New single: Sam Setzer || New Sounds From The Sam Setzer Group

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

Roselawns were one of the finer discoveries of 2021. I am happy to share a new 7″-single by Sam Setzer of Roselawns. It is out on Setzer’s own label Cerro Gordo Recordings.

Attention all enthusiasts of jangly power-pop and indie rock: New Sounds From The Sam Setzer Group a triple AAA must-hear single. Barely over 7 minutes long, it’s an addictive listen. To label Setzer as merely a good songwriter would be a gross understatement. His prowess transcends the ordinary. Pair his talents with two other talented musicians— Nic Hessler, known for his work in Catwalk, Wild Nothing, and his highly recommended 2015 solo LP Soft Connections, along with Dan Allaire of Darker My Love—and you’re in for a musical treat.

My head is constantly boppin’ up and down while listening to these tunes, for which I have two explanations. One, the three songs are so well crafted, rock out so relaxedly, they make sitting idly an impossibility. Two: They are nods of approval to the sheer quality of the music. In truth, I’d say both explanations are true.

With New Sounds From The Sam Setzer Group, Sam Setzer and his buddies make a great year for fans of power pop even better.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: We Are Joiners || NORA

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

Long overdue, but Dutch masters of lo-fi indie rock We Are Joiners are finally making their debut on the Wantlist. A perfect day for a premiere, I’d say!

The NORA EP, which comes out today, is a special one for several reasons. For starters, it likely marks WAJ’s final release made with the trusted yet crappy 50-euro recording device which has been such an integral part of the band’s sound. Up next is a studio album to be produced by Travis Harrison (Guided By Voices, Built To Spill). Exciting times ahead in the WAJ universe!

But let’s focus on today’s special. The NORA EP. NORA is an anagram of Arno, who contributed lyrics to the songs and to whom the EP is dedicated. Arno, “a passionate storyteller who’s had his struggles,” is a longtime friend of We Are Joiner’s songsmith Joep. Arno had to warm up to Joep’s idea: “it was meant as a present. I think he chickened out of the first eight of our appointments.”  It all worked out eventually. In two manic nights, the two found each other over words and music, resulting in the five songs on NORA.

To my ears, they sound like classic We Are Joiners. Or as Arno explains “typically Joep.” Or as I’d say: rockin’ in all of its ramshackle pots-and-pans charm.  Favorite tracks? Got Yelly? due to its infectious chorus; Turtles, for its punked up Neutral Milk Hotel vibe; Glory Ugh! because it is such a hit, and because I can probably never say Gloria again without thinking of this song.

The NORA EP is out now on Totally Real Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Friends Of Cesar Romero || Queen Of All The Parliaments

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

New release by Friends Of Cesar Romero. Raises eyebrow, checks calendar.

Probably should not be surprised, sixteen days have passed since the most recent Friends Of Cesar Romero release. J. Waylon could probably churn out a new EP daily if he didn’t have other shit to do as well. Sixteen days is fine. Why not make it a full length, you say? Sure, no problem. Here ya have it, a 15-song album. It is called Queen Of All The Parliaments, subtitled #40 of the Doomed Babe Series.

Catchy stuff, hit on hit. No surprise, you know what to expect by now. Perhaps a bit more pop punk, in terms of style, pace and an average song length below 90 seconds. Enough for J. to make an impact. Queen Of All The Parliaments is another fine one, especially considering its made out of unused “song titles, unfinished voice memos ideas, shitty riffs” accumulated over the years, going back as far as 2011.

On pace to make it 100 Doomed Babe installments before 2030, J. Waylon’s well of inspiration seems endless.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Music Year-End List || Niek’s Favorite Albums of 2023

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Punk / 5 Comments

2024 is upon us! Time for the wonderful tradition of ranking the finest records of the year. Do I take this process too seriously? Of course! But I tried not to overthink it too much this year, to simply let my list reflect the albums that brought me the most joy in 2023 – it really is as straightforward as that. My list features 50 records I wholeheartedly recommend, many of which transitioned from my wantlist to my collection – you can glimpse them in the picture atop this post. I also included another 50+ notable mentions, and I still feel I left out some really great stuff.

That says a lot about what an amazing year for music 2023 was. And yet, I worry about how sustainable the current musical landscape is. The shared struggles of label owners, bands halting tours due to escalating costs that far outweigh the benefits – these stories trouble me. Then there are the developments at Bandcamp, Spotify and Twitter/X. The potential of these platforms to create something of value for artists, labels and listeners is limitless, but the people in charge keep self-sabotaging, laying-off staff and in case of Spotify, perpetuating financial challenges for the independent artists and labels we passionately support.

I think that makes sharing music recommendations, encouraging people to buy records and visit shows more crucial than ever. Remarkably, 2023 brought renewed recognition and appreciation of music blogs, driving increased readership for ATW. So yeah, there also is reason for optimism. Let’s see what 2024 will bring.

To all the artists and labels we write about, and to our fellow bloggers, I’d like to thank you for your tremendous contributions in 2023. Let’s keep swimming against the stream of mediocre algorithms together.

On topic! Find my list below – and check out my playlist with most of the releases here. If you frequent this website, you know what to expect: pop hooks, crunchy guitars, jangle stuff, underground pop, ramshackle lo-fi production, indie rock, garage rock, power pop and punk rock. Hungry for more and something different? See Dennis’ amazing list which is more eclectic and boasts approximately 90% (!) unique content.

