Sunday, March 30, 2025

Whimsyland - Bounty Bay


I'm not sure there are adequate words in the English language to properly articulate the joy that Whimsyland's new EP has put into the universe. Suffice it to say that there's no better time than the present to fill this universe with joy. Chadd Derkins, the visionary behind Whimsyland, is a titan in the pop-punk world and all-around great dude. And with this band/project/whatever you wanna call it, he has created something absolutely unique and original that still has the fundamental appeal of pop-punk. The concept of Whimsyland is that it's an imaginary theme park. As a childless cat person, I don't often have the opportunity to go to theme parks. But I've always loved them and what they represent: wonderment, whimsy, escape from reality, the belief in magic, and the limitlessness of the human imagination. The idea that a songwriter could invent an entire theme park in thorough and fantastic detail fills me with awe. I would recommend Whimsyland's 2022 album not just to fans of pop-punk but to any little kid or any adult with a little kid's heart. But check it out: it seems the park has expanded! 

Bounty Bay is Whimsyland's newest section — a land of swashbuckling pirates, singing birds, and tropical treats. Man, where do I get my ticket? Once again, Derkins has assembled The Whimsyland Band (Andy Conway, Mikey Erg, Chris Grivet, Grath Madden, and Charles Vorkas) to bring his musical vision to life. And on lead vocals, you will find enough special guest stars to put an episode of The Love Boat to shame. Seeing names like Danny Bailey (Jabber), Rachel Feldmann (Lipstick Homicide), Jason Shevchuk (Kid Dynamite, No More Black), PJ Sloan (Ruth's Hat, if you don't know, one of the best bands ever!), and Julian Warmland (Avem) on the list of vocalists might have you thinking of Whimsyland as a fantasy team assembled by a 21st century pop-punk nerd with impeccable taste. And maybe that's exactly what it is! Close your eyes and let these five songs take you to Bounty Bay. Hop on to Blurpy the Bumpy Barge, and soon you'll find yourself encountering some rough n tumble buccaneers, tasting the delectable Pineapple Dream (with a splash of rum if you're over 21!), and experiencing the thrilling spectacle of the Feathered Follies Bird Show. Musically, this EP combines everything's that's great about pop-punk, kids' music, and tropical pop. The wild creativity involved in the conception of these songs is matched only by the exceptional musical and vocal performances that have been captured on these recordings. Listening to this EP may have you wishing Bounty Bay were a real place. Well if you believe, it is real. 

If you have already visited Whimsyland, you will certainly want to come back and check out Bounty Bay. First-time guests will want to start with the main park and the countless delights it holds in store. Bloated Kat Records, Stardumb Records, and Waterlslide Records have joined forces to release Bounty Bay on 7", so be sure to follow the links below to secure your copy. Better yet, secure multiple copies. It would be bad form to buy this for your kid and then end up stealing it from them.

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The States - Gimme Joy


Let's add another one to the growing stack of rave reviews of The States' debut release! At seven tracks, the appropriately-titled Gimme Joy is either a generously sized EP or a really short album. Whatever you call it, it's sure to leave you wanting more. This Melbourne-based foursome brings a wide array of influences to the table (glam rock, power pop, punk, '60s girl groups, even a little country), but basically what we have here is a good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll band playing timeless and splendidly infectious music. The States are Scarlett Maloney (tuffy) on lead vocals and guitar, Joe Imfeld (The Prize) on lead guitar, Paddy Leahy on bass, and Georgie Harkin on drums. They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel, and why would you want them to when they can turn out songs this good and play them with this much gusto? There's not a bad song in this bunch. In fact, you could land anywhere on this record and find yourself assured that rock 'n' roll is as alive and well as it has ever been. This is the kind of music you wish they still played on the radio! The States, who deliver the perfect mix of irresistible hooks and bad-ass attitude, will remind you of some of your old favorites (Suzi Quatro, Runaways, T.Rex, New York Dolls) without ever coming off like copyists. Gimme Joy is a great debut that creates sky-high expectations for a follow-up. Something tells me The States are not bound to disappoint.

