Disket - "Running"

When it comes to the type of music I like, Disket could not be much more on the money. The New York–based band has just released its first single on General Speech, and it's the perfect mashup of old school punk and late '70s-style power pop. The band, featuring Dani Tute on vocals backed by Mary and Claudia from Baby Shakes, Myke from Mala Vista, and Roberto from Vaxine, more than lives up to its star power promise on this red-hot double A-sider. "Running" barely exceeds the 90-second mark and will quickly have you in vigorous head-bobbing, toe-tapping mode. On the flip, the snappy "Vamos a ganar" eases off the gas pedal just a little but still packs one hell of a punch. This, my friends, is how you do it. The songwriting is aces, and both of these songs are equally parts catchy and rockin'. If you're left wanting more, be sure to check out Disket's demos from last summer. Hit up General Speech to pre-order the new single on black or green vinyl. This thing is going to be on everyone's top ten list at year's end!

-L.R.

https://generalspeech.bandcamp.com/album/running-b-w-vamos-a-ganar
https://disketnyc.bandcamp.com/album/demos
https://www.instagram.com/disketnyc/
https://www.generalspeech.com/

1996 Revisited (Again!)

When I recently realized that all the records that I bought new in 1996 would be turning thirty years old this year, I got an idea. A bunch of years ago, I did a post called "1996 Revisited." What if I did a sequel to "1996 Revisited" but re-ranked these releases based on how I feel about them today? I told my friend Jay Castro about this idea, and he pitched the idea of us both writing about our favorite releases of 1996 and then tandem-posting on our blogs. And that's exactly what we have done! You can read Jay's list over at his site Shock Treatment. 

One thing I want to emphasize is that in 1996, I was listening to punk rock and very little else. I was buying LPs, CDs, and 7-inches like crazy and going to punk shows whenever I could. If I listened to the radio at all, it was the oldies station. I more or less completely disconnected myself from anything that was new on the radio or MTV. Certainly I've become aware over the years of other music that came out in '96. But for this list, I'm keeping it almost entirely to punk rock. That isn't to say that I bought all these records in '96, but I did buy most of them. So I listened back to all this stuff and decided to rank these albums and 7" records based on how much I like them now. There are items on this list that I didn't properly appreciate until years later, and there are a few things I loved in '96 that I'm pretty "Meh!" about today. But I've found that most of what I liked thirty years ago is stuff I still really, really like. Perhaps that means that I've had zero growth in my musical tastes over the last three decades (not surprising, ha ha!). 

1996 was a pivotal year for me. I had been a big pop-punk guy in the years prior to that, but in '96, I moved into a lot of the bands that had influenced '90s pop-punk, which ultimately led me to the newer '77-style punk bands and then garage punk. This was really the year that I fully settled on what my favorite kind of music was, and I've been in that lane ever since. Every title on this list still holds up for me. Perhaps you'll discover something here that's new to you or re-discover something you haven't thought about it in years. On to it! 

My Ten Favorite Albums of 1996 

10. The Lillingtons - Shit out of Luck (Clearview Records) 

While The Lillingtons at this point had not yet cultivated the sci-fi/horror/conspiracy themes that would ultimately define them, they arrived fully formed in terms of being a perfect three-chord pop-punk band with darkly funny lyrics and a unique singer. No shade to their later releases, but if I'm going to listen to The Lillingtons, I'm most likely reaching for their early stuff. To me, Shit out of Luck is a classic of '90s pop-punk. 

9. The Showcase Showdown - Appetite of Kings (Elevator Music)

Back in the '90s, we just called this "pogo punk." What do you call it now? I don't know, but it's awesome. 16 tracks of hyper-fast snotty punk rock with tongue-in-cheek lyrics that kind of brings to mind Johnny Rotten fronting The Toy Dolls. A stone cold gem from Boston. 

8. D Generation - No Lunch (Columbia Records)

I sometimes forget what an absolute ball of fire this record is. D Generation put out a debut album on Chrysalis Records in 1994 that was heavily hyped but probably mis-produced for a glam-punk record. After getting dropped by Chrysalis, the band found itself on Columbia Records and working with producer Ric Ocasek, who totally "got" what this band was all about. No Lunch is a perfect blend of grimy '70s punk and glam/hard rock with pop hooks a plenty. Shoulda been huge! 

7. Swingin' Utters - A Juvenile Product of the Working Class (Fat Wreck Chords)

I remember being so surprised that the Utters moved to Fat Wreck Chords for their second album. That's kind of funny now considering they've remained on the label ever since! In my mind, I always remembered there being a slight drop-off from Streets of San Francisco to A Juvenile Product of the Working Class. Listening back today, I have to say I was wrong. The level of songwriting here is beyond impressive. The Utters were never done any favors by people pigeonholing them in the "street punk" scene. This is just a great melodic old school punk rock record with the heart and soul of folk music.  

