Andy The Band – Carry On 7” (Sabotage)
I
couldn’t find much on Andy The Band so when I put on this record, I really had
no idea what to expect from this release but I was very pleasantly surprised. The first song that on the EP is called “Carry ON” which is a loud, charming pop tune
that sounds like something off of The Replacements Pleased To Meet Me. The next
one up was “Fight For You” and to me it sounds like it has a Joe Jackson flavor
to it. My favorite track and the loudest
one is the last number called “Where Time Doesn’t Exist”. It’s quick, heavy, and yet really melodic. Andy also has a video for that track so check
it out on Youtube, it doesn’t disappoint!
– J Castro
Ann Beretta – Kill The Lights 7” (Say-10)
Kill The Lights 7-inch is a foreshadowing of what to
expect from Ann Berretta in the upcoming year. Ann Berreta, which called it
quits over fourteen years due to management and label issues, is back with one
new track, “Kill The Lights” and one re-worked track, “Forever Family.” In the
upcoming year, the band plans to release two LP’s, one of brand new material
and another of re-worked older songs. Ann Beretta would fit and still fits in
with Face To Face family of pop-punk that ruled much of ‘90’s pop-punk. – Ed Stuart
Baby Shakes – Turn It Up LP (Lil Chewy)
New
York’s Baby Shakes are back with their 3rd LP (4th if you
count their singles collection) with more of their Ramones visits the Hitsville
U.S.A. house type of garage rock n roll.
I find what Baby Shakes do with their music absolutely brilliant. It’s super fun and undeniably catchy without
sounding the monotonous. If you think
that’s easy, I welcome you to try. Many
have tried this formula, most have failed.
I’ve listened to this record from start to finish at least a dozen times
already and I have yet to grow tired of it.
Baby Shakes fits in well with the likes of Nikki and The Corvettes, old
Superteem! era Donnas and up and coming upstarts Pale Lips. –
J Castro
Bad Cop/Bad Cop – Warriors LP (Fat Wreck)
Bad Cop/Bad Cop
were/are the darlings of the pop-punk scene. An all-girl band that was making
real headway in the pop-punk world that almost came to a screeching halt due to
a band member’s reckless addiction. After dropping off of a tour, going to detox,
reconciling as a band, the band wrote Warriors.
This LP is more serious in tone covering topics like suicide, tolerance, child
abuse, and ridding oneself of destructive people in their lives. Bad Cop/Bad
Cop sounds like ‘90’s Fat Wreck pop-punk bands mixed with some Muffs and Dance
Hall Crashers vocal harmonies and a touches of Weezer. – Ed Stuart
Basketball Shorts – This Summer 7” (Jarama)
Texas party
punks or pizza punks are back with their summer single “This Summer.” All three
tracks are a little different, very good, and showcase Basketball Shorts in
their pop-punk glory. “This Summer” sounds like a power-pop classic full of ’79
UK roots, which pulls from so many bands of the era. The hook is so simple and
catchy it sounds timeless. “Hot and Ready” is the pizza party punk anthem. This
is/was the title track of their debut LP and is added to the mix. If you think
Mean Jeans you wouldn’t be just in the ballpark, but at home plate. This is
Ramones fueled mayhem. “Home” is the tuneful ‘90’s pop-punk song with a tinge
of heart and Descendents bite. – Ed
Stuart
The Berlin Blackouts – Kissed by the Guitar LP (Wanda)
WOW,
what a cool record! This is my first
time hearing this Berlin band and I’m glad I finally did. The Berlin Blackouts apparently are made up
of remnants of another band called Radio Dead Ones. I’ve never heard that band either but if they
sound anything like this, I’m going to start digging for their records right
now! These guys have a melodic street
punk style that reminds me of Cocksparrer with Stiff Little Finger’s Jake Burns
singing. The tunes are fortified with
super catchy/sing along choruses and yet are as tough as your old leather
jacket. 11 songs on this LP and no
clunkers; bravo Berlin Blackouts! - J
Castro
Bleach Party USA – Get Stoked EP (Mystic)
Mystic? I can’t
think of the last time I’ve heard of Mystic putting out a release since Ill
Repute and Aggression. First, there is Rock ‘N’ Roll, then Punk Rock ‘n’ Roll,
and now, Clorox ‘n’ Roll. ‘50’s upper moral echelon thought Rock N’ Roll would
kill you you or at least your morality, but I have no idea what Clorox N’ roll
will do to you. Bleached Party USA plays a ‘80’s Hardcore Punk that could fall
a little under Nardcore territory and other So Cal influences. – Ed Stuart
Brat Farrar – Brat Farrar III LP (Off The Hip/Kizmiaz)
I
don’t know if it’s because of the Australian connection (oh who am I kidding of
course it is) but I hear a lot of The Saints in Brat Farrar’s third LP. Not just that, but it also has echoes of
early Psychedelic Furs and even some Devo style keys thrown randomly about. The band sites Chrome, Suicide and The Wipers
as influences. I can certainly hear that
in here too but the songs are more gelled and cohesive than any of those bands,
which is a good thing. Brat Farrar’s
third LP is the kind of record you can just put on and listen to it all the way
through and not get bored or annoyed. It
hits just the right places with just enough unpredictability to keep it all
moving at a steady pace.
– J Castro
Casual Friday – Weekend Forever LP (Hidden
Home/Open Door/Celebrity Punk House/Counter
Intuitive)
Weezer meets
Menzingers meets Get Up Kids. Casual Friday plays a late ‘90’s/early ‘00’s pop
punk. The melody on this is definitely at the forefront in much the way Get Up
Kids and Menzingers write. The band is getting a lot of attention and is
playing FEST this year. It’s not surprising because their fun slacker
“California” sound will get the kids dancing/moshing or at least not looking at
their phones for a while and hoping the weekend does last forever. – Ed Stuart
Cheap Whine – S/T LP (Drunken Sailor)
This
is Cheap Whines debut album and features members of Steve Adamyk Band, Crusades
and Feral Trash. The apples don’t fall
too far from the Stave Adamyk Band’s tree of greatness here. All of the tunes feature those hard driving,
stout hearted melodies that those guys seem to have an endless supply of. Cheap Whine also has those quick, tightly
wound guitar riffs that made Feral Trash’s 2014 LP Trashfiction really stand out.
