Alternative Rock

New album: Cowbell || Waiting For Yesterday

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Indie Pop / 1 Comment

Of all the musical instruments, the cowbell is probably the coolest to pick as a band name, even if the music has little to do with the legendary Saturday Night Live sketch starring Blue Öyster Cult. On their fourth album Waiting For Yesterday, Cowbell mixes influences from rock ‘n’ roll, soul, blues, folk, and garage rock into a fresh sound of their own. These are 11 varied, wonderfully constructed tracks, in which a lot’s going on, with appealing lyrics. Each song is a surprise, as if this is a summer movie soundtrack that has to express the emotions of different scenes. Think of a compilation featuring artists like The Byrds, Mazzy Star, John Paul Keith, The Maharajas, Reigning Sound, and The Wheels, but all played by Jack Sandham (vocals / guitar / keys) and Wednesday Lyle (vocals / drums / percussion), this time assisted by Fabio D’Agostino (guitar / sitar / synth) and Tom Wright (bass). Just as cool as their band name.

Out digitally via Damaged Goods and on vinyl LP through the band’s own Cool Jerk Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Beat Up || Satisfied?

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

The band name, the cover art, the palm muted guitars in the opening seconds of the record…they set me on the wrong foot in terms of what to expect from Beat Up’s new record Satisfied? But isn’t music all about messing around with the expectations of the listeners? At the same time, I am not sure whether Beat Up care all that much about expectations. Probably they just play what they like. They clearly found their own niche that harbors elements of punk, indie rock, post punk and alternative music, sometimes all in the same song. The vocal melodies of Beat Up also are quite unique. It’s like Robert Pollard (of GBV) has been listening to street punk and celtic punk bands a lot. I am even hearing some Dag Nasty influences in album opener Us Vs. Them.  In the end, the question mark in the album title almost reads like Beat Up want to taunt listeners out of their comfort zone. They even close out the record testing our attention span with three 5 minute songs, that are actually quite great. Satisfied? I’d say mission accomplished.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Veronique Gayot || Animal

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots / Leave a Comment

French blues rock singer Veronique Gayot calls herself the wild cat. Her debut album was titled Wildcat (2019), the successor is called Animal. However, her raw vocals have more in common with a tiger than with a cat (and while we use the obvious metaphors: the drums stomp like rhythmic elephants, the guitars screech like well-tuned peacocks). About 30 years ago, similarly gritty voices as Alannah Myles and Melissa Etheridge scored hits with this kind of hard rocking blues songs, in 2021 Veronique Gayot deserves that success too. Watch the video for standout opening track Wicked Shot below, listen to the rest of the album via your favorite streaming service.

Out now on CD and vinyl LP via Grand Cru Records. Add to wantlist: Veronique Gayot 

New album: Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions || Dad Rock

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots / 1 Comment

Based on the title Dad Rock and accompanying cover photo you could conclude that the third independently released album by Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions is a gimmick, but this is actually one to take seriously. Frontman Jack Droppers has become a father (on the back of the record sleeve he has his first child Naomi in his arms; the tenth song on the record bears her name and the eleventh, closing song was written for her: Welcome to the Party). Anyway, along with The Best Intentions (Laura Hobson, Devin Sullivan, James Kessel, Garrett Stier, and Josh Holicki) he’s recorded a collection of strong songs with compelling lyrics that will appeal to fans of Butch Walker, Jesse Malin, and Bruce Springsteen. This is infectious true American rock ‘n’ roll that deserves packed stadiums. I enjoy the album so much more than I expected based on the cover art, but I’ll pass on the limited edition Dad Rock patch they offer for sale. Listen below to the opening and closing song of the record.

Out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP.  Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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New single: Otts || One Two Three Stand

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

Otts are a three-piece from New-Zealand who effortlessly blend alternative rock with punk attitude and pop sensibilities. The band released two singles last year called Old Tree Tire Swing, and Over There To Shake. Their latest single again is made up of the letters of the band: One Two Three Stand. Both songs on the single rock like crazy, and the louder you play them, the better they will sound. I am keeping an close eye on Otts: Outstanding Teamwork Tremendous Songs.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps || Cheap Diction

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots / Leave a Comment

Singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Patty PerShayla has a beautiful name, but more importantly, she has a great powerful voice that she knows how to use in the right raw way. After her solo EP Oracle Bones (2019) and many cover requests, she has now released the full length debut album Cheap Diction, together with guitarist Lucas Powell and drummer Alec Klinefelter. Here the power trio plays ten energetic songs, inspired by blues and classic / progressive rock, with a nostalgic feel (there are even guitar solos) but completely contemporary in terms of lyrics and sound. “I’ll lose my balance if I // Tiptoe around your feelings // You might have the floor, sure // But I’m dancing on the ceiling”, PerShayla sings on opening track Walking on My Hands. Like I’m upside down from this music.

