New album: Harmonica Lewinski || Super Hot

By / / Garage Rock, Surf / Leave a Comment

Anyone who encounters the band name for the first time won’t be able to suppress a smile, but Rochester, New York-based rock ‘n’ roll outfit Harmonica Lewinski has been in business for more than a decade. Their new full-length album Super Hot – named after the Super Hot Grocery & Deli from their hometown, as seen in the cover photo – is actually one for sultry conditions. Docks Bushen (guitar, synthesizers), Joe Bushen (guitar, bass), Luke Bushen (bass, guitar, organ), Anna Leibel (drums) and Alex Patrick (percussion) deliver twelve spicy tunes (partly instrumentals, including a cover of Los Beltons’ Baja Rosa), with semi-nonchalant melodies and cool gritty vocals. Laid-back garage rock suffused with indie surf and exotica influences, delicious. We’ll take this with us to next summer.



Super Hot, produced/engineered/mastered by Alex Patrick, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Super Hot Sounds. RIYL: The Growlers, Dope Lemon, Allah-Las.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Monsieur Paul et Les Solutions || Surrealiste & Fantasmagorique

By / / Garage Rock / 1 Comment

Two and a half years ago we were introduced to French garage rock outfit Monsieur Paul & Les Solutions, and their phenomenal debut single Plagier Dutronc ended up in the top half of my year-end list of favorite singles & EPs. Last year the tune was released on a vinyl 7″, as part of the must-have Dans Mon Monde EP, and anyone who still doesn’t have it now gets a new chance, because the hit can also be found on Surrealiste & Fantasmagorique, the band’s first full-length album. However, there are many more reasons to add this record to your wantlist, because all thirteen psychedelic garage beat tracks here offer an exciting combination of irresistible melodies and catchy choruses, full of hooks, fuzz, reverb and yé-yé, rooted in the 60s. Among the standout tracks we have to mention the original Hey Léonard, Christmas surf tune Surfin’ Santa, and great covers of Antoine’s Un Éléphant Me Regarde and Richard Berry’s Louie Louie. Although there are already over 5,000 covers of the latter, this feminized French version as Louise is easily one of the best.

Surrealiste & Fantasmagorique is out now on vinyl LP through Soundflat Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Soundflat

New EP: Emmett Morris || Emerald

By / / Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

Emmett Morris is not the first veteran of hardcorepunk (you may know Morris as the guitarist of throwback hardcore act Wild Side) who becomes a creator of country music.  It is more common that you’d perhaps expect. Despite the stark sonic differences between these genres, their cultural roots intertwine, both emphasizing authenticity, championing underdogs, and narrating everyday challenges. But while most punk artists keep it simple when they switch to country or americana – a guitar and a gravelly voice, will go a long way thank you very much, Emmett Morris plays old school country with a full band, making the contrast much starker.

Listening to his new EP Emerald, I am pretty sure Emmett Morris has country music in his genetic makeup. He sounds like one of country’s brightest stars on the four songs. This is country nostalgia that rocks, and is fully authentic yet easy on the ears. Pedal Steel? Check! Organ? Check! As good a reason I can think of to re-embrace often overlooked country tag on our site.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Nick Frater || Bivouac

By / / Indie Pop, Power Pop, Psych / 1 Comment

Nick Frater crafts radio-ready contemporary powerpop infused with influences from iconic artists like Bacharach, Tillbrook, McCartney, and Rundgren. His latest album Bivouac pulsates with ’60s and ’70s vibes, occasionally embracing orchestral and theatrical elements.

Bivouac has no less than 23 songs, but most of the songs stay well within pop length. Included are several instrumental interludes that make the transition between song seamless. Frater also returns to certain parts (The Town Of Opportunities), presenting them in a different style throughout the record. Those are just two of many reasons why Biviouac is best played as a whole, in its original sequence.

Clocking in at 45 minutes, Bivouac isn’t the briefest album, yet Frater expertly balances conciseness with ambition. Clearly, he knows how valuable your time is, and he wants to make sure you get the most out of listening to his music.

Bivouac is out now on CD at Think Like a Key.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Helltones || Medusa

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

Californian rock ‘n’ soul outfit The Helltones return with full-length Medusa, which sounds more charming, subdued and polished than you would expect based on the band name and cover art. The music may have a warm appearance, but the theme is quite dark: “As with the mythical Medusa, this album is about taking your demons, chopping their heads off, and using their severed heads to turn your other demons into stone.” Primary songwriter Darwin Siegaldoud and his band break through the pain and hard times by making themselves vulnerable without losing sight of the necessary fun. Although the thirteen songs are labeled as garage rock, that rough character is put in the shadows by sunny influences of soulful Americana, cool rhythm and blues, psychedelic surf and vintage doo-wop. The pleasant vocals and perfectly orchestrated instrumentation make this an engaging listen. Standout tracks include opening track Mike and Laura (back from the 2018 Poltergeist LP), epic love ballad Nothing Compares to You (not a cover) and floor filler Don’t Waste My Time (sung by Victoria Sepe).



