Alternative Rock

Music Year-End List || Dennis’ Favorite Albums of 2021

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / 5 Comments

All year long we look forward to this moment of looking back, escaping the continuous flow of new releases for a while, taking the time to recap what really stood out these 12 months. In 2021 I took my FOMO more seriously than ever: I’ve checked out 2,200+ new albums, twice as many as last year (this hobby is getting out of hand). The disadvantage of this is that you don’t get any sleep, but still it isn’t possible to give anything that looks promising the attention it deserves. Anyway, along the way I built up a longlist of 120+ LPs that are wantlist-worthy, which I now have brought down to a Top 50.

In any post on this website, we try to put into words which artists are involved, how their instruments and vocals sound, whether their songs are catchy or dreamy or energetic or dark, where their inspiration for lyrics came from, etc., but I have my year-end list compiled as I always have, simply in order of what I loved and played the most – personal taste preference as the debatable deciding factor. My choices are all about guitar-driven, authentic indie rock, power pop, garage rock, roots, and jangle pop, plus a little bit of soul, country, folk, and alternative rock.

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Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of November 2021

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Punk / 1 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.

Overdose || Cover: Supersuckers || Original: AC/DC
Friday December 3rd, Magnetic Eye Records will release the 2LP Best of AC/CD [Redux], featuring 13 cover versions of classics by the Australian hard rock band. The choice cut of the experienced musicians of Supersuckers was already shared last month – their cover of Let There Be Rock‘s Overdose is a heavy, excellent tribute, where you can hear for 6 minutes that they are true AC/DC fans.

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New album: Linda From Work || Burnout

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock / 1 Comment

Your daily life is a lot more fun when you have nice colleagues. Courtney From Work said Do It Yourself last summer, Brian From Work serves Cold Coffee, from Stu from Work you don’t get your wages, and Mick From Work speaks a different language. You will understand: Linda From Work is the one you should listen to.

Linda From Work is an alternative / garage rock trio from Seattle, with a powerful, energetic sound. On their debut album Burnout, songwriter Hillary Tusick (vocals, guitar), Sam Nowak (drums), and Mary Robins (bass) agitate against the nine-to-five lifestyle. In the 11 compelling songs you can feel the exhaustion, rage, and anxiety, but you and I can’t afford a permanent vacation. So let’s try to make the most of it: pour yourself a cup of hot coffee, put on your headphones and listen to some good music. Before you know it, it will be five o’clock again.

Burnout is out now digitally and on CD. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: It Thing || Syrup

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

The 9-song debut (mini)LP by Hobart (Australia) four-piece It Thing is titled Syrup. Don’t let the title set you on the wrong foot, the music of It Thing poses no danger to your dental health. Rather, the band plays an explosive mixture of styles that ranges from modern indie punk, to ’80s punk and new wave and ’90s alternative rock.

It Thing distantly reminds me of A Giant Dog. Sonically, but also because It Thing singer Charlotte Gigi, like A Giant Dog’s Sabrina Ellis, is a force of nature that takes this kind of music to another level. And like A giant Dog, It Thing is full of cool attitude and swagger.

Syrup is out now on Marthouse Records. It is a powerful and highly energetic record, with memorable hooks. With this band and Rabbit, rock-‘n’-roll clearly is alive and kicking in Hobart.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Gun Control || Gun Control

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

Again, I quickly jumped to conclusions. I fully expected Gun Control to be an American band. Of course, because gun control is such a major theme in the US, but also because the band’s sound seems heavily influenced by American alternative music. Gun Control are from Sweden though, Stockholm to be precise

Gun Control describe their sound as sad dad rock, but rather than classic rock or slowcore or emo, the band relies strongly on distorted guitars. Combined with an emotional edge, Gun Control kinda sounds like the more melodic and mellow side of Boy Sets Fire. Silver Screens is the standout track for me.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Gimme 5! Ryan Hamilton Shares 5 Albums That Influenced ‘1221’

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

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.

When I ordered Ryan Hamilton‘s solo debut album Hell Of A Day (2015) at the time, he wrote a personal thank you note, which shows how sympathetic this guy is. Since then, the Texan singer-songwriter has been continuously releasing new music, with a new LP every year: The Devil’s In The Detail ‎ (2017) and Traitors Club Year 1 (2018) by Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors, and This Is The Sound (2019) and Nowhere To Go But Everywhere (2020) by Ryan Hamilton And The Harlequin Ghosts. Little Steven heard it right (again): this is a cool musician who creates cool songs, an artist that deserves a cool label and more appreciation. During 2021, when touring was not possible due to the pandemic, Ryan has been releasing a new single the 12th of each month via Wicked Cool, for his project 1221. They include originals of his own as well as some covers, including The Refreshments’ Banditos.

The 2021 standalone singles will be bundled as one full album, titled 1221. Prior to its release this Friday, we asked Ryan about his sources of inspiration for all those great songs, and he was kind enough to answer in detail. His choices make perfect sense if you are familiar with his sound, but they give a new dimension to listening with his explanations.

