The Sleeveens - self titled

I knew The Sleeveens were something special within thirty seconds of hearing them for the very first time. Here was a band that was totally up my alley yet absolutely unique and original. The singer was a a poet and a presence. The band had chops for days. The music had power and guts but also made me want to sing along and get up and dance. "Give My Regards To The Dancing Girls" struck me as an instant classic and a true anthem of our times. I was immediately left wanting more, and thankfully I didn't have long to wait. Out today on Dirtnap Records, the self-titled debut album from The Sleveens is the best punk rock record I've heard in a damn long time. It will delight fans of classic British and Irish punk rock, yet it feels fully fresh and current in the year 2024.  

The Sleeveens were born when Irish songwriter Stef Murphy (Count Vaseline/The Mighty Stef) and Stiff Little Fingers guitar tech Jamie Mechan met in Nashville, Tennessee and immediately formed a musical partnership. With the addition of Ryan Sweeney (Cheap Time) and Eli Steele (Sweet Knives), the band's lineup became complete. The group wasted little time establishing itself as a formidable live act, and "Give My Regards To The Dancing Girls" was released to tremendous acclaim on Sweeney's Cheap Time Records. The full album will quickly dispel any speculation that the brilliance of the single was some kind of beginners' luck. Murphy, a gifted songwriter with a background in a number of musical styles, brings something different to the '77 punk rock 'n' roll style. 

The Sleveens will no doubt bring to mind the heyday of record labels like Chiswick, New Rose and Stiff Records along with hints of early Clash and Stiff Little Fingers. But those broad influences are just one part of a sophisticated musical identity. No two songs sound alike, and The Sleeveens prove themselves adept at everything from punchy pub rockers to aggressive punk rippers to heartfelt ballads to pure pop songs. Recut for the album, "Give My Regards To The Dancing Girls" is sped-up and stripped to its essence — yet no less of an anthem. "Metallica Font," the album's second advance single, is a powerful ode to friendship and a blistering slab of rock 'n' roll. In a perfect world, "Aretha Franklin" would go viral and prompt the masses far and wide to adopt "Pissing in the eyes of your racist uncle!" as their new mantra. "Dry Cider," a nearly six-minute slow-burn, meets every definition of an epic. "Glory Holes" combines the creativity of post-punk with the speed and force of hardcore. "Tales from the Megaplex" channels the fury of first generation street punk in a fully modern context. "Paulie Says" is the kind of perfect pop song all great punk bands ought to be able to write. Oh, and there's an Undertones cover as well!

On their full-length debut, The Sleeveens deliver a bulletproof release. I can't find a sub-par track, and different songs emerge as favorites every day depending on my mood. Murphy's lyrics are some of the best I've heard in recent rock 'n' roll — and when he sings, there's no question he means every word. Dirtnap Records is no stranger to consequential albums in the modern punk universe, and it has another game-changer on its hands with The Sleeveens. Of course those hooks can't be denied, and this band rocks like a motherfucker. Beyond that, this is music that's life-affirming, exciting, and full of passion. Something tells me I won't lose much sleep trying to decide on a number one album of 2024.

-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sleeveens-s-t
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C43bl6Ow58&list=OLAK5uy_kmZR3nFpQvZBnGHfYCRelL8OpZxhdm7bc
https://open.spotify.com/album/088ADgTsONAbSusEVRkjWp
https://www.instagram.com/thesleeveens/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091638910253
https://www.youtube.com/@thesleeveens
https://thesleeveens.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DirtnapRecords

The Sleeveens - "Aretha Franklin"

Is it premature to proclaim the debut album from The Sleeveens the early front-runner for 2024 album of the year? Of course! But The Sleveeens did release my #1 single of 2023, and reliable sources have tipped me that the full album is one of the best things to come down the pike in punk music in years. The album comes out on Dirtnap Records February 9th, and Ken has been swell enough to treat us to one little taste. The teaser/advance single is called "Aretha Franklin," and it's another '77-style pub punk rock 'n' roll banger with hooks for days and freaking amazing lyrics. The band describes "Aretha Franklin" as "a song of resistance to all the wickedness, greed, inequality and apartheid in this world." Now that's something I can get behind! If you're a Chiswick/Stiff Records fanatic, you need to be all over this Sleveens album. The song titles alone have me seriously geeking out! Pre-order is live at Dirtnap's Bandcamp!

-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sleeveens-s-t-preorder
The Sleeveens on Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/thesleeveens

More Kicks - Punch Drunk

The second album from More Kicks arrives nearly three years after the first, yet somehow it seems like it's been longer that. That's easily explained. More Kicks came out in November 2019 — just a few months before the shit hit the fan for the entire world. In "pandemic time," it's as if we haven't heard from More Kicks in half a decade. So what a wonderful return Punch Drunk is. It's being said that this album (out now on Stardumb and Dirtnap Records) is a significant departure from the more straight-forward power pop of the band's debut. In many ways, that's very true. It would be an injustice to try to nail this record down to any specific genre. Yet if you think of "power pop" as a broad, non-restrictive concept, Punch Drunk just might be the ultimate power pop record. It sure is pop, and good lord is it ever powerful! 

