Saturday, April 19, 2025

20th Century Boys - self titled


20th Century Boys from Fullerton, California are a newer band with an old school pedigree. Singer and guitarist Jeff Moses (The Flamethrowers, The Cornfed Project), bassist Mike "Rocko" Occhiato (The Flamethrowers, The Joneses, The Vice Principals), and drummer Jason Hubbard (Penal Colony) are all longtime fixtures of the L.A. rock 'n' roll scene. Unsurprisingly, their debut album (out on Rum Bar Records) reeks of the '70s and early-to-mid '80s in the most wonderful way. These 11 tracks take elements of sleazy glam rock, '70s punk, power pop, and dive bar rock 'n' roll and mash it all into a timeless and irresistible concoction. "Suzy" is a stone cold smash, and it's by no means the only banger in the bunch. There's nothing tricky or grandiose going on here: just good, solid rock 'n' roll with a beat you can dance to and hooks for days. Some tracks live at the intersection of dirty glam and power pop. Others bring to mind Johnny Thunders–inspired punk rock 'n' roll or the Stones at their booziest. I love hearing little nods to the classics (like the "Teenage Kicks" inspired riff on "Tricky Situation" or the "baaaaaby!" refrain on "Rumble at the Dance Hall" that tips its cap to The Dictators' "Stay With Me"). There's even a cool cover of a golden oldie by U.K. glamsters The Gunslingers. I can't imagine any fan of Rum Bar Records not digging this album, and it's exciting to hear music like this still being made and made well. Moses proves himself to be a fine songwriter and one hell of a guitar player. Since the recording of this album, Claude Guecia has taken over bass duties, but 20th Century Boys are going as strong as ever. When I was a young pup coming up in the music-reviewing world, it seemed like there were bands like this everywhere you turned. But now this sort of real-deal, tried-and-true glam-punk rock 'n' roll is not nearly as ubiquitous. Kudos to labels like Rum Bar for endeavoring to keep it alive!

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Friday, April 18, 2025

Strange Neighbors - People Pleasers Pleasing People


Now this is exactly what I needed: a new full-length album from New York's Strange Neighbors! The band is made up of Aidan Strange on vocals, Beau Valentine on drums, Dana Bennewitz on bass, and Zach Schweiker on guitar. People Pleasers Pleasing People is the group's second long player and first since 2019. Following some excellent singles and EPs released over the last few years, this is a wonderfully satisfying album that will surely lift the spirits of a world in dire need of some joy. The things that make Strange Neighbors so hard to classify are the very things that make them such a treat. Calling them power pop or indie pop or alternative rock just feels insufficient. They are all of those things but perhaps none of those things. So I'll just put it this way: if smart, fun, and super-charming pop songs which bring to mind '80s/early '90s college radio via Gen Z sound like something you'd be into, People Pleasers Pleasing People is an album you absolutely need to hear (now imagine me proofreading this review out loud and tripping all over that album title!).

Coming in at ten tracks, People Pleasers Pleasing People is exactly what you want a full-length album to be: hit-laden and filler-free yet still packing plenty of variety. At their core, Strange Neighbors are all about perfect pop melodies and well-crafted hooks. But their influences are so all over the place in terms of style and era that you could never write them off as a run-of-the-mill power pop band. Elements of everything from '90s alt-rock to the Beatles to country music to musical theater to The Replacements & REM to millennial emo-core to John Prine to Chappell Roan can be felt in these songs, and this blending of the old and new is seamless. Just as importantly, this band has a real flair for writing relatable songs that will hit you like a ton of bricks. Songs like "You've Got Love" and "Hate Me Less" are break-up (or perhaps post-breakup) songs which trade bitterness for meaningful refection. "Retrograde" and "Wherever We Fall" are reminders that we're all works in progress struggling to figure our shit out. "Influencer" is social commentary that could not be more on-point. "Silk and Cyanide" is certainly the best pop song I've ever heard about enemy spies falling in love. And then there's "Beer at the Bar," which is nothing short of an anthem. On a daily basis, I find myself feeling heartbroken over a society that promotes the hatred of human beings based on whom they love and how they present themselves — and a regime that seems intent on legislating these people out of existence. "Beer at the Bar," a song of unity for the queer and trans community, is powerful in both its acknowledgment of its despair and its message of hope. 

