So I got a direct message from Eric Anderson, who had gotten a direct message from Dan Henry about this new-old album from a band called The Fix. How cool is it that all these years later, those Gun Fury guys are still influencing the music I listen to? The Fix was a band from Oxfordshire fronted by Tim Field, formed in 1994. Pop Affliction Records has finally given the band's album Best Days of Your Life a proper release, and the thing is absolutely fantastic. Field describes the band's sound as "BritPop," but this is not quite the same sort of Brit-pop that was becoming all the rage right around the time this album was recorded. The Fix's sound was more traditionally British guitar pop in a very elegant sort of way. You can hear the influence of The Kinks and The Jam along with some of the jangly indie pop that would have been quite contemporary at the time. Most importantly, the songwriting is superb. These are thoughtful, beautifully-crafted songs with hooks that cannot be denied. This an album full of interesting stories and deep reflections on life. The moment you hear "Lottery," you'll be stunned that a song this brilliant has been sitting in the vault for three decades. If you enjoy power pop and late '80s/early '90s indie rock that wears its Britishness on its sleeve, you're going to go nuts for Best Days of Your Life. The fact that this album includes an adaptation of a John Betjeman poem and a cover of a song by The Action tells you quite a lot about The Fix. Kudos to Pop Affliction for unearthing this gem! Right now, the album is available on cassette tape, but something tells me a vinyl release will happen sooner or later.
Back with its first new music in a couple years, The Len Price 3 has delivered a perfect 1-2 punch of garage rocking powerful pop. Out on Wicked Cool Records, new single "Emily's Shop" is giving early Who vibes, and I am here for it! The A-side is a tribute to the BBC children's series Bagpuss and a stone cold smash. On the flip, "I'm a Fake" is every bit as good. If you like loud, vibrant, and quintessentially British guitar pop that's inspired by the '60s heyday but current enough to fit in with the modern-day garage rock scene, this single will be a mandatory addition to your personal playlist.
How amazing would it be if the best album of 2025 were to be released by a band that first formed nearly five decades ago? It just might happen! Wasp in a Jar is The Vapors' fourth album and their second since they reformed in 2106 after thirty-plus years of inactivity. While 2020's Together was nothing short of a triumphant return, Wasp in a Jar feels even more like vintage Vapors due to its mix of social/political commentary and deeply personal reflections. Perhaps it's stating the obvious that Wasp in a Jar "sounds like The Vapors," but that was exactly my first impression. Other than the fact that David Fenton is 45 years older and sounds like it (as he should), there's little about Wasp in a Jar that's dramatically different from 1980's New Clear Days. This is a brilliant punk-influenced power pop album that finds this venerable band rivaling the best of power pop's present-day standouts. And while Fenton and bassist Steve Smith are the only original members left, Michael Bowes on drums and Fenton's son Dan on lead guitar are formidable players in their own right who more than live up to the standard of their predecessors. I've always put David Fenton in the top tier of the finest songwriters from the new wave generation. His ability to craft thoughtful, clever pop songs and infuse them with irresistible hooks is a rare gift. He is, as the kids say, one of one. It's truly remarkable that after not releasing music for nearly four decades, he has been able to pick back up like he never stopped. And his musical chemistry with his bandmate Smith remains something quite remarkable.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Wasp in a Jar was recorded and produced in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (practically in my back yard!) by Michael Giblin of The Split Squad. Working with a producer who fully "gets" what the band is about was a great move for The Vapors — who financed the album with help from fans. Wasp in a Jar follows the artistic success of Together with an even stronger, more fully realized collection of songs. Sometimes with these old-timer bands, we consider it a moral victory if their new music simply doesn't tarnish their legacy. But these last two albums have found The Vapors not diminishing their legacy but rather building on it. Even if you knew nothing of this band's '80s output, you would listen to Wasp in a Jar and think, "What a great album!" Never interested in operating as a nostalgia act, these 21st century Vapors continue to make fresh, meaningful music of the highest quality. Over the course of 14 (or 15) tracks, this album finds David Fenton reflecting on life, love, and the state of the world — with the pandemic being a topic of particular emphasis. As a songwriter, you're going to have a very different perspective in your late 60s & early 70s than you did in your 20s, and these songs reflect that. Here David Fenton writes and sings from the point of view of someone who's experienced and learned a lot. This makes love songs like "Forever and Ever" and "It Gets Better" all the more powerful. If early '80s David Fenton was a young man who was wise beyond his years, the current version is an elder statesman who remains young at heart.
