Showing posts with label Rum Bar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rum Bar. Show all posts

Thursday, August 06, 2026

The Lemon Drop Gang - Wreckless Eyeballs


The Gang is back, and you have been properly warned! Wreckless Eyeballs is the sixth in a string of singles released by desert-pop superheroes The Lemon Drop Gang between 2023 and today. Like most of the installments in the series, it arrived without prior notice. One day, I wasn't even thinking about new music from The Lemon Drop Gang; the next, new songs were stampeding out of my headphones and making plans for permanent residency in my head. 

Me calling The LDG the best band on the Rum Bar Records roster is no hot take. And every new release adds to the growing mountain of evidence. On a surface level, this is a band that almost anyone who reads this blog can enjoy. Garage pop with a punk rock urgency is a vital part of all our musical diets. But at a deeper level, you've never heard a band quite like this one. The way this band can milk such a pleasurable listening experience out of the darkest and strangest subject matter never ceases to amaze me. Even their most bitter pills hit the tongue like hard candy. Every song is a window into the brilliant and utterly unique mind of Steph O'Halloran. Even on record, her presence is commanding and enthralling. Her songwriting partnership with husband Johnny produces an enticing sonic stew with a rare depth of flavor. 

The title track of the new EP was something I never could have anticipated: a haunting, five-minute Western epic that breaks completely from the band's usual two-minute minimalism. Steph sounds like she's purging poison from her soul, and the musical performances (hey there, D. Walker and Matt Rendon!) are so flawless that an instrumental remix on track 2 was fully warranted. You could be a skeptic and call a second version of "Wreckless Eyeballs" superfluous, but there's something fascinating about hearing the same desert dirge repeated with J. Clay Koweek's pedal steel essentially doing the "singing." It's like they're both the same song but also not the same song. Who knew we needed ten minutes of "Wreckless Eyeballs"? I will always admire a band that's willing to take chances on an idea that not everyone will get. 

The final track "Comin' To Get Him" was originally done by Steph's old band Tulip Sweet and Her Trail of Tears. Here it receives a proper Lemon Drop Gang makeover — finding the band back in the fuzzy garage punk/pop lane with a hint of spy flick soundtrack. Steph's vocal is fierce, and those lyrics are totally bonkers in the very best way. Johnny kills it on guitar, and that rhythm section locks in tightly. That hook is worth its weight in gold. If ever a song needed to be revived for the world of 2026, this was it! 

With 13 new tracks released since its first album came out, The Lemon Drop Gang more or less has a whole second LP already in virtual existence. They could comp these tracks now and instantly have one of the best albums of the year. Whether that project is imminent or a little further down the road remains to be seen. But if you're not keeping up with all this stuff, you're missing out on one of the most extraordinary indie bands of the moment. Head on up to the bar and let Lou hook you up with this triple shot of spiked punch!

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Thursday, July 16, 2026

Amplifier Heads - Super 8


Smack dab in the middle of this most wonderful year for music — a year in which many have observed that real deal rock 'n' roll has come back with a vengeance — it seems fitting that we would be treated to a new full-length album from The Amplifier Heads. Super 8 releases tomorrow on the world-famous Rum Bar Records. It is, by my count, the band's sixth LP. And it's almost certainly the finest effort yet from Sal Baglio and friends. It's essentially a sonic journey through rock 'n' roll history — a history that is, in fact, still being written. As you would expect from an Amplifier Heads album, the menu is packed with a variety of popular flavors. You'll hear hints of everything from the blues and first generation rock 'n' roll to the British Invasion to garage rock to power pop to glam rock to the Rolling Stones to OG punk rock. If the firecracker opening track "Rock N' Roll Riot" had been the whole record, Baglio could have dropped the mic and declared victory. But that's just a starting point, and Super 8 keeps on bringing the hits. Life is too short to waste on filler. 

Off the bat, "Rock N' Roll Riot" is a pure jolt of raucous energy to get you moving and shaking and dominating your day. It literally starts at the beginning — time-traveling back to the Moondog Coronation Ball in Cleveland in 1952 and rocketing forward into the world-altering sonic explosion that soon followed. On the sexy and sticky-sweet "Hot Stars," the time machine stops off in the early '70s for a rendezvous with Marc Bolan. "A Song Called Sha La La" takes it back to the '60s and slyly pilfers a melody from The Troggs. Baglio, as he longs for someone out there to write another timeless rock 'n' roll radio smash, proceeds to will that very thing into existence. Just like that, you've got an opening 1-2-3 punch that few albums will ever beat. But wait! There's more! "They Don't Dance Anymore" is a reflective ballad longing for a time when rock 'n' roll ruled the airwaves and all the kids still knew how to groove. "A Girl Named Chop Suey" is kickin' livewire garage rock that winks and nods in the direction of "Louie Louie." "Can't Put My Finger On It," which is a little bit country and a whole lot of rock 'n' roll, is an earworm of master class status. "Superstar" sounds like the best song Dave Edmunds never wrote. "Hot Wax" takes us back to a moment in time when rock 'n' roll was climbing mischievously out of the womb of rhythm and blues — a suitable last stop on this full circle journey through time and sound. 

