New album: Magon || Enter By The Narrow Gate

By / / Indie Pop / 1 Comment

Here’s album number five from Israeli and long time Parisian singer-songwriter Magon, his second this year. How does he do that? I think we can hear the answer in the poetic lyrics of the ten new songs on Enter By The Narrow Gate. “Listen to what I’m gonna do // You’ll give me one, I’ll give you two” (from One Step At A Time). “The things that you seek // They are now in the past” (Under The Trees). And: “Give me A, I’m alive // Give me B to be me” (from the title track). I guess we can also consider Another Song, Another Day as another day, another song. That’s not a bad thing at all, because you can never have enough of these relaxed vibes. Magon (vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass, percussions), along with Ferdinand de Fournoux (drums and percussions), infuse their indie-pop foundation with influences from alternative rock, surf, psych and country. As I listen with my eyes closed, it’s summer vacation again.

Enter By The Narrow Gate is out now digitally via December Square. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Avions || Avions

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

The first song I’ve heard from Avions (France) was Fields Of Gold. It’s one of those songs that ignites the jolt of excitement that fuels the flame underneath this website. Fields Of Gold sounds a bit like Marked Men’s take on the melodic punkrock sound of bands like Down By Law, All and Big Drill Car. It’s one of the many highlights on Avion’s new self-titled record, which is out now through Howlin’ Banana Records, Teenage Hate and Hell Vice I Vicious.

Avions show they are not an one-trick pony on the diverse set of songs that make up Avions. They channel the above influences, but also the indie rock of Pavement and the powerpop of Fountains of Wayne and Teenage Fanclub. Needles to say, there is a lot of melody in these 11 tracks and the subtle vocals with super sweet harmonies makes my brain tickle time and time again.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Real Tears || Whipped dreams

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Wait, what? A new Real Tears LP? I did not see this one coming, which only adds to the joy of unboxing a new batch of pop punk tunes by Real Tears. Whipped Dreams is album #3 by the Swedish band that was built on the ashes of Impo & The Tents. It’s strike #3, and if you are a fan of Hay Fever (2019) and Too Cool To Rock! (2016) it’s a sure bet you like Whipped Dreams. If this is the first time you hear about Real Tears, just imagine a band that channels The Undertones and Dickies to produce something fast and insanely catchy. Real Tears are one of those bands that execute their music perfectly concise. Their two minute (or shorter) songs are stripped from the boring parts, and dense with hooks and pop melodies. Zero fillers, all hits, Whipped Dreams is out now through Family Spree Recordings.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Guy Hamper Trio featuring James Taylor || All The Poisons in the Mud

By / / Funk & Soul, Garage Rock / 1 Comment

In 2009 The Guy Hamper Trio released their debut single Polygraph Test b/w Sally Sensation. The A-side can also be found on the must-have compilation Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot! The Billy Childish Story 1977 – 2018. Indeed, this is another Billy Childish project, and after 13 years there is now also a full-length album, called All The Poisons in the Mud. In addition to the two old tracks, it contains ten new ones – almost 40 minutes in total – and although all but one of them are completely instrumental, they never get boring. In fact, it’s all quite exciting. A great tune like Step Out is somewhat reminiscent of Green Onions (Booker T. & The M.G.s) but souped-up, and with an awesome version of Fire (Jimi Hendrix) there’s also a real cover. Call it wild rhythm & blues or funky garage rock, but somehow this LP immediately feels like a classic.

Besides Billy Childish himself on guitar, the trio consists of Julie Hamper on bass and Wolf Howard on drums. However, their legendary guest James Taylor (of The Prisoners and The James Taylor Quartet fame) on Hammond organ takes the lead role. The album title is also the title of a novel that Billy Childish has been writing for some time, taken from a I Claudius quote by Robert Graves. The cover art is inspired by work by Saul Bass for Duke Ellington.

All The Poisons in the Mud is out now on CD and vinyl LP through Damaged Goods. A successor has been promised.

Add to wantlist: Damaged Goods || Discogs

New album: Sean Keel || A Dry Scary Blue

By / / Country & Folk / 1 Comment

“It doesn’t get much more beautiful than this. The poetic, tear-jerking lyrics in combination with the distinctive, emotion-charged vocals and the spare folky arrangements hit me hard. Fragile and powerful at the same time.” That’s what I wrote a few months ago after hearing Corn Palace, a single by Austin-based math professor and singer-songwriter Sean Keel. It was the prelude to his official debut album A Dry Scary Blue, which is out now and for which the same words apply. The LP contains ten raw but intimate songs that demand and deserve your attention. This is a truly magnificent, unique and timeless record.

