New EP: Fresh || The Summer I Got Good At Guitar

The title of this 5 track EP evokes a world of stories and is worth mentioning for that reason alone. The music lives up to this promise: the UK punk / emo four-piece Fresh tells those stories in convincing, empowering songs. A band to take seriously, with catchy songs to embrace. The Summer I Got Good At Guitar is out now digitally, on cassette, and colored 12″ vinyl through Specialist Subject Records. All 5 tracks are worth listening to, but My Redemption Arc stands out for me.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Dead Broke (US) || Specialist Subject (UK)

Shorter, Faster, Louder (April Hardcore Wrap-Up) || Dry Socket, Esperanza, Incisions, Infiltro, Locked In, Pössed, Spleen, Thought Control

Though the majority of my posts are punk and garage leaning, I also listen to music that push the boundaries and expectations of this blog. I am talking about music that is a bit more extreme in terms of length, speed, and loudness. It’s the kind of music that may scare or disturb some, or met with plain disinterest by others, but I believe are still worth checking out. Each month I wrap-up those releases in one post: Shorter, Faster, Louder. [continues below]

New EP: Baby Strange || Land Of Nothing

The sound of the Scottish indie rock three-piece Baby Strange has little to do with the T-Rex song they share their name with. This is not glam, but raw post-punk that will appeal to fans of The Fall, Fontaines D.C., Cabbage, The Ruts – driving guitars and the characteristic talking vocals, but more melodic than usual in the genre. “Now that’s what I call music”, singer / guitarist Johnny Madden shouts in More! More! More!, a delightful indictment of house parties with tunes that give rock heads a headache (it is not without reason that they launched Club Sabbath, their own club night at The Priory in Glasgow and The Old Blue Last in London, to which a song is also dedicated on this mini-album.). The opening track of the Land of Nothing EP is great, but the other four songs are also worth your attention. Out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP via Icons Creating Evil Art (ICEA).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Rough Trade

New single: The Courettes || Hop the Twig

Here at Add To Wantlist HQ we’ve been a fan of 60’s inspired garage rock & roll duo The Courettes for a while. Not only because Flavia & Martin Couri look cool and are stylish (their clothes! their cover art!), but above all because they make music the way we love it. It seems like they are only getting better. Their new single Hop The Twig is perhaps their biggest hit to date, a great blend of danceable girl group garage and echoing surf rock with lyrics to sing along (if you’re wondering why they look a little gloomy on the sleeve: “hop the twig” was slang for dying in the 19th century – a link to these pandemic times?). The single, featuring the nice Spector-esque Only Happy When You’re Gone as the B-side, is out now digitally and on 7″ vinyl through Damaged Goods Records. The Courettes’ upcoming third album Back in Mono will be released Fall 2021. We can hardly wait.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Damaged Goods || Discogs

New album: The Nuclears || Seasides

Leave it to Boston label Rum Bar Records to bring quality rock-‘n’-roll to the masses. I planned on writing about the new Brad Marino record today (Rum Bar does the CD release), but that one is not available in full yet. Luckily, The Nuclears are here to fill that void. The Nuclears are from Brooklyn, and play classic rock-‘n’-roll with a powerpop vibe and both male and female vocals. They sound like a well-oiled machine on Seaside, which should come as no surprise given it’s the band’s fourth full length. It’s hard to find fault with songs like Steer You Wrong and Make The First Move. My favorite track so far is I Just Wanna Have Nothin’ To Do, an anthem about dealing with our daily hassles most us will be able to relate to every now and then.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The Embrooks || It’s Time You Realised

The Embrooks are garagepop & freakbeat legends from the UK. With the exception of several hiatus, they’ve been releasing timeless music since the late nineties. Their most recent one is a two song single for Spinout Nuggets & State Records. The A-side is the mono version of Human Living Vampire, a song from their 2018 LP We Who Are – I think this song works even better in the mono version. The B-side is It’s Time You Realised, a perfectly executed cover of the ’66 punk classic by the Morlochs.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Weekend Fan! & The Sensitive Lips || Weekend Fan! vs The Sensitive Lips

Fans of authenthic late ’70s, early ’80s powerpop rejoice! Secret Mission Records is frisbeeing a killer split single unto the world from two new Japanese powerpop acts. The A-side is I’m A Failure from Weekend Fan! It’s the band’s first physical release, which is crazy given the confident swagger the band displays. On the flip-side is a hit song by The Sensitive Lips called Nervous. It has that punk edge powerpop bands like Protex perfected. One of those singles that I’m afraid will be hard to obtain. Of the 500 pressed 7″s, only 130 will go to Europe and the US. BTW, make sure to check out the recent releases by the label, including singles by Combat and Ruler & The See-Saw.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: ROOVS || ROOVS

“Little honey come a little closer // Maybe we can find the time // To move a little bit backwards // Losing our minds” – that’s how ROOVS sing in the previously released single Devil, My Love. These lyrics clearly reflect what to expect from the Canadian five-piece. Joe Berardinucci, Matt Sagar, Isaac Seglins, Ethan Surman, and Ben Robinson play infectious indie / garage rock building on a rich music history. Their self-titled full-length debut album features ten varied guitar-driven songs with tempo changes, worth giving it a listen. RIYL The Mystery Lights, The Districts, The Murlocs, Straight Arrows.

Add to wanlist: Bandcamp

New album: Christian Blunda || A Time & A Place OST

And now for something completely different, here’s a fully instrumental soundtrack by the multitalented Christian Blunda. If you are unfamiliar with Blunda, he is best known for his songwriting chops in the excellent party/rock-‘n’-roll/powerpop/punk bands Mean Jeans, Patsy’s Rats and Touchy. I had no idea he also works as a freelance composer for movies and tv shows. Recently, he recorded a soundtrack for the documentary A Time & A Place, which follows several runners in their journey to the (cancelled) 2020 Olympics. The songs on this soundtrack are nothing like Blunda’s other work, nor the kind of music I normally listen to. And yet, the record draws me in. It’s laid back, has great drums (provided by Will Rockwell Scott) and bass interplay, a lot of electronic parts, and the underlying tenseness and catharsis you expect in a sports documentary. Depending on your mood, I can see the record working as a productivity (or concentration) boost, a soundtrack to your training regime, or perhaps even as a meditation or relaxation tool. I was unaware of this side of Blunda, but it’s a welcome surprise. If you’re curious about his other composing work, check out his very professional highlight reel.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Swamp Lobsters From Planet Tharg || Swamp Lobsters From Planet Tharg

The Swamp Lobsters From Planet Tharg describe themselves as ‘three blokes transcending the mundane and systematic squarehead-ism, to bring you the rhythmic riddles of the cosmic crustacean.’ The bottom line is that Steve Francis (drums), Bobby Peru (bass), and The Leisure Stalker (guitar) play instrumental 1960’s rhythm and blues / garage rock. Each track starts with a recitation of its cryptic absurdist song title, and then it goes off. The self-titled debut album from the Australian three-piece is out now digitally and on vinyl LP (150 copies) through Swashbuckling Hobo Records. Great soundtrack for an exciting movie that doesn’t exist. ‘The Lobsterbotomy awaits…’

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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