It's hard not to look back at last year's tremendous Peppermint Kicks album Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum (which Baglio co-authored) and note that Super 8 seems to have been made from the same magical stuff. Sometimes The Amplifier Heads sound like an intergalactic rock machine, but on this record, they're sticking to Planet Earth and the scorching sounds that pumped new life into it in the latter half of the 20th century. As a songwriter, Baglio has never sounded more inspired. Joined by Kevin "King" Rapillo on drums and Brad Hallen on bass (along with some special guest stars on a few tracks), he exemplifies everything that rock 'n' roll ought to be and still can be. There's no need for bells and whistles when you can conjure this sort of glorious and rousing racket that comes roaring out of the garage and into the dive bars and dance halls. These guys truly put their soul into this record, and the joy is palpable in every note. This is the work of a child of the '60s who fondly recalls the majestic past but isn't resigned to being stuck in it. 

Is Super 8 a throwback record? Yes and no. The whole point of all this time traveling is to remind ourselves why we still love rock 'n' roll and why we all remain so passionate about its preservation. All of you out there playing in bands, running labels, promoting music, buying records, hosting radio shows, writing reviews, and going out to see bands don't even have to question why you do it. This is the music that sets our souls on fire. Who wants to live in a world without rock 'n' roll? Thankfully we'll never have to (as the first half of 2026 has made evident). Gather 'round, true believers, and behold the gospel according to The Amplifier Heads!

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Sunday, May 24, 2026

High On Stress - Still Here


Back with its first full-length album since 2020, long-running Minneapolis alt-rock outfit High On Stress delivers an absolute winner on the 12-song Still Here. This is the band's first album on Rum Bar Records, and it slots perfectly between Tom Baker and Mono In Stereo on the label's roster. What we've got here is good, solid Midwestern heart-on-sleeve rock 'n roll branching from the Replacements/Bash & Pop family tree. The album successfully combines a singer/songwriter's soul with the no-nonsense punch of a heartland bar band. Nick Leet knows how to craft a song with a killer hook that will also move you on a deeper level. I hear these songs and imagine myself sitting in some dimly-lit dive while I drink a pint of cheap beer and ponder my personal wins and losses and the general sadness of the human condition. 

I always have a soft spot for this sort of rootsy, power pop–tinged honest everyman rock, and High On Stress pulls it off as well as any band on the scene these days. The songwriting, musicianship, and production all hit the mark. The fantastic single "Over/Thru" (which Leet co-wrote with Kevin Salem) reappears here, but it's certainly not the only standout. Opening cut "House of Cards" is a knockout mid-tempo rocker that brings to mind the heyday of American alternative rock. "Plans Have Plans" is such a relatable gem of a song that it sounds instantly familiar, as if you've known it all your life. The title track is nothing short of an anthem — a proper album closer if I ever heard one. For a band to be sounding this good after more than two decades in the game is a pretty remarkable thing. It's not every day that you come across music with this much soul. Pop open a cold one and get High on Stress.

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Friday, May 22, 2026

The Amplifier Heads - "A Song Called Sha La La"

Given the world domination recently achieved by The Peppermint Kicks, I got distracted from the fact that Sal Baglio hadn't released any new songs from The Amplifier Heads since Rectifier came out at the end of 2022. Well, that situation has been, uh, rectified! "A Song Called Sha La La" is the brand-new single from The Amplifier Heads, and it's a red-hot, super-duper, intergalactic smash! Writing a great rock 'n' roll song about the dearth of great rock 'n' roll songs now being written is just about the most meta thing ever. But if you're going to do a song like this, this is how you do it! "A Song Called Sha La La" might be the best Amplifier Heads song ever, so you know that Sal is bringing it with all he's got. The whole spirit of the song is nicely summed up by lyrics like these:

Somebody write a song that we can sing
Get up and shout and not worry ‘bout who’s listening
Somebody write a few bars
That we can turn up loud in our cars
Somebody write a song that goes
Sha La La

Amen! With this song, The Amplifier Heads are fully in 1960s classic radio hit form. Just press play, and you've got pure pop majesty for three-and-a-half glorious minutes. For sure, this is a song you can sing, and it will quickly have you up and shouting. And of course you will want to turn it up loud in your car as you rock out with full vigor and care not what a fool you look like to all those smug observers who live sad lives devoid of the joy that rock 'n' roll brings. Also on board are rhythm players Kevin "King" Rapillo and Brad Hallen along with some special guest stars: Jeff "G-Man" Giacomelli on tenor sax and Carlos Menenzes Jr, Matthew Naeger, and Henley Douglas Jr from the mighty Jambalaya Horns! 

What do you do when you long for someone to write a song called "Sha La La"? You write a song called "A Song Called Sha La La," and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! Glenn Robinson's cover art is so on-point that I briefly thought it was a photo of an actual 45 record! And that gives you the vibe this song is going for. If you grew up plugging coins into jukeboxes and amassing stacks of vinyl singles in your bedroom, this will be your jam. Look for Super 8, the new Amplifier Heads album, on Rum Bar Records this summer!

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Sunday, May 03, 2026

The Chelsea Curve - The Rideout


Can we rightfully call an album that comes out on May 1st a "summer" release? Can we even call it an album if it only has seven songs? I suppose those questions are up for debate. But since I find such debates largely obnoxious, I'm going to say "yes" and "yes" in the case of The Chelsea Curve's The Rideout, out now on Rum Bar Records. On its second album, the Boston-based trio is giving feelgood vibes all day long. Some recent years were trying for The Chelsea Curve, but the band has endured it all and now finds itself inspired and excited about what's ahead. 

