New EP: Sakkaris || Admire

Sakkaris is a musical project by LA based Alex and Kevin Liu. The twin brothers, who grew up playing music together, go fully DIY as Sakkaris, performing, recording, producing and engineering the songs at home. The results will please fans of lo-fi garagepop, and skateboarders and surfers looking for a fresh soundtrack to their home videos.

RIYL: a mellow and surfy version of Jacuzzi Boys

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: David Christian & The Pinecone Orchestra || For Those We Met On The Way

UK singer / songwriter / guitarist David Christian (aka David Charlie Feck aka Charlie Damage) has been making pretty good music with eclectic indie rock collective Comet Gain since 1992, but after 29 years it felt like a good time to also do a solo album. He had exchanged London for the South of France, and after a while of picking up pinecones with the sun on the back of his head, in which he tried to make sense of all the opinions about the pandemic, Brexit and stuff, he decided he simply had to express his inner soul. With the kind help of numerous friends* on numerous instruments, he created For Those We Met On The Way, a timeless folk-rock album – honest, tender and authentic as it should be. The album title and songs are inspired by the relocation and all the emotions that came with it, which brought faded moments, people and places back to mind. There are beautiful acoustic guitar ballads like Holloway Sweethearts, but also haunted rock tracks with a post-punk feel, like The Ballad For The Button-downs, all well crafted. This first solo LP is an instant classic in the genre.

*The group of friends, meanwhile called The Pinecone Orchestra, consists of James Horsey and Alasdair MacLean (The Clientele), Ben Phillipson (18th Day Of May/Trimdon Grange Explosion/Comet Gain), Gerry Love (Teenage Fan Club/Lightships), Anne- Laure Guillain (Comet Gain/Cinema Red And Blue), Joe-Harvey Whyte (Hanging Stars), Mike and Allison Targett (Heist), and Cosmic Neman (Zombie/Zombie, Herman Dune).

For Those We Met On The Way is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Tapete Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Tapete 

New album: Toby Vest || False Regime

You may know Memphis songwriter/producer/engineer Toby Vest of psychedelic garage rock band Tiger High, who recorded some fine records in the first half of the 2010’s. But since then he has also released four albums under the Shadow Brother moniker and other collaborative projects such as Detective and The Bulletproof Vests, as well as producing music by numerous other artists/bands. It had to happen, today he released False Regime, the first LP under his own name. It’s a debut that sounds completely different from the Tiger High stuff: no lo-fi guitar violence, but eleven perfect pop songs, rich, soulful and orchestral. I asked Toby about that:

“This album was very influenced by the mid 60’s California Wrecking Crew era of production. Albums like Pet Sounds and Forever Changes are constantly referenced when people talk about this period, so it’s not like I’m re- inventing the wheel or anything, haha! The work of the Wrecking Crew on songs/albums by the Association, the Monkees, the Grass Roots, etc., and the production work of Curt Boettcher on albums by the Millennium, Sagittarius, and the Left Banke were major influences along with Scott Walker’s Scott 4. Outside of the production influences I think the way those producers and the Wrecking Crew approached song arrangements was another thing I wanted to bring to my songwriting on this album. In order to do that I had to call on my own wrecking crew* of musicians here in Memphis and they are really responsible for bringing the arrangements to life.”

Here speaks a real musician. Even if he taps from another barrel, the brew is very tasty. You could call the new work of the skilled multi-instrumentalist baroque pop; it breathes the late 60’s, with a psych edge. Anyway, this is very pleasant music, melodic, colorful, melancholic and mind-blowing. Stream the full album below.

“All your stars stay broken // Prisoners of your unrequited dreams // All your faith is stolen // Seen it a 1000 times // Lived a 1000 lives // What’s one more false regime” (from: Pennies In The Well)

*Toby Vest wrote, produced, and sang all the songs, and played acoustic guitar, piano, mellotron, vibraphone, and percussion. Horn arrangements were done by Marc Franklin and Art Edmaiston (Gregg Allman, Dolemite score), string arrangements by Krista Wroten and Jana Misener (Memphis Dawls), who also added background vocals to a couple songs. Most of the piano and organ parts were played by Rick Steff (Lucero). Electric Guitars by Jeff Schmidtke, Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady) and John Whittemore (Neighborhood Texture Jam, Reigning Sound), bass by brother Jake Vest. Drums and Percussion by Shawn Zorn (Amy Lavere, Twin Forks) and Rory Sullivan. Background vocals by Luke White (Snowglobe, Spiral Stairs) and Chris Milam.

