New album: The Reytons || Kids off the Estate

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

UK indie rock band The Reytons – vocalist Jonny Yerrell (vocals), lead guitarist Joe O’Brien, bassist Lee Holland, and drummer Jamie Simpson – spent five years working towards the release of their debut album Kids Off The Estate. The bumpy journey to this moment can be seen in the documentary Becoming The Reytons on YouTube. Look where they are now – goosebumps all over when you hear a full house roar the lyrics of title track KOTE: “You don’t have to hate // The kids off the estate // Mates after a fate // And they called them Reytons” – an anthem for everyone who knows what it’s like to hang out on the street. The LP has 13 other infectious guitar rockers – we already knew a number of them from their previous EPs – that will do well everywhere (on the car radio, from your speakers at home, in the concert halls, etc.). The sound is reminiscent of hits that you often heard 15 years ago (Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Courteeners, Dirty Pretty Things, etc.), hits like they are no longer made. The band members will never deny South Yorkshire’s working class, but let’s face it: with such great songs and such a convincing stage presence, they’ll be away from home a lot, to conquer the rest of the world. The Reytons are the ‘right ones’ to get that job done.

Kids off the Estate is out now on CD, cassette and vinyl LP through Scruff Of The Neck.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || The Reytons Shop || Scruff Of The Neck

New album: Katujen Äänet || Kaiken Jälkeen

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

I can’t recall having heard of Katujen Äänet before, but the band has been part of the punk scene of Finland for over ten years now. In that period they released their debut album Sulle, Joka Yksin Aina Oot and several 7″ singles. They just released their sophomore album Kaiken Jälkeen. I am glad I stumbled on it because it is one killer record.

Listening to Katujen Äänet is like a throwback to late ’70s punkrock and powerpop, with just a dash from ’80s new wave for good measure. The songs on Kaiken Jälkeen essentially are pop songs put through a punk blender, and the results are tasty and contagious. Listen to songs like Matkalla Taas, Mitä jäljelle Jää and Nuori, Viaton Ja Sekaisin Kaikesta for example. Hits! The crisp production and the fact that the songs are sung in Finnish only adds to the coolness and sense of authenticity of Katujen Äänet.

Another release that is not on Bandcamp or Soundcloud, so you have to with the video and Spotify links below. Stream Kaiken Jälkeen now, buy the CD, or wait a little longer for the vinyl (thanx again, Adele).



Add to wantlist: Discogs || Stupido Records

New album: The Bug Club || Pure Particles

By / / Garage Rock, Indie Rock / 4 Comments

Is there such a thing as a typical addtowantlist.com band? The obvious answer is no, if only because we write about different genres. There are some common characteristics in the music we write about, though: short but powerful guitar songs, not polished, but catchy, full of emotions, authentic and convincing. Anyway, Niek and I regularly say to each other that a certain release really fits well with our blog, that it shouldn’t be missing, A good example of this is South Wales trio The Bug Club. Tilly Harris (bass, vocals), Sam Willmett (guitar/vocals), and Dan Matthew (drums) play riffing garage rock, rattling and naive, energetic and raucous, with humorous lyrics about the most important side issues of the first world’s life. After debut EP Launching Moondream One last spring (4 tracks in 8 minutes), they now have released the mini album Pure Particles (9 tracks in 20 minutes). It has everything we like. However, one small point of criticism: standout track My Baby Loves Rock & Roll Music ends with a fade-out. A typical addtowantlist.com band doesn’t do that. But who cares? 😉

Pure Particles is out now digitally and on 12″ vinyl through Bingo Records. RIYL Holiday Ghosts, The Wave Pictures, Jonathan Richman.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New Album: Poison Boys || Don’t You Turn On Me

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

Their name and demeanor already give away what to expect with Poison Boys. Leather jackets? Check. Tight pants? Check. Loud and fast rock’n’roll? Check. Johnny Thundersesque sleazy guitar licks? Check. Late ’70s punk attitude? Check.