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Saturday, March 29, 2025

Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin/The Amplifier Heads - "GlamOrama"/"We Just Don't Know"


Holy smokes: Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin and The Amplifier Heads have done a song exchange, and the resulting split single is out of this world! When two bands interpret each other's material, that is perhaps the best possible use of the split single format. I always love hearing two bands essentially pay tribute to one another, and I love hearing each band put its own signature on the chosen song. And in the case of this collaboration, I really enjoyed hearing this sort of exchange go down between two bands I like a lot. Rob Moss and Sal Baglio are both legends in this underground rock 'n' roll universe, and this project is an affirmation of their friendship and their admiration for one another's musical talents. 

First up, Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin tackle The Amplifier Heads' track "GlamOrama" from the 2021 album SaturnalienS. Backed by Tom McNally, Greg O'Toole, and Steve Naff, Moss really nails the other-worldly early '70s glam rock vibes of the song. If the original version made me imagine space aliens listening to David Bowie and New York Dolls in 1972, this version sounds like it could have actually been recorded by aliens. On The Amplifier Heads' side of this split, Bagio takes on Moss's instant classic "We Just Don't Know" and almost transforms it beyond recognition — reimagining it in easygoing singer/songwriter style and adding his unique vocal flair. What I like about this cover is that it celebrates the original rather than trying to upstage it. In this day and age when we too often think of cover songs as "filler," it's nice to be reminded that one songwriter interpreting another's material can itself be an art form if it's done well. If this is somehow your first time hearing either of these songs, I imagine you'll be inspired to check out the original versions. And if you're a fan of either or both bands, you're going to absolutely love this single. Great stuff from a couple of our scene's true class acts!  

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The Airport 77s - "If It's On, I'm In"


The Airport 77s have a new single out, and of course it's great! "If It's On, I'm In" is another absurdly catchy track from the D.C. area's finest pop trio. It's the first single from Don't Let Go, the band's forthcoming album on JEM Records. This song, while ostensibly a love song, could very well be the affirmative-thinking can-do anthem that a world plagued by spiritual malaise is dying for. Shouldn't we all resolve to be in if it's on and down if it drops down? Andy Sullivan seems to have a knack for writing songs that tell a story, and this tale is particularly intriguing. A lyric like "And when I tried to buy her a diet Moxie/She just tossed her hair and laughed/She said, 'You look like the kind of guy who's used to being strung along'" is going to be awfully hard to top in 2025. I too would be down for adventures involving electric scooters, Baskin Robbins, and city buses destined for parts unknown. Musically, I would just say that this sounds like The Airport 77s. It's very new wave influenced with a 1980s college radio spirit to it, and it manages to be consciously clever without crossing the line of becoming annoying. Sullivan's perky synthesizers are front and center on this track, and new band member Cal Everett (of D.C. power pop legends 4 Out of 5 Doctors) propels the song with his hot bass work. If that's not enough for you, how about a breakdown that's absolutely bonkers! This is a super-fun tune and a grade-A earworm at that. But who would expect anything less from The Airport 77s? Don't Let Go releases May 30th. Who's signing up to clown?
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Saturday, March 22, 2025

Real Sickies - Under a Plastic Bag


If you thought Real Sickies' last album Love Is For Lovers was a significant progression from their previous records, wait until you hear their new one! Under a Plastic Bag, the band's fifth album and first in nearly four years, is out now on Stomp Records. Engineered and produced by Joshua Wells (Autogramm, Lightning Dust), this album finds Real Sickies completely transcending their signature punk-pop sound. Ben and the gang really went for it on this release — incorporating influences ranging from late '70s/early '80s new wave & post-punk, '80s college radio, '90s alternative rock, and modern indie rock without straying too far from their classic punk and power pop roots. If the intention was to move things in a weirder, moodier direction, then clearly Wells was a perfect choice for a producer. Not surprisingly, Under a Plastic Bag is a genuine triumph. The band's flair for well-crafted hooks and anthemic choruses remains fully in tact, but this album offers way more variety and sophistication in songwriting than you'd ever expect from a Real Sickies record. If the band's earlier recordings tended to instantly grab you by the throat, this one pulls you in more gently and deliberately. You can't just listen to a song or two and predict what the rest of the album is going to be. A couple tunes like "Over Thought About It" and "Paralyzed" (the best song Teenage Head never wrote!) recall the Real Sickies of old. But for the most part, this album really breaks the mold. On songs such as "Wild Imagination" and "Destinations," you can really hear the more modern vibe the band was going for on this album. "Summer," perhaps my favorite track on the album, is pure pop that's redolent of the early '80s. "Never Going Back" hits that sweet spot where power pop meets '80s alt-rock. "Lost By a Landslide" sounds like something you might have heard on modern rock radio in the early 2000s. The band also does a wonderfully fresh & original interpretation of MOTO's classic "Choking on Your Insides."

