In what is shaping up to possibly become my favorite year for new music in decades, The Melmacs' EUPHANCHOLIA currently holds the position of my favorite album of 2026. That is hardly a surprise. I've been teasing the arrival of this LP since January, and all the advance singles were bona fide bangers. EUPHANCHOLIA, which officially released yesterday on Bakraufarfita Records and Wanda Records in Germany and the mighty Spaghetty Town Records here in the USA, more than lives up to what I promised in recent reviews.
This is now my 12th time reviewing The Melmacs, and my enthusiasm only grows with every write-up. There's no band out there that does a better job of marrying classic punk, power pop, and new wave influences in a way that sounds genuinely fresh and current. Beyond that, there's something special about The Melmacs. In times that have grown increasingly dark and cold, they are a lightning bolt of hope and love. They bring positive energy into a world that desperately needs it. They've made a record that acknowledges the seriousness of life but will ultimately put a smile on your face and add some skip to your step.
One trend I've noticed in the modern era of punk rock is bands getting better and better as they go along. That is certainly the case with The Melmacs. I liked the band's 2022 debut Good Advice enough to proclaim it one of my favorite albums of the 2020s. But that record was a mere warm-up for EUPHANCHOLIA, which finds The Melmacs making that big leap from very good band to truly great band. Even as the band's musical appeal has remained very much the same, the quality of its songwriting and the distinctiveness of its sound have been refined considerably. The Melmacs fully know who they are and what they want their music to be. The organ plays a larger role on this record, but the guitars don't take a back seat. Bimmi has become one the most likeable and expressive vocalists in the indie/punk universe, and Max's production on this release (with the help of Brown Barcella and Magnus Lindberg on the mixing and mastering side) is pretty much perfect. This is the kind of music I live for. It's catchy, powerful, and exciting, but it's also full of tremendous substance and comes straight from the heart.
It's no shocker that singles like "Lazy Hearts" and "Run for Your Life" are standout cuts. They were singles for a reason. But The Melmacs left plenty of killer tunes in reserve for us to enjoy when we finally dove into the full album. "The Tide is High" has me pumped to go out and live this day to its fullest. "Falling" is another vintage Melmacs high-energy, booty-shaking, earworm sing-along. I was blown away by "These Days," a song that sounds unlike anything the band has done before. It's a very sophisticated and modern-sounding pop-rock song that could legitimately be a hit if anyone in the music industry had a clue. Likewise, "Deadbeat" shows the band's command of pure pop with a bittersweet taste. Elsewhere, "Showdown" and "Lifetime" find the album taking a full-fury punk rock turn. The ballad "Crying My Heart Out" is a classic example of why The Melmacs are so amazing. It comes on sounding like jangly '60s pop, then seamlessly fast forwards into the '80s, and all the while Bimmi alternates between anguished spoken word ranting and the purest singing she's ever done. A song like this would not have been within The Melmacs' capabilities a few years ago. "Electric Night" puts a glam-bam exclamation mark on an extraordinary album.
On Good Advice, the Melmacs dispensed some tough love and sage guidance. With EUPHANCHOLIA, the vibe is a little different. These German sweethearts are here to lift you up. They've got your back and want to remind you that it's never too late to live your best life as long as you're still breathing. They're here to cheer you up and cheer you on. In tough and trying times, The Melmacs have brought us the album we need: a pep talk, a kick in the pants, and a giant hug all rolled into one urgent package of anthemic and infectious punk/pop/rock 'n' roll. When it comes to records that live at the intersection of punk rock and power pop, this is about as good as it gets. The Melmacs might remind you of bands you loved decades ago, but they aren't trying to sound like anyone but themselves. I might be guilty of hyperbole if I called them the best band in the world, so I'll show some proper restraint and contend that they at least need to be in the conversation.
Well here's something a little outside my usual box, but it really caught my attention. DISINTEL is a new synth-punk band out of Los Angeles, and its EP OUTLAW ELEKTRO is not for the faint of heart. I can roll with some Screamers, Suicide, Units, and Chrome quite often, and DISINTEL is doing a modern version of that style of music. In a good way, I'm hearing an industrial influence as well. But what really hits me hard are the lyrics. I won't spoil them for you since you can read them on Bandcamp. But man, these songs are dark and disturbing — painting a bleak portrait of a techno-fascist world that would seem dystopian if you didn't know it was the one we're already living in. This is brilliant, haunting stuff. And I love the way this band uses synthesizers in a way that's genuinely bold and creative. The synths aren't just there in place of guitars; they are the main driver of this band's nightmare-ish vision. This is synth-punk that qualifies as genuine art. "ESC.DEL.RTN" has me seriously shook. "The Future (I Can't Afford)" could not be any more in tune with the despairing zeitgeist of present day. This EP plays like a bizarre dream that would jolt me awake in a cold sweat, and I mean that as a high compliment. You won't hear anything else like this. If an electro-punk mind-fuck capable of chilling you to the bone has been on your wish list, DISINTEL is calling your name.
If there's one thing that moves me the most in music, it's when I can feel the genuine joy in it. And that's what came through instantly on Josephine Network's new album Hooked (out on Lollipop Records). From the opening note to the very end, you can feel the unadulterated enthusiasm and excitement that Josephine put into writing and recording these songs. Loud, catchy, and fun has always been the secret sauce for rock 'n' roll, and there's something absolutely perfect about the title of this album. I was instantly hooked, and you will be as well if you dig glam rock and power pop that take their cues from the '70s but still sound hot and fresh today.
