The Lord Rutledge Awards 2016

It's New Year's Eve, and you know what that means! I am happy to present my sixth annual Lord Rutledge Awards! 2016 was, for a lot of people, a crappy year. But it wasn't all bad. In the world of punk, garage, power pop, and rock n' roll music, it was a damn fine year. And at the rate we're going, the new year looks to be even better! I will now salute some of the bands, individuals, and labels that brought exceptional music into the world in 2016.

Album of the Year:
Radio Days- Back In The Day (Surfin' Ki Records)
You can read my full list of top 20 albums here.


Song of the Year:
Pale Lips- "Mary-Lou Sniffin' Glue"
Song of the year - and probably song of the freakin' decade! 


EP of the Year:
Fashionism- Subculture Suicide (Dirt Cult Records)
Fingers crossed for a full-length in 2017! Runner-ups: Slow Faction- This Machine Kills Fascists, Lovesores- Rock and Roll Animal, Ergs- Goddamn Death Dedication.  


Single of the Year:
The Crazy Squeeze- "To The Lonely Ones" b/w "Red Rosie"(Pure Punk Records)
There was plenty of competition with the likes of Maniac, Aerosol Burns, The Gaggers, TV Crime, and The Breakdowns also turning out excellent singles. But this long-delayed return of The Crazy Squeeze was well worth the wait. The world can never have too many anthems. 
 
Best New Band:
Murph and the Gazorpos
Murph is Charles Murphy (Red Cords, Planet Jazz) doing heart-on-sleeve power pop with lo-fi/garage production. A must-hear for fans of King Louie and Gentleman Jesse. Honorable mention for this award goes out to Private Interests and Sore Points.   


Album of the Year (Masters Class):
Teenage Fanclub - Here (Merge Records)
This award goes to the best album released by a band that's 25 years or more into its existence. Here is TFC's best album in nearly two decades - and proof that great guitar pop bands are capable of aging like fine wine.

Solo Artist of the Year:
Nick Piunti
Even the most extraordinarily talented solo artists are only as strong as their backing bands. So Andy Reed, Donny Brown, and Ryan Allen (who almost took this award himself!) must be commended here as well. Second runner-up: a guy named Bob Mould. 


Split of the Year:
Pagans/The Guillotines - Split EP (Just 4 Fun Records)
"Hopped Up", in my humble opinion, is up there with some of the strongest Pagans 7" tracks from back in the day. The Guillotines feature Robert Conn (ex Pagans, The Defnics) on guitar and vocals and play real deal old school punk rock n' roll. One of 2016's most essential 7" releases!


Compilation of the Year: Various Artists: The Wild Angels (Girlsville)
Released for International Cassette Day, this 10-song comp from Girlsville features a great mix of heavy-hitters (Black Time, Mr. Airplane Man), up-and-comers (City Slang, Murph and the Gazorpos), and gone-but-not-forgotten garage greats (Purple Wizard, The Prissteens) - plus a previously unreleased Aislers Set cover from The Primitives! A great showcase for one of the best labels going.  

Best Live Album:
Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band - Live At Grumpy's (Rum Bar/ADD Records)
This is a new category this year since I cannot recall ever enjoying a live album in my adult life. But there's always a first time for everything. Live At Grumpy's will make you want to go see Nato Coles & The Blue Diamond Band. And if you've already seen the band, it will surely bring back fond memories. Features THE definitive version of "An Honorable Man".

Best Cover Song:
The Dahlmanns - "Do You Want Crying"
I love that The Dahlmanns frequently include cover tunes on their releases. They always give a song that unique Dahlmanns touch. "Do You Want Crying" is a largely overlooked track from the second Katrina and the Waves album. I'm still undecided which version is better - they're both great!


Vault Treasure of the Year:
The Prissteens - Demos and Rarities (Girlsville)
Here's a second mention for Girlsville! Demos and Rarities packages tracks The Prissteens demoed for what would have been their second LP with the A-sides from their long out-of-print early singles. Essential stuff from a band that massively influenced the intersection of punk, garage, and girl group pop that flourishes today.


