Indie Pop

New EP: Asphalt || Le Blues Du Bulldozer

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

Asphalt’s Le Blues Du Bulldozer? Are we about to get flattened by a steamroller? Well, don’t judge a record by its title and band name. To be sure, there is definitely a punk attitude to the music of Asphalt, but listening to Le Blues Du Bulldozer is like witnessing a metamorphosis. The record opens with the moody protopunk track Bulldozer – see video below. With each subsequent song though, Asphalt increasingly open the curtains and windows to let the light and a breath of fresh air in. What about the irresistible Ustensile, arguably the most pop oriented and sunny track on the EP? From there on out, the transition moves swiftly. The next couple of tracks (Bunker (Technycolor) and Mopedelic) sound more like ’77 punk. Somehow, by the end of Le Blues Du Bulldozer, Asphalt start to sound like an underground pop band from the ’80s. What a trip!

Unfortunately, the EP is only on some streaming agencies right now and is expected to arrive on Bandcamp on June 15th. French label Juvenile Delinquent should have a tape of the record around July 15th – pre-order now!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Generifus || Rearrangel

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Generifus is the DIY project of Washington State native Spencer Sult, a prolific local hero who has put around twenty releases on his resume since 2005, and isn’t done yet. “I’m not changing, just rearranging // Rearrangel, bless and save me,” is what you hear in the title track of Rearrangel, his latest full-length album. The ten folk-pop songs here tell about life in the Pacific Northwest, an emotional mix of spiritual vision, road stories and bumper sticker wisdom. Or as sung in standout track Didn’t Even Look at the Mountain: “Take different words and mix them up into the bowl” (while violins weep gently). Get ready for 42 minutes of subdued melancholic music, with lush and sunny instrumentation, and characterful vocals.



Rearrangel, produced by Zach Burba and enigeered by Vin Christopher, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Anything Bagel and Bud Tapes. Featuring Spencer Sult, Lee Baggett, Zach Burba, Wilson Caicedo, Vin Cristopher, Andrew Dorsett, Liam Hindahl, Anna Jeter, Casey Klep, Laith Scherer, Collin Stackhouse and Henry Wilson.

Add to wantlist at Bandcamp: Anything Bagel || Bud Tapes || Generifus

New album: Magon || Did You Hear The Kids?

By / / Indie Pop, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

After a stint in France, Israeli singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Magon has now settled in Costa Rica, where he recorded his sixth album  Did You Hear The Kids?, released just half a year after his successful previous LP Enter By The Narrow Gate. You’ll hear nine original songs in which the sunny outdoors echo both musically and lyrically, with an understated pace (the sound is very relaxed) and all kinds of personal references (Magon thanks his family for endless inspiration). Standout track is Johnny Was A Son Of A Bitch, with jangly melodies and seductive “ooh la la la” chorus, but the other tunes are also quite appealing – again.



Did You Hear The Kids? is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through December Square. Magon handled vocals, guitars, ukulele, bass, synths, percussion and drums all by himself, but he got help on a few tracks – from Louise Bou (backing vocals) and Alan Borg (guitar) on Onie Was A Kid, and by Cary Morin (pedal steel) on Havana Bay.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Sam Blasucci || Off My Stars

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

You may know Californian singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sam Blasucci as one half of roots-rock duo Mapache, but we also recently saw him pop up behind Ryan Baine. And now he releases his full-length solo debut Off My Stars, which wasn’t accomplished by playing the guitar as usual, but – worth noting – on the piano that he took over from the mother of his Mapache bandmate Clay Finch. At first hearing, the new music is not even very different from that of his other projects, this also is folky indie pop with a laid-back and summery vibe, yet on closer listening you do hear quite some deviation in terms of orchestration (unpretentious) and lyrics (personal). The three stripped-down covers – Dido’s Thank You, The Cranberries’ Linger and Jimmy Fontana’s Il Mondo (heartfelt sung in Italian) – fit well here, but would feel out of place on a Mapache record. Expect 46 gentle and tender minutes that go beyond Sha La La.