The theme of The Rideout comes through loudly and clearly: life is short, so live it up! "This record is about living for the moment, being with your people, and just enjoying life," says bassist/vocalist Linda Pardee. That spirit comes through not just in the lyrics but also in the music. If anything, coming back from all that adversity has energized the trio's sound. While the Chelsea Curve still lives in that mod/punk/pop lane, this album in particular puts the "power" in power pop. Pardee, guitarist Tim Gillis, and dynamo drummer Bruce Caporal tear into these tunes with force and vigor, and what results is 20 minutes of infectious and incredibly exciting music. If I might be so bold as to call this the first summer record of 2026, then the timing of its release was certainly no coincidence. This is your soundtrack to the good times that lie in front and ahead of you — some of which will certainly involve you at the wheel of some sort of motor vehicle with the sun shining and the wind at your back, en route to days and nights of adventure, romance, fun, and friendship. 

The leanness of The Rideout is almost certainly by design. Every song clocks in somewhere in the neighborhood to two-to-three minutes and embodies perfect pop with a whole lot of snap and crackle. Three of these songs were released as digital singles last year, yet it feels like these seven tracks were meant to be heard together and in this precise order. "Ride" is the tone-setter —  a song that literally invites the listener to join along in living for the moment. Last year's summer hit "Kindawanna" is the perfect follow-up —  an ode to all those things you can't wait to do with that present or future special someone in your life. After another vintage Chelsea Curve mod-pop bopper in "Outta My Head," there are some cool surprises. "Never Come Down," another song about seizing a magical moment, features Gillis on lead vocals and channels Oasis by way The Who in its psychedelic era. "I Can't Help It" is an homage to Letters To Cleo and the heyday of Boston indie power pop. The band goes full-on "freedom rock" on closing track "Rally 'Round," and any skepticism I may have originally had about this song was wiped away as soon as I heard how it and "Ride" bookend the album with affirmations of community and hope. 

Arriving four years after its predecessor All the Things, The Rideout captures a considerably evolved and revitalized Chelsea Curve. The sound is bigger and more layered, and the vibe is so joyful and optimistic that some might take it as corny. But as Pardee says, "Life's way too short to be precious." Rebounding from dark times and riding the spark that a drummer like Caporal can bring to a band, The Chelsea Curve is in the mood for (as a wise man once put it) rocking out and having fun. So yeah, this is not just a summer album. It's THE summer album. Push play and raise a glass to life!

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Friday, April 24, 2026

Inflatable Idols - GET STIFF!


Look out, kids: we've got a live one here! GET STIFF! is the ripper of a debut album from Los Angeles, California's Inflatable Idols. It's such a flaming hot slab of wax that it took three of the heaviest hitters in the game — Take the City Records, Ghost Highway Recordings, and your home of the hits, Rum Bar Records — to properly release it into the wild. Jim Perrault (The Legendary Swagger) is on lead vocals and bass, and he is joined by a murderers' row of Southern California punk rock royalty. Joe Jennings (JJ and the Real Jerks), Frank Agnew (Adolescents, T.S.O.L., Legal Weapon, Social Distortion), Brian Coakley (Cadillac Tramps), Greg Kuehn (T.S.O.L., Exploding Fuck Dolls, The Joneses), Derek O'Brien (Adolescents, Legal Weapon, T.S.O.L.), and Geoff Yeaton (Streetwalkin' Cheetahs) are all on board. They're joined by Tavis Werts (The Cineramas, Reel Big Fish) on trumpet and two of the finest vocal talents in L.A. in Belle Johnson and Mika Lett on backing vocals. To call this a "wow" lineup would be a massive understatement, and the music absolutely lives up to all that pedigree. 

On GET STIFF!, Inflatable Idols power through 12 tracks of gritty, high-energy rock 'n' roll that pulls from classic SoCal punk, garage rock, soul, dirty glam, and proto-punk. Style-wise, the band varies its attack, but the attitude and energy levels are relentless from open to close. Tracks like "Oxygen Thief," "Make Some Noise (Quiet As It's Kept)," and "Narcissistic Twist" are more on the flamethrower punk rock 'n' roll side of things — not too far from The Humpers in their prime. Elsewhere, "Get Up & Get Out" and "Hero to Zero" go the maximum R & B route. "Drunk On Nostalgia" is full fury garage rock cranked to ten. "Imaginary Monster" brings an old school Detroit rock energy that could just about wake the dead. "That's Mr. Motherfucker To You" manages to live up to its title, and that's saying something! 

It can be hard to pull of a record like this that's a wall-to-wall smash-it-up party. But Inflatable Idols do just that. There are no ballads, mood pieces, or departures from the mission to ignite your loins and soul with unadulterated rock 'n' roll. Get Stiff! never comes up for air, and who would want it to? The band is tight, but the spirit is loose. These folks bring it hard and unleash an absolute wall of sound with the horns, keyboards, and backing vocals hitting exactly the way they ought to. And on vocals, Perrault can holler with the best of 'em. Even though this is a studio record, I envision it as a live performance as I listen to it. It has all the sweat, swagger, and electricity of a must-see gig, and so I'm reaching for my dancing shoes and my stockpile of adult beverages. When you have this many super-talented people in a band, it's either going to be super-disappointing or just about the best thing ever. And you know where Inflatable Idols land. The way things are going, Rum Bar is soon going to need an office in L.A.!