Glam rock and classic power pop were always close cousins, and here Josephine brings them together in a way that could not sound more natural. There are sticky-sweet hooks all over the place, and there's plenty of swagger as well. And plain and simple, this album rocks. Put in on, turn it up, and forget about your troubles for 26 minutes. By the time you get to the end, it will be impossible to feel pessimistic about life. The title track would be a massive radio hit if they still played real rock 'n' roll on the radio. "All I'll Do" sounds like the best song Shoes never wrote. "Mary Jane Girls" is like the Beach Boys gone glam and so joyfully catchy that it ought to be illegal. Elsewhere, Josephine hits the sweet spot for bubblegum pop ("When Nobody's Home"), wham bam glam rock ("Kiss of the T" and "Babbling Fool"), and even some full-throttle riff rock boogie ("Revved Up Things"). "The Rockers" is pure rock 'n' roll with a pop heartbeat and the perfect closer for this absolute delight of an album. For this release, Josephine worked with producer Ryan Howe, who clearly gets what Josephine Network is all about. Hershguy and Nat Brower share drumming duties and totally match Josephine's energy with every beat. If an album that meets at the intersection of Nick Gilder, Big Star, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy sounds like something that would get your heart beating faster, Hooked just might have you obsessed. And how glorious is that cover art?
So ever since my friend Jay Castro and I tandem-posted on our favorite records of 1996, I've been on a huge '90s punk rock kick. I got to thinking about how much punk rock meant to me circa 1995-2000. And then I wondered if this was just some kind of "you had to be there" type situation or if the music I loved so much back then genuinely holds up today. So I pitched another tandem post to Jay: if a visitor from another planet approached you and asked you to explain why you loved punk rock in the '90s so much, which bands would you tell them to listen to? If you were trying to enlighten younger fans of punk music on some '90s bands to add to their music collections, which ones would you deem the most essential? And so here we are!
I know some people consider listicles to be the lowest form of online publishing, but Jay and I are not doing this for the purposes of generating clicks with hot takes. We wanted to reflect on some bands we've been listening to for 25-35 years that you might A) fondly remember, B) vaguely remember, or C) never have heard before. I'm not saying these are my ten favorite or the ten "greatest" or the ten most influential '90s punk bands. But these are the bands I'd tell you to check out first if you wanted to know why the punk rock music of that decade was so important to me. And I hope that some of you will check out some of these bands and like what you hear. I'm purposely leaving out certain bands like The Humpers, Beat Angels, and Bobbyteens that I would not become huge fans of until the early 2000s. I really wanted to focus on the bands I was digging in real time in the '90s.
Given that the combined number of extraterrestrials and Gen Z punk rock enthusiasts who read this blog is probably not much larger than zero, it's likely that this article is mainly an exercise in preaching to the choir. But, hey! Anything I can do to get people thinking and talking about '90s punk rock is a worthy endeavor.
Here we go (in no particular order)!
The Stitches
Jay and I have not revealed any of our selections to each other, but I know The Stitches will be on his list as well. If you were into throwback old school punk rock any time from the mid-to-late '90s, a new Stitches release was always a major, highly celebrated event. At the time, The Stitches may have been dismissed by some as '77 punk copyists. But to me, they helped define a new era of punk rock — one that took inspiration from the past but still felt like something new and different. The Stitches were a force of nature, and I'd put Michael Lohrman up there with the greatest punk vocalists of any era. By the time they finally got a proper album out the door in 2002, they had changed quite a bit stylistically. But their singles (later compiled on the Unzip My Baby LP) and their 8 x 12 EP are rightfully the stuff of legend. All those classic tracks still explode out of the speakers!
The Prostitutes
Obviously this is a band I've been championing from day one. After The Prostitutes imploded in 1998, Kevin McGovern rebooted the band numerous times with numerous different lineups in numerous locations, finally retiring the brand in 2022 with the release of the "last two" digital single. For the purposes of this feature, I'm focusing on the original iteration of The Prostitutes, which released the singles "Get Me Sick," "Living Wreck," and "Twenty-Two" plus the full-length album Can't Teach Kids Responsibility. When it comes to snotty punk rock with a genuine air of danger and post-adolescent rage, it simply doesn't get any better than this band. If you could buy only one punk collection from the '90s, I would urge you to go with The Prostitutes' Complete Recordings 1995-98.
Loli and the Chones
If I could name the single most essential punk rock album of the '90s, it would be P.S. We Hate You by Loli and the Chones. That record is punk rock perfection. Marrying the Angry Samoans and the Ramones to the budget rock ethos of the times, this trio took the idea of snotty, hate-fueled punk and somehow made it catchier and more fun than ever. A follow-up titled Total Fucking Genocide was pretty great as well and certainly lived up to its title!
Moral Crux
Like a lot of people, I first heard Moral Crux on the Lookout! Records Punk USA compilation. The band had been going strong since the '80s but seemed to really hit its stride in the '90s with the albums ...And Nothing But The Truth, I Was a Teenage Teenager, and Something More Dangerous. I cannot emphasize enough how important this band was to me — not just because of its urgent, politically-minded punk-pop anthems but also because of its influence on my punk rock education. Moral Crux was one of a couple of bands (along with Boris the Sprinkler) that was my gateway to first wave punk — to this day, my favorite music of my entire life. Some people may have found it odd that a band that a band so closely tied to the '90s pop-punk scene was writing songs about revolution, resistance, and the rejection of the status quo. But the magic of this band was that it demonstrated that punk music could have a message and melody. Political punk rock could make you think and inspire you to act and still be enjoyable to listen to. Seriously: why bother writing anthems if they're not going to be catchy?
