Glam Rock

New EP: Clean Lines || Nuisance

The real deal in rock-'n'-roll brilliance

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

Members of Circle Jerks, The Briefs, Boss Martians, and Geraldine Fibbers have joined forces as Clean Lines, the latest rock-’n’-roll fantasy unleashed by the ever-reliable Spaghetty Town Records (US), Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain), and Wanda Records (Germany).

Clean Lines hit that sweet spot between rock-’n’-roll, power pop, and glam, where bratty attitude, big hooks, and killer guitar riffs reign supreme. Wannabes? Hardly. These folks are the real deal. Spin So Sharp and In The Way for some high-octane earworms, or soak in the groovy vibes of the title track Nuisance. This EP is packed with everything you’d want and more—hooky, sharp, and pure fun.

Add to wantlist: Spaghetty Town || Wanda Records || Ghost Highway

Music Year-End List || Niek’s Favorite Singles and EPs of 2024

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf Music / 1 Comment

Our second year-end list has landed: Niek’s 50 favorite singles & EPs of 2024! ICYMI, Dennis kicked things off two days ago with his list, and next week we’ll wrap things up with our favorite albums of the year.

The beauty of the short format of course is that there’s no room for filler, every track has to matter. This year’s picks hit that mark, though narrowing them down was no easy task. Honestly, there are more than a few gems I had to leave out-always a sign of a more than solid musical year. In a just world, these tracks would be blasting from radios and streaming platforms everywhere. So here’s to the bands, artists, and labels brave enough to keep fighting the algorithms, one single and EP at a time.

As always, and contrary to my favorite albums list, I’ve chosen to present these singles alphabetically. Ranking them feels besides the point—apples and oranges, small sample sizes, etc.

Dive into the list below, and check out my playlist featuring 90%+ of these tracks here.

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Music Year-End List || Niek’s Favorite Singles and EPs of 2024Read More »

Music Year-End List || Dennis’ Favorite Singles and EPs of 2024

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf Music / 1 Comment

Next week we will publish our lists of favorite albums, but first here is an overview of short format releases that were—in my humble opinion—the most wantlist worthy. It’s a mix of welcome comebacks and uncompromising discoveries, all energetic and passionate.

Below you can listen to the Top 50 singles and EPs that I enjoyed the most last year (note: individual songs are excluded), in alphabetical order. Links point to Discogs or Bandcamp (the titles), and to previously posted reviews (in the body text). Add to your wantlist (or collection) what you like!

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Music Year-End List || Dennis’ Favorite Singles and EPs of 2024Read More »

New album: Savage Beat || The Singles: 2018​-​2022

Out-of-print singles compilation of Amsterdam's finest street boogie band

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

Dutch rock ‘n’ roll outfit Savage Beat is brewing up their next full-length for 2025, but Wap Shoo Wap Records and Longshot Music aren’t leaving fans hanging. They’ve assembled the band’s out-of-print singles into one explosive compilation, and it’s a wild ride through four years of ‘street boogie’ excellence.

The Singles: 2018-2022 plays like a greatest hits collection that never made the charts (but should have). Each track mixes high-octane rock ‘n’ roll with glam swagger and Oi! attitude, creating that signature Savage Beat adrenaline rush. The compilation wraps up with a revved-up take on The Nerves’ power pop gem Paper Doll and a fine rendition of The Boys’ Livin In The City—a perfect dessert to this feast of Dutch rock ‘n’ roll.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Public Toys || Public Toys

Sweet and sour punk from the French underground

By / / Glam Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

December 11th might be the official release date, but some things are too good to sit on. Like this self-titled debut EP from Public Toys (Lille), streaming now on Bandcamp and demanding immediate attention. The French quartet – operating under the gloriously dubious monikers Didine Guillotine, Fab Couz, Cowboy, and Sex Ray – have cooked up four servings of old school punk rock’n’roll that hit the sweet spot between nasty and catchy. Sure, I could’ve waited for the official release date, but sometimes you’ve got to fail the marshmallow test.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Continental Lovers || Continental Lovers

Rock'n'roll true believers finally deliver their debut

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

I’ve been riding the Continental Lovers bandwagon since their Dale Arden Vs The World EP dropped in 2022. Back then, an album was promised that same year, but hey – we all know the gap between planning is as reliable as Twitter’s algorithm.

Fast forward to the twilight of 2024, and their self-titled debut finally struts through the door. Here’s something I’ll defend as fact: if you live for that sweet spot where glam meets power pop, where garage rock dances with rock’n’roll, this record is your new best friend.

Sure, most of these tracks have made previous appearances on EPs or as teasers, but having all these gems compiled on a single platter is exactly the kind of gift I’d put on my Santa wishlist. Every song is armed with killer hooks and delivered with maximum swagger. Don’t miss out! CD shipping later this month from Cadiz Merch Store.

