Garage Rock

New album: The Guapos || Hey!

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Power Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

Let’s see. Four sharp dressed men, three bearded, one mustachioed, two wearing cowboy hats. Spaghetti western music alert? Not really. The Guapos (Mexico & Spain) are definitely a throwback act though. It’s four well-known musicians (Adán Jodorowsky, El David Aguilar, Jay de La Cueva and Leiva) from the Mexican and Spanish music scene penning a love letter to pre-80’s music. The ten songs on Hey! are perfect summertime music incorporating influences from surf, garage, rock-‘n’-roll and old school pop music. The hits are massive and keep on coming. Listen to the party platter title track Hey! or Soy Un Guapo, a song so catchy it made me sing along to the chorus right away – phonetically of course since I have no idea what they are actually singing.

The Guapos appear to be a sideproject for the people involved (one out of a “deep friendship”), but I hope they go for global dominance and take this show on the road as a full time thing. What a knack for writing pop melodies these hombres have! A touch of Nerves and The Remains here, a dash of The Everly Brothers there, a bit of Allman Brothers band, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys added for good measure. What’s not to like?!

Okay, it would have been nice to have some information on a future physical release (One Little Blue Records Inc. is the label involved), or at the very least to be able to find the record on Bandcamp. For now we have to rely on streaming services to enjoy this one. Play loud, dance, fun wil be had.


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New album: The Fuzillis || Grind a Go Go Volume 2

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Almost six years have passed since London-based rock ‘n’ roll combo The Fuzillis released their LP Grind a Go Go Volume 1 into the world. That milestone now gets a proper follow-up with Grind a Go Go Volume 2. Lead single Pizza Sure is Good, a Dick & Libby Halleman cover, is present (the two tracks on its B-side are not) – the expectations this 7″ evoked are easily fulfilled on the new album. Dani Martini (guitar, vocals), Colonel “Chicken” Evoy (sax, vocals) Frankie Fuzilli Sr. (bass, vocals) and Toby “2 beers” Ungless (drums, vocals) deliver fourteen swinging garage rhythm & blues tunes, partly instrumental. Bule Bule (adapted from Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs), The Gee Gee Walk (Gone All Stars) and Friday Night Dance Party (Link Wray) are other successful covers, Tacoma and No Hay Guacamole are modern variants of The Champs’ Tequila, and original tunes like Wrecking Machine, Hot Nuts and Pigeon Wind are danceable hits. No fillers here. Everything The Fuzillis do, both vocally and musically (that sax!) as well as their skills and work ethic, serves to create a party.




Grind a Go Go Volume 2 is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Folc Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Folc Records

‘New’ album: Th Da Freak || Indie Rock

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

During the recording sessions of his previous LP Coyote, French singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Thoineau Palis aka Th da Freak also worked on the eleven songs that make up Indie Rock, a new DIY chapter in his ‘parallel discography’. Actually this is a reissue: the album has already been released on April 1st 2022 – a semi April fool’s joke – as a free download on Bandcamp for 48 hours only, before being ‘permanently’ removed from the platform. But then new label Les Disques du Paradis came into play, where they loved these tunes so much that they proposed to release them for real – no sooner said than done. You can label them as ramshackle indie rock, melodic garage pop or lo-fi slacker rock, but both the music and the lyrics are always understandable, charming and resonant. Fuzzy lead single Young Bro is the most striking example of this – an ode to the brotherly love that an older brother can have for his beloved younger brother (something that naturally appeals to us as brothers who run this blog ;)), illustrated by an entertaining homemade video by brothers Animalmore, SIZ and Th. This record is diverse, relatable and a bit messy – in a good way, just like life should be.




Indie Rock, written/performed/produced/mixed by Thoineau Palis, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Howlin’ Banana Records, Les Disques du Paradis and Flippin’ Freaks Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Les Disques du Paradis || Flippin’ Freaks || Howlin’ Banana

New album: Expensive Music Band || Things To Say At A Barbeque

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

Up to now, Expensive Music Band was a solo project of Australian songsmith Troon Lienad, but for recording his new full-length Things To Say At A Barbeque he turned to his network: in the nine songs here – 42 minutes – you can also hear the playing of Annabel Blackman, Chet Tucker, Luke Player and Bowen Shakallis. They shift between ramshackle garage psych, layered neo mellow and jangly indie pop, adding lush vocals and lyrics that are humorous and inimitable – a combination plotted somewhere between Strange Boys and Kurt Vile. Whether criticism of the exploitative music industry (in RNR Cliche), a sinful life after a Catholic upbringing (Oh How Many Times) or a generational cultural exchange (Cool Aunty) are actually good conversation material for a BBQ is doubtful, but it makes for an entertaining and satisfying listen.



Things To Say At A Barbeque, written & produced by Troon Lienad, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Exclusive Culture (Australia) & Permanent Slump (UK).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: American Restless || Rust Belt Rock N Roll

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

Fancy some real American road trip music? American Restless is at your service. We’re talking about Noah Lekas on vocals & guitar, Ian Grant on bass and Arjuna “RJ” Contreras (Reverend Horton Heat) on drums, who just – fifteen years after their formation – released their debut LP Rust Belt Rock N Roll. It’s an album title that reflects its powerful sound very well, also fitting with the influences that the band members previously shared with us – ranging from Sonic Youth and The Stooges to John Lee Hooker and Stevie Wonder. This is tough rock music with a smoking hot core of blues ‘n’ boogie, topped with a cool sauce of punk and rockabilly. The ten songs here seduce with an untamable groove that is good to dance to, and catchy harmony vocals that make for a smile. A show of force.



