Las Penas are a trilingual (Spanish, French & English) 5-piece from the San Sebastian region in Spain. The band’s psychgarage sound is informed by a love of ’60s and ’70s music. The eleven cuts (10 originals and one cover of No Exit by the Grassroots) on Sin Dolor are short, sweet, and make it near impossible to sit still. What makes Las Penas particularly stand out is their knack for writing strong melodies and memorable choruses.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
About 60 years after the birth of surf rock, this style of music is still practiced by countless bands, in most cases not reaching the level of the pioneers. New York City drummer Bobby Lee Moller is a positive exception, with a surprising twist: the signature reverb-heavy guitar sound supports the drum rolls rather than the other way around. On the limited edition 10” vinyl Drummatic Bobby Lee pays homage to the early drummers of surf instrumentals. Together with Brian Edward Hack (guitar), Jeff Feinberg (bass), Danny Mitchinson (guitar), and Joe O’Brien (keyboards) he plays 4 fine covers. Let’s Dance (written by Jim Lee, here with vocals by Bobby Lee) is probably the best known, but the three instrumental tracks that precede this one are actually more fun. These experienced musicians are still enthusiastic and you can hear it.
Out now on Tamburisto Records. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
Remember that Strum and Thrum compilation by Captured Tracks full of American underground guitar pop? If you liked that one, here is a new band to dive into. Roselawns is a duo (Sam Setzer and Antonio Gualco) from California who play the kind of jangly powerpop that is all about the music and less about the rock-‘n’-roll attitude. On Songs For Christina Argentina, Roselawns almost effortlessly churn out understated pop gems. I know they wrote this album for Miss Argentina, but they make it so easy to fall for this record with instant classics like Mexico Breath, Pretty Bad, and This Way. And those are just the first three songs on the record. It’s not just American underground pop, I hear a lot of British ’80s and ’90s influences, like the standout nods to Teenage Fanclub in You Miss Me and The Same, and the very britpopesque Next Week In Capitola. Roselawns also reminds me of the Waltones, a late ’80s Manchester band I really like. Clearly, Setzer and Gualco have great taste in music. Oh, and they expertly managed to channel those influences on their debut LP. More of where this came from, please!
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
Damn those Italians. There is no denying the amount of great music they are unleashing on our planet this year. We already wrote about Komet, Smile, Radio Days, Minus Hero, and Horseloverfat. And here is another band we just have to share: Hearts Apart, a band consisting of veterans of the Italian punk scene, with members of Miss Chain & The Broken Heels, Universal Sex Arena, and Il Buio. The band’s debut EP is a 5-song hand grenade filled with earworms reminiscent of Radioactivity and toyGuitar. I love how the band cites Jeff Burke (Marked Men, Radioactivity) as an “absolute role model,” and how they describe their music as “channeling all the teenage distress of being close to forty through punk rock and rock and roll.” I agree and I can relate. Hits!
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
If you have some time to spare for a record that upon multiple listens will ultimately grow on you and get under your skin, would you be interested in such delayed rewards? I am talking about Malcantone from Leopardo, which is a delightfully weird yet strangely accessible record. It’s the kind of record I did not expect to write about, but somehow I keep returning to. It’s also the kind of record I lack the vocabulary for to explain in full. Leopardo are from Schwitzerland, but they may just as well reside in the Chelsea Hotel (NYC) in the seventies. Comparing Leopardo to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground is kinda lazy, but it also kinda makes sense. Malcantone is an eclectic mix of styles, including folk (Malcantone, Bitter Man), psych (Country Side Love, Hardship), punk (Tell Me, I Belong To You), garage (Put Me In Jail), and rock-‘n’- roll (Throwback in The Snow). I was quick to dismiss this record and I was wrong.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Feel It Records || SDZ Records || Le Pop Club
French blues rock singer Veronique Gayot calls herself the wild cat. Her debut album was titled Wildcat (2019), the successor is called Animal. However, her raw vocals have more in common with a tiger than with a cat (and while we use the obvious metaphors: the drums stomp like rhythmic elephants, the guitars screech like well-tuned peacocks). About 30 years ago, similarly gritty voices as Alannah Myles and Melissa Etheridge scored hits with this kind of hard rocking blues songs, in 2021 Veronique Gayot deserves that success too. Watch the video for standout opening track Wicked Shot below, listen to the rest of the album via your favorite streaming service.
Out now on CD and vinyl LP via Grand Cru Records. Add to wantlist: Veronique Gayot
Last year Elisa De Munari published Countin’ The Blues. Donne Indomite, a book about the blues queens of the 1920s. The author also makes music under the moniker Elli de Mon – see our Gimme 5! feature from 2 weeks ago, in which she shares her influences – so it was a logical choice to also record a soundtrack to the book. Elli de Mon lives the songs of Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, Lucille Bogan, Victoria Spivey, Freight Train, Elizabeth Cotten, Lottie Kimbrough, Memphis Minnie, and Bertha Chippie Hill, breathing new life into these names and their music. The Italian one woman band translated the originals into intense versions, adding a folk or garage feel to the old blues basis, but the album sounds more varied, modern and enchanting than you would expect from this description. This soundtrack was not only a good idea, it’s also very well done.
Out now digitally, on CD and on vinyl LP through Area Pirata Rec. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
Meadow Rock is not a forgotten Americana treasure from the 70’s, but the brand new debut album from Californian singer / songwriter Joe Bourdet. “Sometimes I read a picture like a book, then I close my eyes and take a second look // The images take on a strange new life, colors flying in the moonlit night,” he sings in Morning Light. Something similar happens when you listen to the music on this record, you hear something different every time: a surprising poetic phrase, female backing vocals or one of the vintage instruments (Hammond organ, double bass, pedal steel, mandolin, Moog Rogue, Fender Rhodes or Wurlitzer piano, etc.) that complement the drums, bass and various guitars (in the video for El Capitan you can see the musicians in the studio). This is beautiful, quiet folk rock, with an authentic sound and optimistic lyrics. Experiencing the nine songs on this album is like a journey through a virgin alpine meadow: “Wide awake lost in a dream.”
Out now digitally, on CD and 12″ vinyl LP. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
Neckscars is what happens when four veterans of the NYC indie scene (including former members of Gameday Regulars and The Connection) start a new band without a specific formula or musical direction in mind. Apparently, the band’s North Star pointed towards a punk sound that is melodic, anthemic, multilayered and with a strong rock vibe. Add some gruff vocals and cool harmonies and Hot Water Music, Leatherface and Off With Their Heads become likely benchmarks for Neckscars. Don’t Panic is a strong first outing with few to none weak spots and several highlights in songs like Born Sick, Jarring, and Not Enough JPM’s.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
Based on the title Dad Rock and accompanying cover photo you could conclude that the third independently released album by Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions is a gimmick, but this is actually one to take seriously. Frontman Jack Droppers has become a father (on the back of the record sleeve he has his first child Naomi in his arms; the tenth song on the record bears her name and the eleventh, closing song was written for her: Welcome to the Party). Anyway, along with The Best Intentions (Laura Hobson, Devin Sullivan, James Kessel, Garrett Stier, and Josh Holicki) he’s recorded a collection of strong songs with compelling lyrics that will appeal to fans of Butch Walker, Jesse Malin, and Bruce Springsteen. This is infectious true American rock ‘n’ roll that deserves packed stadiums. I enjoy the album so much more than I expected based on the cover art, but I’ll pass on the limited edition Dad Rock patch they offer for sale. Listen below to the opening and closing song of the record.
Out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp
…
New album: Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions || Dad RockRead More »