Jordy Bell from Crusades brings that same thunder clap style of drumming
from that band into the mix here as well.
I hope this isn’t just a “side project” because I think these guys have
tapped into something really special here.
– J Castro
City Limits – To Hull and Back LP (Queen Mum)
City
Limits are a band that was active in the late 70’s in Leeds, UK. Queen Mum Records is doing a fantastic job of
unearthing these fantastic power pop gems!
Like The Jetz, City Limits craft some ultra-infectious power pop. But these guys have more of a Mod sound to their
songs. This record contains the one 7”
they released back in 1979 called Morse
Code Messages as well as what was supposed to become their second 7” but
never saw the light of day. There are
six more songs of found studio recordings and some live stuff. If you don’t have this band’s first 7” (and I
highly doubt that you do) then it’s worth it just for that alone. - J Castro
Corner Boys – Demo 7” (Self-Release)
I first heard of
Corner Boys because it sent by Hosehead when they sent over the Sore Points
7-inch to review and I’m glad they did. It features members of Nervous Talk,
Stress Eating and Patrick from Hosehead Records. Why this isn’t on Hosehead?
I’m not sure because it’s very good. Corner Boys play a lo-fi ’77 punk-pop in a
Rudi/Protex style. All three songs are so good, but I think I’ll agree with
Mick from Just Punk songs blog that “Joke (Of The Neighbourhood)” is the hit of
the three. Give it a few months and some label will be giving this demo a
proper re-release. – Ed Stuart
Cowboys – VOL. 4 LP
(Drunken Sailor)
You
can say a lot about this band but boring is not one of them. The band is from Bloomington, Indiana and
consists of four non suspecting guys that look like community college
students. But this record is one crazy
ride. I guess this album was originally
put out as a cassette only release but got remastered by the amazing North
London Bomb Factory. The songs here go
from manic garage punk to bizarre Americana flavored ballads that send out a
little Jonathan Richmond vibe. It took
me a couple of listens mind you but I finally came around. These guys are good and this record oozes quirky
charisma. If they keep it together long
enough and don’t melt their brains too quickly they may be destined for greatness. - J Castro
Dan Rico – Nobody Knows EP (Maximum Pelt)
This
is apparently a “special edition” EP to help promote Dan Rico’s tour for his
recently released LP Endless Love (Which
is fantastic, in case you missed my review of it last time around). Weather these are leftover tracks from that
recording session or just 4 tunes Dan whipped up and recorded; the tunes here
aren’t cutting room floor fodder by any means.
Mr. Rico continues his streak of releasing top notch rock n roll. His songs have a power pop twist, a dusting
of glam rock, and all done with that feeling of intimacy of a singer/songwriter
performance. Dan Rico is one of the
brightest gems I’ve discovered this year and listening to this EP will make you
think the same. – J Castro
Dan Rico – Flesh & Bone 7” (Shit
In Can)
Mama band man
Dan Rico has another 7-inch up his sleeve. After releasing Endless Love last year, Rico is back with two releases this year.
The title track, “Flesh & Bone” is T-Rex worship all the way where Rico
doesn’t even try to hide his inner Bolan. “Gold Volvo” on the other hand is a
mix of early Rolling Stones, Byrds, and jangle-pop. Last, but definitely not
least is the extra digital track “Anyway You Want Me” which is the most tender
of the three songs and the most Beatles-esque. On Flesh & Bone, Rico has a way to make these songs cohesive instead
of three stand alone ideas. – Ed
Stuart
Ex-Triggers and
Sleepwalkers RIP have released their dark punk post-punk debut LP. Dark/Light,
pronounced Dark slash Light, pull from Wipers, Sonic Youth, Richard Hell/Voidoids,
T.S.O.L., Minutemen and Avengers just to name a few. Dark/Light is a little
tough to describe so think of a post-punk/new wave guitar player fronting a
punk rhythm section and that probably still doesn’t do it justice. Kill Some Time really just needs to be
listened too. – Ed Stuart
Dead 77 – Die Young 7” (Evacuate)
Street punk and
UK ’82 collide on this EP from Los Angeles band Dead 77. The first band that
comes to mind is Blitz. Dead 77 have a hard charging sound with galloping bass,
hard hitting drums, melodic tough guitar and gang chorus vocals. “Take Me Away”
embodies the musical Molotov cocktail with a big Oi style lead over ’82 UK
punk. “What’s Love?” chorus sounds a like a lyrical re-working of the infamous
Pagans classic. It’s no surprise Dead 77 is playing shows with Lower Class
Brats and bands just like these. – Ed Stuart
Drakulas – VHS 12” EP (Stiff Hombre)
Featuring
members of Riverboat Gamblers and Rise Against, Drakulas follow up Raw Wave with their new VHS EP. Drakulas, who received a massive
amount of attention last year for their Raw
Wave LP, are back to their high-energy ways on this follow up EP. Drakulas
play a hyper caffeinated garage punk that’s Marked Men meets Briefs meets some
early Hives and Riverboat Gamblers. It’s easy to see why Drakulas became a
press darling with their playing style, band members’ pedigree and calculated
unison look. It really comes down to whether or not a band can deliver the
goods because if you can’t, nothing else matters and Drakulas again delivers. – Ed Stuart
Duncan Reid & The Big Heads – Bombs Away LP (Self Released)
Duncan Reid & his band of Big Heads are back with their 3rd long player. With this new outing, Duncan Reid has solidified himself as one of the best songwriters around. I’m not sure if some of these lyrics are indeed autobiographical, but the sincerity in Duncan’s voice coupled with his pensive lyrics makes it sound like they are. A good example of this can be found in the song “Confetti” which brings to mind his former band The Boys’ classic tune “Heroine”. Duncan’s endearing voice put together with some of the most infectious melodies around make the songs on Bombs Away truly memorable. – J Castro
Duncan Reid & his band of Big Heads are back with their 3rd long player. With this new outing, Duncan Reid has solidified himself as one of the best songwriters around. I’m not sure if some of these lyrics are indeed autobiographical, but the sincerity in Duncan’s voice coupled with his pensive lyrics makes it sound like they are. A good example of this can be found in the song “Confetti” which brings to mind his former band The Boys’ classic tune “Heroine”. Duncan’s endearing voice put together with some of the most infectious melodies around make the songs on Bombs Away truly memorable. – J Castro
Erik Nervous – Ice Cream 7” (Total Punk)
Two
new penetrating, blood smeared rippers from this Kalamazoo, MI resident. And if you thought his other stuff was
deranged, then you ain’t heard nothing yet kiddies. Apparently both of these songs are about
stabbing. The A-Side is about stabbing
someone with an ice cream cone.
