Sunday, May 03, 2026

Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin and 7 Door Sedan - Split single


This is my sixth time writing about Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin's split single series. This series is one of the most interesting and enjoyable musical endeavors I've had the pleasure of following in recent years. Out today is the latest installment, which finds Moss collaborating with 7 Door Sedan, the Silver Spring, Maryland–based trio featuring singer/guitarist Glenn Kowalski from legendary D.C. punk band White Boy. 

As always, the format is that the two bands cover each other. I think what I like most about this series is that nobody ever settles for a straight "faithful" cover. In his vision for what these splits ought to be, Moss really seems to encourage creative interpretations of the selected songs. And we need more of that in today's music, when cover songs are too often dismissed as filler. There's real artistic value in taking someone else's song and making it your own. 

On this release, Moss, joined by Tom McNally and Steve Naff, adds a new wrinkle to that concept. He covers not one but two songs by 7 Door Sedan: the opening and closing numbers off the band's 2008 LP Killer Good. Remarkably, Moss and Skin-Tight Skin combine "Everything in The World" and "Cement Man" so seamlessly that you might not even realize these were two separate songs. As a single track, "Everything in The World/Cement Man" is not just a creative reworking of the original songs. It's also a little bit of a different sound for Moss: less sneering '70s punk and glam and more of a moody post-punk slow burn. Moss really shows his talents as a pure singer here, and I love his rather eerie guitar work. 

On its side of the digital wax, 7 Door Sedan goes big and takes on one of Moss's signature songs: "I'm On a Rocket Ship (Heading My Way Back Home)" from the album Now With More Rockets. As you would expect from 7 Door Sedan, the T. Rex vibes loom large. Kowalski played lead guitar on the original version, so he came to this song with a unique perspective. But he and his bandmates Josh Singer and Norman van der Sluys definitely transform the song here, trading the intergalactic anthemic feel of the original for a grittier, slightly Stones-ish approach. And I'm left feeling the way I don't feel enough when I hear covers: more appreciative of the original than ever but also blown away by the new rendition. 

What really hits me about all these Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin splits is that the two bands involved are never merely just friends — they're also huge fans of each other's music. You can sense the love for the source material and admire the effort made to do something genuinely transformative as a tribute. This latest installment involves two immensely significant figures in the history of D.C. punk rock. And the point is that neither is resting on any laurels. Moss and Kowalski are out there making vital and exciting music, and it ought to be heard.

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The Chelsea Curve - The Rideout


Can we rightfully call an album that comes out on May 1st a "summer" release? Can we even call it an album if it only has seven songs? I suppose those questions are up for debate. But since I find such debates largely obnoxious, I'm going to say "yes" and "yes" in the case of The Chelsea Curve's The Rideout, out now on Rum Bar Records. On its second album, the Boston-based trio is giving feelgood vibes all day long. Some recent years were trying for The Chelsea Curve, but the band has endured it all and now finds itself inspired and excited about what's ahead. 

The theme of The Rideout comes through loudly and clearly: life is short, so live it up! "This record is about living for the moment, being with your people, and just enjoying life," says bassist/vocalist Linda Pardee. That spirit comes through not just in the lyrics but also in the music. If anything, coming back from all that adversity has energized the trio's sound. While the Chelsea Curve still lives in that mod/punk/pop lane, this album in particular puts the "power" in power pop. Pardee, guitarist Tim Gillis, and dynamo drummer Bruce Caporal tear into these tunes with force and vigor, and what results is 20 minutes of infectious and incredibly exciting music. If I might be so bold as to call this the first summer record of 2026, then the timing of its release was certainly no coincidence. This is your soundtrack to the good times that lie in front and ahead of you — some of which will certainly involve you at the wheel of some sort of motor vehicle with the sun shining and the wind at your back, en route to days and nights of adventure, romance, fun, and friendship. 

The leanness of The Rideout is almost certainly by design. Every song clocks in somewhere in the neighborhood to two-to-three minutes and embodies perfect pop with a whole lot of snap and crackle. Three of these songs were released as digital singles last year, yet it feels like these seven tracks were meant to be heard together and in this precise order. "Ride" is the tone-setter —  a song that literally invites the listener to join along in living for the moment. Last year's summer hit "Kindawanna" is the perfect follow-up —  an ode to all those things you can't wait to do with that present or future special someone in your life. After another vintage Chelsea Curve mod-pop bopper in "Outta My Head," there are some cool surprises. "Never Come Down," another song about seizing a magical moment, features Gillis on lead vocals and channels Oasis by way The Who in its psychedelic era. "I Can't Help It" is an homage to Letters To Cleo and the heyday of Boston indie power pop. The band goes full-on "freedom rock" on closing track "Rally 'Round," and any skepticism I may have originally had about this song was wiped away as soon as I heard how it and "Ride" bookend the album with affirmations of community and hope. 

Arriving four years after its predecessor All the Things, The Rideout captures a considerably evolved and revitalized Chelsea Curve. The sound is bigger and more layered, and the vibe is so joyful and optimistic that some might take it as corny. But as Pardee says, "Life's way too short to be precious." Rebounding from dark times and riding the spark that a drummer like Caporal can bring to a band, The Chelsea Curve is in the mood for (as a wise man once put it) rocking out and having fun. So yeah, this is not just a summer album. It's THE summer album. Push play and raise a glass to life!

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Muck and the Mires - Ghost of Roky Erickson


That ever-dependable institution of Boston garage rock is back with another slab of toe-tapping, hip-shaking goodness! I speak, of course, of Muck and the Mires, a foursome as consistent and notorious as death and taxes combined. Out on Madrid's stellar Ghost Highway Recordings, the new EP Ghost of Roky Erickson follows the typical Muck recipe. You get two wild, garage-rocking smashers and two power pop gems that sound like they could have been plucked straight from the British Invasion (one of them actually was!). The ripping title track is one of the rockers. The song title is no red herring. The song really does describe an encounter with the ghost of Roky Erickson (on the 13th floor of an elevator, of course!). If you're going to come face-to-face with a ghost, wouldn't this be the one you'd want to meet? I always love a tune that tells a story! This song proves to be as inspired as its subject matter — just the latest in a long line of bangers from the Muck hit factory. "Hey Sunshine" is firmly in 1963 Beatles territory, and "It's Gonna Be Alright" is a killer cover of the Gerry & The Pacemakers classic. Bringing it on home is "Dead To Me," a stomping kiss-off that combines some good, old-fashioned spurned lover bitterness with deliciously dark humor. And that's that: four tunes in a little over nine minutes, and it's all perfect rock 'n' roll just as the music gods intended. You always know what you're getting from Muck and the Mires, and it never stops being thrilling. My friends here in the states can pick this one up from the Rum Bar Records Bandcamp page!

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Friday, May 01, 2026

Taxi Girls - "Say It!"