Chicago four-piece Poison Boys tick off a lot of the right boxes on their sleazefest second album Don’t You Turn On Me. And let me tell you, I am finding it terribly hard to play this record at a socially acceptable volume. The first (title) track on the record is the first highlight on Don’t You Turn On Me. Songs like Day By Day, Little Speedway Girl, Can’t Get You Off My Mind, and Nothing But Darkness also stand out for me. No lack of adrenaline rushes and dopamine releases with Poison Boys.

If you like this one, make sure to also check Killer Hearts most recent record, or vice versa. Bands like this provide a welcome escape from reality to the glampunkscene of the late ’70s.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The Smashing Times || Dreams on Union B/W A Changing Letter

By / / Indie Pop, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

The last time we spoke to The Smashing Times, they told us how the lockdowns had driven them mad. Despite the madness, I really enjoyed their collection of stuck-at-home recordings. The band now returns with a new two-song single (released on 7″ (!)) that follows the old adagam ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ In the case of The Smashing Times that means lo-fi underground pop nuggets for fans of The Pastels, Television Personalities and The Times.

A-side Dreams On Union may be my favorite song by the band yet. Keep doing what you do The Smashing Times!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Guerrilla Monzón || PCH

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop / 3 Comments

Buckle up for our latest discovery: Guerrilla Monzón is an enthusiastic three-piece from Brooklyn, New York, who passionately play primitive garage rock with attractive power pop tricks. Jason Sanchez (guitars, vocals), Eric Gordon (bass, vocals), and Reymon Sinsay (drums) gained experience in past rock bands 56k and Oh No & The Tiger Pit, and under the moniker of Guerrilla Monzón they’ve developed a sound that’s a little less lo-fi and punk. The trio now have their debut album PCH released, which was well produced by Brett Parnell. Maybe we should call it a mini-album – after about 19 minutes you’ll have to click on repeat (you’ll want to click on repeat!) – but more importantly: these are 7 catchy songs, with great hooks, and vocals that wouldn’t look out of place at the better metal bands, songs that will get you enthusiastic yourself too. In addition to the 4 fine original tracks, they not only cover Elvis Costello’s This Year’s Girl in an excellent way, but they also recorded new versions of their own work: Pronto by Oh No & the Tiger Pit, and Rey by 56k (it may be clear that this one is about the drummer of the band, but all songs are about real people on some level). Our latest discovery is a great one, isn’t it?

PCH is out now digitally. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

David Menke & Lionel Limiñana || The Devil Inside Me

By / / Garage Rock, Psych / 2 Comments

Movies are often a nice way to get in touch with other music, but in this case it was the other way around: as a longtime fan of The Limiñanas I found a new project by the male half of the garage rock duo in Spotify’s Release Radar. French composer / multi-instrumentalist / singer Lionel Limiñana, together with German composer / producer / multi-instrumentalist / sound engineer David Menke, recorded The Devil Inside Me, which turns out to be the soundtrack of the Netflix series Monsters inside – The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan. In between blogging I just started watching the documentary: the true crime story is intriguing, the images and design are cool and hypnotic. The 16 songs – partly instrumental – on this fascinating soundtrack have the same effect, thanks to their driving rhythms that get stuck in the back of your mind. Moody melodies, dark grooves, fuzzy guitars, and fitting vocals pick up where the soundscapes from the series left off. Theme song Them, which opens the (digital) album, is the standout track (another hit to be mentioned is Illusion Song), but the rest is more than good enough to deserve a vinyl release. For garage psych fans, this could be the soundtrack of the year.

The Devil Inside Me (OST) is published via Because Music, and can be heard on all streaming services.

UPDATE: On June 3, 2022, Because Music will release a vinyl 2LP, containing not only The Devil Inside Me OST, but also the music that The Liminanas and David Menke wrote for the Arte documentary The Ballad Of Linda L about the life of Linda Lovelace.

New album: The Needs || Special Needs

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

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

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

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

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

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

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