S.U.G.A.R./BLOWERS - Split 10"

You've got to love Daniel at Alien Snatch Records, who frequently releases 10-inch vinyl records simply because they are freaking cool. For a label owner, there is no real financial incentive to put out a 10-inch EP. You just have to love the aesthetics of it. And for a record collector, this is a fun format — a veritable mini-album! Alien Snatch's latest 10-incher is a split which finds Berlin's mighty S.U.G.A.R. paired with Australia's Blowers. So we've got two of the top bands in today's garage/punk scene represented here. The S.U.G.A.R. side contains the roaring, straight-forward punk rock 'n' roll of "Electric Chair" plus a great cover of God's classic "My Pal." Blowers' side features four tracks of raw & super lo-fi garage punk. Blowers have a new album coming out at the end of the month that's gonna blow your ears right off your head. In the meantime, these tracks will whet your appetite. This was a well-conceived split. If you like one of these bands, you are almost certain to like the other. In fact, the two bands will be touring Europe together next month. Follow them on social media for more info!

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/s-u-g-a-r-blowers
https://blowersband.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7d4tDHNu6HYY9gAVh9BtiM
https://www.instagram.com/sugarpunkberlin/
https://www.facebook.com/sugarpunkberlin/
https://www.facebook.com/blowersband
https://www.instagram.com/blowersband/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS/

Dangereens - Chic

After 25 years, Alien Snatch Records is going stronger than ever and continuing to show why it's one of the most important independent labels in the rock 'n' roll universe. I might even argue that the last few years of Alien Snatch have been its very best. Montreal's Dangereens have been a huge part of that. Their new album, Chic, arrives four years after their debut, Tough Luck. I was blown away by Tough Luck. It didn't really sound like anything else on Alien Snatch or anything else in modern music, for that matter. But from my very first listen, I knew it was something special. Chic follows it up in an impressive manner. It sounds like the best '70s rock 'n' roll record that never was — absorbing country, R &B, and  early rock 'n' roll influences into a warm-sounding mix of '70s glam, arena rock, and AM radio pop that somehow sounds current in 2024. On the album's press release, Daniel suggests that Dangereens are to rock 'n' roll what The Exbats are to pop, and that's really on the money. Somehow this band has developed a sound that's both classic and totally original, and its songwriting talents are absolutely extraordinary. Over the course of 13 tracks, Chic delivers a non-stop succession of radio-ready hooks, mighty guitar heroics, and irresistible rhythms. It's hard to put a finger on what separates great rock 'n' roll from not-so-great rock 'n' roll. But whatever "it" is, Dangereens have got it in abundance. Chic reminds us that we're still living in an era of great rock 'n' roll bands and great rock 'n' roll records. There are a lot of factors that have made Alien Snatch Records such an enduring institution of the garage/punk/rock 'n' roll underground, but Daniel's ear for exceptional music remains the stuff of legend. If Dangereens aren't one of your favorite bands, you probably haven't heard them yet.

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/dangereens-chic
https://open.spotify.com/album/1JDklhnseqhSK9IGzp8M3r
https://www.facebook.com/dangereens
https://www.instagram.com/dangereens/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9xsx0itzgn/

K​ü​ken - self titled III

Merry Christmas, rockers! Dressed as Santa Claus, Daniel from Alien Snatch Records has snuck into the house and slid new releases from Sex Mex, Graveyard of the Pacific, and K​ü​ken under the tree. What a way to close out a year! I have documented the musical career of twins Philipp and Chris since 1999, when they debuted as the teens in the magnificently trashy Highschool Rockers. In 2003, they formed The Kidnappers — who would go to become one of the premier garage punk/powerpop groups of the 2000s. Since 2014 or so, they've been playing more straight-forward punk rock in the powerhouse trio K​ü​ken. Just like the two that preceded it, K​ü​ken's new album is self-titled and in no mood to mess around. Only two of 11 songs make it to the two-minute mark as the boys tear through one track after another of ornery yet totally catchy three-chord punk rock. For those who always enjoyed the Kidnappers' punkier songs, K​ü​ken III is like a whole album of that. If ripping '70s-style buzz-saw punk with a fuck-off attitude is your thing, songs like "Run Away from Me," "Goatleather," "I Don't Care About You," and "Roses" will warm your soul this holiday season. It's great to see Philipp and Chris back on the mother ship, and Daniel has celebrated not just by releasing this smasher of a record but also by reissuing K​ü​ken's second self-titled album from 2017 on secret colored vinyl. Head on over to Alien Snatch's Bandcamp page and make your reservations while you still can!

