Friday, October 31, 2025

The Hellflowers - Teenage Radio


One of my favorite things in music is when bands I like do all-covers releases. To me, going into the studio and laying down a bunch of covers sounds like a super-fun thing to do. And it's a great way to honor important influences or simply celebrate songs you love. Having just become hip to The Hellflowers this year after the release of the band's Deluxe compilation on Rum Bar Records, I had the pleasure of discovering a wealth of new-to-me material all at once. But I must admit I was already craving more, and so the band's new EP Teenage Radio (out on Rum Bar and Missing Fink Records) really hits the spot. The selection of songs here makes it pretty clear why I felt an immediate connection to this band. Any band that covers The Clash, Cock Sparrer, and Ramones on the same record is guaranteed to be up my alley. Remember when you first got into punk rock and couldn't get enough of those bands' records? And of course, decades later, nothing has changed. That, my friends, is what we call timeless music. I love the choice of "Spanish Bombs," one of The Clash's finest pop songs. "Riot Squad" is a great opener for the EP, and "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)" can be the first Christmas track you listen to in 2025. Elsewhere, the Zero Boys' "Civilization's Dying" is perhaps the definitive example of what hardcore was when it still sounded like rock 'n' roll. Elastica's "Stutter" takes me back to the heyday of the new wave of new wave. "Slippin' And Slidin'" honors the true king of rock 'n' roll, Mr. Little Richard.

These are wonderful, inspired versions of truly classic songs. Christina, Matt, and company give these songs that distinct Hellflowers touch, but they don't really mess around trying to perfect what's already perfect. You know and love these songs, and so do The Hellflowers. Teenage Radio might bring to mind your own teenage radio moments. For me, this is like re-living the awesome mixed tapes of my 20s. If you're already a Hellflowers fan, you'll love this EP. And if you're just now meeting this band, go check out Deluxe as soon as possible!

-L.R.   

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The Prozacs - No Way Out


Still going strong after a quarter century, The Prozacs return today with the four-song EP No Way Out, their first new music in more than two years. While Jay, through countless iterations of this band, has played a vital role in keeping the pop-punk flame burning throughout this century, No Way Out takes a slightly different direction. These songs find Jay (along with Jimmy Craig, Greg Russian, and Matthew Gorr) tearing into some straight-up fast-and-furious kick-ass punk rock. If you like old school '80s/'90s West Coast melodic punk and skate-punk, these tunes ought to hit you just the way you like it. The liner notes promise "energy, sarcasm and angst," and that is definitely truth in advertising. Jay would probably be the first person to tell you that he's twice the lyricist he was 20 years ago, and that really comes through here. He has some serious things to say about life and the world, and the energy he and the whole band put into these tunes is something you are sure to feel the instant you push play. My thought when first hearing this EP was that there just isn't enough music like this anymore. The sound is melodic without necessarily being "pop," and I can't listen to these songs without imagining a bunch of folks going nuts in the pit. Punk music always excites me the most when I can feel a band putting all its heart, soul, and guts into every note, and that's the sort of urgency I'm getting here. The Prozacs aren't getting older — they're getting better.

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Sunday, October 26, 2025

The Bacarrudas - ..... Play A Halloween Monster House Party


Now here's my kind of horror vibe! Philly's always fabulous The Bacarrudas have treated us to a an epic frat rock Halloween party soundtrack on their new album/double EP that's fully titled The Bacarrudas Bleed Out, Get Pushed off a Cliff, Sink to the Bottom of a Lake, and Play a Halloween Monster House Party! I've always loved the idea of a bunch of monsters throwing a house party for Halloween, and The Bacarrudas are here to show us what that would sound like. In attendance are Lady Frankenstein, The Phantom Creep, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, Dracula, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Mummy, and a black cat behind every door. Imagine that scene! 

This is the way I like my spooky sounds: with the wild and infectious energy of '60s garage, R & B, punk, and surf rock. If you're gonna bleed out, get pushed to the bottom of a cliff, sink to the bottom of a lake, and play a monster house party, this is exactly the kind of energy you would put into your performance! Is it possible to sound creepy and high-spirited at the same time? Well, it seems The Bacarrudas are showing us exactly how it's done! These tunes will have you shaking your ass and screaming in delight, and you'll quickly conjure up the nerve to mingle with the monsters so you can get closer to the stage. Just make sure that the bartender doesn't over-serve Frankenstein's monster! When it comes to this style of music, The Bacarrudas always pull if off with a gusto that can't be denied. They're not just playing frat rock — they're living it. If more fun music exists in this universe, I have yet to hear it......Play A Halloween Monster House Party is available now from Mom's Basement Records. If you have kids, I would imagine that they would go bonkers for this album. But then you'd always be stealing it to listen to it yourself. Here's an easy solution: buy two copies!