It's hard to single out standout tracks on a record that's practically flawless (I have the same pleasant problem with New Clear Days, which is almost certainly my favorite album of all-time). That said, it's hard to deny that opening track and lead single "Hit the Ground Running" will be a fan favorite. Right off the bat, you know which band you're listening to, and this might be the punchiest The Vapors have ever sounded on record. "Miss You Girl" is almost impossibly catchy, and it immediately takes its place along side this band's most classic tracks. "Idiot Creature," which blends raga and reggae influences, shows that even these older and wiser Vapors have plenty of punk vitriol left in them. "Carry On" is the sort of mid-album epic that has always been a Vapors hallmark. "Look Away" is pure pop and one of Fenton's most honest and heartfelt compositions. The deeply touching "Proud" and anthemic "Together Again" close out the digital version of the album in style — reminding us that above all else, The Vapors are masters of perfect pop music. In the year 2025, a Vapors album even half this good would have been more than satisfactory. But "satisfactory" was clearly not the bar the band set for itself. To all of you who put up your hard-earned money to help fund this album because you trusted that The Vapors had something special in the works, the world thanks you.
Wait! What? The Speedways have a brand-new single out? How was I not aware that such a thing was in the works? I must be losing my touch! This is, as they say, kind of a big deal. It's the first new Speedways song since "Tell Me I'm Wrong" was released nearly two years ago. And I'll be damned if they didn't just turn out the best song Elvis Costello never wrote! Matt's in rare form here — writing about matters of the heart (specifically forgiveness) with great eloquence and an insight into such matters that can only be attained through personal experience. There are so many quotable lyrics in this song, so I'll just let you listen and read along rather than singling any out. The band, now a trio, hits that power pop sweet spot just right. And of course that chorus is absolute perfection. Given the long wait for new Speedways material, my expectations were sky-high. But "Visiting Hours" is everything I wanted a new Speedways song to be and then some. It manages to be classic Speedways without succumbing to the sort of self-imitation that can sink a band like this after a few albums. Stardumb, FOLC, and Beluga Records are teaming up to release it on vinyl in April, and then a new album is due out later this year. My god, I can't wait!
On their fourth LP and first in over a decade, London's Zatopeks have unleashed an anthemic punk rock album that would sound great in any era. No less of an authority than Mick Fletcher has identifiedLoitering and Sauntering as his favorite album of the year so far, and you know that got my attention! I do recall positively reviewing this band many years ago, but I don't remember Zatopeks blowing me away like they have on this new record.
Loitering and Sauntering is that rarest of things: a passionately politically-minded punk rock LP that will inspire you to go out and fight the powers that be but also make you want to jump up down, dance like a fiend, sing along loudly, and joyfully hoist a pint of beer skyward. If melodic '77-style punk with a poet's eloquence and the soul of folk and protest music sounds like something you'd be into, you should proceed directly to the Stardumb Records web site and get your order in! This album is fantastic from start to finish. I love how it's rooted in a classic punk style but stretches out from there in a totally natural way. Songs like "Kings of the Hotel Mile," "Stranded in the City," and "The Hairstyles of Mieczysław Rakowski" are pure punk rock bangers that could not be any more up my alley. I'm equally fond of songs like the folk ballad "Blueprints for an Unlived Life," "Jarama Valley" (an adaptation of the traditional number "Red River Valley"), and epic album closer "Angel of the Old Town." If you looked up "anthem" in the dictionary, you ought to be directed to listen to "Ghosts in the System." Much has been made of the thoughtfulness, humanity, and sheer brilliance of Will DeNiro's lyrics, and I concur wholeheartedly. Beyond that, this band's flair for timeless melodies and memorable choruses ensures that its music is never secondary to the message.
Zatopeks have been a band since 2001 and have been releasing music since 2003. Now in 2024, they've absolutely shattered the myth that punk rock bands go sour after their first couple of albums. I know it's an over-the-top thing for me to throw out a phrase like "instant classic," but I just can't help myself. I knew from my first listen that this album was something special. Either Zatopeks have become a far greater band over the last couple decades, or I've just gotten smarter. Either way, Loitering and Sauntering is one of the best punk albums of this year or any other.
Well here's another release that will have most of you going nuts! Cola Cubes are a trio from Liverpool, and their debut single sounds like an unearthed treasure from 1980. "Bold Street Beach" lives at the intersection of power pop, punk, and surf, and it's a stone cold smash. It's catchy, rocking, and totally fun. This track is sure to get your heart racing if Nikki and the Corvettes and early Go-Go's are your jam. Backing "Bold Street Beach" is a really great cover of Dolly Mixture's classic "Dream Come True." What a way to make a first impression! Cola Cubes refer to themselves as "your new favourite band," and I can't say they're wrong! A physical release of "Bold Street Beach" on cassette tape is up for pre-order now.
Now this is how you go out on top! And It's Goodbye From Him is the fourth and final studio album from Duncan Reid and the Big Heads, capping a remarkable second act in Reid's musical career which began with his 2012 solo album Little Big Head. Reid, bassist/vocalist in the legendary punk group The Boys, has assembled one of the most impressive catalogs in modern day power pop/punk rock along side the formidable Big Heads (Nick Hughes, Sophie Powers, and Karen Jones). Having made the decision to step away from music, Reid has left us with a truly extraordinary swan song.