False Regime is out now through American Grapefruit. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Covert Flops || Mission: Implausible

How’s your immune system these days? Here are three undercover cops who take a seriously unserious attempt to break down your defenses with their infectious brand of old school pop punk. I am talking about Agents A, B, and C who in their downtime play in Indianapolis spy-fi pop punk outfit Covert Flops.

With songs about spies, conspiracies, lizard people, and matters of confidentiality, the song on Covert Flops’ sophomore album (Mission: Implausible) are clearly inspired by their day job. But there are songs about girls (girl spies!) and breakups as well.

Professionally and ethically, I have my doubts about the skills and trustworthiness of Agents A, B, and C. But musically, they are alright by me, clearly having surveilled The Lillingtons and Teenage Bottlerockets throughout the years. Fun stuff this is! Out now on Mom’s Basement.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Mom’s Basement

New album: Johnny Jetson || Overheated

Tattooed Millionaires frontman Johnny Jetson started rockin’ out in the gritty lower east-side (NYC) in the 1980s. He moved to L.A. in the 1990s, where he formed The Space Age Playboys with Warrior Soul frontman Kory Clark. That band received some serious tailwind in the early days of file sharing and for a while topped the charts at MP3dotcom. His next band The Tattooed Millionairres became the first unsigned band to reach one million streams online. The succes made Johnny a wanted commodity and he wrote, played, recorded and party’d with the likes of Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Chris Holmes (WASP), and Snoop Dogg. His band toured with Metallica, Motorhead, Monster Magnet, Backyard Babies and Hardcore Superstar.

This week Johnny Jetson releases his latest solo collection Overheated. Featuring ten throwback anthems of glamrock’n’roll, Overheated is the logical successor of the record he released last year (Make Your Move). The songs of Johnny Jetson are no nonsense pretentionless bangers, all about having a good time. Surely, Jetson succeeded with Overheated.

Jetson closes out the album with Rodney On The Rock, a Ramonesesque tribute to legendary DJ Rodney Bingenheimer. “Stay tuned for more rock-‘n’- roll radio!”



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Nick Frater || Earworms

Can you judge a record by its cover? It’s one of my go-to strategies while browsing the internet for new releases. Sure, it’s no waterproof system, but there is just so much music out there and often the artwork (and bandname) is a good indication of the style and quality of music.

In the case of the new Nick Frater record, the not so modestly and yet appropriately titled Earworms, I was already positively biased towards the record because I liked the artwork so much. An additional factor in my positivity bias was that Big Stir Records, who have a knack of finding gems in the hit or miss world of powerpop and guitar pop, would release the record. That album art (by Adam Mallett) is a subtle play on the Beatles’ Revolver and the album title Earworms. The cover features a collage of images from Frater’s life and music.

Sonically, Frater’s music also feels like a collage of styles and influences. Album opener It’s All Rumours is probably my favorite track. It’s classic ’70s radio friendly powerpop. As a whole, the album may be a bit too polished and easy going for me personally, but I appreciate what Frater is going for: “I wanted to make an album that sounds and feels like a lost treasure from the mid ’70s melodic rock scene,” says Frater. “I’ll leave it to your ears to decide, but I think we got pretty close!”