Obviously it’s with one of those pointy sugar cones not with one of
those blunt ended waffle cones. Although
a waffle cone would inflict more blunt force trauma to the victim so who
knows. Erik Nervous makes Jay Reatard
sound like Paul Simon for Pete’s sake!
If I were Erik’s neighbors, I’d lock up tight at night. - J Castro
Erotic Devices – All I Wanna Do Is Rock ‘N’ Roll LP (Wanda)
These
guys come out blazing from Naumburg Germany with their Ramones style delivery
and lyrics that are sure to piss off plenty of people out there. The guitars are set at snap neck speed and
the vocals are overflowing with snotty tone.
The drums are back there playing so fast it’s a surprise they don’t just
combust at the end of the record. The
lyrics are direct, no fuss style with song titles like “Kick Your Butt”, “Bring
My Skateboard Back” and “I Really Want to Fuck”. These guys aren’t trying to be
the new punk poet laureates, leave that to the Patty Smiths and the John Cooper
Clarkes. Erotic Devices just want the
simple life, and there’s nothing wrong with that! - J Castro
The Escalator Haters – Same LP (Wanda)
The
Escalator Haters are a quartet from Uster, Switzerland that’s been around since
2000.
These
guys play an abrasive, minimalist style of punk rock that feels like a dull
rusty knife cutting your throat. It
sounds like it could have been ripped right off the Bloodstains Across Switzerland compilation. Even though the band has been around for 17
years now, this is their first LP.
They’ve had a 7” released on Sprinter Records and a 10” out on No Front
Teeth Records. This new LP has a bit
more melody to it than their last release.
The songs here almost have a pop undercurrent to them which gives it a
Lukers feel. Good stuff! - J Castro
Fashionism – Subculture Suicide 7” (Dirt
Cult)
It’s so easy to
see why people go nuts for Fashionism and Subculture
Suicide will keep the fandom at an all time high. Fashionism has really
combined Rezillos, Generation X, Pointed Sticks and mod revival in a sharply
dressed ’77-’79 time capsule. This shouldn’t come as a surprise after listening
to the band’s earlier singles. Fashionism, much like their band name, is clever
in it’s blending of ‘70’s punk and power-pop influences. – Ed Stuart
Fashionism – Back In The Day 7” (Neon
Taste)
This is the
band’s fourth single. Back In the Day
is more of their upbeat Generation X, Boys, Rezillos, Pointed Sticks blend of
’77 UK punk. The self-proclaimed Glam punk upstarts have released another
killer two song single that tackles punk nostalgia and coffee. Members of New
Town Animals, Tranzmitors and The Jolts have a real good thing going here.
Fashionism has a real knack for taking classic ’77 UK punk and updating the
sound a bit without sounding like a complete rehash. Time will tell if the band
has an LP in the works, but for now we can just enjoys their singles. – Ed
Stuart
The Fox Sisters – My Finest Hour EP (Dive Records)
Apparently
the party ain’t over yet for this high energy R & B/Soul band! Rochester’s Fox Sisters are punching back
with a couple more songs guaranteed to make your hips shake and the earth quake! The A-Side and title track is a bit slower
but it’s hardwired with such a tight groove it’ll force a dance right out of
you. The B-Side, a tight little ditty
titled On The Upside can elevate a
party every bit as much as an old Little Richard record. Yes, I understand the caliber of the
statement I just made and I mean every word of it. This is one of my favorite bands and one
listen to this new two banger of theirs and you’ll know why. - J Castro
Freak Genes – Playtime LP (Alien Snatch)
Freak Genes – Playtime LP (Alien Snatch)
“Freak Genes is
all the silly ideas that would normally be ignored” according to the band
members. Wow, talk about the must succinct bio ever. Boil this band down into
one sentence and there you have it. Freak Genes are a duo from such bands as
Red Cords, Proto Idiot and The Hipshakes. One of them lives in Manchester and
the other ones lives somewhere else. Playtime,
has a whole host of ideas and sounds ranging from ’77 punk to power-pop to
art-pop to some psych. Imagine Buzzcocks and The Fall getting together with
guests members of Wire, Devo and numerous other new wave bands for a writing
session. This band is gathering attention and steam and it’s understandable
why. – Ed Stuart
Frenzal Rhomb – Hi-Vis High Tea LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
This
band has apparently been around since 1992 but this is the first I’ve ever
heard of them. This is the band’s 9th
album and from the get go it blasted me back to the mid 1990’s! These guys take NOFX’s thick guitar sound,
mix it with The Queer’s snottyness, and it’s all spread over Descendants type
tempos. This record has 20 songs with
absolute no let up, the petal is on the floor for the entire duration of the
album. Frenzal Rhomb will have you digging out your old baggy Blind shorts, your big
ol’cloddish Etnies, and that World Industries t-shirt that’s probably going to
offend your neighbor’s millennial skater kid.
– J Castro
The Ghost Wolves – Texas Platinum LP (Hound Gawd)
This
is the second full length from this Austin TX duo. The Ghost Wolves make some ultra-sassy, super
sludgy rock n roll that sounds like a loud dirty blues band with Betty Boop on
lead vocals. This band takes rock n roll
to its nether regions and back again without skipping a beat. They have some hints of old school rockabilly
weaved in there as well. The Ghost
Wolves dish out their brand of rock n roll with plenty of comfort zone invading
attitude. See songs like “Noisy
Neighbors (Yuppie Scum)”, “Crybabies Go Home” and “Trippin’”.
