New album: Pale Lights || Waverley Place

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

A new LP by indie pop giants Pale Lights is something to get excited about, even when it technically is a collection of songs that previously were released only digitally, on 7″s and compilations. It helps that Waverley Place doesn’t sound like odds-and-ends –  at no point do you feel like you are listening to the best-of-the-trash. Sure, the remastering and picking of songs help to make Waverley Place an accomplished and coherent entity . But more important, Pale Lights are incapable of writing a bad song, the jangle pop bliss simply comes natural to its members whose CVs include Comet Gain, Cinema Red and Blue, Crystal Stilts, Knight School, Great Lakes, and many more.

Waverley Place is out now through Jigsaw Records (CD) and Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten (LP).




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New compilation: Various Artists || Palestine Solidarity Compilation

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

The Palestine Solidarity Compilation features 27 unreleased tracks by some of the finest and quirkiest punk acts around the globe. It has demo songs, cover songs (Village People, Springsteen, Rafferty and The Coneheads), live tracks and new fully formed hits by bands like Gee Tee, Cherry Cheeks, Ghoulies, Pyrex, Power Pants, Billiam, Goblin Daycare and Busted Head Racket.

A lot of synths and drum computers were used and abused in the making of these songs, but I’m sure no lasting harm was done. In fact, the bands not only put their best foot forward musically, they came together for a common cause: to make money for Palestinian relief funds. If you donate directly (to bypass the Bandcamp commission) to a Palestinian relief fund of your choice (e.g., Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) or the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF)), you’ll receive a download code when you mail the receipt to the address mentioned on the comps’ Bandcamp page (link below).





Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Bullfight || Amen, Demon

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

The Bullfight is not a punk outfit from Madrid or something like that, but a pop-noir band that originated in Rotterdam, active for 20 years. Their new 10-track album Amen, Demon is a beautiful effort in itself, but is also the soundtrack to band member Thomas van der Vliet’s debut novel Het Interview (to make matters even more complicated, the audio version of the book is supported by another 14 – instrumental – tunes that form the score of the novel). We limit ourselves here to the vocal songs, ballads sung alternately by Nick Verhoeven and longtime collaborator Daisy Cools (with the short, cheerful instrumental Brad Pitt as an outlier), and those alone are already very worthwhile. Refined, mysterious,  adventurous, moody, sensitive, melancholic, Nick Cave-esque, subdued, clever – just some thoughts that arise. The video for All That’s Left (you might spot some familiar faces) gives a good idea of what to expect. What about a film adaptation of the book?


Amen, Demon is out now on CD and vinyl LP, including linocuts by Hélène Bautista, through Brandy Alexander Recordings.

Add to wantlist: The Bullfight

New EP: Chatterbox || Night Calls

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 1 Comment

Cool new band alert! Meet Chatterbox, a quartet out of Portland, Oregon. And that…is about all the information I have on the band *. Fortunately, the music speaks for itself. Chatterbox present themselves as purveyors of classic rock as played by a punk band. The Replacements and Guided By Voices are points of reference we frequently use on our site, but in case of Chatterbox, both totally apply. They even cover a GBV classic (Game Of Pricks) as a fun bonus track to the three originals. I for one am excited about the emergence of these hard-to-google Portlandians. A cassette release of Night Calls is expected soon.

* But then I received an e-mail from Andy Place of ATW favorites Andy Place and the Coolheads. Chatterbox is his new band. The Coolheads are still alive as well, but we can anticipate more releases and live shows by Chatterbox soon.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Lily Seabird || Alas,

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

Ready for an impressive piece of indie-folk, with influences from grunge and shoegaze? Lily Seabird is a singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Burlington, Vermont (US), and her sophomore full-length Alas, touches my soul. The title, including that comma, refers to an expression often used by her friend Ryan Collins who passed away in the middle of recording this record – an expression of grief but also for letting go. The songs are about loss, coming of age and sadness, but there are also moments where happiness takes over. And that’s what you feel, not only through the lyrics, but even more so how those versatile vocals convey them, and how the instruments manage to touch the raw emotions. Listen, for example, to standout track Grace, in which an irresistible and uplifting melody turns into an outburst of howling guitars, but also in the other songs the instruments – not only guitars, bass and drums, but also piano, fiddle, strings, mellotron, organ and saxophone – to follow the different sentiments. An impressive piece of indie-folk.




Alas,, produced by Lily Seabird & Benny Yurco, is out now digitally, on on cassette through Bud Tapes. Also featuring Greg Freeman (guitar, piano, fiddle, percussion), Noah Schneidman (bass, percussion), Zack James (drums), Michael Nau (backing vocals), Seth Kauffman (strings) and Benny Yurco (guitars, bass, percussion) on selected tracks. The album is dedicated to Ryan Collins.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Kryye || Pop Punk Burgermag

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

The Ramones opened a gateway to a timeline where anyone could effortlessly pick up an instrument and craft their own infectious pop-punk tunes. It unleashed a wave of creativity and the establishment of pop punk as a resilient and beloved genre over four decades – A wealth of new bands still pops up every year. That said, bands that manage to astonish are the exception rather than the norm.

