Friday, September 25, 2026

Dany Laj And The Looks - If Looks Could Kill


This should have been a really simple review. If the only vital question about If Looks Could Kill, the new album from Dany Laj And The Looks (out today on Having Fun Records), is whether it moves me, the answer is a big old yes. End of story. Review over. Go buy the record. Time for me to grab a beer. 

Just kidding. 

If you're a longtime Dany Laj And The Looks fan, as I am, you'll sense that there's something a little different about this album — in an entirely good way. I'm not really talking about the style of the music. I'm talking more about the tone of the album. Broadly, this is still a high-energy power pop/rock 'n' roll record (always this band's bread and butter). But — perhaps because it was first conceived as solo album — it feels a little more "singer/songwriter-ish." It's more song-driven and less style-driven, and it seems particularly inspired by the state of the world we're currently living in. Certainly the album has its lighter moments, but overall, Dany had a lot of serious things on his mind while he was writing it. You can really hear him working through all that anger, sadness, confusion, self-doubt, and uncertainty. Of course I dig the super-fun, straight-forward power pop bangers like "Thanks for Ringing Us Up" and "Rock 'N Roll Figurines." But I'm especially drawn to the surprises. "Shelved" starts out a certain way and then takes a very sharp and unexpected turn (I knew The Looks were secretly a jam band!). "You Will Find Love" is a rootsy ballad that's very pretty and poignant. Likewise, "Breaking Down" shows a softer, more directly emotional side to this band. "Tell It To You" is an on-point takedown of a society that no longer values the truth. The epic closing track "Till the End" channels all that empathy for people who are struggling in these tough times into a resounding message of love and gratitude.  

And so, five years later, we finally get a new album from Dany Laj And The Looks. I will never say a band has topped its prior output unless I really believe it. This time, I can say it and mean it: If Looks Could Kill is the best album Dany and Jeanette have made together. I'm feeling it the way Brad Marchand felt P.K. Subban's check in 2010. It will remind you why you came to love rock 'n' roll in the first place. Every single song is a keeper. These tunes have heart, soul, and hooks galore. This may have started out as a solo project, but it came to life when Jeanette and David stepped in to help. And then the magic happened. I know I'm always trying to lure you into spending more money on records, but I promise this one is worth it. It's a power pop album. It's not a power pop album. And I love it.

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Lorne Behrman - If Heaven Didn't Hurt

"Ain't it funny
How the good comes when the bad dies
The love comes when the hope is gone
You live on in a story"

Since launching a solo career five years ago after a quarter-century as a guitar slinger extraordinaire, Lorne Behrman has truly seized the day. If Heaven Didn't Hurt (out today on the illustrious Spaghetty Town Records) is already his fourth release and his third full-length recording. The album finds him further refining an artistic vision that is undeniably unique in the punk universe. While still very much punk rock in spirit, If Heaven Didn't Hurt is about as far removed as you can get from the trashy three-chord rock 'n' roll that Behrman is largely known for. Building on the promise of 2024's excellent Blue Love, this 10-song set is as much about a vibe as it is about a sound. It finds Behrman evoking the feel of 1970s cinematic New York and excelling as a storyteller, poet, and chronicler of the human condition. On these songs, he transports us into a world inhabited by characters whose stories are in many ways intertwined with his own: haunted souls reckoning with being chronically misunderstood and deeply disappointed in the hand that life has dealt them. So much of life is about persisting through the dark patches and emerging resilient if not triumphant. For me, this album really speaks to that. 

After four releases, Behrman has fully grown into his signature sound: a half-spoken, half-sung, effortlessly cool vocal delivery; an honest, soul-searching lyrical approach; and a musical style that is as warm & melodic as it is cool & modern. Working with one of the best music producers in the business, Matt Chiaravalle, and a superb cast of musicians (Howard Alper on drums, Matthew Jacob Dougherty on bass, Rob Clores on keyboards, Danielle McCullough on backing vocals, and the legendary Uptown Horns), Behrman had everything he needed in place to really go for it and make the record he envisioned in his head. I would describe If Heaven Didn't Hurt as a really chill, easy-like-Sunday-morning kind of record. These songs don't try to hammer you over the head; they build atmosphere and warmly invite you in. "They Won't Take Us Alive," a bona fide anthem, forms the most direct line to Behrman's punk roots. Elsewhere, the powerful & profound "Ain't It Funny" is a moody rocker meets infectious R & B jam. "Take a Little More Time" and "Bitter Town Blues" are smooth and jazzy. "Pink Cocaine" is primo hipster disco that couldn't be any more New York if it tried. "Every Motherfucker She Sees" is funky blue-eyed soul and a real standout. Closing track "After the Ramblin' Is Done" is Behrman's finest ballad yet — a stunning, ethereal number that brings a gentle but deeply felt finality to an absolutely tremendous album. 

