Breaklights - Fool Me Once

Earlier this month, I promised I would have plenty more to write about Breaklights this spring and summer. I wasn't kidding. In advance of Wind Down, its forthcoming debut LP, the Austin-based band has released another single called "Fool Me Once." This is the first Breaklights song to feature guitarist Dan on lead vocals, but it won't be the last! The album will feature three tracks written and sung by Dan. And based on "Fool Me Once," I must say that having a second singer and songwriter in the band will only make Breaklights stronger. Dan's voice proves to be a perfect fit for Breaklights' heartfelt, melody-driven style. "Fool Me Once" is a pop-punk tune of the finest quality. Would you expect any less from Breaklights? Hearing this track makes me really excited for the album. Breaklights have always been a really good band, but these two recent singles have been next-level stuff. No one's going to be telling Charlie to hang it up, but I think a lot of us are wondering why Dan hasn't been contributing songs to this band all along! Wind Down will be out in June on Wiretap Records!

-L.R.

https://breaklights.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.facebook.com/breaklights/
https://www.instagram.com/breaklights/
https://www.facebook.com/wiretaprecords

The Melmacs - "Good Advices"

Wow! The Melmacs out of Leipzig and Dresden, Germany have released the first single from their forthcoming debut album, and it's a rocket blast of '77-style punk/powerpop! The album is due out in September on Wanda Records and Barkraufarfita Records. In advance of the album release, The Melmacs will be unleashing several singles over the next few months. First up is "Good Advices," an upbeat number that you'll hear once and end up humming all day! The band has released a music video to accompany the single, and it gives you a great feel for what The Melmacs are all about. And what The Melmacs are all about can be summed up in one word: fun! This song makes me wanna dance merrily around the house while shouting joyful exaltations. If you're like me, "Good Advices" will leave you wanting more. The good news is that more is coming, and pre-orders for the full album will open in June. If you literally can't wait, do yourself a favor and check out the band's existing discography on Bandcamp. You'll wonder where this band has been all your life! "Good Advices" is available now from all the major streaming platforms. Don't forget to wear a helmet!

-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/TheMelmacs
https://themelmacs.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bakraufarfita

https://www.instagram.com/themelmacs/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ9-oy2zwoSPGQhPLLQMuXQ

Vista Blue - Pieces II

When a band with 50+ releases to its name puts out a second odds-and-ends compilation, that definitely falls into the "for fans only" category. Perfect! I'm a huge Vista Blue fan -- and clearly you are too if you read past this sentence (Hey there, Nick Spoon!). Pieces II is a sequel to 2019's Pieces, a digital collection of songs that had not been previously released on Vista Blue's Bandcamp. Pieces II collects songs the band has recorded over the last three years. Some are collaborations with podcasts. Others were recorded for compilations. Some are alternate versions of previously released songs. Pieces II combines them all into a single digital album complete with liner notes. This is a real treat for fans. And isn't that the whole point?

What I enjoy about Pieces II is that is captures the spirit of what Vista Blue is all about. What other band on Earth would record theme songs for a prank call podcast and a Twilight podcast? What other band on earth would record an entire EP of songs about sumo wrestling to reward a Kickstarter backer? But this is no joke release. There are some absolute gems to be found here. "I Keep Hitting on Girls (They Just Keep on Hitting Me)" and "I Met Her at a Blockbuster", which were both originally written for Mike's old band The Robinsons, are A+ pop-punk tracks. "Three Chord City", a cover of The Cold's classic, is a cool live take from the legendary Ardent Studio in Memphis (the "produced" version, of course, ended up on the band's splendid EP Hit The Floor). An acoustic version of "Curling All Around the USA" (remember when these guys singlehandedly willed the U.S. to win curling gold?) showcases this band's special flair for melody and harmonies. And anyone who dismisses Vista Blue's collaborations with the Snow Plow Show podcast will miss out on "Beverly," one of its best pop-punk tracks of recent memory. 

It's something else how Vista Blue can release so much music yet still keep us fans excited for what's coming next. And that's because you never know what this band is going to write songs about. Pieces II really highlights that. If you get bored with pop-punk bands who only write songs about girls, well here's an album with songs about prank phone calls, sumo wrestling, emo vampires, curling, Nik Caesar's Twitch stream, the birth of the messiah, and....girls. I also like that the liner notes make it very easy for you to seek out the releases on which many of these songs originally appeared. Maybe I'm just riding the high of the Phillies getting back to .500 or subconsciously plotting how my own podcast can collaborate with Vista Blue. But my morning spent listening to Pieces II has had me feeling good. I'm on my last paragraph, so we're all fans here. There's just no reason not to buy this album. It's that rare sequel that's better than the original!

