Friday, June 20, 2025

The Dogmatics - "You've Got What I Want"


In advance of their first full-length album in nearly 40 years (due out next month on Rum Bar Records), the mighty Dogmatics have treated us to an advance single that brings new meaning to the term "long-awaited"! Jerry Lehane wrote "You've Got What I Want" way back in 1981. It was an attempt to sound a little bit like The Outlets, one of the most influential bands ever in the Boston garage/punk scene. The song became a staple of The Dogmatics' live set, but they never got around to recording it during their initial run. Yet clearly they liked it enough to bring it back in 2025, and it's exactly what you'd expect a Dogmatics song influenced by The Outlets to sound like: garagey, poppy, and punky in all the best ways. Clocking in at just 97 seconds, it's a perfect display of songwriting efficiency. 

Of all the legendary bands in history that have reformed after long breakups, The Dogmatics have had one of the most successful second acts. They've pulled off an extremely difficult feat: coming back decades later with an evolved sound —  yet still sounding distinctively like themselves. In recent years, they've built a body of work that rivals their classic output without trying to recreate it. A lot of bands from The Dogmatics' era would have a hard time pulling off a song written in their formative years. They would either try too hard to recapture their youth, or they would re-arrange the song to the point where they lost the plot. But neither fate awaits "You've Got What I Want." You can definitely hear the influence of The Outlets when you listen to the song, but the track is very comparable to the songs The Dogmatics have been releasing in recent years. They embrace the song's energy and simplicity without pretending that they haven't become far wiser and more accomplished musicians over the past 44 years. I'd put this up there with anything this band has ever done. It's an exhilarating blast of three-chord rock 'n' roll. It sounds like The Dogmatics, and it sounds like Boston. I can't wait to hear the whole album!

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Friends of Cesar Romero - "Can't Get You"


I could probably write a book about why Friends of Cesar Romero is one of my favorite bands. But the main thing is that this one-man musical force of nature is the perfect blend of all the things in music that appeal to me. FOCR is everything I love about pop, punk, power pop, garage rock, indie rock, and rock 'n' roll distilled into one cohesive project dedicated to exploring the depths of doomed romance with lyrics you wish you had written and vocals you can feel in your soul. And since Johnny is so good at writing songs in so many different styles, every new release is like a little mini-surprise. What we're getting on new single "Can't Get You" is absolutely perfect power pop. From the first note, this song had me in a state of bliss. Listen to the way those crunching, punching guitars contrast with those dulcet, bittersweet melodies. Listen to that hooky chorus exploding from your headphones. Listen to those lyrics that take us all back to that one person we could not let go of no matter how much we wished we could have. How amazing is that line "If looks could kill I'd come complete/With a graveyard ghost in a white sheet"? Here we are at number 45 in the Doomed Babe Series, and the well is far from running dry! On the virtual flipside, "Busy Signals" is also in the power pop vein — a little more restrained in tempo but still steeped in the ringing melodies and romantic sentiments of classic guitar pop. What a gem of a single this is — but that's hardly a surprise, is it?

Loose Lips - "Don't Mess Me 'Round"


One of the things I was hoping 2025 would bring us was a debut album from Loose Lips. Well guess what: it's coming! Last Laugh will be out September 1st on Dig! Records, and a debut single has already been unleashed! Loose Lips are Josh Hardy (The Chats and the Unknowns), Ethan Stahl (Chubby and the Gang, the Prize, Street Sweeper), and Nadine Muller (the Prize). They put the super in super-group, and new single "Don't Mess Me 'Round" does not disappoint. This track is a perfect shot of energetic punk rock 'n' roll that's satisfyingly raw but still catchy as hell. There's little doubt that Last Laugh will be one of the top albums of the year, and I'm delighted we've got an early single to whet our collective appetites. Crank this bad boy and keep watching the calendar!

