Punk

New album: Kiss Disease || You Met Me At A Strange Time

When Kiss Disease (Helsinki, Finland) started recording their debut LP You Met Me at a Strange Time, they had no record deal in sight. But Svart Records were quick to jump the gun once they heard the early recordings. It’s easy to hear why. The band’s blend of garage, protopunk and powerpop is sleazy, glammy and exciting. It’s the kind of sound Little Steven covets with his Underground Garage radio station, and if you are reading this Steven (sure!), I’d like to nominate Season Creep for your Coolest Song In The World feature.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Svart Records

New album: Extra Arms || What Is Even Happening Right Now?

Extra Arms used to be the (brilliantly titled) backing band of Ryan Allen, but the collaboration quickly developed into something more. So Ryan Allen & The Extra Arms quickly became Extra Arms, and they sound particularly inspired on their new record What Is Even Happening Right Now? I was a big fan of Basement Punk (2016), but became more of a casual fan in the years since. But my total fandom returned with What Is Even Happening Right Now? It is something else, and my early impresion is it’s the best thing they’ve put out so far.

Although the title clearly references a world in turmoil or existential crisis, and the lyrics hint upon mental health struggles, the record sounds more like a celebration. The powerpop/pop punk of Extra Arms is powerful, energetic, catchy and rockin’, and the huge choruses have arena size fistpumpin’ potential – Listen to Fun Guy and Life In A Cube. What I love about the record is how it sounds modern but you can also hear influences going back to Elvis Costello, The Cars and similar artists of the late ’70s and early ’80s – Feeling Alright is a good example of this direction. There is an impressive list of guest appearances as well, including Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Bob Nanna (Braid/Hey Mercedes) and Gregory Macdonald (Sloan).

If anything, What Is Even Happening Right Now? is proof that, whatever is going on in our world and personal lives, music is often the best coping mechanism we’ve got. It is out now through Forge Again Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Forge Again Records

New EP: Stay Put || 2

Stay Put made a strong entrance to the scene with their debut EP last year. They return even more strongly with their second EP which simply is called 2. The four new songs showcases Stay Put’s exciting blend of punk rock, college rock and altpop. The B-side of this 7″ contains the two major hits Zap Gun and Working Holiday which reveal the poppy side of Stay Put, but it may very well be A-side Big Slump that is my favorite by the band so far. I’m really enjoying the trajectory this band is on, and can’t wait to discover what’s next.



2 is out now on pink 7″ through Crew Cuts (UK) and Blind Rage Records (US).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Crew Cuts || Blind Rage Records

New album: Cathedral Ceilings || Summer Of Misguided Dynamite

Concidence or not, in the same week I finished Tom Beajour’s extremely fun oral history of Hair Metal, I stumbled on an extremely fun record he recorded and helped produce: Cathedral Ceilings’ Summer Of Misguided Dynamite, which for the record has nothing to do with Hair Metal, but is very much a punk rock record. If there are any similarities, it’s that Cathedral Ceiling is unafraid to show their pop sensibility. This is catchy stuff, really.

Summer Of Misguided Dynamite also is highly energetic and dynamic, and given the youthful enthusiasm that seeps through the songs, I was kind of suprised to discover Cathedral Ceilings is actually a band of scene veterans. Throughout the record, the band effortlessly bridges the gap between being pop punk or punk rock. They kinda sound like a mix of Sicko, late career 7 seconds, Lawrence Arms and Dillinger Four, if that makes any sense. Plenty to like on this one!


Purchase Summer Of Misguided Dynamite on LP through Dromedary Records.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of May 2022

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.

In May we saw A Tribute to Jawbreaker’s Dear You collection (Sell The Heart Records subscriber exclusive), The Black Crowes’ 1972 EP (Amazon exclusive), Todo Muere SBXV (artists from the Sacred Bones roster covering their favourite tunes), Sarah Brown singing Mahalia Jackson and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band doing Bob Dylan, the previously announced Coverama compilation, Lester Greenowski tackling the discography of Kiss on Kover All Over and various ladies performing songs of The Boss, Bryan Ferry’s smooth Love Letters EP, and nice releases from The Soul Jacket, R.E. Seraphin, Ditches, Zeno Jones, Walker Brigade, Praise, The Christian Family and Rat Tamango with some successful cover versions. And there was a lot more, but below you hear the 10 best that we haven’t mentioned yet.

It’s Raining || Cover: JD McPherson || Original: Irma Thomas
American singer-songwriter/guitarist JD McPherson’s released The Warm Covers EP, Vol. 2, a great sequel to his 2014 cover collection (the new 5-track EP is out now digitally through New West Records, a physical edition including additional bonus tracks will follow sometime in 2023). The obvious choice here would be his interpretation of a song originally performed by Iggy Pop or Pixies, but thanks in part to It’s Rainin’ (4am) by Bob Forrest’s The Bicycle Thief, I don’t miss a chance to listen to this Irma Thomas classic. Heartfelt rhythm ‘n’ blues the way it’s meant to be.