A semi-autobiographical rock album of linked song-stories inspired by the heyday of big screen New York is certainly the kind of thing I'd be into. When Lorne Behrman arrived as a solo artist back in 2021, it was as if he had found an instant identity as a singer and songwriter. He has never needed to search for his place in the underground music scene. What he has done is build on his style. If his previous releases weren't for you, If Heaven Didn't Hurt won't be either. But if you liked his first two albums, you're going to love this one — an even better version of those prior efforts. I love songwriters who aspire to make art, and this album is absolutely a work of art. It's sophisticated and thoughtful as it spins relatable tales of desperation and redemption. Yet it never comes off as pretentious or bloated (even the longest tracks barely cross three-and-a-half minutes). This is a soulful, deeply human record. All of that stellar production and amazing musicianship are there strictly to serve the songs, and it's Behrman's words and voice that remain front and center. This is not some sideman cosplaying as a lead artist. This is one of the most exceptional songwriters in our world doing what he was always meant to do. He's on one heck of a creative roll, and we are fortunate to be privy to it.

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Sunday, September 20, 2026

Jagger Holly - Wet Hot European Summer


So who's the best pop-punk band of the last ten years? Jagger Holly has to be in the conversation — if  not dominating it. On its fifth album, Wet Hot European Summer, Jagger Holly is back doing Jagger Holly things. Jay Dee is a hall-of-fame caliber singer/songwriter in this genre, and he's in prime form on this release. Matt DeeCrack contributes a few ace tunes as he can always be counted on to do, and I wouldn't argue with anyone who says that this is as good as any album in the band's catalog. So yeah, if you want to hear pop-punk done the way pop-punk ought to be done, Wet Hot European Summer will hit the spot. These songs balance just the right amount of pop with just the right amount of punk. Some tracks lean a little more to the former ("Wish I Could See It," "It's Summer Somewhere," "This Kinda Love"), and others lean a little more to the latter ("Everything From You," "Already In Love"). But all in all, this is pop-punk by the book executed to perfection. Jay Dee has a rare talent for writing three-chord punk songs that are impossibly catchy and also hit you straight in the heart. This isn't rocket science, but there's a real science to it. And whatever magic is required to write songs this simple that don't just sound like bad copies of a million songs you've already heard, Jay Dee and Matt sure do possess it. Unlike some pop-punk bands that make their influences ultra-obvious, what we can say about a Jagger Holly record is that it just sounds like Jagger Holly. How perfect of a song is "Anybody Out There"? Who wasn't stoked about the co-ed duet "Won't Catch Me Crying"? 

Getting to its fifth album, Jagger Holly could have gone in a lot of different directions. This could have been a more "mature" Jagger Holly record or an attempted expansion of the band's sound. But if you can stick to what works and still make albums this great, why mess with a winning recipe? While this vintage summer album did not arrive in time for your summer enjoyment this year, you can put it on now and let summer live a little longer in your heart. Get it now from Monster Zero Records in Europe and OUTLOUD and Hey Pizza! Records here in the States!

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Saturday, September 19, 2026

The Goods - Goodbye Summertime


There may be a long list of reasons why it sucks to be a human in the year 2026, but a lack of good music is certainly not one of them. The quality of the releases coming out this year continues to blow me away, and it has been an especially notable year for guitar pop. Goodbye Summertime, the second album from Oakland-based The Goods, is up there with the best of 2026's many long-playing power pop-ish treasures. Largely a solo endeavor from Rob Good, Goodbye Summertime is a stunning work suitable for anyone who loves melody and great songwriting. It pulls from a wide array of influences (Beatles, Brian Wilson, '60s psych and baroque pop, '70s AM radio, '80s/'90s indie pop) that all fall under the umbrella of timeless pop music. It adds all sorts of layers to the band's core sound while still keeping the hooks at the forefront. The album's release in the midst of the transition from summer to fall was surely no coincidence. This is the ultimate fall record: a gentle, melancholy set of songs that seems tailor-made for cozy rainy day lounging and solitary walks with just a touch of chill in the air.  

Much of the magic of Goodbye Summertime lies in its inspiration. Rob Good didn't just write this record; he lived it. "My whole life turned upside down one summer, " he says. "The long-term relationship I was in collapsed, and in the wake of that, I found new love. I was sorting through the grief and failure of my previous relationship and the bliss and anxiety of my new one all at once—all while basically living at my recording studio—and I found myself in an intensely creative state." I love it when songwriters tell their stories, and this story in particular is one I'm feeling deeply. 