The Muffs
Whether or not The Muffs qualified as a "punk" band is a matter of debate for the sort of people who love to debate about musical genres. I am not that sort of person. The Muffs were punk rock to me and also on my personal Mt. Rushmore of bands. Hearing them for the first time after their first album came out was a game-changer for me. If not a "pop-punk" band per se, they were certainly poppy and punky and the absolute antithesis of the miserable, overly serious rock music that was all the rage in the '90s. I loved their first two major label releases and could never figure out how why weren't massive commercial successes. But as I've re-explored their catalog this year, I've found that the less polished, more simply produced Happy Birthday To Me and Alert Today Alive Tomorrow sound even better to me now than they did back then. Kim Shattuck is remembered as perhaps the greatest screamer in all of rock 'n' roll, and that she was. But she was also a superb songwriter with a remarkable ear for melody and quite a flair for smart, often hilariously scathing lyrics. The world is far less awesome without her in it.
Dimestore Haloes
If you go way back with me, you know this was my band in the '90s. I took some flack (and deservedly so) for how fervently I sang this band's praises. Restraint was certainly not my forte in those days. But when I go back and listen to all those records and ask myself if I still love them, the answer is a resounding yes. Here was a band throwing the best parts of '77-style punk and early American rock 'n' roll into a blender with a splash of glam culture and a dash of beat literature. You still can't convince me that Thrill City Crime Control wasn't one of the best punk rock albums of the '90s. I still frequently blast the hell out of Revolt Into Style and Long Ride To Nowhere. Didn't I once predict I'd still be listening to these records 25 years later? Ha, I was low on my estimate!
Stiletto Boys
The Stiletto Boys were something remarkable in their day — a band with the edge and the snarl of the Dead Boys, the furious power of Radio Birdman, and the pure melodic joy of The Dickies. Their first EP 8-Track was one of the best 7-inch records of the decade. And from the raw attack of that debut, the band continued to refine its craft without ever going soft. The full-length albums Rockets And Bombs (1999) and Buzzbomb Sounds (aka A Company Of Wolves) (2000) still hit as hard as ever and serve as shining examples of what killer melodic punk rock ought to sound like. I would recommend starting with the compilation album When Wolves Emergeand working your way through the catalog, taking it all the way through 2013's overlooked masterpiece Liberator. RIP Sean Wolfe.
The Beltones
While their recorded output was limited to just a few releases, The Beltones in my book rate as a legendary punk rock band. Bill McFadden was absolutely the most underrated and underappreciated punk rock songwriter of his generation. He went deeper than almost all his peers, writing about things like battling trauma and wrestling with personal demons with a wisdom and honesty that was truly extraordinary for such a young man. Reviewers frequently likened The Beltones to Stiff Little Fingers, but that was really only a small part of the band's appeal. This was gritty, real music with heart and guts, and for my money, "My Old Man" b/w "Fuck You Anyway" (Just Add Water Records) was the best punk rock single of the '90s. With TKO Records, the band would go on to release the classic mini-album On Deaf Earsand the superb full-length Cheap Trinkets. While The Beltones have remained active as a live band, they have not released music in 25 years. TKO recently gave Cheap Trinkets the reissue treatment, so this might be a good time to revisit The Beltones.
The Dead End Cruisers
How could I do a recollection of '90s punk rock and NOT talk aboutDeep Six Holiday, the fantastic debut album by Austin, Texas's mighty Dead End Cruisers? The Cruisers, a '77-style punk band with a real-deal British vocalist, added a touch of glam and straight-up rock 'n' roll influence into the mix. They were also amazing live. While this band was short-lived, its legacy was profound. Friday Nights, the EP that preceded Deep Six Holiday, was a classic in its own right. Neil Curran was a brilliant lyricist and immensely underrated songwriter, and it always bummed me out that this band didn't stick around longer.
Jake and the Stiffs
I often talk of bands deserving more attention, but the lack of recognition for Jake and the Stiffs was downright criminal. Seriously, there were several significant record labels in the '90s that should have been heavily fined for not signing these old school punk power pop sensations from The First State. Their singles collection is a $6 download from Bandcamp, and that's the most fun you could have for so little money without breaking federal and state laws.
So that's my stroll down memory lane. Be sure to check out Jay's companion post over at Shock Treatment!
Palmyra Delran, the queen of trash pop and America's most beloved radio personality, is back with a new single with her band The Doppel Gang. Out on Wicked Cool Records, "Hold Tight!" is a cover of a 1966 single by UK swingers Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. This track finds Delran (The Friggs, Pink Slip Daddy, The Coolies) in vintage form. She and her bandmates put their own twist on this oldie-but-goodie. Expect nothing more and nothing less than thumping and exuberant garage rock that will have you bouncing around like a maniac and singing that chorus all day long. What a fun, crackling cut! You may recall that Beebe Gallini did a killer version of this same song on its LPBegged, Borrowed and Stealed, and I am thrilled to live in a world where we can have dueling covers of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Isn't rock 'n' roll the best?
I'm a little late to catch the Music City train, but this was a review that I knew I'd have to write sooner rather than later. If I can't stop listening to a record, surely that's something I need to be talking about here. Welcome To Music City is the many-years-in-the-making full-length debut from Conor Lumsden's solo-ish project Music City. I've taken my time to let this record fully sink in, and I must say that I don't think pop music could ever get much better than this.