Friday, June 13, 2025

The Peppermint Kicks - "Radio Wam Bam Boom"


And they're back! The last time The Peppermint Kicks released new music, we were all walking around wearing masks. It's hard to believe it has been four years since Sal Baglio and Dan Kopko unleashed the supersonic, intergalactic glam rock transmission that had hips shaking and toes tapping from here to MoM-z14. As The Peppermint Kicks prepare for the release of their second long player, they've treated us to an advance single just in time for summer. Out on Rum Bar Records, "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is a tribute to the medium that has always meant the most to rock 'n' roll: the almighty radio! Don't we all have memories of growing up when radio was everything — a magical entity which brought us the hottest sounds from all over the globe and compelled us to gleefully descend upon the nearest record store in search of that magic wax that set our souls on fire? And what I love about "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is that it doesn't just celebrate the heyday of rock 'n' roll radio. It also gives kudos to all the D.J.s and radio programs that continue to fill the world with music via the internet, satellite, and left of the dial stations. How could a song called "Radio Wam Bam Boom" NOT be awesome? It's all big guitars and big hooks — a glam-rocking, power-popping, radio smash earworm launching like a rocket from your headphones or speakers. If you can get through even half of this song without frantically bobbing your head and thrusting your fist in the air, you might want to check yourself for a pulse. And check it out: they got the world's #1 radio personality, Palmyra freaking Delran, to appear on the track as the voice of radio! And that's Kevin Rapillo, who has played with Baglio in The Amplifier Heads, absolutely killing it on drums. I was not sure that the first Peppermint Kicks album could ever be topped, but if "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is any indication, it seems these guys have found another gear. In the immortal words of Hesh Rabkin, "Now that's a hit!"

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Shortwaves - Mental Health in the Information Age


Mental Health in the Information Age is the debut album from Shortwaves out of Dallas, Texas. Singer, keyboardist, and songwriter Joey Shortwave is no stranger to this blog. His previous band The Lash Outs released one of my favorite albums of 2011 (a record which still holds up really well today). And now he's back with a new band that I think most of you are gonna really love. 

To say Mental Health in the Information Age was a long time in the making would be an immense understatement. These songs were originally written for The Lash Outs, and some of them date as far back as 2014. After The Lash Outs broke up, Joey Shortwave was able to assemble a new band including Eric Martinez on bass, Brian Shaw on drums, and Ryan Moore on guitar. Shortwaves began playing shows in late 2022 and finally hit the studio last year to record a set of songs that had been gestating for a decade. All that time between when these songs were first conceived and when they were finally recorded may have been a blessing in disguise. When you hold on to songs for that long, it's an affirmation that you know you've got something special. And as time passes, perhaps those songs evolve past what they originally were. Clearly this album was influenced by a full decade of life experiences, and its personal reflections were no doubt shaped by the times we live in. 

Musically, Shortwaves are a very different band than The Lash Outs. While there's a shared pop-punk influence, Shortwaves are more overtly power pop in a way that feels reminiscent of '90s alternative rock that was itself reminiscent of '80s new wave. The title pretty much says it all when it comes to the themes of the album. Many of these tracks reflect on what it's like to navigate the modern world with all its pressures and overwhelming stimuli — things that are not always conducive to maintaining optimal mental health. Elsewhere, songs ponder topics such as embracing the drive to create, wrestling with inner demons, working an unfulfilling job, and struggling with social interactions. This is relatable, profound stuff. Joey Shortwave's flair for writing songs of great substance that are also undeniably catchy has always been a strength, but he's at another level on this album. "Creative Juices" and "DBA" as a pairing of songs is particularly compelling because it gets into the whole reason we're all here right now. Why do all of you all put so much of yourselves into creating and playing music at a time when it's so hard to get anyone to pay attention? Why do you sacrifice your time, money, and personal relationships to keep your indie rock band going? It's not to get famous, and it's certainly not to make money. It's because you love doing it, and anything you love doing is worth doing. That fundamental drive to create and put something into the world that is yours is a powerful thing. And I love how that subject fits into the larger themes of this album. Lyrics like "And the few who care will say/He was no Bob Dylan, but he did okay" manage to be both self-effacing and self-affirming in a way that's hard not to love. 