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New album: Jim Lindberg || Songs from the Elkhorn Trail

By / / Alternative Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

What is it with experienced punk rockers who go solo and turn the volume down a bit? Actually, the result is almost always satisfying, because when they don’t hide behind a wall of noise, you really hear how good their melodies, playing and vocals are. That certainly applies to singer / songwriter Jim Lindberg, who with Pennywise has provided skate punks their soundtrack for the last 30 years. On his acoustic solo debut album Songs From The Elkhorn Trail he lets out a different sound, quiet and intimate. It feels very fitting to his more personal lyrics – about his life story, family and friends, loneliness and alienation, memories of his late father. Although the 12 original songs are not necessarily cheerful, musically they are certainly not depressed – the tracks radiate hope and understanding, as if a good friend puts an arm around you in comfort. Satisfying.

“Hello, goodbye, hello again // Loneliness, you are my only friend // It’s just you and me inside my head”

The album is produced and mixed by Tedd Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Lucero, Dropkick Murphy’s), and features David Hidalgo Jr. (Social Distortion) on drums, Joe Gittleman (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Avoid One Thing) on ​​bass, and Marc Orrell (The Dropkick Murphy’s, The Walker Roaders) on guitar and keys. Connor Vance (cello, viola, violin) and Glen Marhevka (trumpet) make valuable contributions. The album title and Bob Dob’s cover artwork reflect the fact that many of the songs were written at Jim’s father’s Palm Desert rental house near the Elkhorn Trail.

Songs From The Elkhorn Trail is out now digitally, and May 6 (2022) on CD and vinyl LP, via Epitaph.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Epitaph

New album: Jr. Gone Wild || Still Got The Jacket

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

Between 1983 and 1995, Canadian alternative country band Jr. Gone Wild was successful with five albums and countless epic live shows, combining folk and rock with a punk attitude. Over 25 years later, original members Mike McDonald (guitars, vocals), Steve Loree (lead guitar) and Dave “Dove” Brown (bass) have reunited, with McDonald’s nephew Quinton Herbert on drums (he’s replacing drummer Larry Shelast, who passed away in 2019). On their new double LP Still Got The Jacket, on which they pick up where they left off. The 16(!) new tracks are energetic, uplifting and danceable, a stunning mix of twangy rock, melodic country-punk and glorious power pop. Original tracks like Old and Ugly and Barricades are new classics, the cover of Chilliwack’s Fly At Night (featuring Chilliwack founder Bill Hendersen) is telling – “Four men in a rock ‘n’ roll band // Fly at night, in the morning we country” – and fits in well. You can hear the chemistry between skilled musicians, the hard-earned experience, and the joy of playing in everything. The band name may seem a bit strange in 2021 – time has not stood still (that also applies to the girl in the crowd) – but the four men not only still have their leather jackets, but also still play with the fire that characterized their performances back in the day. If this is what alt-country means, Jr. Gone Wild should continue like this.

Still Got The Jacket is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl 2LP through Stony Plain Records / (weewerk) Recordings.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: The Reytons || Kids off the Estate

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

UK indie rock band The Reytons – vocalist Jonny Yerrell (vocals), lead guitarist Joe O’Brien, bassist Lee Holland, and drummer Jamie Simpson – spent five years working towards the release of their debut album Kids Off The Estate. The bumpy journey to this moment can be seen in the documentary Becoming The Reytons on YouTube. Look where they are now – goosebumps all over when you hear a full house roar the lyrics of title track KOTE: “You don’t have to hate // The kids off the estate // Mates after a fate // And they called them Reytons” – an anthem for everyone who knows what it’s like to hang out on the street. The LP has 13 other infectious guitar rockers – we already knew a number of them from their previous EPs – that will do well everywhere (on the car radio, from your speakers at home, in the concert halls, etc.). The sound is reminiscent of hits that you often heard 15 years ago (Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Courteeners, Dirty Pretty Things, etc.), hits like they are no longer made. The band members will never deny South Yorkshire’s working class, but let’s face it: with such great songs and such a convincing stage presence, they’ll be away from home a lot, to conquer the rest of the world. The Reytons are the ‘right ones’ to get that job done.

Kids off the Estate is out now on CD, cassette and vinyl LP through Scruff Of The Neck.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || The Reytons Shop || Scruff Of The Neck

New album: The Feeders || Kerchoo

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

Here is a new release that brings me an equal amount of excitement and melancholy. Kerchoo is the debut full-length of The Feeders, featuring Chicago scene veterans Sam Vicari, Eli Caterer (Smoking Popes) and John Perrin (NRBQ). The sense of melancholy hit me immediately. It’s hard not to think of the late Kim Shattuck while listening to Kerchoo. But that sense of melancholy quickly makes room for excitement, because Kerchoo is so much more than a throwback to the Muffs. The altpop of the Feeders is catchy and punchy, a bit like Superchunk channeling Teenage Fanclub, or Superchunk playing good Weezer songs.

Shoutout to music writers who’ve already submitted their AOTY lists. You are missing out on this one. Quite the year for Eccentric Pop, who brought us the new Dan Vapid And The Cheats this week, and earlier this year that awesome Evening Shadows record.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Eccentric Pop

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