Having already proven himself as a master of the three-chord, punk-influenced brand of power pop with The Number Ones, Lumsden swings to the other end of the spectrum with Music City: more genteel & sophisticated guitar pop that marries '70s AM radio sounds to early '90s left of the dial vibes. The casual listener will hear echoes of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub, but Lumsden's influences on this record go all the way from the early days of rock 'n' roll through classic pop-rock to contemporary indie/alternative stuff. He has taken all this music he has loved in his life and crafted a sound that's uniquely and distinctly his. His melodies are majestic, and his lyrics have a way of telling a story without deliberately being conceptual. He describes Welcome To Music City as an album about "the peaks and troughs of just trying to get by, in love, against the outside forces, or the ones inside your own head." That's powerful, relatable stuff. As much as I love The Number Ones, I'm delighted to hear Lumsden make a record that doesn't have to conform to the limitations of genre. He has a beautiful, soulful voice, and he has brought us a pop record that's far more about finesse than power.
This isn't to say that Welcome To Music City is a mellow ride all the way through. "Common Sense" is a full-blown rocker with an absolutely giant hook. If you made a playlist of classic power pop songs from the '70s, "When the Day Goes By" would fit right in. "Pretty Feelings" could almost be an early '80s radio hit. But the beauty of this record is that Lumsden is serving no masters beyond his own artistic inspiration. He can hit you with magnificent pure pop songs like "It's Alright" and a "A Matter of Time," but he can also produce a gorgeous ballad like "Photograph" or a '70s soft rock throwback like "Something's On Your Mind" that you'll like every bit as much. It can take a long time for a songwriter to reach the point where the detours from their typical style are something you look forward to as opposed to something you tolerate. But Lumsden has fully arrived in that place. There are no "must-skip" tracks on Welcome To Music City. Every song is there to be experienced and savored.
With some help from some remarkable musicians (such as Evan Walsh, Daniel Fox, Fiachra Mac Oireachtai, Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh, Niall Murphy, and Cian Nugent) and some special guest stars (Sheer Mag's Tina Halladay and Hart Seeley), Conor Lumsden has finally brought into the world the songs that he's been dreaming up and writing for years. At a time when people wrongly dismiss new music as nothing more than more "content" vying for our time and attention, Welcome To Music City is a reminder why music exists. This a man's soul captured on tape and preserved for an eternity so that others' souls can be enriched. These are beautiful and masterfully crafted songs that breathe new life into the world of pop music and the world in general. What could be better?
We are getting closer and closer to the arrival of the second album from The Sleeveens, and I can't deny I'm getting super-pumped. My god, this band is everything! With National Anthem slated to release May 1st on Goner Records, we have been treated to a second advance single. And this thing is coming in hot! "If I Was a Casual" was the rousing punk anthem we expected from The Sleeveens, and now "I Was Born On A Saturday Night" is the fiery and furious rocker that perfectly follows it — both as a single and on the album tracklist as well. Here Stef and the gang lay the pedal to the medal and just rip it hard and fast. This is blistering garage rock 'n' roll with a righteous indignation that's palpable in the lyrics, vocals, and music itself. Do you want to hear a band playing music like it means it? Well The Sleevens mean it with every fiber of their being. This is the way you start an album! As for the rest of it, our wait will soon be over. Get your pre-order in while the vinyl is still available!
Well look what we have here: the long-awaited fifth studio album from the man himself, Mr. Brad Marino! Out today on Spaghetty Town Records, Ghost Highway Recordings, and Beluga Records, Agent of Chaos will disappoint absolutely no one. If you're looking for a Brad Marino album that sounds like a Brad Marino album, this will hit the mark and then some. There's really nobody better at doing this sort of driving rock 'n' roll with a punk influence and pop hooks. Marino, backed by Gene Champagne, Bobby Davis, Zack Sprague, Ron Mullens, Dave Strong, James Cap Nunn, and Caity Marino, has delivered an album that may very well be his best yet. As always, his choruses are catchy, his guitar licks are tasty, and his lyrics are sneaky clever. Agent of Chaos comes through with a little something for everyone. From the classic '60s pop of "Dissin' and Dismissin'" to the straight Ramones energy of "Sick of You" to the country vibes of "Devil May Care" to the timeless rock 'n' roll of "I Don't Want You Anymore" to the Jesus and Mary Chain inspired dark-pop of "Murder and Violence" to the straight-forward power pop of "Voodoo" to the butt-kicking fury of "Calling Your Bluff" to the pure pop majesty of "Lost Without You" and "Make This Last," Marino hits all the sweet spots. The man sure can write a song, and he can always be counted on to sing and perform it with gusto.
Given that it has been nearly two-and-half years since Grin and Bear It came out, fans have certainly been waiting a while for a new Brad Marino LP. And Agent of Chaos has turned out to be every bit worth the wait. It's hard to find a sub-par or even less-than-stellar track in the bunch. A Brad Marino LP is always a lock to be way up there on my end-of-the-year top albums list. Even in a year that's as insanely stacked as this one promises to be, Agent of Chaos will certainly end up near the top of the heap when I publish my final rankings. As consistent as Marino has been as a recording artist, it would be easy to overlook what a great run he's been on over the last several years. But that kind of dependability ought to be appreciated and enjoyed. Flavors of the month come and go, but tried-and-true, high-quality rock 'n' roll never goes out of style. Agent of Chaos is a monster of a record, and I can name three premier record labels that are literally vouching for that!