Add to wantlist: Cadiz

New EP: Street Sweeper || Don’t Wait

Maximum rock'n'roll from Melbourne

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

Quick safety briefing: secure all loose objects and notify your next of kin, because Street Sweeper is about to turn your living room into ground zero of a sonic explosion. This multicontinental wrecking crew (featuring alumni of Chubby and The Gang, Weekend, The Prize, and Gutless) just dropped their sophomore EP, and holy hell-once you hit play, you’ll experience some kind of blackout, coming to your senses drenched in sweat, speakers crackling, and your neighbor’s angry fist banging on your door.

Now stripped down to a power trio, Street Sweeper trades their previous punked up Thin Lizzy approach for something even more lethal-a brass-knuckled combo of pub rock swagger, garage grit, and power pop hooks. The assault kicks off with a power chord that makes you sit straight and Allan Stacey’s soul-scorching howl: “Doooooooooon’t Waiiiiit!” Ten seconds in, and resistance becomes futile. Too Much Is Never Enough follows like a punch to the pleasure center, dropping an earworm chorus that is followed by an “oooh yeah!” that would make Shogun of Royal Headache proud.

These two songs alone would’ve made a perfect double A-side single. But Allan Stacey, Ethan Stahl, and Abe Pedroza had more in the tank when recording in their storage unit. Out To Dry is a high-octane ’70s pub rock hit, while My World At Night can’t decide if it’s a power pop anthem or a rock’n’roll stomper – and it’s all the better for it!

What a way to close out the year for Legless Records, and what an insane return by Street Sweeper!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Brower || Flour

A six-year wait well worth it: Brower’s second LP is here

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

Six years is a long wait between albums, but for Brower, it’s been anything but quiet. Since their 2018 debut Buzzsaws turned heads, they’ve kept the spark alive with live shows (we caught their magic at Left Of The Dial fest in 2022), a live album, and must-have singles—including an essential double AA single on Wick Records in 2022. Frontman Nat Brower has been taking his time with Flour, recording solo in makeshift home studios and practice spaces, all while jokingly expanding the “Brower Cinematic Universe” with side projects like Josephine Network, Nancy, Metalleg, and The Wand-ers.

With Flour, Brower delivers a blast straight from a hazy ‘70s New York dive bar, blending genres and making each track feel like a rediscovered gem. You’ll find dreamy ‘60s psych-pop (Now It’s Time (To Get Serious), (Ooh Baby) I’m Tired), soulful rock’n’roll (Confrontation), and stomping glam anthems (Hard Road, Under the Table, Speed Bike). Tracks like More Than a Year, On the Corner, and She Gets Me channel pure power pop magic, proving Flour is Brower’s most ambitious, accomplished work yet—without losing a bit of the raw charm that made Buzzsaws such a hit.

With bands like The Lemon Twigs also bringing ‘70s rock’n’roll back to life, Flour feels authentic and thrilling—a record that makes you feel lucky to be around to hear it.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp ||

New EP: The Briefs || High Society

Look who's back!

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Punk / 3 Comments

Sure, it’s great that 25 years after its release, TKO Records is reissuing The Briefs’ legendary debut single Poor and Weird (officially out on October 22nd). But there’s something even better—the band is hitting the road! They’ll tour the US in November and the UK in December. And the best news? The Briefs are back in the studio! Five years after their fifth album (Platinum Rats), they’ve just dropped a new 7” EP that’ll reignite your love for late ’70s pop punk.

Much like you never unlearn riding a bike, once you’re back into The Briefs’ world, it feels like they never left. The High Society EP delivers everything you love about them: high-energy, fun tracks that hit hard. The title track is classic punk, full of societal critiques. Then there’s You Can Move Me, an irresistibly poppy love song, while I Gotta Go channels that timeless Ramones vibe. Each song is a blast, proving once again why this band is so beloved.

The High Society 7” will be available later this week via TKO Records.

Add to wantlist: Not yet available

New single: The Zack Static Sect || 1​-​2​-​3​-​4! ~ Rock ‘N Roll Records

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

Did Seattle three-piece The Zack Static Sect just wrote the ultimate rock-‘n’-roll love letter to record stores?

If there’s any doubt after the opening 90 seconds of 1-2-3-4! ~ Rock ‘N Roll Records, it vanishes when you listen to the lyrics of what comes next. “I said rock-‘n’-roll records! OH YEAH!” the band howls, with a barrage of familiar rock-n-roll tropes dropped lovingly, without a hint of irony or cynicism. The song is an absolute blast from start to finish.

Next up is another hit, Portland Tonight, which swaps the “OH YEAH!” for a high-pitched, irresistible “aah woohoo!”—a fun tribute to the local music scene.

7” single out now on Static Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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