After recording eight albums with Beach Patrol over the past two decades, Domenic Marcantonio has finally released a proper solo album. His foray into the solo realm has long seemed inevitable given Beach Patrol's slow and steady progression beyond its roots in straight-forward power pop. In particular, 2020's Making Waves and 2022's Festivus really highlighted Domenic's widening array of influences, growing comfort with lo-fi home recording, and fully developed artistic voice. He's too gifted to limit himself to writing only a certain kind of song. Although my Beach Patrol fandom dates back to 2006, those last two albums are the ones I go back to the most. So for me, the folk/roots/blues/acoustic direction of Earthbound Spaceman is not a departure that's tough to swallow. The album title is a little bit of a vibe clue. If Domenic Marcantonio really is an Earthbound spaceman, that suggests an alienation from the contemporary world that a lot of us have been feeling to varying degrees. Who wants to be normal in 2026?
So no, this is not a Beach Patrol album, and it doesn't try to be. This is just a talented artist writing the songs he was inspired to write, and none of this needs to conform to any clear-cut musical genre. Domenic's flair for melody and hooks remains very much in tact, and his distinctive style of guitar playing is no less appealing in this looser, more laidback sonic space. From the opening strains of "Two Signs," you immediately know who you're listening to. Even as it meanders along without the tight economy of a three-minute pop song, "Better Luck Next Time!" is certainly as catchy and memorable as any song Domenic has ever written. "Strange Transformation" is nothing short of a masterpiece — a song that's practically a guide to spiritual contentment in these ugly, divisive times. "Clear As a Bell," one of two tracks in which Domenic duets with his wife Mirra Laes, brings a warm '70s soft rock energy, and it's absolutely beautiful. "Dominic Kinnicinnick," a peppy, country-fied adaptation of The Singing Nun's 1963 hit "Dominique," is pure joy without pretension. "Tabula Rasa" would not have sounded out of place of any recent Beach Patrol album.
I'm certainly not the most objective reviewer since writing about Domenic Marcantonio at this point feels like writing about my brother. So I was thrilled to see a writer I immensely respect, Dennis from Add To Wantlist, beautifully articulate the appeal of this record. As Dennis points out, the album feels unassuming at first but has a way of gradually pulling you into a state of intoxication. Sometimes the phrase "rewards repeated listens" is reviewer-speak for "There are no hooks." But in this case, it means the hooks are more subtle and sophisticated. Given that it has been more than four years since Festivus came out, it's a great pleasure to again encounter new music from one of my favorite songwriters. Songs like "Battlestar Galactica," "Don't Panic," and "Thanks Coach" have profoundly impacted me in recent years, and now "Strange Transformation" and "Clear As a Bell" are sure to follow in their footsteps. There is no doubt in my mind that any fan of Beach Patrol will be delighted with Earthbound Spaceman.
The record shows that Beach Patrol has placed top ten albums on three of my last six year-end lists. Festivus, the band's eighth album, is destined to crack this year's top ten as well. I've had the privilege over the past 16 years to hear Domenic Marcantonio grow in his craft from a promising young talent in the power pop universe into a great American songwriter. Like 2020's Making Waves, Festivus was recorded in Domenic's basement and captures the feel of a band playing live rock and roll. This unvarnished approach to recording would not work for every band, but it has become a huge part of Beach Patrol's appeal in recent years. I love being able to close my eyes and feel like the band is right there in the room with me. And minus any slick production touches, everything hinges on the quality of the songs. In the case of Festivus, that's a very good thing. If basement rock is a genre unto itself like garage rock, Beach Patrol ought to be its poster band!