Get ready, folks: Taxi Girls are about to drop a bomb with their forthcoming debut album! Static will release in late June on Stomp Records in North America and Wild Honey Records in Europe. It has been nearly three years since this Montreal-based now-foursome released its debut EP. I've been looking forward to a full-length Taxi Girls album for a long time, and I am pleased to tell you that it's everything I was hoping for and then some. Pre-orders for Static are now live, and lead track "Say It!" has premiered as the first single. This tune is an absolute ball of fire — a fierce and furious shot of super-catchy punk rock 'n' roll with a chorus that will have you screaming along at the top of your lungs. The lyrics paint a picture that will be all-too-familiar to so many of you who have given so much of yourself to someone who gives you so little in return:

I give you all of me  
'Cause that’s what you need 
My hand that feeds
It’s killing me 
I give you all of me  
'Cause that’s what you need 
My hand that feeds
It’s killing me 

Who's not going to be feeling that? The sentiment is simple yet incredibly relatable. And then that chorus comes along and hits like a ton of bricks. It's not just the words but also the conviction with which they're delivered that makes this song so powerful. The ability to turn personal frustration and hardship into something this thrilling and energizing is a true gift, and these four bad-ass women have blessed us with a bona fide anthem. However loud you've got your volume set at will not be loud enough once you push play on the video! A couple more singles are due before Static releases. In the meantime, you might as well pre-order the record on nifty colored vinyl. This is gonna be a Taxi Girls summer! And by the way: Go Habs Go!

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The Sleeveens - National Anthem


Behold the mighty and magnificent Sleeveens, authors of one of the greatest punk rock debut albums of recent memory! Today they return with their highly anticipated sophomore effort, National Anthem — released on the beyond-iconic Goner Records. The Sleeveens  — Stefan Murphy, James Mechan, Ryan Sweeney, and Eli Steele — have been wowing just about everyone who has heard or seen them since they came storming out of Nashville (and Dublin) three years ago. The subsequent singles "UFO's" and "Downtown" were more than satisfying, but a new album is what we've really been craving ever since the first one was released on Dirtnap Records in early 2024. I must admit that I went to bed last night with the giddy anticipation of hearing National Anthem when I woke up this morning. So was I disappointed? Come on! While it's certainly too soon for me to be lobbing grandiose superlatives into the ether, I can say that The Sleeveens have risen to the occasion of following an acclaimed debut. And that's never easy to do. 

If you loved the first album, you will almost certainly love National Anthem as well. The Sleeveens haven't veered far from the approach that worked so well last time: catchy, hard-driving punk rock 'n' roll full of genuine heart and soul. But this album is by no means a knock-off of its predecessor. This is such a unique band since Murphy is not necessarily writing "punk" songs. He brings a broad array of musical and life influences to his songwriting process. He writes the songs, and then they become Sleeveens songs once they are arranged and recorded by the full band. It's no wonder that people hear this group and immediately notice this is something quite different from anything else that's out there. And yet it all comes together as if the music gods had deemed it. Where else are you going to hear a Southern garage punk rock 'n' roll band fronted by an Irish poet? 

For various reasons, the comparisons to Reigning Sound and Compulsive Gamblers will be inevitable. But there's so much more to The Sleeveens than that. National Anthem has its share of blistering rockers. The 1-2 punch of "If I Was a Casual" and "I Was Born on a Saturday Night" opens the album with the proverbial bang. "Long Black Summer" is in a similar vein. But overall, this is a nicely varied set of songs. "My Pretend Boyfriend" is the closest The Sleeveens have ever come to power pop. "Town Of Horseheads," a new arrangement of one of Murphy's old songs, is a droning, moody number that closes Side 1 in epic fashion. "The Rat" is a cover The Walkmen's early 2000s post-punk classic, done Sleeveens style. "Ernest and Julio" is a straight-forward pub rocker. "Six Counties Punk" could almost be The Clash. "High Babies, Low Babies" is an impassioned blast of darker melodic punk. "Cowboy Queen" is vintage Sleeveens, and that's something I will never tire of. The title track, an unflinching indictment of America under the current regime, has the feel of a folk ballad. A less musically aggressive approach proved really effective on this track because you feel the weight and conviction of every word that comes out of Murphy's mouth. To say he doesn't hold back his feelings would be an understatement. Talk about an anthem for the moment!

I never envy a band that has the task of following a nearly perfect debut album. That first album arrives, and people are approaching it with a blank slate. They have nothing to compare it to, and so they can just enjoy it for what it is. But then comes the next album, and it arrives with lofty expectations. I can't speak for The Sleeveens and their intentions, but it seems like they didn't fall into the trap of overthinking this record. They just did their thing. Stefan Murphy is one of the most talented and prolific songwriters on the planet, and The Sleeveens are a dynamite rock 'n' roll band. Put those two things together, and it's hard to screw it up. I won't even bother comparing National Anthem to the first album. On its own merits, it's a great record — and an inspired one, too. These are songs you crank up loud not just to entertainment yourself but to energize your soul. Murphy writes songs about his life, life in general, and the world at large. While not a "political" album per se, National Anthem certainly has its moments where it speaks to what's going on in the world. And in 2026, why wouldn't it? This is a band that matters making music that matters, and we are lucky to live in a world that has The Sleeveens in it. 

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Sunday, April 26, 2026

Radio Weekend - Circles


In recent months, I've written about a couple of singles from Seattle, Washington's Radio Weekend. This foursome is my kind of band. They're right there in that punk-adjacent power pop lane that has always been a sweet spot for me, but they don't really sound like any other band out there. They've carved themselves a nice little niche of their own. They cite some classic influences (The Cars, Cheap Trick, Ramones) but never really sound like they're trying to imitate those bands. There are a couple homages here and there (see if you can spot them!), but Radio Weekend's sound is more of a general vibe. As I listen to new EP Circles, my mind keeps jumping to '90s punk-pop and alt-rock — but by way of the late '70s and early '80s. Essentially, this is the band for all of us who were drawn to pop-punk and power pop because we were new wave kids.

I've previously commented on "Rather Be Lonely" and "By My Side." Circles includes those two songs plus four more. If crunchy, punchy power poppy goodness is your jam, you will find much to like here. If you were out and about and heard any of these songs pop up on a random playlist, you'd be like, "Wow! Who is this?" These guys aren't trying to break new ground, but there sure is a place in 2026 for three-minute love songs that sound like they could have been radio hits 30 or 40 years ago.  These guys sure know how to write a catchy tune with some oomph to it. "Back to Yesterday" and The Last Ones' cover "Number One Again" are on the punkier end of the spectrum, while "Can't Slow Down" is solid mid-tempo power pop. The title track, which tops the four-minute mark, achieves the perfect balance of punch and melancholy. And man, that hook is massive! You totally could have danced to this one with your junior high crush at the 8th grade formal. Is "Rather Be Lonely" still "the hit"? Probably. But this is a darn solid EP all the way through, and I love how the cassette packaging throws it back to the era in culture that inspired these songs. Kudos to Michael Springer and Scott Von Rocket (a supporter of mine for 30 years!) for mixing and mastering these tracks into radio-ready shape.

