New album: The Needs || Special Needs

True story: In a special plot to make it near impossible for music bloggers to find any information on their already impossible to google band name, The Needs decided to title their new record Special Needs. Thanx guys.

Fortunately, their bandcamp page has some intel*. The Needs were started by two influential musicians from Norway: country star Bendik Brænne, and Maciek Ofstad of melodic metal outfit Kvelertak. The needs sound neither country nor metal. Rather, the band plays modern powerpop not unlike Fountains of Wayne in their most upbeat and uptempo version. The music of The Needs sounds polished, but they do not overdo it. Rather, the band strikes just the right balance between radio friendly powerpop, and faster and louder songs where the band will please fans of old school pop punk.

The latter category made me fall for Special Needs, with songs like Funny How, If I Could Only and Still Spinning as primary examples. But admittedly, the more radio friendly stuff is excellent as well. The Needs may not know how to name their band and records, but they’ve got hooks and strong melodies in abundance.



* Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find the new record on Bandcamp or Soundcloud.
Add to wantlist: Discogs

New album: Mark Murphy And The Meds || On The Brink

Earlier this year, we featured Mark Murphy’s (The No Marks, Crocodile God and Hey Maxine) newest outlet for his crazy productivity. It didn’t took Murphy long to record and release his first full-length as Mark Murphy And The Meds. The ten songs on On The Brink should appeal to fans of ’90s pop punk and punkrock – they kinda sound like a mix of Chixdiggit!, Consumed and Impo & The Tents. Check out my two current favorite tracks below.

The album, with pretty cool artwork by Tom Lowell, is released by a multitude of labels including All In Vinyl, Bloated Kat and Brassneck Records, Horn & Hoof Records, and Kezy P Recs. When so many label join forces to release a record, you know it’s a good one. Availability shouldn’t be an issue at all for adding this to your collection.

Want to know more about the record?  Check out HH Podcast’s talk with Mark Murphy.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || All In Vinyl

New album: Aborted Tortoise || A Album

Of all band names that evoke a nasty image, Aborted Tortoise ranks pretty high. Fortunately, when you google image Aborted Tortoise you primarily get images of the band, who for some reason are shoeless in most images. Perhaps that’s an Aussie thing or perhaps we need to buy more of their music so they can afford some footgear.

The band’s most recent case for giving them your money is the generically titled A Album. It’s the band’s second full length, with some EPs released between the two LPs. I have to say, Aborted Tortoise (Perth) make a convincing case with the record. Their songs are speedy and angular garagepunk bursts that are raucous and loud. There are some outsider tracks on A album which bring some welcome variation: DLC is Aborted Tortoise’s take on a surf instrumental, whereas F.O.I.L. almost sounds like ’80s American hardcore. Back Patters is my favorite song though.

Aborted Tortoise sounds kind of weird, but in a good way. Here’s our money guys, go buy some shoes!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Radio Days || Psychotic Radio

Last month, Italian power pop heroes Radio Days released their 7″ single Walk Alone, with a track taken from their 2021 album Rave On! on side A, and the new song Stuck Inside My Mind (Lose Control) and a cover of David Bowie’s Suffragette City on side B. Only a few weeks later here’s Psychotic Radio, with a sympathetic power pop cover of their friends of Psychotic Youth’s Mercy on the A side, and on the B side 1998, a perfect classic pop song with a summery feel, about lasting memories. Now the radio stations have to discover it too…

Psychotic Radio is out now digitally through Ammonia Records, and releases November 26 on 7″ vinyl through Snap!! Records Spain.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

PS To round out the story: Psychotic Youth released a single with the same title on the same day, covering Radio Days’ Tomorrow and also performing a new original song.

New album: The Feeders || Kerchoo

Here is a new release that brings me an equal amount of excitement and melancholy. Kerchoo is the debut full-length of The Feeders, featuring Chicago scene veterans Sam Vicari, Eli Caterer (Smoking Popes) and John Perrin (NRBQ). The sense of melancholy hit me immediately. It’s hard not to think of the late Kim Shattuck while listening to Kerchoo. But that sense of melancholy quickly makes room for excitement, because Kerchoo is so much more than a throwback to the Muffs. The altpop of the Feeders is catchy and punchy, a bit like Superchunk channeling Teenage Fanclub, or Superchunk playing good Weezer songs.

Shoutout to music writers who’ve already submitted their AOTY lists. You are missing out on this one. Quite the year for Eccentric Pop, who brought us the new Dan Vapid And The Cheats this week, and earlier this year that awesome Evening Shadows record.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Eccentric Pop

New album: The Last Mile || Respect The Frequency

The Last Mile are a must listen if you like your pop punk and punkrock grounded in ’90s, but also appreciate how the orgcore scene put their own spin to that sound in the ’00s. On Respect The Frequency, The Last Mile operate somewhere in the middle of those two scenes. Admittedly, the record didn’t fully click with me on the first spin, but there was one song that made me return. That song? SCCS, a killer punkrock anthem with cool use of a saxaphone. From there on, this record quickly won me over. The Last Mile provide strong and powerful choruses, awesome vocals and above average songwriting. They make me wish I was cool and brave enough to skateboard.