In terms of the evolution of Beach Patrol's sound, Festivus picks up where Making Waves left off. While still very much at home in the worlds of power pop and pub rock, the band adheres to no particular genre or musical conventions. The album draws on influences ranging from rhythm & blues to pop to folk to country to traditional rock and roll. And while Domenic is as adept as ever at writing a catchy tune, his continued growth as a storyteller and observer of the human condition has become the centerpiece of his craft. Listening to Making Waves made me feel like a wiser, more enlightened human. Festivus -- with its lyrical mix of life philosophy, relatable stories, and personal reflections -- has the same effect. While a couple tracks ("Jung-er Than Yesterday", "Don't Concern Myself") recall the Beach Patrol of old, I love that Domenic has begun to excel outside of the box of the three-minute pop song. The songs "Bad Actress" and "Every Time I Watch The Jerk" (undeniably two of the best songs on the album) demonstrate that while Domenic can still turn out great hooks, he's not always in a rush to get to them. "Bad Actress," a bitter recounting of deceits endured, takes its sweet time (five minutes and 45 seconds, to be precise) unfolding a devastating extended metaphor. "Every Time I Watch The Jerk", which celebrates the enduring brilliance of Steve Martin's signature film, is so joyful and infectious that it leaves me wanting more even after five minutes. Elsewhere, "Ballad of Phineas Wheelock" and "Thanks Coach" stand out as some of the most powerful and profound songs that Domenic has ever written. As was the case on Making Waves, Damien Montana Dias steps up to add his own singing and songwriting presence. "Greek Circus Top," his contribution to the album, is a feelgood number of literally epic proportions.
I can still remember Beach Patrol's first album showing up in my mailbox back in 2006. I had never heard of the band before (although I must admit that the Green Bay return address gave me high hopes!). I popped that CD into the car player, and I was a fan by the time I got to the end of the street. In retrospect, I can acknowledge that that debut pales in comparison to later releases. But isn't that the way it's supposed to be? Bands start out good and get better. They grow, and you get to grow with them. I was barely old enough to be president when I first encountered Beach Patrol; now I'm eligible for AARP membership. I've had the fortune to watch (or better yet, hear) a good band become great. On "Jung-er Than Yesterday," Domenic Marcantonio sings the lines "Won't be remembered for the things I left behind/But for doing what I done out of love." You know he means every word of that, and that tells you everything you really need to know about Beach Patrol.
I've said this before, and I'm gonna say it again: Beach Patrol has made its best album yet! Either I'm full of shit (not improbable!), or Domenic Marcantonio is simply on an extraordinary songwriting roll. Making Waves is the Green Bay trio's sixth album. And in my estimation, albums four through six have been by far the strongest in the band's catalog. In a way, that seems logical. Over the years, Domenic has fully honed his craft and truly come into his own as a songwriter. His growing life experience has given him the insight to write songs that say meaningful things about life and society. And he's become an incredible rock and roll guitarist - absolutely one of my favorites working today. But while so many other bands lose a little of their magic as they become technically better, Beach Patrol has never lost sight of what made the band appealing in the first place. In fact, Making Waves is the band's rawest, most straight-forwardly "rock and roll" recording to date. Domenic had such a blast recording Levity in Pete Donnelly's home studio that he was inspired to buy a Tascam dp-32 machine and make the next Beach Patrol record at home. Making Waves was literally recorded live in his basement. Songs were completed in single takes, and no mistakes were edited out. Keyboards and some minimal guitars/vocals were dubbed in, but in essence this is a live album. Put it on, and it's like Beach Patrol is right there in the room with you playing a set.
Before I even read up on Making Waves, I could tell that the dirtier sound was an artistic choice. I must say it suits the band well. Minus any kind of fancy production, the songs themselves are at the center of attention. And this really is a brilliant batch of original songs - eight written and sung by Domenic and another two written and sung by bass player Damien Dias. There's a great mix of styles as well: a little power pop, a little rhythm & blues, a touch of country and folk, a couple ballads, and a whole lot of good old-fashioned rock and roll.
