"Randy" (available on vinyl from Dirt Cult Records in the U.S. and Goodwill Records in Germany) has been released in conjunction with Autogramm's upcoming tour of Spain. The tour kicks off March 22nd in Cox and will continue with dates in Granada, Seville, Córdoba, Valladolid, Alcala de Henares, and Madrid. Check out the band's social media for more information, and be sure to grab a copy of "Randy" while you still can!
Some of these tracks rate among Marino's very best — like 2022's digital-only Kinks homage "Girl, I Want You," "On the Brink" and "Should've Known" from 2018's Four Track Attack 7", and "Over My Head" from Marino's collaboration single with Natalie Sweet. These are essential songs in Marino's catalog, and it's great that they now appear on a proper LP (most of them remixed for this release). I'm also a huge fan of some of the cover tunes. Marino's versions of "What's My Scene?" (Hoodoo Gurus) and "Peggy Sue Got Married" (Buddy Holly) are absolutely killer. "Dame Darcy," Marino's take on a song by his old band Rydells, was originally released as a virtual B-side for the digital version of Marino's classic "Ramones and Stones" single. Fans will welcome its inclusion here, as it's one of the finest Ramonescore tracks of recent memory. The Michael Chaney–penned "True Love" was previously only available as a bonus track on the digital release of Marino's album Looking For Trouble. It has been given a proper polishing for this release, and it's one of my favorite cuts on the album.
Unlike some compilation albums that have to resort to heavy filler, On The Brink can stand toe-to-toe with any of Marino's studio albums. This is a dandy selection of songs, and delivers a nice mix of Marino's '60s pop & garage side and his Ramones-loving side. It highlights a guy who's a triple threat: a really good singer, a superb songwriter, and a red-hot guitar player. He's certainly one of my favorite artists, and I've spent several hours enjoying this release in the car. Another reason why this album matters is that vinyl still matters. Even in this age of streaming and downloading, there's still something special about taking an LP out of its jacket and putting it on the turntable. I mean technically you can collect MP3s, but can you truly collect them? For those of you whose tangible format of choice is the compact disc, the CD version tosses in the Ramones and Stones 7" in its entirety. Any way you slice it, this is a super-cool release and an absolute treat for fans. Let's drink to another 200 releases from Rum Bar Records (at least)!
Head Case, like so many pandemic-inspired albums before it, is introspective and intensely personal. In Paquin's own words, this is an album about "loss, triumph, mysticism, death, life, divorce, family, mental health struggles, pain and joy." I have tremendous admiration for any songwriter who's willing to be this open and vulnerable with the entire world. I marvel at someone with the guts and the eloquence to write about mental health challenges or a crumbling marriage from an insider's perspective. But here's the thing: all of that only works if the music is good. And in the case of this album, the music is very good. First of all, I can't really place whom Paquin reminds me of vocally, but he reminds of someone (or perhaps several someones). As a singer, he's quite likeable, with a voice that's capable of both dramatic emotion and more understated, matter-of-fact musings. Generally I'd describe his musical style as loud indie rock with hooks. And while many of these songs could stand out in isolation, I would urge you to experience Head Case as a complete work. This is an album that tells a story a lot of us can relate to. And even as it was conceived during the pandemic, its narrative transcends a specific moment in time. This is a tale of some doors closing and others opening, of reckoning with the past yet also looking to the future and figuring shit out. Paquin's lyrics are vivid and powerful while still leaving a lot open to interpretation. And even as the album confronts heavy themes, it's not a depressing or "difficult" listen. With their memorable choruses, nifty guitar hooks, and carefully crafted melodies, these are enjoyable songs to listen to. While of course I'm partial to some of the crunchier, '90s alt-rock-ish numbers like "Barely Afloat," "If You See Something Say Something," and "Blown Away," I might say it's the deep cuts that really make this record. "Beach Boys Paradise" sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack of a movie you'd never get tired of seeing. "Lost in a Dream" starts out as an unassuming ballad and just keeps building until it soars. It would be a perfect album closer if "Slowly Fades" weren't an even better one.
Dan Paquin's Head Space is a reminder that even in the digital age, the full-length album is still a format of tremendous value. I know we live in a moment when there's so much of worth out there to listen to and never enough time to hear it all. But I would highly recommend giving this album 37 minutes of your undivided attention. It's a terrific album and an absolute triumph for a much-loved musician who is just coming into his own as a songwriter. Old fans of his will not be disappointed, but a knowledge of his past work is no prerequisite for a thorough enjoyment of Head Case.