Best Singles Collection:
Stiletto Boys - When Wolves Emerge (The 1996-1998 Studio Sessions) (Zodiac Killer Records)
All the earliest, rawest stuff from one of the greatest punk rock bands ever!

Best Album of Late 2015:
The Bloodtypes - Pull The Plug 
There always seems to be that one album that comes out so late in the year that it misses the cut for my year-end top ten list - although it totally would have made the list if I'd heard it just a little sooner. And, then of course, it doesn't qualify for the following year's list. It's not right that such a record would fall between the cracks like that! So let us now celebrate the remarkable second album from The Bloodtypes, which would easily make a revised list of my top ten albums of 2015!   


Best Release I Did Not Review in 2016:
Sheer Mag-  III
Sometimes when bands are heavily acclaimed by a large number of publications much bigger and better than mine, I see no point in adding my two cents. That said, I think Sheer Mag is one of the best bands on the planet. For once, the critics are right! If you've been living under a rock and aren't aware of the band's three singles, track them down by all means. 


Label of the Year:  
Surfin' Ki Records
Italy's Surfin' Ki has been one of the best labels going for many years now, and it finally takes the hardware in 2016. The label was responsible for my #1 (Back In The Day by Radio Days) and #19 (You Ain't Gonna Rock And Roll No More by Juvie) albums of 2016, plus a great new Shanghais EP and the recently-released smokin' debut album from So What. And that's only a portion of what Surfin' Ki released this year!

Most Welcome Digital Reboot:
Midnite Snaxxx - self titled 
I'd been wishing upon a star for a digital release of this album since it was released back in 2012. I finally got it! 


The F & L Championship Belt:
The Connection 
The championship belt is awarded annually to my current favorite band. The Connection retains the title from last year - and will have to battle the likes of The Cheap Cassettes and Something Fierce to make it three in a row in 2017!

I hope this led some of you to discovering something cool! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to stop by. Have a safe and happy new year! 

-L.R.

Archive of Lord Rutledge Awards:
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011

Top Twenty Albums of 2016

So this is the year it finally happened: I took a good, hard look at my best albums of the year list and realized that a top ten was not going to be adequate. There was such little separation between my first ten and my second ten that I decided to just go ahead and do a full top twenty. Unlike some years where a couple of records tend to dominate, 2016 brought an exceptionally high volume of excellent LPs. I could have made this a top 30 without any difficulty.

So let's get to it! This list reflects the high quality of punk, garage, power pop, and rock n' roll music being turned out by bands all over the world (eight different countries are represented!). I have provided streaming links where available so you can listen for yourself. Compilations, reissues, etc. will be recognized when I do my annual year-end post on Saturday.

20. Real Tears - Too Cool To Rock
Catchy as hell powerpop/punk from Sweden. Any band that writes a song called "Beersday" is sure to get all of my love.


19. Juvie - You Ain't Gonna Rock And Roll No More
How you can not love a band doing a '70s version of '50s rock n' roll in 2016? Featuring our pal Travis Ramin!


18. The Steve Adamyk Band - Graceland
One of the finest and most reliable bands in the powerpop/punk world, doing what it does best. 


17. Big Eyes - Stake My Claim
First album as a foursome, and of course it rocks! 


16. Low Culture - Places To Hide
Another impressive showing from one of the most underrated bands out there. I promised not to overlook this album come year-end! 


15. Watts - The Black Heart Of Rock N Roll
The greatest classic rock record of the decade. 


14. Los Pepes - All Over Now
Supremely satisfying sophomore effort from "the loudest powerpop band on Earth"! 


13. Hunters - Dead End
Glammy, punky rock n' roll goodness from the streets of Helsinki! 


12. Lutheran Heat - Louder From The Other Side
If X had been re-born in the modern day as a rootsy garage/pop band... 


11. The Hot LZ's - Aggravate My Mind
This one will be up your alley if you love The Humpers, Dead Boys, and Stooges. 


10. Tommy and the Rockets - Beer And Fun And Rock 'n' Roll
Tommy and the Rockets are an international bubblegum/punk/rock n' roll supergroup featuring the talents of Thomas Stubgaard (The Lingertones, The Hitchcocks) and Michael Chaney (The New Trocaderos). If your musical sweet spot is the Beach Boys via the Ramones, Beer and Fun... is not to be missed!


