot is that currently more music drops in a single day than in all of 1989, making this both the best and worst time to run a music blog. Curating and sharing the good has never been more important—or more demanding. By 2030, we could see nearly 200 million music creators—triple today’s number. Combine that with the fast emergence of A.I. use in music (I got fooled at least once) and growing economic challenges for artists (especially in the underground guitar music scene we covet), and the musical landscape feels on the verge of exploding or imploding.

With that in mind, all the efforts of musicians and labels to keep producing art that enriches our lives becomes even more impressive. So I’d like to send my sincere gratitude to them—you know who you are. Thank you for the goosebumps, the energy boosts, the hi-fives and stagedives, the throat lumps and raised fists, and the dopamine rush of discovering something new and amazing every couple of days. You make it all worthwhile.

Compiling and ranking my favorite records of the year was brutal yet awesome. Many darlings were killed, but after many hard choices I’ve landed on a list that reflects what moved, surprised, and delighted me the most in 2024. Check them out below, buy their stuff(!), share your own favorites in the comments (what did I miss?), and spread the word if you enjoy this site—because there’s so much more coming in 2025. Take care, happy holidays, and with the exception of the occasional post in the remainder of 2024, see you next year!

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