Private Lives - "Think I'm Coming Around"

So Montreal's Private Lives released a really tremendous sophomore LP last year that somehow evaded my detection. I quite often regret reviews I didn't write, but that particular miss had me feeling like a goalie who lets in an easy one and ignites a deafening chorus of boos. Rarely will you hear a more satisfying cocktail of power pop, new wave, post-punk, garage rock, and punk rock pulled off in such a fresh and contemporary way. How did I miss that boat? On the bright side, I know for sure I won't sleep on the next album! In the meantime, Private Lives' new single on Bachelor Records is a rocket blast of awesomeness headed straight through your ears and into your heart. "Think I'm Coming Around" is very much in the classic punk rock mold. It's driving, energetic, and bursting with hooks. Jackie and Chance play off each other beautifully on this track, and the rhythm section really lays the pedal to the metal. If powerpop/punk is your thing, this song 100% needs to be in your music library. B-side "Television Faces" is giving major punky new wave vibes, and I'm sure not mad about that. The feel is more modern yet still plenty urgent. I love a band that can deliver music with a message and still put the music front and center. Man, this really is a perfect single. My friends in Europe will want to snag a copy of the vinyl. And by all means, if you don't yet own Salt of the Earth, that's an absolute, positive mandatory must-buy!

-L.R.

https://privatelivesmtl.bandcamp.com/album/think-im-coming-around-2
https://open.spotify.com/album/5AHPnHjtov66hLMZsTm70D
https://www.instagram.com/private___lives/

The Clubs - self-titled EP

How about a new band to get excited about for 2026? The Clubs are based in Berlin. The band includes Roméo from Les Lullies/Patrol along with members of Slander Tongue and Klavo. A self-titled debut EP is out now No Fuss Tapes with vinyl coming from Bachelor Records. Basically what we have here is late '70s/early '80s style power pop meets straight-up rock 'n' roll with a touch of '60s jangle. What's not to like about that? These tunes have got quality hooks and a lot of muscle behind them. The production is just about perfect: clean but not excessively polished. I dig this EP, and I'm sure a lot of you will as well. Something tells me we'll be hearing a lot more about The Clubs over the coming months!

-L.R.

https://the-clubs.bandcamp.com/album/the-clubs-ep
https://nofusstapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-clubs-s-t
https://www.instagram.com/the___clubs/

Protex - Wicked Ways

Protex has released an excellent new album that hardly anyone seems to be talking about. I'm rather shocked by the lack of fanfare for what is truly a top-notch release from a band that helped define power pop/punk music as we know it. Wicked Ways, which was released earlier this summer on Bachelor Records, was recently made available on Bandcamp. If you're a fan of Protex or power pop in general, you really need to hear this album. While Aidan Murtagh is the only original member in this current lineup, Wicked Ways is 100% a vintage Protex release. It finds Murtagh teaching a master class in power pop/punk songwriting. There's nothing fancy going on here: just one near-perfect punchy three-minute love song after another. Who would expect (or want) anything different from Protex? And this is not one of those cases of "It's pretty good for an old band." This album can hang with the best of what's out there in today's power pop world. Murtagh might be the last man standing from the golden era of Protex, but he has definitely found the right players to keep the band going strong. Don't sleep on Wicked Ways!

-L.R.

https://protexbelfast.bandcamp.com/album/wicked-ways
https://shop.bachelorrecords.com/Protex-Wicked-Ways
https://www.facebook.com/people/Protex/100063548294313/

The Reekys - self titled

Now this was a wonderful, out-of-the-blue surprise! Formed in Munich way back in 1996, The Reekys were one of Europe's leading gangs of teenpunk Ramones disciples in the late '90s/early 2000s. They released two seven-inches (one a split with fellow Germans The Boonaraaas!!!) and were immortalized in song by The Highschool Rockers. In 2005, they recorded a full-length album that never saw the light of day...until now! For its 100th release, Bachelor Records' has finally issued this "lost" debut album from The Reekys. And given the current status of Ramonescore as a thriving genre of music, perhaps this was the perfect time for a Reekys LP to come out. As it should be, this album makes no attempt to stray from the Ramones blueprint of simple and stupid punk rock. 9 of 14 tracks clock in at under two minutes, with lyrics addressing the big issues like girls, wrestling, and being an idiot. This is Ramonescore by the book, and I must say it holds up well! Whether this release brings back fond beer-soaked memories of your youth or simply speaks to your love for fun three-chord punk rock, Bachelor Records has done us a great service in unearthing it. It's limited to 500 copies, so get one before they're all gone!



