The Melmacs - "Keep On"

I often think about what it is that draws me to certain bands. Of course The Melmacs are my cup of tea (or better yet, my pint of beer) musically. But beyond that, there's something special with this band. And I just realized it: I've never known another band that puts more love into its music. And I'm not just talking about a love for playing music. I'm talking about using that music to put more love into the universe. New single "Keep On" is a perfect case in point. This song is essentially a pep talk to anyone who might be listening. Its message is simple and powerful: no matter how bad things get, you should never give up on hoping for better things. As long as you believe in yourself, it's never too late to turn things around. And what I appreciate about this song is that it's not really aimed at one person in particular. It's aimed at all of us. How can you possibly listen to this song and NOT feel inspired to be kind to yourself — and to others as well? Musically, this is one of the band's most "pop" songs yet, but it still has that punk energy and urgency to it. Bimmi's sprightly keyboard riff is totally infectious, and the whole song is as well. This is not phony feelgood nonsense — this is a genuine anthem of hope and resolution. The Melmacs are not going to tolerate you quitting on life because they know you deserve better! There are not sufficient words in the English vocabulary for me to convey how much I love this band! The full album EUPHANCHOLIA will be out April, and it's going to be an early contender for album of the year. For now, check out this new single and keep on keeping on!

-L.R.

https://themelmacs.bandcamp.com/album/euphancholia
https://open.spotify.com/album/68tU1H48OjvIOXKTdJUrRK
https://www.instagram.com/themelmacs/
https://www.facebook.com/TheMelmacs

High On Stress - Over/Thru EP

One of my favorite things that Rum Bar Records does is to re-introduce the world to amazing music. The Over/Thru EP is a compilation of four previously released tracks from Minneapolis rebel rousers High On Stress. I can imagine Lou coming across some of these tracks and just knowing this band needed to be part of the Rum Bar family. One connection is that drummer Mark Devaraj is in Cindy Lawson's amazing band. Another is that singer/guitarist Nick Leet sounds like he could be Tom Baker's brother from another mother. And so Lou has assembled a four-song sampler that will turn just about anyone (myself included) into an instant High On Stress fan. These four tracks sit at the intersection of power pop and no-frills heartland rock 'n' roll, and of course that's a sweet spot for me. If you dig hooky, heart-on-sleeve songwriting that doesn't apologize for worshipping at the Church of Westerberg, you will find a lot to like here (and in the band's full catalog). The fact that one of these tracks is a cover of Tommy Keene's "Nothing Can Change You" gives you a further glimpse into the soul of High On Stress. Great find, Lou!

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/over-thru-ep
https://highonstressmpls.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/highonstressmpls/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fBc74O9EQA9InshYMmLjd

Itchy & The Nits - Greetings From...

And they're back! Sydney-based garage punk sensations Itchy & The Nits, authors of my 16th-ranked album of 2024, return with that rare just-as-good-as-its-predecessor sophomore long player. While Itchy & The Nits have graduated from the no-budget minimalist production of their debut EP, they've managed to retain all that charm from that initial release. Out on Anti Fade Records in Australia and Total Punk Records in the U.S., Greetings From... blasts through 12 tracks of quintessential garage punk in less than 22 minutes. Simple, catchy, and fun is a formula that does not need to be messed with, and these three gals pull it off with unbeatable snap, crackle, and pop. Who doesn't love songs about smelly boys, nude beaches, television, and fortune tellers? And what's the only thing better than a rock 'n' roll band with a theme song? A rock 'n' roll band with two theme songs! Even in times as dark as these, an album like Greetings From... is sure to make you smile. It will also have you tapping your toes to a frantic degree and singing along like your life depended on it. Is it possible that the band that gave us classic songs like "Beat It Bozo!" and "Crabs" has gotten even better? My ears tell me the answer is yes!