This band will have you stomping’ that boot heel of yours pretty damn
hard so plan accordingly. – J Castro
Gorilla – It’s All Pop 12” EP (Hidden Volume)
I am blown away by these towering Tokyo titans! This is the best straight up Power Pop record I’ve heard in years. This is Gorilla’s debut record and they already sound perfect. This band obviously listens to and have studied all of the 70’s (think Big Star, Raspberries) and 80’s (picture Romantics, Plimsouls) Power Pop greats. Gorilla manage to harness their influences and create music that sounds fresh, timeless and speaks straight to your heart. Which is what all great rock n roll bands should do but it’s easier said than done. So when a band comes along that is actually able to do this; you grab on tight and don’t let go. – J Castro
Grand Royale – Breaking the News LP (The Sign)
These
guys are from Jönköping, Sweden and play music that’s heavily influenced by
70’s hard rock bands like Bad Company, Kiss and Alice Cooper. This record was well produced, it sounds
really good (engineered by Mr. Nicke Hellacopter himself!). However I do think this may have been done a
bit to the band’s detriment. I would’ve liked
to have heard some grime smeared on some of these tracks. For example “Devils Place, and “Daily
Illustration” sound a tad sluggish.
However others like “Know It All” and the Thin Lizzy sounding “Live With
Your Lie” and “I’m On the Loose” carry enough weight on their own to sound just
right the way they are. – J Castro
Green Circles – No Room For Circles LP (Kool Kat)
As the band puts it this is a collection of “odds
and sods.” Green Circles have been going strong since 1998 and No Room for Circles is a quick run of
the bands’ material. This LP has early demos, re-recorded version of previously
released songs. Green Circles are an Australian garage/psych band that pulls
from an array of ‘60’s bands like Gene Clark, whose “Elevator Operator” the
band covers. – Ed Stuart 
Homeless Gospel Choir – Normal 7” (A-F)
Homeless Gospel
Choir or better known as Derek Zanetti is a one man band much like Bright Eyes
was Conor Oberst. Homeless Gospel Choir really strives to cut to the emotional
core of the songs with more of a storyteller ethos than just merely singing
lyrics. Zanetti, in the past, has dealt with topics like turning 30 and forced
into the prospect of growing up, greed and privilege. “Normal” is about his
search to find other kids who were on the same wavelength who exist outside the
norm. “Why” is more like Woody Guthrie meets Billy Bragg with a vocal delivery
closer to Bright Eyes. – Ed Stuart
The Jetz – Cracked Up LP (Queen Mum)
This
is a brand new record from an incredible band that was around during the glory days
of the late 1970’s in London. They play
some of the most brilliant punk propelled power pop that I’ve ever heard in my
42 years of walking this miserable planet!
I put the Jetz right up there
with The Undertones, Buzzcocks, etc. This record will grab your ear at track
one and won’t let you go. More
importantly, you don’t want it to! Queen
Mum Records also put out an LP/CD anthology of this band’s original recordings
from back in the heyday a few years ago.
I’ll be on the hunt for that now!
- J Castro
Jim Jones & the Righteous Mind – Super Natural LP (Hound Gawd)
This
is the new project from British born front man Mr. Jim Jones, formally of the
Jim Jones Revue. This new band of his has
a lot less of that savage MC5, Jerry Lee Lewis old time-y rock n’ roll vibe
than The Jim Jones Review did. This record
sounds like Hanoi Rocks merged with Motorhead with Tom Waits on vocals. And sprinkle some Cramps style wickedness on
top of all that. To get a better idea of
what I’m babbling about, check out the macabre videos the band made for a
couple of the songs off of this record; “Boil Your Blood” and “Aldecide”. There’s some seriously dark and unsettling
images in there, done in all the right ways.
– J Castro
Kuken – S/T LP (Drunken Sailor)
I guess Kuken
doesn’t really believe in LP titles other than self-titled, but when your LP is
full of rippers it doesn’t matter what you name your album. Kuken gets to the
punk rock core, sped up ‘50’s rock n’ roll, like Kids did on their first LP.
Kuken isn’t afraid to take basic punk philosophy of “We only need a few chords
per song” and make it mean again. These ex-Kidnappers are on to something with
their mix of Kids, early Saints, KBD and assorted ’77 influences. It sounds
funny to say, but playing punk this simple is actually harder than it sounds,
but Kuken seems to master the form.
– Ed Stuart
The Lillingtons – Project 313 EP (Red Scare)
This
is the first recording by the Wyoming pop punkers in 11 years! That’s a long time wouldn’t you say? Have they lost their mojo, do they sound like
a watered down copy of their younger selves?
The answer is no on both accounts!
One of my favorite songs by this band is “Don’t Trust The Humanoids”
form their 1999 record called Death by
Television. I’d say that each and
every song on this new EP is on par with that!
All four songs on here have the guitars turned up to maximum blast
radius and the hooks and melodies are in top form. The Lillingtons recording style reminds me a
lot of those old Riverdales records on Lookout and that’s a very good
thing. Welcome back Lillingtons, you’ve
been missed. - J Castro
Lost Balloons - Hey Summer LP (Dirtnap)
This
band is essentially made up of two individuals; Jeff Burke (of Marked
Men/Radioactivity fame) and Yuskue Okada (of Suspicious Beasts fame). Both of these guys produce phenomenal music
on their own but together, they’ve made something truly magical. Hey
Summer toggles back and forth between a breezy melodic indie rock style and
more rapid tempo Radioactivity style burners.
It sounds jarring and ill fit but I assure you it somehow works,
especially when there’s great songs that fall in both categories that serve as
a buffer. Jeff and Yuskue must have such
kindred spirits to have created an album like this in the manner in which they
did. – J Castro
Lost Balloons – Liquor Store 7” (Wild Honey)
The
Burke/Okada team keeps on swinging for the fences on this amazing two song 7”
brought to us by Italy’s Wild Honey Records.
These songs are actually from 2011 and come from the first ever
recording session Jeff and Yuskue ever did together. That’s what makes these two songs even more
impressive. The fact that this is the
first time they ever recorded and the songs come out this cohesive. The title track “Liquor Store” is the
Radioactivity style rave up and the B-Side, a little number called “Dirty
Sandy” is the more breezy and mellow of the two. If you like the LP on Dirtnap Records, then this
is absolutely essential. – J Castro
Macho Boys – S/T LP (Dirt Cult)
Macho
Boys is the kind of punk band that if you like punk music, you can’t not like
them. This Portland quartet encapsulate
every element that I got into punk rock for in the first place. The vocals are shouted with fire breathing
intensity. The guitar volume is set to
“take no prisoners” levels, and the rhythm section provides a solid back bone
that drives it all at pedal to the floor aggression. Macho Boys fits right snuggly in with bands
like G.L.O.S.S. (RIP) and War on Women.