And It's Goodbye From Him is not just the best-produced album Reid has done with the Big Heads. It's also the most musically varied and lyrically personal. In the years in which this album was written, Reid survived a pandemic, became a grandfather, and discovered he was autistic. All these things inform these songs, which are filled with Reid's special blend of heart, humor, wit, and insight. In many ways, this is an album about self-discovery and self-reflection — with a couple songs delving into political commentary which surprisingly lighten the mood. My reaction to hearing this album is that we're experiencing a master at work. Reid is one of the last living legends of first generation power pop punk, and he can still turn out punchy three-chord pop songs like a champ. Even with some pleasant surprises (e.g. the German cabaret stylings of "Would I Lie To You" and the elegant baroque pop of "It's Going So Well"), this still sounds familiarly like a Duncan Reid and the Big Heads album. All those who love power pop, punk rock, or any combination of the two will surely find these songs hitting their sweet spot. This is a remarkable and practically flawless set of songs, and producer Dave Draper squeezes the absolute most out of every last hook, melody, and harmony. No doubt energized by one of the finest backing bands in his land or any other, Reid sounds in absolute peak form on this farewell platter. Knockout opening cut "Lost Again" finds Reid laying himself bare for the whole world to hear, and it will make you love him if you didn't already. "Funaggedon Time," an ode to the heyday of glam rock, fully lives up to its title. "Just Try To Be Kind" is a reminder of what we all should aspire to these days. "Can I Go Out Now Please" will take you right back to your lockdown headspace. By the time I stop laughing at "Bill Gates (Finland is a Myth)," I'll be on my deathbed. "Singing with the Beach Boys," a poignant tale about a divorced weekend dad making a special connection with his son, is a fitting close to a tremendous album and a legendary career.
And It's Goodbye From Him, for me, is in the running for album of the year. At a time when we're pleased if most first generation punk rockers merely don't embarrass themselves, Duncan Reid is signing off with what is genuinely one of the finest records he has ever been a part of. Perhaps you'll come for the sing-along choruses and tuneful melodies, but you'll stay for the charm, joy, and humanity.
When I reviewed Young Francis Hi Fi's digital track "I Wanna Hold You Tight (Tonite)" three years ago, I was excited to hear tuneful punk music with such tremendous energy. Little did I know that it would be three years before the Brighton-based outfit would get an album out. But this is a full-length debut that has proven to be well worth the wait. Years later, Young Francis Hi Fi's sound has toughened up considerably while still retaining all its original charms. Out on 14th Floor Music/Dirty Water Records, The Young Generation is a raging firecracker of a record that's thrilling to the finish. On paper, this seems like it would be a pop-punk album. Most of the songs are about girls and run around two minutes. But more than anything else, this is a rock n' roll record. Young Francis Hi Fi play fast and furiously, blending pure pop music with blistering garage punk and bulldozing hard rock. I can't think of another band out there that does this sort of thing this well. The Young Generation is pure fun and excitement meets raw power. With the opening 1-2 punch of "I Wanna Hold You Tight (Tonite)" and "Baby You're Braindead," the band affirms that punk rock music can be super poppy yet still melt your face off. Later on, the back-to-back pairing of "Do You Like Good Music?" with "Dance If You Wanna" is a veritable mission statement! Listening to "Don't Break Mt Heart," I can imagine a few action rock bands wishing they could kick this much ass! If you're looking for an album that will get your heart racing, your toes tapping, and your head bobbing, The Young Generation is it. Young Francis Hi Fi have delivered a debut LP that will remind us all why we fell in love with punk rock in the first place.
Now this is how you do it! U.K. trio Chinese Junk captured my attention last year when Big Neck Records released their Raw Deal EP here in the States. I quickly identified the "kings of pound shop rock" as a band of considerable promise. That promise has been fully realized on the full-length release Fly Spray — also released by Big Neck. Fly Spray is the kind of record I don't hear enough of these days — a throwback to the lo-fi garage punk budget trash that ruled the '90s. Imagine if the Rip Offs had been a little more into the Ramones and a lot dumber (in a good way). From the first chord, Fly Spray is a head-bobbing, toe-tapping, shout-along good time. Over the course of 14 tracks, the band crosses the two-minute mark only once (on the band anthem "Budget Stomp") and clobbers you with songs about electric chairs, unwanted callers, plastic surgery accidents, day drinking, pest control, and being overworked and underpaid. And the tender love ballad "I Don't Know What I Want (But I Know That You Ain't It)" is not to be missed. Seriously: it takes real smarts to write songs this stupid! Fly Spray is an absolutely brilliant effort and a shining example of what all garage punk should aspire to be.
