Vista Blue - More Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark

Look how this worked out: my review of Vista Blue's latest Halloween themed release is exactly my 13th post on this band! Ooooh! More Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark is the sequel to last year's Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark. Both are inspired by the Alvin Schwartz's book series. This EP, in fact, adapts the stories "Wait Till Martin Comes" and "The Slithery Dee" straight from the books. The concept is simple. The songs are all based on urban legends - and those things can be scary as hell since they are purported to be based in truth! If you enjoy Vista Blue's buzzing pop-punk but aren't into a lot of the subject matter the band often sings about, perhaps songs about slaughtered babysitters, giant murderous cats, sea monsters, and escaped killers attacking teenage lovers will be more up your alley. It's remarkable that Vista Blue continues to release so much music yet manages to consistently delight with each new release. The band has been very generous in making a lot of its releases free. In the case of More Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark, it's well-worth the $3 to support this project. I'll never think of Blues Traveler's "Hook" the same way again...



-L.R.

https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/more-scary-songs-to-sing-in-the-dark 
https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/

Gino and the Goons - "She Was Crushed"

So wait: Gino and the Goons already put out one of the recent classic albums of budget rock just this year, and they still had enough bullets in the chamber to release the hands-down best EP of 2018?! That's exactly what I'm saying! "She Was Crushed" was released earlier this month on Black Gladiator/Slovenly Recordings. Pound for pound, it just might be Gino and the Goons' strongest release to date. I hate to be that guy who touts every band's newest stuff as its best. But come on: can you honestly tell me you listened to these four tracks and weren't left completely stunned and overjoyed? This, my friends, is the rock n' roll you never stopped believing in! If these songs don't move you to dance, shout in delight, get feisty with your significant other, and perhaps break some minor laws, you are surely beyond helping. No existing band has a better grasp on how to create punk rock n' roll music that ticks every imaginable box. Raw? Absolutely. Raucous? Of course! Catchy? The CDC wants to shut this band down! Give the title track one play, and it'll be lodged in your brain all weekend (we clearly need more bands to employ the honking sax!). T Bone Jones lets out a scream on "Got Messed Up" that ought to be sent straight to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. I swear to God that Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone came back from the dead to play on "Wrong Side of A Cigarette"!

If you blinked, you probably missed Gino and the Goons' LP Rip It Up earlier this year. As far as I know, it never had a digital release and the vinyl copies were gone in a jiffy (Can you hear it on YouTube? I would say you can!). In that spirit, I would move fast on "She Was Crushed" while supplies last. You will not be disappointed...unless of course you hate rock n' roll. Did I mention this was the best EP of the year?!

  
-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/gino-and-the-goons-she-was-crushed-ep 
https://www.facebook.com/GINO-and-the-GOONS-269493892726/ 
https://www.facebook.com/BlackGladiatorKills/ 

Jacques Le Coque - Positively...

One of the catchiest records of the year comes to us from Stamford, Connecticut's Jacques Le Coque! Positively... is the band's new album on King Pizza Records - its first since 2015's Hooky. This album, like the last one, has a carefree teenage rock n' roll vibe to it that will make you wanna blow off school and get high. If you dig modern-day garage-pop a la Nobunny or New Swears along with the power pop stylings of bands like The Whiffs, this album should be right up your alley. Where I really give Jacques Le Coque points is in the songwriting department. These definitely guys have the tunes - and I love how they clearly draw so much from the classic sounds of the '60s pop. Opening track "Getaway Car" is rockin' power pop done to perfection - bringing to mind the aforementioned Whiffs or the late, great Exploding Hearts. "Tip of My Tongue" is propelled by a guitar hook worth its weight in gold. "Pretty Penny" would not sound out of place on your local oldies station. "Bead On You" is chock full of glammy/punky goodness. "I Only Want To Rock & Roll" is a bona fide mission statement and one hell of a way to close out an album.

Positively... is positively fun and ought to be cranked at maximum volume at your next house party or while you're driving with your friends in search of a good time. But don't let the silly band name fool you - these guys are talented songwriters who've done their homework on the history of guitar pop. When it comes to garage pop bands in 2018, Jacques Le Coque is up there with the very best of 'em!



-L.R.

https://jacqueslecoque.bandcamp.com/album/positively 
https://www.facebook.com/JacquesLeCoque/ 
http://www.kingpizzarecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/kingpizzarecs/ 

Cold Stereo - Demo 2018

One recent pattern of mine that I'm looking to break is that I've been writing almost entirely about bands I've reviewed before. Of course I'm gonna cover my favorites, but I've been a little lax about touting new talent. And when it comes to new talent, it doesn't get much newer (or more talented) than Cold Stereo. This Cincinnati-based foursome "dropped" its demo on Bandcamp just last week, and within hours Shawn Abnoxious alerted me to its crankworthiness. He was not wrong!