A lot of Ricky Rochelle's songs have been pretty intense lately, and I can totally roll with that. But I can also appreciate him lightening things up a little with his new single "Beetles on High." This track finds Ricky going back to a more straight-forward pop-punk style. On a surface level, the song pokes fun at The Beatles for taking an obscene amount of drugs in the later 1960s. But at a deeper level, the song expresses tremendous admiration for the remarkable music that The Fab Four created under the influence. "At a higher consciousness than they even understood," sings Ricky, "their worst songs were symphonic; even 'Blue Jay Way' was good." This song reminds me of this old bit Bill Hicks bit:
And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes, and all your CDs and burn them. 'Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years were real fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few tunes!
The fact that we're still talking and writing songs about the stoned Beatles 60 years later seems to reinforce the whole point of "Beetles on High." Yeah, those guys were really high, but their music was world-altering and next-level brilliant. There's always that one person with the hot take that The Beatles sucked after Help!, but that's just crazy talk. "Beetles on High" manages to be both hilarious and affectionate, and it's obvious it was written by someone who's a true music lover. It's streaming now at all the usual places!
And they're back! Rich Ragany, Simon Maxwell, and Sammi Yaffa are The Sideshows, who debuted last year with their extraordinary single "Brand New." Luckily for all of us, the instant magic these three captured in one session in Yaffa's home studio in the Spanish countryside has blossomed into a full-blown band, and now a full album awaits us. In advance of that, we get a little taste of what's to come. The band's new single "We're Such A Shame" will get you properly fired up for what promises to be one of 2026's finest albums. The title track is a powerful glam-punk influenced rocker and a total anthem. From the first notes, you know you're getting hit with something special. Guitars jangle while drums hit with authority, and Rags is in top form on lead vocals. There are so many times when Rags reminds me of a young John Easdale with his tone and phrasing, and that can never be a bad thing. I love how this song builds to a rousing chorus. This, my friends, is a hit! On the virtual flip side, "This Could Be Everything" is more in ballad territory — a perfect counterpart to the A-side. The tempo is more laid back, but the heart and soul of the song are undeniable. And once that chorus works its way into your head, it will be stuck there for weeks. These are two amazing songs that sound absolutely incredible. Rags' own review of this single is "you're gonna wanna blast these," and that's far more eloquent than I could ever be. The album releases in just one week, so be prepared to be fully rocked!
When I first heard that The Peppermint Kicks were releasing a new single on April Fool's Day, I got a little suspicious. Anything having to do with April 1st always has me on high alert. Who in the heck releases new music on a Wednesday? Was this going to be an elaborate prank? Would April 1st come and there'd be no single but maybe a triple album with all lyrics in Russian? Would it be branded as Peppermint Kicks but actually be some sort of Metal Machine Music type project? Would the new single just be a video recording announcing that the band is retiring from music to prepare for a mission to Mars? Well here we are, and it all seems legit.
Out on the one-and-only Rum Bar Records, "Shaking Underground" not only sounds like The Peppermint Kicks, but it might also be the biggest smash hit that Dan Kopko and Sal Baglio have ever crafted together in their secret headquarters. Of course it's a power poppin' garage rock 'n' roll stomper, but this is no ordinary radio hit for an alternate universe. This, my friends, is a full-blown ANTHEM and a rousing call to action. It's an unflinching commentary on technology addiction and content oversaturation — and the hapless masses who find themselves manipulated, enslaved, and zombie-fied by all those sinister little devices. The irony that this song is largely being transmitted through devices is probably not lost on the band, but sometimes you've got to wage war with the weapons you've got. "Shaking Underground" is not all gloom and doom. It's a wake-up call, and it proposes a way out of this nightmare. No more fooling around! Joined by dynamo drummer Chuck Ferreira, Kopko and Baglio are in top form on this track. Sometimes it takes an irresistible tune to ensure that the message hits hard, and no doubt "Shaking Underground" will have you shaking and grooving with all you've got. What a freaking tune! Sometimes when all else fails, rock 'n' roll is the answer. There is another way. Let's give 'em hell to pay!
Holy 2005, Batman! On their debut long player, Utrecht, Netherlands–based Sick Shooters take me back to the heyday of garage punk/power pop mash-ups. The perfectly tiled Super Sonic Rock Saga blasts through 11 tracks of blistering punk rock 'n' roll with relentless power pop hooks in 28 thrilling minutes. This is an all-killer, no-filler affair from start to finish. Think first generation punk-pop (Buzzcocks, Undertones, Boys) if you gave it a '90s garage punk kick in the pants and and then injected it with a modern-day youthful exuberance. If I made a playlist of the stuff I was listening to two decades ago (Kidnappers, Manikins, The Heartattacks, Marked Men, etc.), any of these songs would fit right in. Yet the sound of this record is totally fresh and exciting — proving the timelessness of this type of music when it's done right. There aren't really many new bands like this these days — especially not ones made up of folks in their early 20s.
What a breath of fresh air this album is! It delivers a perfect mix of scorching punk rock 'n' roll tracks ("Evacuation," "Gambling Girl," "Never Comin Home"), more power pop leaning numbers ("Daisy," "Sweet Telephone," "Holding On"), and a few that split the difference ("Heartbreaker Soulshaker," "Supersonic Lovin," "In Between"). A couple of my influential friends have already weighed in with ringing endorsements, and I will happily add my voice to the chorus of acclaim. 2026 is stacking up to be perhaps the most loaded year for new music in decades, but Super Sonic Rock Saga will absolutely have a spot near the top of my year-end albums list. When it comes to just about everything I love in music, this record hits the target dead-center. Get it from Wap Shoo Wap Records in Amsterdam. Is it just me, or is The Netherlands turning into the epicenter for everything that's awesome?