Enter South African band Kryye, who score high on the “would have looked good on the Lookout! Records roster” meter. Their music possesses a distinctive quality, setting them apart even though they employ all of the prototypical elements of pop punk. There’s an infectious youthful naivety and honesty in their sound that captivates, and Kryye is far from a band merely going through the motions. Their fantastic debut Pop Punk Burgermag is out now on cassette through Hey Pizza! Records. Just shy of 15 minutes, Kryye leaves you wanting more after the (digital only) Green Day cover that closes the record. Brace yourself for a collection of hits and a guaranteed good time!




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Hey Pizza!

New album: Jordan Jones || And I, You

By / / Indie Pop, Psych / 4 Comments

Jordan Jones’ self-titled 2019 album still is one of the finest power pop records of the past half-decade. If you loved that record as much as I did, I am curious what you think of his new LP And I, You, which is out now through Lolipop Records. The record marks a significant transition and may invite a new fanbase while raise the eyebrows of  some longtime supporters.

What’s the deal with And I, You? Well, for one it’s piano driven rather than powered by guitars; it’s more easy listening than rockin and head boppin.’ There is still a heavy ’70s influence, but it appears to draw from ELO, Hall & Oats, and Todd Rundgren instead of 20/20, The Real Kids and The Plimsouls.

But is it any good? Sure, even when you prefer his power pop side, you have to admire the talent and class of Jordan Jones. And I, You is a highly ambitious record with orchestral arrangements, pretty harmonies and timeless classics in songs like Can I Stay and Love Song of J, and a heartbreaker of a closer in Love Or Lose.

Add to wantlist: Lolipop Records

New album: The Carmines || Work Harder Not Smarter

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Californian Ramonescore veterans The Carmines (w/ members of Slick Shoes) have dubbed their third LP Work Harder Not Smarter. We probably should not take the title all too seriously. But if applied to the new album, The Carmines sure turn hard work into an exhilarating experience, making the process sound as enjoyable as if they were fueled by copious amounts of sugary sodas while writing their bubblegummy pop-punk hits. Contrary to the prevailing trend of prioritizing efficiency and leaving the hard work to the machines, The Carmines choose to invest their efforts where it truly matters: crafting bubblegum hits that radiate pure enjoyment.

Work Harder Not Smarter is out now on Memorable But Not Honorable Records (USA) & I Buy Records (Italy).




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Von Cube || Dance Party with Von Cube

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

Seattle-based rockers Grady Eddins (vocals, guitar, bass) and Nick Hagen (drums) celebrate 45 years of playing together with four new tracks. A year after they finally debuted under the moniker of Von Cube (with Two Songs Live), they continue their journey with over 25 minutes of exciting music, a Dance Party with Von Cube indeed. It’s quite a session (opening track Choo Choo clocks in at 07:29), but the structure of the songs keeps the tension high, as if you are witnessing a live show in which you watch the guitar violence in awe.


Dance Party with Von Cube, written and arranged by Grady Eddins, is out now digitally and on CD through Green Monkey Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Wisconsin Anger Team || Archie

By / / Alternative Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Much like bread crumbles to draw music fans to their new record, bands nowadays have a go-to strategy to generate excitement around their latest record. Typically, this involves a pre-release schedule: the announcement of the record a few months ahead, the unveiling of a teaser single, followed by subsequent single releases every two to four weeks, often accompanied by engaging (lyric) videos. Even though we wait until the full album is out and our upcoming releases page is full of records we eagerly anticipate, I am perfectly okay with the approach. But still, I have a soft spot for bands without a prominent social media presence, bands that skip the teasing phase and just release their damn thing. Finding a surprise Bandcamp notification of new music by a favorite band never gets old.

Wisconsin Anger Team did exactly that yesterday, releasing their fourth album since their debut in 2021. I missed the first two records, but album #3 was one of my favorites of 2023 – a record I described as a mix of Hüsker Dü at its most melodic, early Green Day and Neutral Milk Hotel. Archie, album #4 is its logical successor. While most bands evolve to a more mature or more polished sound on subsequent records, Wisconsin Anger Team defies such conventions. And rightly so, because there is nothing broken about their sound. And so, if you were as excited about Beyond the Everest Crater II as I was, Archie delivers a similar level of excitement and satisfaction.

From its DIY album cover collage to its 12 anthems, there is just so much to like about this record. Archie is vibrant and lively, an antidote against complacency. It’s volume is in-the-red high, but the songs are all punctuated with melody and passionate and soulful singing. By the time closer Both Sides Of The Shield arrives, Wisconsin Anger Team has loaded all bases and once the acoustic intro breaks at the one-minute break, they knock one out of the park.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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