Medusa, produced by Darwin Siegaldoud, is out now digitally (self-released). Featuring Darwin Siegaldoud (guitar, vocals), Victoria Sepe (organ, vocals), Nathan Moody (guitar, vocals), Cairo McCockran (drums, vocals), Shane Lawton (bass), Kristin McReddie (vocals), Jamie Duncan (guitar ) and Michael Booker (saxophone).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Goa Express || The Goa Express

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

Wednesday January 13, 2021, at 10:25 PM. That was the moment I discovered The Goa Express. The young five-piece from Northern England played at the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) showcase festival – an online edition due to a certain lockdown – and although their performance lasted less than thirteen minutes, it was the indisputable highlight for me. A few singles have been released since then, but it has been a long wait for the self-titled full-length album, which has now finally arrived (they say themselves that it not only captures their long lasting friendship together, but also a universal and shared feeling of growing up – hence the cover art). The band, featuring James Douglas Clarke alongside his brother Joe and best friends Joey Stein, Naham Muzaffar and Sam Launder, has only become closer and better through many, many hours of playing together over the last ten years. They deliver a dynamic mix of indie and garage rock – influences from Oasis meet those of The Strokes – that is gripping and inspired. The ten songs here (none from the ESNS show) are guitar-driven, with unstoppable melodies and charismatic vocals with a ragged edge. More than a few earworms, the best thing I never had.

The album isn’t on Bandcamp or Soundcloud in full yet, and I don’t like Spotify embeds, so I’ll leave you here with two of their videos – you can listen to the whole thing on all streaming services.

The Goa Express’ self-titled album is out now on vinyl LP (self-released).

Add to wantlist: The Goa Express

New singles: Amusement || Walk Out To Sink b​/​w You Will Never Hear This & Dead On The Inside

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

When a new band debuts with not one but two killer singles, I am going to make this short. Here’s Amusement, a new act by members of From Ashes Rise, Arctic Flowers and Deathreat that sounds like a major departure from those projects. The sole common denominator is its loudness, but Amusement opt for crunchy fuzzy guitars and pop melodies delivered with passion. Pretty sure the people involved looked at the Dinosaur jr., Hüsker Dü, Superchunk and Bob Mould portion of their collections and thought: wouldn’t it be fun to play something like this?

The first two singles by Amusement are statement releases. This band knows how to rock, and how to enter the scene with a bang.

The Walk Out To Sink b​/​w You Will Never Hear This 7″ is out now on Extinction Burst. Dead On The Inside 7″ is out now on Council Records.



Add to wantlist (Walk Out To Sink b​/​w You Will Never Hear This): Bandcamp
Add to wantlist (Dead On The Inside): Bandcamp

New single: Tiikeri & V​ä​nsuut || Split

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Described as “… a 4-track love letter to 1970’s Finnish punk, which is sure to please anyone who likes their punk rock catchy and melodic,” Tiikeri (Finland) and V​ä​nsuut (Japan) show they are up to the task.

In the case of Tiikeri, I’m not surprised. I was (am!) a huge fan of the LP they put out this year. V​ä​nsuut are new to me, but how can you not be intrigued by the idea of a Japanese band emulating punk from Finland? They have a sound that is more raw relative to Tiikeri, but their part of the single is equally exciting. What an amazing throwback single to the poppy chaos of late ’70s punk!

45rpm 7″ single out now via Open Up And Bleed Recordings (Finland) and Vox Populi (Japan).



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New post: Beans on Toast || The Toothpaste And The Tube

By / / Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

Where we ordinary people say ‘it is what it is’, a creative and prolific singer-songwriter like Beans on Toast aka Jay McAllister translates that as ‘you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube’. It’s a saying that fits well with the thirteen pure ‘acoustic punk’ songs on the newest LP by the London-based cult folk artist. We get a quite diverse album that doesn’t shy away from heavy and personal subjects, but above all evokes a warm and comforting feeling, not least thanks to the charmingly gritty vocals and surprising elements (from children’s voices to bagpipes). Whether it’s an uplifting sing-along about the AI revolution (AI) or a sensitive ballad for those we’ve lost along the way (Send Me A Bird – below is the video with a sparse and touching live version), this is a very entertaining listen.





The Toothpaste and the Tube, recorded with blues duo Ferris & Sylvester, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP (self-released on Beans On Toast Music). For fans of Billy Bragg, Frank Turner, Gambles.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Beans on Toast || Discogs

New album: The Sino Hearts || Phantom Rhapsody

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

I’m all ears whenever The Sino Hearts release new music. Zunisono Zhong, who is the mastermind behind The Sino Hearts, is adept in creating the best cocktails out of elements of powerpop, garage rock, punk and mod music.

Following the success of last year’s Lightening The Darkness, where the band admirably fulfilled the promise hinted at on their two earlier, slightly uneven yet undeniably awesome albums, Phantom Rhapsody enters the spotlight with the bar set high. It prompts the question of whether Zhong will maintain his trajectory towards becoming one of the eminent songwriters in the punky powerpop’n’roll sphere. Based on my first impressions, the answer is a resounding YES!

The Sino Hearts blast through a jukebox of hits on Phantom Rhapsody. While the influence of iconic bands like Exploding Hearts and modern power pop luminaries such as The Speedways is discernible, The Sino Hearts have managed to transcend these influences. They’ve evolved into true originals, while remaining the true believers of the power of rock’n’roll they’ve always been.

You’ve got to hand it to the people involved, especially considering the challenges faced during the pandemic era in China. Recording amidst disruptions caused by relentless COVID testing, sudden border closures, and mandatory home quarantines undoubtedly posed multifaceted challenges. Yet, the fact that they’ve managed to produce such a remarkable record stands as a testament to The Sino Hearts’ unwavering determination and resilience.

Phantom Rhapsody is out now on Soundflat and Topsy Turvy Records.

Add to wantlist: Soundflat 

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