Baseball season is never officially underway until Vista Blue properly opens it with a baseball-themed release. But we didn't have long to wait this year, as Vista Blue released Batting Around the day after the real Opening Day (one game on Netflix doesn't count) — and on Mike's birthday to boot. Mike got an early present in the form of a Pete Crow-Armstrong contract extension with the Cubs, and now he and Mark have gifted us four new Vista Blue tracks that no ABS system will ever be able to deny.
The title track starts things off with some snappy, toe-tapping punk rock that celebrates one of the most formidable achievements a baseball lineup could ever hope to attain (and no, Meta AI, "batting around" does not refer to casually hitting the ball in a relaxed or informal setting). "Good Reputation" takes things in a more pop direction. It's a song about the one guy who's on the roster because he's respected in the clubhouse and contributes to the team in ways that are never apparent on the stat sheet. "What's Your Favorite Lockout?" is one of my favorite types of VB songs — a 30-second speed-burner that makes The Queers sound like Emerson, Lake & Palmer. And I'm absolutely on board with '94 being the gold standard for MLB lockouts. "I Don't Wanna Be DFA'd" is in classic VB territory. Paired with "Good Reputation," this song finds Mike and Mark speaking up for the guys who aren't big stars with massive contracts. A lot of players have to fight for roster spots and hope the axe doesn't fall on them when it's time to designate someone for assignment. I'll be pouring one out for Garrett Stubbs, a Phillie with a good reputation who has sadly been DFA'd.
From that first chord of "Batting Around," I knew I was in for another first rate Vista Blue release. I'm always open to interpreting this band's sports songs on a metaphorical level, so let's hope that this is a year where all of you clear the bases in your life and put some crooked numbers on the board.
On its second full-length album, Minneapolis-based foursome Sparrowhawk continues on its mission to make super-awesome rock music. I'm not one to judge an album by its cover, but it would be hard to look at Lucas Gluesenkamp's bad-ass cover art for Sunflowers in the Moonlight at not assume that the music would totally kick ass. Luckily, there's no assumption necessary in the era of streaming. But even in digital times, some albums ought to be experienced on vinyl based on how they look and sound. This is one of them!
Sparrowhawk is by no means the only indie/punk band embracing '70s arena rock, but you won't find anyone else doing it better. Following their excellent 2023 debut, Johnny Eggerman, Zach McCormick, Damien Tank, and Marty Mueller have doubled down on their love for classic rock. I was amused that the promotional email I received in the advance of the album release was sent by "Phil Lynott." If Philo was going to come back from the dead to do some publicity work, it was certainly going to be for a record like this one. This is an arena-sized rock 'n' roll long player with a punk rock heart. On this release, the band has added a touch of Allman Brothers/Molly Hatchet influence and expanded its repertoire to include ballads and rustic folk rock. Your dad or granddad would love this record, and that's not a knock. Sparrowhawk truly throws it back to a time when there was no shame in crafting a rock radio hit.
Sunflowers in the Moonlight builds on the sound and style of its predecessor. It's everything that was great about the last album and much more. The melodic rockers "Underneath the Moonlight," "Still Talk About It Now," and "Power and the Glory" will please anyone who loved the band's debut. "Blackberry Brandy" is full-on Southern rock and totally freaking excellent. "Lonesome Operator" is a splendid power ballad in the proper sense of the term. "Down the Line" is giving Stones/Faces energy, and I'm sure not complaining. The title track is earnest Americana with all kinds of scrappy charm. And what other band would think to close an album with a Western-themed eleven-minute multipart finale? That's pure genius!
Of course Sunflowers in the Moonlight rocks hard. Those harmonized lead guitars remain front and center, and these tunes will have you air-drumming like a maniac in short order. But the Midwestern soul in this music should not be sold short. The album's lyrics are heavy on storytelling and character sketches, so this is like listening to a record with the substance of a movie or short story collection. The band reunited with Andy Mathison, whose recording and mixing favors a sound that's massive but never too slick. Imagine what a king you would be if you were walking around with the Sparrowhawk logo emblazoned on the back of your denim jacket. People would see you and immediately want to hear the band that had the vision to pick such an unfuckwithable name. And one guy would be like, "I heard those guys! They did that song 'Take a Bow'!" And you'd be like, "Dude! Wait until you hear this new album!"
How do you top a big, hooky rock record? You make an even bigger, hookier rock record! The vinyl, limited to 200 copies, was pressed in Minneapolis by Outta Wax and released on the Twin Cities' own Piñata Records. In the process of bringing this album into existence, the band really showed some love to its own community. And that tells you a lot about Sparrowhawk. Grab a copy of this monster while you can!
Today must be Adam Turkel Day in Faster and Louder Land! I just weighed in on the Beatings retrospective, and now I've got something new for your ears. "Del Rio Way" is the latest single from The New Brutarians. The track features Alan MP from Juvenile Wrecks on lead guitar, Robbie Rist on drums on bass, and Greg Shankland on piano. What we've got here is a quintessential glam rock blues ballad in the neighborhood of The Dogs D'Amour with hints of '70s Stones. This song is pure heart and soul and finds Adam in fine form both lyrically and vocally. And of course the recording sounds amazing. Arriving on the heels of the hard-rocking "Tonight's Your Night (Tonight)", "Del Rio Way" takes things in a mellower, more reflective direction. Both of these songs should be turning up on vinyl later this year courtesy of Sioux Records. For now, enjoy this poignant track on your favorite streaming platform!