Off My Stars, produced by Johnny Payne, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Innovative Leisure / Calico Discos.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Innovative Leisure

New EP: Jacuzzi Boys || Glue

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

It has been quiet around Jacuzzi Boys in recent years. Then suddenly, the band made a surprise return earlier this year with the 5-song Dipped EP. That one didn’t connect with me, but last Friday they released a new EP that offers another opportunity to catch up with the Miamian band. What do I think of it? Well, the album art is so disgusting, you have to pay me good money for me to ever take a look at it again. The four songs though? Pretty, pretty, pretty good! One of the songs is a newly recorded oldie by the band (The Caveman), the other three songs appear to be brand new. All in all, The Glue EP offers 9 minutes of sunny garage pop that is easy on the eardrums and today that is good enough for me.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: JSR || The Other Women

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

The John Sally Ride is a New York City-based power pop project from multi-instrumentalist John Dunbar and drummer Sal Nunziato. John never liked it when the band name was abbreviated, yet he released this new LP under the JSR moniker, but now with a different meaning: The Other Women is John’s Solo Release. It’s a concept album that grew out of his curiosity: every time he met a woman whose name was associated with an iconic song, he used that as a conversation starter, and again and again he heard that such a tune was detested, especially because it’s always sung to her when she introduces herself. John saw it as a challenge to offer the victims an alternative narrative, and started to write new songs with those names in the title but with a contrasting theme. A commendable initiative that works out better than you might expect, although A Little Bit Of Rosie, Christine Sixty and Sheena Is A Prog Rocker don’t beat Whole Lotta Rosie (AC/DC), Christine Sixteen (KISS) and Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Ramones) in terms of sing-along scores. The ten songs on this coherent entity feel familiar, thanks to both the references and the sentimental pop melodies, but the fresh insights are captured in charming portraits to cherish.



The Other Women, produced by John Dunbar & Len Monachello, is released last January – digitally via Heartpunch. All instruments and vocals by John Dunbar.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Panic Pocket || Mad Half Hour

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Childhood friends Natalie Healey (vocals, guitars) and Sophie Peacock (vocals, keyboards, piano) formed Panic Pocket in 2017, and following their 2019 debut EP Never Gonna Happen, they are now releasing their first full-length album, aptly titled Mad Half Hour. Together with Healey Becks (bass, backing vocals) and Laura Ankles (drums, guitars, backing vocals) they recorded ten melodic indie pop tunes, with cheerful sing-along lyrics that on closer inspection turn out to have a dark underlay (for example, the title track is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a 90s icon who turned “Girl Power” into a slogan). Radical but relatable. The 30 minutes fly by, and when you hear “Don’t get me started // Cause I’ll go on forever” in the closing track, all you have to do is click on repeat.



Mad Half Hour, produced by Keith TOTP, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Skep Wax Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Radiator Hospital || Can’t Make Any Promises

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

About ten years ago I first heard of Radiator Hospital. I quickly became a fan of their Something Wild LP with its super fun mix of indiepunk, indie pop and indie rock. I loved the follow up Torch Song (2014) as well. Both those records reside comfortably in my collection, but somehow, I never got into the records that came next.

I happily got reacquainted with the band though, now that their latest LP Can’t Make Any Promises is out. It turned out to be a pleasure. Can’t Make Any Promises is a diverse record, like all Radiator Hospital records are. It has those timely additions of weird instruments and sounds. It has those bouncy, upbeat and melodic songs like I Can Handle It and Cartoon Logic. It also has those trademark subtle, semi-acoustic songs with sparse percussion that burn slow yet brightly (Bette (& Me)). Radiator Hospital still sound warm, fuzzy and creative. And fun! And apparently they are doing quite well for themselves. I thought they were a niche act, but apparently they have 300k monthly listeners on Spotify? Good on ’em! I am so out of step.

LP available through Salinas Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Salinas Records

New album: Foyer Red || Yarn the Hours Away

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

Foyer Red is one of those bands taking pop music into exciting new directions. Should I describe the sound of the Brooklyn band on their debut LP Yarn The Hours Away (Carpark Records) as mathy tweepunk or jazzy indie pop? Should I even call this pop music? Foyer Red peppers its music with so many notes, tones and weirdness, it’s easy to get lost. But the sweet almost angelic voice of lead singer (and clarinetist!) Elena Riordan is the glue that holds all the parts together.

Still, a large portion of the appeal of Yarn The Hours Away is how something so meticulously crafted can sound so chaotic and full of life. Throughout the record, Foyer Red constantly thrills, surprises and excites. If you are looking to sink your teeth in something different, Foyer Red offers a more than rewarding experience.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Alfie Firmin || Absentee

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

On his third solo album Absentee, Southend-on-Sea (UK)-based singer-songwriter Alfie Firmin chronicles the experience of a long-planned move to Sweden gone awry amidst a global pandemic. You’ll hear ten original indie pop tracks with a 70s folk rock feel – laid-back, melancholic and autumnal. The music is soulful and jangly, the vocals heartfelt and engaging, all together earning the stamp of classic quality. RIYL: Tobias Jesso Jr., Josh Rouse, Bonny Doon.




Absentee is out now digitaly and on vinyl LP through Bobo Integral.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Bobo Integral

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