A Dry Scary Blue, produced by Gabriel Rhodes, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Icons Creating Evil Art. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Townes van Zandt, Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Icons Creating Evil Art

New album: Alien Nosejob || Stained Glass

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

Jake Robertson writes and records music as Alien Nosejob like there is no tomorrow. Stained Glass is album #4 in the past two years, and yet it has the urgency of a debut LP. Clearly, Robertson either doesn’t do writer’s block or his sources of inspiration are unceasing. In case of Stained Glass, that inspiration seems to come from one source especially, and that is Bon Scott era AC/DC records. The sharp guitar work, the solo’s, the high pitched voice, it’s impossible not to think about AC/DC while listening to this record. It’s released through Total Punk Records though (and Anti Fade in Australia), so at times this is more like AC/DC played at 45rpm. Only a couple of listen in and I can’t help but feel this is the best Alien Nosejob LP yet. Robertson combines killer guitar riffs with punk attitude and a sense of urgency to create an exhilerating rock’n’roll party. Everyone’s invited.

Stained Glass is out now, just in time to consider for your AOTY lists.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Magnatech || De Favorieten Expres!

By / / Garage Rock, Surf Music / 1 Comment

The father of Ireland-based surf musician Johannes Bernardus Verhoef aka Magnatech passed away early this year, and after 9 months of mourning and reflection, he now pays a grand tribute. On his new album De Favorieten Expres! – the title refers to a Dutch series of popular singles from the 60s – the artist plays some of the songs his dad taught him to love: “All foundations of everything I know in music I learned from him.” Beautiful premise, well executed: you’ll hear eleven instrumental surf tunes with Indorock influences that will certainly appeal to fans of the genre.

De Favorieten Expres! is out now digitally and on CD through Sharawaji Records. The proceeds of this album will be donated to kidney and prostate research. The vintage cover art is by Julian Weber.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Outta Hand || Buzz Pop EP

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Outta Hand are a new pop punk band from Ottawa that sound pretty old school. Their five song Buzz Pop EP is highly enjoyable and shows a lot of promise. The songs are super melodic and if I had to compare them, they sound like a mix of Teenage Bottlerocket and The Parasites.

The band is still looking for a drummer, so if you live in the area and like what you hear, you know what to do.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of November 2022

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, 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.

In November, a bizarre number of new cover releases saw the light of day, including tributes to Billy Joe Shaver, Pavement and Jack Terricloth by various artists, Seth Avett singing Greg Brown, also William Fitzsimmons doing his whisper rock thing, Phil Wolff honoring Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen interpreting soul music. We listed about 40 covers that would be worth sharing (apart from the countless alternative versions of Christmas classics; if you had to listen to one, choose Drummer Boy by Titus Andronicus adapted from Billy Joel’s Piano Man, or Vista Blue’s We Practiced All Year Long including a cover of a Kmart ad from 1979). Here are the 10 covers – X-mas free – we liked the most.

Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again || Cover: Dune Rats & Friends || Original: The Angels
Now this is fun in every way. For triple j’s Like A Version feature, Australian garage punk trio Dune Rats cover Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, from the self-titled debut LP (1977) by their compatriots The Angels. To add to the party, they are joined by their friends Ruby Fields, Jackson Van Issue (Beddy Rays), Anna Ryan (Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers) and Kelly Jansch (TOTTY), as well as The Angels’ Brewster brothers themselves. Nice to see how they are all enjoying themselves, and so are we. If you want to hear more from this band: their most recent album Real Rare Whale is just as entertaining.

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New album: Delivery || Forever Giving Handshakes

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

There is a full rollercoaster cart pictured on the front cover of Forever Giving Handshakes, the debut LP by Australian post punk band Delivery – its five members are in the front of the cart. It’s a fitting image for the record, which shows a band that loves to mix it up in terms of intensity, pace, unafraid to take unexpected cuts and corners. Forever Giving Handshakes is the kind of record you can’t simply judge by listening to one song, you have to take the complete ride to get it. When you do, you’ll find a band that constantly balances between Aussie garagepunk and angular post punk. There is the angular guitar work and rhythms you normally associate with post punk – with plenty of bite I should add, but there are straightforward punk tracks as well. The vocals, that are best characterized as shouting and talking rather than singing, sprinkle these songs with that special magic sauce Australian bands have patented.

I didn’t intend writing about this record, but something keeps pulling me back to it, finding new things to like with each revisit. A grower of an album, out now on LP through Feel It & Spoilsport Records, and Tape via Anti Fade Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

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