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Wednesday, April 01, 2026

The Peppermint Kicks - "Shaking Underground"


When I first heard that The Peppermint Kicks were releasing a new single on April Fool's Day, I got a little suspicious. Anything having to do with April 1st always has me on high alert. Who in the heck releases new music on a Wednesday? Was this going to be an elaborate prank? Would April 1st come and there'd be no single but maybe a triple album with all lyrics in Russian? Would it be branded as Peppermint Kicks but actually be some sort of Metal Machine Music type project? Would the new single just be a video recording announcing that the band is retiring from music to prepare for a mission to Mars? Well here we are, and it all seems legit. 

Out on the one-and-only Rum Bar Records, "Shaking Underground" not only sounds like The Peppermint Kicks, but it might also be the biggest smash hit that Dan Kopko and Sal Baglio have ever crafted together in their secret headquarters. Of course it's a power poppin' garage rock 'n' roll stomper, but this is no ordinary radio hit for an alternate universe. This, my friends, is a full-blown ANTHEM and a rousing call to action. It's an unflinching commentary on technology addiction and content oversaturation — and the hapless masses who find themselves manipulated, enslaved, and zombie-fied by all those sinister little devices. The irony that this song is largely being transmitted through devices is probably not lost on the band, but sometimes you've got to wage war with the weapons you've got. "Shaking Underground" is not all gloom and doom. It's a wake-up call, and it proposes a way out of this nightmare. No more fooling around! Joined by dynamo drummer Chuck Ferreira, Kopko and Baglio are in top form on this track. Sometimes it takes an irresistible tune to ensure that the message hits hard, and no doubt "Shaking Underground" will have you shaking and grooving with all you've got. What a freaking tune! Sometimes when all else fails, rock 'n' roll is the answer. There is another way. Let's give 'em hell to pay! 

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Saturday, February 21, 2026

Miss Georgia Peach - "The Hockey Song"

In honor of the two-time Walter Cup champions The Minnesota Frost and the gold medal–winning U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team, Miss Georgia Peach has released her own version of Stompin' Tom Connors' iconic "The Hockey Song"! This single is backed by a cover of Sonny James' "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon," a song featured in the movie Slapshot. So we've got ourselves a fully hockey-themed release here, and it was recorded in Eveleth, Minnesota, home of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame! This Travis Ramin production features MGP on lead vocals, Baby Grant Johnson on lead guitar, John Ewing on guitar, Mike Bennett on bass, Ramin on drums, Steve Sokola on piano and accordion, and Germaine Gemberling on background vocals. MGP and her medal-worthy teammates make "The Hockey Song" their own, giving it a full-on country feel with a touch of upper-Midwest chill. Of course the vocals are stellar, and overall this is a wonderfully robust rendition of a classic. MGP took a shot from the point and really sniped it! This makes me wish I could have a six-pack of Surly Hell! If you've worn out your copies of Aloha from Kentucky and Class Out the Ass and are still left wanting more of that '60s/'70s country music magic, "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon" will be everything you want. This is a fun single that arrives at the perfect time, as its release came just one day after the U.S. Women captured Olympic gold — and just two days before the U.S. men play for Olympic gold. A special shout-out must go out to Kendall Coyne Schofield, Lee Stecklein, Kelly Pannek, Grace Zumwinkle, Britta Curl-Salemme, and Taylor Heise — who play for the Frost and the Olympic team! A vinyl release of this single is in the works. In the meantime, the digital release is available from Rum Bar Records just in time for the NHL stretch run. Now that Georgia and Travis have proven themselves masters of the novelty record, perhaps we can convince them to cover "Go Joe Charboneau" one of these years!

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Saturday, February 14, 2026

Michael Des Barres - "Kiss or Kill Me"


How about an absolute scorcher of a new single from the legendary Michael Des Barres? Out on Rum Bar Records, "Kiss or Kill Me" finds the 26th Marquis Des Barres obliterating the notion that we ever become too old to rock. Co-written with guitarist Loren Molinare (The Dogs, Slamdinistas) and co-produced by Richard Duguay (Personality Crisis), this song is a shot of pure glam/punk/rock 'n' roll energy delivering a truly provocative proposition. Its release on the eve of Valentine's Day was no coincidence. "Really the song is an anthem of love," Des Barres notes. "Love me or leave me. You either bring love to life, or you're not living." And man oh man, this song sure does bring love to life. Joined by Paul Ill on bass and Rob Klonel on drums, Des Barres and Molinare kick up a swaggering, hard-rocking racket with a hook that cannot be denied. It's one thing to hear bands pay homage to the heyday of glam rock and proto-punk. But to hear guys who were there when it was originally happening still sound this enthused and inspired in 2026 is quite the thrill. If you aren't already aware of how massive Silverhead ought to have been, go track down its two LPs. But buy this first! While most people may now think of Des Barres as an actor and radio personality, he has never stopped writing and releasing music. And with "Kiss or Kill Me," he has a massive indie radio hit on his hands. The B-side of this single, "I Was Saved In '64," is something quite extraordinary. It's a spoken word number in which Des Barres tells his rock 'n' roll origin story while Molinare and Duguay accompany him on guitar. It's an exhilarating piece of poetry, and of course no one is better suited than Des Barres to turn a spoken word track into a captivating performance.  

"Kiss or Kill Me" is available on vinyl (in three color options) and compact disc from Rum Bar Records. With only 100 copies pressed in each color, you know the vinyl (shipping next month) is going to go fast. Mozy on up to the bar and order yourself a proper jolt of rock 'n' roll!

