Monday, March 10, 2025

The Roxies - Keep You Up At Night


It has been more than three years since Berlin's The Roxies last released an album. Don't Wanna Dance Because I'm Told To, their debut full-length, came out in January of 2022. It remains one of the most underrated and best albums of this decade's punk rock/power pop scene. Matthew, Bruno, Imke, and Tim have almost certainly topped themselves with the follow-up, Keep You Up At Night, out now on Flight 13 Records in Germany and Dirt Cult Records in the U.S. What I like about this album is that it's a logical  progression from its predecessor. Again, the influence of late '70s/early '80s punk rock and power pop is palpable, but the band's sound is more modern and unique this time through. While still keeping to the efficiency and leanness of classic punk rock (only one song exceeds three-and-a-half minutes), the band embraces less hurried tempos and a greater sophistication in its songwriting. This is exactly what you'd hope for from a band that is now three years more seasoned and whose members have three more years of personal growth to draw from. The Roxies have an even deeper understanding of who they are, and the things that made them great in the first place have only been magnified. 

Keep You Up At Night confronts the demons and crises that could cause any person to lose sleep these days. But it does so with a tremendous sense of purpose and hopefulness. And as serious as these songs are, listening to them is a joyful experience. The love that was put into this music is palpable. High energy, powerhouse tracks like "Animals," "Alright," "Feeling," and "Dissatisfaction" will please anyone who loved the last album.  Yet more measured, moody numbers such as "Nothing Left" and "Estranged" are every bit as good. Elsewhere, the band shows pure pop sensibilities on "Sometimes" and walks the punk/new wave line on the outstanding opener "Lost Control." Musically, this is one of the best bands in modern punk music. Incredible rhythm work propels these songs along and dances intricately with inventive, melodic guitar lines. And out front, Matthew sings his heart out. This is the first band I've heard in years that has kind of reminded me of The Adverts. I can't say enough good things about this band and this album. If you're looking for a classic punk–inspired record that feels genuinely original and current in 2025, you won't do much better than Keep You Up At Night. This one is going to be in the album of the year conversation for sure.

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Saturday, March 08, 2025

Autogramm - "Randy"

So one of my favorite bands wrote a song about a cat, and of course I'm going nuts! Autogramm, the greatest early '80s new wave band of the 2020s, has another hit on its hands with "Randy." This track really hits a sweet spot for me — it's an upbeat new wave pop earworm with synthesizers in full glory. If The Cars and Devo had a baby, this would be it. The song was originally recorded for Autogramm's most recent album, Music That Humans Can Play. But then some issues arose with the lyrics, so the track was left off the album. At some point, the band realized it had sidelined a great tune. New lyrics, dedicated to drummer The Silo's cat, were written. Vocals were re-recorded, and now we have "Randy"! As a cat lover, I can fully endorse these lyrics. Do people really have sincere heart-to-heart talks with feline friends who are in dire need of a boost of confidence? I know they do, because I've done it! Even if you're not a cat person, you'll have a hard time denying that "Randy" is a total banger! On the B-side, Autogramm takes on The Diodes' punk/new wave classic "Jenny's In A Sleep World," reimagining it in an '80s synth-pop style. They did such a good job that The Diodes themselves endorsed this cover! 

"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!

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Ryan Allen - "I Should (But I Don't Really Wanna)"


It was just a little less than ten years ago when I first got hip to Ryan Allen — who by then was already a two-decade veteran of the underground music scene. If I ever did a list of favorite albums I've reviewed for this blog, Heart String Soul would be on it. Within the first 74 seconds of "Should Be Me," I knew I was going to love the album. And Allen was instantly one of my favorite artists. Since then, I've had the great privilege of chronicling his career, and I highly recommend anything he has ever written or played on. But there's something in particular about his home-recorded stuff that really hits the spot for me. And as I listen to his new single, "I Should (But I Don't Really Wanna) b/w "Anxious All the Time," I'm reminded so much of the first time I heard his music. These songs are giving those same vibes. Not every songwriter is cut out for solo work, but Allen seems to be made for it. There's something about having complete creative control that really allows him to shine as a songwriter. Both songs on this new single are taken from his forthcoming album Livin' On A Prayer On The Edge, which he describes as "the most ME record I've ever made." So first of all, that title is brilliant. And second of all, I am beyond excited for another album where Ryan Allen essentially tells the world, "Hey! This is who I am!" He certainly chose well with these two single tracks — which will give you all the feels if you have a soft spot for crunchy, vaguely melancholy early '90s indie power pop a la Teenage Fanclub and Lemonheads. But I'm also looking forward to hearing where Allen goes with the rest of the record. Livin' On A Prayer On The Edge promises to be a culmination of all the musical influences that have shaped him as an artist over the past 30+ years. 