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/k-ken-s-t-iii
https://kueken.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS
https://open.spotify.com/album/2gRY1UEu9vcSaLxuET24CW
http://www.aliensnatch.de/
https://www.instagram.com/kueken_band/
https://www.facebook.com/kuekenpunk/

Moral Panic - Validation

Who's ready to get pummeled senseless? Moral Panic is here to hit you in the mouth forcefully and repeatedly! On its third album, Validation, the New York–based trio leaves low fidelity behind, tearing through nine cuts of hard, fast, and blistering punk rock that's too rock and roll to be hardcore yet too intense to just be rock and roll. Singer/guitarist Daniel Kelley has found his hottest rhythm section yet in Michael Dimmitt and Eric Robel. As a trio, Moral Panic is a machine built to obliterate anything in its path. The "bigger" sound of this release really suits the hard-hitting songs (none of which exceed two and a half minutes). Kelley's vocals are nothing short of furious, and his guitar leads are pure fire. When it comes to this style of raging and aggressive punk rock, you just won't hear it executed better. Both prior Moral Panic albums are well worth your time and attention, but the group is firing on a whole ever level with Validation. Get it now from Alien Snatch and Reptilian Records!

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/moral-panic-validation

https://moralpanicnyc.bandcamp.com/

http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/729524-moral-panic-validation-lp

https://www.instagram.com/moral_panic_nyc/

https://www.facebook.com/moralpanicnyc

New Brutarians - Hysteria

After much, much, much delay, the New Brutarians finally have their debut LP out into the world! Out now on the illustrious Alien Snatch Records, Hysteria is every bit the lo-fi glam-pop proto-punk rock and roll masterpiece I was hoping for from this Sunshine State duo comprised of Adam Turkel (vocals, guitar, bass, and keys) and Christina Wright (drums and vocals). It has been two and a half years since I first wrote about this band -- although it feels like much longer given what's been happening in the world over that time! Hysteria is full of scrappy pop songs crafted under the influence of glam rock, pop art, and early punk rock. If you love Johnny Thunders, Television, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Nikki Sudden, the Only Ones, and '70s Stones, you've just found your new favorite band. Hysteria includes some of the New Brutarians' stellar singles from the last couple years such as "A Little Hit of You," "(Rock Me) I'm A Dadaist" (easily the greatest song title of all-time), the truly marvelous "New Muse," and the COVID anthem "Living In Isolation." The half of the album I had not heard before proves to be every bit as formidable. "16 Savior" is nothing short of pop perfection. The Velvets-inspired "The Prettiest Girls (Sing the Saddest Songs)" is the first New Brutarians song to feature Christina Wright on lead vocals -- and hopefully not the last! "I Know Where Richey Edwards Lives" and "Stop! In the Name of Art" (featuring Treasure Island) are classic shots of '77 glam-punk. "Butterfly" is something we rarely hear these days: a really great old school punk rock ballad.  

Recorded by Adam Turkel, Billy Summer, and Gino Gambino in the midst of the great pandemic, Hysteria arrives triumphantly in the summer of 2022. It was recorded in dark, desperate times, and its release was delayed for over a year by bottlenecks at pressing plants. The fact that you can now hold this vinyl record in your hands seems like great cause for celebration. Together, Adam and Christina make music that affirms anew the healing power of rock and roll. Their influences, while obvious, are absorbed and interpreted with a style and personality that are uniquely theirs. Hysteria's existence on vinyl enables it to be enjoyed the old-fashioned way: you can drop the needle on the vinyl, relax, and read the lyric sheet as you fully experience each song. If this album proves anything, it's that Adam T is not just a tremendous pop artist and righteous screamer but also one of his generation's true punk rock poets. Hysteria is limited to 500 copies. It's available in the States from the New Brutarians' Bandcamp and in Europe directly from Alien Snatch. Don't miss one of the year's best LPs!

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/new-brutarians-hysteria
https://thenewbrutarians.bandcamp.com/album/hysteria
https://www.facebook.com/thenewbrutarians
https://www.instagram.com/thenewbrutarians/
http://www.aliensnatch.de/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS/

The New Brutarians - Hysteria (Streaming Release and LP Preorder)

Now it can be told! It has been a well-kept secret for a while that The New Brutarians will be releasing their debut LP on my favorite record label of all-time, the mighty Alien Snatch Records. The band has officially opened preorders for the vinyl release via Bandcamp. The LPs will be shipping next month. If you absolutely can't wait to hear this glam-punk blockbuster, it's now up on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. Otherwise, you can now order a copy of Hysteria on black or solid gold vinyl directly from the band. The vinyl release contains an exclusive track called "Stop! In The Name of Art." While I'm going to save my full review for the official release next month, I will say that Adam and Christina have outdone themselves on their full-length debut. Long delayed by the international vinyl pressing crisis, Hysteria is finally arriving and proves to be well worth the wait. For a nice little taste of what to expect, check out the official music video for "New Muse" below!

-L.R.

https://thenewbrutarians.bandcamp.com/album/hysteria

https://www.facebook.com/thenewbrutarians

https://www.instagram.com/thenewbrutarians/

https://open.spotify.com/album/05uDOSidKL6qYXJqzsLDxc?si=fde4d41fb892473c

Alvilda - Négatif

Oh man, here's a band you're all gonna flip over! Alvilda is Nina, Mélanie, Eva, and Sandra. This foursome out of Paris has just released its debut EP on the venerable Alien Snatch Records. Négatif features four tracks of classic style power pop with '60s pop and girl group influences. I love the perfect simplicity of this release: each song is a one-word title and clocks in somewhere between two and two-and-half minutes. From the melodies to the harmonies to the hooks to the energy of the music, this EP delivers everything you could want from power pop. Even if you don't know a single word of French, Négatif is sure to have you dancing around the house and humming along in no time flat. Pop music doesn't get much catchier than this! For its first 7" release in a few years, Alien Snatch sure picked a good one. Snag a copy while you still can! 