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Tuesday, February 10, 2026

The Cheap Cassettes: Ten Golden Greats




I usually don't write "in memoriam" posts for bands, so I won't quite do that for the The Cheap Cassettes in the wake of their recently announced disbandment. I believe what I've written about this band over the years more than suffices for a proper tribute. I'm not in the mood for any sad shit. But given that I was with this band from the beginning, I ought to be there at the end as well. As a public service to anyone who might still be unfamiliar with this band's catalog, I now present to you my top ten all-time favorite Cheap Cassettes songs. This was very difficult to pick just ten tracks from a catalog that included three full-length albums and three 7" records. Damn it, Charles — why do you have to be so brilliant? But I think if you look at what this band put out over the course of the years 2011–24, you could argue, without hyperbole, that this was one of the five or ten best power pop groups of the past two decades. What a body of work! Someday, books will be written about this band (probably by me — ha ha!). And people will eventually pound the table for an overpriced reunion tour. I'm not saying that what lies below is the band's definitive "greatest hits." These are just my personal favorite tracks. But a lot of bands would wish to have a best-of collection as good as this. If you believe, as I do, in power pop as one of the purest forms of rock 'n' roll, The Cheap Cassettes are a band you need to know about, even in retrospect. Alright, let's go! 

10. "Disappear with You" (2016) 

If my memory serves me correct, this was a song that Charles just had sitting around when Malibu Lou wanted a new track for a Rum Bar Records reissue of The Cheap Cassettes' debut album All Anxious, All The Time. Imagine having something this good in your secret stash of songs!

9. "Wreckless" (2013) 

This was a very early Cheap Cassettes song. All of us who had been waiting for Charles to write his own "Bastards of Young" were finally rewarded.

8. "Red Line Blue" (2022) 

I consider this one of The Cheap Cassettes' finest "deep cuts." When I talk about Charles Matthews being not just a great punk or power pop songwriter but rather a great songwriter, period, I can point to this song as a prime example. This is music with soul.

7. "Hung the Moon" (2024)

What was I just saying?

6. "See Her In Action!" (2021) 

Will they someday make physical compilations of the best of 2020s power pop when CDs come back into mass popularity? If so, this will be on a lot of them.

5. "Fade to Nothin'" (2024)

Side two, track 1 from the best album anyone put out in 2024.

4. "My Little Twin" (2011) 

Now we're going way back. I love that this song was never "properly" recorded. The original rough version that was shared with the world via Bandcamp back before anyone else was using Bandcamp remains the definitive version of this stone cold banger.

3. "How I Got What I Wanted" (2022) 

I'm not saying I have pandemic nostalgia, but this song sure takes me back.

2. "Bad Xerox" (2024) 

If your ex ends up with an inferior version of you, that's a win, right?

1. "Kiss The Ass Of My Heart" (2018)

Quite possibly the greatest song ever written by anyone.

There you have it. I know some of you will be outraged about me overlooking "New Gun In Town," perplexed about me snubbing "She Ain't Nothing Like You," and apoplectic about me sleeping on "Worse N' Better." But tough choices had to be made. RIP The Cheap Cassettes. If you like what you've heard, smash the links below for a whole lot more power pop rock 'n' roll goodness! 

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Sunday, January 25, 2026

Gene Champagne - "I Can't Pretend"


You know I always love a good cover song, so I'm more than happy to welcome Gene Champagne's new single on Rum Bar Records. It's a splendidly executed rendition of The Barracudas' 1981 classic "I Can't Pretend," a song which certainly rates as one of the greatest pure pop songs ever written. While Gene Champagne is well know as an ace drummer (The Killjoys, Teenage Head, Brad Marino, etc.), he has also shown a great knack for power pop/punk songwriting and singing with The Un-Teens and as a solo artist. And here puts his signature on an iconic tune. There is a really great history of covers of "I Can't Pretend." Teenage Head did a great version in the mid-'80s. Most people my age remember The Riverdales' cover from 1995. Then The Yum Yums recorded it in 1998. That's quite a formidable list of bands, and Gene Champagne fits right in. He takes on this song fully solo — producing, singing, and playing all the instruments. Like all the others that covered the song before him, he has the good sense to not mess around much with a perfect song. Anytime anyone covers this song, it inevitably compels a few people to seek out the album Drop Out with The Barracudas. Surely that's going to happen again, and so we thank Mr. Champagne for being the latest to spread the gospel. If you're a fan of his and are wondering if you might hear some more original songs from him this year, the Magic 8 Ball says, "Signs points to yes!"

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Thursday, January 01, 2026

Christina Jean & Her All Stars - "Hanging On The Telephone" (Official Music Video)


Here's something very cool from the one-and-only Rum Bar Records. Christina Jean & Her All Stars have released an official music video for their cover of "Hanging On The Telephone," which they put out as a tribute to the late, great Clem Burke. Christina Jean & Her All Stars are a project assembled by drummer and songwriter extraordinaire Richie Mendez (JJ and the Real Jerks, The Legendary Swagger, FOXY, The Pushers, The Glimmer Stars), who put an all-star team of his friends together to record some of his favorite songs. Joining Mendez and lead singer Christina Jean are Stu West and Jerry Andrews. 