Macho Boys can be intense yet goofy at the same time, see their ode to
Stone Cold Steve Austin aptly titled “Stone Cold”. And that’s what makes me like them even more. –
J Castro
Mad Doctors – No Waves, Just Sharks LP (King Pizza)
Deep in the
laboratorial scuzz lives the beating B-movie heart of Mad Doctors. While
claiming to be from Planet Pizza, a nod to King Pizza and Brooklyn NYC, Mad
Doctors churn out equal parts fuzz and reverb in heavy doses. Most of No Waves, Just Sharks songs with start
with samples/skits, which a lot of times doesn’t work, but with Mad Doctors it
seems to fit the band’s personality. Mad Doctors plays a fuzzed KBD/garage
scuzz that doesn’t have enough weed to be stoner rock and enough lo-fi
production to keep them in check. – Ed Stuart
MAMA/Private Interests – Split 7” (Pinata)
Two of the
hottest bands right now are doing a split together. Is this going to be great?
Yes! All four songs on this split are so good. MAMA is up first and they
continue to turn Thin Lizzy, MC5, Cheap Trick and Raspberries into musical
gold. “Girls Next Door” sounds like a hit from ‘70’s rock radio bygone era. How
this band doesn’t get more attention, I don’t know. Next up are Private
Interests who channels 20/20 and The Beat. “Finest Hour” is the winner from
Private Interests. It’s got the kind of sturdy hook you could build a house on.
– Ed Stuart
Marvelous Mark – Buzzin LP (Drunken
Sailor)
Who knew that
you just needed a fuzzbox, and a bunch of old Dinosaur Jr. and Weezer
influences to make something sound this good? Oh yeah, well don’t forget
Marvelous Mark, ex-Marvelous Darlings, and his superb songwriting. Buzzin is a collection of two EP’s, Husband Material and Bite Me that were originally released
before Crushin’, his debut LP, plus 7 new songs. Mark really has a
knack for writing late ‘90’s/early ‘00’s influenced alternative pop gems and it
shows over this LP. – Ed Stuart
Moron’s Morons – S/T 7” (No Front Teeth)
This is lo-fi
garage punk that would make Rip Off Records proud. Hell, Moron’s Morons would
be on the label. This band is writing punk rock blasts played at high speed,
but recorded on an old cassette recorder, which doesn’t matter to the band.
This originally was self-released by the band as their Trash Can Glory demo, but No Front Teeth has given this a proper
release. ’77 Kids meets Teengenerate and Registrators. – Ed Stuart
Thee MVP’s – ELH 7” (Bachelor)
I
remember reviewing this band’s cassette Slovenly Recordings released a few
years ago. I remember liking it but I
also thought I remembered it had more of a 1960’s garage rock feel to it. The two A-Side tunes on here sound like they
could have been a crown jewel on the Merge Records roster in the 1990’s. Nothing wrong with that at all, they’re both
marvelously loud, raggedy pop tunes like Superchunk. The B-Sides are killer, no nonsense
renditions of Thee Mighty Caesar's “Lie Detector” and The Damned’s “Neat Neat
Neat”. So yes, this record rules the
school! I’m going to be keeping my eye on
London’s The MVP’s! – J Castro
Needles//Pins – Good Night Tomorrow LP (Dirt Cult)
Has it really
three years since the last Needles//Pins LP? The first thing to notice on Good Night Tomorrow is the gruffness of
the vocals and the heavier feel to a lot of the songs. “Miracle” sounds like
Jawbreaker playing punk-pop with the seriousness of Stiff Little Fingers. There
is more Jawbreaker/Replacements/Husker Du influence than previous LP’s especially
on a track like “Boil.” Does this mean Needless//Pins threw away all past
influences? No, they didn’t. What they have done is not to be afraid to get a
little darker in their pop delivery. What is that saying about every light
needs the dark to make you appreciate the light even more. Good Night Tomorrow is a lot like that. – Ed Stuart
No Borders – The Walls They Build….The Walls We Break Cassette (Self Released)
No
Borders are a political Hardcore bruiser punk trio From Ottawa, Ontario. The songs have fast tempos and feel like
arrows whizzing past your head at times.
Some of the songs have a break down but still hit like a wrecking ball
straight to the gut. The band sounds
solid and the lyrics are well written.
The lyrics are about social struggle, immigration, and police
corruption. I used to think music and
politics shouldn’t be mixed. But in
times like these, it’s reassuring that there are bands like No Borders out
there fighting and hopefully making people open their eyes a bit. Their music is actually a bit of fresh
air. – J Castro
No Use For A Name – Rarities Vol 1: Covers LP (Fat
Wreck)
This is the
first No Use for a Name or NUFAN release in over a decade. In 2012, Tony Sly
singer/guitarist/songwriter passed away at early age. Prior to this, No Use Of
A Name had been a Fat staple since the mid-90’s and was very successful in
their own right. Rarities show the
band’s versions of covers that were intended to use on band LP’s, tributes and
comps, but most never made it. NUFAN covers D.I., Misfits, Pogues, Depeche
Mode, KISS and The Vapors to name a few. It’s safe to bet that most listeners
have heard the majority of the original versions of these tracks, but for No
Use For A Name fans, it’s a trip down memory lane. – Ed Stuart
The Not Amused – Flat Broke LP (Wanda)
The
Not Amused are a band based in Berlin, Germany and consist of 3 dapper fellas
and one equally sharp dressed damsel drummer.
The group crank out some top notch Mod kissed Power Pop songs with a
Punk edge. Yeah they’re not the first to
come up with this style but they’re one of the best bands doing it right
now. The Not Amused have been around
since 2009 and have a number of releases under their belt on various
labels. I do believe that this is the
best record of their career so far.
Let’s hope they’ve got plenty more tucked away somewhere in pockets of
those Merc Suits!