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/alvilda-n-gatif
https://www.facebook.com/Alvilda.Paris
https://www.instagram.com/alvilda.band/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS
http://www.aliensnatch.de/

TJ Cabot & Thee Artificial Rejects - self titled

Alien Snatch Records has saved 2020! The venerable German label has released the debut album from Canadian underground sensations TJ Cabot & Thee Artificial Rejects - an 11-song long player that features several tracks once feared to be lost forever. The tale of TJ Cabot & Thee Artificial Rejects is one filled with intrigue, heroism, controversy, and shocking violence. Cabot, a notorious multi-instrumentalist and talented hellraiser, fell into the company of drunken libertarians Millhouse Deville, Rooster Targett, Skookie Tobin, and Leblanc Road Leo. Plans were hatched to wreak havoc up and down the eastern coast of Canada. Manifestos were to be written. Bridges were to be blown up. Sovereign states were to be established. As the drink flowed, the group decided to just record some songs instead. This past spring, Demos Recorded in the Anus of the Maritimes was released to tremendous acclaim. And then trouble ensued. Squabbles over intellectual property and the political direction of the group led to the best songs on the album being pulled from the digital release. The world mourned. People read my review and wondered where these songs I referenced had gone. Not content to sit around and allow a potentially classic release to fall into the dustbin of history, Daniel from Alien Snatch took decisive action. Armed with potent beverages and rare Von Zippers vinyl, he crossed the Atlantic by ship and descended upon the Maritime wilderness to broker a deal that would satisfy all parties. And today songs such as "Occipital Neuralgia", "I Am The Enemy", and "Vile Converted Mind" return to permanent circulation. Depending on your current location, you may even witness celebrations in the streets. 

It's only appropriate that Alien Snatch Records has brought TJ Cabot & Thee Artificial Rejects' debut album to the world at large. And that's because this sounds like a record that Alien Snatch and Rip Off Records may have wrestled each other to release in the early 2000s. It's informed by equal parts '70s punk and proto-punk, '90s garage punk and budget rock, and modern-day lo-fi trash. Recorded with just a single $5 microphone on a decade-old laptop, these tracks are super raw and about as lo-fi as it gets. Daniel, in his inimitable style, references everyone from the MC5 to the Spaceshits to Kajun SS to Gino and the Goons to the almighty Pack on the album's press release. And my tender ears pick up on touchstones ranging from the Stooges to the Saints to the Angry Samoans to Sick Thoughts. This just has the feel of a garage punk record from that prehistoric age when YouTube did not yet exist and nobody under the age of 18 used text messaging. Cabot and his (literal) partners in crime tear through mostly 1-2 minute songs that run the gamut from vicious ("Numb the Mind") to trashy ("On Off") to positively pummeling ("Cold In May") to kinda almost poppy ("Nowhere To Go"). Who needs fancy equipment or a fourth chord when you can bang out some noise as righteously ferocious as this? I'm not saying that records like this never get made these days. But when they do, Alien Snatch is frequently involved. I would recommend TJ Cabot & Thee Artificial Rejects to fans of Phone Jerks, although it should be noted that a fierce, contentious, and highly territorial rivalry exists between the two bands. You know how intense things get in the Maritimes. Suffice it to say that this is a debut LP that will be very much in contention for the honor of my #1 punk rock album of 2020. If it takes the top spot, it will have to supplant another local band that shall remain nameless for the moment. What in god's name is in the air up there?!

-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/tj-cabot-thee-artificial-rejects
https://tjcabot.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS/

Cocktails - Catastrophic Entertainment

Who's in the mood for a really good power pop album? You know I always am, and the third LP by San Francisco's Cocktails definitely hits the mark. A co-release between Alien Snatch and Wizards + Potions Records, Catastrophic Entertainment is a perfect summertime pop record. Cocktails find that sweet spot where '70s power pop, early '80s new wave, and '90s indie/alternative become one. They're all about melody, hooks, and crafting great songs. That seems like such a simple concept, but rarely do you hear a band that pulls it off this well. Catastrophic Entertainment is full of the kinds of songs you wish they still played on the radio. Tracks like "Nobody's Going To The Movies" and "Love Is Gone" are pure power pop. In other spots, the band touches on everything from pub rock ("Washoe County") to glam ("Janeland") to Weezer worship ("Take It Back") to the Teenage Fanclub/Fountains of Wayne strain of indie rock ("Never Be Alone"). All the way through, the songs are gold and the hooks reign supreme. This is timeless stuff! Much of what you usually do in the summertime is off limits this year. But you can still get in your car and crank the tunes as you soak in the summer sun and relive all your triumphs and losses in love. Catastrophic Entertainment is an album to play while you do just that.