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The Fix - Best Days of Your Life


So I got a direct message from Eric Anderson, who had gotten a direct message from Dan Henry about this new-old album from a band called The Fix. How cool is it that all these years later, those Gun Fury guys are still influencing the music I listen to? The Fix was a band from Oxfordshire fronted by Tim Field, formed in 1994. Pop Affliction Records has finally given the band's album Best Days of Your Life a proper release, and the thing is absolutely fantastic. Field describes the band's sound as "BritPop," but this is not quite the same sort of Brit-pop that was becoming all the rage right around the time this album was recorded. The Fix's sound was more traditionally British guitar pop in a very elegant sort of way. You can hear the influence of The Kinks and The Jam along with some of the jangly indie pop that would have been quite contemporary at the time. Most importantly, the songwriting is superb. These are thoughtful, beautifully-crafted songs with hooks that cannot be denied. This an album full of interesting stories and deep reflections on life. The moment you hear "Lottery," you'll be stunned that a song this brilliant has been sitting in the vault for three decades. If you enjoy power pop and late '80s/early '90s indie rock that wears its Britishness on its sleeve, you're going to go nuts for Best Days of Your Life. The fact that this album includes an adaptation of a John Betjeman poem and a cover of a song by The Action tells you quite a lot about The Fix. Kudos to Pop Affliction for unearthing this gem! Right now, the album is available on cassette tape, but something tells me a vinyl release will happen sooner or later.

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Friday, April 24, 2026

Inflatable Idols - GET STIFF!


Look out, kids: we've got a live one here! GET STIFF! is the ripper of a debut album from Los Angeles, California's Inflatable Idols. It's such a flaming hot slab of wax that it took three of the heaviest hitters in the game — Take the City Records, Ghost Highway Recordings, and your home of the hits, Rum Bar Records — to properly release it into the wild. Jim Perrault (The Legendary Swagger) is on lead vocals and bass, and he is joined by a murderers' row of Southern California punk rock royalty. Joe Jennings (JJ and the Real Jerks), Frank Agnew (Adolescents, T.S.O.L., Legal Weapon, Social Distortion), Brian Coakley (Cadillac Tramps), Greg Kuehn (T.S.O.L., Exploding Fuck Dolls, The Joneses), Derek O'Brien (Adolescents, Legal Weapon, T.S.O.L.), and Geoff Yeaton (Streetwalkin' Cheetahs) are all on board. They're joined by Tavis Werts (The Cineramas, Reel Big Fish) on trumpet and two of the finest vocal talents in L.A. in Belle Johnson and Mika Lett on backing vocals. To call this a "wow" lineup would be a massive understatement, and the music absolutely lives up to all that pedigree. 

On GET STIFF!, Inflatable Idols power through 12 tracks of gritty, high-energy rock 'n' roll that pulls from classic SoCal punk, garage rock, soul, dirty glam, and proto-punk. Style-wise, the band varies its attack, but the attitude and energy levels are relentless from open to close. Tracks like "Oxygen Thief," "Make Some Noise (Quiet As It's Kept)," and "Narcissistic Twist" are more on the flamethrower punk rock 'n' roll side of things — not too far from The Humpers in their prime. Elsewhere, "Get Up & Get Out" and "Hero to Zero" go the maximum R & B route. "Drunk On Nostalgia" is full fury garage rock cranked to ten. "Imaginary Monster" brings an old school Detroit rock energy that could just about wake the dead. "That's Mr. Motherfucker To You" manages to live up to its title, and that's saying something! 

It can be hard to pull of a record like this that's a wall-to-wall smash-it-up party. But Inflatable Idols do just that. There are no ballads, mood pieces, or departures from the mission to ignite your loins and soul with unadulterated rock 'n' roll. Get Stiff! never comes up for air, and who would want it to? The band is tight, but the spirit is loose. These folks bring it hard and unleash an absolute wall of sound with the horns, keyboards, and backing vocals hitting exactly the way they ought to. And on vocals, Perrault can holler with the best of 'em. Even though this is a studio record, I envision it as a live performance as I listen to it. It has all the sweat, swagger, and electricity of a must-see gig, and so I'm reaching for my dancing shoes and my stockpile of adult beverages. When you have this many super-talented people in a band, it's either going to be super-disappointing or just about the best thing ever. And you know where Inflatable Idols land. The way things are going, Rum Bar is soon going to need an office in L.A.!

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Hormones - Hot For Hormones LP

It's not often that I review an album more than once. However, the vinyl release of Hormones' 2025 debut album Hot For Hormones is an occasion that has surely called for some fresh ink. When it comes to me and Melbourne's mighty Hormones, it was love at first listen (the date was June 1st of last year). I can say without any intent of exaggeration that Hot For Hormones is one of the best Ramones-inspired albums I've heard this decade. And to have a label like Stardumb Records that I hold in the highest possible esteem be the one to put it into the world as a vinyl record is something really special for me. 

Although the basic musical formula is five decades old, this is truly an album for these times — as these songs tell Betty Hormone's personal story of what it's like to live as trans woman in a transphobic world. The thing that gets me about Hormones is that this band is all about putting more love into the universe. And in telling her story, Betty is telling everyone's story. Don't we all want to be loved and accepted for exactly who we are? Don't we all want to live our best lives with as much joy as possible? Don't we all despise the idea of having to pretend to be the person society wants us to be? While these songs are full of humor & charm and are incredibly fun to sing along with, there's a profound seriousness residing past the surface. Betty's approach to Ramones-ish punk rock wasn't to write dumb, simple songs —  it was to write smart, simple songs. She put her soul into these tunes. I've found it interesting yet understandable that Betty is an excellent singer but chose to have someone else sing lead in this band. Joseph Ling does such an amazing job as the vocal embodiment of Betty's lyrics. He's likeable and charismatic yet very down-to-Earth — the perfect person to sing these songs where the vibe runs the gamut from playful to sweet to sexy to sincere. He also has a little bit of a young Robin Gibb thing going vocally, which is 100% unique in the pop-punk genre. It takes complete trust to let another person sing the words that came from your heart, and here that trust has been fully rewarded. 

There's a really big distinction between a Ramones inspiration and a Ramones imitation. Hormones don't claim to be the world's most original band, but they aren't trying to be anyone but themselves: the hottest band in the world and fervent supporters of trans rights and trans wrongs. No track exceeds three minutes in length, yet each tells a complete story. In the leadup to this album release, Betty wrote at length on what some of these songs are about. "Out of the House, Out of the Closet" is about being outed against your will before you're truly ready but still moving forward on the path you know you're destined to walk. What might have started as a setback ended up thrusting Beth Seymour into the world  — her true self no longer locked away. "I Wanna Be Your Herfriend" is about that fear of what your partner is going to think or say when they see you presenting as your true self for the first time. Luckily for Betty, that situation turned out well. "Hayley Smith" is a loving thank-you note to a high school friend whose fashion sense inspired Betty to eventually become the person she is today. "Transgender Menace" responds to the widespread vilification and demonization of trans people with fearlessness and defiance. "Got My Head Straight (The Rest of Me Got Gay)" tells Betty's personal story of mental health struggles and how addressing those problems empowered her to accept her queerness. "You Don't Have a Son" is the album's most powerful track. Betty lays it all on the line here: the only two outcomes for a trans person are to transition or to eventually end up "six feet underground." I can't imagine being such a monstrous human that you'd rather see a loved one dead than transgender. God, this song tears my heart out. And I don't see how you can listen to a song like "When I Was A Boy (I Was Really A Girl)" and feel anything but love and empathy for the trans people in your life. 