6. The Automatics (U.S.A.) - self-titled (Mutant Pop Records)

I played the hell out of this CD all through '96, and I am pleased to discover that I still love it. To me, The Automatics were far and away the most underrated pop-punk band of the '90s. Their sound was unique too: mixing hilariously snotty punk rock with bubblegum melodies and harmonies, lo-fi garage punk production, and a frantic speed & energy that just about left you breathless. If the two-minute punk song is the model of efficiency, one-and-a-half minutes is even better! 

5. The Queers - Don't Back Down (Lookout! Records)

I can't think of a whole lot of bands that have had a run of albums as good as what The Queers put out between 1993 and '96. If Love Songs for the Retarded was the band's masterpiece, Don't Back Down rates a solid #2. I love the way this album alternates between vintage Queers punk snot-rockets and pure pop songs with bubblegum and surf influences. This was The Queers' peak moment, and it still holds up three decades later. 

4. Registrators - Terminal Boredom (Rip Off Records)

At a time when Teengenerate defined why trashy, stripped-to-its-core, budget garage punk was awesome, The Registrators were like their little brothers who somehow sounded catchier and even more recklessly enthusiastic. This album was a game-changer for garage punk in the '90s, and it's still the only Registrators record I need to listen to. 

3. Mr. T. Experience - Love Is Dead (Lookout! Records)

This is the pop-punk band that even a lot of people who don't like pop-punk will admit to liking. Basically anything that MTX released in the '90s was top-notch, but this album was Dr. Frank's magnum opus. In retrospect, I now realize that MTX's charm was that they were a pop-punk for people who liked power pop (or was it the other way around?). With its smart & funny lyrics, undeniable hooks, and simple punchy guitar sound, Love Is Dead stands as one of the greatest pop-punk records of the '90s or any other decade. 

2. Beat Angels - Unhappy Hour (Epiphany) 

I was a latecomer to this band, having been swayed by Charles Matthews' steadfast evangelism. I found their first two albums in the bargain bin and played both constantly throughout the late '90s and early 2000s. There was no other band like the Beat Angels, and perhaps that was the problem. No one knew what to make of them. Were they punks, glam rockers, barroom poets, or pop stars for misfits? Perhaps it was all of the above. Unhappy Hour is truly a flawless album full of perfect pop made for people who love the Ramones, Clash, and New York Dolls.  

1. The Humpers - Live Forever or Die Trying (Epitaph Records)

I was not yet hip to this album in '96, but today I would call it one of the greatest punk rock albums ever released. Anyone who thought that signing to Epitaph Records would lead to the neutering of The Humpers was dead wrong. The power and ferocity of Live Forever or Die Trying still knock me on my ass. This album and its predecessor Positively Sick on 4th Street practically invented that sub-genre of music that mixed snotty 1977 punk rock with Chuck Berry and Little Richard and then doused the whole thing in rocket fuel. Add in a pinch of SoCal punk swagger, and you've got an untouchable band. Songs like "Wake Up and Lose," "Fast, Fucked & Furious," "Beyond Belief," "Loser's Club," and "Anarchy Juice" smash just as hard today as they did thirty years ago. Imitators abounded in subsequent years, but the genuine article could never be topped. 

Honorable Mentions

The Strike - A Conscience Left to Struggle with Pockets Full of Rust

The No-Talents - self titled 

U.S. Bombs - Garibaldi Guard 

Chixdiggit - self titled 

The Slobs - Down the Tubes

My Ten Favorite 7" Records of 1996 

10. The Wongs - "Get Away!" (Rerun Records)

An often overlooked gem of later '90s lo-fi garage punk trash. When I sometimes feel like the angry old man running kids off my lawn, I'll ask why bands don't write good, old-fashioned songs like "Jerkin' It To The Trashwomen" anymore. 

9. The Queers - Bubblegum Dreams (Lookout! Records)

Even though the first song was an album cut, the exclusive tracks are essential in their own right. "Never Ever" is one of the band's finest pop songs, and that Muffs cover is pure gold. 

8. Parasites - "(Our Love Is) Top Secret" (Rocco Records)

This was right around the time when the Parasites were my favorite band on the planet, and I certainly was not disappointed in this single. 

7. Moral Crux - "Victim of Hype" (Mutant Pop Records)

We can argue all day if it's really accurate to call Moral Crux a "pop-punk" band. I might call them a '77-style pop-punk band, a pop-punk band for revolutionaries, or just a punk band. You can just call them one of the best bands of the '90s, period. 

6. The Spastics - "Cherry Pop" (Rip Off Records)

I know you can get in trouble when you start talking about the best records that ever came out on Rip Off Records. But this is definitely one of the best records that ever came out on Rip Off Records. If they had stuck around longer, they would have been one of the biggest bands in punk rock. 

