Duuuuuuuuuuude! How great is it to have a surprise new single from Geoff freaking Palmer fall into our laps in the middle of a work week? Released in advance of the show Palmer and his band will be playing at Mickey's Tavern in Madison this weekend, "Last Call At Mickey's" is an exuberant tribute to that very establishment. What's not to love about a song that celebrates a beloved watering catering to "the local drunks, punks, and freaks"? This could be the theme song to the greatest TV program not yet made! Palmer, joined by the crack unit of Tyler Spatz, Paul Kennedy, and Daniel James, is in top form on this infectious little ditty. If you dig high-spirited poppy punk that's catchier than measles in South Carolina, this track is gonna be your jam even if you've never set a foot in Wisconsin. On the virtual B-side, "I Ain't No" recalls peak-era Queers with its scathing excoriation of heshers and college hippies. This song makes me nostalgic for more innocent times when the most objectionable thing about most of the people we disliked was their poor taste in music and fashion. God, I miss the '90s. What a great new single from Geoff Palmer and friends! Break out one of your old $2 bills and snag this bad boy!
Alright kids, shit just got real! 2026 was already off to a hot start, and there's a whole lot more waiting in the wings to get excited about. And now a pre-order for a new album from the mighty Sleeveens turns up? What have we done to deserve this?
Coming off a debut album that I can call an instant classic without being the slightest bit guilty of hyperbole, The Sleeveens certainly have lofty expectations to live up to. But I have zero doubt that they're up to the task. If the album's first single, "If I Was a Casual," is any indication, the Dublin & Nashville-based band isn't straying far from the mix of old school Irish punk and soulful Tennessee-fried garage rock 'n' roll that has thrilled live audiences and record buyers for the past couple years. It opens the album National Anthem in fully anthemic style — coming on like a firecracker and exhorting you to sing along and pump your first in the air before you even know what hit you. The Sleeveens' music is literally poetry in motion, and here that motion is furious and infectious. The full album releases May 1st on Goner Records, and now would be a very good time to reserve yourself a copy on vinyl. Man, I can't wait to hear this one. The soundtrack to the resistance is gonna be bangin'!
How good do you have to be to pull off releasing virtually the same set of songs six months apart and have your fans ecstatic about it? Well Loose Lips have done it! Live at the Cactus Room was recorded this past October in Melbourne, and it captures Loose Lips fully in their element. Outside of a couple songs that were on the band's first 7", the entire set is from the band's debut album Last Laugh. The recording debuted on Todd Ophonic's WFMU show, and now it's available as a digital album from Bandcamp. I'm usually not a fan of live albums, but this particular one is an exception for me. It's a good-sounding recording (credit must go to Dave Forcier for a stellar mixing job). And hearing these songs in a slightly different form reminds me how great of an album Last Laugh is. I'm not going to give you some hot take about how this "side project" band is better than Josh's and Nadine's main bands. But if you gave me that take, I wouldn't fight you. This recording demonstrates how Loose Lips sound rawer and looser than the typical power pop band but still fill their '60s girl group and '70s glam inspired sound with killer hooks. Is a live digital album from this band worth ten Australian dollars? If you're a huge fan, you bet it is! Could you perhaps expect more new tunes from Loose Lips sometime this year? If you check out Jay's interview with the band over at Shock Treatment, you just might find an answer!
There has already been considerable acclaim for the the debut album from Detroit's Mod Lang, and every bit of it is richly deserved. Every now and then, a truly great new pop band comes on the scene and treats our lucky ears to something genuinely special. Mod Lang is one of those bands, and the attention it's getting makes me really happy. Released on the ever-dependable Just Add Water Records, Borrowed Time has been out for only ten days and has already sold out an entire vinyl pressing and amassed over 130 supporters on Bandcamp. That's an immense response, and it shows you that something truly remarkable is cooking in the American power pop/pop-rock underground.
