What do you do when you discover a killer single from Japan but your Japanese is limited to ‘Arigato’? Google to the rescue!
“恋の予感 stands for Koi no yokan – Japanese word meaning “premonition of love.” This is different than love at first sight. It is knowing, on first meeting, that the two of you are going to eventually fall in love.”
That’s a wonderful title, though I have to respond with: この三曲のシングルの場合、それは一目ぼれです. Fingers crossed that this does in fact translate to ‘In case of this three song single, it is love at first sight’. The Questions are three immaculately dressed females from Okinawa that play garage punkrock with a sixties vibe. Can’t wait to hear more from them!
The band members themselves say that Alternative Radio looks back at the past to look to the future and returns to the primitive punk rock and roll of the 70’s and early 80’s. The likeable Milwaukee duo take off where the local scene left off at the time, taking cue from bands like Oil Tasters, Couch Flambeau, and The Haskels. A revival that I can appreciate, especially because they do it quite well: powerful short songs with effective guitar and drum playing – I particularly enjoy the added piano – and sung raw as it should be. Just listen to Alternative Radio’s debut album To Hell in a Handbasket for yourself.
The first self-titled Sam Coffey And The Iron Lungs record was released a decade ago. Back then, the band sounded like a garage band with a country twang. In the next ten years, the band has made quite the transformation. I first fell for the band with their 2014 album Gates Of Hell, a record that had just the right mix of powerpop, rock-‘n’-roll and garage influences. The band then opted for a bigger sound on their 2018 record, again a self-titled one. Suddenly, here was a record full of fist pumping anthems made for arenas and hockey rinks. Today, the band released their follow up, titled Real One. It is the logical next step for the band. The band sounds more confident, more diverse and more ambitious than ever. The band has always wore its influences on its sleeves, and although this still unmistakingly is Sam Coffey, this one could also appeal to fans of Bruce Springsteen (listen to Magic and Sounds Alright), Thin Lizzy (She Knows), 80’s glam (Back With The Gang and Spirit Of The Radio), and even Billy Joel (15 minutes). If I am not mistaken, Gates of Heaven is the longest track the band ever recorded. It’s a 7 minute rock opera that starts out as a power ballad, turns into a groovy rock song, ultimately ending in fade out with some excellent female backups and group vocals. So yeah, plenty of fun to be had with this record, and plenty to discover upon further listens as well. And thoughout it all, I don’t think Sam Coffey has ever sung this well. You bet I am impressed with this record.
New band alert: Blueponies are a threesome from Aprilia (a small city south of Rome, Italy). The band members started playing together right before COVID-19 hit Italy hard. As soon as the lockdowns allowed it, they recorded four songs which they more or less remembered from those early rehearsals. The result is a fun collection of ramshackle garage pop tunes. The Delivery Romance EP sounds surprisingly focused for a new band whose members have such different musical tastes (“from screamo hc to garage, from stoner to synth powerpop”). I particularly like Delivery Boy and Rich Grrrls – I caught my four year old daughter singing along with its chorus when I first played it (“sometimes I DO like your music, dad”). Final remark by the band: “We love rock and Satan, because God is cool but Satan gives higher tips to the pizza delivery guy.” Noted.
A few years ago I saw Death By Unga Bunga live, along with only a handful of other paying visitors plus some friends of the five band members. Despite the empty hall, the Norwegian garage rockers went all out – those present became lifelong fans on the spot. Good news, therefore, that the band has added 10 songs to their discography. The new album Heavy Male Insecurity rocks as hard as their previous work, but the lyrics show an unexpected side of the Bunga boys: underneath the tough and badass exterior – machismo, swagger and loud guitars – there is a group of five insecure boys. Primed because of that, I thought the lyrics of the third song were about ‘my body and me’, but that turns out to be My Buddy and Me. Either way, it may be clear that the 5-piece don’t want to grow up, yet they have an important message: there’s a place for every misfit in this stupid world even though it might not always seem that way. And for those who are interested in their bodies, there is a picture disc vinyl with “erotic” photos of the band members (only 100 copies available).
Who would have thought they also play surf rock in China, and pretty good too, as you can hear below. Please meet Coastal Surf Club, who capture the rolling of the waves in 7 instrumental songs of around 2 minutes each. I don’t speak Chinese very well, actually not at all, and since there is no singing that’s not a problem at all, but according to my translation app this music reflects the sound of ocean waves that belong to southern China and become the ghost of spring reverberation in Xiamen.
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
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!
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.
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)