There will be different categories of people who will purchase Hot for Hormones. Perhaps you've heard of Hormones but only buy music on vinyl. Perhaps this is your first exposure to the band. Perhaps you bought the digital album or CD last year but are super stoked to own this title on gorgeous pink, white, or turquoise vinyl released by one of the greatest indie labels that has ever existed. Any way you shake it, this LP coming out on Stardumb Records is an event worth fervently celebrating. For those of you outside the EU, this modern pop-punk masterpiece is also available from The Machine Shop in the U.S., Brassneck! Records in the UK, and Endless Detention Records in Australia! 

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Sunday, April 19, 2026

The Keefs - "Fleshbomb"


Hey! There's a new Keefs single out in the world! The Keefs, the Delaware/Philly-based band that released some of the most essential punk rock 'n' roll cuts of the early 2010s, have brought back "Fleshbomb," an oldie but goodie from their live set. This track features a lineup of Dave, Kenn, Vince, and Andy along with one of America's most preeminent rock keyboardists, Mr. Kris Rodgers. If you like The Keefs, well this is vintage Keefs. It's a straight-forward rocker with gritty vocals, melodic guitars, a hooky chorus, and a powerful sound. It was recorded by Arik Victor at Creep Recording Studio in Philly, and it sounds absolutely crackling. The Keefs were literally featured on Day One of this blog (June 9, 2011), so it's always a pleasure when new music from these guys shows up online. "Fleshbomb" is a total scorcher and a must for your spring/summer "turn it up loud!" playlist!

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Friday, April 17, 2026

An Interview with Matt Julian!


When The Speedways emerged (seemingly out of nowhere) eight summers ago with Just Another Regular Summer, I instantly knew I had stumbled about a songwriter who was going to be a huge favorite of mine. And while I surmised that The Speedways might have been destined to go down in history as a one-off solo project, I knew this was not the last we'd hear from Matt Julian. Soon enough, The Speedways became not only a proper band but also one of the definitive power pop bands of this decade. And here we are just a few months out from the release of The Magic Comes & The Magic Goes, the fourth album by The Speedways. As the band continues work on the album and prepares to release two new singles next month, I had the chance to chat with Matt Julian and get his thoughts on the art of songwriting, his solo recording endeavors, and (of course) The Speedways.  

Rutledge: The Speedways have two new digital singles releasing next month, which will be released as a 7" in June. What would you like the world to know about these new songs, "Luna" and "I Shouldn't Have Tried To Leave Without You"?

Matt: 'Luna' is an interesting one. It ended up being one of the most unifying songs from the latest batch. For some reason, we all just really enjoyed jamming it in rehearsal. It's got a simplicity that felt so natural. Jez, our producer, loved it and really helped with the arrangement and encouraged us to make it the lead track on the single. There's a rehearsal room recording where you hear Kris say at the end of the song, "You really want this as just a B-side???!!" 

I think it could split people, though. It might seem a bit throwaway to some, but it's hard to explain why it feels so perfect to us. It's very short, but it needed to be.

Lyrically it's verbatim the story of the day I met my ex-fiancé. It's probably the most honest love song I've ever written. I wrote it when we were still together, so the inspiration was optimistic and happy; now it feels bittersweet and sad. Maybe that's why it has this strong emotional pull within the band.

'I Shouldn't Have Tried To Leave Without You' is more standard Speedways. It's about having regrets in terms of choices and behaviour, but it's a totally fictional storyline.

It was one of the first songs we played with the new album in mind. It's changed quite a bit over the last two years. We have Mary Blount from Baby Shakes (& Disket) singing with us, which is so cool! There was this one line that never really suited any of our voices. I suggested it could work so much better as a female vocal part, and so I asked Mary. She recorded her parts over in the US and sent them over. It turned out great! I love the way we sing the outro together. They're both gonna be fun to play live!

Rutledge: You’ve been very prolific in terms of writing songs, even if they are not necessarily intended for The Speedways. What is your philosophy about the pace of your writing process? Do you think it’s important to write frequently and get those ideas in your head onto tape? Or do you prefer to wait for inspiration?

Matt: I need to have some kind of inspiration. I regularly have song title ideas or melodies pop into my head, and I'll either sing them into my phone or scribble something down in my book, but in terms of actually writing a full song, I do need to feel inspired.

I have that fairly common style of writing in blocks where I'll have a few ideas on the go at once - which is when things can sometimes get a bit samey. A lot of my songs are an emotional response to something or other - good or bad.

Rutledge: In what ways, if any, do you approach songwriting differently if you're writing for The Speedways as opposed to writing in general? 

Matt: Nothing massively different, but I do tend to stay within a certain lyrical theme when I'm writing for a Speedways album. The Bandcamp demos are a lot more varied in subject matter and musical style. 

I've recently co-written a song with Paul Collins (there's an exclusive for you!). He reached out to me with the idea of working on something together, so I sent him this 'verse/chorus' idea I had. 

We had a few phone calls where we sang parts down the phone. I wrote the lyrics; he came up with the arrangement. It turned out great! It's a nice throwback to '60s British Invasion style pop. The Speedways have rehearsed it already, so watch this space! We plan to write some more stuff together, which is very cool. He's responsible for some of the greatest power pop 'n' roll stuff ever recorded, after all!

Rutledge: On your solo Bandcamp, you've been very generous about sharing songs that are very much works in progress. I think that shows a lot of trust that the people who will be listening to those songs will appreciate the spirit of what you're doing and not expect a polished product. What has been your experience with reactions from fans and followers to these demos?

Matt: Mixed! I mean, I tried to make it clear that they were only demos, ideas, first takes, songwriting challenges etc. like the EP 'Five' (maybe the best one), where I tried to write 5 songs that last 1 minute each. 

But of course once somebody's listening, they perhaps forget all that & are disappointed in what they hear. I totally get that, though. Sometimes I wish I hadn't done it because I've probably got a reputation of being a scruffy songwriter now! I do know some people who like those songs more than Speedways however, so who knows? I'm disappointed in how few views they've had on YouTube. I think some of those ones are really nice.

I do have one of my Bandcamp songs getting an official release soon, though! The good people at Candyland Record Company have selected 'Mary Anne-Lowe' for a compilation LP. The guys at the label play in a band called Astrologer, who we met out in Phoenix, Arizona. They're a cool band. I'm really pleased to have one of those songs get a proper release. Billy Tibbals + Noah from Uni Boys have tracks on the album too. 