Having come of age as a young punk rocker in the '90s, I have a certain emotional attachment to demos. There's just something really awesome about hearing a band on its way up, and I love that the technology exists for bands like Cold Stereo to share their demo recordings with the world. And come on, what do you have to lose? This is free music! A certain amount of mystery surrounds Cold Stereo, and I kind of like it that way. I don't have to worry about being influenced by what other people might have written about this band. I don't know much about Cold Stereo besides recognizing Todd Uttley's name from the equally awesome SUBSETS. But I must say that I like what I'm hearing! Cold Stereo doesn't really sound like any other band. There's a plus right off the bat! They can actually pull off punk rock with keyboards, which is something not a lot of bands can do. A lot of these songs kinda walk that fine line between punk and new wave in a manner that would be satisfying to fans of either. Right away, "We're Gonna Take This To Heart" has a great energy to it. It's upbeat and fun and instantly worthy of blasting loud. "I Need A New Head" seems like a message that most of us can relate to. "The People Are Going Bananas" ought to be the new national anthem. "Run From the Sun" is post-punk that pays just as much attention to the "punk" as it does to the "post".

So here's your opportunity to get in on the ground floor with Cold Stereo! If it drives you crazy with guilt to download free music, you could certainly toss the band a few bucks. Or maybe you could just pinky swear to buy Cold Stereo's debut record in the near future. I will have my eyes and ears primed for further updates from Cold Stereo HQ. 17 likes so far on Facebook? I foreee that number reaching at least 20 by the end of the weekend! Ohio. Always. Wins.



-L.R.

https://coldstereo.bandcamp.com/album/cold-stereo-demo-2018 
https://www.facebook.com/coldstereo 

RunHideFight - "He's A Jerk"

Now this is how you make a debut! RunHideFight is a band out of Philadelphia that played its first show on October 28th of last year. "He's A Jerk" is the group's first single, out now on Hidden Volume Records. While this particular band is new, all of its members have extensive resumes in rock n' roll. Singer/guitarist Geeta Dalal Simons (Rockula, Swisher) was a fixture of the Philly garage scene for years. She took some time off from music after her children were born, but now she's back with this red-hot new garage/punk outfit. Famously, she recorded the first RunHideFight demo in her kids' playroom! Joining her is an all-star cast of players including John "Brother JT" Terlesky (Creatures of the Golden Dawn and Original Sins) on lead guitar, Christine Weiser (Mae Pang) on bass, and Jon Kois (Three 4 Tens, Marah) on drums.

RunHideFight's debut single will delight fans of '60s garage rock, but it also brings an element of originality that you don't often hear in three-chord rock n' roll. Simon plays a custom-made double neck 24 string guitar/sitar - which serves as a dual homage to her Indian heritage and her guitar hero Rick Nielsen. RunHideFight draws inspiration not just from the legendary bands of '60s garage/psych/mod, but also from the classical Indian music that influenced a lot of those bands. Add in a love for '70s punk and early Cheap Trick, and you've got a band that I am very excited to follow in the coming years! "He's a Jerk" is a straight-ahead garage ripper that ought to get you dancing regardless of where you are or what you're doing. Simons absolutely nails the vocal with some first-rate howling a la Joan Jett or Paula Pierce. I love that that riff is catchy and super tough. And how great is that solo?! On the flip, "Because I Love You" slows the pace a tad but really shows what RunHideFight can do with garage rock. It starts off sounding like Thee Headcoatees if they re-wrote "Kicks", then swings half way across the world to India, and then dives back into some fuzzy '60s garage riffs. It's almost like three songs in one, yet it works beautifully. I love the sinister tone of the song, and those backing vocals are just glorious!

The beauty of garage rock is that it lends itself so well so the single format. RunHideFight has debuted with a pair of killer tracks that you'll want to spin over and over. The only down side about being left wanting more is that you're...left wanting more! The good news is that RunHideFight recorded several songs for The Key Studio Sessions earlier this year. You can hear those songs and read more about the band here! I'm not just being a partisan Pennsylvanian here: If you love rock n' roll, this is a band you need in your life!



-L.R.

https://hiddenvolume.com/album/hes-a-jerk 
https://www.runhidefightband.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/RunHideFight/ 
http://thekey.xpn.org/2018/08/23/kss-runhidefight/ 
https://www.facebook.com/hivorecs/

The Peawees - Moving Target

Is it just me, or do The Peawees just keep getting better with age? Over the past 23 years, this Italian foursome has established itself as one of the most electrifying live rock n' roll acts in Europe or anywhere else for that matter. Over the course of several lineup changes, singer/guitarist Hervé Peroncini has kept The Peawees going strong and proven himself to be an exceptional songwriter. And while the band's earlier, more straight-forward punk releases remain enjoyable listens, more recent albums such as Walking the Walk and Leave It Behind are at another level entirely. Over the last decade, The Peawees have really found their ideal sound in soulful rock n' roll with pop hooks. Moving Target, out now on Wild Honey Records in Italy and Rum Bar Records in the USA, is the band's sixth album and first in seven years. I'm not gonna beat around the bush: this is The Peawees' best album!

