Indie Rock

New EP: La Culpa || La Culpa

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

La Culpa has only been together for 5 or 6 months, but their selftitled debut mini-album/EP has already arrived. The Spanish four-piece play a suspenseful brand of punky new wave or post-punk, that sounds bright yet moody, melodic yet tense, catchy yet aggressive. They sound tighter and far more developed than you would suspect from a band that’s been together for such a short time.

If you have just 90 seconds to spare, listen to the outstanding Mágico Trágico which is a short but sweet indiepunk classic showcasing all of the strength of La Culpa. Try playing that one and not become curious about the other 7 tracks (and 14 minutes) on the record.

La Culpa is out now on Humo Internacional.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Humo Internacional

New album: Afterpartees || Family Names

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

Niek (vocals), Teun (drums), Jesse (bass), Sjors (guitar), and Bas (guitar) spent three weeks in a cabin in the woods of their hometown Horst, Limburg (The Netherlands), where they recorded the third Afterpartees album on a diet of soup and biscuits. Family Names features 11 captivating songs about the impossible things in life, like carnival parades that never end and visiting your favorite pub forever. Musically, it’s a combination of uplifting power pop and smart indie rock, which will appeal to fans of Vampire Weekend, Jonathan Richman, and Mozes and the Firstborn. The tracks are always melodic, with well chosen tempo changes, catchy hooks, and surprising contributions (for example in The Buun, a sentimental farewell to the band’s favorite bar, you hear a cello and saxophone), and evoke both a feeling of sensitive melancholy and of summery joyfulness. This LP is a sympathetic ode to togetherness, friendship and food, an ode to cherish for all fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters.


Family Names is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through AT EASE / Goomah Music.

Add to wantlist: AT EASE || Bandcamp

New album: Ex-Vöid || Bigger Than Before

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

If there was one record I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, it’s the debut of Ex-Vöid. I was a massive fan of Joanna Gruesome, and the fingerprints of that band all over Ex-Vöid. And I mean that literally: the two primary songwriters and singers of Joanna Gruesome (Lan McArdle and Owen Williams) are also in Ex-Vöid taking a similar approach. The trademark dual boy-girl vocal attack of Joanna Gruesome is omnipresent on Ex-Vöid’s debut LP. The pair also brought a smorgasbord of hooks. Any doubt that they used all those up in the megacatchy songs of Joanna Gruesome dissolves in album opener Churchyard – I love every second of that song.

Hence, the likelihood between liking one if you like the other is close to 100%. Still, as the album title seem to imply, I can see Ex-Vöid ultimately ending up with a wider audience with the new band. It would be the logical consequence of a broader and more varied sound. McArdle and Williams sound as punchy and energetic as they did with Joanna Gruesome – listen to the punked up Chemical Reaction with its sugary sweet chorus for example, but they are more in control of their powers, and unafraid to open the windows and breathe some fresh air and space in the songs. There are also hints of The Beths, and I believe some of the songs on Bigger Than Before (particularly (Angry At You) Baby, Boyfriend, So Neurotic) rival the best work of that band.

Like the band explains, they “draw on guitar pop through the ages – The Byrds, Big Star, Teenage Fanclub – and attack it with the ferocity and economy of a hardcore punk band.” Call it altpoppunk if you will. Summer festivals with room to spare on their bill, would be crazy not to book this band.

Bigger Than Before is hit packed and ready to make many rounds on your turntable this year. It’s out now on Don Giovanni Records (US) and Prefect Records (UK).



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Prefect Records || Discogs

New album: Pinch Points || Process

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

When Australian turbo(post)punks Pinch Points released Reasons To Be Anxious as a teaser single of their sophomore album (Process), they raised the bar in terms of expectations. Now that Process is out, does the band deliver on that promise?

I definitely think so, although Reasons To Be Anxious probably is the most ferocious track on the record. But, it’s not like the rest is a stroll to the park. There is plenty of aggression and nervous energy on the record. The main ingredients of Pinch Points: start stop rhythms, cool angular guitar and bass riffs, talksinging with a heavy Australian accent combined with anthemic sing-a-longs.

My favorite part about Process is that Pinch Points can sound absolutely pissed off and in your face in one song, then all of a sudden can come across as surprisingly nuanced and inhibited. Am I Okay harbours all of that in one song and shows that underneath all the shouting there is vulnerability. It takes the sharpest edges off and makes the band even more likeable.