'Mary Anne-Lowe' is a song about how everything I do is wrong, set against the backdrop of 'St. Elmo's Fire'! (kind of)

Rutledge: Is there a Matt Speedway solo album being considered, and if so, what progress have you made with it so far?

Matt: Yeah for sure, I've considered it for a while, but it's not easy to find the time or the money to do it, and I'm not quite sure how I'd market it or who'd be interested!? 

The good thing, though, is there are at least 12 really great songs amongst those 70+ Bandcamp demos. Plus I could freshen things up with a couple of new ideas too. I wouldn't be short for material.

The solo album will be called 'Missing Persons' - I decided on that title ages ago!

Everything's ready to go. I just need a record company advance, Jeff Lynne & Nick Lowe co-producing, and a lift to the studio!

Rutledge: You've been releasing music under The Speedways brand for eight years now. In what ways do you think your songwriting has changed since then? 

Matt: Not so much, I don't think. The Speedways only ever intended to be a one-off thing, but once it turned into something more, I wanted to keep the heart there. It always has to be sincere and from the heart. That's what the Speedways is to me. It's a way for me to tell people how I feel. I'm not interested in impressing the usual suspects or posers. 

Rutledge: I don't get the chance to talk to a lot of people who've written a truly perfect song, so I have to ask you about "In A World Without Love It's Hard To Stay Young," which is such a glorious, magical tune. I can listen to it 100 times and still get chills from it. How did a song like that come to you? Is there a story about its origins or inspirations?

Matt: That's really kind, thanks! I had the jangly riff part for ages, and I think the verse melody too. It was written around the time of 'Just Another Regular Summer,' but I never finished it. I went back to it when I needed one last song for the 'Radio Sounds' album.

The lyrics are 99% fictional - the story about seeing a girl at the record swap and daydreaming about her at the coffee shop and then finally seeing her (with a guy) on the top deck of the 29 bus is all made up.

The reference to the 29 bus is important, though, because I know all my London mates can identify with that. I often try to use locations, weather and public transport in Speedways songs. Nothing's on my doorstep. I have to travel for music, love, romance, friendships etc.. 

The silver shoes line is the only factual lyric.

In a world without love, when nobody loves you, it's hard to stay positive. It's hard to have the optimism of your youth. It's hard to stay young. I'm proud of that song.

Rutledge: I know we're doing this interview one-to-one, but you sure do have some talented bandmates. In what respect have these guys shaped what The Speedways have become?

Matt: They've shaped it entirely, I couldn't have asked for better bandmates. Adrian & Kris are fundamental to who the Speedways are. They're fantastic players, of course (special mention to Adrian, who hadn't played for very long when the Speedways first started. He's become a fantastic bass player), but they're also extremely strong personalities. Very popular guys and my best friends. Kris is also an ace promoter now! Booking tours across Europe, and of course Adrian is an exceptional artist. They are the Speedways to me.

They really believe in my songs, which gives me all the confidence in the world. 

Obviously things with Mauro didn't quite last the whole journey, but he was massively important too. His drive, attitude, and commitment was everything you would want in a lead guitarist and bandmate. He brought so much to the table - especially on stage. 

Conor was our guitar player for just a year, but he made a big impact on me. I've been a fan of his for over ten years, and a mate of his for the same length of time. We've been out boozing together so often over those years and we always had that "we'll have to play in a band together one day" drunken chat! ..and now we finally have! You only have to listen to the Music City album to hear what a talent he is. It was a pleasure to have him play my songs for a year. 

I have to mention Cunha too, who has stepped in behind the kit for a couple of tours and gigs. One of the nicest lads on the scene and one of those people who's good at everything! - singing, guitar, bass, drums! We always had the best time on tour together.

Now we have our new guitarist, Dan, who has already made a big impression on us. He learns the songs quickly, he's a cracking guitar player, can sing all the harmonies, more than knows his stuff (he knows far more than me!) + already you can tell he's gonna be a good lad to tour with. He likes a beer!

I've been really impressed by him. Very glad he joined us. A great guy.

Special mention for Jez, our producer/videographer ..he's played on every album since 'Radio Sounds' and has been a big part of arranging songs and getting the best out of us all. One of the loveliest blokes I know.

I repeat myself again, but I've been really lucky to meet all these people.

Rutledge: I kind of feel like your last album Talk Of The Town was a little bit underrated, perhaps because it broke away from the standard power pop formula. But it’s a brilliant record, and the songs really hold up. How do you view that album compared to your others?

Matt: I think it's very different for sure. It had a different vibe, & we tried a bunch of new ideas.

I understand why maybe it threw people a little. After 2 albums of pure guitar pop, there's suddenly this Kool & The Gang inspired title track with funky guitars grooving away!

The songs are excellent though, & we really stepped it up with the production & musicianship.

I absolutely love 'Monday Was The Start Of The Stars,' but I don't think I ever heard anyone mention it (haha). It's one of my favourite ever song titles too. 

It was a very ambitious & creative album. I'm really proud of it.

Rutledge: You are working on the new Speedways album, The Magic Comes & The Magic Goes, right now. What sort of vibes are there in the room as you guys are cutting this record? Do you have a feel yet for what this album is going to be like?

Matt: Actually very different from 'Talk Of The Town', not because we're in any way rejecting that process or vibe, but because we just naturally feel in the mood to play some shorter songs, some punchier songs.

It really is 'back to basics' if you like. I mean, the title track is something a little different to standard power pop, and we have a really cool ballad that hasn't been recorded yet. We're still figuring out the best way to do it, but the main bulk of the album are 2 minute pop 'n' rollers with punchy, sing-a-long choruses.

I can totally imagine some people will be disappointed because they loved the progression of 'Talk Of The Town', but equally we have people who swear by the first album who will maybe enjoy this new one a lot. Who knows? One thing eternally true is that you write for yourselves. I've never seen the band happier & more excited about new songs. Adrian & Kris are constantly telling me how they've got this song or that song stuck in their head. Dan has slipped right into the vibe too.

We're gonna finish up recording over the summer, & hopefully it'll be on your turntables later this year!

Thanks a lot for the questions! Enjoyed it.

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The Sideshows - self titled


Well 2026 continues to be a royal treat for my ears! Another essential album has arrived in the form of the much-anticipated debut long player from super-trio The Sideshows. The Sideshows are Rich Ragany and Simon Maxwell (The Loyalties, Role Models, Rich Ragany & The Digressions) teaming up with the beyond-legendary Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe, Demolition 23, Jetboy, Jerusalem Slim, New York Dolls, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, etc.) to play real-deal rock 'n' roll for diehard romantics, beautiful losers, and true believers. 