9. Drakulas- Raw Wave
The best thing to come out on Dirtnap Records in quite a while. 


8. Hakan - II
A rare case of the sequel being as good as the original. For fans of millennial era garage/punk/powerpop a la Marked Men, Kidnappers.


7. Beach Patrol- Eudaimonia
Longtime favorites of mine, Beach Patrol had my album of the year ten years ago and rated near the top again in 2016!


6. Role Models- Forest Lawn
The title is a reference to the neighborhood where Rich Rags grew up. The album celebrates all of the great punk, rock n' roll, and power pop music he discovered there. We are witnessing the ascension of one of our great modern-day songwriters.


5. Ryan Allen and his Extra Arms - Basement Punk
The quick sales pitch is that this album is Allen's homage to all of the amazing indie/alternative bands of the early '90s that led him to the world of underground music. What's so impressive is that these influences are melded so seamlessly into his introspective power pop style.    


4. Kurt Baker Combo- In Orbit 
Baker, who had my #1 album of 2012 and my #2 album of 2015, scores big again in 2016 with his first studio album featuring his powerhouse Spanish touring band. 

3. Nick Piunti- Trust Your Instincts
This sets the bar for "power pop for grownups". In what kind of lousy world is "One Hit Wonder" not a massive hit single?!


2. Pale Lips - Wanna Be Bad 
This was my most highly-anticipated album of 2016, and it did not disappoint! Imagine The Shangri-Las singing for the Ramones with Chuck Berry on guitar. 


1. Radio Days - Back In The Day
I've got to say that Pale Lips made a really good run at album of the year. But in the end, I've got to give it to Radio Days. Back In The Day does not attempt to be anything more or anything less than a classic power pop album. And I have not heard a finer specimen of the genre in several years.


So there you have it. I'll add that So What's Hard Gum would have been under serious consideration as well if it had been released just a little bit sooner. Honorable mentions go to the debuts from Indonesian Junk and Dark Thoughts! 

-L.R.

New Miss Chain single!

I can't think of a better way to end another year of reviews than with a post on my longtime favorites Miss Chain & The Broken Heels! It has been a really long time since we've heard from Italy's finest musical export. "Uh Uh" is the band's first release since 2013's fantastic LP The Dawn - and its first new single since 2012. I must say it does not disappoint. Essentially Miss Chain & The Broken Heels have evolved over many years from a great power pop band into a great pop band, period. Astrid's voice - so lovely and warm and expressive- has been served well by maturity. "Uh Uh" is upbeat, twangy pop with a knockout melody. It's likely to send you into a frenzy of head-bobbing or impromptu dancing. On the flip, "Standing the Night" slows the pace and mellows out the vibe. It's just so pretty, with standout harmonies and guitar work. Even with the band members taking some well-deserved time off after extensive touring for The Dawn, the magic is still there. I couldn't be happier with these two songs! Get the single from Bachelor Records, and let's cross our fingers for a new album in 2017!



-L.R.

https://misschainandthebrokenheels.bandcamp.com/album/uh-uh-standing-the-night-7
https://www.facebook.com/misschainandthebrokenheels 

The Ergs: one final collection!

So I promised that my review of Goddamn Death Dedication would not be my last-ever post on The Ergs. While it was incredibly satisfying to hear the band bow out on such a high note, the New Jersey trio has also left behind one final treat for fans. "Okay, Enough Reminiscing" is the sequel to the band's compilation Hindsight is 20/20, My Friend -  and it collects all of the singles the band released after Volume 1 came out along with some rarities and unreleased gems. It's a digital-only release available from The Ergs' Bandcamp, and it's affordably priced for just $5. You get 22 songs in all - including a few that have never seen the light of day before. I suppose that one could argue that this release is for fans only. But, you know, that's the whole point! The fact that The Ergs have managed to release two full compilation albums inspired by one of the greatest motion pictures of all-time, Dirty Work, only adds to their considerable legacy. Contained here you'll find tracks from the band's That's It ...Bye and Thrash Compactor EPs along with the songs from splits with The Measure [sa] and Teenage Bottlerocket, covers of the likes of Parasites & Sicko, and even a couple of live tracks. The song selection was carefully thought over by the band, and it's clear that The Ergs' recorded output fully merited a second singles collection. This is all quality stuff, and a number of these songs belong in every fan's collection. "Anthem for a New Amanda", in my humble opinion, is up there with the best of the Ergs 7" cuts. "Encyclopedia Self-Destructica" is the closest the band came to writing its own "Answering Machine" or "Within Your Reach". "Johnny Rzeznik Needs His Ass Kicked" ought to air as a public service announcement on TV and radio. And The Hunchback cover "Last Man On Earth" might be the most essential track on the entire compilation.