5. The Prostitutes - "Get Me Sick!" (Pelado Records)

On their classic debut single, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's finest sounded wildly ferocious and genuinely dangerous. This was my introduction to both The Prostitutes and Pelado Records — two names that always come to mind when I reflect on why later '90s punk rock ruled. 

4. Loli and the Chones - "Makeout Party" (Rip Off Records)

The next year, this band would release perhaps the greatest punk rock album of the decade. This precursor wasn't too shabby either. 

3. Dimestore Haloes - "Hate My Generation" (Junk Records)

The debut single from the band that would quickly become my favorite of the '90s. The A-side is an anthem of its time. 

2. The Beltones - "My Old Man" (Just Add Water)

The Beltones were one of the best punk bands of the later '90s and never really got proper credit for it. This single was the band's greatest moment: two stone-cold punk rock bangers featuring the raspy pipes and raw, honest lyrical brilliance of Mr. Bill McFadden.  

1. The Bobbyteens - "Firecracker" (Super*Teem!) 

I've often called this my favorite single of all-time, and I'll still stand by that. The epitome of low budget garage punk rock 'n' roll greatness. Can somebody please get this band's entire discography up on digital platforms?  

Honorable Mentions 

The Decibels - "Radio" 

Apocalypse Babys - "I Don't Wanna Be A Nazi"

Webster - "1000 Letters" and "Static"

Jakkpot - "You Ain't Shit"

Automatics - Ten Golden Greats and "Makin' Out" 

The Muffs - "I'm a Dick"

The Lillingtons - "I Lost My Marbles" 

Man! What a year! 

-L.R.

Vista Blue - Still Curlin'

Eight years ago, Vista Blue released what I believed to be the first-ever pop record dedicated to the wonderful sport of curling — a split 7" with The Zambonis. And with the 2026 Winter Olympics drawing near, the time was right for a sequel. So Vista Blue is back with a second curling-themed release titled Still Curlin' (kudos to Nolan and Conor for the brilliant Beach Boys rip-off cover art!). 

You may recall that the energy created by Vista Blue's last curling record resulted in Olympic gold for Team U.S.A. In 2022, without a Vista Blue curling release, Team Shuster came up short in the bronze medal game. And while Team Shuster has been displaced by Team Casper, optimism abounds this year. In typical VB fashion, "We're Still Curling" is an upbeat punky pop anthem about the power of persistence and dedication. I also like how this song perpetuates a mystique that the members of Vista Blue are not just fans of curling but also competitive curlers themselves. That's a very Beach Boys angle to take, and I choose to believe that it's true: like all these guys, when they're not making music, are out there on the sheet perfecting their curling skills. There are, in fact, more than enough members in Vista Blue to form a curling team. Could they take The Vapids in a match? On the digital B-side, "Where's Team Shuster?" rips at a hardcore pace and asks a question that millions of people will be asking when they tune in to the Olympics this year. Perhaps Team Shuster will be back at the French Alps in 2030, but for now, it's all about Team Casper. Here's a crazy fact: When Vista Blue released that last curling record, Daniel Casper was only 16 years old! Can he get his squad to come up big against the vaunted teams from Great Britain and Canada? We shall see! But in the meantime, I've got my soundtrack ready.

-L.R.

https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/still-curlin
https://open.spotify.com/album/2YRMIwXifnglnLCfy90400
https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/

Gene Champagne - "I Can't Pretend"

You know I always love a good cover song, so I'm more than happy to welcome Gene Champagne's new single on Rum Bar Records. It's a splendidly executed rendition of The Barracudas' 1981 classic "I Can't Pretend," a song which certainly rates as one of the greatest pure pop songs ever written. While Gene Champagne is well know as an ace drummer (The Killjoys, Teenage Head, Brad Marino, etc.), he has also shown a great knack for power pop/punk songwriting and singing with The Un-Teens and as a solo artist. And here puts his signature on an iconic tune. There is a really great history of covers of "I Can't Pretend." Teenage Head did a great version in the mid-'80s. Most people my age remember The Riverdales' cover from 1995. Then The Yum Yums recorded it in 1998. That's quite a formidable list of bands, and Gene Champagne fits right in. He takes on this song fully solo — producing, singing, and playing all the instruments. Like all the others that covered the song before him, he has the good sense to not mess around much with a perfect song. Anytime anyone covers this song, it inevitably compels a few people to seek out the album Drop Out with The Barracudas. Surely that's going to happen again, and so we thank Mr. Champagne for being the latest to spread the gospel. If you're a fan of his and are wondering if you might hear some more original songs from him this year, the Magic 8 Ball says, "Signs points to yes!"