- J Castro
Pale Kids – Holy Mess 7” (Drunken
Sailor)
Is there an
irony in a band from England that channels Northern Ireland bands like
Undertones, Rudi and Protex so well? Well, maybe not. Holy Mess is a mix of all of those great bands with heavy indie
‘90’s influence like Superchunk. If you are a fan of Martha, you really need to
pick up this Pale Kids because they both have the same magic of writing hooky
punk-pop that nestles into your ear and makes a home there. – Ed Stuart
Pale Lips – Should’ve Known Better 7” (Surfin Ki/Resurrection)
Fresh
from their European tour and LP release, Montreal’s Pale Lips are already back
again with a marvelous new EP! The two
songs on here aren’t second rate leftovers either, they’re both hard rockin’
gems! Yeah they’ve got some Nikki &
The Corvettes going on and some Runaways I suppose but their music is also
splashed with Real Kids/John Felice style guitars and littered with 60’s
Bubblegum sing along choruses. The thing
that really differentiates Pale Lips music for me are the tempos. Their songs aren’t delivered in super-fast
buzz saw speed. This lets you really
take in the no frills melodies that their songs are structured around. – J Castro
Patsy’s Rats – Is It Alright 7” (Wink
and Spit)
Patsy’s Rats may be the hottest band in power-pop.
The Portland wunder band features Patsy Gelb (Scavenger Cunt), Christian Blunda
(Mean Jeans) and a revolving rhythm section. For this release it’s Steve and
Jon from Mope Grooves. Their song “Rock N Roll Friend” was featured in Noisey
and many other press machines. Is It
Alright, oddly, seems to have slipped under the radar, which is odd
considering the press the band has been receiving. The problem might be because
Dirtnap is releasing another Rats 7-inch this summer and the press is covering
that release instead. The band really nails ‘70’s early Tom Petty/Dwight
Tilley. “Is It Alright” sounds like the ’70 American power-pop played by The
Cars. “Givin’ Up” is a duet between the singers and is the more melancholy of
the two. – Ed Stuart 
Perverts Again – My Accident 7” (Total Punk)
Apparently
this is Total Punk’s 50th release as a record label. Cleveland’s Perverts Again are a really good
way to mark that monumental anniversary of theirs. It’s a pretty good representation of the kind
of music these ferocious Floridians have been putting out over the years. The two songs on this 7” are strange, ominous
and yet somehow really catchy. The
A-Side is probably my favorite though.
The repetitiveness and the droning delivery style of the lyrics almost
give these songs an early Devo feel, only way more demented. And I mean that in the best possible
way. - J Castro
Piss Test – LP II LP (Dirt Cult)
The
punk Portlandian trio lets loose yet another excellent LP on the land. I remember first hearing Piss Test on the No Rules No Fun Compilation LP a few
years back. I liked the song so much it
made me want to seek out their records and that led me to interview them a
little while back. My point being is
that this band hasn’t lost their anything since, not one bit. They still hit like a claw hammer to the
head. Their songs are short, violent
bursts that detonate in your face. The
thing I like the most about this band is the no nonsense approach to their
music. It’s not polished and there are no
fret board fondling guitar solos. This is
punk rock in its purest form. -
J Castro
Plax – Clean Feeling LP (Super Secret)
These
guys are being labeled somewhat of a “super group”. They’re from Austin, TX and the band has
members in it from groups like Spray Paint and OBN IIIs. Pretty impressive aye? You can certainly hear those bands in here along
with some Oh Sees as well. But Plax
exudes more of a dark chaotic vibe than any of those guys. The tunes here have a steady tempo and travel
on a pre-determined trajectory with impressive velocity. The way the music is recorded, it sounds
bottom heavy. Kind of like a volcano you
can hear rumbling beneath your feet moments before it explodes fiery death
through the air. – J Castro
Puke Spit & Guts – Eat Hot Lead LP (Slovenly Recordings)
This
record is a reissue of this bands LP who were loose in Southern California in
the early 1980’s. This is some wild,
ferocious and totally demented “punk rock”.
It kind of sounds like a mix of the Dictators the Dead Boys, and the
Rezillos if they were all disgruntled circus performers. Judging by the photos of this band,
theatrics were plentiful in their live shows.
The lyrics are not for the faint of heart and I’m sure were done for
shock value back in the day. But it’s
enough to send a safe space dwelling millennial into a full blown coma. There are some real gems among the bizarre
bloody wreckage in here. - J Castro
Radioactivity – Infected 7” (Wild Honey)
Both of these
songs were written before Radioactivity was born. Both songs are darker than
normal Radioactivity songs, which is something since the band revels in the
darker tinged pop. “Sleep” is about dying while “Infected” is about a poisoned
relationship. Jeff Burke is a writing machine and has really carved out a niche
for himself with Radioactivity, Marked Men, Lost Balloons and numerous bands.
He has a knack for taking punk-pop and adding a certain vocal poignancy that
you either have or don’t. When coaches talk about the un-teachables, this is
one of them. Both songs are wonderful and to think Burke sat on these gems is
incredible. Most bands would kill for songs of this quality and would have released
them immediately while Burke has such a treasure trove of songs he can afford
to have them wait. – Ed Stuart
Råttanson – Full-Scale Shakeability LP (Open Mind)
From
the information that I can scrape together on this release, Råttanson is a one man band from Sweden. On the band's Facebook page the music is described as “a blend of garage rock, pub rock, power pop, surf,
punk, blues and country”. I know that
sounds like a lot and maybe a tad ridiculous but believe it or not that hits
the mark pretty well. Råttanson do play some
pretty catchy tunes with Link Wray/Dick
Dale reverb heavy guitar licks. The songs have some venom in them too. The
execution is a tad loose and ramshackle, which is where the “garage” aspect
comes into play. Overall it’s a pretty
solid record and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something off the
beaten path. – J Castro
Real Sickies – Cool Club 7” (Teenage Rampage)
This
is the follow up to the band’s outstanding debut cassette they released in 2015. The Real Sickies have been holding out on us
for far too long. This two song 7” is
more of the same, thank the maker for that!
Edmonton’s Real Sickies make the kind of high quality rock n roll that
makes you forget all of your troubles, and replaces it with a kick of
adrenaline. These guys take what’s great
about old school melodic punk rock, shake it up and throw it back at you with
electrifying results. They take the same
kind of souped up Chuck Berry riffs and plug it into a heart pounding drum beat
just like these four guys with funny haircuts from New York used to –
J Castro
The Rich Hands – Take Care LP (Resurrection)
This
album is an absolute rock n roll colossus.