The rest of this project is still forthcoming, but Mendez wanted to release "Hanging On The Telephone" as a single in the wake of Burke's passing last year. I would imagine that Burke was a massive influence on Mendez, and you can feel the love that went into this recording. Even though this is technically a Nerves cover, it's really a Blondie cover — not straying too far from the version of this song that most people know. I love this song so much that I will always welcome another rendition of it. And I must say that Christina Jean & Her All Stars did this song justice! This is proper Blondie/Clem Burke worship but with a special flair of its own. Christina Jean's lead vocal is fantastic. The song fits her voice nicely, but she isn't trying to be Debbie Harry. The video, edited and shot by Miles Mendez, is available for your viewing pleasure via Malibu Lou's YouTube channel. I'm looking forward to more from Christina Jean & Her All Stars! And 2026 should be another big year for Rum Bar Records, with releases from Inflatable Idols, Angela Tini, The Glimmer Stars, Foxy, Hollywood Stars, and Michael freaking Des Barres already confirmed and other cool stuff in the works. Get ready!

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Saturday, December 13, 2025

The Lemon Drop Gang - "My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own!" b/w "Wine Song"


There's nothing I like more than a nice surprise, and a brand-new single from the mighty Lemon Drop Gang seemingly released out of the blue on the one-and-only Rum Bar Records certainly qualifies as such! Since I've been so willing to die on the hill of The Lemon Drop Gang being perhaps the best band on the entire Rum Bar roster, I had to hope that Steph, Johnny, and friends weren't going to take a musical left turn and suddenly start sounding like Blues Traveler or something. So I'm thrilled to report that the new single, "My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own!" b/w "Wine Song" (or Mind and Wine for short) is 100% vintage Lemon Drop Gang. The band remains in its signature lane of punk-influenced, endearingly odd desert garage pop for hopeless romantics or the just plain hopeless. And as you'd expect from a band that has concentrated on releasing music in the singles format, the quality of the songs is as stellar as ever. 

"My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own!" is one of the band's most wildly rocking tunes: think early Kinks meets class of 1966 American garage rock with a pinch of that Lemon Drop Gang secret sauce. Who can't relate to the sentiment of this song? Sometimes we think we're controlling our brains, but really our brains are controlling us. Is this the stuff of science fiction or just an honest reflection of the human condition? You be the judge! This is an A-1, five-star Steph O'Halloran vocal performance as she manages to pull us all into the depths of madness. And the band is right there with her, kicking up a righteous racket that will have you dancing all the way to the edge and beyond. What an absolute stomper this song is! On the virtual B-side, "Wine Song" infuses the band's deliciously dark pop sound with old school music hall vibes. This is the band's most sincere love ballad to date — an ode to a glorious, venerable beverage and its numerous magical powers. Remember when singles were always two songs? The Lemon Drop Gang still abides by that. Remember when B-sides were usually filler? The Lemon Drop Gang does not subscribe to such nonsense. If they're going to go to the trouble to release a single, you better be emotionally prepared for two hits! 

By my count, Mind and Wine is The Lemon Drop Gang's fifth single in the last three years, and the band's hot streak remains very much in tact. With this latest offering, the band is kicking on all cylinders, and both tracks are out of this world. To say I'm not disappointed would be an understatement. I was expecting a ten out of ten, and they found a way to take it to eleven. If a better way to spend $2 exists, I sure haven't heard of it!

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Friday, October 31, 2025

The Hellflowers - Teenage Radio


One of my favorite things in music is when bands I like do all-covers releases. To me, going into the studio and laying down a bunch of covers sounds like a super-fun thing to do. And it's a great way to honor important influences or simply celebrate songs you love. Having just become hip to The Hellflowers this year after the release of the band's Deluxe compilation on Rum Bar Records, I had the pleasure of discovering a wealth of new-to-me material all at once. But I must admit I was already craving more, and so the band's new EP Teenage Radio (out on Rum Bar and Missing Fink Records) really hits the spot. The selection of songs here makes it pretty clear why I felt an immediate connection to this band. Any band that covers The Clash, Cock Sparrer, and Ramones on the same record is guaranteed to be up my alley. Remember when you first got into punk rock and couldn't get enough of those bands' records? And of course, decades later, nothing has changed. That, my friends, is what we call timeless music. I love the choice of "Spanish Bombs," one of The Clash's finest pop songs. "Riot Squad" is a great opener for the EP, and "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)" can be the first Christmas track you listen to in 2025. Elsewhere, the Zero Boys' "Civilization's Dying" is perhaps the definitive example of what hardcore was when it still sounded like rock 'n' roll. Elastica's "Stutter" takes me back to the heyday of the new wave of new wave. "Slippin' And Slidin'" honors the true king of rock 'n' roll, Mr. Little Richard.

These are wonderful, inspired versions of truly classic songs. Christina, Matt, and company give these songs that distinct Hellflowers touch, but they don't really mess around trying to perfect what's already perfect. You know and love these songs, and so do The Hellflowers. Teenage Radio might bring to mind your own teenage radio moments. For me, this is like re-living the awesome mixed tapes of my 20s. If you're already a Hellflowers fan, you'll love this EP. And if you're just now meeting this band, go check out Deluxe as soon as possible!

-L.R.   

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Friday, October 24, 2025

The 66ers - Have More Fun


Now we're cooking with gas! The 66ers are a pop-punk and punk rock all-star team playing '60s-style garage, surf, and bubblegum pop. The band's songwriter Steven Brookfield (The 99ers) is on guitar and vocals. Joe freaking Queer is also on guitar and vocals. Amy Heronemus (TA-80) is on bass and vocals. Ron "Pete Sake" Mullens (Rubber City Rebels) is on keyboards. Andy Wilson (Billy Batts and the Made Men) is on drums. You see a roster of talent like that and can't help but think, "Holy shit!" And the music is everything you would expect it to be. Out on Rum Bar Records, Have More Fun is the band's debut album. This is definitely a case where the title says it all. This is a fun record and a throwback to one of the greatest eras in the history of rock 'n' roll. Rather than sounding like the Ramones, The 66ers sound like all the bands that influenced the Ramones. Think upbeat, organ-driven tunes with lyrics bout girls, summertime, the sun, and surfing. And I love how those call-and-response lead vocals contribute to the party atmosphere. These songs really capture the unbridled joy and wild-eyed innocence of the teenage pop of yesteryear. If you grew up listening to the oldies stations or were already around in the mid-to-late '60s, you're gonna be feeling what The 66ers are dealing. 