-L.R.

https://thereekys.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled 
http://bachelorrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords/ 

The Control Freaks - "No Action"/"Don't Mess With Jessica"

It pretty much goes without saying that The Control Freaks are the best thing to happen to garage punk music in a long time. The band's debut album on Slovenly was absolutely the instant classic I expected it to be. If you don't have it yet, go get it! If you do have it and crave more, The Control Freaks have followed up with a double shot of new singles on Bachelor Record Company. Of course this shit is hot, and it's all previously unreleased!

I think it has to be intentional that The Control Freaks' initial releases have been with two of the labels most responsible for keeping real garage-punk alive in the 2010s. If you go to order the new singles from the Bachelor store, you'll see a totally spot-on rant about what most people think "garage punk" is in 2017 versus what it meant in the '90s. That line about Ty Segall made me laugh so hard that I almost snorted unsweetened tea through my nose. The Control Freaks are the genuine article, and both of these singles are essential additions to the catalog of Greg Lowery fronted bands. "No Action" throws it all the way back to the budget rock stylings of Supercharger. It's catchy and rockin' without going overboard on the tempo. What a banger! I will not judge you if you decide to call in sick and play the song on repeat all morning. It's definitely the kind of tune that will make you wanna dance around the house in your underwear. Once you're finally ready to flip the record, a robust version of Protex's "I Can Only Dream" awaits on the B-side.

The second of the two singles is called "Don't Mess With Jessica". Again, this is a perfect example of garage punk the way it ought to be. Right down to the primal three-chord thumping and exuberant co-ed vocals, this could legitimately pass for a long-lost Rip Off Records track circa the mid-to-late '90s. Once you make it through this song, you will have abandoned any lingering temptations to mess with Jessica. And how about another cover from the heyday of punk/powerpop? The Control Freaks have at The Rousers' "Rock N Roll or Run", and I have a feeling thay a lot of people will now be heading off in search of the original.

So I guess you could be a cheap skate and buy one of these two singles based on which A-side you like better. But come on. It's The Control Freaks. Buy both and listen often! Make garage punk trashy again!


-L.R.

http://shop.bachelorrecords.com/ControlFreaksNoAction 
http://shop.bachelorrecords.com/ControlFreaksJessica 
https://www.facebook.com/ControlFreaksSF/ 
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords/ 

THEE MVPs - ELH

Having played a considerable part in the rise of the English garage scene in recent years, London's THEE MVPs seem poised for a major breakout. The band's new 7" on Bachelor Records is a perfect transitional record - featuring two formidable shots of loud indie-ish pop along with two covers that tip the cap to the band's straight-up garage/punk roots. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what kind of band THEE MVPs are at this point, and that's surely a good thing. Call "ELH" power pop, garage, alternative rock, Brit-pop, or just plain rock n' roll. Either way, it's an anthemic number with hooks for days and really heartfelt vocals/lyrics. It comes off like a modern update of '80s/'90s alt-rock, bringing to mind the heart-on-sleeve heroics of the Replacements, the crackling guitars of Dinosaur, Jr., and the timeless melodies of Guided By Voices. "Big Pussy (Snitches In Ditches)" shares similar pop sensibilities (I love that simple, sing-along chorus!) but with a decidedly post-punk/modern rock slant. I saw the title and hoped the song was about the Sopranos character. Of course it is! The two covers are The Damned's "Neat Neat Neat" and the Billy Childish banger "Lie Detector". The latter is 100% faithful to the original, while the former adds just enough of the band's own touch to be very worth your while. These two covers really tell you a lot about who THEE MVPS are. They may aspire to write great pop songs, but at heart they're still all about music that's direct, exciting, and a whole lot of fun to play. Fans of Royal Headache and Tenement take note. We just might be witnessing the ascension of our next great modern-day band!


-L.R.

https://theemvps.bandcamp.com/ 
https://soundcloud.com/theemvps 
https://www.facebook.com/theemvps/ 
https://shop.bachelorrecords.com/THE-MVPS 

New Miss Chain single!