Holy fucking hell! I usually try to keep this blog PG-rated, but those were the three words that latched on to me when it was time to start writing this piece. Telegenic Pleasure is a band I reviewed quite favorably back in 2019 (I was shocked to discover it was actually that long ago!). But on its second LP, the London (England and Canada!) based duo has gone mega next level on us. Out now on No Front Teeth and Feral Kid Records, Concentric Grave is the work of two titans of our community: Rob Brake from Mononegatives, Isolation Party, etc. and No Front Teeth head honcho Marco Palumbo-Rodrigues (I'll refrain from mentioning all his bands since you don't have all day to read this review). The album was written and recorded back in the dreadful summer of 2020. Brake created the music in Canada. Across the pond, Palumbo-Rodrigues added the vocals. I almost can't believe this album was produced in such a manner. It sounds like the work of a single (and very brilliant) brain. All I can say is that these two men's artistic visions are remarkably in synch. So either these guys were separated at birth or they had the means to communicate telepathically across an ocean.
Telegenic Pleasure's first release was that rare synth-punk album that I could honestly describe as enjoyable. But with Concentric Grave, this duo has truly blown me away. I've always thought of Rob Brake as a mad genius composer with a synthesizer. Now imagine what a guy like that could come up with while haunted by the specter of unprecedented social isolation, the world in disarray, and death literally floating in the air. His compositions have never been more dynamic and enthralling, and surely the voices in his head sounded a lot like Terminal Gagger. Concentric Grave is full of songs inspired by anxiety and despair, yet it manages to be tremendous fun and musically alive. These intercontinental Londoners make music reminiscent of some obvious godheads (Devo, Screamers, Gary Numan), but there's plenty of their own unique brilliance flowing through these 12 songs. Far more than just part of the atmosphere, Brake's synthesizers drive these songs. Palumbo-Rodrigues' lyrics and vocals are some of the strongest of his career — and that's really saying something. Ranging from frenzied and frantic ("Shallow Human Characteristics," "Greed for Guilt") to chilling and foreboding ("Imaginary Crimes") to angular and energetic ("Random Sequence"), these songs are as hook-laden as they are haunting. There's a truly impressive pop sensibility lying beneath the surface of these songs. "Sugar Effigy" is what I wish all synth-punk could be — a total adrenaline rush with synths that sound like laser guns. "Hidden Moon" is the best song Joy Division never wrote. "I Wanna Know" gives the Demics classic a nifty postmodern makeover. "Underlying Problem" is Devo-core that puts all other Devo-core to shame. "Polarized" is the ultimate anthem for our times.
If I'm often lukewarm on the synth/post-punk thing, it's because music of that sort frequently strikes me as dull or lacking in emotion. Concentric Grave is the very opposite of dull and lacking in emotion. It's the sound of two souls kicking and screaming their way out of the darkness. And we are now far enough removed from peak pandemic times to be able to enjoy an album of this nature without it hitting too close to home. There have been quite a few extraordinary albums released in 2023 already, but this sophomore release from Telegenic Pleasure is on a collision course with my year-end top ten.
In addition to releasing one of the year's best albums with his band The Speedways, Matthew Julian had quite the prolific 2022 as he managed to release eight free demo EPs on his solo Bandcamp page. The latest of these EPs, December & I, features, in Julian's own words, "two real good 'uns, a couple of promising ones, and a filler." He's been turning out these demos at such a speedy rate that I've struggled to keep up with reviews. But I have to say this: one of the coolest things about being a music fan in the digital age is the ability to sometimes hear your favorite artists share works in progress in real time. My god, I would have freaked if I'd been able to hear all of Billy Joel's demos when I was 10 years old! Half the fun with these Matt Speedway demos is trying to figure which songs are supposed to be the hits and which ones are supposed to be the filler. It's totally a guessing game since songwriters are almost always their own worst critics. For me, the high points of December & I are the first two songs, "Enjoy Yourself With An Ordinary Fool" and "Camera Shy." That certainly makes sense, doesn't it? The latter is what you might call a "vintage" Matthew Julian song and seems a likely candidate for inclusion when all these demo tracks are cherry-picked to make a proper album. But there's something about the former that really grabs my attention. It's more elegant and intimate — the kind of song that comes pouring out of you when you're recording bedroom demos and ends up being a stroke of genius. I love how these lyrics could be construed as either romantic or dire depending on your interpretation:
Enjoy yourself, this could be the start of something else/ with someone who's just an ordinary fool like you/ an ordinary fool who'll take you back to a time/
when the private lives of humankind had a chance to breathe/ ordinary fools in love, the one that you were dreaming of will take you there
Nice Joe Jackson allusion too!
