New album: The Midnight Kings || Last Chance to Dance

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Good news: the band of the 1,000 dances is back. While this is definitely not music for Monday mornings, I don’t want to wait until next Friday night to share it with you. Italian rhythm ‘n’ blues outfit The Midnight Kings just released their third full-length album, Last Chance to Dance – it made our weekend and it will undoubtedly brighten up your next nineteen minutes (indeed, that’s way too short). Raucous rock ‘n’ roll in which punk and soul merge, that sounds good, right?

Since the MK didThe Monkey (2013), and countless sweaty live shows after that debut single, there’s still no wear and tear on the energetic musicians. On this new record they reinterpret another dance craze from the 60s, Bobby Freeman’s C’mon and Swim, alongside two other covers (Bumble Bee and The Girl Can’t Dance), but the five originals here can easily compete with those hits of yesteryear. Especially opening track Tyrants of the Twist and the title song are irresistible party anthems. Let’s hope many last dances will follow.

Last Chance to Dance is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Wild Honey Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Colt Wave || There’s Still Time

By / / Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / 1 Comment

According to the data analysts, Colt Wave’s You Already Know was one of my most played records of 2022. That makes sense, because it is full of short and understated jangly indie rock songs that are easy on the ears and calming to the nerves. The songs of Colt Wave are perfect background music during your work day. The songs have a flow like quality, where you are unsure where one song ends and the other begins, and the varied parts and lack of structure somehow keeps you focused on work without getting bored.

Today, Colt Wave (a long distance project by Colby Mancasola and Ken Lovgren) return with their second record of 2022. It’s called There’s Still Time, and continues on a similar path. The 21-minute record passes by in a breeze, and make you want to take another spin again an again. Each time, you’ll find something new to like. Each time, you’ll find another song finding its way under your skin.

There’s Still Time is a nuanced and subtle indierock record that makes me appreciate this band even more.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Evil Fuzzheads || Evil Savage Voodoo

By / / Garage Rock / 1 Comment

If you see steam coming out of a garage somewhere in Brussels, chances are that The Evil Fuzzheads are preparing their music there, mixing ingredients like Fuzz, Groove, Hammond, Reverb and Beat into a smooth sound. We’re talking about songwriter Eric St John (vocals, guitars), his daughter Iris St John (bass) and Magic Nico Leonard (drums, percussion, Hammond organ), who released their sophomore full-length album Evil Savage Voodoo last month, two years after their debut album The Fuzz​-​O​-​Phonic Sound Of​. They play psychedelic garage rock as it originated in the 60s, and they do it in quite an appealing way: uptempo, catchy and, indeed, smoking hot.

Evil Savage Voodoo, produced and engineered by Sonic Spaceboy, is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Soundflat Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Soundflat

Music Year-End List || Dennis’ Favorite Albums of 2022

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / 3 Comments

What to say about 2022? It was a year when the world emerged from a pandemic, only to be quickly knocked down again by other crises. Inevitably, it also affected music: an explosive cocktail of hope and fear, of light and dark, of anger and newfound party spirit. Either way, there were plenty of comforting and entertaining tunes to discover (I mainly searched the crates with indie rock, power pop, garage rock, jangle pop, country, and soul).

I checked out 2,400+ new albums – sometimes moving on to the next one after a few minutes, sometimes all songs on repeat – adding 135 of them to my longlist of wantlist-worthy releases. The Top 50 that emerged after long deliberation, is independent of sales figures, number of streams, expert reviews, or snobbish pretensions. It is simply a matter of what I liked and played the most – records that made 2022 more than worthwhile despite everything. Looking at the result, my choices are more folky and mature and less garagy and raucous than I expected beforehand – getting older daddy? – but with a relatively large number of debuting artists and only a handful of veterans.

So here’s my year-end list (you can also find most of it in a playlist on Spotify). Links point to Discogs or Bandcamp (the headings), and to previously posted reviews (in the body text) – add to your wantlist (or better: your collection) what you like!

…

Music Year-End List || Dennis’ Favorite Albums of 2022Read More »

New album: Sorry Eric || The Problem With Fun

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

As the year draws to a close, the avalanche of new music slows down a bit – a good moment to pay attention to wantlist-worthy releases that we somehow overlooked. Like the sophomore LP The Problem With Fun by Cincinnati quartet Sorry Eric, available since last October. The title gives away what you can expect; the band members have learned from experience. Songwriter Eric Dietrich (vocals, guitar, wind synth), Christina Cahalane (drums, vocals), Brian McCabe (bass) and Nick Ruma (guitar) play sharp indie rock with driving guitars and clever but dark lyrics, delivered with conviction and sincerity. The 10 songs here are engaging and at times surprising, but need a few spins to win you over.

The Problem With Fun is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Happy Families.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp (you can listen to 3 tracks there; the full album can be found on the streaming services).

