Psych

New single: MOOON || You Got It All

Nederbeat revivalists return with another 45 worth the spin

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French record label Rogue Records may be dedicated to the 7″ format, but their streak of must-have singles is so continuous that I would like to kindly request to collect some of those amazing songs—nugget after nugget—on a 2-LP.

Their latest 45 is also worth checking out. Dutch psych pop/garage beat trio MOOON—if you’re not familiar with the work of the two brothers and their cousin, check out last year’s third album, III—delivers two songs that would have been hits in the 60s. A-side You Got It All is a hipshaker with an irresistible bass line, the grooves of B-side Modulation Baby spin under a layer of fuzz from which warm harmonies rise.

You Got It All b/w Modulation Baby is out June 4, digitally and on 7″ vinyl, through Rogue Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

PS  The label’s head honcho has responded that a compilation won’t happen. All the more reason to buy the singles….

New album: Now || Now Does The Trick

Lo-fi collage pop from the Bay Area underground

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“Shattered to perfection,” says the bio of Bay Area lo-fi trio Now—and that’s not just a cool phrase, it’s pretty accurate. William Smith (Cindy), Hannah Forrester (Thunder Boys), and Oli Lipton (Cindy, Violent Change) sound like they smashed their record collections—full of obscure ’80s UK underground, post-punk, and ’60s/’70s sunshine psych—into tiny pieces, then glued them back together at random. The result? A wildly entertaining pop record that lands four decades late and right on time.

In Pathécolor and 1 Way to Go could’ve been underground smashes in the ’80s, and honestly should be now. What Happened to Johnny finds Now going undercover punk, but these are just a few standouts on a record packed with them. Start with the opening one-two of The Ballad of Joy Bang and Careening, and let the trip unfold.

Now Does The Trick is out now on K Records and Perennial.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || K Records || Perennial

New EP: VOV VOV! || Sunbathing In A Magnetic Field

A sonic philosophy trip where bleeps meet being

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VOV VOV! is a quite idiosyncratic art rock band from Florence, Italy, featuring Francesca Contrino (vocals, keyboards, lyrics), Pier Paolo Giovacchini (guitar, bass, synths, electronics), Giovanni Michelucci (guitar), Zoe Bertini (backing vocals, bass) and Giulio Da Rin (drums, synths, electronics). They blend influences ranging from post-rock and indie pop to krautrock and psych with inspiration drawn from five colorful minds working overtime—there’s a lot to explore in the five songs on their debut EP, Sunbathing In A Magnetic Field.

The inimitable guitar structures, haunting rhythms and electronic bleeps ‘n’ bloops create a hypnotic bed on which intriguing lyrics meander (from Dialogue Between Two Silly Thinkers: “She was saying, “The subject is a material reflection of the power” // She was saying, “The power is a immaterial reflection of the subject” // I used to think that freedom was an epistemic problem”). This is a kaleidoscopic jam between logic and lunacy—understanding is not necessarily necessary to appreciate and hallucinate it.


The Sunbathing In A Magnetic Field EP, recorded and mixed by Michele Pizzolli, is out now digitally via Factory Flaws.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Crystal Teardrop || …Is Forming

Kaleidoscopic debut LP echoing the golden era of garage psych

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We already knew them from some floor-filling singles—Running Out Of Time b/w Apres Jeudi made it onto my year-end list—but British garage psych outfit The Crystal Teardrop also manages to captivate with a full-length album. On their aptly titled first LP The Crystal Teardrop…Is Forming, Alexandra Rose (vocals, guitar, mandola), Leon Jones (lead guitar), Stuart Gray (organ), Ed Quigley (bass, vocals), and Huw Woodward (drums) put their own spin on the analogue and kaleidoscopic sound that came to fruition in the rich 1960s (lyrically, I can’t help but hear all sorts of subtle and not-so-subtle references to that era, like “No more talk of yesterday” and “I hope it’s not too late”, although they’re actually used in a different context). Adding influences from the various revivals of the past 60 years, but more importantly a good sense of pop music, a healthy dose of creativity, and a toolbox of skills, there is much to enjoy in this versatile and sumptuous 42 minute trip. Consciousness-expanding.