Out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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New album: Fred Lee & The Restless || Sleepwalking In Daylight

By / / Alternative Rock / Leave a Comment

Fred Lee is the alter ego of Swedish musician Fredrik Lindkvist, who in the past 20 years played in several punk bands (Knugen Faller, RIWEN, Royal Downfall, Sista Brytet, Totalt Jävla Mörker). Now he follows the path Frank Turner (with whom he has a great voice in common) also took, from hardcore to folk-rock. He wrote some narrative, soulful songs, put together backup band The Restless, with whom he recorded this strong, powerful debut album Sleepwalking In Daylight. The ten new tracks may not be as fast and loud as in the punk days, but they might hit harder (and will appeal to a wider audience). This sound can make festival fields go wild.

Out now digitally and on vinyl LP via Lövely Records. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Freight Train

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New album: Freedom || Freedom

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

There’s no shortage of hard-to-google bands on this blog, but we have a new leader on the board that will be hard to beat. The name of the band? Freedom. The title of the new record? Freedom. So yeah, my information about the release is limited to this: Freedom are from Stockholm and this is their first LP. It’s currently digital only, but will be available on LP this summer; order directly through the band on Bandcamp or contact them at their Facebook page.

The music is pretty great though. Freedom plays blue collar music with soulful vocals – it’s hard not to think about Bruce Springsteen when listening to this record. Fans of Gaslight anthem and particularly Nato Coles And The Blue Diamond Band will go wild for the band’s sound. While Freedom opts for a slightly more authentic rock sound relative to those bands, they play their songs at sufficient pace to also draw in fans of punk, garage and powerpop. All in all, for an impossible to google band, Freedom are an awesome find.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Gimme 5! Stella Maxwell Of Stella And The Very Messed (And Cruiserweight) Shares 5 Records That Influenced The Marigold EP

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Punk / 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.

There was an instant familiarity when I first heard the Marigold EP by Stella And The Very Messed. It all made sense when I found out that Stella Maxwell of Cruiserweight fronts The Very Messed. Cruiserweight was a pop punk band from Austin that had a great run in the first decade of the 2000s, and the distinct voice of Maxwell was (is!) one of the draws of that band. Together with Cruiserweight alumn Dave Hawkins, she started this new project which is not pop punk, but semi-acoustic and equal parts indie pop, ’90s alternative and americana. It’s more layered and, for lack of a better word, more mature than the music of Cruiserweight, but just as accessible an enjoyable. It’s the kind of music Maxwell’s voice seems made for. In addition to Maxwell and Hawkins, the band also includes Chris Nine (Karaoke Apocalypse, Manhole) and Donnie Adkinson (The Letters Organize, Whores), with Nik Snell (The Cutaway) and Sam Rich (Black Books) recent additions for live shows.

The video for lead single, and my personal favorite on the EP, The Feeling premieres today. The video is an arts and crafts stop-motion piece of creative brilliance. Sonically, The Feeling is a song made for spring with its gently strumming guitars and catchy forward moving bass line. Lyrically and vocally, the song pulls at the heartstrings with its dark and deeply personal undertones. “And now I drink myself to bed and I cry myself to work,” Maxwell sings, and “How can you really miss what you never really knew? I get the feeling, I do ||  How can you really miss what you never really had? I know that feeling, I do.” [post continues below]

 

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New album: Modern Amusement || Modern Amusement

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If we were still living in the 90’s, American rock duo Modern Amusement could easily have been on the charts alongside Oasis, Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Wheatus, etc. – you can hear a lot of those influences on the self-titled full-length debut album by Sam Black (vocals, guitars, keyboards, harmonica, bass) and Marco Milo (it’s not exactly clear what his role is, besides making comics to the music), assisted by OK Go’s Dan Konopka (drums, production). These are eleven original songs full of hooks and entertaining lyrics, sung by a distinctive voice that won’t appeal to everyone but captivates me – strong uptempo songs that I keep playing these days. Even 20+ years after the 90’s we can very well use some Modern Amusement!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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