My first reaction to this record was that it sounds like the '60s — but in a way that comes off more timeless than retro. Vocalists/guitarists Antonio Keka and Alex Belfie have crafted ten songs that combine pop-rock classicism with a legit freshness that is all too often missing from music that draws from the '60s and early '70s. This is exciting new music, not cosplay karaoke. The influence of everyone from The Beatles to The Raspberries to The Everly Brothers to (obviously) Big Star is worn on this band's sleeve. And yet you get the sense that this band is looking forward, not backward. So much of that comes down to the superb material. If you're going to write melody-driven rock songs, you ought to write melodies like these that are absolutely intoxicating and twice as memorable. The lead vocals and harmonies hit the spot, and you won't hear a band better equipped to pull off the ringing guitars and punchy bottom end that make music like this so hard to resist. But ultimately what comes through the most is that these four individuals are having fun. They're playing rock 'n' roll, and they're doing it joyfully. This is that rare band that will go over well with just about any music lover aged 9 to 90. Trends come and go, but great songs never go out of style. If you aren't a believer in pop music, Mod Lang will make you one. Hit up Just Add Water and order yourself one of those newfangled compact discs!
On this first day of meteorological spring, The Dahlmanns have birthed something fresh and beautiful. Life in Reverse is their first full-length album in more than 14 years. It's part of a brilliant second act for one of my favorite bands. For nearly a month, I've been walking around like a grinning child who's fighting valiantly to hold on to a secret. I could not wait to write about this album! Now release day has arrived. The O.G. of punk rock zine bards has already weighed in, and I am delighted to spread the gospel!
The title Life in Reverse is shared with one of the songs on the album, but at a deeper level it reflects the theme of this LP. Andre and Line Dahlmann, joined by Magnus Gulbrandsen on guitar; Jan-Erik Hoel on bass; and Ole S. Nesset on drums, have taken a deep dive into all the music they've loved from their teen years to present day. If the last album, 2011's All Dahled Up, was a quintessential example of power pop by way of the Ramones, Life in Reverse is something else entirely. It's not quite what you were expecting from The Dahlmanns, yet it sounds absolutely like The Dahlmanns. This is music full of melody and life, and Line's voice has never sounded better. Having covered everyone from ABBA to Men Without Hats to Sylvain Sylvain to Suzi Quatro to Katrina and the Waves over the years, Andre and Line had already made it clear that their musical influences transcended one specific genre. And so Life in Reverse feels like a logical progression in The Dahlmanns' oeuvre. While certainly not a "power pop" record per se, it's a shining example of what great pop music ought to be.
Kicking off with the 1-2 punch of last year's singles "Leatherboys" and "Dark Side with You," Life in Reverse quickly establishes itself as something quite different from The Dahlmanns. The former is a Detroit-inspired rocker that brings plenty of sleaze and stomp; the latter channels the spirit of Roky Erickson. From there, Side 1 of the album unfolds in a very pop-leaning way. "What's Inside a Mind" exudes gorgeous melancholy and chilly day sunshine. It's truly a perfect pop song. "Sandalwood" is pristine guitar pop operating at full maturity. The gentle "In the Dark" brings more laidback vibes, and then "Ride On" is the album's token shot of power pop by the book. After easing you into their evolved musical approach, The Dahlmanns really let their hair down on Side 2. On the scorching "From the Universe," the band flashes the action rock moves that are practically its birthright. "The Golden One" is full-on modern rock — a song that's moody and haunting yet undeniably powerful. The stunning title track is '80s-ish synth-pop with a modern Nordic indie pop twist. "Fire Fades" feels the like '90s with its bittersweet, heart-on-sleeve jangle. The extraordinary album closer "Old Ghosts Say" is all warm '70s breeze and sun-kissed melody — "A fjord twist on Laurel Canyon," as the venerable Mr. Hutton puts it.
My personal history of writing about The Dahlmanns dates back nearly 15 years. This is my 14th occasion writing about this band, and it's a joy to observe that they've grown as much as I have since the dawn of the last decade. The 2011 version of me might have been taken aback by The Dahlmanns making a record like this. The current version of me wouldn't have it any other way. Do you really want a band to sound exactly the same when 14+ years of living life and absorbing new influences separate two albums? I get the sense that the band is expecting Life in Reverse to be a polarizing release. But I'm anticipating reviews and (more importantly) fan reactions to be almost universally positive. This is an extraordinary album. When it comes to songwriting, musicianship, production, and vocal performances, this record leaves everything else in The Dahlmanns' catalog in the dust. It's still close enough to power pop to appeal to longtime fans, but it doesn't need to limit itself in terms of musical style. I love hearing this band show that it can rock both harder and softer than expected — and break all sorts of new ground in the process.