New EP: Owen Adamcik || Ickle Stardust’s Revenge Fantasy

Owen Adamcik plays in The Geeks, but also releases solo material. His EP (I am reluctant to call a 8 song, 9 minute release a full length or mini-album) Ickle Stardust’s Revenge Fantasy was released two weeks ago and I almost forgot to write about it, if it weren’t for Rejection to pop up through the shuffle function. It’s a killer throwback punk track that showcases Adamcik’s talent for writing strong melodies. Those melodies shine bright on Ickle Stardust’s Revenge Fantasy, and the unpolished production and heartfelt howling voice of Adamcik gives the record a classic punk feel.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Mitraille || Mitraille

After releasing three EP’s, the first Mitraille LP is here. Mitraille is a three-piece from Belgium who describe their sound as garagepunk. I am not too sure about that. I usually associate the angular guitar riffing and throbbing bass lines that is central to Mitraille’s sound with post punk leaning genres. But there definitely is a lot of punk abrasiveness and attitude in Mitraille, and the eleven songs on Mitraille’s self-titled LP are frenetic, aggressive and surprisingly melodic.

The Lows is an early highlight on the record. It arguably is the most catchy song on the record and has a rockin’ chorus. It is by no means the only standout, and on the remainder of the record Mitraille prove they have succesfully graduated from the EP format.


Mitraille is expected to ship early July. Pre-order now at Belly Button Records.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Walker Brigade || If Only

Walker Brigade’s biography raises as much questions as it provides answers. For example: How does it take a band that’s been “serving up anthemic despair with savoir faire since 2014” eight years to finally release their debut full-length? And how did Walker Brigade end up on a first ballot for the Grammy Awards before even releasing an album? But mostly: how did a band this good remain hidden for so long? Well the secret is out now. It’s called If Only, and it’s an exciting compilation of new material, the out-of-print debut mini-album Therapy Animal, and a significant amount of bonus material including alternate versions and cover songs.

How to describe the sound of Walker Brigade? Essentially, this is rock’n’roll, but with an artsy post punky kind of vibe. The band cites X, X-Ray Spex, The Soft Boys, Mission of Burma as their influences. The band also covers songs by Wire (Sand In My Joints), Mel Brooks (I’m Tired as originally performed by Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles), The Soft Boys (I Wanna Destroy You and Rock ‘n’ Roll Toilet) and The Only Ones (Lovers Of Today) – the latter two included as bonus tracks. If you give Walker Brigade the attention they deserve, you’ll find a lot of additional influences as well. In that sense, If Only is the next best thing to time travel for those wanting to experience rock’n’roll history.

But at no point those associations with past bands become a distraction. The songwriting is just too skilled, the execution too good, and with the production unpolished yet crisp, the strong melodies are memorable and  superfluous. Listen to openers Fallout and Disease for example, or the short and catchy What Is Wrong With Me? Another highlight is Tower, how can you not fall for that chorus?

I am finding new things to like about this record with each play, and feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. If Only is out on CD through Big Stir Records. It may very well be the label’s best release yet.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Big Stir Records

New single: Ditches || Drunk Dial #9

Perhaps I’m lazy (or lame) to label Ditches as Swedish answer to anything by Jeff Burke, but I can’t help it. In spite of Jeff Burke’s DNA fully contaminating the sound of Ditches – I have trouble considering that as something bad by the way, the songs of Ditches at no point sound redundant. That was the case on their fun and criminally underrated 2020 self-titled LP and it also applies to their new two song single which is part of Drunk Dial Records’ ongoing single series. If you are unfamiliar, the label’s idea is to get artists drunk, put them in the studio to record one original and one cover and release the result.

Ditches sound in particularly good form on the single, seemingly untouched by the intake of alcohol and the likes. The A-side showcases Lost In Time, a Ditches original that is among the top songs the band has released so far. On the flipside is a blistering cover of Abra Cadaver by fellow Swedes The Hives.

Drunk Dial #9 is out now. Hopefully it’s a sign of more new hits by Ditches.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Young Rochelles || Interstellar Communication

On their latest EP, The Young Rochelles covered Phantom Maggot, a classic from Lillingtons’ sci-fi masterpiece pop punk record Death By Television. Apparently, that set the band on route to further explore of the galaxy, because on their new EP Interstellar Communication Young Rochelles leave all planetary boundaries behind. Listening to the four songs on the EP, I can fully imagine The Young Rochelles in a space ship on a mission to distribute the pop punk virus across the universe.

My favorite song here is Beyond The Sun. The contrast between the sunny and upbeat melody and the lyrics (“I Wanna Leave The Planet For A While”) gives me a chuckle and chokes me up every damn time.

The four-song Interstellar Communication EP is out now through four labels: Hey Pizza Records (US), Endless Detention Records (AU), I Buy Records (IT), and Dumb Records (JP).



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Hey Pizza Records || I Buy Records || Endless Detention Records

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