Whether Kryye's social media presence constituted nefarious catfishing or was merely an extraordinarily above-and-beyond commitment to the fine art of kayfabe is a matter of opinion. But for me, the knowledge that the purported band members are completely fictional may have even deepened my appreciation for Kryye. I get what's going on with this new album, Kollektief. It's a supreme '90s pop-punk love fest. The band may not be real, but the music most definitely is (with, granted, vocal production straight out of the Dave Seville playbook). Obviously we're talking about an artist here whose bona fides within the pop-punk scene are well established. He knows how to write a simple and catchy pop-punk tune. And if it sometimes seems like he's re-writing the same song over and over, that's probably the point. This album is loaded with '90s pop-punk Easter eggs, with winks and nods to the likes of Teen Idols and Beatnik Termites and direct references to a number of Lookout! Records staples. So basically this is a record for '90s pop-punk super-fans made by a '90s pop-punk super-fan. If the intended illusion here is that there are people half our age who feel the same way about this music as we do, I understand the angle. Most of these songs clock in under two minutes and quickly worm their way into your skull. The lyrics tread tried-and-true territory for the pop-punk genre but are genuinely clever and in many cases quite hilarious. I understand that not everyone will be amused. But if you held on to your copy of Girl You Know It's True back in 1990 when everyone else was trashing theirs because, you know, killer tunes are killer tunes, you might be open to appreciating Kollektief for what it is. If "Groovie Ghoulie" isn't a perfect pop-punk song, I don't know what is. "Wiggle," a tale of a romantic betrayal so devastating that it permanently ruins one of your favorite records, would have had 25-year-old-me doing backflips.
Kollektief will certainly be an extremely polarizing release within the pop-punk scene. I understand that a lot of people are feeling bamboozled. But having already gone on record as a fan of Kryye's music, I would be a stone cold bullshitter if I suddenly claimed I didn't like it. If I wrote off every album where the people listed on the back cover didn't actually play on the record, my music collection would be considerably smaller. When it comes to fake bands, Kryye is pretty dang legit.
Edmonton's Real Sickies have been nothing but pure class when it comes to poppy punk rock over the past decade. Next month, they will release their fifth full-length album, Under a Plastic Bag. In advance of the album, new single "Triage" is a sign of what's to come. The song was inspired by a car accident that Ben Disaster and his wife were lucky to survive, and its chaotic feel is by design. Infusing a punk-pop song with the spirit of both panic and perseverance is no easy feat, but Real Sickies have pulled if off in collaboration with producer Joshua Wells. With the forthcoming album promising to expand on the band's sound with the incorporation of more new wave, power pop, and indie rock influences, "Triage" is a nice little taster. The full album will be out March 14th on Stomp Records. For now, enjoy this surreal banger and its accompanying music video!
.jpg)
Backing Miss Georgia Peach on Class out the Ass is a true super-group. In addition to producing, Travis Ramin is on drums. Ruyter Suys is on lead guitar. Blaine Cartwright is on rhythm guitar. Mark Hendricks is on bass. Earl Crimm is on guitar. A.J. Srubas is on fiddle and pedal steel. Heather Parrish is on backing vocals. Suys, Cartwright, and Scott Luallen all make appearances on vocals. All that formidable talent is a big part of what makes this record such a treat. Another big part is the song selection — which is absolutely bulletproof. In terms of cover choices, this album leans more to deeper cuts. As was the case with Aloha from Kentucky, Class out the Ass largely draws its material from the 1960s and '70s glory days of country music but also ventures into some pleasantly surprising territory. "Shut Up And Drink Your Beer," a punched-up take on Norman Wade's mid-'80s country hit, is a perfect album opener that establishes the swaggering vibe of this record. Other standout covers include Ira Louvin's "Who Throw Dat Rock?" (you know I'm always a fan of dark humor!), a blistering take on Janis and Her Boyfriends' "Bang Bang," the wonderfully snarky Bobby George/Bonita Stevens number "Take Your Guitar and Git," and a stunning version of the Mike Nesmith/Stone Poneys classic "Some of Shelly's Blues." And I have to say it was a genius move to include a Pat Todd song ("Somewhere Down the Line") on a country album! As was the case last time, the duets alone justify the price of admission. Suys joins MGP on a spirited rendition of the Richard Dobson song "Baby Ride Easy" (a hit for Carlene Carter and Dave Edmunds). Luallen plays the perfect two-timer on the Nat Stuckey–penned "Sweet Thang." Cartwright and MGP are an absolute hoot as they do their best Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn on "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly." Two MGP original songs, "Dusty" and "Honeywagon," fit perfectly on the record. The former, of course, is a new arrangement of an old Beebe Gallini favorite. The latter is clever as hell and such a gem that I assumed it was a cover of some lost classic the first time I played the record!