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/cocktails-catastrophic-entertainment
https://cocktails.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cocktails.the.band
http://www.aliensnatch.de/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS
https://www.wizardsandpotions.com/

Sweet Reaper - Closer Still

It seems like every time I turn around, Alien Snatch Records has released something new and awesome! Closer Still is the vinyl debut from Ventura, California trio Sweet Reaper. What we have here are 11 tracks of fuzzy garage pop that would be equally at home on the beach or at the cemetery. On the continuum of all things Alien Snatch, this band slides neatly between Radioactivity and the Hex Dispensers. Think catchy, lo-fi tunes that manage to be really upbeat and a little haunting at the same time. Sweet Reaper originated as the album Sweet Reaper by Seth Pettersen in 2015. That solo project soon turned into a proper band, and Closer Still is the second of the group's two full-length releases. It sounds like something that Dirtnap Records might have put out circa 2003, but with a little more of that modern-day Southern California flavor. You can call this a party record, but only if you're comfortable partying at a haunted house on the beach. Actually that sounds kind of awesome. Red vinyl is limited to 100 copies - you know what to do!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/sweet-reaper-closer-still
https://sweetreaper69.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sweetreaper69/
https://www.instagram.com/sweet.reaper/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS

The Speedways - Radio Sounds

Well here we go: the album I entered 2020 looking forward to the most is finally here! Radio Sounds is the second LP by London-based foursome The Speedways - and its first as a proper band. Based on the two singles released in advance of Radio Sounds, my expectations for this album were sky-high. But somehow this record has actually surpassed what I was hoping for. Singer/guitarist Matt Julian has always excelled at crafting three-minute pop songs in the classic tradition. But having found the perfect band-mates in guitarist Mauro Venegas, bassist Adrian Alfonso, and drummer Kris Hood, he's made absolute magic on this 12-track full-band debut.

Radio Sounds is spiritually aligned with 2018's spectacular Just Another Regular Summer. But this album is bigger, better, and even more emotionally wrenching than its predecessor. The playing and production are immaculate, and the songs are truly magnificent. Julian is really in his element here, turning out song after song about heartbreak, longing, and the sadness of love lost. He has quite a flair for combining the melodic punch of new wave power pop with the drama and romance of '60s girl groups and teen idols. Radio Sounds, as the title suggests, draws inspiration from the timeless pop hits of yore. The influence shows not just in the melodies, harmonies, and choruses but also in Julian's lyrics. Of course he can write a catchy song that will have you humming along and hopping merrily around the house. But as enjoyable as these tunes are on the surface, they're also songs that you can really feel. I consider Julian a true soul singer. When he sings of heartache, despair, and bitter disappointments in love and life, every word rings authentic. He's lived his music. And that is the secret formula for great pop - to create joy by making others less alone in their misery.

From start to finish, Radio Sounds is packed with remarkable songs. If lead single "Kisses Are History" doesn't move you to tears, you probably weren't listening very closely. "The Day I Call You Mine" is perhaps my favorite Speedways song to date. The protagonist in this tale is willingly throwing himself into heartbreak's line of fire, and I relate to that on a personal level. Even as I listen to this song and think "This guy's in for it!", I know I would be in the same boat. If you believe in love, you sometimes have to take your punches. If you stop believing in love, that's a far bleaker existence in my book. "Empty Pages", another choice cut, manages to be devastating and hopeful all at once. That chorus will pull at your heartstrings all day long! "Good Girls Don't Break Hearts" and "Telephone Lies" are vintage Speedways numbers - bitter pills that go down easy. If 1980 had never ended, these would indeed be radio sounds. "Your Brown Eyes Look So Blue" is snappy R & B that ought to have you dancing into the night. And just as Julian did on Just A Regular Summer, he places the album's two most dramatic, epic songs at the end of each side. "This Is About A Girl Who Loves The Sun", which eerily employs Marilyn Monroe's "I'm generally miserable" quote as a backdrop, will absolutely tear your heart out. Album closer "In A World Without Love It's Hard To Stay Young" sounds like it should be playing over the closing credits to a powerful cinematic love story. That title is truly profound, and the song seems the perfect culmination to an album that ultimately asserts that the heartbreak we endure in life is absolutely worth it. I've played this song dozens of times over the last few weeks, and it never ceases to take my breath away.

The Speedways worked meticulously to make Radio Sounds the strongest album it could be, and they have succeeded spectacularly. As great as Julian was on his own, he's even better in tandem with the like-minded and talented Venegas, Alfonso, and Hood. This album rings with the echoes of everyone from Buddy Holly to Phil Spector to Elvis Costello to the Exploding Hearts. It's a classic style pop record that manages to sound fully contemporary in 2020. Radio Sounds isn't just the best power pop album of the year. It's the best power pop album in a whole lot of years! It's available now from Snap! Records/Hurrah Musica, Beluga Records, & Alien Snatch Records!