Moving Target is the first Peawees LP to feature the current rhythm section of Fabio Clemente and Tommy Gonzalez, who have been on board since 2013. The band has never sounded better, and Peroncini has written a tremendous batch of songs. The massive, wall-of-sound production (courtesy of Brown Barcella and Alessio Lonati at TUP Studio in Brescia) has nearly every one of these tracks sounding like a lost radio hit from the late '70s or early '80s. I was instantly blown away when I heard lead single "Stranger" back in April, and I'm happy to report that it was no fluke. The Motown-inspired opening track "Walking Through My Hell" is every bit as good and really kicks off the album with a bang. "Christine" is a '50s rock n' roll meets new wave bopper a la Dave Edmunds or today's The Connection/New Trocaderos. "Justify" is a great mid-tempo soul/pop number that sounds like something Graham Parker might have written in his prime. "As Long As You Can Sleep" has that big, anthemic feel of Springsteen circa The River. And to pull it all together, "Til My Mojo Works" shows that The Peawees can still do raucous, high energy rock n' roll with the best of 'em.

I'll apply this metaphor since The Peawees are big Clash fans: if This Is Rock 'n' Roll and Dead End City were their self-titled, these last couple of albums are more like their London Calling. More than two decades into their existence, The Peawees are at the absolute peak of their powers. And they've cultivated a sound that melds rock n' roll, punk, pop, soul, and garage into one cohesive ball of fire. In a year packed with essential LP releases, Moving Target is one of the most essential.



-L.R.

https://wildhoneyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-target 
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-target 
https://www.facebook.com/thepeawees/ 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/wildhoneyrecords/ 

The Safes - A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield

So this really happened! The Safes, one of my favorite bands, went into the studio with the rhythm section from Material freaking Issue (one of my three favorite bands EVER)! And the producer was Steve Albini?! Holy smokes! Even if I did not enjoy the music of Juliana Hatfield, I would have been super stoked about this record! But let's not bury the lede here. What stands out the most to me about A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield is that these are such great songs! Ultimately the whole point of a successful tribute project is to honor the source material, and this one does that brilliantly.

When presented with the opportunity to record this single for American Laundromat Records, the brothers O'Malley jumped at the chance. They are huge fans of Juliana Hatfield and the label as well. The involvement of Ted Ansani, Mike Zelenko, and Albini was just a (really cool) bonus! For this project, they chose to cover "Universal Heart-Beat" from 1995's Only Everything and "I See You" from 1992's Hey Babe. I appreciate that The Safes managed to put their own signature on these songs while still remaining largely faithful to the original versions. "Universal Heart-Beat" is a bona fide alt-rock classic, and The Safes don't mess with it too much. I like the cool, Lou Reed-ish vocals, but otherwise the original style of the song is followed to a T. There's just no point in playing around with that chorus - one of the catchiest and most memorable of its time. And I love that little sprinkling of Wurlitzer. In preparation for this review, I went back and listened to the original several times. What really strikes me is how well it holds up after 23 years and just how underrated Juliana Hatfield is as a songwriter. "I See You" goes back even further to Hatfield's first solo album. I would say it's a hidden gem of her catalog. But being huge fans, The Safes were well aware of that! Again they follow the general melody and structure of the original, but they really do put a Safes stamp on the song. The original sounds so innocent and bubbly, whereas the O'Malleys give it a more mature and modern reading. If you didn't already know this was a Juliana Hatfield song, you could easily believe this was something The Safes wrote themselves. And of course after multiple listens to both versions this week, what really sticks with me is what an earworm that melody is! If you didn't know it already, know it now: Juliana Hatfield writes damn good pop songs!

A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield is available only on vinyl from American Laundromat Records, and it's limited to just 500 copies. Given that these are songs from twenty-some years ago, this might be an opportunity for a whole new generation to discover Hatfield's back catalog. And certainly some of Hatfield's fans might end up coming to love The Safes - in my opinion one of the greatest American rock n' roll bands going. Hatfield herself was thrilled with these two tracks, and no doubt she sensed the tremendous affection the O'Malleys have for the original versions. This whole project is all about a genuine love for music, and that's something I can always get behind. Did I get goosebumps hearing those drums and bass? You betcha!



-L.R.

https://www.alr-music.com/products/the-safes-a-tribute-to-juliana-hatfield-seven-inch 
https://www.facebook.com/thesafesmusic/ 
https://www.facebook.com/americanlaundromatrecords/