New album: True Stars || True Stars

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

Ready for another heavenly discovery? I would like to introduce you to True Stars, a rock trio from Bellingham, Washington, consisting of songwriter Jody Waymire (guitar, vocals), Arnold Gallows (bass, vocals) and Diane McQuesten (drums, cowbell) – they share hand clapping duties. They’ve just released their self-titled debut album, featuring a cover model who seems to have walked out of Tom Waits’ 1976 Small Change sleeve. Musically it’s a different story, though: this is energetic garage rock that has shopped ideas in power pop, grunge, indie rock, punk and doo-wop. The musicians kick the door down convincingly – “Looking for another 15 minutes of fame // I’ve got myself to blame more than anybody else // Looking for someone, who just wants to have some fun // Not that anyone really gives a shit” (from telling opening song Sing Along) – but also manage to fascinate all 32 minutes and 32 seconds. The interesting and clever thing is that these are essentially tough and noisy songs, but at the same time they have classic pop qualities. “We want you all to sing along.”




True Stars’ self-titled debut album, produced by True Stars and Chad Yenney, is out now digitally and on limited edition vinyl LP (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Mujeres || Desde Flores y Entrañas

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

Desde Flores y Entrañas is the sixth album by Barcelona trio Mujeres, a band that has quite the following in their home country but remains relatively obscure in the rest of world. Whether that will change with the new LP is up in the air, but the punky garage pop of Mujeres is definitely a source of joy. In all fairness, the band has more to offer than concise and contagious pop punk blasts. Desde Flores y Entrañas is a sonic manifesto that is diverse, life-affirming and should appeal to a broad audience. If you are looking for something energetic with a familiar core yet vibrant execution, give this record a chance.

Desde Flores y Entrañas is out now on double LP (45RPM) at Sonido Muchado.

Add to wantlist: Discogs

New album: Sir Bald y Los Hairies || Escaped From The Zoo!

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

The characters behind Sir Bald y Los Hairies are far from new names on the rock ‘n’ roll front: we are dealing with Sir Bald Diddley aka Hipbone Slim, who has released over 40 albums with his various bands. On his new LP Escaped From The Zoo! you hear his guitar & vocals, but also Jorge Lorre aka Mr. Freeze on bass & vocals, and Rufus El Guarro aka Gorilla on drums & vocals. They deliver fourteen new straight-ahead floor fillers rooted in the rockabilly, garage punk, surf rock and rhythm & blues of the late 50s/early 60s. Primitive but effective, above all a lot of fun.

Escaped From The Zoo! is out now on CD and vinyl LP through Crowntopper Records.

Add to wantlist: Discogs

New album: Del Paxton || Auto Locator

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

I was a massive fan of All Day, Every Day, All Night, the debut album by Buffalo (NY) trio Del Paxton. It showcased the band’s talent for creating a rockin’ and dynamic emo sound with mathy elements – quite polished but also lively. That was well over six year ago, which made me curious how the band would sound in 2023. Auto Locator answers the question with satisfactory result. Surely, there are differences, but if you like album #1,  you’ll like album #2. Perhaps the most 2023 thing about the record is that it was recorded in a solar powered barn. The rest is vintage Del Paxton (think Braid, think Hey Mercedes), with the technical side of the recording dating much further back- hence the title Auto Locator, which is the rewind mechanism on the reel to reel tape machine the band used to track the album.

Auto Locator is a display of technical skill and creativity, but with a human heart beating at its core. LP out now at Topshelf Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Topshelf

New EP: Sick Thoughts || Born To Blitzkrieg

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Sure, the late ’70s were fun and all if you were into punk. But have you tried being alive on October, 6th 2023, the day not only Cherry Cheeks and CLASS dropped two modern punk classics, but the amazing Sick Thoughts sneaked in a four-song EP as well?

Last time we covered Drew Owen’s Sick Thoughts on our site, they had just released what quickly became my favorite punk LP of the year. The Born To Blitzkrieg EP is more reason to get excited. If you like your music mediocre and safe, looks elsewhere. Sick Thoughts come charging at you with full force, cutting your skin with their hooks, piercing your ears with their amazing shredding guitars, bleeding over you with their sore throats. It may hurt a little, you may get dirty, but fun will be had. What a blast to hear Sick Thoughts churn out monster hit after monster hit on Born To Blitzkrieg. It is out now on 12″ at Drew Owen’s new ROKK Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: CLASS || If You’ve Got Nothing

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

This Friday’s release day brought excellent news for the C-section of your record collection. In addition to the spazzy synthpunk goodness that is Cherry Cheeks’ new full length LP, here is a modern classic by what I believe to be one of the most exciting emerging punk bands of recent years: CLASS. The pace with which the band from Tucson is making a name for themselves and building a no filler discography has ’60s written all over it. If You’ve Got Nothing is the band’s fourth (!) release in eighteen months. Wait, what? And yet, while the prolific nature and consistent quality of the band’s output is reminscent of some of the giants of the ’60s, the melodic sound of the band has roots firmly in ’70s (proto)punk and power pop.