Elsewhere, "Kim Wilde & Lemonade" is a promising number in a new wave/synth pop style. "In The Cold Light Of Christmas Day" is not so much a Christmas song as it is a quite superb love song that references Christmas. I'm hearing echoes of Elvis Costello on this one. Who knows? Maybe this will become Julian's own "Last Christmas" and send him skyrocketing to further fame and perennial royalties.
Matthew Julian's final tally for his 2022 demos is 39 original songs and a KISS cover. That's an amazingly productive year not even considering the brilliance of The Speedways' Talk of the Town. For a recording artist, that kind of constant activity can be a great way to maintain one's sanity. Even if Julian ultimately decides that there are only 1.5 keepers per demo, that still means that he already has a great 12-song album written and demoed! He told me last year that he's undertaken this project for himself but will be happy if it brings pleasure to 5 or 6 people. That sounds a whole lot like my own approach to this blog all these years! It takes guts to share unfinished songs with the entire world, but fans like me consider it a real treat to be able to hear all this stuff. If you're a Speedways fan and haven't yet given these demos a listen, I highly recommend digging into all of them. How can you beat free pop music?
I've always had mixed feelings about split releases. On one hand, splits give you two bands for the price of one. But what if you only like one of the two bands? Then it's like you're getting only half a record for the price of one. And what if both bands are good, but they don't logically flow together on the same record? No such problems exist with a new split tape from Stay Put and Fresh Specimen — a couple of very cool bands from the southwest of England. This, to me, is everything a split ought to be. If you like one of these bands, you're almost certain to like the other. Stay Put from Plymouth features Sam Ratcliffe and Joe Prudames (As We Sink, Boxkite, etc.) veering away from hardcore punk and playing '90s-style college rock. The press release compares the band to a more pop Dinosaur Jr., and I totally hear that. I'm also hearing a Teenage Fanclub influence, and I've got no complaints about that. Stay Put's half of this six-song release delivers three tracks of highly melodious pop with just enough of a noisy edge. If you enjoy these songs as I do, you can check out two full EPs from Stay Put on the UK label Crew Cuts. Fresh Specimen from Falmouth features Roo Pescod (Bangers) and Charlie Murphy (a perennial favorite of this blog) splitting singing and songwriting duties. Rounding out the lineup are Cora Stocker, Ed Koral, and Hannah Gledhill. On its half of this split, this band stirs up my '90s nostalgia with a brand of melodic punk that's tuneful and guitar-heavy. I dig the sound, and I dig the songs. This is the band's debut release ahead of a full album coming in 2023, and I am super-stoked to hear more!
Coming back to my original premise of this review, Stay Put and Fresh Specimen have collaborated on a split cassette which Roo Pescod accurately describes as "six songs of pretty glorious pop." Stay Put reminds me of bands that were my gateway to punk rock, and Fresh Specimen reminds me of bands that got me deeper into punk. I'm looking forward to hearing much more from both of these bands!
The second album from More Kicks arrives nearly three years after the first, yet somehow it seems like it's been longer that. That's easily explained. More Kicks came out in November 2019 — just a few months before the shit hit the fan for the entire world. In "pandemic time," it's as if we haven't heard from More Kicks in half a decade. So what a wonderful return Punch Drunk is. It's being said that this album (out now on Stardumb and Dirtnap Records) is a significant departure from the more straight-forward power pop of the band's debut. In many ways, that's very true. It would be an injustice to try to nail this record down to any specific genre. Yet if you think of "power pop" as a broad, non-restrictive concept, Punch Drunk just might be the ultimate power pop record. It sure is pop, and good lord is it ever powerful!
I've had the pleasure to follow the career of James "Sulli" Sullivan over a number of years now, and I consider him to be one of the finest songwriters going these days. He was on a bit of a hot streak at the time COVID hit, and there's no denying that he took it hard when he suddenly found himself unable to play shows or even properly rehearse with his band-mates. He ended up making the brilliant solo album Light Years, but you knew he was itching to finally get the band back together. The title Punch Drunk refers to Sulli's state of mind as he was putting this new record together in what he calls a "horrible moment" for himself and the world. And yet the feel of this album is triumphant and energized. You can sense the excitement Sulli, bassist Paolo Mantovani, and drummer Kris Hood had in finally being able to (in the near words of Ray Davies) rock out and have fun again. This album hits harder than any More Kicks recording ever has — when it wants to. And sometimes it goes softer than the band has ever gone before. Palpable influences range from Brit-pop to noisy indie rock to first wave punk to the Replacements/Paul Westerberg. Yet it all sounds familiarly like More Kicks.