Many a band has followed a run of terrific singles with an underwhelming album, but Strange Neighbors have delivered the goods with People Pleasers Pleasing People. Wonderfully produced by Mike Dwyer, this album sounds magnificent while still retaining an unassuming indie charm. It is certainly one of my favorite albums of the year and a lock for a prime spot on my year-end list. It's streaming now in all the usual places!

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Unicorn Dogs - Inauguration


Unicorn Dogs are having quite the year! Their brilliant debut album Age Typical Junk Behavior will soon be getting a vinyl release in collaboration with a couple of titans in the pop-punk label world: Jolly Ronnie Records and Mom's Basement Records. In conjunction with this LP release, they've put out a music video for their should-have-been smash hit "Dumb Stuff." Meanwhile, the band has a brand-new digital EP out today titled Inauguration. After taking a quick peak at song titles like "Snake Oil Salesman," "Executive Order," and "Chief Executives," you will have no trouble discerning the concept of this EP. Let's just say that when it comes to opining on the state of America post January 20, 2025, Unicorn Dogs are not afraid to tell you how they really feel. This is a band that's good enough to write about any topic under the sun and make it feel urgent and anthemic. So you can imagine that Unicorn Dogs raging against America's descent into authoritarianism is going to be powerful stuff. 

When it comes to protest music of any kind, I'm always looking for one main thing: the music has to be on par with the message. And that is certainly the case here. I will paraphrase my brother from across the pond and say that Unicorn Dogs are the epitome of pop-punk with balls. I've heard very few bands capable of writing songs that sound this raw and this catchy. Of course you can feel the passion and indignation in these songs, and that all comes through more forcefully due to the quality of the melodies and the cleverness of the lyrics. The band has turned Inauguration into a choose your own adventure experience: you can listen to the entire EP in one single shot (with some added snippets) or enjoy it one track at a time. Covers of "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)" by Raveonettes and "Serendipity" by Trusty are Bandcamp exclusive bonus tracks that fit in quite nicely with the rest of the EP. All this for $2 is a deal and a steal for fans of pop-punk and opposers of fascism! 

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Sunday, April 13, 2025

S.U.G.A.R./BLOWERS - Split 10"


You've got to love Daniel at Alien Snatch Records, who frequently releases 10-inch vinyl records simply because they are freaking cool. For a label owner, there is no real financial incentive to put out a 10-inch EP. You just have to love the aesthetics of it. And for a record collector, this is a fun format — a veritable mini-album! Alien Snatch's latest 10-incher is a split which finds Berlin's mighty S.U.G.A.R. paired with Australia's Blowers. So we've got two of the top bands in today's garage/punk scene represented here. The S.U.G.A.R. side contains the roaring, straight-forward punk rock 'n' roll of "Electric Chair" plus a great cover of God's classic "My Pal." Blowers' side features four tracks of raw & super lo-fi garage punk. Blowers have a new album coming out at the end of the month that's gonna blow your ears right off your head. In the meantime, these tracks will whet your appetite. This was a well-conceived split. If you like one of these bands, you are almost certain to like the other. In fact, the two bands will be touring Europe together next month. Follow them on social media for more info!

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Friends of Cesar Romero - Spider Dreamer Sweet Tooth


Is it possible that even the great J. Waylon had room to step up his game? His long-running solo project Friends of Cesar Romero has released some of the modern-day garage/punk/power pop scene's finest music over the last several years, and his Doomed Babe Series has become the stuff of legend. But with installment number 44 in the series, J. Waylon has done something I wasn't quite expecting: not just meet my expectations but rather exceed them. While the majority of FOCR's releases are EPs or singles, Spider Dreamer Sweet Tooth is a proper full-length album. And without question, I'd say it's the band's best release yet. 