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Saturday, October 04, 2025

The Vibeke Saugestad Band - The Sun Sessions


Well here it is! When The Vibeke Saugestad Band released its summertime smash "Hey Now Sunshine" a few months back, a full EP was promised for the fall. A co-release between Rum Bar Records and (from my neck of the woods) Red Chuck Records, The Sun Sessions marks Vibeke Saugestad's long-awaited return as a songwriter and recording artist. 

The queen of Norwegian power pop, Saugestad was in the band Weld back in the mid '90s and had several solo releases in the early 2000s. She also spent time in The Twistaroos and The Yum Yums. After marrying Ken Fox (The Fleshtones) and moving to the States, she eventually put together a new band and began performing her old solo songs. Fortunately for all of us, she was soon inspired to start writing again. So here we are with her first original songs in well over a decade. Ably backed by her terrific band (Fox on bass, Adam Napell on drums, Josh Stark on guitar, and Mark Westin on guitar), Saugestad makes pop magic on this four-song EP. Her voice has never sounded more beautiful, and her maturity as a songwriter is undeniable. Of course "Hey Now Sunshine" was too great of a song to not own on vinyl or CD. This track is majestically bittersweet power pop by way of later '60s Kinks, and it's a perfect opener for this decidedly autumnal EP. "Another Light" is a cover of The Lisa Marr Experiment's classic; Saugestad truly makes it her own with an absolutely stunning vocal. "2nd Ave" is equal parts country twang & pop jangle — a testament to Saugestad's ability to write a song that's simultaneously sprightly and melancholy. The wistful ballad "Last Days of Summer" brings to mind '60s folk rock and sunshine pop. It's a gorgeous little song that will wash over you like a warm October breeze. 

This is quite the auspicious debut for a band that's sure to be a force to be reckoned within the indie pop scene going forward. The playing and production are exquisite, and there's just no questioning that Vibeke Saugestad is an incredible singer and formidable songwriter. We are blessed to have her back in the game. I expect this EP to be frequently mentioned when all the power pop sites start publishing their 2025 best-of lists. It will surely be high on my list!

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Sunday, September 07, 2025

The Chelsea Curve - "Never Come Down"


When The Chelsea Curve promised it would have a big year in 2025, the band meant it! "Never Come Down" is the Boston trio's second new single in as many months, and it's a bit of a curveball. But here's the thing about curveballs: they make you very hard to beat! Out on Rum Bar Records, "Never Come Down" is the first CC song to feature guitarist Tim Gillis on lead vocals. And while the band is known for its punky mod-pop sound, this song takes things in a slightly different direction: think vintage later '90s Brit-pop with a pinch of '60s psych. This is the "biggest" the Curve has sounded on record. The guitars and drums are arena-sized, and so are the hooks. And of course, with this being a Chelsea Curve song, there's tremendous substance to the lyrics. The song is about about the desire to feel completely free and unlimited. Can't we all relate to the idea of opening up ourselves to every possibility and just feeling the electricity of life flow through us? Surely an unfettered life is a great thing to aspire to. This just might be your new personal anthem! A little birdie told me that we can expect some more surprising turns from The Chelsea Curve in the near future, so let's buckle up and enjoy the ride!

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Friday, August 15, 2025

The Jive - Extended Play


When it comes to my favorite new bands I've discovered in 2025, The Jive is #1 with a bullet. And it's not just because they're from PA. The Delco-based duo released its debut EP on the streaming platforms earlier this year. Today, Extended Play gets a compact disc release on the mighty Rum Bar Records, and people ought to be dancing in the streets. 

The first time I heard this mini-album in full, I had to retrieve my jaw from the floor. So what is it that I like so much about these guys? I think it's that they embody what power pop as a style of music ought to be. Co-songwriters and singers Robbie Dixon and Joey Edwards aren't afraid to write massive, arena-sized pop hits. They don't take themselves too seriously, but they are quite serious about crafting earworm choruses and melodies that'll have you humming all week. When almost every other power pop band out there wants to be The Nerves or Big Star, these two sound like the sons of Rick Springfield. This record gives major early '80s rock radio vibes, yet at the same time it possesses an undeniable contemporary freshness. If you love early '80s power pop but are also glad to live in a world where Kurt Baker and Biters exist, this EP is for you. 