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/i-cant-pretend-single
https://genechampagne1.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/album/2jDeB8lIEgr9NZfXPcWN83
https://www.facebook.com/p/Gene-Champagne-Music-61559100652247/

Rob Moss - "And The Lies Go Round"

Following a series of tremendous split singles from Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin, Moss has released a track that's 100% solo. Moss wrote, recorded, mixed, and played everything on "And The Lies Go Round." This is his first new original song since 2024, and it's a killer tune. We've come to expect everything from proto-punk to glam rock to post-punk from Moss. On this track, he's hitting a sweet spot for me: mid-tempo old school punk with a driving anthemic riff and a sing-along chorus. While Moss is often known for sarcasm in his lyrics, this particular song's message is more straight-forwardly serious. The song is about how people today are so quick to spread very damaging lies when they literally have no idea what they're talking about — and how this sort of thing can have very dire consequences. The lyric "And they believe/Everything that they've heard/Just like sheep/Standing in a big herd" could not be more spot-on. Since returning to the world of music back in 2020, Moss has developed a very distinctive style and sound as a lead artist. Fans of his excellent albums with Skin-Tight Skin ought to find this song very much to their liking.

-L.R.

https://skin-tight-rock.bandcamp.com/track/and-the-lies-go-round
https://www.facebook.com/RobMossAndSkinTightSkin/

The ETTERS - self-titled 7"

My biggest fail in 2025, by a wide margin, was missing the boat on the greatest garage punk album in years — the debut long player from Dutch destroyers The ETTERS. When I finally heard that record, maken je hartstikke DOOD!, it practically scorched my ears clean off my head. If you too have been waiting forever for the best album that Rip Off Records never released, you're probably already an ETTERS super-fan. If not, well, now you've got two new releases to check out! Out on France's Fish & Cheap Records, The ETTERS' new self-titled 7" delivers three furious tracks of ultra-snotty lo-fi trash in three glorious minutes. Even if you don't know a single word of Dutch, you can tell how gleefully foul-mouthed and hilariously scathing these lyrics are. And this is how you play punk rock: with reckless thumping fury and a middle finger flying in the face of entire world. On top of that, these tunes are catchier than chlamydia on a college campus. With song titles that roughly translate to "There's Nothing About You That I Don't Hate" and "Eat My Snot," you know they're not singing about sunshine and roses. Had I been hip to the full-length while we are still living in 2025, it would have easily made my top three on my year-end albums list. But hey! At least I didn't make the same mistake twice! My friends in Europe will want to grab the 7" ASAP since it's extremely limited. Here in the states, import prices are probably prohibitive. But you can certainly stream the shit out of maken je hartstikke DOOD! while you guzzle cheap beer, pogo like a maniac, and plot the ruin of everyone who has ever wronged you. Cheers to Jerry, Luna, and Kate for breathing so much life into punk rock that I feel like I'm hearing it for the first time again!

-L.R.

https://fishandcheaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-etters
https://theetters.bandcamp.com/album/the-etters-maken-je-hartstikke-dood
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ZpYz2LHocMpzXzjLnN07Q
https://www.instagram.com/the.etters/

Sugar - "Long Live Love"

Hearing Sugar back in the game literally gives me chills. This was the one band that was the biggest game-changer for me as a young adult discovering music that existed outside the mainstream. I was a heavy metal and classic rock kid in the '80s and was never really hip to much of anything beyond the FM dial. There were certainly some other bands that helped to open the gateway for me to indie/alternative rock, but Sugar was the band that busted it wide open and got me asking, "Where has this music been all my life?" I can still remember traipsing to the record store to buy Beaster and File Under: Easy Listening the day they came out. Copper Blue remains an all-time top ten '90s album for me, and of course Sugar sent me down the rabbit hole to Husker Du and then to all the melodic/poppy punk rock that has been the love of my musical life. When Sugar suddenly re-appeared on the scene last year with its first new song in 30 years, it was like reuniting with an old friend. And as good as "House of Dead Memories" was, new single "Long Live Love" is even better. I always enjoy Bob Mould the most when he's embracing the fine art of writing great pop songs. And "Long Live Love," which he actually wrote in 2007, is the very definition of a great pop song. It conjures all those '90s alt-rock feels without sounding like an exercise in nostalgia. It immediately sounds like Sugar, and that can only be a good thing. How unmistakable are those guitars and drums? Both new singles will be released as a 7" record later this year, and you can pre-order it here! Sugar is back, and the world is better for it!

-L.R.

https://open.spotify.com/album/3QcqiiLyn5KfQX6kFwhaNV
https://sugarcopperblue.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sugarcopperblue/
https://www.instagram.com/sugarcopperblue
https://www.tiktok.com/@sugarcopperblue
https://www.youtube.com/@sugarcopperblue