So much has been made (rightfully) of J. Waylon's knack for crafting top quality pop hooks and writing relatable, often brilliant lyrics about doomed romance. But with Spider Dreamer Sweet Tooth, I find myself struck by how much he has continued to grow as an artist and musician. This album incorporates a wide range of musical influences, yet it all sounds distinctively and emphatically like Friends of Cesar Romero. Kicking off with the infectious garage rock stomp of "October Eve," the album seamlessly swings from the textbook power pop of "My Motel Mermaid" to the classic SoCal punk stylings of "Quality Inn Cambodia" to the pristine psychedelic pop of "To Quell Your Starlite Mist" to the vintage FOCR charms of "Jennifer Ann" to the '60s pop glory of the title track. And that's just the first half of the album! The virtual B-side is just as hit-packed and stylistically varied. "Throwing Deadly Nightshade" is not just a great song title. It's the epitome of a garage rock banger that will have you dancing wildly in your bedroom. And I'm not sure if I can name another artist capable of going back-to-back with a '60s-style country rocker ("Gasoline on the Trampoline") and a 72-second blast of dawn-of-the-'80s hardcore punk ("Sundowner Uppercut") and legitimately pulling if off. 

None of these songs are throwaways. This is 12 songs in 23 minutes, and not a single moment falls short. J. Waylon, who can write some of the best pop-punk tunes you could ever hope to hear, here proves that he's just as adept at pure punk and perfect pop. And when this album aims to rock, it really rocks. J. Waylon is not just a terrific songwriter and vocalist but also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who has really learned how to make great-sounding solo recordings. If you've been ignoring my pleas to check out the best-kept secret in the punky pop/garage underground, this album would the perfect place to get on the train. 

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Friday, April 11, 2025

The Speedways - "Visiting Hours" 7"


I was absolutely floored when The Speedways dropped the new track "Visiting Hours" back in February. It was the band's first new song in nearly two years, and it did not disappoint. If you have been waiting patiently for "Visiting Hours" to come out on record, now is a fine time to make your move. The single (co-released by Stardumb, Beluga, and FOLC Records) has been pressed and will be shipping very soon. The A-side instantly rocketed to the top tier of my list of all-time favorite Speedways songs — and that puts in it some very good company. The track that's new to me here is the B-side, "Now That I Know How." This song channels Tom Petty via The Beatles, and who in the world wouldn't be into that? Lyrically, this is a vintage Matt Julian dissection of a doomed relationship. That guitar riff will really grab you, and Julian's vocal delivery is spot-on as per usual. In some alternate universe where 1979 never ended, this 45 has already gone gold! This is a very strong return for The Speedways, and that bodes well as we await the band's fourth LP due out later this year. Now go order the vinyl while you still can!

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The New Brutarians - "Born Out of Time"


It has been over two years since The New Brutarians last released new music. But America's favorite pop art glam-protopunk rock 'n' roll band is about to treat us to a summer of hits! After the gonzo lo-fi stylings of the excellent Don't Want To Know Your Secrets EP, Adam, Christina, and friends figured it was time to treat us to some more polished, sub–three-minute pop gems. Our first taste of this is the new single "Born Out of Time," which has been released to coincide with tonight's special event at the Redwood Bar in Los Angeles: an Adam T. art show and glam punk gig extraordinaire featuring The New Brutarians (acoustic), The Juvenile Wrecks, Richard Duguay and The Beautiful Decline, Monodelux, and Bill DeGidio of The Pagans. Produced by Robbie Rist (yes, THE Robbie Rist!), "Born Out of Time" is a perfect little shot of glitzy, melody-driven rock 'n' roll. The lyrics are amazing, and Adam's voice sounds so freaking cool on this track. And those backing vocals are absolute majesty. If glam punk with a power pop heart is your thing, this song will be right up your alley. "Born Out of Time" has left me wanting more, and thankfully more is very soon to come!

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