I can't think of a better way to end another year of reviews than with a post on my longtime favorites Miss Chain & The Broken Heels! It has been a really long time since we've heard from Italy's finest musical export. "Uh Uh" is the band's first release since 2013's fantastic LP The Dawn - and its first new single since 2012. I must say it does not disappoint. Essentially Miss Chain & The Broken Heels have evolved over many years from a great power pop band into a great pop band, period. Astrid's voice - so lovely and warm and expressive- has been served well by maturity. "Uh Uh" is upbeat, twangy pop with a knockout melody. It's likely to send you into a frenzy of head-bobbing or impromptu dancing. On the flip, "Standing the Night" slows the pace and mellows out the vibe. It's just so pretty, with standout harmonies and guitar work. Even with the band members taking some well-deserved time off after extensive touring for The Dawn, the magic is still there. I couldn't be happier with these two songs! Get the single from Bachelor Records, and let's cross our fingers for a new album in 2017!



-L.R.

https://misschainandthebrokenheels.bandcamp.com/album/uh-uh-standing-the-night-7
https://www.facebook.com/misschainandthebrokenheels 

Küken makes an album!

Here is the entire Bachelor Records press release on Küken's debut album:
"Punkrock from Hamburg. Loud, fast and simple = good. Take a sip of this if you dare." 

Given my wish to attain greater brevity in my writing, I think that's a brilliant one-sheet. And more importantly, it totally gets it right! Küken is the new band featuring Chris and Philipp, the twins from The Kidnappers. I've been a huge fan of these guys going back to the late '90s, and I continue to be one now. Imagine The Kidnappers stripped of all their powerpop tendencies, but retaining their knack for memorable tunes and solid hooks. That's Küken. The whole band seems to be a tribute to simplicity - right down to the minimalist cover art and songs that almost never exceed two minutes. So of course the album is self-titled! I definitely sense an effort to get back to the basics of punk rock - more of a three-chord '77 type sound meets '90s garage punk. Personally, I never found any fault with The Kidnappers' musical direction. But I can't deny that Chris and Philipp sound fully energized by this return to their roots. The tougher, nastier sound really suits their talents - and they power through these 11 rippers with an energy and enthusiasm that will remind you why you fell in love with punk rock in the first place. This is an album that's very much at home on the world's premier garage punk label. The song titles alone ("5$ Trick", "House Horse Pig", "Stickmeat") make it clear that Küken is a very different band from The Kidnappers. But that's totally okay by me. Sometimes you just feel like putting the powerpop records aside and blasting the first Ramones and Saints albums until the walls shake! If you dug The Kidnappers' first LP or thought their last one could have benefited from more songs like "Nothing's Gonna Change", you're gonna love Küken!

I had very high hopes for Küken's debut album, and the boys have come through with an A+ effort! Loud, fast, and simple does equal good. Küken - alongside Needle Exchange and Modern Pets - leads a new holy trinity of German punk rock.



-L.R.

https://kueken.bandcamp.com/album/s-t
https://www.facebook.com/kuekenpunk
http://www.bachelorrecords.com/

New Swears: new album!

Every New Swears album is essentially a concept album - and that concept is rocking and rolling all night and partying every day. Last year's Funny Isn't Real has to be considered one of the greatest party records ever made - and that's not hyperbole. It's just the truth! So the big question is how in the world can you top a masterpiece of debauchery like Funny Isn't Real? And the answer, I'd say, is that you don't even have to try. New Swears are back with a new LP called Junkfood Forever, Bedtime Whatever, and it's everything I hoped for and then some. This album boasts greatly improved production, and the songwriting shows tremendous growth along with a playful openness to trying new things. But ultimately, New Swears are still New Swears. And you know what that means: crazy times and catchy songs!

The thing about New Swears is that their schtick isn't really schtick at all. Anyone who's met them or seen them live will confirm that they really are party animals of the highest order. And while Funny Isn't Real seemed to revel in these guys' depraved actions and questionable life choices, Junkfood Forever shows a tremendous awareness of the path they've chosen and its inevitable consequences. This album spends a lot of time in that moment of aftermath - when you've woken up from another night of hard partying and can't help taking stock of what all these antics might be costing you. But fear not - none of this self-awareness has yet caused New Swears to abandon such time-honored pursuits as drinking, drugging, and soliciting ladies of the evening. Junkfood Forever builds off the garage/pop/surf stylings of Funny Isn't Real and takes it to another level. Even if these lads can see that they're on a fast path to nowhere, they seem completely intent on enjoying the ride!

