So this is just about the coolest thing ever: J Prozac's new 7" record is the soundtrack to a comic book! Muckspout is inspired by the three stories in the 24-page Muckspout Comic Book Anthology — one of which, Blister Meets The Prozacs, is based on Jay's own lyrics. I love multimedia projects, and I believe that all art forms ought to have soundtracks. Even though it's billed as solo J Prozac, this feels more like a Prozacs record. The sound is old-school '90s pop-punk and melodic punk, and familiar names like Glenn Robinson, Angelo Quaglia, and Jed Dion are contributing players. You won't find anyone in the world who's a bigger believer in this kind of music than Jay, and that really comes through in the songs. This is pop-punk delivered with zero apologies and complete joy. It even starts with a Muckspot theme song. If there's anything I like even more than soundtracks, it would be theme songs! There's a song based on Eric Cockrell's story Feral Punk and another (a first class Screeching Weasel homage) based on John MacLeod's The Stardust Projector. "Emo Song" is high-speed, pure burning hatred and a whole lot of fun. For people like me who enjoy the poppier stuff, "Prom Night" is a revamped take on an golden oldie from the Prozacs' catalog. As you can imagine, the artwork is out of this world. Even though this EP was created as a companion to the comic book, you can still enjoy it as a killer pop-punk record from one of the best in the business. It comes in five variants, so act fast if you want one (or all!) of them.
On his latest single, Ryan Allen leans into his shoegaze side — but not to a degree that will alienate fans of his power pop side. "Used Copy of Monster" and "Always, Now" are songs Allen had been sitting on for a while. Given that his mind has been largely on what's going on in the world today, he initially wasn't sure now was the right time to release these songs that aren't specifically about the current state of affairs. But as he considered the matter further, he realized that these songs are indeed relevant in the light of this particular moment.
The mid-tempo rocker "Used Copy of Monster" is an ode to the most sold-back album in REM's catalog. Fittingly, it's a guitar-heavy track. Monster may be a lot of people's least-favorite REM album, but it's Allen's personal favorite. And this song which reflects on a divisive release from a legendary band ultimately becomes a celebration of doing your own thing and liking what you like — no matter how uncool or unpopular it may be. "You do you" is a powerful message at a time when so many people curate carefully calculated and ultimately disingenuous versions of themselves in search of likes and affirmation. I have to admit I've always had a soft spot for Monster. It seemed like everyone had been begging REM to make another guitar-driven record. And then when they finally did, people were like, "Why did you have to change your sound?" They never understood the frequency. Kudos to REM for making their rock record when they felt like making their rock record. And those of you who do take a chance on a used copy of Monster will probably discover that it's a lot better than you remembered!
On the digital B-side, "Always, Now" is a softer, more melancholy track that again highlights Allen's talent for writing songs that are about one thing specifically but something else more broadly. On a personal level, Allen wrote this song for his ex-wife. It's about the relationship the two of them have as co-parents who, in spite of their differences, will always be bonded because they're "sharing the same person." That's a powerfully relatable sentiment in a world where co-parenting is a very common thing. And this song is not about two people merely being "civil" for the sake of their child. It's about seeking a friendship based on kindness, respect, and a shared history — even if you're seemingly from "different planets." On a more universal level, Allen wrote this song about the idea of having someone's back no matter what. It's easy to say you're in a person's corner, but being willing to remain committed to that even when circumstances change is the mark of laudable human. Allen considers "Always, Now" one of his songs that he's the most proud of, and I can understand why. This must have been a difficult subject to put into words — especially given that he had previously aired his grievances over this very divorce on record and held nothing back. So for him to be in this head space today is a remarkable progression. The world is full of happy love songs, sad love songs, and angry love songs. But there are not many songs quite like this that explore rebuilding care and connection in the aftermath of a split.
With "Used Copy of Monster" and "Always, Now," Ryan Allen has given us two songs with messages that resonate deeply in 2026. It's more important than ever to embrace your identity. And it's more important than ever for people to support each other. For musical inspiration, Allen drew specifically from 1990s shoegaze. He dug into his love for Swervedriver, Hum, Slowdive, and early Smashing Pumpkins as he wrote these songs. But like any other time when he's acknowledging a particular sub-set of his influences, it still just comes out sounding like Ryan Allen. From the first time I heard him on record, I was enamored because I instantly knew who he was. Over the years, he has further cultivated his own style and voice. If you didn't know these songs were supposed to be shoegazey, you could still appreciate them as splendid modern-day indie pop-rock songs.
