Power Pop

New album: Summer Sleeves || I’m Shelling Real Daggers

Rich and ramshackle, a power pop triumph

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

Summer Sleeves turns self-preservation into something remarkably exhilarating on I’m Shelling Real Daggers. Seattle-based multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Wayne’s latest long-player goes straight to its target, packing twelve songs with confident vocals, jaunty guitars, driving synths, glam-tinged drums, cool harmonies, and catchy melodies that stick. This is bright, sharp-edged, and versatile power pop, with a sound that shares a few genes with a young Elvis Costello. It’s gloriously unpolished but has plenty of emotional weight beneath the surface, feeling intimate even when it reaches full volume.

The lyrics seem to be about drawing boundaries without losing the desire for connection, searching for clarity, vulnerability and the freedom to reclaim your own time, heart and headspace. But it could just as easily relate to life as a songwriter: “When you’re writing it down // No matter how it’s feeling // Number one is you’re getting it out // Another knife in your heart // With a blade you’re holding// You’re the one who is bleeding it out” (from Days in Gold).

There is no Bandcamp or SoundCloud embed available, but the videos below give an impression; you can listen to the whole thing via streaming services. For all its raw edges, the sheer richness of the music makes this record unexpectedly infectious.


I’m Shelling Real Daggers—written, performed, recorded, and mixed by Jeremy Wayne—is out digitally, on cassette and vinyl LP (self-released). Also featuring Ethan Jones (bass), Roni Schmiedeskamp (trumpet), Peter Schmiedeskamp (trombone), Alon Bassok (flute), and Harry Rivera (sax) on select tracks.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Dagwood || So What

Loud guitars and sweet melodies from New Haven

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

We were kinda slacking in comparision to likeminded souls like Rosy Overdrive who have already written about Dagwood at length, but with their new So What album, we’re fully aboard the Dagwood train.

Dagwood are a quartet from New Haven, Connecticut, who like their indie rock super crunchy and extremely melodic. They’ve been releasing music for 15 years now, but So What is their first studio full-length, and I think the extra time and space and resources benefit their sound tremendously.

Not wanting to present them as copycats, but to give you some idea of what to expect, think early Weezer, think early All American Rejects or a more recent peer like Log Flume. Or think ’90s power pop. Think pop-punk kids who refuse to limit themselves to the expectations that come with the genre. You get the idea. This is catchy, accessible, and genuinely fun indie rock for people who still like their guitars loud but also want to hear actual songs. So What has twelve of them, and they race by.

And if twelve songs aren’t enough, the CD/Tape/LP comes with a bonus EP with six additional songs from their studio sessions. Apparently, Dagwood have decided that one full-length wasn’t enough to get the point across.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Radio Days || Off The Record

They won't give up

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Two decades after their debut album, Radio Days still refuse to give up on the perfect pop-rock song (just like I wear the colorful band shirt with pride summer after summer, but that takes way less effort). After the year-end list-worthy Rave On! LP we had to wait five years for the next full-lengther (six months ago we already shared its telling lead single and opening track, I Won’t Give Up), but Off The Record lives up to expectations, as always.

We could talk about it long or short, but this is nothing less than a heartfelt, high-energy power pop party, played with the aplomb of a band that knows what it wants and does exactly what it does best. All characteristics of the genre are present, from a forceful drum beat and catchy melodies to vocal harmonies and big hooks, but it’s rare to be as instantly memorable as the Milan quartet. Danceable rhythms and sing-along choruses galore (“woo-hoo!”). Hits!



Off The Record—arranged, performed and produced by Radio Days—is out digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Wild Honey Records. Featuring Dario Persi (vocals, guitar), Massimiliano Raffa (guitar, vocals), Mattia Baretta (bass, backing vocals), and Paco Orsi (drums, percussion), with Gabriele Bernardi (keyboards) on select tracks.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: Loose Lips || Love You

Reliably, ridiculously good

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

Melbourne’s Loose Lips are the Australian equivalent of Swiss clockwork. You know exactly what you are getting: quality that is consistent and reliable. Which makes sense given the three members of Loose Lips: Josh Hardy (The Chats, Rick N The Sickos, The Unknowns), Nadine Muller (The Prize, Mr Teenage), and Ethan Stahl (Chubby and the Gang, The Prize, Ruckus, Street Sweeper), who happen to be part of a selective crew of people who make the wantlist with just about every project they are involved in. Hence, new Loose Lips music is an event at our headquarters.

To our ears, Last Laugh, last year’s debut LP, was “pure, unfiltered rock ’n’ roll… [with] songs [that] are lean and direct by design, but played with a swagger that oozes cool and feels quintessentially Australian.”