It takes about ten seconds for "Midnight Lovers" to establish itself as an instant anthem, and right off you just know Junkfood Forever is going to be no letdown. A song like "Main Stream" shows that New Swears have come a long way with their songwriting, yet little has changed philosophically ("Some band already did that/But we don't really give a shit/We're just having way too much fun/To care about the bull shit"). And "Stay Gold" is probably the high water mark of New Swears' career so far - starting as an honest examination of the heavy toll that too much partying can take on a person's life and concluding as a resounding celebration of the lifestyle they've chosen. I've never taken a drug in my life, and yet I can't resist the urge to sing along to a line like "I wanna smoke all my weed for free"!

I really like the feel of this record - it's a little more mellowed-out overall, but still great fun and chock full of melodies I'll be whistling for months. The acoustic number "Candyland" recalls The Replacements when they were young and fucked up, and breezy album closer "No Fun" is unlike anything New Swears have done before - showing considerable musical sophistication and a rather serious lyrical tone. Major credit goes out to the band and studio engineer Yogi Perogi for creating an album that demonstrates that New Swears actually have talent while still maintaining the fuck-all spirit of prior releases. Junkfood Forever isn't quite a sequel to Funny Isn't Real. It's more like the next chapter in a tale that will somebody be considered epic. Our boys are growing up - but not too much. Stop whatever you're doing, grab a cold brew, and get lost in the sheer awesomeness of this album! You can stream it via the Bandcamp link below and purchase the vinyl from the great Bachelor Records! North American release is coming on Dirt Cult Records on July 31, 2015.



-L.R.

http://newswears.bandcamp.com/album/junkfood-forever-bedtime-whatever
https://www.facebook.com/NewSwears
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords
http://dirtcultrecords.com/main/

Big Itch Club!

The Big Itch Club is a dive bar music club in Thomas House in Dublin where one can go to hear real rock n' roll (both live and on record). There just aren't enough places like this left in the world, and the ones that remain should be treasured (and supported!). Last year, Luke from The Big Itch Club got together with Bachelor Records head honcho The Gimp, and they came up with a really awesome idea. Why not make a 7" compilation record showcasing some of the great bands that play at this club? And so that's exactly what they did! 500 copies were pressed. Half were given to the bands to sell at a showcase gig at the Big Itch Club last November. The other half went to Bachelor to sell to the general public. I'm not sure how many copies remain, so I'd urge you all to move extremely fast on this one since it's got two tracks from The #1s - one of the finest power pop bands to come on the scene in years. And they're not crappy leftovers or anything like that - they're both A-side worthy gems! "16" is upbeat pop/punk in the classic vein of Protex and Rudi. If you told me it was actually recorded in 1979, I would have no reason to doubt you. "Tell Me Why" slows things down and highlights gorgeous plaintive melodies a la Big Star or Teenage Fanclub. These tunes keep The #1s' winning streak in tact, and it is my fervent wish that 2014 will bring us an LP from this fantastic band.

But wait! There's more! The B-side of this compilation introduces me (and perhaps you!) to two newer standouts of the Dublin music underground. September Girls are an all-female five piece who specialize in garage pop laden with harmonies and reverb. Their cover of Electric Six's "Gay Bar" impresses with a cool surfy guitar riff and nicely executed group vocals. I dig! Faux Kings are a wrestling themed rock n' roll band - and I believe this is their first collaboration with a record label. Their track, "Luchadora", is very much up my alley. Think Eddie Cochran/Gene Vincent meets early Beach Boys with trashy lo-fi production. That guitar solo rips!

All in all, Big Itch Club is a terrific little compilation. I knew I was going to love the A-side, but credit Luke and The Gimp for making sure that the back half of the record could hold its own. To hear more from September Girls and Faux Kings, check out the Bandcamp links below. Now go buy this record - while you still can!



-L.R.

http://www.bachelorrecords.com/
https://soundcloud.com/#thenumberones
http://fauxkings.bandcamp.com/
http://septembergirls.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Itch-Club/213718572088468

New Swears!

Very often at this time of the year, I try and get caught up on the best albums of last year that I haven't yet reviewed. One of my most glaring omissions of 2013 was Funny Isn't Real by Ottawa's New Swears. It was most recently issued in Europe by Bachelor Records after initial releases on Bruised Tongue and Dirt Cult. Given that I've publicly pronounced my general distaste for songs about partying, it seemed highly improbable that I'd enjoy an entire album about partying. But it took about ten seconds for the New Swears to win me over, and without hesitation I can say that I freaking love this record!