What I've noticed in Domenic's ascent to greatness is his ability to say something profound in song without neglecting well-crafted hooks and melodies that stick in your head. Opening track "Making Waves" is a perfect example of this. It lures you in with killer guitar riffs and an instantly memorable chorus. Yet at a deeper level, it's an impassioned statement about how we as a people are impeding our own progress by being so awful to each other. "We could be making waves," Domenic sings, "But we're stuck in these ways." With that one simple line, he perfectly summarizes the negativity, divisiveness, and general cruelty that plague our modern discourse. "Battlestar Galactica" takes a more optimistic tone - observing that our present generation is far from the first to suspect that the demise of civilization is imminent. Domenic shows his unique way with words, reflecting on the "It's not the end of the world" theme with wisdom and even a touch of dark humor ("If I'm wrong/Then we won't be around/To worry about it long"). "Struggle" is an epic rocker riding a melody so solemn that it practically brings to mind a religious hymn. It's full of more deep thoughts on the common human experience, and it even gives you a glimpse into Domenic's creative process ("I don't write songs/They appear to me/You just play the little guitar until you set them free"). Elsewhere, "Spell U Cast" and "Too Late Smart" prove that Domenic can still write upbeat pop songs with the best of 'em. And "Thunder of the Mouth" astutely points out the enduring relevance of a well-known Apache proverb. Damien's two contributions complement the rest of the album remarkably well. "So Damn Good" is that one mushy love song out of 100 that you simply can't fault because of the perfection of its sappiness. It definitely lives up to its title! "Sidekick" is up-tempo twangy pop that's so damn catchy that I've been hearing it in my sleep all week. It's a little strange hearing a new voice on a Beach Patrol record, but I've got to say that I'm looking forward to hearing more Damien Dias!
Making Waves is the first Beach Patrol album to feature the band's current lineup of Domenic, Damien, and drummer Travis Magee. It's likely a very accurate representation of what it would sound like if you saw the band live. I wondered to myself if I would have liked these songs better if they had been "better produced", and I quickly came to the conclusion that I wouldn't want the band to change a thing about this album. It captures the trio in all of its basement band glory. This is quintessential Midwestern indie rock and roll - passionate, sincere, and rough around the edges in purely the best way. I love the rawness of the performances, and I'm blown away by the variety and quality of the songwriting. This is one of our great American rock and roll bands operating at the peak of its powers. If you're a fan, Making Waves will give you more of what you already love. If this is your first time hearing Beach Patrol, this is as good of a starting point as any. Download available from CD Baby!
I fully acknowledge it's weird that after spending so many years touting new music, my list of all-time favorite bands is still comprised almost entirely of artists from the '70s. So I got an idea: what if I wrote a massive list of my all-time favorite bands and then deleted everything that was pre year 2000? What would that look like? It was an easier exercise than I expected. I had no trouble coming up with a long list of bands from the present century that I totally love and still listen to on a regular basis. For bands that were active prior to 2000, I only considered their post-2000 output. For more recent bands, I had to factor in that their recordings may have not yet been subjected to the "test of time". With all of that in mind, here we go!
20. Phone Jerks
I know what you're thinking. "Didn't their first album just come out?!" Fair enough. But in a world without Teengenerate and Loli and the Chones, Phone Jerks are the next best thing. Plus there was no way I could write a list like this and not represent multiple bands from Canada.
19. The Cry!
First album is a bona fide power pop classic. Second one isn't bad either! I anticipate we will finally get a new album from this band in 2019.
18. Something Fierce Don't Be So Cruel still sounds like the best album that the 1980s Clash never made. Rumor has it that Something Fierce is now on the verge of releasing new music for the first time in eight years. 17. The Dahlmanns
I've reviewed this band on seven occasions. It actually seems like more than that! The gold standard for the marriage of pop and punk.
16. Sugar Stems
Super underrated extra awesome power pop group. I highly recommend all three of their albums. Does pop music get any better than "Love You To Pieces"?
15. The Figgs - As the '90s turned over into the 2000s, The Figgs were at the top of their game. I probably listen to Sucking In Stereo as much as I listen to any Figgs album. Badger is my favorite Figgs EP by far. The early stuff gets all the love, but this band's post 2000 output is no less impressive.