-L.R.

https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/pieces-ii
https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue

Split System - self titled

And now for another totally killer Aussie punk rock group! Melbourne-based Split System features a star-studded lineup of Jackson Reid Briggs (Jackson Reid Briggs & The Heaters) on vocals, Arron Mawson (Stiff Richards) on guitar, Ryan Webb (Speed Week) on guitar, Deon Slaviero (The Black Heart Death Cult) on bass, and Mitch McGregor (No Zu) on drums. The band's debut EP was not exactly created under the most ideal circumstances. But of course these guys didn't let that get in the way! The band got together last year and managed to rehearse just one time before lockdown put an end to any hopes for gigs and a proper recording session. Undeterred, the band committed to getting the five songs it had written recorded and released. With each band member recording individual parts at home, Split System finished the record. One track, "Hit Me" was released as a digital single this past January. The other four songs comprise the band's debut 7" -- which is currently available from the ever-reliable Legless Records. As expected, this EP delivers four tracks of pure raging punk rock and roll in the classic Aussie style. This release comes out swinging with the face-melting opener "Climbing" and does not let-up from there. If you like raw, hard-hitting punk rock with an energy level that's off the charts, Split System is the band for you. The EP was mixed and Mastered by Mikey Young -- who imbues these recordings with the savage touch he's known for. If Split System can create an EP this crackling in isolation, can you imagine what the next record is gonna sound like? Crank this puppy loud!

-L.R.

https://splitsystem.bandcamp.com/album/split-system
https://leglessrecords.bandcamp.com/

Dirt Royal - "Shoot Me Now"

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!

-L.R.

https://snaprecordsspain.bandcamp.com/album/dirt-royal-shoot-me-now-better-than-worse-fun-7057
https://dirtroyal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wearedirtroyal

Priors - NEWNEWNEW

Back with their first new music since the superbly blistering My Punishment on Earth was released in late 2020, Montreal's Priors show no signs of letting up on the force and intensity. NEWNEWNEW, the band's new EP, unleashes three tracks of an appropriate tenor for a self-proclaimed "fuck you to the industry." As always, Priors take the best elements of nightmarish synth-punk, pummeling garage punk, and bleak post-punk to create a ferocious sonic concoction that is uniquely theirs. All three of these tracks are truly formidable. "Expelled Virtue" marries angular guitars to a vocal fury rendered almost surreal by Max and Chance's skillful production. The title track is a straight shot of aggressive punk rock that flat-out rips. "Voice of Reason" is synth-punk with just the right balance between the synths and the punk. These tunes will get you fired up for the next Priors album -- which is already recorded and could possibly see the light of day by year's end. Now available as a strictly digital release, NEWNEWNEW is highly recommended listening if your ears yearn for a good clobbering.

-L.R.

https://priorsmtl.bandcamp.com/album/newnewnew
https://www.facebook.com/priorsmtl

Strange Neighbors - "Window Watching"

When a band contacts you promising "a bop that'll knock John Waters' moustache clean off" and "a beat that compels you to shake your butt like Billy Ray Cyrus in those tight blue jeans circa 'Achy Breaky Heart,'" there are only two possible outcomes: bitter disappointment or complete elation. The very fact that I'm writing this review tells you that Strange Neighbors did not let me down! As promised, the Brooklyn foursome's new single "Window Watching" is the kind of song that will instantly move you to dance and sing along. The band recommends it for shower singing in particular, but honestly it's suitable for any moment in life when you might be inspired to break into song. I would not look at you sideways if you belted out this tune while you were standing in line at the post office or eating a burrito. On this track, Strange Neighbors offer a modern & original take on indie power pop with lyrics that are cheeky yet incredibly relatable. This is a song tinged with sadness but also full of sweetness and hope. I can't help but smile because it articulates feelings I've experienced myself. Who among us has never missed someone so much that we had to resort to somewhat odd coping mechanisms? Being able to take such a universal human experience and turn it into three minutes of purely joyful pop music is a special talent indeed. As advertised, this song delivers the bop and the beat. And when that hook comes in, it's magical. My delight over encountering this song was matched only by my regret over having missed out on three years' worth of music by Strange Neighbors. But that's easily rectified. If you enjoy "Window Watching" as much as I have, be sure to dig into the band's full discography on Bandcamp. While you're at it, pull those tight jeans out of storage!  

-L.R.

https://strangeneighbors.bandcamp.com/track/window-watching
https://www.instagram.com/strangeneighborsmusic/
https://www.facebook.com/strangeneighborsmusic/