There's an obvious joke here about how it seems like a major crisis in the world if Ryan Allen goes seven months without releasing music. But perhaps the timing of this single turned out to be fortuitous. Now, as pre-election hysteria amps up all that is ugly, divisive, and awful in America, the positive energy of these two songs is exactly the antidote we need. If you're a Ryan Allen fan, you will not be disappointed.
As a child of the '70s, I was fully indoctrinated into the urban legend that legions of nefarious individuals across the nation were conspiring to murder or maim children by handing out Halloween candy laced with razor blades. It was a preposterous idea. Somehow there were evil geniuses all over the place who had the time and skill to unwrap miniature pieces of candy, insert sharp, deadly objects while leaving the confectionary goodness fully in tact, and then re-wrap each item to a professional standard. Yet there we were year after year, heeding warnings that we all may have been holding a bite-sized death trap in our Halloween haul. And those fine folks who went to the trouble to hand out candy apples were now suspected villains. It was terrifying yet oddly thrilling. The only thing crazier than the insane things people believed before the internet are the insane things a large portion of society now believes because of the internet.
As I listen to Ghosts Of The Past, the new EP from The Daniel James Gang, my mind goes back to that mythical razor blade–laced candy. Daniel writes songs that are like that: sweet and chewy yet sharp and dangerous beneath the surface. I can't think of another songwriter who has a better grasp of how big-hook power pop and raw, street-tough glam punk are meant to come together in thunderous, staggering harmony. Ghosts Of The Past is the first new music from The Daniel James Gang since January of last year, and it's a crackling affair. On this release, the DJG is a proper trio with Mary Joy on bass and Pauly Hollywood on drums. "(Breakin') What Hearts Are Made For," the fireball opener, is electrifying old school punk rock 'n' roll with a massive, soaring chorus. I always love hearing Daniel and friends rock out, and that's happening here with full force. DJ collaborated with Geoff Palmer and Jackie Lemaire on the lyrics, and they really bring an edge to the love song genre. If that chorus were any catchier, half the country would declare it a hoax. "Artificial Romance," which slides close to pure power pop territory, is Daniel's most topical song of the bunch — a reflection on how bizarre and dystopian it is that artificial intelligence has encroached into the most human spaces we have: art and music. The dark yet melodious "Insanity" is inhabited by the spirits Joey Ramone and Stiv Bators — another reminder that some of the best love songs are the ones that are not for the faint of heart. "Drunk Like Me" is a super-charming cover of an absolute classic by one of Daniel's all-time favorite bands, The Dogs D'Amour. The band puts its full heart and soul into this rendition, which fits in splendidly with the rest of the EP. It's not hard to imagine people going nuts for this song when the band plays it live.
I just went into my draft of my best EPs of the year list and penciled in Ghosts Of The Past very near the top. It's a tremendous little record that anyone who visits this blog ought to be interested in. It's everything I love about punk rock, power pop, glam rock, and rock 'n' roll combined into one band. Who hears those raw, impassioned vocals without being immediately smitten? And when it comes to lead guitar playing that totally shreds while still retaining an ear for melody, Daniel is hard to beat. This set of tunes is totally killer, and this particular rhythm section is a bona fide powerhouse. How many times must I chant "Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho" to ensure the music gods hand us a Daniel James Gang full-length in 2027?
Well here comes Mr. Dependable again! When it comes to Nick Piunti, the one thing you can always count on is quality. The new EP Under the Wire finds this master craftsman of guitar pop in prime form on a six-song set that feels a little different from his albums. This release is, for the lack of a better term, more "singer/songwriter-ish."
Piunti often brings to mind Paul Westerberg with his flair for writing songs that are so sad and truthful that they hit you like a ton of bricks. That's the vibe here. Under the Wire favors ballads and laidback, melancholy numbers. While not fully a concept record, it does explore recurring themes of people who are plagued by despair and struggling to find their way out of the darkness — sometimes due to circumstance and sometimes by choice. These songs play to all of Piunti's strengths. He's not just a skilled crafter of melodies but also a fine singer and superb storyteller. These six songs come together like a collection of short stories or a movie made of vignettes. It takes a special kind of talent to make sad songs something you look forward to, but Piunti possesses that skill set in abundance. "Hope You Got High" opens the EP in particularly devastating fashion, and from there it's a veritable parade of stunning, gorgeously bittersweet gems. If you've heard a Nick Piunti record before, you know the kind of music to expect. But his act never wears thin, and every new song he turns out is a delight to behold. If you or people close to you are struggling or haunted by demons of various sorts, you will feel these songs deeply.
