New album: Melissa Carper || Ramblin’ Soul

By / / Blues & Roots, Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

Texas singer/songwriter/upright bassist Melissa Carper is well on her way to becoming a very big name in the country world. While last year’s Daddy’s Country Gold wasn’t her first album, it finally garnered critical acclaim and wider audiences (and a high spot on my year-end list, for what it’s worth). She’s already back with a new LP, called Ramblin’ Soul, with which she should be able to continue the triumphal march. Once again you’ll hear a sound from a bygone era, in which country, soul, jazz, R&B, bluegrass and western swing merge, once again it’s the distinctive vocals of Carper that steal the show. That doesn’t mean it’s more of exactly the same: the 13 new tracks – including covers by Brennen Leigh (Hanging On To You) and Odetta (Hit or Miss) – are more diverse and upbeat, delivered with more confidence and humor. An earworm like Boxers on Backwards is probably the strongest example of that fresh breeze, but actually everything here is enjoyable. Authentic, unique and uplifting.

Ramblin’ Soul, produced by Dennis Crouch and Andrija Tokic, is out now digitally on CD and vinyl LP via Mae Music / Thirty Tigers. With contributions from Dennis Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitars), John Pahmer (organ, piano), Matty Meyer (drums), Billy Contreras (fiddle), Rory Hoffman (piano, nylon string guitar, clarinet), Wes Langlois (rhythm guitar), and Larry Marrs, Sierra Ferrell, Kyshona Armstrong, Nickie Conely and Maureen Murphy for harmony vocals.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Melissa Carper

New album: X Ray Cat Trio || Haunted

By / / Garage Rock / 1 Comment

The British rock ‘n’ rollers of X Ray Cat Trio are back with their new (third) full-length album, called Haunted, featuring ten energetic, cinematic, dangerous and danceable tunes. El Nico (vocals, guitars, theramin), Adam Richards (bass) and Howlin’ Ric (drums) throw a party that will leave you sweating and bruised. With the help of Ben Powling (sax), Kieran O’Malley (fiddle) and Chris Dylan Lloyd (pedal steel), they’re throwing the best influences from the 50’s and 60’s in the air – rockabilly, garage rock, surf, punk, doo-wop and country – and what comes down is as cool as can be. Do you also have the urge to shout “Yee-haw!” loudly?

Haunted is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Property Of The Lost Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || PropertyOfTheLost

New album: The Windowsill || Focus

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

There is an abandoned Ford Focus in the jungle on the front cover of the new (fourth already!) Windowsill LP. The image leaves a lot of room for imagination. Did something terrible happen to the owner and his family? Has its owner perhaps chosen a solitary life escaping the many demands of our contemporary society? Is someone hiding in the woods? Did someone steal the car and left it there on purpose? The track list of Focus may provide some hints with song titles like Born To Hike and Ride Into The Night.  And perhaps you have some of your own stories poppin’ up while looking at the great piece of art by Gees Voorhees?

While the art may evoke different associations for different people, the exact opposite applies to the songs on Focus. You get exactly what you’d expect: classic pop punk in the vein of Ben Weasel. But boy, I didn’t anticipate the sheer quality of Focus. What a hit fest this is. Marien Jonker may have nothing left to prove regarding his ability in writing catchy pop punk tunes – listen to the previous Windowsill records and his work with Giant Eagles and The Shivvies for example, but I believe Focus features some of his best work yet. From start to finish, The Windowsill deliver on Focus. Exhibit A: Can’t Stop Love. I can’t recall having heard a better opening track of a pop punk record this year. Exhibit B: Poor Buffalo. Pop punk perfection, reminscent of the most pop oriented Screeching Weasel material. Exhibit C: Love You Better. Truly an anthem for a new tomorrow.

Focus has been four years in the making due to other musical projects, a global pandemic, bad luck in the studio etcetera. That must have been frustrating for Marien and his buddies Ivo, Jerry and Sander. But none of that shows in the final product. Focus is out now on CD through Shield Recordings. LP to follow sometime next year – likely May 2023. I know I’m getting one.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Shield Recordings

New album: Fort Frances || Look At What Tomorrow Brought Us

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

The most listened to song by Chicago-based band Fort Frances is their relaxed cover of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s Summertime from ten years ago, but it’s time to change that. On their new full-length album Look At What Tomorrow Brought Us you can hear ten original songs that are all better. Expect captivating roots rock with a capital S – it doesn’t get much more Soulful than this.

Recovering from Covid and with family expansion on the way, bandleader and songwriter David McMillin realized that “time is precious and that songs should reflect the gift to live and work and laugh and cry.” Both the lyrics and the music here breathe newfound optimism, just look at the words that close the record: “I got high hopes for the long run // May your heart beat like a billion drums.” McMillin has a great powerful voice, is a master on guitar, piano and bass (Aaron Kiser provides drums and additional vocals), but above all he writes delightful songs that deserve millions of plays.

Look At What Tomorrow Brought Us is out now digitally via Roadblock Records – streaming only for now.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Dumb || Pray 4 Tomorrow

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

In a musical landscape overloaded with new music each week, an 18 song 40 minute record can be a lot to digest. However, in case of Dumb’s new record (Pray 4 Tomorrow) it’s a thrilling adventure that provides as many detours as rewards. At its core, Dumb (Vancouver) play the kind of postpunk that brought fame to Parquet Courts. The average Dumb song is shorter though. There are more fast songs, and Dumb effortlessly switch groovy post punk, classic indie rock, slacker rock, stop-start punk, indie punk and even ska. Variety is a strength on Pray 4 Tomorrow and the cool guitar riffs and groovy bass lines are superfluous. 