The Dahlmanns, in honoring some of the favorite artists of their lives, have made a record for people who love music. You can feel the love in these songs. And at a time when we need music more than ever as a retreat from the darkness of the world, Life in Reverse will take you to a place of joy and hope. It's available now from FABCOM! Records in the U.S.A. and Waterslide Records in Japan. European releases are coming soon!
I have a running joke that something is seriously wrong with me if I haven't declared an album of the year frontrunner before the end of February. Well I'm cutting it close this time, but I'll gladly put The Melmacs' forthcoming long player EUPHANCHOLIA in the leader's chair at the moment. The Melmacs already have one of my favorite albums of the decade, Good Advice, to their credit. Now they are poised to surpass themselves. "Bad Seeds," the third single from the new album, arrived a couple of days ago, and it's another banger. Musically, this highlights the way the band has held on to its core punk/powerpop sound yet expanded it with elements of new wave and modern rock. And much like the last single, "Keep On," "Bad Seeds" feels like a pep talk to whomever might be listening.
"Bad Seeds" is a reminder to take a good, hard look at the people around you and ask yourself which of them are bringing light into your life and which ones might be doing the opposite. "Don't let anyone in the world steal your glitter," says the band, and those are truly words to live by. This song is another inspired performance from The Melmacs. You can hear it in Bimmi's impassioned vocals and the electric energy of the music. And even as the song ruminates on dark subject matter, it ultimately turns it all into hope. By that time the chorus hits, you're shouting along, pumping your fist, and resolving to seize back whatever light has been taken from your life. The Melmacs are on fire! Circle April 10th on your calendar. EUPHANCHOLIA will be out Bakraufarfita Records & Wanda Records in Germany, Spaghetty Town Records in the USA, and Beluga Records in Sweden!
When it comes to take-it-to-the-bank certainties in this rarely predictable world, a new Nick Piunti album being guaranteed to be great is right up there with death and taxes. The man is on some kind of roll. Solo...ish (out now on JEM Records) is his eighth album in less than 12 years, and per usual, he does not disappoint.
The title speaks for itself. After three albums with his band The Complicated Men, Piunti was looking for a different vibe to suit the more personal songs he was writing. So he sent some bare-bones demos to his pal Andy Reed (The Legal Matters, An American Underdog), who proceeded to build the songs from there. The album was recorded in Bay City, Michigan with drummer Donny Brown (The Verve Pipe) filling out the trio. Joe Daksiewicz from The Complicated Men also added guitar on three tracks and co-wrote a couple of songs. By now, you know what to expect from Nick Piunti. He has a signature style when it comes to his singing and songwriting. In the world of melodic guitar pop, he is the definition of class. And collaborating with a couple of the most distinguished players in the Midwest indie pop scene has truly brought out the best in him.
Is it hyperbole to call Solo...ish Piunti's best album yet? The quality of the songwriting is exceptional from start to finish. This is Piunti doing what he does best: crafting tuneful, hook-laden gems with exceptionally clever lyrics that balance fascinating storytelling with honest and deeply personal reflections. Songs like "Big in Madrid," "Break Even," and "Handshake Deal" are vintage Piunti numbers and certain crowd-pleasers. "Better Songs," a clever play on the idea that some of an artist's greatest inspirations come in their sleep, is, co-incidentally, one of Piunti's best songs. "One Dimensional" is classic Piunti: a song so self-deprecating that it's ultimately self-affirming. Elsewhere, songs like "Darken My Days," "Bruises and Bandages," and the stunning ballad "Tragic Tragedy" find Piunti breaking from his typical power pop style and absolutely shining. The man is not just a great pop songwriter — he's a great songwriter, period.
Solo...ish hits a perfect sweet spot between a full band rock record and a one-man singer/songwriter experience. Me telling you that Piunti has managed to outdo himself after all these records would be a little bit like saying the the best pizzeria in New Jersey has just now made its best pizza. What was left to improve upon? But somehow Piunti and Reed (who does a masterful job of producing) have found the secret sauce with this release. The thing is truly flawless, and it leaves me crossing my fingers that we'll have many more years of Nick Piunti making records just like this one.