Rust Belt Rock N Roll, produced by Jeremiah Zimmerman & American Restless, is out now digitally through Blind Owl Records. Also featuring Gary Lekas (organ), Gerald ‘GM3″ Meerschaert (saxophone), Jeremiah Zimmerman (backing vocals), Joshua Zimmerman (backing vocals) and Nathaniel Stiers (backing vocals).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Love || Come On And Feel The Love

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

When he wasn’t working as a sound engineer for others, Belgian singer/guitarist Bob Belmans had been writing songs anonymously in his garden house for years, until one day he had enough confidence to share his music with others. Along with those others, Cedric Maes (guitar), Sean Willekens (keys, guitar), Kevin Maenen (bass) and Jonas Wellens (drums), friends who were already used to a life in the spotlight in bands like El Guapo Stuntteam, The Sha-La-Lee’s and The Sore Losers, he formed the band The Love. They went to a cabin in the woods and in one noisy and wild weekend they recorded ten energetic and infectious garage rock songs about love and live, without overdubs or backing tracks, just as raw and real as it gets. It is what it is, and you feel it, so logically their debut album is called Come On And Feel The Love. Its tracks slowly but surely forged towards perfection, but now sound very spontaneous, enthusiastic and straightforward, a formula for success. How fortunate that this music has not remained hidden, because it certainly deserves an audience.



Come On And Feel The Love is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Sounds of Subterrania.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Sounds of Subterrania

New EP: Råttanson || Trebled Region

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

Swedish songwriting machine Henrik Aspeborg released two full lengths solo as Råttanson: Full-Scale Shakeability (2017) and I’d Much Rather Be With The Noise (2019), both out on Open Mind Records (Vinyl) and Kool Kat Records (CD). Recently, Aspeborg switched from flying solo to utilizing a classic four-piece set up of two guitars, bass and drums. Alex Petrini Månsson, Christian Marosfalvi (both of The Why Oh Whys) and Anders Björnlund (The HiJackers, The Turpentines) all joined and the dividends are immediate. Råttanson sound crisp and fresh on their new 5-song Trebled Region EP, with the production doing more justice to the quality of the songwriting.

Listening to the Trebled Region EP, you could describe Råttanson as either a power pop band, a classic rock-‘n’-roll band, or a garage rock act. But it’s all of the above really, good time music played with unshakeable ease. How can you not fall for a classic powerpop song like Fighting the Good Fight or the sugary pop punk of How Many Days Till Summer?, and the rock and rollin’ earworm My Head Is A Trouble Region?




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Poppermost || Les Poppermost

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Two years ago we were introduced to Scottish beat outfit The Poppermost, whose debut LP Hits To Spare revived The Beatles’ heyday. At the time it was still a solo effort by Joe Kane (Dr. Cosmo’s Tape Lab, The Owsley Sunshine), now they have grown into a full band* without the sound being substantially different. In one single day they recorded four new songs, using vintage Rickenbacker, Hofner, Gretsch, and Ludwig instruments – rhythm ‘n’ beat tunes that would all have been hits 59 years ago. However, the uplifting melodies and harmony vocals on this almost-eponymous EP also ensure that the sun will shine in 2023. Keep calm and carry on swinging.


Les Poppermost, written & produced by Joe Kane, is out now digitally and on vinyl 7″ through Rogue Records. *Featuring Joe Kane (lead vocals, piano), Richard Anderson (bass, vocals), Craig McGown (guitar, vocals) and Ross “Des” Wilson (drums, percussion).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Las Yakets || Regresa El Rocanrol

By / / Garage Rock / 1 Comment

Costa Rica three-piece Las Yakets celebrate their five-year anniversary with the new six-track EP Regresa El Rocanrol (translated: the rock ‘n’ roll is back). Surf rock meets garage punk in three instrumentals and three Spanish sung songs, all energetic and exciting. For the band – the current line-up consists of Carlos Orozco (guitar, vocals), Agustín Solís (bass) and Gabriel Meneses (drums) – it’s all about playing rock ‘n’ roll as it was done in 1966. That sounds even better in their native language: “Lo demás no me interesa // Hoy quiero perder la cabeza // Yo voy a tocar Rocanrol” (from Rocanrol). We won’t have to tell you that this comes with a lot of fun: “Ya no, no hay nada que hacer // Ya no, no hay donde tocar // Está muy mal querer solo // Un poco de diversión” (from standout track San José). We can only agree.



Regresa El Rocanrol, recorded & produced by Gabriel Meneses, is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Single Premiere: Taxi Girls || After Effect (New EP Coming Up Roses Out July 7th)

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

Are you on the Taxi Girls bandwagon yet? In a couple of weeks the Montreal trio of Jamie (Pale Lips, Reta Records), Vera, and Lynn will release their debut EP Coming Up Roses. To be precise, it will be out on Dirt Cult (cassette) and Wild Honey Records (vinyl) on July 7. The first single Sunshine was a scrappy punk rock’n’roll blast that upped the sikedness level. Today, we proudly premiere the second track by Taxi Girls. It’s called After Effect and it’s “an ode to uncertainty,” Jamie explains. “After Effect is about situational relationships and the whirling, twirling pit of anxiety that comes along with not knowing exactly what’s going to happen next.”

The band dubs it as “a blast of fresh sound thrown to you at 150mph.” It’s certified fresh for sure! Three elements of the song stand out: 1) the driving bass riff by Jamie that provides the heartbeat of the song and together with the drums will make your head bop from the get-go, 2) the verse that is sung with a healthy dose of punk bite, and 3) the chorus that has a super catchy sugary harmony that contrasts perfectly with the verse. Jamie adds: “We had a lot of fun writing this one – building it up from the bass and drum beat, adding layers or guitars and then finally coming up with the melody and words. It came together nicely and it’s super fun to play live!”

Sunshine was great, After Effect may be even better. Just drop that EP already, Taxi Girls!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Dirt Cult

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