Austin’s Rich Hands has got it, trapped it, drinks it, and radiates
it. Every time I think they can’t top
their last effort they do and not just by a little. I’m floored by how good these guys get every
time they record. This new one, their 3rd
is a 1970’s rollicking Rolling Stones/Faces influenced behemoth for the new
generation. They don’t just go out and
rip off a bunch of licks either. These
guys get where their heroes came from and take from the same well. They’re three young guys with old souls and
that’s a rare thing. This is one of, if
not THE best LP I’ve heard all year. –
J Castro
Rob Clarke and the Wooltones – Walking On The Water 7” (Wooltone)
The
Wooltones take it on the slow side this time around on this new EP. The tracks on here exude an old world melody
that is so delicate that it too can sit right on top of the water’s
meniscus. They have a really cool video
accompanying the title track. It depicts
images of Viking/Norse life. I’m not
entirely sure what the song is about but it does go really well with the
video. The B-Side of the EP, “Walking on
the Waves” is an instrumental version of the title track. I never thought I’d say this, but I actually
prefer the instrumental version. It has
some added instrumentation to replace the vocals and it just makes the piece
sound so much more robust. – J Castro
Rob Clarke and the Wooltones – Jump In My Igloo 7” (Wooltone)
I feel like I
should write a spoiler alert to begin this review since I will ruin the
surprise. Essentially with, Jump In My
Igloo, the listener is getting the same song twice, but with a little
twist. One song version contains vocals and the other version is instrumental
and called “Shilling For Gas.” What Clarke does on this single is tap into
‘60’s British Beat/Mersey Beat to write a mid tempo groove rocker with a
Harrison influenced Middle Eastern melody placed right on top. – Ed Stuart
Rockatanskys – S/T 7” (Jarama)
Damn, Jarama
knows how to pick these bands for singles. This is the debut release from the
Spanish label and it’s a good start. Rockatanskys, from Canada, I know,
channels Teenage Head, Ramones and Pointed Sticks as played by early KDB bands.
“Smash TV” is the smash song of the single and the most pop of the three. Does
this mean discount the other two tracks? No. “Wasted” and “Come Swim With Me”
both have a slightly tougher ‘77 Teenage Head feel. – Ed Stuart
The Rubs – Impossible Dream LP (Hozac)
The Rubs aka
Joey Rubbish are back with the follow-up to The
Rubs Are Trash. First thing of note is that Joey Rubbish writes and plays
every note of The Rubs. Impossible Dream
is more ‘70’s American power-pop, Big Star, mixed with Rockpile/Graham
Parker/Dave Edmunds funneled through Modern Lovers simplicity. This time around
The Rubs are less about lo-fi energy for it’s own sake and instead are going
straight for the ‘70’s pop jugular with songs like “Judy,” “Ruby,” and “Amy.” –
Ed Stuart
Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs – S/T LP (Dine Alone/Burger)
After a number
of singles and their debut LP, Gates Of
Hell, in 2014, Sam Coffey and his Iron Lungs are back. This time the rock
is bigger and better. First, the guitars are thick and heavy and driving this
record. This self-titled LP is full of Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, guitar-pop,
rock, new wave, ‘80’s pop-metal influence and punk. Just when you think that
was enough, Coffey and the Lungs throw a three-song trilogy to just to fill
your ‘70’s stadium rock heart. Coffey has steered the Iron Lungs in a rock-pop
direction and on this LP it really pays off. – Ed Stuart
Shotgun Sawyer – You Got To Run 7” (Self Released)
Cool
Led Zeppelin style bluesy rock from this Auburn, CA Trio. And I mean the “Rock n Roll” and “Communication
Breakdown” style Zeppelin not the wimpy Houses
of the Holy type stuff. These guys
play loud and dirty with guitar riffs o-plenty!
The singer sounds a little like Ian Astbury of the Cult, which is
fantastic! The B-Side is a swampy ditty
titled “Backwoods Bear” and it has more of a Creedence Clearwater Revival feel
that’s radiating a similar vibe to “Run Through The Jungle”. Shotgun Sawyer has enough swagger to own
these songs and they don’t come off as some cheesy cover band by any means. – J Castro
Skip Church – Out of Tune, In Touch With The Devil LP (Randy)
This
is the debut LP from this Chicago slacker punk quartet and it’s pretty terrific. There seems to be an influx of young people
getting together, smoking out their parents garage while simultaneously trying
to play four musical instruments somewhat cohesively. The results are usually a total crap fest but
for some reason there are labels that actually put out that schlock. Skip Church IS NOT one of these bands. Their songs are packed full of dynamite. Think Heartbreakers, Real Kids with some
Modern Lovers peppered in there. This
band aren’t the party starters, they’re the ones in the back making fun of your
haircut. – J Castro
Slow Death – Punishers LP (Rad
Girlfriend)
Slow Death takes
a few tracks to get into its Helmet meets Off With Their Heads meets Briggs
assault. The Slow Death, which has members of The Ergs and Pretty Boy Thornson
himself, plays a hearty Midwestern punk that’s as heavy as chowder is thick.
This really shouldn’t be surprising from a band with three guitars. Slow Death
isn’t happy to drive a one speed car, instead the band takes pieces of the
Midwestern’s finest, grunge and sped up Hold Steady to underscore their tales
of angst and heartbreak. – Ed Stuart
Somerset Meadows – We Will Rock 7” (Brain
Genius)
Somerset Meadows,
named after the two guitarist last names and not some real or mythical
location, hail from Portland. We Will
Rock falls into Guided By Voices territory mixed with mid-90’s alternative
played by a bar band. You could argue a case for later Replacements, but I’m
not sure if you would win that argument. – Ed Stuart
Sore Points – Don’t Want To 7” (Hosehead)
Damn, Canada,
you have done it again. Ex-members of Nervous Talk and Spectres are back with a
fury. Naturally, you would assume another power-pop band since Canada is
flooded with them, but not here. Sore Points channels Blitz, DOA and Zero Boys
in a ’77 KBD knife fight like their life depending on it. Last year, the band
self-released their demo, which is where these tracks first appeared. Don’t Want To is a ’77 ripper that is unrelenting
and unwavering in its commitment and sound to first wave punk. – Ed Stuart
The Strollers – Tough Hits LP (Low Impact)
The Strollers is
a little like a sleeper hit. The Stroller plays a fun upbeat ‘60’s garage with
active bass lines and is heavy on the organ. Tough Hits is a compilation, which contains the band’s first two
singles from ’98 on the A-side along four brand new songs on the flip side. The
Richmond Sluts used this songwriting and production to much acclaim on their
debut LP and The Strollers do the same except for replacing NY Dolls with 1910
Fruitgum Company. – Ed Stuart
Sugar and Tiger – God Save Linda Ramone 7” (Jarama)
This
French punk band consisting of two young guys, two old guys and a female
vocalist play some pretty impressive pop punk, all sung in French of
course. The title track sounds like it
could have been on Screeching Weasel’s My
Brain Hurts. You kind of know what
the song is about from the title (we don’t need no stinkin’ Google translate!)
