It has been over three years since I reviewed Indonesian Junk, one of my favorite bands of recent times. While I'm sad to say that IndoJunk has called it a day, I'm happy to report that Daniel James has revived their solo project The Daniel James Gang. New single "Misery" features Daniel teaming up with Logan Stang and Miski Dee, and it's an absolute monster of a song. It was originally written for Indonesian Junk, so you have some idea of what to expect. This is power pop for people who love glam-punk — or is it the other way around? This tune blends face-melting energy with ultra-catchy gu ..read more

  I duly warned you last month, so I hope you have prepared yourself for the debut album from The Bacarrudas. Pool Party is out today on Mom's Basement Records, and now the rest of your day is shot. You're not getting any more work done. No obligations will be met. All adulting has been postponed. Be ready to spend the next few hours dancing around the kitchen, wailing away on the air guitar, and singing along so loudly that your cat gives you the side-eye. The Bacarrudas have come storming out of the North Philly suburbs with 13 tracks of infectious, high energy, organ-d ..read more

Now this is kind of a big deal! Hayley and the Crushers have released their first original song since the fall of 2022. Given the way the Crushers have been evolving and growing musically over the last few years, I was intrigued to hear how they'd sound on their new single "Unsubscribe." A lot can happen in 20 months, and I had a feeling that "Unsubscribe" might reflect that. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed! "Unsubscribe" is vintage Crushers but by no means a copy of the group's past hits. It's a punky earworm that will have you dancing around the house, but it's also vaguely ..read more

Out on Paris-based label SDZ Records, How to survive when people don't like you and you don't like them is a proper LP compilation of digital singles from Bristol's Silicone Values, who play original, fiercely intelligent music that brings to mind the more adventurous & experimental side of first wave UK punk. Mick Fletcher maintains that this band has not received the attention it deserves, and I wholeheartedly agree (while admitting I've been one of the guilty parties). These singles go back to 2020, and I have no explanation whatsoever for how I missed the boat on ..read more

What can I say about Rich Ragany that I haven't already said before? This guy is one of the greatest songwriters in present-day rock 'n' roll, and he has been on some kind of roll. On six occasions, he has authored one of my top ten albums of the year. And the chances of that number increasing to seven in a few months are literally 100 percent. Following a couple of huge-sounding efforts with his band The Digression, Rags wanted to take a simpler approach with his forthcoming solo album You Can Get Dark with Me. Every song on the album was home-recorded on the day it was written and later fu ..read more

Well if you know, you know: most of you don't need me to tell you that The Reflectors are one of the greatest power pop bands currently in existence. When a band of this caliber releases a new record, you buy first and ask questions later. That said, I think The Reflectors' third album Going Out Of Fashion (out now on Neon Nile) will surprise you a little. At the very least, it surprised me. With power pop bands, a sophomore jinx is rare. On the other hand, that third LP can be problematic. If your third album sounds too similar to the first two, people get bored. But if your ..read more

Well here's another release that will have most of you going nuts! Cola Cubes are a trio from Liverpool, and their debut single sounds like an unearthed treasure from 1980. "Bold Street Beach" lives at the intersection of power pop, punk, and surf, and it's a stone cold smash. It's catchy, rocking, and totally fun. This track is sure to get your heart racing if Nikki and the Corvettes and early Go-Go's are your jam. Backing "Bold Street Beach" is a really great cover of Dolly Mixture's classic "Dream Come True." What a way to make a first impression! Cola Cubes refer to themselves as "your n ..read more

You've probably been hearing a lot about Kate Clover's new album The Apocalypse Dream. Believe what you're hearing: this thing is an absolute treat for anyone who loves first wave punk rock, powerful pop, modern garage rock, or all of the above! If you enjoyed Clover's last LP Bleed Your Heart Out, you can count on The Apocalypse Dream being everything that album was and much more. Any reader of this blog will find Clover's musical approach still hitting their sweet spot, but with this release her songwriting rises to another level. It's quite a task to channel classic punk & new wa ..read more

A couple weeks back, I tipped you off to the arrival of your new favorite band. Anyone reading this who hasn't already downloaded CB Kiddo's first demo and mailed in their fan club application is either a robot or a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan. Emily could have retired from music right then and there and still had the coolest single of 2024. But luckily she has not retired from music, and she quickly got to work on topping the lo-fi punk-pop magnificence of her debut. No less of an authority than Mick Fletcher has proclaimed that CB Kiddo graduates from the halls of th ..read more

Wow: The Bacarrudas sure knew how to pick the perfect debut single! Excuse me while I go pick my jaw off the floor. Notice I said The Bacarrudas, not  The Barracudas or Barreracudas. The Bacarrudas are a '60s-style frat rock band from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As fellow citizens of this commonwealth, they are entitled to free admission to any music fests I will someday arrange along with complementary Faster and Louder varsity jackets. Technically, their debut single was a Christmas release which came out at the end of last year. But for their first proper single ..read more