The Crystal Teardrop…Is Forming—produced by Liam Watson—is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Rise Above Records / Popclaw Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Rise Above 

New album: Gringo Star || Sweethearts

The dreamy melancholy of holding on and letting go

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Sweethearts is the eighth full-length album by Atlanta’s rock ‘n’ roll quartet Gringo Star, eleven surfy garage psych songs—including a cover of Little Red Riding Hood (Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs, 1966)—on which Peter Furgiuele (vocals, guitars, percussion, keys), Nicholas Furgiuele (vocals, guitars, bass, percussion) and Joshua Longino (backup vocals, bass, guitars, percussion, keys) switch instruments again and again while Mario Colangelo (drums, percussion) provides a steady beat. They are dreamy love letters—written for the present, but with echoes of the past—full of subtle sadness and romantic nostalgia, wrapped in heartfelt warm melodies and lush doo-wop harmonies.

Don’t let the laidback feel fool you though, because there’s much more going on in the rich underlying layers than you might expect, both musically and vocally. In that respect, the multifaceted circus theme in the video for latest single Count The Ways is striking: the importance of perseverance and maintaining a positive outlook against contemporary life’s uncertainties is represented by clowns, with their happy front and hidden sorrowful side.


Sweethearts, produced by Peter and Nicholas Furgiuele, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP via Dizzybird Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Dizzybird

New album: Monnone Alone || Here Comes the Afternoon

From breezy hooks to psych-tinged detours, this one’s got depth

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych / 1 Comment

After beloved Australian guitar pop band The Lucksmiths called it a day, Mark Monnone carried on solo as Monnone Alone. Since 2011, he’s released a string of singles, EPs, and three albums—each charming in its own right. Today sees the arrival of his fourth full-length, Here Comes the Afternoon, and it’s a perfect soundtrack to ease into the weekend.

This new record marks quite a shift from 2019’s Summer of the Mosquito, still my personal favorite Monnone Alone release. If that one was his straight-up power pop record—breezy, catchy, and ready to rock—Here Comes the Afternoon is the more ambitious, stylistically diverse sibling. It’s still guitar pop (or melodic indie rock, if you prefer), packed with hooks, but also dips into psych and sunshine pop. It’s summer music without the sugar crash—mature without being dull, and subtly stunning throughout.

The core Monnone Alone line-up (Gus Franklin, Joe Foley, and Louis Richter) is joined by an impressive supporting cast: Darren Hanlon, Steph Hughes, Connal Parsley, and Lehmann B. Smith, along with members of The Icypoles (Isobel Knowles), The Ladybug Transistor (Gary Olsen), Kisschasy (Darren Cordeux), Fred Astereo (Stanley Paulzen), and Personal & The Pizzas (Drew Cramer). That’s a long list, but I feel I have to include them here because of how layered this full-course album is. Indeed, Here Comes the Afternoon is Monnone Alone’s most rewarding and fully realized work yet—warm, generous, and endlessly listenable.

Out now on Safe Suburban Home (UK), Meritorio Records (Spain/EU), Lost and Lonesome (Australia), and Repeating Cloud (North America).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Meritorio

New EP: The Pennys || The Pennys

Mike Ramos (Tony Jay) and R.E. Seraphin collaborate for a laid-back and lo-fi debut that is heavy on spine-tingling charm

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The Bay Area continues to cough up excellent indie pop projects, and The Pennys might be the latest to win your heart. A hypeworthy collaboration between Mike Ramos (Cindy, Tony Jay, April Magazine) and R.E. Seraphin (solo, Talkies, Apache—and occasional ATW guest reviewer), The Pennys are rounded out by other familiar names: Yea-Ming Chen (vocals, keyboards, organ), Owen Adair Kelley (slide guitar), and Luke Robbins (vocals).