Process is out now through Mistletone Records and Exploding in Sound.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Exploding In Sound || Discogs

New album: The Mackerels || Driving Under

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

It started out as a project to release the solo compositions of Andrew “Goldy” Meredith (Pat Chow, Thee Gold Blooms), but soon some of his talented friends – Alanna Kusin, Dylan Szymkow, Sean Dominish, and Aidan Gordon – joined in and The Mackerels were born. Their debut album Driving Under is an uplifting collection of ten authentic indie rock songs, powerful and catchy, with entertaining lyrics. One moment jangly as Teenage Fanclub, the next folky as Tom Petty, but always with a sense of urgency. What is especially striking: the five musicians from Perth, Australia really enjoy what they do together, and you can tell by their tunes.


Driving Under is out now digitally and on cassette. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: PLOSIVS || PLOSIVS

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Now that we’re talking punky indie rock that is running way ahead of the pack (looking at you Good Grief), let’s talk PLOSIVS. Here’s a band featuring John Reis (Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt), Rob Crow (Pinback), Atom Willard (Against Me!, The Offspring, Social Distortion) and Jordan Clark (Mrs. Magician). If that line-up’s got you excited, they sound exactly as great as you could have hoped for.

I’m not going to write too many words on it though, as I’m sure all the major websites will cover the release – and you likely already have heard the record. But if not, here are some words that came to mind when listening to this record: Tight! Yeah! Rocks! Banger! Flawless! Catchy! Effortless! Hit! So good! Repeat.

PLOSIVS is out now on Swami Records. There is a good chance you’ll want to buy it once you’ve tried it.


Add to wantlist: Discogs

New album: Good Grief || Shake Your Faith

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

Good Grief? That name sounds familiar. A quick look in my record collection turned up a split 7″ with BUZZorHowl from 2013. I lost touch with the band from Liverpool after and was surprised to see their debut LP turn up just last week. One thing Good Grief are not? Prolific. Which I have no problem with at all, given the insane amount of music that is being released on a daily basis. I’ll take quality over quantity, and that is exactly what Good Grief delivers on Shake Your Faith.

The eleven songs on Shake Your Faith, just short of 40 minutes, will please the indie rock crowd that grew up loving punk rock. Most of the songs on the record are uptempo, full of punch and melody. In a sense, Good Grief are a throwback to the music of Bob Mould/Sugar (listen to standout How Can I Help Falling In Love), Superchunk (listen to standout The Pony Remark) and college rock pre 00s (listen to standout Metal Phase). The band also reminds me of melodic punkrockers Bodyjar and The Smoking Popes, particularly due to the vocals (listen to standouts High To Low and New Town). Rhetorically speaking: I guess you can’t truly speak of standout songs when they are the rule rather than the exception on a record or can you?

Shake Your Faith is a welcome surprise. It’s a record that is fun, anthemic and proof that three human beings rocking out on guitars, bass and drums will never get old. Out now through Everything Sucks and HHBTM Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || HHBTM Records

New EP: Sniff || Another EP

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

Sniff is an indie-Punk project from Falmouth (UK) based Alex Smith (Bobby Funk, Tinnedfruit). Smith has a talent for ugly/funny/weird/tasteless/sketchy* album art, but offsets that by being a talented songwriter. Located somewhere in the middle of punkrock, indie rock and slacker rock, the five song Another EP is his best work yet.  Favorite  song? 80%!

* dependent on you personal tastes and boundaries



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Collars || Life Here Is Infinite

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

The three songs on the Life Here Is Infinite EP are my first taste of Palmdale (California) four-piece Collars. But there is a sense of familiarity with their music. I would definitely categorize Collars as emo. Not the sad slow kind though, but more the uptempo, twinkly, mathy rockin’ kind. If you like bands like Everyone Everywhere, Dogs On Acid and Hostage Calm, give Collars a shot.

The band implies that a full length may be Collars’ next step. Make it happen dudes!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Iguana Death Cult || Future Monuments

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

In their early days, Dutch five-piece Iguana Death Cult played a sort of psychedelic garage punk (I saw them opening for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at the time, which totally made sense), in their newer work you can also hear influences from post-punk, krautrock, new wave, soul, and even disco. Still exuberant, convincing and tightly played, with the pleasantly nonchalant appearance that makes you feel that and they really enjoy what they’re doing, that it takes them little effort to create great music, and that they haven’t reached the top of their game yet, but somewhat more intelligent and exciting. Just listen to their new single. A-side Artificial Afterlife examines the possibility of assuring life after death by the means of technology. The standout B-side Future Monuments deals with the question who the heroes of our future will be and how fast their statues will get torn down again, written out of concerns about the self-proclaimed messiahs convincingly spreading misinformation to create unrest and discord – with an addictive rhythm, earworm lyrics, and an entertaining video shot in their hometown of Rotterdam. Monumental.


Future Monuments is out now digitally through Innovative Leisure and on 7″ vinyl via Spazz Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Spazz

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