Although largely conceived in a prior decade, Mental Health in the Information Age is very much an album of these times. It's a fine example of what modern power pop can be — enticing us with infectious hooks & punchy guitars while also having plenty to say about life in the 21st century. It's a really solid album from start to finish, and there's a nice variety in the song selection. "A History Man" sounds like Elvis Costello fronting Weezer, while "Won't Be Ignored" could easily pass for a Lash Outs song. I presume the instrumental "Dances with Cats" is meant to mimic actually dancing with cats, which is something I wholeheartedly endorse. I wanted to feel attacked by "Mr. Universe." But upon further review, I don't think the song is meant to be nasty so much it's meant to ponder how unhealthy it can be to pursue physical perfection. Album-ender "Medication" explores how mental health in the information age is attainable with the help of pharmaceuticals. I can't quite figure out if this song is meant to be optimistic or slightly sarcastic (maybe it's a little bit of both?), but it's certainly a fine way to bring the album to a close — the takeaway being that no one should have to suffer if it's avoidable. Mental health is a very real thing, and no human should be ashamed about seeking help. This is some pretty heavy stuff for a rock 'n' roll record, but doesn't music (and all art) exist to explore the things in life that are most meaningful? Songwriters who write about the stuff they deal with every day will inevitably connect with people who deal with the same stuff every day. There have never been more things in the universe for us to look at, listen to, read, or interact with than there are today. But I will argue that Mental Health in the Information Age is absolutely worth your time and your hard-earned nine dollars. This could have been a terrific album a decade ago; it's a great one today.

Sunday, June 08, 2025

Kid Gulliver - "24 Hours"


It was just a few weeks ago that I was thinking that it had been a while since we had heard from Kid Gulliver. I was like, "I miss that band!" And when I checked on it, "a while" had been two years. So it was a very pleasant surprise to receive the email about a new Kid Gulliver single. When it comes to infectious power pop with an indie rock charm, Kid Gulliver is about as good as it gets. Simone Berk and David Armillotti formed this band back in 2012 and have not only kept it going ever since but also honed their craft more and more with every release. With Matt Duval and Mark Enet now holding down the rhythm, Kid Gulliver is sounding as good as ever! Hearing new single "24 Hours" is like re-connecting with an old friend and instantly feeling that comforting connection. The band really puts the power in its pop on this track. The guitars are really cranked up, and I love how the musical oomph of this number perfectly complements the plaintive sweetness of Simone Berk's vocals. This is such classic fare for power pop as the lyrics reflect on how torturous it can be to separated from someone you love. And Berk has such a gift for singing songs like this in a way that you genuinely feel them. In the hands of a lesser band, this song could induce eye-rolling. But when its' coming from Kid Gulliver, you feel it in your heart because you remember being in those shoes yourself. If you love power pop, it's because of songs like this.

Brad Marino - "Reason or Rhyme"


Welcome to the Faster and Louder 25-timers club, Brad Marino! That's right: this is my 25th posted review of a Brad Marino solo release. That puts him in some pretty exclusive company. Now he enjoys the same rights, privileges, and secret discounts as Vista Blue and Kurt Baker. New single "Reason or Rhyme" is a straight-up rocker featuring a star-studded lineup of Marino, Dave Strong, Bobby Davis, and Zack Sprague. Call it garage rock. Call it power pop with an emphasis on the power. Call it good, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. Call it whatever you like — either way, it's classic Brad Marino and a surefire smash. You looking for a killer riff? Check! A memorable hook? Check! A rippin' guitar solo? Check! When you need a hit, the New England Mafia always comes through.