Since late '90s/early 2000s punk rock is my jam, I am thrilled about Baltimore's glam-punk heroes The Beatings finally getting the full retrospective treatment. If you've been on this ride with me from the beginning, you may recall me flipping my shit for The Beatings' Kiss on the Cheek EP circa 25 years ago. And while my prognostications of The Beatings becoming the next huge band in American punk rock never came true, Adam T. is still going strong with one of the best bands out there, the mighty New Brutarians. So whether you think of The Beatings as part of Adam T.'s origin story, one of the best and most overlooked of the later '90s old school punk revivalists, or a mainstay of the Baltimore punk scene back in the day, the new digital collection 1997-2007 is well worth your time and attention. As the title suggests, this album compiles material that was recorded and released from the late '90s through the early-to-mid 2000s. It includes the songs from all three of the band's 7" releases: "The Ballad Of Jimmy & Jenny" (WAX/Telegraph Records), Kiss on the Cheek (Pelado Records), and the Solid Gold picture disc (Glass Manacle Records). It also includes The Beatings' cover of The Boys' "First Time," which was originally released on Pelado's cult classic Three Minute Heroes compilation. Also included are "Pretty Face (Born Too Late)" and "Like a Broken Shoe" from the band's 1997 demo tape, a live recording of "Party In Berlin" from New Year's Eve 1998, and some demos from Adam's bands Heavy Metal Kitchen and Treasure Island. At 23 tracks in one hour, this is a massive collection for longtime fans or anyone interested in the music Adam made prior to The New Brutarians.
I was hardly the only reviewer giving The Beatings their flowers in the early 2000s. Some noteworthy lines of praise included "If Duran Duran wanted to be Motörhead and not Roxy Music", "The Bay City Rollers meets the Dwarves", "Better than a boot to the ear hole" and "The NY Dolls on Crack!" The magic of The Beatings was that there wasn't really another band out there quite like them. They were playing sleazy, glammy '70s-style punk with an unlikely mix of bubblegum, new wave, and hard rock influences. It had been a long time since I had listened to The Beatings, so the release of 1997-2007 has been an occasion for me to revisit these songs and decide if my younger self had any idea what he was talking about. By the time I got through "Kiss on the Cheek" and "Ghetto Blaster," I was able to assert that, at least in the case of The Beatings, I wasn't totally full of shit back then! These tracks really hold up — as do "Rollercoaster Girl," "The Ballad Of Jimmy & Jenny," and "Medicine." I don't recall ever owning or hearing the Solid Gold 7", but "New Wave Love" is a stone cold ripper.
The beauty of the digital music revolution is that old records don't have to be lost to the dustbin of history. And we don't have to play the "You had to be there!" game. Even if you had never heard of The Beatings before, if you like trashy punk rock with a heavy glam influence, it's likely you'll be really into this compilation. I know there's so much music out there to listen to, but I truly believe that there's a significant audience for this album in 2026. It will warm my heart if a few of my influential friends play some of these tracks on their radio shows or if a couple of you end up discovering The Beatings for the first time and genuinely liking what you hear. I remember getting into punk in the '90s and thinking that all those old punk records from 20 years prior were ancient. Now we are three decades removed from the new bands I was into then! Will there be a '90s punk revival? Let's make it happen while there's still time!
Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love The Melmacs any more, they're back with another new single that shoots straight to my heart. Now the band's fourth single released in advance of the forthcoming album EUPHANCHOLIA, "Lazy Hearts" is perhaps its purest pop song to date. It's a total earworm. I'm not sure it's humanly possible to create a song catchier than this one — this tune is like caffeine for the soul! You could be having the worst day ever, and then this song comes on, and suddenly your possibilities are endless and your hopes are bright. The band puts so much energy into this musical performance, and Bimmi sings every note with absolute joy.
This song resonates with me because it's an anthem of encouragement to all those people out there who feel like failures because they haven't yet accomplished the things that society expects of them. But the twist is that they're not failures since they hold on to their dreams and cling to the belief that there has to be more to life than having lots of money and status. The band has dedicated this song to the "stamped daydreamers and true believers" who ultimately make this world a better place. So cheers to all the "lazy boys, all the lazy girls" with their hearts full of gold, and cheers to The Melmacs for making music that restores my faith in humanity. I've been playing this track on repeat and getting pumped for EUPHANCHOLIA, which will be out April 10th on Bakraufarfita Records & Wanda Records in Germany, Spaghetty Town Records in the USA, and Beluga Records in Sweden. I can't wait!
It's crazy that it has already been five years since the first Poison Suckers 7" came out. Today Jo Jo and Joe are back with a follow-up, and this thing is a stone-cold ripper that will melt your ears clean off your head. Out on Transistor 66, the 4-track EP Charmer finds Poison Suckers doing what they do best: mixing soul music and '60s girl group stylings with ferociously trashy garage punk rock 'n' roll. This band makes an art form out of lo-fi budget production, and the music is all raw energy and thrillingly primitive fury.
"Slash Tires" is pure fire right out of the gate — like Tina Turner fronting the Oblivians playing an MC5 song. This tune explodes out of your headphones, and Joanne's vocal is just ridiculous. It gives me chills. "Charade" is old school girl group greatness without all the fancy production getting in the way. "Viper Winds" lays down some hip-shaking hillbilly blues stomp — think Southern gothic vibes transplanted to the chilly North. "I'm a Zero" caps things off with full-on garage rock fury. It's a banger of epic proportions.