14. The Unlovables Crush * Boyfriend * Heartbreak is one of the greatest pop-punk albums ever made.
13. Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band Promises To Deliver is my most most listened-to album of this current decade.
12. The Kidnappers
A decade before it was fashionable, The Kidnappers concocted a peanut butter cup mashup of garage punk and power pop, peaking with the "Spanish Girls" single and Neon Signs LP. I have enjoyed the twins' more recent outfit Küken, but I must admit I still miss The Kidnappers!
11. Night Birds
For my money, this is the best punk group of the last ten years. Favorite album: Born To Die In Suburbia. Second favorite: Mutiny at Muscle Beach. If you like old school hardcore punk with brilliant lyrics and a ton of melody, you need to own this band's entire discography. Little-known fact: I have consciously inserted a Seinfeld or Larry David reference into four different Night Birds reviews. I'm saving "These pretzels are making me thirsty" for the next full-length.
10. Bobbyteens
This band would have ranked higher if I'd allowed myself to consider its early singles and debut album from the late '90s. Still, top ten ain't too shabby! 2000's Not So Sweet is my favorite of the band's albums - a definitive mixture of the Ramones, girl groups, and power pop.
9. Midnite Snaxxx
Is there any punk musician of the last 25 years more under-appreciated than Dulcinea Gonzalez?
8. The Connection
I've referred to The Connection as "America's best rock n' roll band", and I think that sums it up pretty well.
7. Beach Patrol I've been a huge fan of this Green Bay outfit since 2006, when I named its full-length debut my album of the year. Over time, the band has only gotten better. Domenic has become one of our finest songwriters. The recent Levity is, in my opinion, the best album he's ever written.
6. Pale Lips
It seems like only yesterday that I was hearing this band for the very first time. It was actually four years ago! Pale Lips' debut LP was officially listed as my #2 album of 2016, and the band's latest is almost certain to be my #1 for 2019. Definitely my favorite active band.
5. Exploding Hearts
I don't think much explanation is required here.
4. Kung Fu Monkeys
The creation of a Kung Fu Monkeys Bandcamp page officially remains the best thing to ever happen to The Internet. I recently decided to put on School's Out, Surf's Up, Let's Fall in Love to see if it still holds up after 18 years plus. Boy, does it ever! There's never been another album quite like this. It's like pop-punk meets twee meets meets surf meets kiddie pop meets bubblegum meets '60s teenage dance party, propelled by James Cahill's seemingly impossible vocal range and a rhythm section that plays as if it's hopped up on Pixy Stix. Music more joyful than this has never been produced by humans. The early 2000s saw the band moving into its "mature" phase, which produced several less punky yet still totally delightful 7" releases. More recently, 2012's Son Of... The Incredibly Strange Case Of The Mysterious Mystery 7" arrived seemingly out of nowhere and delighted longtime fans with some gorgeous and masterful baroque pop.
3. Stiletto Boys
Yeah, I know this band had a home field
advantage. But I would have been a fan even if they'd been from
thousands of miles away. It's funny how time changes your impressions of
things. When the Stiletto Boys made their first album, I was like, "I
love it, but I kind of miss the rawness of the singles". When their
second album came out, I was like, "I love it, but I kind of miss the
rawness of the last album". Looking back all of these years later, I am
awed by the way the Stiletto Boys pushed themselves to get better and
better with each new release. I can still put on A Company of Wolves and find myself stunned by its greatness. Sean Wolfe was so driven to make Liberator perfect
that he was willing to scrap a completed album and start over. It ended
up being 13 years between albums. And it was worth it. Liberator (2013)
proved to be the band's masterpiece - a must-own for fans of power pop
influenced punk rock with insightful and intensely personal lyrics. If you lost track of the Stiletto Boys after the year 2000, you've got some serious catching up to do. R.I.P. Sean.