New album: Magon || Enter By The Narrow Gate

By / / Indie Pop / 1 Comment

Here’s album number five from Israeli and long time Parisian singer-songwriter Magon, his second this year. How does he do that? I think we can hear the answer in the poetic lyrics of the ten new songs on Enter By The Narrow Gate. “Listen to what I’m gonna do // You’ll give me one, I’ll give you two” (from One Step At A Time). “The things that you seek // They are now in the past” (Under The Trees). And: “Give me A, I’m alive // Give me B to be me” (from the title track). I guess we can also consider Another Song, Another Day as another day, another song. That’s not a bad thing at all, because you can never have enough of these relaxed vibes. Magon (vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass, percussions), along with Ferdinand de Fournoux (drums and percussions), infuse their indie-pop foundation with influences from alternative rock, surf, psych and country. As I listen with my eyes closed, it’s summer vacation again.

Enter By The Narrow Gate is out now digitally via December Square. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Avions || Avions

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 1 Comment

The first song I’ve heard from Avions (France) was Fields Of Gold. It’s one of those songs that ignites the jolt of excitement that fuels the flame underneath this website. Fields Of Gold sounds a bit like Marked Men’s take on the melodic punkrock sound of bands like Down By Law, All and Big Drill Car. It’s one of the many highlights on Avion’s new self-titled record, which is out now through Howlin’ Banana Records, Teenage Hate and Hell Vice I Vicious.

Avions show they are not an one-trick pony on the diverse set of songs that make up Avions. They channel the above influences, but also the indie rock of Pavement and the powerpop of Fountains of Wayne and Teenage Fanclub. Needles to say, there is a lot of melody in these 11 tracks and the subtle vocals with super sweet harmonies makes my brain tickle time and time again.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Real Tears || Whipped dreams

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Wait, what? A new Real Tears LP? I did not see this one coming, which only adds to the joy of unboxing a new batch of pop punk tunes by Real Tears. Whipped Dreams is album #3 by the Swedish band that was built on the ashes of Impo & The Tents. It’s strike #3, and if you are a fan of Hay Fever (2019) and Too Cool To Rock! (2016) it’s a sure bet you like Whipped Dreams. If this is the first time you hear about Real Tears, just imagine a band that channels The Undertones and Dickies to produce something fast and insanely catchy. Real Tears are one of those bands that execute their music perfectly concise. Their two minute (or shorter) songs are stripped from the boring parts, and dense with hooks and pop melodies. Zero fillers, all hits, Whipped Dreams is out now through Family Spree Recordings.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Guy Hamper Trio featuring James Taylor || All The Poisons in the Mud

By / / Funk & Soul, Garage Rock / 3 Comments

In 2009 The Guy Hamper Trio released their debut single Polygraph Test b/w Sally Sensation. The A-side can also be found on the must-have compilation Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot! The Billy Childish Story 1977 – 2018. Indeed, this is another Billy Childish project, and after 13 years there is now also a full-length album, called All The Poisons in the Mud. In addition to the two old tracks, it contains ten new ones – almost 40 minutes in total – and although all but one of them are completely instrumental, they never get boring. In fact, it’s all quite exciting. A great tune like Step Out is somewhat reminiscent of Green Onions (Booker T. & The M.G.s) but souped-up, and with an awesome version of Fire (Jimi Hendrix) there’s also a real cover. Call it wild rhythm & blues or funky garage rock, but somehow this LP immediately feels like a classic.

Besides Billy Childish himself on guitar, the trio consists of Julie Hamper on bass and Wolf Howard on drums. However, their legendary guest James Taylor (of The Prisoners and The James Taylor Quartet fame) on Hammond organ takes the lead role. The album title is also the title of a novel that Billy Childish has been writing for some time, taken from a I Claudius quote by Robert Graves. The cover art is inspired by work by Saul Bass for Duke Ellington.

All The Poisons in the Mud is out now on CD and vinyl LP through Damaged Goods. A successor has been promised.

Add to wantlist: Damaged Goods || Discogs

New album: Sean Keel || A Dry Scary Blue

By / / Country & Folk / 2 Comments

“It doesn’t get much more beautiful than this. The poetic, tear-jerking lyrics in combination with the distinctive, emotion-charged vocals and the spare folky arrangements hit me hard. Fragile and powerful at the same time.” That’s what I wrote a few months ago after hearing Corn Palace, a single by Austin-based math professor and singer-songwriter Sean Keel. It was the prelude to his official debut album A Dry Scary Blue, which is out now and for which the same words apply. The LP contains ten raw but intimate songs that demand and deserve your attention. This is a truly magnificent, unique and timeless record.

A Dry Scary Blue, produced by Gabriel Rhodes, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Icons Creating Evil Art. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Townes van Zandt, Tom Waits, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Icons Creating Evil Art

Scroll to Top