If You’ve Got Nothing is comprised of 12 songs, and sees CLASS opting for a looser, more experimental style. It’s not like they ever felt boxed in to genre expectations, but it feels like they found a voice of their own even more. If there is any knock on the band and the new LP is that some of the songs have appeared on previous records. Then again, these songs are either so awesome (Inspect The Receipt) or played in a version so different from the original that it starts to sound like a new song (Oh! The Nerve). On their new LP, CLASS sound like true originals, the real deal. If you are in a cynical mood about the state of rock’n’roll, and have resigned to only playing the classics, I invite you to press play on the pop infused anarchy of If You’ve Got Nothing. It’s like opening the window to let the bad air out.

CLASS are shining so brightly, you almost start to worry if they will not burn out soon. For now, let’s be grateful to reside in the same timeline as CLASS. If You’ve Got Nothing  is out now on Feel It Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: The Routes || Reverberation Addict

By / / Garage Rock, Surf Music / Leave a Comment

Japanese garage rock trio The Routes are back with studio album number 14. Last year they transformed ten electro classics by Kraftwerk into pretty cool instrumental surf rock crackers on The Twang Machine, which was so well received that they now dare to also take up the work of Pete Shelley and Buzzcocks. On Reverberation Addict, you’ll hear fifteen of the most popular songs from the British punk rock band, reimagined and rearranged as 60s surf guitar instrumental bangers. The cover art (by Malcolm Garrett) is a reworking of that of the 1977 Buzzcocks single Orgasm Addict, from which the title is also derived. Chris Jack (guitar, bass, percussion, organ), Toru Nishimuta (bass) and Bryan Styles (drums, percussion) make it an exciting ride, a respectful tribute that once again shows how awesome the original compositions are, but captured in a completely different sound, turning out well.



Reverberation Addict is out now digitally and on black or blue vinyl LP through Topsy Turvy Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Soundflat

New album: Aiko El Grupo || Me Están Apuntando Con Un Arma

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

In January 2022 we wrote about the fun single Niños Furbito Y Niñas Lo Que Sea by Madrid-based noise pop four-piece Aiko El Grupo, the long-awaited sophomore album Me Están Apuntando Con Un Arma now opens with it. Reading about it here can only mean one thing: the ten other tracks are just as entertaining. Teresa Iñesta (guitar, vocals), Lara Miera (guitar, vocals), Bárbara López (keyboards, vocals) and Jaime Acosta (drums, vocals) play high-energy punk rock with exciting arrangements, pulsing rhythms, passionate harmony vocals and relatable (often witty) lyrics. To increase the spirit even further, Mujeres guests on Soy Una Fracasada Estúpida, and Olaya from Axolotes Mexicanos on Es La Forma Que Tienes De Ocultar Algo Que Hay En Tu Mente, two of the standout tracks. For me, this LP represents the atmosphere you feel at a festival in Spain when a popular local band performs – without understanding the words, you can’t help but bounce along with the enthusiastic crowd, a big smile on your face.


Me Están Apuntando Con Un Arma is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Elefant Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Elefant

New album: Cherry Cheeks || CCLPII

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

The spazzy synthpunk goodness that is Cherry Cheeks return for their second full length LP. What started as a pandemic solo project by Kyle Harms is now a full band out of Portland – a place of residence shared with their label Total Punk. On CCLPII, Cherry Cheeks maintain a high gear and wield a formidable gift for catchy melodies. The A-side of CCLPII is creating havoc in my body, with limbs and body parts starting to move unconsciously and uncontrollably.The opening salvo of What Went Wrong and Hard Stancing is so infectious, the US government should probably put this band under quarantine. The third song on the LP is Switch, and I can’t imagine anyone able to sit still to this extremely groovy and catchy ball of fire.

The hits keep coming on the remainder of Side A, and while there is no shortage of hits on the B-side, it sees Cherry Cheeks go a little more experimental. It’s a pleasant  change of pace and the synth parts draw more attention than ever before. I caught myself going full Michael Winslow in recreating the synth licks on B-side standout Pure Power, and failing hopelessly.

CCLPII is another great one and must buy from Cherry Cheeks. LP out now at Total Punk Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Jellephant & The Phantoms || Always Down

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

Jellephant & The Phantoms are one the best kept secrets of the Dutch indie scene. The band formed around Jelle Haagsma and featuring members of Paracetamøl and Christopher Walkman is one of the most prolific as well. Always Down is the thirteenth (!) album of the band’s ten year career. Let’s start with the good news. Always Down is an excellent record. Like the previous Jellephant record we covered on ATW, it has a sense of urgency and hunger that you’d normally associate with early career releases. Mix in the skill of veteran musicians and you get an indie rock record that sounds lively and scrappy, but also layered and nuanced.

The sad news? Always Down will be the final full band release for Jellephant & The Phantoms. Thanx for all the tunes, Jelle & The Phantoms! Fortunately, Jelle Haagsma will continue to release music under the Jellephant moniker. We’ll be listening.




Always Down is out now through Brighter Records.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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