The B-Side is a song called “La Perruque Rose” (OK maybe now I do), which
translates into “The Pink Wig” (Thanks Google Translate!) Not sure what that one is about but it’s fun
to imagine. Apparently Linda Ramone (Johnny’s
Widow) herself caught wind of the song and digs it! How cool is that? – J Castro
Sushicorner – Konichiwow LP (Alien Snatch)
This
is the debut album from this duo from the Italian island of Sardinia. They play some high strung, mid-tempo songs
packed full of organ and sass. The
record is self-recorded by the two guys and has a healthy dose of reverb
coating all of the songs. Some of the
tunes are pretty catchy and remind me of a scrappier, slowed down Radioactivity
mixed with Pavement’s wisenheimer attitude.
In fact, the whole album has a heavy 90’s era “college band” feel to
it. It also reminds me a lot of this
2009 record called Hippies from this Austin,
TX band called Harlem. – J Castro
Talk Show Host – Not Here To Make Friends EP (Self-release)
Teenage Bottlerocket – Stealing The Covers LP (Fat Wreck
Chords)
To
me, no other band around now personifies the term “Pop Punk” better than
Teenage Bottlerocket. This is indeed a
covers album (as you might have guessed by the title), however you probably
won’t recognize a lot of these songs since the band decided to cover some
pretty obscure songs. For example Juke’s
“College Town” and Head’s “No Hugging No Learning”. If you’ve lived under a sea shell for the
past decade and you haven’t heard of these guys before, is this the best album
to start with? Probably not but if you
start somewhere else you’ll end up here eventually. Because like potato chips, you can’t just
have one Teenage Bottlerocket record! – J Castro
Today’s Hits – S/T LP (Randy)
The backstory of
Today’s Hits is that that band leader, James Swanberg had the idea of writing a
song a day and uploading those songs to his Tumblr page. What started out as a
fluke idea became a passion for James and he ended up writing over 1,000 in a
three year span. After moving to Chicago, Swanberg decided to make a band with
all those songs and Today’s Hits were born. This S/T LP is filled with songs from
this mighty catalog. Today’s Hits plays a ‘60’s medolic, lo-fi, stoner pop that
would fit at home on lazy afternoon with time to spare. – Ed Stuart
TV Crime – Clocking In 7” (Drunken Sailor)
TV
Crime are one of the coolest active bands out there right now. I though this when I first heard their
marvelous debut 7” Hooligans that
they released last year and now hearing this my feelings have solidified. These guys have a captivating way of blending
The Ramones, The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers and The Real Kids into a
solid and unique sound. And they’re from
Nottingham to boot! I’m a Robin Hood
nut, and YES I know he wasn’t real but this just adds to TV Crime’s
coolness! I don’t go to many shows
anymore, but if TV Crime came to my town, I’d gladly come out of hiding. – J
Castro
Van Dammes – Vild Days EP (Vild Recordings)
“Punk Rock
Drummer” and “Thunderbirds Are Go” sound like something out of the Spits/Ramones
catalog, but with far more synth and fuzzy distorted bass. Finland’s Van Dammes
are back with their third EP, Vild Days
and they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. “Punk Rock Drummer” is the
kind of tunes the Epoxies used to write. “Thunderbirds Are Go” has a catchy
chorus over a hard driving bass line. Van Damnes are keeping the songs short
and sweet on this EP. – Ed Stuart
Violence Creeps – Ease The Seed Bag 7” (Drunken Sailor)
Violence
Creeps are a quartet from Oakland, CA. Which
is funny because when I first started listening to them, I immediately thought
of bands like Black Fork, Blatz and Jack Acid before I actually knew where they
were from. They remind me of bands from
there that were pissed off and played a little sloppy. But the more I thought about it, Violence
Creeps take what those bands did but scrape the bottom sludge even more. Take your old Blatz/Filth split record and
get a razor blade. Now cut the shit out
of it, I mean really gouge some chunks out!
Now put that on your turn table and that’s a more of an accurate
representation of what Violence Creeps do. –
J Castro
Voice of Addiction – Lost Art of Empathy LP (Self Released)
This
is the new record by this long running Chicago punk outfit. These guys have been putting out their own
records and merch out since 2004. For
doing it DIY style since then is quite impressive. Voice of Addiction’s music it street tough
yet melodic not unlike newer Bad Religion tunes but with more of a low and growling
style vocal delivery. The band lists
some pretty diverse bands/musicians as influences, such as Woody Guthrie and
the Pietasters. They also list bands
like Dead and Gone, Born Against, Fugazi, Rollins Band and The Business as
musical inspiration as well, which are much more apparent on this record . – J Castro 
Wyldlife – Out On Your Block LP (Wicked
Cool)
This is easily
one of the best LP’s I’ve heard all year. Granted this LP has been out for a
while, but that’s doesn’t mean it isn’t awesome. Typically, third LP’s take the
band into another direction which a lot of times alienates/pisses off early
fans, but Wyldife did the opposite and stayed themselves instead. Wyldlife has
always had a great knack for having Beat style power-pop hooks over gritty NY
Dolls/Dictators/Hanoi Rocks 1970’s style punk with a lifestyle that steers
toward debauchery and excess. Their first two LP’s have cemented this
reputation. On Out On your Block,
it’s almost has if every song is a hit. “Deadbeat” and “Bandida” should be on
every radio station in American other than Underground Garage. Wyldife have let
the pop melodies really drive this LP without losing their rock n’ roll heart
like early Cheap Trick did. Wyldlife have written some of the strongest songs
in the bands history and of 2017 without losing what they do and staying true
to themselves. – Ed Stuart
Young, Planetary – I Am the Night and You’re The Sunrise EP (Hidden Home)
love your reviews, thanks for the mention. if the new frenzal rhomb is your first exposure to them, check out their previous album, it's light years better than the new one https://frenzalrhomb.bandcamp.com/album/smoko-at-the-pet-food-factory
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