New album: The Other Ones || The Other Ones

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

The self-titled debut from London (UK) band The Other Ones sounds like it’s from a different era. I cannot put my finger which era exactly though, early eighties perhaps? Anyway, on their best songs, The Other Ones hit that sweet spot between punk, (power)pop, garage and rock-‘n’-roll, with a singer whose voice fits perfectly in this kind of music. A song like Forever Young is waiting to be picked up by Little Steven’s Underground Garage.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Wedding Present || Locked Down And Stripped Back

By / / Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of all those lockdown covers and re-recordings. These are tough times, but I hope that artists can also turn the restrictions and suffering as a result of COVID-19 into impressive music, as severe pains have often led to great art. That said, fortunately there are exceptions and a few good lockdown albums are made.. The twelve Locked Down & Stripped Back versions that the legendary British indie rock band The Wedding Present has released are very impressive. Following the cancellation of the At The Edge Of The Sea festival, they decided to replace it with an online version presented from their living rooms, featuring home-recorded videos for which they re-worked tracks in a semi-acoustic style, now also available digitally, on CD and on vinyl. The collection features home recordings of ten classics and two previously unreleased songs: You’re Just A Habit That I’m Trying To Break is the first result of David Gedge’s songwriting partnership with new guitarist Jon Stewart (of Sleeper fame), We Should Be Together was originally written but never released by Sleeper themselves (now with Louise Wener on vocals). Listen to the two new tracks below.

Out now through Scopitones and HHBTM Records. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

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New album: The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries || Suns Out Guns Out

By / / Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

The three members of The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries, or ‘the Fuckin’ Ferries’ if you are in their inner circle, have a lot on their plate. They have their respective bands (Kahoots, Shellac, Volcano Suns, Mission of Burma, Come, Codeine, The New Year) as well as contributions to other acts (Lemonheads, Thurston Moore). Factor in the three different timezones they inhabit and you start to get why it took them eight years to follow up their previous record. Suns Out Guns Out is an interesting release. You may not like every second of it, but it feels like at any time, anything can happen. The band sometimes sounds like a more dissonant R.E.M. although Guided By Voices and Sonic Youth are more likely reference points. The GBV force is particularly strong on Betty Ford James. Make sure you watch all 70 seconds of the video for that song. See? Anything can happen.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs   

New EP: Distorted Garden || Living Large in the Time of the Plague

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

The first song on Distorted Garden’s latest release is called Ruined My Life. Contrary from what you’d expect from its title, it’s an instantly likeable fun song with an extremely catchy chorus. The rest of the EP from these Canadians is in the same vein: Buzzsaw guitar driven punkrock that makes up for its lack of subtlety with an abundance of hooks. Available as name your price download at Shock Collar Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: State Drugs || Live. Laugh. Love.

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 2 Comments

With so much music coming out weekly (daily!), it’s easy to overlook records that demand a little bit more attention to fully appreciate. Live. Laugh. Love by State Drugs is such an album. Although the music spoke to me immediately, I was underwhelmed at first, perhaps due to the somewhat understated way of singing by the band’s frontman. I am happy that I gave the record another try though, because it contains premium quality midpaced punkrock, with fine guitar work and songs that increasingly get under your skin. The band operates somewhere between the altpop of the Lemonheads and the melodic punkrock of Samiam, most noticably on songs like Goonies or Threat Level Midnight, two of my early favorites on the record. Give this one a spin. No, scratch that. Give this one a couple of spins. You won’t regret it.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Childish Tones || Country Girl

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Garage rock doesn’t have to sound perfect, raw and energetic fun are more important. In that respect, the idea of using toy instruments for this is not that crazy, as long as it is done with enthusiasm. I am a fan of the Japanese rockin’ toy band Childish Tones (ネモト・ド・ショボーレ and ニシオカ・ディドリー), who have already recorded several catchy songs with singer Beni Usakura (宇佐蔵べに). Watch and listen to the video for awesome track Ask, for example. The new single Country Girl – a Primal Scream cover – offers more energetic fun (fans of the early work of The Limiñanas will probably appreciate this too). You would almost forget that it’s toy guitar music you hear, it is that well done, not childish at all. The song is out now on 7″ vinyl through KiliKiliVilla.

Add to wantlist: KiliKiliVilla Store

New album: Headcheese || Headcheese

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Are you ready for a high intensity workout? Make sure you can move freely in your home, remove all obstacles. The workout does not require any equipment. The only thing you need is the debut LP by Canadian hardcorepunks Headcheese. Put the record on, turn the volume up. Let the music take over your movements. When side  A ends, this is after six minutes or so, take a short breather. Use it wisely. Take a sip of water. Switch sides. Repeat.

Twelve songs, twelve minutes. One sweaty, out of breath 40 year old. One awesome throwback to eighties North-American hardcorepunk added to his wantlist.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The Rubs || I Want You B​/​W Sleepin

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Let’s start the week off right. Seemingly out of nowhere, Joey Rubbish (aka Joe Montanaro) returns with a new two-song single by The Rubs. If you’re not familiar with his work, Rubbish is a master in writing lo-fi bedroom gems at the intersection of 60s pop, garage, rock n roll, and punk – I usually refer to it as lo-fi powerpop. I am not sure how, but Rubbish has that special knack to only write A-side singles. Naturally, I am a big fan. His previous records The Rubs Are Trash (2015) and Impossible Dream (2017) both made my AOTY lists.

Perhaps most surprising about the new single is its length. Usually, Rubbish writes 2 or 3 minute songs. The two new songs are a combined 10 minutes. Despite my short attention span and preference for shorter songs, I think these new songs are excellent. They are even more pop-oriented than the songs on Impossible Dream. I especially like the A-side I Want You. It’s got Keith Richards guitar riffing and the kind of old school synthesizer you used to hear in cheesy movies. It’s SOOOOO catchy. Okay. The Rubs are back, and a new LP on Hozac is in the works. All is well.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Bones Owens || Bones Owens

By / / Blues & Roots / 1 Comment

Bones Owens‘ self-titled full-length debut album is out now via Thirty Tigers, and while you might expect this to be a country album based on the cover photo or the fact that he’s from Nashville, it’s not. This is all about swinging rhythms and swaggering riffs, inspired by ’60s garage rock, Hill Country blues, and swampy roots rock. Uplifting songs with great guitar work and brooding vocals (the cool background vocals of legendary gospel singer Regina McCrary are also worth mentioning).

I actually wanted to post this quick review tomorrow, but this is definitely not Monday music. This is music for a sunny road trip or a party with beer and a barbecue. Music for a good day! RIYL: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Everest Cale, The Black Keys.

Add to wantlist: Discogs ||  Bones Owens Merch Store 

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New album: The Umbrella Puzzles || A Slowly Dawning Realization

By / / Jangle Pop / 1 Comment

The Umbrella Puzzles are a lo-fi indie pop project by Ryan Marquez (Apple Orchard, Golden Teardrops, Sodajerk). Under this moniker he released a self-titled EP at the end of 2019, the extra time afforded by lockdown last year enabled him to also record a full-length album. Ten new, addictive songs about dreams, realities and frailties. Delicious jangle pop. It’s Perfect as it Stands in particular is a great track, but that title actually sums up the album quite well. Out now, digitally and on CD, through Subjangle. RIYL: Nap Eyes, Pete Astor, Nah…

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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