In contrast to the stale cliches and calculated pandering that plague industry-produced party anthems, the wanton debauchery and twisted humor that drive the music of the New Swears are as genuine as it gets. These lads aren't trying to make millions - they just want to get really fucked up and engage in behavior that's either extremely stupid or highly inadvisable. As soon as I read the line "Just cus I let you do coke off my john/doesn't mean I wanna meet your mom", I knew that New Swears were my kind of band. Funny Isn't Real is the good kind of party album - full of insanely catchy songs that will quickly have you singing along loudly and rolling on the floor in hysterics.

How do you describe the New Swears? Are they a garage band playing pop songs? Or are they a pop band playing garage songs? I'm not sure! The "Mean Jeans meet Black Lips" sales pitch is right on the money. And if you enjoy the lo-fi pop jangle of fellow Canadians Cold Warps, Funny Isn't Real is pretty much a mandatory purchase. It's rough enough around the edges to suggest that these guys have neither the intention nor the technical skill to make a "perfect" sounding recording. But it's obvious that they are immensely talented in the songwriting department - and I'm somewhat awed by the consistent quality of the material. It's hard to name any standout tracks. And that's not because the album lacks hits. It's because the album is nothing but hits! I love all the singing in unison and simple guitar hooks. If you put a gun to my head and made me name some favorite cuts (sounds like something these guys might actually do!), I'd go with the Ramones-y epic "Liquor Store" along with the super catchy "See You In Hull". The latter track reminds me of the Dogmatics at their poppiest (Best line: "Goin to the Chinese dep /It's kinda like the beer store/But they got chips and crack"). And more than once this week, I found myself whistling the melody to "Pig Farm" while I was standing over a urinal. That somehow seems appropriate.

Even if you've never had to dispose of an ex's dead body or gotten so loaded that you saw Christ in your beer glass, Funny Isn't Real ought to be playing the next time you go on a road trip or have friends over to hang out in your basement. It's just a super fun record! If party rock as a genre too often reminds me of douchey light beer commercials, the New Swears are more like Animal House. What is it with all these great Canadian bands? There must be something in the water. Or more likely, it's in the beer.

-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/NewSwears
http://newswears.bandcamp.com/album/funny-isnt-real
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords
http://www.bachelorrecords.com/

Back To Sleep

If you've been seriously following garage punk music over the last eight years or so, Stockholm's Makeouts need no introduction whatsoever. They are one of the top bands going in that scene, and have been for quite some time. Their debut single was one of the first releases on the illustrious Austrian imprint Bachelor Records (it was Bachelor #3 - right after the Clorox Girls and Black Lips!). And their 2010 debut album In A Strange Land won a Swedish Manifest Award for best independent Swedish rock album. While Makeouts started out in the Rip Off Records vein of lo-fi trash, they have been growing as a band for years and taking on many different styles under the garage umbrella. New album Back To Sleep - out on Bachelor Records - is an especially accomplished release from a band with the confidence and courage to try new things while still remaining true to the aesthetics and spirit of garage punk. It's definitely their attempt at a magnum opus, and I'd say they've succeeded marvelously. With inspirations running the gamut from The Seeds to Jay Reatard and just about everything between, it's kind of like the Makeouts' own London Calling or Exile On Main St. Believe it: Back To Sleep is anything but a snoozer!

I think what I like best about Back To Sleep is that even with all of its stylistic diversity, it maintains a consistent quality. If you can "progress" as a band yet still keep it fun and catchy, you're gonna win me over fast! These are by far the best songs that Makeouts have ever written, and all of it works. The straight-ahead garage rockers recalling the '60s ("Creeps", "Back To Sleep") or '90s ("Let It All Go", "Up") fit right in with ballsy punk blasters like "Warkids" and delightful rootsy janglers such as "Not Where You Belong". And some of my favorite cuts were pleasant surprises. The poppy "Bringin' Out The Stars" suggests a less polished Barracudas, while the crackling "Time Will Tell" brings to mind Sweden's own Locomotions. "Plastic Bag" is straight up '77 punk/new wave that makes me wanna pogo. And haunting album closer "It Wasn't My Idea To Dance" is almost a complete break from the band's "garage" M.O. (imagine Lee Hazelwood on an acid trip with The Mojomatics). Clearly this is not a band that's limiting itself in terms of the types of songs it's willing to write. From an energy and production standpoint, they remain the quintessential garage band. But by challenging themselves creatively, they've really allowed their exceptional talent to come shining through. I see Makeouts graduating from being known as a great garage band to being known as a great rock n' roll band, period. Back To Sleep is the first truly great garage punk album I've heard in quite some time. No surprise that it was released on Bachelor!



