Garage Rock

New album: Tamara Luonto || Honeymoon

The Finnish four piece Tamara Luonto started around five years ago, steadily building a live reputation in their homeland. This week, they dropped their 8-song debut LP Honeymoon (on Humu Records / Hillotehdas / Lempi & Sylvi Discs), and it’s an extremely fun listen, even though I truly have no idea what these songs are about. Tamara Luonto operate on a continuum between punk and indiepop, constantly incorporating influences from powerpop, garage and rock’n’roll. Their songs are charming and full of pop. If you liked that Teini-Pää LP we wrote about a while back, make sure to check this one out as well, or vice versa.


Add to wantlist: Humu Records

New album: The Beatpack || All Good things (Turn To Dust)

Over 30 years ago, UK garage rock band The Beatpack conquered Europe with untamed live shows and a few Billy Childish produced releases, including debut album Could You Walk On Water ‎(1991), then suddenly they disappeared from the scene. They’ve now been back at the front for 10 years, and their sophomore LP All Good Things (Turn to Dust) is finally here. Hugh Dellar (vocals, harmonica, percussion), Simon Harvey (guitars, vocals, percussion), Will Bourton (bass, percussion, vocals, autoharp, thumb piano) en Charlie Gurney (drums, percussion, vocals) haven’t lost any energy. Assisted by John Cheeseman (piano, organ, harpsichord, harmonium, Wurlitzer), Terry Edwards (saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn), Sam Enthoven (theremin), and Adrian Tuft-Smith & Louis Wiggett (backing vocals) they recorded 12 new songs that are short but powerful and as raw as they are surprising. This is raucous rock ‘n’ roll as it was played in the 60’s, with splashes of punk, R&B, blues and psych added. Not dusty at all.

All Good things (Turn To Dust) is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Spinout Nuggets.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Spinout Productons

New album: Los Palms || Skeleton Ranch

Fans of bands such as Allah-Las, Mystic Braves, Night Beats, The Growlers and Tijuana Panthers should pay attention now, because most likely they also dig Australian “romantic desert jangle” 5-piece Los Palms. Ant Candlish (vocals, guitar), Sam Arthurson (guitar), Nathan Solly (bass), Code Andrusko (drums, vocals) and Will Bahnisch (keys) just released their full-length debut album Skeleton Ranch and it’s – literally and figuratively – a thrilling one. You’ll hear 9 mysterious songs influenced by garage, surf and psych rock as it came to life in the 60’s – raw, dirty and cinematic. Or as they put it themselves: “Neo-psych ghost stories that create a detailed musical landscape by mixing feedback, fuzz, eerie organs and reverb-soaked guitar and vocals.” They may sing out loud that they don’t want to be cool, but of course they are, while their record is so hot you could warm up to it this fall.

Skeleton Ranch is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Fuzz Club Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Fuzz Club

New album: The Black Halos || How the Darkness Doubled

Let’s make a quick detour to the west coast of Canada for the glam rockin’ foot stompin’ rock’n’rollin’ return of The Black Halos. Formed in 1994, The Black Halos had a succesful period in the late ’90s/early ’00s, culminating in the critically acclaimed and publicly loved Violent Years LP (2001). Unfortunately, the band faced some serious headwind in the decade after. Members changed course, equipment got stolen. Long story short: After a 12 year hiatus, the stars somehow aligned to pave the way for the band to record some new music. More than some I should say, How The Darkness Doubled features twelve new tunes and zero trace of a band that is weary and tired. Instead, The Black Halos sound energized and hardened on this anthemic and sleazy punkrock’n’roll funfest.

Out now through Stomp Records!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Stomp

New album: The Beach Berserkers || Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback

In Aarhus (Denmark) it’s rainy today, with a temperature of about 6°C, and wind speed varying between 3 and 7 m/s. Yet that’s where the most summery and exciting new surf rock release comes from. Please meet The Beach Berserkers, the band of brothers Svend and Ole Jeppesen, influenced by surf, spaghetti westerns, spy and horror movie soundtracks. They debuted over two years ago with their great debut single Brand New Speedos, with which their first full-length album Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback now kicks off. With the other nine instrumental tunes that follow, the duo shows that they easily can come up with more original melodies and witty song titles, something that’s actually quite difficult when you realize how abundant this genre already is. Pretty cool stuff. Look, is that the sun breaking through there?

Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback is out now digitally and on vinyl LP via Les Devon Records, CD’s to follow soon.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Smirk || Material

Nic Vicario (Autistic Youth, Crisis Man, Public Eye) is so prolific, I had to look up how many records he released under the Smirk moniker. Material which is out now through Feel It Records is LP #3 in just two years. However, it is dubbed the first real Smirk LP, because the previous two are actually three EPs.

If you’ve heard Smirk before, you know what to expect: Groovy and hypnotic lo-fi tunes driven by awesome guitar work and with a punk attitude. Most, if not all of Vicario’s songs are worth your ears, but what I love most about this project are the absolute gems Vicario strategically places on his Smirk LPs. Revenge, which features Iphigenia Karantzas (Foie Gras) on vocals is one such track. The 1-2-3 punch of Living In Hell, Souvenir and Hopeless, are additional examples. Those four songs are in heavy rotation right now and alone make the purchase of Material worthwhile.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Hoop Jail || Health Association

Hoop Jail is a musical/art project by Alan Connor from Long Beach (CA). Health Association apparently is the third Hoop Jail record of 2022, but my first taste of the band. I like what I’m hearing, even though it’s hard to describe. Hoop Jail is the kind of act that tickles the hearing (and reward!) centre of the brain but mutes the language centre. Here’s my try though. Health Association is a wild an unhinged trip around many musical styles but ultimately settling on a mix of protopunk, garage, rock’n’roll, and psych. It’s quirky, experimental and pretty exciting. If you like Tha Retail Simps, Personal and The Pizzas, Smirk and King Tuff, I’m pretty sure you’ll find some gems on Health Association. Read more on Hoop Jail in this exclusive interview at Clear Vision Collective.





Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Nix & the Nothings || Here Goes Nothing

Nix & the Nothings have not come Back From The Grave, although that wouldn’t be unlikely, based on their sound. It’s a relatively new garage rock band from Norway, featuring Nicolai Hervik Olsen, Andri Szarvas, Julia Flo Galaasen, Daniel Rognes and Torgrim Kvestad Nåmdal. They play raucous and rough rock ‘n’ roll, topped with a greasy sauce of punk and psych, dirty and dangerous. On their full-length debut album Here Goes Nothing, you’ll hear “a homage to garage rock from the 60s and beyond, filled with fuzz, emotions and attitude.” The ten songs here, with a ferocious organ and courageous vocals, are anything but nothing. The record radiates an overwhelming live energy, but in closing anthem Here Goes the musicians also appear to have a subtle side that is at least as convincing.

Here Goes Nothing is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Apollon Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New single: The Kaisers || Don’t Miss The Monkey Train

Scottish beat band The Kaisers celebrate their 30th anniversary this year. Although there is a gap of about 15 years halfway through, they have released quite a few cool albums, EPs and singles over time. The current line-up consists of founders George Miller (lead guitar, vocals) and Johnny Maben (drums, backing vocals), plus veteran Mark Ferrie (bass, backing vocals) and relative new Kaiser Richie Raveman (rhythm guitar, backing vocals). With their new 45, the heroes show that they can still write hits. Both A-side Monkey Train and B-side Sugaree are uplifting garage rock ‘n’ roll party bangers, catchy and danceable. One not to be missed. Also very entertaining live.

Don’t Miss The Monkey Train is out now on vinyl 7″ through Sleazy Records.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || Sleazy Records

New album: X Ray Cat Trio || Haunted

The British rock ‘n’ rollers of X Ray Cat Trio are back with their new (third) full-length album, called Haunted, featuring ten energetic, cinematic, dangerous and danceable tunes. El Nico (vocals, guitars, theramin), Adam Richards (bass) and Howlin’ Ric (drums) throw a party that will leave you sweating and bruised. With the help of Ben Powling (sax), Kieran O’Malley (fiddle) and Chris Dylan Lloyd (pedal steel), they’re throwing the best influences from the 50’s and 60’s in the air – rockabilly, garage rock, surf, punk, doo-wop and country – and what comes down is as cool as can be. Do you also have the urge to shout “Yee-haw!” loudly?

Haunted is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Property Of The Lost Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || PropertyOfTheLost

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