The Last Mile consists of veterans of the Canadian punk scene: Chris Snelgrove (Prevenge, Whiskey Trench, Offside), Stephanie Cole (Answers), and Josh Carothers (Chilton, Ifarm, Funbox). Their combined experience helps to explain why Respect The Frequency is such an accomplished record and why the band sounds much, much bigger than a three-piece – though admittedly, some of the songs feature guest musicians.

Respect The Frequency is out now on Rad Girlfriend.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Rad Girlfriend Records

New album: Dan Vapid And The Cheats || Escape Velocity

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Dan Vapid probably needs no introduction, having played in pop punk hall of famers Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, The Mopes, and The Queers. His latest release is his fourth with The Cheats. It’s called Escape Velocity and is a mighty fine collection of mid-paced catchy pop punk tunes. Dan Vapid and The Cheats sound silky smooth on the record, effortlessly churning out hooks and ear worm melodies. A song like Burning Questions is an immediate addition to the pop punk canon.

Espace Velocity had a tough delivery, with the band deciding to stop recording due to the pandemic, only to resume 18 months later safely vaccinated. The band then had to face another setback: vinyl plants that can’t keep up with demand. That’s why for now you can only stream the record online, or buy it on cd. The vinyl release will arrive sometime between spring and summer in 2022.

You’ve got to feel for the band, but Escape Velocity is the kind of rewarding record you willingly add to your wantlist, patiently waiting for its arrival in your collection.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Eccentric Pop

New album: Crabber || Who Let The Ducks Out?

Jigsaw Records is absolutely spot on by describing their latest release as a dead ringer for Washington DC’s Dot Dash with a touch of Comet Gain. Like Dot Dash, the music of Crabber (Hamburg, Germany) is influenced by a lot of the good elements of ’80s music. Call it janglepunk or reverb- and guitar heavy powerpop, Crabber sounds punchy and melodic. Timeless tunes destined to be overlooked of course, because this kind of music is unlikely to be regarded as hip or fashionable. Let’s hear it for bands that don’t care and write music like this regardless of current trends.
Oh, and don’t be fooled by the title, Crabber are no jokesters. This seriously is good music.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Gee Tee Vee || Halloween 21

“Wartmann Inc. Giving you everything you don’t want.” Wink wink.

Tee-Vee Repairmann is a project by Sydney based Ishka Edmeades (Research Reactor Corporation, Set-Top Box, Satanic Togas, G.T.R.R.C, Gee Tee). Earlier this year, Tee-Vee Repairmann released one of my favorite singles of the year. Last month, Edmeades joined forces with Kel Mason to record a couple of deranged catchy lo-fi punk rock’n’roll songs under the moniker Gee Tee Vee.

Opener Buddy Holly, Lives In My Basement alone is worth the purchase of this EP. But the other tracks are up to that standard as well. As a bonus, the EP includes a cover of The Boys classic tune First Time. Oh. Oh-Oh-Oh!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: James Sullivan || Light Years

The Stardumb Records logo essentially operates as a green light for blind purchases. If Stefan Stardumb decides to put out a record, you know it’s gonna be good. But whereas Stardumb once was home primarily to pop punk and ramonescore bands, in recent years we’ve seen the label broaden its horizons somewhat, for example with Local Drags, Lone Wolf and the most recent Geoff Palmer record. Stardumb’s latest addition probably is furthest yet from the typical Stardumb sound. James Sullivan’s debut LP Light Years is closer to Velvet Underground, Guided By Voices, and Paul Westerberg than to Groovie Ghoulies or the Apers.

James Sullivan is the frontman and guitar player of two excellent powerpop outfits (More Kicks and Suspect Parts). To get himself going in the pandemic, he decided to set himself the goals of writing a song a day for ten days. He then recorded the songs at home in North Londona on his half-broken Tascam 8-track. Rather than choosing a specific direction for the songs, he took the opportunity to try out different styles. The result is a diverse record that’s decidedly different than Sullivan’s past work, while still showcasing his great songwriting skills.

Album opener Lea Bridge is one of the albums highlights. I love how Sullivan talksings with a heavy accent over a steady beat and a cool guitar riff. The gorgeous punkrock ballad You Kept My Heart Alive is another standout and may be my favorite track on the record. But rather than talking about individual tracks, Light Years works really well as an album. I really like the flow of the record. A significant proportion of the record is mellow, but I’m never skipping any of the songs. Sullivan draws you in from the opening seconds and will leave you content after each play of Light Years.

Light Years has a Stardumb Records logo on it. It’s out now. What are you waiting for? Buy it!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Stardumb Records || Discogs

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