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Music Year-End List || Niek’s Favorite Albums of 2023Read More »

New album: Cosmic Shadows || Cosmic Shadows

By / / Garage Rock, Psych / Leave a Comment

Cosmic Shadows are a garage psych band from Athens, Greece, featuring Jon Mitropoulos (rhythm guitar, vocals, lyrics), Pavlos Patsonis (lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion), Vasilis Alexopoulos (bass, backing vocals, piano) and Stathis Psychis (drums, percussion). Last month they released their self-titled debut album, which is just as intriguing as Bill Delis’ beautiful artwork. After the subdued Intro track sets the mood, we get eight sultry songs – including a cover of The Ufo Club’s Bo Diddley Was The 7th Son – with mesmerizing melodies and magnetic vocals, and just the right amount of fuzz.



Cosmic Shadows’ self-titled album, recorded/mixed/mastered by John Vulgaris, is out now digitally, on cassette and vinyl LP through Bitter Tea Records / Sound Effect Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Thingz || Green Incursion

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Last spring, Californian garage punk band The Thingz released their exciting (9th) In The Age of Giant Moths LP, which they now follow up with the 6-track Green Incursion EP. You and I couldn’t make it all up, so I’ll quote what the new (original) songs are about: mercurial habits and habiliments, invasive brain-melting mollusks in the Sunshine State, the separation of lepers, crimes in the name of art and against art, coastal boroughs going to the birds, and temperamental lycanthropes. That’s quite promising, right? Mike Morris (vocals, guitar), Kim Thing (vocals, bass, theremin), Hope Davies (keyboards) and Jason Cordero (drums) musically bring everything you hope for, and there is also a lot to be found lyrically, as in opener Heavy Metal Back Pocket: “AC/DC concert shirt // Sit cross-legged in the dirt // You are mine eternally // Outside of society.”


Green Incursion, recorded and mixed by Zack Grimm, is out now digitally and on cassette. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Paranoias || Chemical Sustain

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Is there room for one more great Aussie punk record in 2023? Why not! It’s not like Paranoias will ask nicely, anyway. They fire away 12 short blasts on their debut record Chemical Sustain with no restraints. These blasts come with high pitched vocals delivered at ear-piercing volume and with a level of conviction that tolerates no counterarguments. Meanwhile, the music is hyperactive at a level that no Ritalin will dampen. Shortness of breath appears to be an automatic side-effect of experiencing Paranoias.

Paranoias are a quartet from Perth that kind of scare me. They are also scary good. Chemical Sustain is out now on Optimal Tapes & Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Overlooked album: The Pretty Flowers || A Company Sleeve

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

I keep seeing The Pretty Flowers’ A Company Sleeve appear in one year-end list after another. Strangely, I hadn’t given it a listen until now, and  I’m baffled at how I managed to overlook such an incredible record. The Pretty Flowers are right up my wheelhouse and I’m probably the last one to stumble upon this album! So it goes…

Likely, the record slipped through the cracks during my vacation and got lost in the mix. Consequently, this post may seem belated, but just in case you’ve yet to experience it, The Pretty Flowers (Los Angeles) touch a lot of corners of the hooky guitar pop universe, crafting a punchy and polished mix of power pop, college rock, alt pop, jangle and indie rock, pairing a decent pace with quality songwriting and instrumentation. Admittedly, my enthusiasm arrives five months behind schedule, but this album is too exceptional to leave of the wantlist.

A Company Sleeve was released five months ago at Double Helix Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Spiritual Cramp || Spiritual Cramp

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

It’s always nice when old heroes put emerging talents in the spotlight. Thanks to a fascinating conversation – full of growls and laughs – on the Confidential Show on BBC6 between Iggy Pop and Tom Waits and their eclectic choice cuts, I discovered Spiritual Cramp, a San Francisco-based punk outfit named after a Christian Death song. In an interview with Alternative Press, vocalist Michael Bingham nicely expressed what they stand for: “You know the cover of the Ramones’ Subterranean Jungle? That’s what our band is supposed to sound like.” His “hard mod” description also is quite accurate.

During the BBC6 broadcast, the raucous track Dog In A Cage from their 2021 Here Comes More Bad News EP was played, but the band’s first release dates back to 2017 and reportedly they’ve been writing music together for much longer. So I’m late to the party, but still in time for their long-awaited self-titled debut LP that came out last month, a somewhat more polished listening experience. The ten new tracks still contain cinematic soundscapes (“Spiritual Cramp Television”) and Clash-esque dub elements, but actually it’s a rock train that doesn’t stop at intermediate stations, thundering on for 26 minutes. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this.




Spiritual Cramp’s self-titled album, produced by Michael Bingham and Michael Fenton of the band, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Blue Grape Music.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Blue Grape || Discogs || Spiritual Cramp

New EP: Alex Kasznel & the Board of Directors || Parachute

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop / 1 Comment

Cincinnati’s pop-punks Alex Kasznel & the Board of Directors are one of my favorite discoveries of 2023. After the beautiful debut single Landlocked and the successful first album Everything’s Important & Nothing Matters, they are already back with the 4-track Parachute EP, worth it again. Alex Kasznel (guitar, vocals), Heather Sampanis (bass, vocals) and Brian Tull (drums) now embrace a fuller sound, but memorable wordplay and appealing melodies still are their main strength. The friendly musicians effortlessly live up to the warning from opening song Prescription Cigarettes: “Y-y-you got this song // Stuck in your head // It goes: dada-dada-dada // Dada-dada-dada-dada.” Just like in the title track, influences from power pop, alternative rock and pop-punk come together here, adding a dash of ska in Like a Pushpin to a Water Balloon, and then slowing down with the introspective ballad Sixteen on Center: “You’d probably call this emo bullshit.” If that were true, there are enough “La La La’s” on this record to compensate for that.


Parachute, produced, mixed and mastered by Eric Tuffendsam, is out now digitally and on 12″ vinyl through Air Quotes Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp 

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