2. The Ergs
If you want to see me when I'm angry, call the Ergs a generic pop-punk band. Sure, they were Descendents fans. They were also into hardcore, jazz, and obscure indie rock. They were unabashed music and book geeks, which I related to on a personal level. They fully understood that Dirty Work is one of the true cinematic masterpieces of our time. How can you not appreciate a band that releases a single called "Blue" and backs it with a cover of "Blew" by Nirvana? Only a person well-versed in the road signage of northeastern Pennsylvania interstates can appreciate the humor in writing a song called "Ashley Sugarnotch". Most importantly, the music still holds up. Dorkrockcorkrod is an all-time top five pop-punk album in my book. f'n remains one of the most impressive demo tapes I've ever heard. And don't even get me started on the singles. On my Mt Rushmore of New Jersey rock, I have The Boss, The Shirelles, Dramarama, and The Ergs!
1. Dimestore Haloes
The Haloes coming in at #1 will surprise no one. Granted, I had to remove their first two albums from
consideration. But their last two albums are actually their best, in my humble opinion. The Ghosts of Saturday Night was the perfect transition between what the Haloes had been and what The Cheap Cassettes would later become. Wait, you don't own it yet?! Get on over to Bandcamp and rectify that immediately!
So there you have it. There were quite a few other bands that just missed the cut (too many to mention, in fact). But I'm pretty satisfied with this list, and I plan on updating every year!
Is there anything more rewarding in music fandom than following a band's journey from very good to truly great? I've been touting Beach Patrol since 2006 - when the Green Bay then-trio debuted with a release I ultimately named my album of the year. A full decade later, Eudaimonia was one of my favorite long players of 2016. The band's growth over that ten-year period was staggering. It was Eudaimonia that convinced me that Domenic Marcantonio had become one of our finest present-day songwriters. I knew he would be challenged to top those songs. But here comes the new album Levity, and all I can say is wow!
Levity was recorded back in October 2017 at Westmont Station - Pete Donnelly's home studio near Philadelphia. Taking Donnelly up on a long standing offer to record Beach Patrol, Domenic and drummer Preston Ely made the long drive to the East Coast and knocked out the album in just two days. With Donnelly producing and filling in on bass, Levity was recorded entirely in single takes with no overdubs. At a lean eight tracks, this easily stands as Domenic's strongest collection of songs to date. The irony is that if you heard Beach Patrol back in 2006, that is when you might have suspected Pete Donnelly was producing! Here Donnelly's influence is more limited to his recording expertise and always-stellar work on the bass. Beach Patrol has honed its own style and sound over the years, and Levity is the work of a seasoned rock n' roll band at the peak of its craft.
If I was going to compare the songwriter Domenic Marcantonio was back in the earlier 2000s to the songwriter he's become today, that would be easy to summarize. Back then, he wrote great power pop songs. Now he just writes great songs, period. He can still write a hook like nobody's business, and he remains faithful to the timeless art of the three-minute pop song. Yet what is most impressive is how he uses this musical form to truly say something. He never writes a throwaway. Every song offers something clever or insightful or pertinent to his life experience. On this release he comes off a little like a modern-day counterpart to the Elvis Costello/Graham Parker/Joe Jackson triumvirate. Except he's not so much angry as he is full of practical wisdom. "Don't Panic" is upbeat rockin' pop serving essential life advice. The Parker-esque "Get It Together" is a reminder that complaining about our problems often blinds us to our many blessings. Domenic revisits a similar theme on the self-reflective "Nerve" - the ultimate statement of a band that has come to accept and truly appreciate its place in the world. And the music on this album proves to be every bit as engaging as the ideas. Opening track "Clown" pairs an instantly classic lyrical couplet ("I'd be a clown for you, baby/But please do not mistake me for a fool") with a melody you'll be humming for weeks. "Just As I Suspected" ought to have you lookin' sharp and heading for the dance floor, with Donnelly ably playing the Graham Maby to Domenic's Joe Jackson. Donnelly even pulls out the standup bass on the dramatic and soulful ballad "Hands At Love". This is the album's high point - a showcase for just how far Domenic has come as both a songwriter and a singer.
