Sunday, April 30, 2023

Friends of Cesar Romero - Gameboy America


What can I say about J. Waylon that I haven't said already? If you're into the power pop/punk thing and don't own at least  a few of his releases, you're missing out on one of the finest songwriting talents out there. With his one-man-band Friends of Cesar Romero, he's proven to be not only prolific but also remarkably consistent. Gameboy America, the latest FoCR release, is yet another gem. While last month's Spiral Eye Roll leaned more in the pop-punk direction, Gameboy America (installment #35 in the Doomed Babe Series) finds J. Waylon flexing his power pop chops. It's not just that he writes about heartbreak and romantic disappointment so convincingly. He has also has a way of articulating his feelings that is absolute genius. Check out these lyrics from "Gameboy America":

You hold my heart when I’m held in your hands
You sang me lines from your favorite bands
You sold me dreams in 8 bit lands
Like Gameboy America

I know, right? And the whole song is that same level. Just read through the lyrics on Bandcamp, and you'll swear J. Waylon has been inside your brain. He's the poet laureate of the brokenhearted! Am I the only one who heard this song and thought, "This is like REM with a better singer"? "Somebody's Someone" is another slice of power pop perfection that eloquently explores that excruciating moment when you sense that your special someone might have a special someone else. At this point, it's no longer a surprise when J. Waylon turns out songs this great. But that doesn't mean we should take it for granted. Friends of Cesar Romero is a treasure of the underground music scene and more than worthy of a follow on Bandcamp!

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Justine and The Unclean - "The Chasm"


It's a joy to be able to review an absolutely terrific band I haven't mentioned in a number of years — the mighty Justine and the Unclean. Out on Justine Covault's own label Red On Red Records, new single "The Chasm" is a must-hear if you're a power pop enthusiast. And when I say power pop, I'm talking about throwing it all the way back to the roots of the term. For this track, Justine encouraged The Unclean (bassist Janet Egan, guitarist Charles Hansen, and drummer Jim Janota) to channel the power and bombast of The Who. And that's exactly what they did. If thundering power chords and a dynamic rhythm section are your cup of tea, you'll be hitting the repeat button over and over. Anyone wanting to hear a great rock band firing on all cylinders should attend this master class. Lyrically, "The Chasm" is something a little different from the more straight-forward tales of love gone sour that Justine is so known for. This, my friends, is true poetry. The language arts teacher in me can't help but marvel at Justine's use of nature references as symbols and metaphors for a breach of trust between two individuals. She puts a lot of twang in her vocal, and that really works nicely with this song. "The Chasm" is the first song released by Justine and The Unclean in over two years, and it does not disappoint. Shout-out to Stephen Fredette for the amazing art work!

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Saturday, April 29, 2023

Sex Mex - We're a Happy Family


Quite a few of my influential friends have been touting Sex Mex's new EP We're a Happy Family. And I can totally understand why. When I saw its "Too punk to be pop. Too pop to be punk. Too late to be new wave" Instagram bio, I knew this San Antonio–based band would be for me. The four tracks comprising We're a Happy Family are indeed a perfect mashup of punk, pop, and synth-driven new wave. Catchier tunes than this simply do not exist. Listen to "We'll Be Gone" once, and it will be stuck in your head until the end of time. If you had told me this was a long-lost Dirtnap Records release from 20 years ago, I would not have doubted you. A brief inspection of Sex Mex's Bandcamp will reveal that this group has been turning out releases at a rate that's almost too prolific to believe. If you like poppy punk rock with synths, We're a Happy Family is a must-buy. And I'm using "buy" loosely since this is a free download. You might want to be careful Googling the band name.

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Poppy Robbie - "Twist and Pout"


I seem to be playing this strange game with Poppy Robbie's "Twist and Pout." Twice I've reviewed this song, and twice it has disappeared from the Internet like it never really existed. I had to ask myself: "Did this song ever exist, or did I just dream of it one night after drinking too many ginger ales?" Like so many of my great ideas for novels, perhaps it came to me as a fleeting thought and then vanished into thin air. Meanwhile, people have been visiting my blog for years and reading reviews of Poppy Robbie songs they can no longer listen to and wondering what I've been smoking. But then something funny happened: the mysterious, elusive "Twist and Pout" has turned up again — this time as the 35th volume of Something To Do Records' world-famous Something To Do Music for Something To Do People singles series. For the benefit of those of you outside of the pop-punk underground, I will say that inclusion in this series is pretty much the highest possible honor any pop-punk artist could ever aspire to. Once your music has been deemed worthy of Something To Do people, you have truly made it. You have fame. You have respect. I'm pretty sure you get some kind of jacket in the mail. I can safely assume, then, that "Twist and Pout" will not ghost me again. 