-L.R.

https://thespeedways.bandcamp.com/album/radio-sounds
https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/speedways-radio-sounds
https://www.facebook.com/JustAnotherRegularSummer/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS
https://www.facebook.com/Hurrah-M%C3%BAsica-1586097248302242/

Dangereens - Tough Luck

Well here we've got another great release from Alien Snatch Records. And you know I wouldn't have expected anything less! Dangereens hail from Montreal and have kind of a different sound for Alien Snatch. Hell, they've got kind of a different sound, period! And that's what I'm especially digging about this group. You can't quite put Dangereens into any obvious category. At first listen, you think maybe they're into the sleazy glam rock thing. But over the course of their debut album Tough Luck, they touch on everything from rhythm & blues to '70s jam rock to boogie woogie to rockabilly. When was the last time I compared a band to Mungo Jerry? "Streets of Doom" makes me think of Eternally Yours era Saints, but not quite. "Hearse Driving Boogie" channels Dave Edmunds via The Replacements. "Twelve Below Zero" sounds a little like a lost deep cut from The Kinks. You could slot "Love Jive" into any oldies station's nightly '70s block and fool almost everyone into thinking it was genuine AM gold. "(Bye Bye) Little Uptown Girl" is a an R & B rocker as righteous and rousing as anything the J. Geils Band ever did. I'm not always a fan of piano, sax, and trumpets in rock and roll. But holy cow, does this band ever pull it off! Hugo Chartrand has got legit star presence on vocals, and Felix Brisson on lead guitar can play like a motherfucker! Dangereens describe themselves as "elegantly decadent rock and roll". That could not be more spot-on! The musicianship and production on this record are about as professional as it gets. But first and foremost, Chartrand writes appealing songs that are well-suited to the effortless cool he exudes as a performer. If you favor more straight-forward glam rock, I recommend the band's new single "Lucky In Love". But I think the full album really gives you the best feel for what makes Dangereens a special band. Has anyone noticed that three of the last four Alien Snatch releases were by Canadian bands? Daniel knows what's up.



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/dangereens-tough-luck
https://dangereens.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dangereens
http://www.aliensnatch.de/
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS

Outtacontroller - Sure Thing

Outtacontroller has been around so long that it's kind of hard to believe that its new album Sure Thing is only its third full-length. The Halifax, Nova Scotia foursome was at the center of an incredible wave of Canadian-based powerpop/punk bands in the early 2010s. And while the band has customarily gone several years between albums, it has never really stopped being the quintessential buzz-saw punk/pop group. Longtime mainstays of the illustrious P. Trash Records (RIP), Outtacontroller have now turned up where almost every great powerpop/punk band eventually lands: Alien Snatch Records! Sure Thing does not mess with a winning formula. It sticks to Outtacontroller's signature style of power pop meets garage punk meets the almighty Ramones. The band delivers ten tracks of thumping punk pop that ought to be cranked loud in the car en route to a night of fun times. Sure Thing offers up a solid mix of Ramones-inspired punk tunes ("Glassy Eyes", "You For You"), powerful pop numbers ("Too Soon", "Operator"), and big hooky rockers ("Don't Need It") to get your head bobbing and your toes tapping. Singer/guitarists Terry A'hearn and James O'Toole handled the production themselves, and the record sounds absolutely great. Of course I'm a huge fan of this musical style, and Outtacontroller have put on a clinic on how to pull it off. Sometimes you don't need a band to reinvent the wheel. If you like good, simple punk tunes executed with energy and enthusiasm, you will be inclined to say that this is an album that very much lives up to its title.

  
-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/outtacontroller-sure-thing 
https://outtacontroller.bandcamp.com/album/sure-thing 
https://www.facebook.com/outtacontrollr/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS 

Eerie Family - self titled

Here we go with another great release from Alien Snatch Records! Although this one is probably not what you would expect. Eerie Family are Alex and Alyse from Hex Dispensers playing music very much unlike Hex Dispensers. Their self-titled LP just released on New Year's Eve. Call it whatever you like: Goth, death rock, dark wave, or (as the label terms it) gloom pop. Any way you shake it, this is a gorgeously creepy creation that fuses elements of post-punk and synth pop with a spooky worldview and this duo's well-defined predilection for melody. I suppose an "upbeat" Goth song is a contradiction in terms, but opening track "Everybody Disappear" manages to be exactly that. It's as hook-laden as it is creepy, and that's really saying something. It's like a love anthem for ghouls, creatures, and zombies everywhere. "A Ghost Who Lives Inside Your Heart" is a chillingly beautiful number channeling the bleak minimalism of Joy Division by way of The Cure and Jesus & Mary Chain. "Dead Stars Still Shine On Us Tonight" could not be more haunting, yet it pulls you in with captivating melodies and nicely harmonized vocals. "I Am Tarantula", told from the point of view of a feared creature that just wants to be loved, is driven by a fittingly playful synth line. "I Hope the Sun Explodes Today" is an old Hex Dispensers song that you might barely recognize. There's a refreshing simplicity to the structure of these songs. Every drum beat and keyboard note comes off carefully considered, and the vocals are eerie in a way that sounds natural and not comically overplayed (a frequent weak point for this genre of music). I'm not generally a fan of "dark" music, but I have been fully won over by Eerie Family. Beyond all else, this is simply fantastic pop. It certainly doesn't hurt that Alex and Alyse have such splendid chemistry, and overall this is a perfect example of how to take death rock and make it full of life. "You only need enough friends/To carry your casket when you're dead" is some of the most profound wisdom I've encountered in a long time!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/eerie-family-s-t
https://eeriefamily.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS

Real Tears - Hay Fever

What a 2019 it's been for Alien Snatch Records! The legendary label, celebrating its 20th anniversary, has been responsible for a whole bunch of my favorite releases of the year (Pale Lips, Phone Jerks, TV Crime..I could go on and on). One I have not yet mentioned is the terrific second album from Sweden's Real Tears. I was a big fan of the band's first album, which I reviewed back in 2016. The follow-up Hay Fever is every bit as good. On this 13-song long player, Real Tears sound like they're intent on making the best Dickies album in decades. These guys play super fast punk rock with pop hooks, as songs alternate between mega-hyper ("These Unwashable Hands of Mine", "Dumsterdivin'") and just plain hyper ("Crooner Steel", "Little Things"). Only one track exceeds two minutes, so there's no waiting around for any of these songs to get to the good part. As a big fan of poppy punk rock, I've gotta say this album hits me in all the right spots. The tunes are catchy, the playing is tight, and the energy level is infectious. Real Tears basically formed out of the ashes of Impo and the Tents, and you can certainly hear the similarities between the two bands. Real Tears are probably a little punkier, but still with hooks out the wazoo. If you're burned out on Ramonescore, maybe it's time to give Dickies-core a try!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/real-tears-hay-fever 
https://realtearsua.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/realtearsua/ 
http://www.aliensnatch.de/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS 

Phone Jerks - 10 x 10

Wow! Wasn't it just a year ago that Phone Jerks suddenly turned up on Alien Snatch Records with a debut long player that ultimately became my 2018 album of the year? Here they are already with an even better followup! 10 x 10 won't be my 2019 album of the year for the simple reason that it's a 10-inch record and thus technically not an LP. I do realize that the fabled 10-inch is not everyone's favorite format. But I'm a big fan, and I think Phone Jerks have utilized it in the way the music gods intended (see also, Problematics' Blown Out and Teengenerate's Savage). 

I don't know how to put this, but 10 x 10 is kind of a big deal. It's Alien Snatch's 100th release, and it also commemorates the label's 20th anniversary (I remember Alien Snatch 001 quite well: it was The Johnnies' 12 Steps To Nowhere, and never in my then 28 years had I ever handled such a thick slab of vinyl!). The title is of course a reference to this being 10 songs on a ten-inch record. But it's also the mathematical computation that equals 100 releases. Look at those Jerks with their clever hidden meanings! I'm not suggesting that Daniel has been plotting for years to make this his 100th release. But seriously: can you think of a band that better exemplifies the spirit of a label that has kept the heart of garage punk/'77 punk/power pop beating for two decades and counting? Between these four band members, they probably own a solid majority of those 100 releases. And of course Phone Jerks hearken back to those exciting times of later '90s trash punk rock and roll that certainly inspired a young man from Germany to start his own record label.

What I noticed pretty quickly about 10 x 10 is that it's a tougher-sounding affair than the self-titled LP. It's less of a budget rock party record and more of a straight-up ripping rock record. The '70s punk influence is more prevalent, and the band members take turns sounding properly fed-up on lead vocals (what was Nicholas McNally doing to these people in the studio?!). At times I'm reminded of a more pissed-off Rip Offs (wouldn't that just be Zodiac Killers?!). And Brian's songs in particular bring a Saints/Lazy Cowgirls edge that was not as pronounced on the last record. With the band pairing down the 16 songs it prepared for this release to the ten strongest cuts, 10 x 10 is the ultimate in all-killer, no-filler. All four Jerks contribute essential tracks. "Benchwarmer" is Tyler's attempt at writing a Makers song, and who can deny that the world needs way more of that sort of thing? Andrew's "Vehicular Manslaughter" makes me nostalgic for a time when I could compare a dozen bands to the Dead Boys every year. Emily's "Frigg Off" has to be the most "eastern Canadian" song title ever. It's about people who are easier to get along with when you see them as little as possible. That's kind of hilarious, but I bet everyone reading this can relate! "U-Turn To Jane's" tells the true story of when Tyler and Emily were both nearly killed just trying to get a pizza. My overall fave track is "She's Stimming Out", a song Brian wrote about the days of his daughter's autism diagnosis. This track rips it up like "Demolition Girl" crashing into "Sonic Reducer", creating the perfect energy for a tune that could not be any more loving and uplifting. This song makes me proud to be a human being. 

I give 10 x 10 a ten out of ten. Every track is a smash...in the face! It's rather fortunate for me that Phone Jerks chose to release this as a 10-inch 45. When album of the year time rolls around, I will be spared the difficult choice between Phone Jerks and certain label mates/country mates of theirs. No civil wars will be breaking out on my watch! If the self-titled LP was best suited for the world famous "Who are they ripping off here?" drinking game, 10 x 10 is more like the record you put on when you feel like punching someone. I think for the practicality of everyday life, this record may be even more useful. If you still insist on hating ten-inch records, just think of this as two killer 7-inches that magically flip themselves over. Happy birthday, Alien Snatch! I will have the German beer flowing all day in your honor!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/phone-jerks-10x10 
https://phonejerks.bandcamp.com/ 
http://www.aliensnatch.de/ 
https://www.facebook.com/Monctongaragepunk/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS 

TV Crime - Metal Town

Well here it is, after many years of great anticipation! TV Crime, the Nottingham-based foursome that wowed so many of us the moment its debut track "Hooligans" went on-line three and a half years ago, has finally released a debut album. We've had little in the way of new material from TV Crime over the years - just a pair of singles released in 2016 and 2017. But all the while, the band was taking its time to craft a debut full-length it could be truly proud of. Listening to Metal Town (out now on Alien Snatch Records), one could hardly deny that the band's commitment to getting it right has paid off handsomely. Individuals I hold in the highest esteem have already chimed in with high praise, and I can only echo those sentiments.