Sulli as a songwriter and singer has an immediately recognizable style. With this album, he's added a pinch of what worked so well on Light Years to More Kicks' established power trio sound. Nobody is going to hear this album and protest about it being too different. All the different is good different. It's like the band thought, "Let's make an album that rocks harder but is also more pop...and noisier and punkier." Somehow Punch Drunk manages to be all those things and more. Tracks like "Hurts Like Hell" and "Come Home" are on the punk side of power pop, which is always a sweet spot for me. "Color Me Stupefied" is quintessential Brit-pop and magnificent at that. "Seven Ways," which is rough and raw yet still fundamentally pop, brings to mind the golden age of college radio. If you looked up "perfect pop song" on a search engine, new single "Terminal Love" ought to show up. I heard "Rest of Our Lives" and immediately jotted down the words "vintage Sulli." But when this album veers from the hard pop style, it veers significantly. The recent single "Animal" sounds like a post-punk band did a mash-up of "My Sharona" and Pete Shelley's "Homosapien." It's quite possibly the best song More Kicks have ever done. With its loose charm and brilliantly self-effacing lyrics, "Phoney Middle Aged Art" is wonderfully Westerbergian. "Got Lucky" is intimate and reflective — just a guy pouring his heart out over sparse keyboards and a drum machine. "Goodnight Goodnight" is literally and figuratively a marriage of solo Sulli and the full band rock and roll of More Kicks. I hate to keep making Replacements references since I find the influence to be more spiritual than stylistic. But there's definitely that similarity here where the ballads/slow songs end up being high points of an album.
This was supposed to be the part where I assured you all that you will love Punch Drunk. But because I'm a terrible slacker and now a couple weeks late on this review, I might as well just say that I already know you love it! I've seen the rave reviews, and I concur with them fully. This is the work of not just an exceptional songwriter but also a truly fantastic band clicking on all cylinders. The pandemic had More Kicks down but never out. They've come roaring back with the album of their lives. I suppose we can say this for COVID and More Kicks: it took the sophomore slump off the table! If you follow this blog, you need to own Punch Drunk.
Well this was a very nice surprise! I was fired up to write about a brand-new Speedways single at the end of this month. And then just like that, said single popped up on Bandcamp a few weeks early -- accompanied by a shiny new music video. On that note, let us welcome to the world the first new original songs from The Speedways in over two years! It's no secret that The Speedways are one of my favorite bands (perhaps even my singular favorite band at this point). I've been waiting a long time to hear these tunes, and they do not disappoint. "Shoulda Known"/"A Drop in the Ocean" will be available soon on vinyl from Snap!!/Hurrah Musica & Beluga Records. These two Matt Julian/Mauro Venegas compositions are vintage Speedways songs in both style and theme. "Shoulda Known" is two minutes and 53 seconds of power pop bliss featuring a knockout chorus and a typically impassioned lead vocal from Julian. As Speedways songs tend to do, "Shoulda Known" laments the devastation of heartbreak -- in this case, one that would have seemed inevitable to any clear-thinking person. But rarely do we as humans think clearly when it comes to matters of the heart. Your head tells you one thing, but your heart tells you another. And as you invariably find yourself picking up the pieces, you thank the heavens that Speedways songs exist. Shot & produced by Jez Leather, the music video for "Shoulda Known" is a fantastic-looking performance clip filmed on location at The Lexington in London.
While I sometimes struggle to type the words "double A-side" with a straight face, the phrase is unavoidable in the case of this single. I've been so stymied trying to decide whether "Shoulda Known" or "Drop in the Ocean" is "the hit" that I've thrown my hands in the air and called it a tie. With "Drop in the Ocean," The Speedways have managed to churn out a radio-worthy ballad of such grandeur that it somehow makes me nostalgic for 1980s school dances that I never actually attended. Matt Julian always sings these epic tearjerkers like he means it. His secret is that he really does. And that melody is to die for. What kind of shit world are we living in where a song like this is not all over the radio?
"Shoulda Known"/"A Drop In The Ocean" is an absolute must for power pop fans. It arrives in advance of The Speedways' forthcoming LP Talk of the Town, which is due out in November. You can pre-order the vinyl single at The Speedways Bandcamp. That cover art looks familiar, doesn't it? Call me if you figure it out.
More Kicks are big favorites of this blog's readership, and that will certainly continue with the release of the great new 7" EP Animal on legendary labels Dirtnap and Stardumb Records. The title track, a preview of the band's forthcoming LP PunchDrunk, sounds like nothing this band has ever done before. Yet it's another reminder of why James Sullivan is one of the most highly-regarded songwriters in the punk/garage/power pop universe. "Animal" is a pop song, no doubt -- but one with a hard, angular edge and brutally self-aware lyrics. You always expect this band to deliver the goods, but this is next-level stuff. The song opens with a riff that brings to mind a post-punk band trying to play "My Sharona," and there are echoes of Pete Shelley in Sulli's phrasing. If you like catchy riffs, catchy choruses, and catchy everything, you need "Animal" on your summer playlist. I'm absolutely fascinated by these lyrics. When Sulli sings, "But the human world to me it seems too full/I'd rather jack it in to be an animal," I can't decide whether we're supposed to fear him or want to join him. Exclusive to this 7" are the two B-side tracks. "The Wind Up" is in the band's usual wheelhouse of consummate crunching power trio pop but with slightly noisier leanings. "10 Miles High" is a lovely little acoustic number that leaves a perfect melody floating in your head. If these gentlemen can leave songs this good off the album, you know the album is going to be something else! Punch Drunk releases September 16th. Click here for complete pre-ordering information!