-L.R.

https://totalpunkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/greetings-from
https://itchyandthenits.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/album/0zgz2F5kH668aSUvdI4rfY
https://www.instagram.com/itchyandthenits/
https://www.facebook.com/itchyandthenits/

The Cynz - Confess

In my mind, one of the hardest things to do in music is to follow up a fantastic album and not disappoint. On 2024's Little Miss Lost, the long-running New York/New Jersey—based band The Cynz absolutely wowed me. This was a proper rock band playing splendidly crafted pop songs and doing it with honesty and heart. I was reminded of a whole bunch of later '80s/early '90s bands that were cool enough to be college radio darlings but accessible enough to get played on album rock radio formats. The album set an extremely high bar for the follow-up to clear. But sure enough, the new album Confess finds The Cynz knocking another one out of the park. This is the band's sixth album and second on JEM Records. Once again, the musical and songwriting partnership between Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz has produced a stellar set of tunes that will go over well with just about any fan of melody-driven rock 'n' roll that's packed with lyrical substance. 

Produced by the ever-dependable Kurt Reil, Confess finds The Cynz confronting (in their own words) "trauma and losses." That's some pretty heavy stuff, but that's certainly where this band thrives — harnessing darker, deeply personal subject matter into relatable and ultimately empowering songs. While the title of the record is certainly a play on the band name, it's also an accurate description of the songs themselves. The band's mix of crunching '80s guitars and '60s-inspired psych-tinged jangle could not be any more in Reil's lane, and he ably captures the band's sound in all its multifaceted glory. Confess's track listing includes a couple of fantastic previously released singles ("Woman Child' and "Heartbreak Time") along with a splendidly rocking cover of Tom Petty's "You Wreck Me." These songs blend seamlessly with the new material, which is marvelous in its own right. "My Father's Gun" marries the band's roots in punk rock with a modern and thunderous rock 'n' roll edge. With its soaring hooks and impassioned vocals, "Ghost Rider" sounds like it could have been a staple of later '80s rock radio. "Light the Sky" is the kind of finely crafted classic rock that many people assume doesn't exist anymore. On the more melodic side, "Impossible Ending" and "Don't Give Up" are elegantly bittersweet pop gems — the work of a confident songwriting duo at the top of its game.  

The Cynz are a fine example of a rock 'n' roll band aging like fine wine. Confess demonstrates that maturity and musical growth don't have to equate with losing your edge or going soft. If not a "power pop" record per se, this album does represent what powerful pop music ought to be. It brings together elements of rock, pop, and punk in a way that's reminiscent of the past yet also very "now." From start to finish, this album delivers the goods. Confession is certainly good for the soul, and it's also fertile ground for songwriting inspiration!

-L.R.

https://thecynz.bandcamp.com/album/confess-2
https://open.spotify.com/album/6wf2g2kmbMyuzgPgQcuoec
https://www.facebook.com/TheCynz/
https://jemrecordings.com/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Jem-Records-100063542772461/

TJ Cabot - "Some People Just Ain't Liked" (2026 Real Rejects demo)

As one of the tens of Real Rejects super-fans populating this Earth, I am a firm believer that a TJ Cabot biopic would be must-see TV. If they can make a gigantic Hollywood film about Bruce Springsteen recording demos in his house with Stingray from Cobra Kai, why can't they make one for TJ Cabot that would at least go straight to streaming? Whether or not the lyrics in new demo "Some People Just Ain't Liked" are fact or fantasy, I can totally see someone pitching Ryan Gosling the role of the hapless barista who has been disliked and mistreated his whole life for no good reason and proceeds to exact his sweet revenge through fabricated allegations of a pubic hair turning up in a cup of coffee. Why does no one else see the cinematic gold that lies right in front of us? Look, there's Tyler lying on the floor listening to MOTO. Look, there's Tyler throwing the remains of a gas station sandwich at the TV when the Leafs choke away a playoff series. Who could resist a dramatized account of the time the words "occipital neuralgia" were first scribbled on a piece of paper? They could call the movie Patron Saint of Degenerate Little Shitheads. You are all welcome to steal my idea. All I ask for in return is a six-pack of high quality Canadian lager. 

For musical inspiration here, Tyler turns to early '80s Australia. While the rest of the punk world had hardcore fever, the Aussies were busy trying to re-create power pop in the garage by way of the Ramones. "Some People Just Ain't Liked" marries that vibe to the spirit of poorly recorded and sloppily performed bedroom budget punk. This doesn't aim to be a finished product, but it absolutely cranks. In the hands of the full Real Rejects, it will almost certainly be transformed into a beloved track on the band's next record. In all seriousness, this is actually quite a profound song. Sometimes in life, you run into people who don't like you. You can drive yourself crazy trying to win them over, or you can just say "Fuck 'em!" and get on with your day. Let it be said that if a child cares enough to abscond with loose leaf paper from a classroom cupboard, that sort of intellectual curiosity should celebrated.