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The High Frequencies - self titled


Wow! The queen of power pop is back with an amazing new band, and of course the debut album is out of this world! Out on JEM Records, the self-titled debut from The High Frequencies is a sure bet to make my year-end top ten list. Lisa Mychols and her husband, Tom Richards (formerly of The Waking Hours), moved to Virginia in 2023. They soon got together with Tom's brother, Scott, and Ricky Tubb (both of whom were also in The Waking Hours) and formed The High Frequencies. If you dig great power pop that genuinely rocks, with touches of punk, new wave, and arena rock, this is a band you won't want to miss. Mychols (The Masticators, The Seven and Six, Lisa Mychols 3, The Checkered Hearts, NUSHU, Lisa Mychols & Super 8) is truly one of the most extraordinary pop vocalists out there, and she is prime form on this 12-track long player. This album offers up a great variety of songs, but the common thread are those infectious hooks, punchy guitars, and soaring harmonies. Fans of straight-up power pop will go crazy for the likes of "Tonight And Every Night," "See You Again," and "Cleanup Time." Elsewhere, the band kicks up a modern garage rockin' energy on "Eleven," "Parasite," and "Can You Hear Me." JEM president Marty Scott describes "Girl In Trouble" as "Motown power pop," and I'd say that hits the nail on the head. I heard "Strataplastic" and thought I'd been transported back to the glory days of '90s alt-rock. "Nexus Star" is the sort of gorgeous pop song you hope to hear on any album featuring Lisa Mychols. 

On their debut album, The High Frequencies manage the impressive feat of sounding both timeless and contemporary. As much as I hate to resort to clichés, I can't help but describe this band as a breath of fresh air in the power pop scene. From songwriting to vocals to musicianship to production, everything about this album is top quality. The High Frequencies are the real deal, and people are gonna be going nuts for this album. JEM Records does it again!

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Ricky Rochelle - "Until I Fell in Love With You"


Ricky Rochelle continues to be on fire. Fresh off his superb new album Second Layer, he's back with a new single that gives me all the feels. As the title suggests, "Until I Fell in Love With You" is a love song with a very positive sentiment. But what's notable is that all that positivity has its roots in darkness and despair. This song isn't just a love letter to Ricky's wife. It's also a reflection on the bad spot he was in before he met her. He sings about being directionless, broken, and seemingly without hope. And then, just like that, everything changed. There was light and promise and healing and purpose. This song, in very simple terms, celebrates that. It gives me chills because it takes me back to where I was 18 years ago at this very time of the year. I always thank myself for pushing through that rough patch when the light at the end of the tunnel was so hard to see. This song would not have sounded out of place on Second Layer, but I really like it as a stand-alone single. And it's a treat to have some bonus Ricky Rochelle music! Musically, it's very much a pop-punk song, but it also brings to mind early 2000s modern rock via '80s new wave (I'm reminded a little of the Blink-182 self-titled album). Billy Pfister, who plays guitar, bass, and keyboards on this track, was also the producer, and his work on this track is just stunning. Ricky's vocal is also tremendous; you can truly feel the words he's singing. I always like a song that sounds like it could be playing over the closing credits of a movie that you never want to end, and this really hits that mark. What a beautiful and moving single! 

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Friday, October 24, 2025

The 66ers - Have More Fun


Now we're cooking with gas! The 66ers are a pop-punk and punk rock all-star team playing '60s-style garage, surf, and bubblegum pop. The band's songwriter Steven Brookfield (The 99ers) is on guitar and vocals. Joe freaking Queer is also on guitar and vocals. Amy Heronemus (TA-80) is on bass and vocals. Ron "Pete Sake" Mullens (Rubber City Rebels) is on keyboards. Andy Wilson (Billy Batts and the Made Men) is on drums. You see a roster of talent like that and can't help but think, "Holy shit!" And the music is everything you would expect it to be. Out on Rum Bar Records, Have More Fun is the band's debut album. This is definitely a case where the title says it all. This is a fun record and a throwback to one of the greatest eras in the history of rock 'n' roll. Rather than sounding like the Ramones, The 66ers sound like all the bands that influenced the Ramones. Think upbeat, organ-driven tunes with lyrics bout girls, summertime, the sun, and surfing. And I love how those call-and-response lead vocals contribute to the party atmosphere. These songs really capture the unbridled joy and wild-eyed innocence of the teenage pop of yesteryear. If you grew up listening to the oldies stations or were already around in the mid-to-late '60s, you're gonna be feeling what The 66ers are dealing. 

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Vista Blue - "I Didn't Get Invited to the Halloween Party"

When it comes to both music and beer, I am all about the seasonal releases! So this will not be the last review of a Halloween-themed release I write this year. I've always thought of the fall as "Vista Blue season." And even though I'm not a big horror movie guy, I consider this band's annual Halloween releases to be an indispensable tradition in my life. If Vista Blue ever ceased to exist, they might as well cancel Halloween and Christmas. The new single "I Didn't Get Invited to the Halloween Party" is an absolute winner. First of all, how insane is that cover art? That's a party you would not want to miss! I appreciate that this is both a song about Halloween and a love song. Musically, this is hitting me just where I want it. It's punky power pop with old school rock 'n' roll harmonies, and it tells a relatable story. Who wouldn't be bummed about not getting invited to the Halloween party? That's a party that even I would attend! Mike and Mark really crushed it with this track. It's another hit from a band that someday may surpass Pete Rose. Exclusive to Bandcamp, the virtual B-side is a cover of "This Is the Night" from the 1985 animated special Garfield's Halloween Adventure. What's not to love? If you stock up on candy and buy this single, you've got your own Halloween party ready to go!

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