Now that I've absolutely loved not one but two Miss Georgia Peach solo albums, I'm trying to put a finger on what it is about these records that I find so delightful. Obviously, a lot of that comes down to the lead artist here. MGP is simply a fantastic singer, and the country genre really suits her talents well. Whether she's channeling a fed-up bartender or the frustrated girlfriend of a wannabe musician, tapping into the depths of heartbreak, playfully engaging with her duet partners, or taking us to church on the Elvis live favorite "Let Me Be There," she's equally in her element. Beyond that, the joy that all these individuals put into making this album is palpable. You can truly feel the love in these performances. This is simply a fun album to listen to. While I would describe this music not as alt country but rather as country, period, there's an efficiency to these songs that has the spirit of punk or garage rock. 11 of 14 songs clock in at under three minutes, and the ones that don't only miss the cut by a little. There's no waiting around for the good parts on these songs. Every tune gets right down to business. If you love country music, you'll be reminded why. And if you don't, perhaps this record will have you softening your stance. The album title says it all, doesn't it?
The Prostitutes as an entity within the punk rock universe have survived numerous breakups, implosions, relocations, and reboots. I was reasonably certain when the first iteration of the band collapsed in 1998 that The Prostitutes were gone forever — destined to become one of those bands of punk lore that burned hard and fast before irreversibly going up in flames. But two years later, Kevin McGovern revived the band from the ashes with a mostly new lineup — and within months it seemed The Prostitutes were again dead and buried, surely this time obliterated beyond the point of no return. Or so we all thought. Nothing, it turned out, could really kill The Prostitutes. What started out as a punk rock band from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania became a compulsion that followed Kevin McGovern wherever he went. And even as time passed and the supporting casts continued to revolve, the music continued to fiercely rage against the dull trappings of conformity. If an esteemed scribe like Mick Fletcher describes McGovern as a "punk rock legend," that's not an overstatement. The Prostitutes were more than worthy of a second proper LP, and I love that it comes to us courtesy of SahLugg Records and super-fan Kenney Garrett.
Broken Ballads & Savage Beats is a Prostitutes retrospective that aims to cover the band's full career through 2019. It does include five tracks from the band's original, legendarily-volatile classic lineup, but it also includes three songs from the short-lived Y2K Prostitutes, a couple tunes from the band's 2000s California iteration, and several songs from the late 2010s when McGovern brought the band back to the East Coast. Essentially, the album splits the band's history into two halves: Side 1 is 1995 through 2000, and Side 2 is post-2000 (along with the closing demo track from McGovern's early '90s band Mainliner). And there's no drop-off from one side to the other. Of course "123 Go" and "Suicide Is Fun" are classics. But if "Sick to Death" or "Cheap Highs" were your very first exposure to The Prostitutes, you'd instantly want to hear more. Sometimes with band retrospectives or best-of compilations, the track selection can be too obvious or too encompassing. But that's not what is going on here. This album gives a balanced overview of a quarter century of The Prostitutes. It's not trying to be a best-of or a greatest hits comp. What it really is is a carefully-selected group of songs that collectively make a great punk rock LP. If you're looking for something more exhaustive, there are plenty of options available via Bandcamp. But if you want to own a Prostitutes LP that can throw on the turntable and enjoy along side all your other classic punk albums, Broken Ballads & Savage Beats will not disappoint. I love that this album was made to exist as a vinyl record. Sure, you can still download it if that's your preference. But this retrospective was made for Prostitutes fans who are vinyl lovers. The red vinyl and artwork look great, and the liner notes were penned by Mr. Kevin McGovern himself.
If you had bet me a million dollars back in 1996 that I would still be writing about The Prostitutes in my mid-50s, I'd be in big trouble now. I never would have believed that I'd still be writing about music at this age, and I certainly wouldn't have believed that a Prostitutes album in 2025 was remotely possible. But here we are. Broken Ballads & Savage Beats instantly earns a spot on the short list of classic punk rock compilation LPs. And I'm betting this won't be the last time I have the occasion to write about this band!
"Conquer And Divide" is a garage rocker with some real pep in its step. Here the band works under many of the same influences that fueled its garage/psych covers album DiG. It rocks like there's no tomorrow, and it ought to have you jumping up and down in no time flat. That guitar solo is a stone cold ripper! "Column of Air," the band's ode to the joy of creativity, basks in gorgeous melodies and warm '70s vibes. If you're seeking majestic production and dazzling guitar work from The Grip Weeds, well, this song delivers! To close it out, the love song "Flowers For Cynthia" hits that later '60s sweet spot where baroque and psychedelic pop converge. The song, co-written by David Wojciechowski of the Insomniacs, balances its despairing lyrics with a gorgeous melody and heavenly harmonies. I can't help but sense a wink and a nod to The Zombies' "A Rose for Emily." No complaints there!
I was surprised to discover that Early Clues represents the first new original songs from The Grip Weeds since 2019. If you've been waiting with great anticipation for these tracks, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. And you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to conclude that Soul Bender is going to be a varied affair and one of the year's best albums!