This 10-track album, recorded at Yaffa's home studio in Mallorca, Spain, is yet another brilliant set of tunes in Rags' remarkable run of songwriting now stretching over the past decade and change. And to have these three individuals — whose talents and styles could not be more perfectly in sync — creating music together is something quite special to behold. The band was kind enough to preview four of these tracks in advance of the album release, and I must say that the remaining six numbers are every bit as good. The album is exactly what you'd be hope it would be: a filler-free parade of heartfelt, anthemic rockers with a singer/songwriter's soul and an arena band's energy. You can hear the influences of punk, glam, power pop, Americana, and hard rock, but ultimately this is rock 'n' roll that will make you still believe in rock 'n' roll. The album sounds fantastic, and these three form a tight power trio in the classic sense. It's hard to imagine me having much more room to be amazed by Rag's songs after all these years of spreading his gospel, but some of these tunes have absolutely floored me. Of course "Brand New" is a total anthem and a perfect album-opener. But then you have "Say Goodbye On A Night Like This," "This Could Be Everything," and "Rock and Roll Owes Me An Apology"  —  three of the best songs Rags has ever put his name on. "Smoke Show" has been stuck in my head for a week, and no medical remedy could change that. "Not Sorry," a powerful tribute to Rags' dear friend Scott Sorry, concludes the album in properly epic fashion. 

Sometimes, a lot of talent in a band doesn't quite produce the results you'd hope for. But in the case of The Sideshows, everything has clicked. Certainly it all starts with the songwriting. I wasn't sure Rags could ever produce another batch of songs to rival You Can Get Dark With Me, but he has done just that. Whatever fire has been lit in him these last few years is burning stronger than ever. And what songwriter and guitarist wouldn't dream of a Sami Yaffa/Simon Maxwell rhythm section? These three found magic in the Spanish countryside, and this album captures it in full. My friends and Europe can order the pink vinyl from Finland. Additional physical releases are coming soon! 

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Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Hayley and the Crushers - "Jewel Case"


Now this is what I'm talking about! Hayley and the Crushers have been one of my favorite bands for quite a few years now. Today, I have the pleasure of writing about them for the first time since September of 2024. It was really exciting finding out that a new Crushers single was on its way and slated for release today. I didn't have any advance knowledge of its existence. I didn't have to sit on this track for weeks wishing I could tell people about it. This was a true surprise treat! 

The brand-new single "Jewel Case" is well-known to longtime fans. The song was one of the first that the Crushers wrote. It has been the band's set-closing number for a decade, and now it has finally received a proper recording. It's a song about that too-wild side that everyone has (or once had) — and that moment where you realize you've crossed a line you never, ever want to cross again. It arrives in advance of a new album that I am super-pumped about. The video for the song is meant to capture the band's raw, set-closing intensity — when the night has reached its end and there's nothing left to do but go for it like there's no tomorrow. In this clip, you can see (and hear!) the band bringing it with full gusto. It really tickles me that even as they lean more into their power pop side, the Crushers are embracing punk rock more deeply than ever. This scorching tune early is serving old school California punk vibes —like X on an energy drink bender. Ya gotta love it! Whether you like to party hearty and party hardly, "Jewel Case" is a song that begs to be cranked loudly while you run around like a maniac and wreak all sorts of havoc wherever you might happen to be. Yeah dude! Hayley and the Crushers are back!

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Uni Boys - self titled


Oh boy! In a flash, Uni Boys went from being a band I slept on to being a band I figured was too "big" for me to be reviewing. However, I have decided that it's completely idiotic to ever call a band too big to review. My philosophy from now on is that if I love a record, I'm going to write about it and not just assume that you all already know about it. My whole goal is to spread the gospel, and I don't mind preaching to the choir every now and then if it means that even one person will be turned on to something they like. 

So maybe you do all already know about the self-titled fifth album from Uni Boys. But as someone who tries to stay on top of the best things going on in power pop, it would be downright neglectful for me to not weigh in on this absolute gem of an album. I do my best to be more measured in my takes than I used to be, but I can't help thinking this 12-track long player could stand toe-to-toe with numerous late '70s/early '80s power pop albums that are considered standards of this musical style. Of course Reza Matin and Noah Nash nail the vintage power pop sound, from the ringing guitars to the soaring harmonies to the heartfelt lovelorn vocals. But it's the quality of their hooks and songwriting overall that just can't be denied. These guys know how to write a tune! One song sounds like it should be the single. Then the next one does too, and it just keeps going that way until the album is over. There are no sub-par tracks or drastic departures from the formula. Circa the later '90s, when I was scouring every record store I could get to in a quest to acquire every power pop album released between 1976 and 1982, if I would have across a record like this, I would have absolutely flipped my shit! 

This record (as do all the Uni Boys' records) models itself after the classics. But it never settles for being a knock-off version. Uni Boys have essentially made their own classic power pop album in 2026. "I Don't Wanna Dream Anymore" would fit in perfectly on any of those famous compilations of power pop singles (anything that reminds me of The Jags has to be good!). "Maybe I'm Wrong", "Want You Back," "You're So (Phisticated)," and "Genevieve" are very much in the same vein. "You'll Curse His Name Again" is '70s power pop by way of classic '60s pop a la The Lemon Twigs, etc. "Abra" is so laidback California smooth that it could easily turn up on someone's yacht, and I am all about that! When the band ventures a little outside the textbook power pop box, the results are extraordinary. "Sin Your Life Away" lays down a later '60s psych-ish pop touch and absolutely stuns. "No Need To Serve a Purpose" is giving Brian Wilson vibes in all the best ways. 

So there you have it: better late than never, my first Uni Boys review! It's pretty awesome to be living in a moment where bands like this are getting their proper attention and respect. Even the most cynical Boomer or Gen X crank who hasn't liked a power pop record in 40 years would be hard-pressed to listen to this record and not fall head over heels for the Uni Boys. Get it from Curation Records!

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Saturday, April 11, 2026

The Melmacs - EUPHANCHOLIA


In what is shaping up to possibly become my favorite year for new music in decades, The Melmacs' EUPHANCHOLIA currently holds the position of my favorite album of 2026. That is hardly a surprise. I've been teasing the arrival of this LP since January, and all the advance singles were bona fide bangers. EUPHANCHOLIA, which officially released yesterday on Bakraufarfita Records and Wanda Records in Germany and the mighty Spaghetty Town Records here in the USA, more than lives up to what I promised in recent reviews. 

This is now my 12th time reviewing The Melmacs, and my enthusiasm only grows with every write-up. There's no band out there that does a better job of marrying classic punk, power pop, and new wave influences in a way that sounds genuinely fresh and current. Beyond that, there's something special about The Melmacs. In times that have grown increasingly dark and cold, they are a lightning bolt of hope and love. They bring positive energy into a world that desperately needs it. They've made a record that acknowledges the seriousness of life but will ultimately put a smile on your face and add some skip to your step. 

One trend I've noticed in the modern era of punk rock is bands getting better and better as they go along. That is certainly the case with The Melmacs. I liked the band's 2022 debut Good Advice enough to proclaim it one of my favorite albums of the 2020s. But that record was a mere warm-up for EUPHANCHOLIA, which finds The Melmacs making that big leap from very good band to truly great band. Even as the band's musical appeal has remained very much the same, the quality of its songwriting and the distinctiveness of its sound have been refined considerably. The Melmacs fully know who they are and what they want their music to be. The organ plays a larger role on this record, but the guitars don't take a back seat. Bimmi has become one the most likeable and expressive vocalists in the indie/punk universe, and Max's production on this release (with the help of Brown Barcella and Magnus Lindberg on the mixing and mastering side) is pretty much perfect. This is the kind of music I live for. It's catchy, powerful, and exciting, but it's also full of tremendous substance and comes straight from the heart. 