-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Makeouts/106522202517
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords
http://www.bachelorrecords.com/

The Dawn

 So back in December, I promised that early 2013 would bring a great new album from Miss Chain & the Broken Heels. And here it is! You had to know I wasn't going to steer you wrong! Given that this is already the third time I've written about this band for F & L, it's no secret that I'm a huge fan. So are at least eight of my Facebook friends. 2010's On a Bittersweet Ride is one of my favorite albums of the last several years, and these esteemed Italians were not going to have an easy time topping it. But The Dawn, out now on the illustrious Bachelor Records, demonstrates that Miss Chain and company were completely up to the task. It's by far the band's best record yet. And perhaps more gratifyingly, it proves that "serious" music can still be great fun to listen to. 

As always, Astrid "Miss Chain" Dante shines on the strength of her lovely voice and amazing songs (co-written with guitarist Disaster Silva). The band's repertoire has expanded dramatically, but no one will deny that they've got the talent to tackle any style of music they want. Broadly speaking, this record is every bit as "pop" as previous efforts. It's just that the band has stretched beyond its garage/power pop roots and found a sound that's all its own - a surprisingly contemporary melding of Beatlesque melodies, '60s French-pop radiance, old style country/western twang, fluid classic alt-rock guitars, and dreamy psychedelic soundscapes. Conceptually, this is an album about a girl becoming a woman. The lyrics are full of introspection on all facets of this coming-of-age experience. Echoing real life, the album is neither "dark" nor "bright" but rather quite a bit of both. Recorded over a two-week period at T.U.P. Studio in Brescia with producer Pierluigi Ballarin, The Dawn is sophisticated and meticulously crafted - yet thoroughly enjoyable to the very end.

While Miss Chain & the Broken Heels started out as kind of a solo project, they've become a band in the truest sense. Who doesn't love the bang-on rhythm section of the Barcella brothers (also of Nikki Corvette & The Romeos)? And with his brilliant work on lead guitar, Disaster Silva has become a true co-star of this group. I can't help hearing a Chrissie Hynde/James Honeyman-Scott type chemistry between lead singer and guitarist. And some of the songs, like "There's A Ghost" and "Don't Look Back", actually remind me a little of early Pretenders. Now in her later 20s, Miss Chain does sport a noticeably "matured" voice - which really enhances the emotional power of a lot of these songs. Tracks like the Western-styled "Calcutta" have a haunting vibe to them, while the spooky "It's Gone" could almost pass for a Terrible Feelings song. In the completely opposite direction, "Let Us Shine" is pure simple beauty. Then there's the upbeat "Little Boy", which will please old fans and win over new ones. And like many of my favorite albums, The Dawn is bookended by its two finest songs - the punchy pop gem "The Dawn Is Me" and the powerfully reflective "Rainbow".

If you go back and listen to all of Miss Chain & the Broken Heels' previous recordings and then play The Dawn, you may be staggered by the progression. Is this really the same band that made "Common Shell"? But what I like best is that this kind of growth has been achieved without the band turning away from the things that made it so appealing in the first place. Miss Chain and Disaster Silva have by no means abandoned their pursuit of the perfect pop song, and their considerable talents have only grown stronger over the years. They manage to draw from the past yet still make music that sounds current and distinctly their own. The Dawn's warm production and '60s influenced melodies are throwbacks to so many beloved rock records of a bygone era. Yet it doesn't feel "retro" or "old-fashioned" in the least. This is very much a band for now - hitting its stride with confidence and breaking free of stylistic pigeonholes. I can't say I'm surprised that they made an album this good, but I sure am pleased!



-L.R.

http://www.facebook.com/misschainandthebrokenheels
http://www.rockit.it/misschainandthebrokenheels/album/the-dawn/21539
http://misschainandthebrokenheels.bandcamp.com/

More from Miss Chain!