And that's that: four perfect songs that give you a little bit of everything you might be craving. I can think of no band that better understands or more fully brings to life the true spirit of rock 'n' roll. Of course this band has talent. These two have a great knack for writing songs that hit you in the gut yet also treat you to enthralling hooks. And there's a very limited number of humans on the planet who can sing like Joanne. But beyond the talent, it's the feeling and the fire in this music that is just so undeniable. Charmer will hit you deep in your soul. It's a record made to be played loudly and enjoyed thoroughly. It's an at-home dance party waiting to happen and a spirited soundtrack to whatever sinful activity you might be compelled to engage in. The EP will be officially released tonight at Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club in Winnipeg!
And now it is done. Songs the Siren Sing is the final installment in Friends of Cesar Romero's Doomed Babe Series, a project that spanned 5,191 days, 24,641 words, 400+ songs, and more than 50 releases. What J. Waylon Porcupine has done with this project is one of the most impressive feats in music that I've ever had the good fortune to experience. And now the mystery surrounding the title has been revealed: the doomed babe is J. Waylon himself. "Babe" was his childhood nickname, and this series has documented his failed relationships and allowed him to exorcise some demons. Just releasing 50+ installments in a series would be an achievement in itself. But what's so remarkable about this one is that the quality never dipped. There were no phoned-in installments. There were never any throwaway tracks. How do you release over 400 songs and never once turn out a dud? But I don't want to sell this last installment short by turning this review into a retrospective. I am happy to say that this album finds the Doomed Babe Series (and most likely Friends of Cesar Romero) going out on top.
A la February's superb Soul Scouts, Songs the Siren Sing is definitely on the more rocking end of FOCR's musical spectrum. It has its share of perfect pop songs (such as "Simple XX's" and "Dying For Dai (A Little More Each Day)"). And it concludes with J. Waylon having his Pet Sounds moment on the beautiful "Plum Cherry," which is quite possibly the best song in the entire series. But all in all, this album wraps up the Doomed Babe odyssey with a proverbial bang. From the opening jolt of "Elko Speedway" to the garage-rocking fury of "My Cultist Angel" and "Starfucker Qualities" to the thumping power pop of "74 Dart" and "The War on Wednesday," this album brings an energy that's thrilling and infectious. This album, like every Doomed Babe installment, is the perfect combination of almost every musical genre I love. Why choose between power pop, punk, and garage rock when you can get it all in shot?
We all know of certain series in television and literature that were great for so long but couldn't stick the landing. Well J. Waylon has absolutely stuck the landing. Songs the Siren Sing doesn't try too hard to create closure. It just does what you expect any great Friends of Cesar Romero to do: deliver two-to-three minute tales of relationship woes that will tear your heart out yet also have you dancing around the house and humming the melodies all week. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, you understand how personal and intense these songs are. Yet isn't the beauty of rock 'n' roll that you can take these excruciating experiences and channel them into music that's fun to listen to and deeply reassuring to people who have felt similar pain? I'll put it simply: if you love garage rock and power pop, you will love this release. It's a great-sounding record with loud guitars, hooks for days, and genuine soul in the vocals and lyrics. Who would have expected anything different?
It's not fair or even accurate to say that J. Waylon Porcupine is now quitting. He has finished what he started. The last time I checked, that's the opposite of quitting. I was a latecomer to the Doomed Babe Series and have so much gratitude to J. Waylon for putting this music into the world and to Niek for turning me onto it. Someday, music historians will look back on the Doomed Babe Series with absolute awe. That's where I already am. Songs The Siren Sing is a free download for now, and the entire Friends of Cesar Romero catalog is a deal and a steal at $111.25!
Back with their first new music since August of 2023, Portland, Oregon's mighty Girl Drink Drunks absolutely rip it up on the five-song EP Meal Deal. This band, comprised of PDX punk mainstays Joel Jett, Adam Kattau, Capt. Johnny Sensitive, Rodrigo Diaz, and Matt "Wet" Waters, continues to play blistering, totally pissed-off punk rock that meets at the intersection of budget trash and early hardcore. But somehow, even after the consistently fantastic output this band has produced in recent years, Girl Drink Drunks have managed to totally blow me away with this latest release, which takes things to the proverbial next level. These tunes have grabbed me by the neck and kicked my ass into the next county. This, my friends, is punk fucking rock in all its fierce and furious glory!
I love hearing a band sing about how much it sucks to live in these dark times, and few vocalists are better equipped to scream out all those frustrations on an 11-out-of-ten intensity scale than Mr. Joel Jett. And if you like scorching guitars and forcefully bashed drums, you are in for a treat! If "Better Than a Human" had been the whole record, this would have already been an essential purchase. But there's zero letup from there. The title track is an anthem for these times — an urgent reminder that a lot of people out there are struggling just to put food on the table. "Hang Time" might very well be the best song Girl Drink Drunks have ever put on tape. "Woke Up Screaming" is another raging ode to the bleak zeitgeist of Planet Earth circa now. And tying it all together is a smashing rendition of Screaming Sneakers' classic "Violent Days." That choice of a cover was not random. Girl Drink Drunks have made a record that speaks to the present condition. If you subscribe to the "Shit is fucked, but at least that means the punk rock will be really awesome" doctrine, well here's the kind of record you've been waiting for! Dave Berkham recorded this EP at Village Squire Studios, and it sounds exactly like an impassioned punk record ought to. Crank these tunes at the loudest possible volume, sing along at the top of your lungs, and fire yourself up for the fight. Let's be better than a human!
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