It's no shocker that singles like "Lazy Hearts" and "Run for Your Life" are standout cuts. They were singles for a reason. But The Melmacs left plenty of killer tunes in reserve for us to enjoy when we finally dove into the full album. "The Tide is High" has me pumped to go out and live this day to its fullest. "Falling" is another vintage Melmacs high-energy, booty-shaking, earworm sing-along. I was blown away by "These Days," a song that sounds unlike anything the band has done before. It's a very sophisticated and modern-sounding pop-rock song that could legitimately be a hit if anyone in the music industry had a clue. Likewise, "Deadbeat" shows the band's command of pure pop with a bittersweet taste. Elsewhere, "Showdown" and "Lifetime" find the album taking a full-fury punk rock turn. The ballad "Crying My Heart Out" is a classic example of why The Melmacs are so amazing. It comes on sounding like jangly '60s pop, then seamlessly fast forwards into the '80s, and all the while Bimmi alternates between anguished spoken word ranting and the purest singing she's ever done. A song like this would not have been within The Melmacs' capabilities a few years ago. "Electric Night" puts a glam-bam exclamation mark on an extraordinary album. 

On Good Advice, the Melmacs dispensed some tough love and sage guidance. With EUPHANCHOLIA, the vibe is a little different. These German sweethearts are here to lift you up. They've got your back and want to remind you that it's never too late to live your best life as long as you're still breathing. They're here to cheer you up and cheer you on. In tough and trying times, The Melmacs have brought us the album we need: a pep talk, a kick in the pants, and a giant hug all rolled into one urgent package of anthemic and infectious punk/pop/rock 'n' roll. When it comes to records that live at the intersection of punk rock and power pop, this is about as good as it gets. The Melmacs might remind you of bands you loved decades ago, but they aren't trying to sound like anyone but themselves. I might be guilty of hyperbole if I called them the best band in the world, so I'll show some proper restraint and contend that they at least need to be in the conversation.

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DISINTEL - OUTLAW ELEKTRO


Well here's something a little outside my usual box, but it really caught my attention. DISINTEL is a new synth-punk band out of Los Angeles, and its EP OUTLAW ELEKTRO is not for the faint of heart. I can roll with some Screamers, Suicide, Units, and Chrome quite often, and DISINTEL is doing a modern version of that style of music. In a good way, I'm hearing an industrial influence as well. But what really hits me hard are the lyrics. I won't spoil them for you since you can read them on Bandcamp. But man, these songs are dark and disturbing — painting a bleak portrait of a techno-fascist world that would seem dystopian if you didn't know it was the one we're already living in. This is brilliant, haunting stuff. And I love the way this band uses synthesizers in a way that's genuinely bold and creative. The synths aren't just there in place of guitars; they are the main driver of this band's nightmare-ish vision. This is synth-punk that qualifies as genuine art. "ESC.DEL.RTN" has me seriously shook. "The Future (I Can't Afford)" could not be any more in tune with the despairing zeitgeist of present day. This EP plays like a bizarre dream that would jolt me awake in a cold sweat, and I mean that as a high compliment. You won't hear anything else like this. If an electro-punk mind-fuck capable of chilling you to the bone has been on your wish list, DISINTEL is calling your name. 

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Josephine Network - Hooked


If there's one thing that moves me the most in music, it's when I can feel the genuine joy in it. And that's what came through instantly on Josephine Network's new album Hooked (out on Lollipop Records). From the opening note to the very end, you can feel the unadulterated enthusiasm and excitement that Josephine put into writing and recording these songs. Loud, catchy, and fun has always been the secret sauce for rock 'n' roll, and there's something absolutely perfect about the title of this album. I was instantly hooked, and you will be as well if you dig glam rock and power pop that take their cues from the '70s but still sound hot and fresh today. 

Glam rock and classic power pop were always close cousins, and here Josephine brings them together in a way that could not sound more natural. There are sticky-sweet hooks all over the place, and there's plenty of swagger as well. And plain and simple, this album rocks. Put in on, turn it up, and forget about your troubles for 26 minutes. By the time you get to the end, it will be impossible to feel pessimistic about life. The title track would be a massive radio hit if they still played real rock 'n' roll on the radio. "All I'll Do" sounds like the best song Shoes never wrote. "Mary Jane Girls" is like the Beach Boys gone glam and so joyfully catchy that it ought to be illegal. Elsewhere, Josephine hits the sweet spot for bubblegum pop ("When Nobody's Home"), wham bam glam rock ("Kiss of the T" and "Babbling Fool"), and even some full-throttle riff rock boogie ("Revved Up Things"). "The Rockers" is pure rock 'n' roll with a pop heartbeat and the perfect closer for this absolute delight of an album. For this release, Josephine worked with producer Ryan Howe, who clearly gets what Josephine Network is all about. Hershguy and Nat Brower share drumming duties and totally match Josephine's energy with every beat. If an album that meets at the intersection of Nick Gilder, Big Star, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy sounds like something that would get your heart beating faster, Hooked just might have you obsessed. And how glorious is that cover art?

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Monday, April 06, 2026

Ten Punk Bands Essential To Me: The 1990s

So ever since my friend Jay Castro and I tandem-posted on our favorite records of 1996, I've been on a huge '90s punk rock kick. I got to thinking about how much punk rock meant to me circa 1995-2000. And then I wondered if this was just some kind of "you had to be there" type situation or if the music I loved so much back then genuinely holds up today. So I pitched another tandem post to Jay: if a visitor from another planet approached you and asked you to explain why you loved punk rock in the '90s so much, which bands would you tell them to listen to? If you were trying to enlighten younger fans of punk music on some '90s bands to add to their music collections, which ones would you deem the most essential? And so here we are! 

I know some people consider listicles to be the lowest form of online publishing, but Jay and I are not doing this for the purposes of generating clicks with hot takes. We wanted to reflect on some bands we've been listening to for 25-35 years that you might A) fondly remember, B) vaguely remember, or C) never have heard before. I'm not saying these are my ten favorite or the ten "greatest" or the ten most influential '90s punk bands. But these are the bands I'd tell you to check out first if you wanted to know why the punk rock music of that decade was so important to me. And I hope that some of you will check out some of these bands and like what you hear. I'm purposely leaving out certain bands like The Humpers, Beat Angels, and Bobbyteens that I would not become huge fans of until the early 2000s. I really wanted to focus on the bands I was digging in real time in the '90s.  

Given that the combined number of extraterrestrials and Gen Z punk rock enthusiasts who read this blog is probably not much larger than zero, it's likely that this article is mainly an exercise in preaching to the choir. But, hey! Anything I can do to get people thinking and talking about '90s punk rock is a worthy endeavor.    

Here we go (in no particular order)! 