Ringe Rock Pond Scum, the debut album from the mysterious U.K. outfit Froggy & The Ringes, is far more than just the best amphibian-fronted punk album I've ever heard. It's one of the most brilliant punk records of recent memory, and you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you dismiss it as novelty. This, my friends, is garage punk music in all its primitive glory. Mix one part wild & thumping garage rock with one part obnoxious punk rock. Add a pinch of hardcore, some budget synth, and lyrics which one esteemed scholar has properly termed "batshit." This is a recipe for greatness. If you enjoy hooting & hollering, filthy guitars, and the sound of an individual trying to beat a drum kit to death, this album will take you to your happy place. Granted, the lyrics are frog-centric. But isn't it logical to expect a man-frog to write about what he knows best? From the opening strains of "Ringe Rock," I knew this album was going to be bonkers in a totally good way. "Pond Scum," an ode to the most disreputable crew in town, is a fiery anthem for all pond scum both literal and figurative. Smash hits such as "One Chord Frog," "Being Louche Is Not A Crime," and "Fuck You, Kermit!" prove to be every bit as raging and raucous. "Good Livin'" is Froggy's life manifesto and a crackling slice of Childish-inspired primitive rock and roll. "Do the Frog" is guaranteed to get the dance floor hopping. Never settling to be a one-dimensional front-frog, Froggy channels an American evangelical preacher on "Growin' Grapes" and works himself into an epic frenzy on the positively blistering "Tadpoles."
Ringe Rock Pond Scum has reportedly been flying off the shelves since its release last week on Kibou and Amok Records. All the punk rockers and garage fanatics know this record is no joke. I have not heard this style of music executed this perfectly in quite some time. Musically, lyrically, and spiritually, this album is what all garage punk records should aspire to be. It begs to be played loud while the drink flows. Order a copy while you still can!
I'm always a big fan of anything Charlie Murphy does. He's one of the most talented individuals in the modern punk rock universe. I've favorably reviewed six different bands of his, and today I'll make it seven! Life Forms, his newest band, began as a lockdown recording project. Life Forms have since become a proper band, and a debut EP is now available from Bandcamp for just £1. Murph recorded these songs with drummer Matt Cleave, his bandmate in The Red Cords. So right away, you know you're in familiar (yet somehow different) territory. What results is an EP that combines the best elements of all of Murph's projects. These songs are high-energy garage punk rippers with a post-punk edge, a touch of pop, and other-worldly lyrics. Songs range from fast and frantic ("Green Glare") to decidedly poppy ("Night Light Jellyfish") to wonderfully weird ("It Glows"). All throughout, you get a feel for what Murph does so well: write brilliant punk songs that make you wanna thrash about even as you uncover their hidden depths. Post-COVID life has filled all of our minds with disturbing thoughts, and luckily Murph channeled some of his into these most excellent songs. Now with a couple of gigs under their belt, Life Forms are a band of considerable promise. I'd advise you all to get in on the ground floor!
With today being a holiday here in the U.S.A., I am seizing the opportunity to write about an album I've been enjoying for several weeks now. Carrion Repeating, the new full-length recording from James Domestic, is described as "post punk pop music for weirdos." Domestic, well-known for his screaming brilliance in a multitude of teeth-smashing hardcore punk bands, has taken a very different route with this solo endeavor. You could say that Carrion Repeating doesn't quite fit with the music I usually review. But that's because it doesn't quite fit with any other music, period. It's in a category of its own.
As I try and pinpoint what makes this album so appealing to me (beyond the obvious uniqueness and creativity), I keep coming back to one thing. Carrion Repeating is not just a musical creation with the feel of a work of literature -- it's a musical creation that is a work of literature. Lyrically, these 11 tracks read like the most fascinating and wonderfully disturbing diary entries you could ever hope to come across. Yet the music is never an afterthought. Although Domestic speaks most of the lyrics, this isn't a spoken word album. The music for each track seems meticulously crafted to match the tone of the vocals and lyrics (or is it the other way around?). Musical influences range from post-punk to dub to new wave pop to reggae to krautrock to soul to Brit-pop, yet the greatest influence is the twisted mind of James Domestic. He has created something rare in this day and age: a true album as opposed to a mere collection of songs.