Loose Lips’ brand-new Love You 7″ solidifies that approach one song at a time. Beehive Teardrop is a wonderful rocker where the guitars make you want to turn the volume up, the bass lines excite the hell out of you once you start to notice them, and the drums make you wish you had a kit yourselves. Remember We Love You is classic Loose Lips as well.

Those two are mixed with two songs that reveal the poppiest side of Loose Lips, in the form of Looking For and Tired of Toein’ The Line, both of which have a Holly & The Italians / The Shivvers feel to them. Love it.

The Love You 7″ is out now on Drunken Sailor and Dig! Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Drunken Sailor

New album: The Temponauts || The Summer Rain Archive

A long-awaited return to the jingle-jangle

By / / Alternative Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Thirteen years after their last album, The Temponauts return from Italy with LP no. 3, The Summer Rain Archive, a wedding between powerful jangle pop and melodic alternative rock concluded on Paisley Underground. The twelve new songs shimmer with chiming twelve-string guitars, bittersweet hooks and almost euphoric harmony vocals, all delivered with an appealing looseness. Perhaps it’s only wishful thinking, but these choruses seem destined to spill from the speakers and come roaring back to the stage by thousands and thousands of voices.



The Summer Rain Archive is out digitally via Other Eyes Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Love Hearts || Love Hearts Forever

Pop punk through rose-colored glasses

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

The first song on the new Love Hearts album is called Sugar Sugar, and although it is not a cover of the classic by The Archies, it is still indicative of the sweet bubblegum you should come to expect from this band. Well, band may be an overstatement, because Love Hearts is mostly the solo outlet of Mikel Hallington (The Hallingtons, The Lemonaids). On Love Hearts Forever, he enlisted Mike DeeCrack on drums, but the rest is all Mikel.

Love Hearts Forever has twelve songs, zero cynicism, and a tracklist that could double as a Valentine’s Day card. This is pop punk through rose-colored glasses, with maximum adoration for both the subject matter and the musical niche it inhabits.

Obviously, I am loving this.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The Best New Cover Songs Of August 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, e.g. as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range (only if supported by the artist, so no live videos filmed by the audience or anything like that), here are—in a kind of random order—a bunch of successful covers from last month.

Are You Sure (first performed by Tammy Grimes, later also recorded by Aretha Franklin) by Tami Neilson — from Songs from the Motion Picture “Holy Days” soundtrack (Outside Music)

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC) by City Kings — from Chainsaw EP

I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones) by The Offspring — digital track (Concord Records)

…

Dusted || The Best New Cover Songs Of August 2026Read More »

The Loose Ends || August 2026

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

There are more wantlist-worthy releases than time to cover them all. Starting this year, Loose Ends is our monthly fix for the great records that slipped through the cracks. Expect a key track and quick take on each release, and a link to add it to your shelves.

ABAOAQU || BUDDHOD
Noisy, subtly mathy yet melodic indie rock from France. Consider us intrigued.

The Afghan Whigs || Soft Control
With visceral guitars, soulful intensity, and hard-won wisdom, these ten new songs find strength in embracing both the darkness and the light without losing sight of the absurdity in between.

Apes of the State || Nothing Makes Sense Anymore
Blending biting political rage, personal turmoil, dark humour, and genuine solidarity, these ten folk-punk songs turn a dysfunctional world into a surprisingly life-affirming celebration of resistance, friendship, and simply making it through another day.

…

The Loose Ends || August 2026Read More »

New album: Thee Miniskirts || Turn It! Turn It!

Teenage pop revolution/revaltion from Singapore

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

“You make my heart go!
Doo do doo do doo
Doo do doo do doo
Doo do doo do doo”

Man, is it easy to fall for the opening moments of the debut album from Thee Miniskirts, a Singapore duo that sounds like Ray Davies and Jack Lee have joined the Everly Brothers while being on a Velvet Underground kick. Ten songs of lo-fi garage (power) pop and outsider pop to start a teenage pop revolution.

Doo do doo do doo!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Xanny Stars || Take Shape

Four more reasons to love Xanny Stars

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

After releasing one of my favorite short-format releases of 2025, Cleveland trio Xanny Stars make a glorious return with four new songs to fall head over heels for. The Take Shape EP is out now on 7″ via Just Because Records, and it absolutely nails the sweet spot of awesome alternative pop and garage power pop, where punch and melody are in perfect symbiosis.

First line on the record: “Lemon honey, sour sweet,” instantly followed by an aaaaaaaaah harmony. It’s played over a backbeat that is a head-bopper from the get-go. The EP has got three more hits like that, with no weak moments to be found. Xanny Stars make this stuff sound ridiculously easy. Which makes me wonder: is it time for Xanny Stars to start writing their breakout full-length?

But for now, essential single alert!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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