Listening to Levity, I'm somewhat stunned that it was all recorded in single takes. It doesn't sound rushed, and the band could not be any tighter (there are certainly advantages to a guitarist and drummer playing together for nearly half their lives!). I've never found a Beach Patrol recording to be lacking energy, but Donnelly's recording approach probably gave the band even more punch in the studio than usual. This was the first record where I really noticed what incredible chops Domenic has developed on guitar. Just about every song on this record is driven by a unique and memorable guitar riff. I just love how the rockin' and melodic sides of Beach Patrol work in such perfect harmony here. It's not every day that a band has the chance to make a record with one of the greatest pop/rock n' roll minds of our time. Clearly these guys seized the opportunity. Hands down, this is the best Beach Patrol album yet! Credit to Paula Mortimer for allowing the band to use her "Beautiful Lake Winnie In Quinney American Flag Sunset" photo on the cover. Isn't it amazing?! -L.R.
I love it when an old favorite band becomes a new favorite band! A decade ago, a young group out of Green Bay came seemingly out of nowhere to capture my album of the year award for 2006. That band was Beach Patrol, and that debut LP It's Only Greener 'Til You Get There remains one of those albums that I always go back to. If I have any regrets about my "retirement" from music reviewing circa 2008-11, it's that I missed the chance to spread the word about Beach Patrol's second and third albums (both excellent, by the way). Luckily, I now get a shot at making up for lost time. Beach Patrol recently released a new album called Eudaimonia on Barely Standing Records, and I think it's by far the best thing the band has ever done.
Over the course of a decade, Beach Patrol has progressed from a very good band to a genuinely great one. And that process culminates on this album - a remarkable effort that I hope will finally place Domenic Marcantonio in the thick of the "best songwriters out there" conversation. Beach Patrol hasn't outgrown its power pop roots so much as it as expanded off of them. While Eudaimonia is immediately recognizable as a Beach Patrol record, it's clear that the band benefits from a wider array of musical influences and the wisdom of added life experience. You get the best of two worlds on this release: the heart of a singer/songwriter and the guts of a Midwestern bar band. Marcantonio has always possessed a keen ear for melody and a deft touch with hooks. But what strikes me about these 12 songs is how much of himself he has put into them. He's telling his own story in such a way that listeners will relate it to their own lives. And that, to me, is the true mark of a great songwriter. While I wouldn't quite call Eudaimonia a "concept" album, I believe the title is very significant. If there's an underlying theme to these songs, it's that positive actions contribute to happiness. You can just feel the narrative working its way towards a triumphant conclusion. But don't think for a second that this album gets bogged down in philosophy. First and foremost, Beach Patrol is a rock n' roll band. And the group has never rocked harder! Musical influences encompass everything from '60s pop to soul to country to heartland rock to roots rock n' roll. This is one of those rare albums that starts off great and just keeps getting better - highlighted by superb mid-point tracks like "Flower In The Dark" and "Motor". And the record saves three of its very best songs for an awesomely climactic stretch run. "The Big If" is a punchy barroom rocker that will have you singing along and bobbing your head like a fool, while the terrific lead single "I Am Smiling Because I'm Happy" marries Memphis soul to '70s Stones. A turn to pure pop melody on the lovely "This Is Happening" further evidences the impressive range of the band's repertoire. Given that this is the first Beach Patrol album in six years, I expected Marcantonio to deliver a strong batch of songs. And, boy, did he ever!
At this point, it's looking highly probable that I will be honoring Beach Patrol with another album of the year title. Eudaimonia is darn close to a flawless record. It's gonna take something special to top it! The album is available now on CD from Barely Standing Records. Vinyl will be out soon. If you're still unfamiliar with Beach Patrol, be sure to check out the band's first three albums via its YouTube channel. This is a band you don't want to miss!