On that note, I must publicly endorse this song for a third time. It finds the artist once known as the dictator of pop channeling his inner Elvis Costello via Buddy Holly and turning the tables on all those show attendees who either heckle or (even worse) completely ignore those musicians who are on stage pouring out their hearts and souls. It's a hilarious little song which gleefully mocks those individuals who partake in live music events simply to be cooler than thou. Many of you reading this right now have had your own experiences with un-supportive crowds. Should you choose to incorporate "Twist and Pout" into your live set as a retaliatory measure, I can assure you that Robbie will not demand compensation. Somewhere in the world right now, someone is putting "Twist and Pout" on a playlist with Brad Marino's "Local Show." Or at least that's what I'd like to believe. God love all of you musicians.

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The Melmacs - "Alive"


The Melmacs, still fresh off of releasing one of the best albums of recent years, are back with the first installment in a new batch of singles! This German foursome is already one of my favorite bands, but "Alive" suggests that The Melmacs are only getting better. In typical Melmacs fashion, it combines catchy melodies and an irresistible energy with serious lyrics that confront darker aspects of modern times. The band describes the track as a "dousing hot-cold-shower, which sums up the blazing, man-made destruction we all live in." That's totally dead-on. "Alive" is nothing short of a powerpop punk anthem. It finds The Melmacs using upbeat music to say something important about society and the world we live in. Somehow optimism and pessimism coexist seamlessly here. Even as the band acknowledges a world plagued by despair, there's a life force to this song that reminds us that not all hope is lost. To be alive — and not just survive  — is a fine thing to aspire to. Meanwhile, The Melmacs have never sounded better as a band. Guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, and vocals are all on-point and in perfect harmony. If this is a taste of what's to come with album #2, I'd say it's going to be something special. And if you don't already own Good Advice, you are seriously depriving yourself!  

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Sunday, April 23, 2023

The Smart Shoppers - LEFTOVERS FROM TOMORROW


Joey, Norby, Jash, and Aaron — collectively known as The Smart Shoppers  — are back with their second full-length album, LEFTOVERS FROM TOMORROW. Their debut album, DORKWAVE, remains a criminally underrated work of art. I mean, come on: it practically invented a new genre of music! LEFTOVERS FROM TOMORROW carries on in a similar vein. It walks the very fine line separating punk rock and new wave without ever crossing all the way over on either side. It's dorky and catchy and wonderfully weird and super fun and (of course) smart. Yet it's not a mere repeat of its predecessor. On this release, The Smart Shoppers broaden their stylistic palette with a really nifty Cars knock-off ("Party Girl"), a wink and a nod to proper garage rock ("Slacks"), and a satisfying stab at thrashing pop-punk ("Big Love"). And even when the band sticks to familiar terrain, its elevates its previous songwriting on brilliant numbers like "Store" and "Simpin' USA." One could argue that "egg punk, garage punk, diy punk, diy music, diy record label, indie rock, indie, weird, Nerd Rock, - Looking Glass" is perhaps the best use of 47 seconds ever by a non-hardcore band. Joey Shops, as always, is the perfect vocalist for this kind of band  — capable of pulling off the dorky/weird approach in a way that's unique and genuinely not annoying. The band's sense of humor remains compatible with mine, manifesting itself mostly in sharp social commentary and a formidable commitment to song titles starting with the letter "S." I have to love a band that can write a song like "Sex Organisms" that flirts with being absolutely stupid but ends up being anything but. These guys are way better musicians and songwriters than they'd ever let on, and ultimately that's what makes them the Bart Starrs of the egg punk universe. If punky new wave and new wavey punk are your jam and you nonetheless ignored my previous recommendation to purchase DORKWAVE, you have another opportunity to be a smart shopper.

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Saturday, April 22, 2023

Nick Piunti - "Heart Stops Beating"


I will be honest: most times when a band or artist goes back to re-record an old song, my untrained ears don't hear a lick of a difference. When I first heard that Nick Piunti was going back into the studio to better his 2015 album track "Heart Stops Beating," I figured he was just being a perfectionist (you know how those talented people can be sometimes....ha ha). Wouldn't almost any pop-rock songwriter out there wish they could have recorded a song as good as "Heart Stops Beating"? But let me tell you: the 2023 version of "Heart Stops Beating" (out now on JEM Records) absolutely does top the original. This, my friends, is a hit. Why settle for a nine-out-of-ten song when you know you've got a full ten in you? 

"Heart Stops Beating" was originally released on Piunti's magnificent 2015 album Beyond the Static. Piunti tracked it with Donny Brown on drums, Andy Reed on bass, and Ryan Allen on harmony vocals. Piunti always loved the band track but long felt that the vocal could have been better. It turns out he was onto something! He went back to Big Sky Recording earlier this year with his longtime producer Geoff Michael to cut a new lead vocal. For good measure, he added some harmony vocals and some new rhythm guitar tracks. While fundamentally the same song as ever, "Heart Stops Beating" has been perfected. There's undeniably more "oomph" in the vocal, and that chorus absolutely explodes. No wonder Little Steven has been touting this track! 

If you're a fan of Nick Piunti and JEM Records, you can look forward to a double-LP compilation of Piunti's pre-JEM releases 13 In My Head and Beyond the Static due out later this year. For now, enjoy the timeless power pop perfection of "Heart Stops Beating" 2023!

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