Dumb’s previous records (Seeing Green (2018) and Club Nites (2019) both found their way into my collection, and Pray 4 Tomorrow will follow asap. It is out now through Mint Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Tulu and Wimpy || Fly Like A Cucumber

By / / Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Scott Gildersleeve (aka Tulu) and Jack Hayes (aka Wimpy Rutherford) were founding members of The Queers. The pair also played together in The Monsignors and Drunken Cholos and had plenty of their own musical projects. In 2014, Tulu and Wimpy started recording Fly Like a Cucumber with Marc McElroy of the Electric Cave Recording Studio in 2014. Sadly, Tulu (aged 56) died just weeks before finishing the record. Wimpy promised to finish the recording “as Scott would have wanted me to.”

Fast forward seven years and Fly Like A Cucumber is finally here. It contains Tulu originals, as well as some unreleased/remixed songs by the Monsignors. With one of the creators no longer around, Fly Like a Cucumber is a bittersweet record. Its release stings a little, especially given the positive reviews the record will surely generate. It offers a varied trove of gems waiting to be discovered. It is not a record to quickly scan. You’d probably miss out the best parts if you do. For me, that is the subtle beautiful classic (soft)power pop song Over You. Build on a lovely jangly guitar lick, it’s a song that I can keep on playing.

Fly Like A Cucumber is out now through Pine Hill Records. This is how Wimpy announced the record: “…finally, I am able to release this truly outstanding record, that I had the pleasure of being able to create with my best friend. I feel it is by far the best record I have ever been involved with in my 40 some years of recording. Tulu, may you stay…Forever Young.”


Add to wantlist: Pine Hill

New album: Rainn Byrns || New In Town

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

Talented DIY musician Rainn Byrns has traded sunny Texas for rainy South London, but his music could have been made in Melbourne. From his home studio he translated his youthful and slightly worrisome or bored view on the world around him and his personal well-being into eleven summery songs, that have now been brought together on his full-length debut album New In Town. His guitar playing and vocals are at times reminiscent of Kurt Vile or Mac DeMarco, but the sound – courtesy of backing band The Byrnouts – is a bit fuller and looser at the same time. Although the lyrics cut dark feelings, they ultimately turn out to be optimistic, and the melodies are sweet and cheerful. This is melancholic jangle pop so bright that Byrns is understandably wearing sunglasses in the cover photo.

New In Town is out now on CD and vinyl LP through Futureproof Records.

Add to wantlist: Futureproof || Rough Trade

New EP: Sarah Mary Chadwick || Flipped It

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Some music is so intimate, vulnerable, raw and heartfelt, that as a listener you almost feel burdened that you are witnessing it. Anyone who has seen Daniel Johnston or Conor Oberst live will understand what I mean. I now also have that experience when hearing Flipped It, the new single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Sarah Mary Chadwick. She recorded the track during the sessions for last year’s Me & Ennui Are Friends, Baby LP, but she couldn’t find a comfortable place for it on that record. She accompanies herself on the piano, but that is in the service of the lyrics – it is the vocals that hit hard. B-side All Those Things We’ll Never Do, from the Please Daddy sessions (2019) is almost as heartbreaking. Goosebumps and tears fight for priority.

The self-produced Flipped It EP is out now digitally (5 songs) and on vinyl 7″ (2 songs) through Kill Rock Stars.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Kill Rock Stars

New album: Fruit Tones || Pink Wafer Factory

By / / Blues & Roots, Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Pink Wafer Factory is the second full length of Manchester (UK) trio Fruit Tones. If the name Fruit Tones evokes bubblegum associations, you are not necessarily wrong. But bubblegum only accounts for a small part of the band’s sound, and primarily in the vocal melodies. Above all, Fruit Tones sound too dirty, too loud, too sleazy and too rock’n’roll to place them in the bubblegum category. A more apt comparision of the sound of Fruit Tones is early Stones, or even better: recent bands that do a garage take on the Stones like Natural Child. In fact, I am fairly certain you will like Pink Wafer Factory if you like Natural Child – particularly the more uptempo work of that band.

Pink Wafer Factory is the kind of record that combines ’60s and ’70s rock’n’roll nostalgia with craftmanship and provides contemporary fun. It’s the kind of music that is best experienced live, but I believe the recordings have captured that energy and spontaneity nicely. Buy this one with zero regret guarantee, but if you need more reason to give this band a chance, note that the LP is released by the always delivering Alien Snatch! Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: Snoopy And The Who?! || Snoopy And The Who?!

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

Snoopy And The Who?! To be honest, the first time I heard the name, my curiosity was peaked. The two songs the band teased last year showed a lot of promise further building up the buzz. Both these songs (My Regeneration and Shadow & Shade) are on SATW?!’s self-titled debut EP, which is out now. It’s a solid first outing that sees a band channeling ’70s rock, unafraid to step over boundaries between styles and genres. I guess you could call it garage rock -certainly in its approach and attitude, but it is also glitter rock, arena rock (distant touches of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC), and Velvet Undergroundesque rock’n’roll.

Perhaps it’s the name letter effect*, perhaps its because the four members are lifelong friends, but there is something really likeable about this Brooklyn band. Most likely, it’s just the music. More to come in 2023!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

* The name letter effect is our tendency to evaluate alphabetical letters (particularly initials) we share in a name favorably. …And The Who, Add To Wantlist. ATW!

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