How about a brand new Miss Chain & the Broken Heels single for an early Christmas present? Please and thank you! A teaser for an LP due out early next year, "Rainbow" is everything you'd expect and more from Astrid Dante and her exceptionally talented band-mates. It's out now on the one-and-only Bachelor Records. As I'd hoped, it continues the melodious pop bliss of 2010's wonderful On A Bittersweet Ride. And if these two tracks are any indication of what's to come, the new album will be the band's best yet!

Miss Chain & the Broken Heels have pulled off quite a tricky feat - they've managed to "mature" as a band without sacrificing any of the qualities that made them great in the first place. While so many power pop-ish bands wear their influences on their sleeves, Miss Chain & the Broken Heels have arrived at that place where they only sound like themselves. "Rainbow" is a twangy pop song with a bouncing beat and extraordinary guitar work. Miss Chain has never sounded better, and the melodies pour forth in sweet abundance. You can still hear hints of garage and '60s pop, but all in all there's a timeless singer/songwriter vibe at play. I like how the lyrics tell a story - and that they're delivered with such passion.

On the flip, "Searchers" is a little more of a straight forward power pop song. It's catchy and upbeat. I love the harmonies, and there's a perfect little hook that'll get you every time. The song is a great mix of the old Miss Chain and the new Miss Chain - reminding us that the difference between the two is more stylistic than qualitative. For the lack of a better term, the band's newer stuff is clearly more "sophisticated" than their early power pop by-the-book singles. But even with an amazing-sounding analog recording and a musically-accomplished band, the real goodness remains in the melodies and the hooks. This is a band that continues to pursue the perfect pop song. Miss Chain is one of my very favorite vocalists, and she and her songwriting partner Disaster Silva have again delivered beautiful and infectious material. Once "Rainbow" gets stuck in your head, you're going to want it to stay there for a very long time. Good times! I wholeheartedly recommend this band to anyone who loves great music.



-L.R. 

http://www.facebook.com/misschainandthebrokenheels
http://misschainandthebrokenheels.bandcamp.com/album/rainbow-7-2

Flipping for the Flip-Tops!

So The Flip-Tops are still a band - and thank your lucky stars for that! Granted, they may not be the most prolific recording artists in the world. But when The Flip-Tops have released music, it’s been absolutely killer. Without hesitation, I put Joel Jett in the top two for the greatest punk rock vocalists of my generation (along with his friend Kevin McGovern). Scrolling through the press clippings on the band’s ReverbNation page, I see I wasn’t alone in perceiving that The Flip-Tops may have been, at one time, optimally enjoyed in small doses. Their music was so raging, so ferociously destructive, that most mortals couldn’t absorb it in large chunks without reaching for the ibuprofen and the speed-dial for their therapists. A full decade since their last full-length album, it would be erroneous to say The Flip-Tops have mellowed. “Customer Service”, lead track off of The Flip-Tops Are Still A Band (out now on Bachelor Records), is as fast, frenzied, and furious as anything the band’s ever done. No band back in the day better infused pissed-off hardcore ferocity into the trashy garage-punk sound, and all these years later Jett and friends still hurl sonic fireballs capable of destroying bearded hipster douches and anything else in their path. But if you listen to the rest of the album teasers the band’s posted on-line, it becomes immediately obvious that the old criticism of The Flip-Tops no longer applies. Not only are The Flip-Tops still a band, but they’re an even better band. Ten years between albums will do that for you! They’ve retained all their power and intensity but have mixed in all these crazy-catchy melodies and bona fide pop hooks. “Perfect World” has got to be the punk rock song of the year. It’s melodic as all get-out, yet it absolutely blasts. And Joel Jett is in prime form - so enraged, so pumped full of vitriol, with the lyrics to back it up (“The television says we’re under attack/Our minds are bleeding/We’re too busy eating!”). Perfect world? More like perfect song! And it’s no fluke. “Boyfriend Street” sounds like The Undertones on steroids, while “Retard Love” is the closest The Flip-Tops will ever get to “pop-punk”. Great, great, great! Forget about small doses. I want mass quantities! More is better! Bring on another album - and please let it come out before 2022!

-L.R.

http://www.reverbnation.com/thefliptops
http://soundcloud.com/gimp-o-rama/the-flip-tops-retard-love
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Flip-Tops/306428192710328
www.bachelorrecords.com