-L.R.

https://tjcabot.bandcamp.com/track/some-people-just-aint-liked-2026-real-rejects-demo

Ricky Rochelle - "Can't Erase"

On his new single "Can't Erase," our friend Ricky Rochelle isn't holding back. He's weighing in with full fury on this dark chapter of history we're living through right now. "Bad news swirls all around, " he sings in the first line of the song. "Not in my conscience to avoid it." And so he tears into this real-life dystopian nightmare and all that it encompasses: disinformation spreading like wildfire, the normalization of hate speech, a pointless culture war tearing the people apart, a free society devolving into a police state, and blood spilling as a result of all of it. This isn't just a song —  it's a call to resistance! In collaboration with Billy Pfister, Ricky Rochelle has crafted perhaps his most modern-sounding track to date. This is leaps and bounds past his Ramones-inspired sound of old and heavily reminiscent of 2000s/2010s pop-punk with even a little touch of metal. The hard-crunching sheen of this track definitely amplifies the intensity of the lyrics. Ricky is singing his heart out because he means every word. This is certainly the most mosh pit–friendly track he has ever released, and it's also his most urgent anthem so far. The whole point is to crank up the volume, pump your fist in the air, and get inspired to take action. Last year with Second Layer, we heard all sorts of new sides to Ricky Rochelle. Clearly that progression is still very much on-going.

-L.R.

https://rickyrochelle.bandcamp.com/track/cant-erase
https://open.spotify.com/album/1xQ0QOeglK8ROZRr71W1Nl
https://www.facebook.com/rickyrochellemusic/

The Stripp - Life Imitates Art

At least 51% of music-related press releases are utterly cringeworthy. But this inspired spiel from Spaghetty Town Records on the new album from The Stripp was absolutely speaking my language: "Life Imitates Art sounds like the Aussie missing link between AC/DC, Cosmic Psychos, Radio Birdman and The Onyas." Well that sold me! On its second long player, the Melbourne-based foursome steps up from the straight-forward (albeit blistering) action rock of its debut and turns loose a powerhouse rock 'n' roll record with hooks for days. A co-release with Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain) and Beluga Records (Sweden), Life Imitates Art would be absolutely massive if they still played real rock 'n' roll on the radio. 

Fundamentally, The Stripp hasn't veered much at all from its steamrolling, high-energy approach to music. If you're looking for scorching lead guitar and a killer groove, you will be not be disappointed. But while this album brings just as much rock, it delivers a lot more roll. Certainly tracks like "Gotta Go," "Gone," and "MF from Hell" will have the action rock crowd thrashing in firm approval. Yet other songs find the band building off of the fast and furious punk rock 'n' roll blueprint in very satisfying ways. "If You Want Me To" and "Turn Back Time" would not sound out of place on your Joan Jett Pandora channel. "So Long" is kick-ass garage rock of the highest caliber. "Good for Me" is a great modern-sounding rocker with a chorus that will be stuck in your head all week. Album-closer "The End" is measured and haunting and totally unlike anything this band has done before. Bek Taylor has got insane pipes and undeniable star power, and I can absolutely see this album elevating The Stripp to a whole new level of recognition. Not an ounce of energy has been sacrificed, but the more polished production and progression in songwriting really works for this band. I don't have to say "I bet these songs would sound great live" because they also sound great on record! I can't wait to hear what Ted thinks of this album!

-L.R.

https://thestripp.bandcamp.com/album/life-imitates-art
https://ghosthighwayrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/life-imitates-art
https://belugarecords.bandcamp.com/album/life-imitates-art
https://open.spotify.com/album/6WOaP30mi5FXjWiDLjz5zy
https://www.instagram.com/the_stripp/
https://www.facebook.com/TheStrippOfficial/
https://spaghettytownrecords.bigcartel.com/product/the-stripp-life-imitates-art-lp-or-cd
https://www.instagram.com/spaghettytownrecords
https://www.facebook.com/SpaghettyTown/