Metal Town is nothing short of the brilliant debut that was fully expected from TV Crime - a pub rock extravaganza informed by power pop, first wave UK punk, and '70s glam and arena rock. If you think that sounds like something I'd be especially into, you could not be more correct! Over the course of 13 tracks, the band puts on a clinic on how to play powerful punk rock and roll with all of the hooks and melodic appeal of the best power pop. Kicking off with a new-and-improved version of "Hooligans", this album takes little time in showing us how far TV Crime has come. The group's sound has grown bigger and cleaner - while still retaining the soul and guts befitting a proper pub band. These songs evoke comparisons to everyone from The Jam to Elvis Costello to Thin Lizzy, but not in a way that feels retro or consciously derivative. Essentially, this is great pop music played with the force and vigor of punk rock. From the big hooky rock of "Neo Waltz" to the quintessential sing-along punker "In The Gutter" to the footballer pop anthem "Match Day Programme" to the adrenaline rush of the title track to the pub-hardened Buzzcocks dash of "Never Been In Love", the material is consistently well-crafted and carried off with an energy that thrills. When the band slows the pace a tad (consider its "theme song", "Television Crime"), it comes off like a pop group that ought to be all over the charts. The 7" tracks re-recorded for this release have never sounded better - a testament to both the first-rate production and the tightened chops of a band firing on all cylinders.

I've heard "album of the year contender" mentioned in conjunction with Metal Town by more than one individual. Who am I to argue? I anticipated a great deal from TV Crime on its debut album, but honestly Metal Town manages to exceed what I was expecting. You would have to look far and wide to find a band and album better suited to this blog's readership. And in a wonderful occurrence of history repeating itself, it seems we have returned to the days of Alien Snatch Records being the undisputed king of record labels. I'll drink to that!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/tv-crime-metal-town 
https://tvcrime.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/TELEVISIONCRIME/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS 

Moral Panic - self titled

Alien Snatch Records just keeps on killing it! Out now on the legendary German label is the second self-titled album from Moral Panic. It follows up the band's 2017 debut on Slovenly Recordings, and I must say that this Brooklyn trio sounds even better the second time around! Formed out of the ashes of the absolutely terrific Livids, Moral Panic plays scorching garage punk smashing head-on into late '70s Midwestern punk rock (the band even covers "Not Now, No Way" by the almighty Pagans!). What's not to love about that?! The label makes a Carbonas comparison, and I will not argue with that at all. Hot damn, is this album ever a face-melter! In just 19 minutes, it delivers 10 blistering tracks chock full of pissed-off vocals, red-hot guitar leads, and legit catchy tunes. And Jeff Burke's magic touch with mixing and mastering sure doesn't hurt. If you're into fast and furious punk with hooks, this is about as good as it gets!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/moral-panic-s-t 
https://www.facebook.com/moralpanicnyc/ 
http://www.aliensnatch.de/ 
https://www.facebook.com/ALIEN.SNATCH.RECORDS/ 

Pale Lips - After Dark

Aww yeahh! After Dark release day has arrived! Shouldn't this be an international holiday? I fully expect to see people celebrating in the streets! You know After Dark has been playing on repeat all morning here at Faster and Louder HQ! This sophomore long player from Montreal foursome Pale Lips was without doubt my most highly anticipated album of this year. I know I said almost the exact same thing about the last Pale Lips album. But while I still love Wanna Be Bad, I'm here to tell you that After Dark blows it out of the water! It's definitely the best album I've heard in a couple of years. Out on Alien Snatch (Germany), Spaghetty Town (USA), Gods Candy (Canada), and Waterslide Records (Japan), After Dark doesn't veer far from the Chuck Berry by way of the Ramones blueprint of its predecessor. But while I probably could have identified two or three obvious "hits" on the last album, this one is basically nothing but hits. I have a new favorite track every day! Pale Lips have proven once again that rock n' roll still satisfies in a way that no other style of music possibly can. And you just won't hear music more joyful than this. Put this album on, and you've got yourself an instant party wherever you may be. If you're not dancing and singing along within the first minute, there may be no cure for whatever ails you. And don't bother asking me for tips on how to get these songs out of your head. No such means exist.