So it seems that the releases of "Okay, Enough Reminiscing" and Goddamn Death Dedication fully close the book on The Ergs. If so, what a book it was! This was, at least, the greatest pop-punk band of its time. And how can you not love a band that records a thrash EP just for the fun of it and introduces a ZZ Top cover as "proto pop-punk"? The incredible response to the trio's brief reunion this year shows that this was not a band that would be quickly forgotten. And damn straight, the music holds up! Those unfamiliar with The Ergs would be well-advised to start with Volume 1 of the Hindsight series or 2004's brilliant LP Dorkrockcorkrod. And if you're a confirmed fan, OK, Enough Reminiscing is the best possible way for you to spend five bucks. Download comes with PDF liner notes which tell the stories behind the songs. I choose to imagine that Artie Lange owns this comp and listens to it often.



-L.R.

https://theergs.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/The-Ergs-21797342661/

The Connection: Just For Fun!

Boy, this year is ending with some killer releases! As I teased a couple of weeks back, The Connection has done something totally fun and released an all-covers album to close out 2016. Titled Just For Fun, the album came out this past Friday as a digital release via Bandcamp. A physical release will follow early next year, and Rum Bar Records has already opened CD pre-orders.

While I'm definitely jonesing for some all-new material from The Connection, I am enjoying the hell out of Just For Fun. I wish more bands did this sort of thing! When I come across fantastic songwriters like Brad and Geoff, I'm always curious about which songwriters they admire. Here The Connection pays homage to some obvious influences (Dictators, Rolling Stones, Dave Edmunds, Buddy Holly) as well as ripping into some killer tunes that are just super fun to cover (Bob Seger's 1974 scorcher "Get Out Of Denver", George Thorogood's AOR smash "Get A Haircut"). The band makes no attempt to "top" the source material (it's literally impossible to improve "Get Out of Denver" or The Dictators' "Stay With Me"). But it does a great job of making Just For Fun sound like a Connection record. If you didn't know any better, you might even think that the likes of "I Can Read Between The Lines" (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) and "Streets Of Baltimore" (Tompall & the Glaser Brothers/Bobby Bare/Gram Parsons) were Connection originals! "Stay With Me" is an all-time top five favorite song for me. In theory, I should be completely opposed to any band attempting to touch it. But ya know what? I genuinely love The Connection's version, and I would be shocked if Andy Shernoff doesn't love it too! All of these tracks show great reverence for the original versions, but the band still manages to put that Connection signature on them.

I think part of what makes rock n' roll such a vital form of music is that it continues to honor its roots. And considering that most "oldies" radio stations now play almost nothing from prior to 1970, it's largely up to the newer bands to keep these old songs alive. That's why I never view a cover song as "filler" or a "throwaway", and that's why I find great value in all-covers albums like Just For Fun. If The Connection's cover of "Southern Girls" convinces just one person to seek out Cheap Trick's classic original, that's a total win! Produced by Brad and Geoff, Just For Fun was made with the involvement of a lot of super talented people. B-Face (The Queers, Groovie Ghoulies) plays bass on a few tracks, and the great Kris Rodgers is a monster on the keyboards as always. The album was mixed by Mike Kennerty (The All-American Rejects) and mastered by legendary pop-punk producer Mass Giorgini. Of course it sounds like a million bucks, and I can't imagine any Connection fan not wanting to have it! Favorite tracks for me are "I Can Read Between The Lines" (Gary Lewis, to me, is an unappreciated great of '60s pop) and the aforementioned "Stay With Me". And kudos to the band for picking a somewhat lesser-known Stones song ("No Expectations") and totally nailing it. Download Just For Fun today for just eight bucks! 



