Indie Rock

New album: Deactivations || Deactivations

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

One thing I love about working on this blog is the kindness of most artists we cover, and how easily approachable and down to earth they are. Passionate but not pretentious, they care about the music regardless of making any serious money or playing for big crowds.

Deactivations is a fine example of this. Deactivations are a new band consisting of 3/4 of the members of The Passengers. I stumbled on their self-titled debut record on Bandcamp and took an immediate liking to the record which balances between solid indie rock and pop punk. In some songs Deactivations remind me of those US bands in the ’80s and early ’90s that blended pop and punk so well like Big Drill Car, Doughboys and early Down By Law. In other songs (e.g., Busy Signal, My Direction), they also remind me of the solo work of Dr. Frank of Mr. T. Experience. But I wouldn’t necessarily call Deactivations a pop punk band. There is plenty of power pop, and college rock as well.

Deactivations guitarist and singer Mario Viele – the three members share vocal duties, provides some background on the record.  “We just tried to make a good record to share with our friends and community. Our previous band (The Passengers) came about after we’d all been younger and had touring punk bands (Sex Robots , The Modern Machines, Liarbirds, etc.) and our two albums with that band were about chilling out a little more, exploring songwriting and midtempos and stuff. After one of us moved away we decided to press on as a trio with a new name and throw together a record that leaned back a little more to our roots of up tempo punked out RnR to give the band a shot in the arm in our new formation. The record is pretty lean, not a lot of overdubs, we tried to just write ten good songs and put them down hot without too much thinking about it. I think the result’s pretty cool. Stuck in a Loop fulfills my lifelong dream of writing a song using just one chord.”

Running score for Deactivations? Pretentions: zero. Quality songs: ten. The record is officially out on the next Bandcamp Friday (Dec. 3rd), but you can already listen to it in full. Stream now, buy on Bandcamp Friday.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Swansea Sound || Live At The Rum Puncheon

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / 3 Comments

Here’s another indie supergroup that has spent time in lockdown very well. We’ve heard songwriter Rob Pursey (bass, guitars), Ian Button (drums), and Amelia Fletcher and Hue Williams (shared lead vocals) previously in cool bands like Heavenly, The Pooh Sticks, Talulah Gosh, The Catenary Wires, Tender Trap, etc, but together – under the moniker of Swansea Sound, named after (and a requiem for) a lost radio station – they have created some incredibly catchy new songs. The UK four-piece stand certainly in the C86 tradition with its discordant, jangly, and jittery guitar rock, but that statement actually falls short. The 13 tracks on their full-length debut album Live at the Rum Puncheon – the title is somewhat misleading as this isn’t a concert registration – are completely present-time, with clever references in the lyrics where rebellion and fun alternate, well-found hooks and vocals that complement each other in a great way.

I can’t get the opening track Rock n Roll Void out of my head for days, what a hit it is (when a record starts with words like this, you know it’s meant for you: “Went to the Ramones // When I was thirteen // They’re the coolest thing // I had ever seen”). The criticism in I Sold My Soul on Ebay is obvious (“I sold my soul on Spotify // Get a doctor, someone get a doctor // I’m earning 0.000000000000001p // But several thousands follow me”) – a sign of the time that a one-off 7″ lathe cut single of this song was auctioned on Ebay (with a £400 winning bid). The Pooh Sticks is a heartfelt tribute to the band that Hue and Amelia were in. And so we could go on and on to indicate how many appealing and smart things have been incorporated into this album (that also applies to the videos). The Swansea Sound can grow into a genre in itself.

Live At The Rum Puncheon is out now digitally, on cassette (via Lavender Sweep Records (UK, Europe), Austin Town Hall Records (North America), and Shiny Happy Records (Indonesia)), and on CD and vinyl LP (via Skep Wax Records (UK, Europe), and HHBTM Records (North America)). The album doesn’t stream on Spotify, Apple Music, or other corporates.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: The Vernes || Nuclear Winter

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

“Dead // Sleeping on the floor // Blame it on the weather // A nuclear winter.” The lyrics of the closing title song of the new full-length album by Philadelphia four-piece The Vernes doesn’t really paint an attractive picture, and that goes for more of the songs here. Quite a contrast with the sound of the garage pop / indie rock band, which is vibrant and uplifting. Compelling synths and restless guitars are kept in line by the rhythm of the drums, while you wander around in a dystopian world. There’s more music been made about the contradiction “Everything is going wrong // But we’re so happy“, but The Vernes add a successful slacker rock chapter to it. For example, listen to standout track Time (Cool Version): you hear “When the weight // Of the world’s // Crushing down // On your skull // Overload // Gravity // Sensory,” but an irresistible organ makes you dance on the table instead of sitting under it. Suddenly, radioactive energy doesn’t seem so bad.