When I started this blog back in 2011, I was strictly a genre geek. You could argue I'm still genre-driven in what I write about, and that would be fair. But I feel like, over the years, I've become more of a fan of particular artists and bands as opposed to a fan of specific musical genres. That was the way I got into music as a little kid, and I seem to be going back to that in my older age. That's why I don't get tired of writing about certain bands over and over and over. Ryan Allen certainly knows how to write a great pop song. But beyond, I just really like him as singer and songwriter. And unless he starts playing nu metal, I look forward to following his artistic progression for another decade at least. Livin' On A Prayer On The Edge will be out April 25th, and pre-ordering is now open on Bandcamp. I'll have lots more to say next month!

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Friday, March 07, 2025

Vista Blue - "She Doesn't Wanna Be Your Rally Girl"


A new album from Vista Blue based on the first season of the acclaimed television series based on the popular motion picture based on the iconic Buzz Bissinger book Friday Night Lights is absolutely something I want and need in my life. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts will release on April 5th — the tenth anniversary of Vista Blue's very first release, Good Eye. There's something wonderfully poetic about a group that is often dismissed as a "baseball band" commemorating a decade of its existence with a full album of football-themed songs. In advance of the album, the band has made the track "She Doesn't Wanna Be Your Rally Girl" available for you listening pleasure. In typical Vista Blue fashion, this track is such an exhilarating and infectious slice of pop-punk that it absolutely won't matter if you've never seen Friday Night Lights. While I have no problem liking dozens of pop-punk bands who essentially write the same song over and over for years and years, I must admit that Vista Blue's lyrical originality completely delights me. Who else in this universe would think of making this album? It's just a super-fun idea. Vista Blue, well-known to turn to sports or popular culture for musical inspiration, will be drawing from both on this album. Given how inclined I am to geek out over a great number of things, it's no surprise that Vista Blue is one of my favorite bands. I get it if you wish these guys wrote more love songs. But if you write about what you love, isn't every song a love song? Now when are we getting a song about Abita AndyGator?

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Brad Marino - On The Brink: Rarities, Remixes and Unreleased


Alright alright! Rum Bar Records release #200 is the fifth (or sixth, if you count Subterranean Jungle) album by Mr. Brad Marino. The label's debut release was Seven Nights To Rock by The Connection, which came out 13 years ago. So Brad Marino has been there with Malibu Lou from the start, and the two have decided to celebrate in style. On The Brink is an odds and sods compilation of some standout singles that have never appeared on a Brad Marino LP along with some unreleased tracks and alternate versions of old favorites. What I like about this release is that since it was designed to be a vinyl LP, they couldn't just throw every single non-album Marino track on there. Editorial decisions had to be made. Marino hand-picked all these tracks, which together give us an ass-kicker of a new album to enjoy while we await new material from one of the greatest artists of the present-day rock 'n' roll universe. 

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)!

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Sunday, March 02, 2025

Automatic Lovers - "Boston Brats"


Wow! As a huge fan of '77-style punk rock, I'm getting chills from Automatic Lovers' debut single! Sometimes when these newer bands are playing old school punk rock, it sounds like exactly what it is. But "Boston Brats" (out now on FOLC and Wap Shoo Wap Records) sounds like it could actually have been released in 1977. On the title track, this Madrid-based outfit blasts out some blistering & ferocious punk rock 'n' roll that will just about melt your face off. The sound here is total fire. Think snotty vocals, ripping guitars, a pounding rhythm section, and attitude for days. When I mention punk rock being my favorite music of all-time, this is the sort of stuff I'm talking about! Listening to this song is like being smashed in the face with a sock full of coins and enjoying it. Play it on repeat and pogo until you drop! On the B-side, Automatic Lovers have at an obscure gem from my neck of the woods: "Who Cares If Tomorrow Comes" by Kirk and the Jerks. They do an amazing version of the song, and I love that they're going to turn a whole bunch of people on to Kirk and the Jerks! What an amazing world we live in when we can say a Spanish band in 2025 is obsessed with The Vibrators and Slaughter and the Dogs and covering a little-known '80s punk band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Heck yeah! I am so excited to hear more from these guys! 

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Dan Paquin - Head Case


Dan Paquin (Dirt Bike Annie, Short Attention) has a long and distinguished history in the musical universe in which most of us inhabit. When I heard he had a new solo album coming out, I was intrigued. This is someone I admire, but I had little knowledge of his work as a lead artist. I wasn't sure what to expect from the album. What it ended up being was something pretty darn great. Head Case, a collection of songs written amidst Paquin's pandemic experience, is essentially the culmination of all the musical influences he has ever had. And so it's very different from the records he has played on in the past. Specific inspirations are very hard to pin down because they're all over the place. But I'm hearing lots of indie/alternative rock from the '80s through the early 2000s with hints of power pop and classic rock. The big plus about launching a solo career in your middle years is that you've had plenty of time to absorb a wide variety of influences and figure out who you are and what you're all about as a songwriter. Broadly, I can sense a love for guitar-heavy '90s alt-rock, but Paquin is too skilled of a songwriter to really tip his hand on his influences. So he's arrived at a place where he just sounds like himself. And if you don't know Dan Paquin yet, you'll feel like do once you've given Head Case a couple spins. 

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.

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