The Pennys debut with a six-song EP on Mt.St.Mtn that’s simply wonderful in all its understated (lo-)finess(e). The band redefines gang vocals, turning them into a kind of collaborative whisper—indie pop for introverts, perhaps. These songs sneak up on you: they’re laid-back, unhurried, and full of ’60s pop melodies in an outsider package full of cracks. Opener Say Something tingles the spine. One Million Things jangles with ease. My World plays like a Velvet Underground outtake. And No More Tears closes the record in a style that makes you get why the band self-describes as occult heartbreak pop.

By the time it ends, you start to feel like Ramos and Seraphin were always meant to make music together.

The Pennys EP is out now on 12″ and streaming everywhere. For more on the band, check out this insightful interview with Ramos and Seraphin over at Remember the Lightning.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Mt.St.Mtn

Dusted || The 10 Best New Cover Songs Of April 2025

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

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg 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, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

Paisley Park || Cover: Best Bets || Original: Prince & The Revolution
Following the iconic Purple Rain LP, Prince released Around The World In A Day 40 years ago. To celebrate that anniversary, New Zealand power pop quartet Best Bets covers its first single, Paisley Park (“Admission is easy, just say you // Believe and come to this // Place in your heart”), in their own unique style—free to download.

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Dusted || The 10 Best New Cover Songs Of April 2025Read More »

New album: Small Yards || Small Yards

Big hooks and bigger smiles from Seattle, featuring members of Tuff Talk and Swaggerlies

By / / Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Surf Music / Leave a Comment

Small Yards are a Seattle quartet featuring two-thirds of the amazing Tuff Talk (Ben Muha and Wes Isbell), joined by guitarist Ron Stohr (Swaggerlies) and singer Jenn Miller. Their debut single landed among my favorite short format releases last year, so you bet I got excited when I heard the band had graduated to a full-length album. The self-titled Small Yards is out now on Blank Beat Records—a ten-song collection that I’m loving more with each successive spin.

Whereas Tuff Talk leaned into a punk and power pop hybrid, Small Yards play a vibrant brand of garage pop infused with a wealth of influences: country, soul, classic rock, power pop, bubblegum, and sunshine pop. This is a band with major crossover appeal. Honestly, you could slot Small Yards as a support act for The Avett Brothers, The Hives, or Jack White, and they’d win over new fans at any of those shows.

What makes Small Yards stand out is the sheer amount of sticky melodies they crank out and the joy they deliver them with. Most songs revolve around a simple one-line chorus that burrows into your brain like you’re an extra in The Last of Us. Often, they’re delivered with the irresistible dual vocal attack that’s another cornerstone of the band’s appeal. There’s no fighting these melodies—approach with caution.

Some songs feel like a glorious pile-on of hooks and licks, like Downtown, which also throws in some finger-licking guitar solos for good measure. Others, like Shake Me Loose, practically cut through any foul mood you’re in, while Harold sounds like the kind of song that could ignite a spontaneous pogo party. The album closes strongly with Winter Child and Strawberry Summer, two sneakily brilliant and timeless pop songs.

Small Yards are onto something great here—don’t sleep on this one!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Little Barrie & Malcolm Catto || Electric War

UK trio rises above itself on groovy trip through mind-blowing soundscapes

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Psych / Leave a Comment

Rock ‘n’ roll, blues, psych, funk, soul, kraut and jazz fight a respectful battle, with spiritual guitar licks and a hypnotic groove driven by motorik rhythms and sample-worthy breakbeats as weapons of choice. That’s right, Little Barrie is back on the front lines. Singer/guitarist Barrie Cadogan, bassist Lewis Wharton and drummer Malcolm Catto up their game on their new full-length album Electric War, a cinematic and exciting journey along rock’s experimental edges.

The seasoned musicians use their arsenal of skills and creativity to the fullest in eight songs that are both laid-back and intense. Few are given the ability to make rhythms and melodies sound so controlled, intelligent and tight, while at the same time conveying the freshness of a spontaneous jam. While the distinctive vocals are as enchanting as ever, the instrumental seven and a half minutes of Creaky show that they can also tell a compelling story without words.



Electric War it out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Easy Eye Sound.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Easy Eye

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