The Stitches 

Jay and I have not revealed any of our selections to each other, but I know The Stitches will be on his list as well. If you were into throwback old school punk rock any time from the mid-to-late '90s, a new Stitches release was always a major, highly celebrated event. At the time, The Stitches may have been dismissed by some as '77 punk copyists. But to me, they helped define a new era of punk rock — one that took inspiration from the past but still felt like something new and different. The Stitches were a force of nature, and I'd put Michael Lohrman up there with the greatest punk vocalists of any era. By the time they finally got a proper album out the door in 2002, they had changed quite a bit stylistically. But their singles (later compiled on the Unzip My Baby LP) and their 8 x 12 EP are rightfully the stuff of legend. All those classic tracks still explode out of the speakers! 

The Prostitutes 

Obviously this is a band I've been championing from day one. After The Prostitutes imploded in 1998, Kevin McGovern rebooted the band numerous times with numerous different lineups in numerous locations, finally retiring the brand in 2022 with the release of the "last two" digital single. For the purposes of this feature, I'm focusing on the original iteration of The Prostitutes, which released the singles "Get Me Sick," "Living Wreck," and "Twenty-Two" plus the full-length album Can't Teach Kids Responsibility. When it comes to snotty punk rock with a genuine air of danger and post-adolescent rage, it simply doesn't get any better than this band. If you could buy only one punk collection from the '90s, I would urge you to go with The Prostitutes' Complete Recordings 1995-98.

Loli and the Chones 

If I could name the single most essential punk rock album of the '90s, it would be P.S. We Hate You by Loli and the Chones. That record is punk rock perfection. Marrying the Angry Samoans and the Ramones to the budget rock ethos of the times, this trio took the idea of snotty, hate-fueled punk and somehow made it catchier and more fun than ever. A follow-up titled Total Fucking Genocide was pretty great as well and certainly lived up to its title!

Moral Crux 

Like a lot of people, I first heard Moral Crux on the Lookout! Records Punk USA compilation. The band had been going strong since the '80s but seemed to really hit its stride in the '90s with the albums ...And Nothing But The Truth, I Was a Teenage Teenager, and Something More Dangerous. I cannot emphasize enough how important this band was to me — not just because of its urgent, politically-minded punk-pop anthems but also because of its influence on my punk rock education. Moral Crux was one of a couple of bands (along with Boris the Sprinkler) that was my gateway to first wave punk  — to this day, my favorite music of my entire life. Some people may have found it odd that a band that a band so closely tied to the '90s pop-punk scene was writing songs about revolution, resistance, and the rejection of the status quo. But the magic of this band was that it demonstrated that punk music could have a message and melody. Political punk rock could make you think and inspire you to act and still be enjoyable to listen to. Seriously: why bother writing anthems if they're not going to be catchy?

The Muffs 

Whether or not The Muffs qualified as a "punk" band is a matter of debate for the sort of people who love to debate about musical genres. I am not that sort of person. The Muffs were punk rock to me and also on my personal Mt. Rushmore of bands. Hearing them for the first time after their first album came out was a game-changer for me. If not a "pop-punk" band per se, they were certainly poppy and punky and the absolute antithesis of the miserable, overly serious rock music that was all the rage in the '90s. I loved their first two major label releases and could never figure out how why weren't massive commercial successes. But as I've re-explored their catalog this year, I've found that the less polished, more simply produced Happy Birthday To Me and Alert Today Alive Tomorrow sound even better to me now than they did back then. Kim Shattuck is remembered as perhaps the greatest screamer in all of rock 'n' roll, and that she was. But she was also a superb songwriter with a remarkable ear for melody and quite a flair for smart, often hilariously scathing lyrics. The world is far less awesome without her in it. 

Dimestore Haloes 

If you go way back with me, you know this was my band in the '90s. I took some flack (and deservedly so) for how fervently I sang this band's praises. Restraint was certainly not my forte in those days. But when I go back and listen to all those records and ask myself if I still love them, the answer is a resounding yes. Here was a band throwing the best parts of '77-style punk and early American rock 'n' roll into a blender with a splash of glam culture and a dash of beat literature. You still can't convince me that Thrill City Crime Control wasn't one of the best punk rock albums of the '90s. I still frequently blast the hell out of Revolt Into Style and Long Ride To Nowhere. Didn't I once predict I'd still be listening to these records 25 years later? Ha, I was low on my estimate!

Stiletto Boys

The Stiletto Boys were something remarkable in their day — a band with the edge and the snarl of the Dead Boys, the furious power of Radio Birdman, and the pure melodic joy of The Dickies. Their first EP 8-Track was one of the best 7-inch records of the decade. And from the raw attack of that debut, the band continued to refine its craft without ever going soft. The full-length albums Rockets And Bombs (1999) and Buzzbomb Sounds (aka A Company Of Wolves) (2000) still hit as hard as ever and serve as shining examples of what killer melodic punk rock ought to sound like. I would recommend starting with the compilation album When Wolves Emerge and working your way through the catalog, taking it all the way through 2013's overlooked masterpiece Liberator. RIP Sean Wolfe. 

The Beltones

While their recorded output was limited to just a few releases, The Beltones in my book rate as a legendary punk rock band. Bill McFadden was absolutely the most underrated and underappreciated punk rock songwriter of his generation. He went deeper than almost all his peers, writing about things like battling trauma and wrestling with personal demons with a wisdom and honesty that was truly extraordinary for such a young man. Reviewers frequently likened The Beltones to Stiff Little Fingers, but that was really only a small part of the band's appeal. This was gritty, real music with heart and guts, and for my money, "My Old Man" b/w "Fuck You Anyway" (Just Add Water Records) was the best punk rock single of the '90s. With TKO Records, the band would go on to release the classic mini-album On Deaf Ears and the superb full-length Cheap Trinkets. While The Beltones have remained active as a live band, they have not released music in 25 years. TKO recently gave Cheap Trinkets the reissue treatment, so this might be a good time to revisit The Beltones.

The Dead End Cruisers

How could I do a recollection of '90s punk rock and NOT talk about Deep Six Holiday, the fantastic debut album by Austin, Texas's mighty Dead End Cruisers? The Cruisers, a '77-style punk band with a real-deal British vocalist, added a touch of glam and straight-up rock 'n' roll influence into the mix. They were also amazing live. While this band was short-lived, its legacy was profound. Friday Nights, the EP that preceded Deep Six Holiday, was a classic in its own right. Neil Curran was a brilliant lyricist and immensely underrated songwriter, and it always bummed me out that this band didn't stick around longer.

Jake and the Stiffs

I often talk of bands deserving more attention, but the lack of recognition for Jake and the Stiffs was downright criminal. Seriously, there were several significant record labels in the '90s that should have been heavily fined for not signing these old school punk power pop sensations from The First State. Their singles collection is a $6 download from Bandcamp, and that's the most fun you could have for so little money without breaking federal and state laws.

So that's my stroll down memory lane. Be sure to check out Jay's companion post over at Shock Treatment!  

-L.R.

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