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/just-for-fun
https://the-connection.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theconnectionRnR/ 

The New Frustrations: brand-new EP!

So if I had to list my current favorite bands, The New Frustrations would be way up there. The group formed a decade ago when ex johnnies Tim, Scag (RIP), and Brian joined forces with Rick and Tom and rechristened themselves The New Frustrations. I was a huge of The johnnies, and I quickly found that I loved The New Frustrations just as much. In 2006, the band recorded one of the best demos I've ever heard. A debut EP called Power Pop Rocks arrived a year later - although I had fallen off the face of the Earth at that point and was not around to review it. So now, for the first time in ten years, I have the pleasure of reviewing new material from The New Frustrations. Christmas has come early!

The new EP Dee Bacle, released just last week, sounds like it could have come out nine days after Power Pop Rocks as opposed to nine years. The New Frustrations haven't lost the plot at all! They still bring that classic mix of power pop, '70s punk, and straight-up rock n' roll. And while Scag is gone, his presence is still felt through the inclusion of his song "Too Scared To Kiss You". The band hooked me off the bat with "Radio Generation" - a song that celebrates a time when they still played great music on the radio (and laments what a shit show commercial radio has become). Having come of age listening to the radio and buying records in the late '70s and early '80s, I'm always a total sucker for songs like this. It's a perfect mission statement to open the record, and that hook is fittingly radio-worthy. "Right As Rain" follows, and it sounds like a classic Replacements song. You'd think that that sort of tune would be easy to write, but I've not heard it done this well in a long time. Is this the band's best song yet? Maybe! "Not Anymore" is something we haven't heard previously from The New Frustrations but suits these guys so well: kick-in-the-ass rock n' roll with hooks. Reminds me of The johnnies (Duh!). And to close the EP, the band honors Scag beautifully by absolutely crushing "Too Scared To Kiss You". This track is everything that a great pop/punk love song ought to be, and the lyrics are so spot-on that they leave me misty-eyed every time. It's always nice to come across a song that makes me wanna jump out of my chair and pump my fist while I sing along loudly.

I really feel that within the power pop by way of classic punk realm of music, The New Frustrations are one of the very best bands out there. If you're a regular follower of this blog and haven't taken advantage of free downloads of the band's first demo and 7" over at Bandcamp, you are seriously missing out! And Dee Bacle, available on CD or digital EP for just four bucks, is worth every penny and then some. Given the crap year that 2016 has been, 2017 can make amends by granting world domination to The New Frustrations.



-L.R.

https://thenewfrustrations.bandcamp.com/album/dee-bacle
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Frustrations/211400712204920 

Song premiere: The Cheap Cassettes - "Disappear With You"!

These song premieres always remind me of staying up late on New Year's 1983-84 to watch MTV debut the video for Van Halen's "Jump". That was a top ten moment of my childhood. Today I've got something on a similar level of cool: the first new song from The Cheap Cassettes in two years! The (now) Seattle-based outfit featuring ex Dimestore Haloes Charles and Kevin has just joined the Rum Bar Records family. Talk about a perfect fit! The label will be reissuing the band's 2014 full-length debut All Anxious, All The Time on CD in early 2017. The new release will include all of the tracks from the original album plus a previously unreleased gem called "Disappear With You". The song is pretty much the definition of great power pop - marrying rootsy rock n' roll to a whole lot of guitar jangle and a divinely Beatlesque melody. And what a strong vocal! Sometimes "bonus" material like this can be suspect, but this is one of The Cheap Cassettes' best songs yet! And there's no need to take my word for it! Give it a listen below, and be sure to look for the CD out on Rum Bar in February. Pre-orders are open over at the label's Bandcamp with two tracks already streaming. Ten bucks? That's a deal and a steal!



-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/cheapcassettes/
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/all-anxious-all-the-time
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/