After Dark finds Pale Lips doing what may seem impossible: taking the hot sounds of 60 years ago and making them feel fresh and current in 2019. You can hear a song like "Some Sort Of Rock N' Roll" and easily identify the influences. Yet Pale Lips add something to the mix that is uniquely their own. It's not just the bad-ass guitarist and the super-likable singer and the cool, no-nonsense bass player and the unsung, rock-solid drummer. It's the way these four manage to insert their unique personalities into their music. I'm not saying your granddaddy won't like this record; it's just that your ten-year-old niece will like it too. And so will your next door neighbor, so do not hesitate to play it loud in the name of spreading the gospel. While throwaway lyrics are allowable or sometimes preferable in rock n' roll, that's not how Pale Lips operate. This band writes some of the smartest, funniest, and most quotable lyrics you'll ever come across. Lead single "You're A Doll", in addition to being more fun than the law should allow, is a profound statement on gender stereotypes. "Hiding From The Moon" is probably the best song ever written about the drawbacks of dating a werewolf. "All My Baby Brought Back Was The Blues" is the latest in a long line of Pale Lips songs that had me laughing out loud in multiple spots. "I'm A Witch" is a direct response to "The Witch" by The Sonics...a response worthy of a mic drop!

While for the most part sticking to Pale Lips' signature style of upbeat poppy punk rock n' roll, After Dark is not without its surprises (which I suppose I'm about to ruin). You'll hear a few musical instruments outside of just guitar/drums/bass. And a couple of the "riskier" song choices contribute to this being an even better album than Wanna Be Bad. "That Old Ghost Don't Lie" is beautiful and haunting and just a completely stunning pop song. "Cosmic Love", quite literally, takes Pale Lips' sound to outer space. You know that feeling you get when your favorite band releases a new record and it's so totally great that you wanna tell everyone you know about it? That's basically where I'm at right now! Witches, aliens, and ghosts: oh my! I probably won't go out in public and demand that people stop what they're doing so I can play them "I'm A Witch". But if I should witness other individuals doing exactly that, my year will be made.



-L.R.

https://palelips.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/palelips/
https://spaghettytownrecords.bigcartel.com/product/pale-lips-after-dark-lp 
https://www.godscandyrecords.com/product/pale-lips-after-dark-lp 
http://watersliderecords.net/?pid=138039795
https://www.facebook.com/SpaghettyTown/ 
https://www.facebook.com/Gods-Candy-Records-166258483881865/ 
http://www.aliensnatch.de/ 
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Phone Jerks - self titled

WHAT?! Phone Jerks have released an album? On Alien Snatch Records?! One of my favorite bands put out a record on one of my all-time favorite labels, and nobody knew anything about it until a week ago?! Now that was a fiercely-guarded secret! Respect!

Alien Snatch Records has been setting the standard for what a punk rock label ought to be for 20 years now. From assembling a roster including the likes of the Kidnappers, Real Losers, Fevers, Yum Yums, Minds, and Leg Hounds in its early 2000s heyday to releasing brilliant music by current-day bands such as Freak Genes and The #1s, Alien Snatch has remained a go-to for any fan of garage-punk and power pop. Moncton, New Brunswick's mighty Phone Jerks could not be a more fitting addition to the Alien Snatch family. Their debut LP hearkens back to countless beloved garage-punk LPs of the '90s and early 2000s. And I gotta tell you the thing is absolutely KILLER! Upon hearing "Nothing There", you just might find yourself convinced that The Rip Offs have gotten back together! Alien Snatch honcho Daniel has astutely pointed out that he could have released this album in any year of the label's history. These tunes are that timeless. Of course Phone Jerks sound like a band that could have been peers with Loli and the Chones, The Metros, Teengenerate, etc. Yet they also align perfectly with modern-day greats like Gino & The Goons and Sick Thoughts. This, my friends, is garage-punk the way it ought to be: trashy, lo-fi, and intentionally devoid of originality. Why are there not more bands like this in 2018?!

Being four upstanding Canadians who value your hard-earned dollar, Phone Jerks have delivered almost entirely brand-new material for this debut album (along with covers of "Revolution" by Australia's X and "Violence, Anarchy, Baby, Mother, Daddy-O, Dig" by Newfoundland punk legends Da Slyme). No tracks from the Goodbye Boozy 7" have been repeated, and only two songs re-appear from the band's demo tape. The instant you dig into "Bitchiker", you will find yourself fondly recalling a time when every new Rip Off Records release was an event worth celebrating. And come on: how can an album that begins with a song about killing someone not be the best record of the year?! These songs are all so ripping and catchy and tremendously fun to listen to. This is an album that you just have to crank super loud. And half the fun of this record is going through it track by track and asking, "Who are they ripping off here?"! The fact that Phone Jerks have three different lead singers makes it all that much cooler. Emily, Tyler, and Brian each bring something unique to the table (and you know, they all seem intent on smashing that table). The production (kudos Dave Belliveau and James O'Toole!) is spot-on for what budget rock ought to be. You know how modern-day reviewers are so fond of using "crackling" as an adjective? This album is crackling. Literally. 

So why aren't there more bands like Phone Jerks in 2018? I don't know, but maybe there will be after their debut album makes the rounds! Canada is ahead of the curve as always (especially in Moncton, where they observe the Atlantic Time Zone). With me poised to name an Alien Snatch release album of the year, it sure feels like old times!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/phone-jerks-s-t 
https://phonejerks.bandcamp.com/ 
http://www.aliensnatch.de/ 
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