In the hands of a lesser artist, this mish-mash of musical styles might come off disjointed or ill-conceived. But Domestic pulls it off splendidly, crafting weird songs that are genuinely enjoyable to listen to. The musings, observations, stories, and ravings which comprise this album create a bleak but bang-on picture of human existence: we are pitiful creatures living out disappointing, pointless lives which we are almost entirely powerless to change. "Are you a right fucker or just a fuckee?" is about as good of an opening line as you'll ever hear on a record and certainly the perfect tone-setter for this one. By turns humorous, angry, and matter-of-fact, Domestic's delivery of these songs is what really makes this album. Whether he's passing judgement on joyless tourists, lashing out at soulless bean-counters and cold-hearted exes, or painting a vivid metaphor out of human viscera, he does so with a unique and strangely likeable style. If you only know of James Domestic from the various bands he fronts, you may be surprised by what you hear. One of the year's finest LPs!
Have you ever heard a band so good that it actually made you mad at yourself for not already being aware of its brilliance? That's where I'm at with Brighton-based trio Dirt Royal. Anyone who knows me and knows Dirt Royal would be shocked to discover that I had never heard the band before this week. This band has been around since 2014. Where in God's name have I been? I'm pretty sure that Mick Fletcher gave me a heads-up at some point which I foolishly failed to follow up on. So while some of you will hear Dirt Royal's new single "Shoot Me Now" and consider it par for the course, I was absolutely blown away. This, my friends, is my kind of music: punky, poppy, hooky goodness brimming with energy and full of lyrical brilliance. In my book, this is the song of the year! It lives in that space where punk rock, new wave, mod, and power pop all intersect. And while this is hardly the first song to be written about the sad state of current affairs in the UK, it's no doubt one of the wittiest and catchiest. Political commentary and dark humor have always been a winning combination for me, and "Shoot Me Now" blends those components to perfection. And I love the approach of taking a subject as weighty as one's country having gone to shit and turning it into a fun sing-along that you can dance to. I like to imagine people of all ages across the UK (and beyond) gleefully shouting this chorus to the horror of those within earshot. This is going to be a hit, right? If not, it sure ought to be! The single releases today on the ever-reliable Spanish label Snap!! Records. "Shoot Me Now" is backed by "Better Than Worse", another power pop punk anthem packed with lyrical substance. Vinyl copies are limited to 300, so I suggest you move fast on this one. In the meantime, if anyone needs me...I'll be at my desk catching up on Dirt Royal's back catalog. What a great fucking band!
Slow Faction has been one of the UK's finest political punk rock bands for nearly a decade now. Having already issued a digital retrospective that would be envy of most punk bands (political or otherwise), Slow Faction seems poised to launch the more "mature" phase of its career. New album Culture & Other Wars is an auspicious start to the next era of Slow Faction. If you're worried that John might have finally turned to dub mixes and children's choirs, fear not. Such things will have to wait until at least the next album. But on Culture & Other Wars, you can definitely hear the musical progression from earlier releases. Style-wise, the band remains firmly planted in the territory of '77 punk. That said, John's songwriting has evolved to highlight proper musicianship and give songs more room to breathe. Three of these six tracks exceed the four-minute mark, and one even stretches to five and a half! Yet as I listen to this album, none of the songs drag or feel unnecessarily long. When you get to the heart of the matter, this is a vintage Slow Faction record full of anthemic punk rock songs with a political message. It's bookended by a pair of songs that all fans of the band will be familiar with. "Culture War" laments the way the powers-that-be have utilized the media to get us fighting amongst ourselves while they stick it to all of us ("Living Marxists sucking Koch/They seem to like his money a lot" has got to be the greatest punk lyric since Joe Strummer made that one particularly keen observation in "Death or Glory"). "Bubblegum for Josh", a song inspired by a quip I once made about the band's lyrical content, is nothing short of a Slow Faction mission statement. At this bizarre moment in time when "social justice warrior" is some kind of put-down, this song reminds us that it ought to be a badge of honor. "You've Been Fooled Again" is an impassioned indictment of post-Brexit Britain that pulls no punches. Elsewhere, the band turns its attentions away from contemporary politics and towards the lessons of history with songs about the Paris Commune of 1871, the consistently tragic consequences of imperialism, and the last 75 years of American foreign policy (absolutely spot-on, John!).
While Culture & Other Wars clearly finds Slow Faction progressing musically, it does so without veering from what the band does best: politically-minded punk rock in the classic style. Of course you can't separate Slow Faction's music from its message. But if you had too much time on your hands and chose to cover these songs with re-written lyrics about pretty girls or drinking beer, they'd still be terrific tunes. With all that's going on in the world right now, I can't wait to hear the songs this band will write next. Tonight I will drink to another decade of Slow Faction -- at least!
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