Nuclear Winter is out now digitally, on cassette, CD and vinyl LP. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: David Christian & The Pinecone Orchestra || For Those We Met On The Way

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

UK singer / songwriter / guitarist David Christian (aka David Charlie Feck aka Charlie Damage) has been making pretty good music with eclectic indie rock collective Comet Gain since 1992, but after 29 years it felt like a good time to also do a solo album. He had exchanged London for the South of France, and after a while of picking up pinecones with the sun on the back of his head, in which he tried to make sense of all the opinions about the pandemic, Brexit and stuff, he decided he simply had to express his inner soul. With the kind help of numerous friends* on numerous instruments, he created For Those We Met On The Way, a timeless folk-rock album – honest, tender and authentic as it should be. The album title and songs are inspired by the relocation and all the emotions that came with it, which brought faded moments, people and places back to mind. There are beautiful acoustic guitar ballads like Holloway Sweethearts, but also haunted rock tracks with a post-punk feel, like The Ballad For The Button-downs, all well crafted. This first solo LP is an instant classic in the genre.

*The group of friends, meanwhile called The Pinecone Orchestra, consists of James Horsey and Alasdair MacLean (The Clientele), Ben Phillipson (18th Day Of May/Trimdon Grange Explosion/Comet Gain), Gerry Love (Teenage Fan Club/Lightships), Anne- Laure Guillain (Comet Gain/Cinema Red And Blue), Joe-Harvey Whyte (Hanging Stars), Mike and Allison Targett (Heist), and Cosmic Neman (Zombie/Zombie, Herman Dune).

For Those We Met On The Way is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Tapete Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Tapete 

New album: The Reytons || Kids off the Estate

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

UK indie rock band The Reytons – vocalist Jonny Yerrell (vocals), lead guitarist Joe O’Brien, bassist Lee Holland, and drummer Jamie Simpson – spent five years working towards the release of their debut album Kids Off The Estate. The bumpy journey to this moment can be seen in the documentary Becoming The Reytons on YouTube. Look where they are now – goosebumps all over when you hear a full house roar the lyrics of title track KOTE: “You don’t have to hate // The kids off the estate // Mates after a fate // And they called them Reytons” – an anthem for everyone who knows what it’s like to hang out on the street. The LP has 13 other infectious guitar rockers – we already knew a number of them from their previous EPs – that will do well everywhere (on the car radio, from your speakers at home, in the concert halls, etc.). The sound is reminiscent of hits that you often heard 15 years ago (Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Courteeners, Dirty Pretty Things, etc.), hits like they are no longer made. The band members will never deny South Yorkshire’s working class, but let’s face it: with such great songs and such a convincing stage presence, they’ll be away from home a lot, to conquer the rest of the world. The Reytons are the ‘right ones’ to get that job done.

Kids off the Estate is out now on CD, cassette and vinyl LP through Scruff Of The Neck.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || The Reytons Shop || Scruff Of The Neck

New album: The Bug Club || Pure Particles

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Rock / 4 Comments

Is there such a thing as a typical addtowantlist.com band? The obvious answer is no, if only because we write about different genres. There are some common characteristics in the music we write about, though: short but powerful guitar songs, not polished, but catchy, full of emotions, authentic and convincing. Anyway, Niek and I regularly say to each other that a certain release really fits well with our blog, that it shouldn’t be missing, A good example of this is South Wales trio The Bug Club. Tilly Harris (bass, vocals), Sam Willmett (guitar/vocals), and Dan Matthew (drums) play riffing garage rock, rattling and naive, energetic and raucous, with humorous lyrics about the most important side issues of the first world’s life. After debut EP Launching Moondream One last spring (4 tracks in 8 minutes), they now have released the mini album Pure Particles (9 tracks in 20 minutes). It has everything we like. However, one small point of criticism: standout track My Baby Loves Rock & Roll Music ends with a fade-out. A typical addtowantlist.com band doesn’t do that. But who cares? 😉

Pure Particles is out now digitally and on 12″ vinyl through Bingo Records. RIYL Holiday Ghosts, The Wave Pictures, Jonathan Richman.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Needs || Special Needs

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

True story: In a special plot to make it near impossible for music bloggers to find any information on their already impossible to google band name, The Needs decided to title their new record Special Needs. Thanx guys.