Great albums have been written about painful breakups. Great albums have been written about of the thrills and joy of finding new love. But what happens when both things happen concurrently? It's hard to imagine the range of emotions you'd go through and how complicated it would be to process all of that and still be able to function. With this record, though, you don't have to imagine. You experience it vicariously through these remarkable songs. It was as if all that upheaval in Good's life gave him creative superpowers. These songs are absolutely gorgeous, and the bittersweet vibe feels like real life. There's sadness and regret, but there's also optimism and the embracement of what's new. Good doesn't overdramatize anything. He just plays and sings from the heart. And his talent is truly formidable. It's not just the songwriting but also the production and musicianship that shine. Good's guitar work, in particular, is extraordinary. And his longtime collaborators Cherron Arens, Yea-Ming Chen, and Ian McBrayer lend their talents to several songs. Across 14 tracks, there are no subpar moments or unrealized ideas. Every tune is a gem. And it never hurts to have a legend like Bart Thurber mixing and mastering a record! 

Goodbye Summertime is such a relatable album because we can all remember a time when one door closed for us, and then another one opened. Rob Good has taken his own story and practically written a novel in songs. Beyond the personal narrative, the album really does capture that end-of-the-summer feeling where you're wistfully looking back at what has gone and turning a corner to what's coming next. At this very moment, I'm contemplating how yet another summer has passed me by while I was too busy to notice. Change is an unavoidable part of life, and even when it's good change, it takes some getting used to. That's why this record hits so hard. It builds off the broader style of power pop and pushes the boundaries of what it can be without losing sight of why we all love this kind of music. Someday, we're going to look back at 2026 and marvel that Music City's Welcome To Music City, Mod Lang's Borrowed Time, and The Lemon Twigs' Look For Your Mind! all came out in the same year. Goodbye Summertime needs to be on that list as well. This is a marvelous, masterful guitar pop record. It's available now on vinyl and CD from Dandy Boy Records.

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Saturday, September 12, 2026

The Speedways - "Angela Sincerely"



Well how was this not going to be great? "Angela Sincerely" is the new single from The Speedways. Matt Julian co-wrote the song with the legendary Paul Collins, who also contributes some vocals. Collins was a big admirer of Julian's solo song "Sarah I Dare Ya" and inquired about the two of them working on a song together. Imagine what an honor it must be when the King of Power Pop comes calling about collaborating. I will say this: Paul Collins has good taste! Julian had recorded a rough demo (just a verse, chorus, and guitar solo) of "Angela Sincerely" onto his phone last Christmas. Earlier this year, Collins arranged the song and added some bridge parts. And here we are with a Speedways song featuring Paul freaking Collins! This is one of the most Beatlesque songs The Speedways have ever put on tape — a timeless two-and-a-half-minute pop song with magnificent guitar hooks, an instantly memorable chorus, clever lyrics, and a melody you'll be whistling all week. The song will not appear on The Speedways' new album. It's an exclusive B-side to the band's vinyl release of "All Bets Are Off," which will be out this coming Friday. So yeah, if you're a Speedways fan, the new 7" is gonna be a must-have!

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The Trouble Seekers - "Blackout"


It's hard to believe that it had been two years since The Trouble Seekers had last released a single! Time just keeps on ticking, doesn't it? Well, Kevin and Hillary are back with the absolutely raging "Blackout," and they haven't missed a beat. This one's short and not so sweet — 102 seconds of frenzied future punk that slashes away at your senses and then abruptly drops the mic. As always, Kevin and Hillary are in perfect chaotic harmony. You can surmise that a song called "Blackout" is not the feelgood hit of 2026, and of course that's the whole point. You know The Trouble Seekers aren't afraid to summon their demons and wrestle them in the cage of madness. The universe continues to plunge into darkness, but the soundtrack sure is hot!

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Friday, September 11, 2026

Freak Phone - Fresh Set


Are you ready for some killer straight-up punk rock? On its new EP Fresh Set, Portland, Maine's Freak Phone tears through six tracks of totally ripping late '70s/early '80s–style punk rock 'n' roll. You know what I mean: simple and catchy tunes with attitude and guts out the wazoo. The singer, Rosie, can really belt it and is the absolute epitome of a bad-ass. Of course older folk like me are going to freak out over the fact that punk music like this is still being made. But this is no retro, "Let's try and turn back the clock" type deal. This is a new and exciting band that will have punks of all ages bobbing their heads and shouting along to the lyrics. What's super-cool is that this is all new material. None of these tunes are recycled from the band's demo from last year (which also rules). I also like that these tracks are well-recorded. Lo-fi works for some bands, but a cleaner, crisper production really highlights the power in Freak Phone's attack. This is the no-nonsense rock 'n' roll you've been craving, kids. Bring on a full album!

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