Every great punk-pop band has to struggle with how to handle longevity. At some point, you can't continue to make the same record over and over. Love Is For Lovers was a sign that Real Sickies had ambitions beyond three-chord punk. Under a Plastic Bag takes that progression and accelerates it at a rate no one could have foreseen. Working with a producer who not only understands the band but also has a great feel for how to make new wave rock sound relevant and current in the 21st century, Real Sickies have delivered an album that is sure to attract new fans without alienating existing ones. Great album! 

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Vista Blue - "Clearing the Benches"


As it traditionally does, Vista Blue has released baseball-themed music to commemorate the beginning of baseball season. This year, that required some early preparation since Major League Baseball chose to start its 2025 regular season nine days before the actual start of the regular season. But Vista Blue was on it, and "Clearing the Benches" is another A+ pop-punk baseball release. 

While classifying Vista Blue as a baseball band would be no more accurate than classifying it as a holiday band or a movie band, I must say it never feels right for baseball season to commence without Vista Blue having had the first word. So by the time the Cubs took the field in Japan against the best team money can buy on Tuesday, "Clearing the Benches" had been released into the world, and I was emotionally ready for the first pitch to be thrown. The title track is a tribute to one of baseball's greatest traditions: dramatic, furious brawls in which no one actually fights. A couple of errant pitches cause tempers to flare. The umpire issues a warning. Someone charges the mound. The benches clear. The bullpens eventually do as well. But who's gonna throw a punch when having two working hands is integral to your livelihood? It's far better to just talk a little smack or go have a chuckle with your old college teammate. Vista Blue has accompanied the release of "Clearing the Benches" with an official music video so you can witness some perfectly family-friendly brawl footage as you listen to the song. And of course I love that the chorus is a callback to an iconic Ramones lyric. On the virtual B-side, "See You Later, Billy Ripken Card" is pretty much the ultimate pop-punk baseball song. If you remember the infamous Fleer Billy Ripken error card, then you know exactly which Queers song is being referenced here and why this song is an absolute work of genius. A ode to profanity this wholesome could only have come from the same guys who gave us "I Didn't Say Fudge" b/w "Notafinga" a couple year ago. For those of you who still own that particular card, you could probably fetch $150 for it. That could buy you 16 dozen eggs these days! 

It can't be easy to produce top-quality baseball songs every year (especially if you're not a baseball band), but Vista Blue has again delivered in the clutch. I'd be a total f**** face if I kept "Clearing the Benches" off my Opening Day playlist.

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Saturday, March 15, 2025

Golden Shitters - Brutal Planet


Do you think this whole world is going down the toilet? Do you hate your miserable life and most of the people in it? Have you observed that everything sucks these days? If so, Golden Shitters' new album Brutal Planet is for you. This Hamilton-based band comprised of Matt Ellis, Dave Tyson, and Kyle Fisher has delivered an instant classic of thumping, Ramones-inspired punk rock with lyrics reflecting the zeitgeist of these bleak times. Musically, Golden Shitters strip everything down to the essence of three-chord punk rock, and they do so to perfection. The majority of the 12 songs on Brutal Planet clock in under a minute-and-a-half, and the longest barely eclipses two minutes. The band puts on a clinic on how to be Ramones-inspired without necessarily being "Ramonescore." And I'm definitely hearing some early 2000s Dirtnap Records vibes as well. What this band does is so simple. Yet as I've said numerous times before, simple is hard to do well in music. These guys totally nail this style with fast-paced, catchy tunes and lyrics that are way deeper than it seems on the surface. Basically, anything that Matt Ellis is ever involved with is gold. In this case, it's Golden Shitters. Brutal Planet is a truly perfect punk rock album that will kick you in the teeth leave you wanting more. Push play, crank up the volume, and let your rage flow!

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