"Good Time Call," the first advance single, wowed me in a big way. But then I had to wonder: was this a great band or just a band with one great song? Extended Play answers that question emphatically. "Sherry Shakes," "Shoulda Known Better," and "The Song You Can't Forget" all could have just as easily been "the hit." And then on "Heart of Gold," the band goes full-on .38 Special with a chorus that explodes out of your speakers and enough guitar power to light up a small nation! The band's lyrics don't aim to be rocket science, but they're relatable and clever in a way that's highly enjoyable. You might learn a new pickup line or two from listening to this EP, so don't dismiss the educational potential of power pop. "Good Time Call" is one of my favorite things: a song that tells a story! Who can deny that "I found your number on the elevator wall/of the Taj Mahal" is a million dollar line? Spending the last minute of the song repeating the lyric "I found your number" over and over sounds like a corny idea on paper. But on record, it's pure gold. "Sherry Shakes" is a master class on how to build an entire song around a simple (but utterly perfect) guitar hook. And how can I not love a band that uses the lyric "cherry cake" in a song called "Sherry Shakes"? "Shoulda Known Better" is a timeless ode to lost love. You feel the sting in the lyrics, but the music is positively intoxicating. Another tune that tells a story, "The Song You Can't Forget," practically packs an entire rom-com into three minutes and 17 seconds. When these guys sing, "I'm the one who got that melody stuck in your head/I'm the one who gets you dancing around," they might as well be talking to you. That whole chorus needs to be on a t-shirt! 

There's a part in the new Billy Joel documentary where he refers to the songs he wrote for Glass Houses as "power pop" in the sense that they were intended to sound awesome in the large venues he was playing. I imagined all the power pop purists and gatekeepers becoming infuriated as he spoke those words. But if you think of "power pop" purely as a way to describe music, it kind of does describe Glass Houses (which might explain why it's an all-time top ten album for me). The Jive appeals to me because it's a power pop band in both the traditional sense and in that broader sense. Somehow Robbie Dixon and Joey Edwards have managed to make an EP that reminds me of sitting by the pool at ten years old and hearing The Cars and Cheap Trick playing on the radio without having it come off as consciously retro. There's something eternal and magical about a perfect three-minute pop song, and these guys get that. Major credit also goes to producer Dan Dixon and session drummer Takashi Takemura for their incredible work on this release. The obvious reaction to hearing an EP this good is to ask, "But can they do it for a full album?" Well, if you bet against The Jive, you shoulda known better. This is the best new power pop band I've heard in a damn long time.


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Friday, August 08, 2025

The Kowalskis - 30 Years Of Goofballs


And so here we are with something very special from Rum Bar Records! To commemorate 30 years of the world being fortunate enough to have The Kowalskis in it, a deluxe reissue of the band's debut album All Hopped Up on Goofballs is out today. Titled 30 Years Of Goofballs, this retrospective adds a whole slew of compilation tracks, album & 7" cuts, and unreleased tunes for a grand total of 25 songs. Go big or go home! 

To me, The Kowalskis have always been criminally underrated. They were playing old school punk rock with '60s girl group roots way before it was cool — paving the way for so many of the garage/power pop/punk rock 'n' roll bands that we celebrate today. They arrived on the scene with the musical and spiritual DNA of the Ramones, Blondie, The Dictators, and Devil Dogs coursing through their veins. Along side the likes of D Generation, The Heartdrops, NY Loose, The Turbo ACs, FUR, L.E.S. Stitches, and The Prissteens, they were at the forefront of an exciting new era in New York punk rock. The songs on this collection epitomize everything that was great about the '90s punk scene. The sound is raw, exciting, and super-fun. Close your eyes, and you can feel yourself in the pit at an all-ages show or imagine yourself in your bedroom littered with 7" records, print zines, and cassette demo tapes. You just don't hear music that sounds quite like this anymore. And what could be a more fitting tribute to '90s punk rock than a compact disc with 25 songs on it? Even if you still own your original copy of All Hopped Up on Goofballs, you probably don't have all those old compilations in your possession anymore. So having all these songs carefully re-mastered by Kurt Bloch and packaged as a single album is an absolute treat for fans. And if the '90s were before your time, or you somehow missed out on these songs the first time around, 30 Years Of Goofballs still comes highly recommended. I'd put the likes of "Sunny Sunday Hangover," "Not Surprised," "100% Fun," "Kiss Me One More Time," and "First Date" up there with the best songs of just about any pop-leaning punk rock band past or present. And covers of everyone from Blondie to the New York Dolls to KISS to Cheap Trick give you a great feel for what The Kowalskis are all about. 

I love that The Kowalskis and Malibu Lou have come full circle. In 1999, "First Date" was featured on the Melted Records compilation My So Called Punk Rock Life — one of the greatest punk rock comps from the heyday of great punk rock comps (seriously, check out the track listing on that thing!). And now The Kowalskis have joined the Rum Bar Records family. The greatest thing about being a music fan is that it's never too late to discover a band. So whether 30 Years Of Goofballs brings back fond memories of seeing The Kowalskis live or is your introduction to this amazing band, I declare that this is an album you need to hear and ought to own.

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Sunday, August 03, 2025

Vibeke Saugestad Band - "Hey Now Sunshine"


Perk up your ears, pop people! Vibeke Saugestad is a fantastic Norwegian singer who fronted the band Weld back in the '90s, released several solo albums in the 2000s, and was also in The Yum Yums and The Twistaroos. She's responsible for "He's Peculiar," one of the greatest power pop songs ever recorded. She's now based in New York and working with a terrific band. The Vibeke Saugestad Band features Ken Fox on bass, Mark Westin on guitar, Josh Stark on guitar, and Adam Napell on drums. A new EP called The Sun Sessions will be releasing this fall on Rum Bar Records and Red Chuck Records. "Hey Now Sunshine," the first single from the EP, is out now and very much living up to its name. This track is indeed a ray of sonic sunshine and the very definition of perfect pop. Who's ready for a master class on how to write an earworm chorus? I've been wearing out the repeat button on this one, and I imagine many of you will be doing the same. All hail the queen!

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