Given the creative roll he's been on now for a decade plus, getting two releases from Nick Piunti in a single year feels like a gift. He epitomizes class in the indie pop-rock universe, and Under the Wire captures him at his absolute best.
Well, I suppose it is time for the Halloween music! Vista Blue has treated us to its annual spooky seasonal release, and this single is absolutely up my alley as it serves up a double shot of songs inspired by urban legends. I always love hearing about regional mythical creatures, and so now I receive my education on the Rougarou in southern Louisiana. It's half wolf and half man! "Here Comes the Rougarou" describes an encounter with this terrifying beast, and of course it's upbeat, lively fun. We have the Albatwitch here in the south of Pennsylvania — which is like a tiny Bigfoot that steals apples. Admittedly, that's not as creepy as the Rougarou, but you can bet I never enter the woods along the Susquehanna River unaccompanied. So I would not take any chances with the Rougarou. Urban legends are cool, aren't they? "Faster and Faster" is inspired by Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones and was recorded for Vista Blue's upcoming 50 Stories album. Living up to its title, it's over in a minute. If you have a Halloween playlist, both of these songs would make fine additions.
In 12 days, it will be Halloween. So I'll enjoy what's left of candy/pumpkin/monster season and prepare myself for the quick switch to Christmas mania. Something tells me that Vista Blue will have Christmas songs for us a little earlier than usual this year!
The chance to write a Blondie review in 2026 is giving me all the feels. Parallel Lines was my first-ever purchased album, and that was so long ago that it was an 8-track tape. I can't think of many bands that have been more important than Blondie in influencing the general style of music that this blog centers itself around. Due out in February, High Noon will be the first new Blondie album in a decade. It will also be the last Blondie recording to feature the late, great Clem Burke on drums. "Spectral Eyes," the advance single, is an instant fan-pleaser. Although the song was written by Johnny Marr (who also plays guitar on the track), it sounds uniquely like Blondie. There's no question about what band you're listening to, and you're just grateful to live in a world that still has Blondie in it. Glen Matlock guest stars on bass, so this track is truly star-studded. But it's the ageless Debbie Harry who shines the brightest. My friends, she has still got it. What a glorious four minutes of music we have here! I can't wait to hear the whole record!
One thing that always brings me joy is being able to follow a band from the very start — to hear that initial promise and experience the group's progression and growth in real time. I swear it feels like it was just a couple years ago that Self-Cut Bangs emerged as one couple's pandemic home recording project and one of the most pleasant surprises of 2020. But no, that was six years ago (yeah, really!). And the project was such a smashing success that Self-Cut Bangs became a bona fide, permanent band. And now another four years have passed since the band released its second and most recent album, Circle Around The Free. So what have Self-Cut Bangs been up to since 2022? Quite a lot, actually! Two pairs of band members got married. One of them had their first baby. And so the title of the new album, Growth Spurts, makes perfect sense. The band says the record is "inspired by and about the rapid musical, romantic and familial growth within the band." What's not to love about that?
To recap: Self-Cut Bangs feature two married couples in Cayley and Shawn Petsche and Nicola and Dillon Cavanagh-Whitfield along with Joel Nye. They describe themselves as "like Fleetwood Mac, but replacing the drama and drugs with more guitar solos." Sign me up for that, please! I notoriously love family bands, and I notoriously like Canadian bands. And on this third long player, SCB has fully realized a sound that's super appealing to me, one that lives at the intersection of the power pop/indie rock/arena rock Venn diagram. On this release, the band noticeably expands its repertoire but doesn't stray from its love for simple, hooky rock songs that are just the right mix of thunder and sugar. A band that's equal parts Redd Kross, Blondie, New Pornographers, and April Wine is either going to be an absolute mess or just about the best thing ever, and this evolved, more adult-oriented version Self-Cut Bangs is truly firing on all cylinders. Of course more power pop-ish tunes like "Stonewalled" and "Be My Shelter" have become fast favorites, but I'm just as keen on pure rockers such as "Witness" and "Baby Blues." Elsewhere, the likes of "Ouroboros," "One Day," and "Hot for Me" acknowledge post-punk, glam, and butt-kicking garage rock influences that have become defining pieces of the modern-day indie/punk underground.
Growth Spurts is the work of five talented individuals who have grown as both musicians and people since we last heard from them. I love the idea that you can become more serious and self-reflective in your songwriting without abandoning that fundamental mission to make the kind of music you wish they still played on the radio. This is an album that's simple and satisfying and at the same time deeply relatable on a human level. Somehow these songs pull from the past and still manage to sound like the present and future of rock 'n' roll. File this under "well worth the wait"!