Fortunately, their bandcamp page has some intel*. The Needs were started by two influential musicians from Norway: country star Bendik Brænne, and Maciek Ofstad of melodic metal outfit Kvelertak. The needs sound neither country nor metal. Rather, the band plays modern powerpop not unlike Fountains of Wayne in their most upbeat and uptempo version. The music of The Needs sounds polished, but they do not overdo it. Rather, the band strikes just the right balance between radio friendly powerpop, and faster and louder songs where the band will please fans of old school pop punk.

The latter category made me fall for Special Needs, with songs like Funny How, If I Could Only and Still Spinning as primary examples. But admittedly, the more radio friendly stuff is excellent as well. The Needs may not know how to name their band and records, but they’ve got hooks and strong melodies in abundance.



* Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the new record on Bandcamp or Soundcloud.
Add to wantlist: Discogs

New album: The Feeders || Kerchoo

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

Here is a new release that brings me an equal amount of excitement and melancholy. Kerchoo is the debut full-length of The Feeders, featuring Chicago scene veterans Sam Vicari, Eli Caterer (Smoking Popes) and John Perrin (NRBQ). The sense of melancholy hit me immediately. It’s hard not to think of the late Kim Shattuck while listening to Kerchoo. But that sense of melancholy quickly makes room for excitement, because Kerchoo is so much more than a throwback to the Muffs. The altpop of the Feeders is catchy and punchy, a bit like Superchunk channeling Teenage Fanclub, or Superchunk playing good Weezer songs.

Shoutout to music writers who’ve already submitted their AOTY lists. You are missing out on this one. Quite the year for Eccentric Pop, who brought us the new Dan Vapid And The Cheats this week, and earlier this year that awesome Evening Shadows record.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Eccentric Pop

New album: Crabber || Who Let The Ducks Out?

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

Jigsaw Records is absolutely spot on by describing their latest release as a dead ringer for Washington DC’s Dot Dash with a touch of Comet Gain. Like Dot Dash, the music of Crabber (Hamburg, Germany) is influenced by a lot of the good elements of ’80s music. Call it janglepunk or reverb- and guitar heavy powerpop, Crabber sounds punchy and melodic. Timeless tunes destined to be overlooked of course, because this kind of music is unlikely to be regarded as hip or fashionable. Let’s hear it for bands that don’t care and write music like this regardless of current trends.
Oh, and don’t be fooled by the title, Crabber are no jokesters. This seriously is good music.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: James Sullivan || Light Years

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

The Stardumb Records logo essentially operates as a green light for blind purchases. If Stefan Stardumb decides to put out a record, you know it’s gonna be good. But whereas Stardumb once was home primarily to pop punk and ramonescore bands, in recent years we’ve seen the label broaden its horizons somewhat, for example with Local Drags, Lone Wolf and the most recent Geoff Palmer record. Stardumb’s latest addition probably is furthest yet from the typical Stardumb sound. James Sullivan’s debut LP Light Years is closer to Velvet Underground, Guided By Voices, and Paul Westerberg than to Groovie Ghoulies or the Apers.

James Sullivan is the frontman and guitar player of two excellent powerpop outfits (More Kicks and Suspect Parts). To get himself going in the pandemic, he decided to set himself the goals of writing a song a day for ten days. He then recorded the songs at home in North Londona on his half-broken Tascam 8-track. Rather than choosing a specific direction for the songs, he took the opportunity to try out different styles. The result is a diverse record that’s decidedly different than Sullivan’s past work, while still showcasing his great songwriting skills.

Album opener Lea Bridge is one of the albums highlights. I love how Sullivan talksings with a heavy accent over a steady beat and a cool guitar riff. The gorgeous punkrock ballad You Kept My Heart Alive is another standout and may be my favorite track on the record. But rather than talking about individual tracks, Light Years works really well as an album. I really like the flow of the record. A significant proportion of the record is mellow, but I’m never skipping any of the songs. Sullivan draws you in from the opening seconds and will leave you content after each play of Light Years.

Light Years has a Stardumb Records logo on it. It’s out now. What are you waiting for? Buy it!



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

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