In response, I’d say Frater nailed it with songs like It’s All Rumours and What’s With Your Heavy Heart. If you have a taste for ’60s and ’70s guitar pop, give this one a spin.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Sanitizers || Kiss me, I’m vaccinated + 3

Do yourself a favor and don’t skip this one because the title above doesn’t appeal to you. The pandemic is still not done with us, but we are done with the pandemic, so we try to avoid news, books and music on that subject. But, as always, there are exceptions, as this socially isolated supergroup* – members of MFC Chicken, King Salami & The Cumberland Three, The Nettelles, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Lyres, among others – have put good advice to good music. Under the moniker of The Sanitizers the musicians previously released the disinfected tunes Kiss Me, I’m Vaccinated, Sneeze In Your Sleeve, and Sa-Ni-Ti-Zin, and together with a fourth, new track EE-NO-CU-LA-SHON!, these are now available as EP. Classic garage and surf rock riffs are combined with semi-serious lyrics that will make you laugh, and thanks to a saxophone and toy piano it sounds like catchy pub rock. It may be a gimmick, but it’s also a sensible use of the lock-down time: I wouldn’t be surprised if these songs are a more effective way of communicating than the government’s rational public service announcements, but what I know for sure is that this is a lot more fun. 

*The Sanitizers are Spencer Evoy (vocals, saxophone), Dan Criscuolo (guitar), Eric “Baconstrip” Boitier (toy drums, percussions), Angus McPake (vibraphone, organ, piano), Phil Lenker (bass), and Peter Greenberg (guitar, extra sneezes). Their EP Kiss me, I’m vaccinated + 3 is out now digitally and on vinyl 7″ through Folc Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Betty Won’t || Lucky

It took me a while to decode what’s in the cover photo, but my attention was captured. The band name of this five-piece hailing from South Minneapolis also raises questions: who is Betty and what does she refuse to do? That’s guesswork, but what we do know: the band consists of Margo (guitar, vocals), Eliot (lead guitar), Sheela (keys), Fletcher (bass), and Jackson (drums), and they play tender twangy rock ‘n’ roll with influences from country, blues and soul. If Tami Neilson had played in a garage rock band back in the day, I guess it would have sounded something like this. Their own description is more telling though: Betty Won’t sings with a tear in her eye and a skip in her step. Their debut album Lucky, just released, consists of five new original songs and four re-recorded tracks that were previously on a demo with the Guarantees. Lo-fi, honest, raw and authentic, captivating in every way. One question remains: would the stuffed animal on the cover be the Demon Dog they’re singing about?

Lucky is out now digitally and soon also available on cassette. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New video: Mikey And His Uke || Something To Believe In (Ramones)

Let’s face it, it hasn’t been the easiest of times. A lot of us have been struggling with lockdowns, being quarantined, not being able to go to shows. And across the planet we see Covid-19 readying itself for a comeback tour.

That’s why I wanted to share this timely cover by Mikey Hawdon’s cover project that’s been a bright beacon of light during the pandemic. Last week, he released a cover of Something To Believe In from The Ramones’ Animal Boy. He’s joint by an all star cast including Nikola Sarcevic (Millencolin), CJ Ramone, Chris Cresswell (The Flatliners), Randy Bradbury (Pennywise), Karina Denike (Dance Hall Crashers), Dave Raun (Lagwagon/Me First And The Gimmie Gimmies), Rose & Matilda Farrell (Yee Loi), Mickey Leigh (Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music/STOP/The Rattlers/Birdland With Lester Bangs), Scott James (Movin In Stereo) and Amy Gabba (Amy Gabba And The Almost Famous).

While the Ramones originally released the song 25 years ago, it feels like it was written for these times. Equal part desperation and hope, this one hits home. Thanx again Mikey, for starting and continuing this project.

New EP: The Landovers || Labor Dazed

Let’s take a break, and look at everything that’s going on from a distance for a moment, while listening to Labor Dazed, the debut EP by the Landovers from Urbana, Illinois. “Ya can’t complain, let me tell ya why // Cause there’s folks out there, got it worse than I // So when I ask how ya been // Let’s just start by saying, I can’t complain.” Wise words, set to beautiful music, by a bunch of accomplished musicians who used the time during the pandemic to record four soulful country songs. There is simply nothing to complain about this project from Nicholas Stine (distinctive vocals), Clayton Deering (pedal steel), Charlie Harris (bass guitar), Cody Jensen (honky tonk piano/organ), Emily McKown (backing vocals), and Dave Pride (drums).


Labor Dazed is out now digitally. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top