I've had the pleasure to follow the career of James "Sulli" Sullivan over a number of years now, and I consider him to be one of the finest songwriters going these days. He was on a bit of a hot streak at the time COVID hit, and there's no denying that he took it hard when he suddenly found himself unable to play shows or even properly rehearse with his band-mates. He ended up making the brilliant solo album Light Years, but you knew he was itching to finally get the band back together. The title Punch Drunk refers to Sulli's state of mind as he was putting this new record together in what he calls a "horrible moment" for himself and the world. And yet the feel of this album is triumphant and energized. You can sense the excitement Sulli, bassist Paolo Mantovani, and drummer Kris Hood had in finally being able to (in the near words of Ray Davies) rock out and have fun again. This album hits harder than any More Kicks recording ever has — when it wants to. And sometimes it goes softer than the band has ever gone before. Palpable influences range from Brit-pop to noisy indie rock to first wave punk to the Replacements/Paul Westerberg. Yet it all sounds familiarly like More Kicks. 

Sulli as a songwriter and singer has an immediately recognizable style. With this album, he's added a pinch of what worked so well on Light Years to More Kicks' established power trio sound. Nobody is going to hear this album and protest about it being too different. All the different is good different. It's like the band thought, "Let's make an album that rocks harder but is also more pop...and noisier and punkier." Somehow Punch Drunk manages to be all those things and more. Tracks like "Hurts Like Hell" and "Come Home" are on the punk side of power pop, which is always a sweet spot for me. "Color Me Stupefied" is quintessential Brit-pop and magnificent at that. "Seven Ways," which is rough and raw yet still fundamentally pop, brings to mind the golden age of college radio. If you looked up "perfect pop song" on a search engine, new single "Terminal Love" ought to show up. I heard "Rest of Our Lives" and immediately jotted down the words "vintage Sulli." But when this album veers from the hard pop style, it veers significantly. The recent single "Animal" sounds like a post-punk band did a mash-up of "My Sharona" and Pete Shelley's "Homosapien." It's quite possibly the best song More Kicks have ever done. With its loose charm and brilliantly self-effacing lyrics, "Phoney Middle Aged Art" is wonderfully Westerbergian. "Got Lucky" is intimate and reflective  — just a guy pouring his heart out over sparse keyboards and a drum machine. "Goodnight Goodnight" is literally and figuratively a marriage of solo Sulli and the full band rock and roll of More Kicks. I hate to keep making Replacements references since I find the influence to be more spiritual than stylistic. But there's definitely that similarity here where the ballads/slow songs end up being high points of an album. 

This was supposed to be the part where I assured you all that you will love Punch Drunk. But because I'm a terrible slacker and now a couple weeks late on this review, I might as well just say that I already know you love it! I've seen the rave reviews, and I concur with them fully. This is the work of not just an exceptional songwriter but also a truly fantastic band clicking on all cylinders. The pandemic had More Kicks down but never out. They've come roaring back with the album of their lives. I suppose we can say this for COVID and More Kicks: it took the sophomore slump off the table! If you follow this blog, you need to own Punch Drunk.

-L.R.

https://morekicks.bandcamp.com/album/punch-drunk
https://www.instagram.com/morekicksmorekicks/
https://www.facebook.com/morekicksmorekicks
https://www.stardumbrecords.com/products/more-kicks-punch-drunk-lp
https://www.facebook.com/stardumbrecords/
https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/more-kicks-punch-drunk
https://www.instagram.com/dirtnap_records/
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/

More Kicks - Animal

More Kicks are big favorites of this blog's readership, and that will certainly continue with the release of the great new 7" EP Animal on legendary labels Dirtnap and Stardumb Records. The title track, a preview of the band's forthcoming LP Punch Drunk, sounds like nothing this band has ever done before. Yet it's another reminder of why James Sullivan is one of the most highly-regarded songwriters in the punk/garage/power pop universe. "Animal" is a pop song, no doubt -- but one with a hard, angular edge and brutally self-aware lyrics. You always expect this band to deliver the goods, but this is next-level stuff. The song opens with a riff that brings to mind a post-punk band trying to play "My Sharona," and there are echoes of Pete Shelley in Sulli's phrasing. If you like catchy riffs, catchy choruses, and catchy everything, you need "Animal" on your summer playlist. I'm absolutely fascinated by these lyrics. When Sulli sings, "But the human world to me it seems too full/I'd rather jack it in to be an animal," I can't decide whether we're supposed to fear him or want to join him. Exclusive to this 7" are the two B-side tracks. "The Wind Up" is in the band's usual wheelhouse of consummate crunching power trio pop but with slightly noisier leanings. "10 Miles High" is a lovely little acoustic number that leaves a perfect melody floating in your head. If these gentlemen can leave songs this good off the album, you know the album is going to be something else! Punch Drunk releases September 16th. Click here for complete pre-ordering information!

-L.R.

https://morekicks.bandcamp.com/album/a-animal-7-b1-the-wind-up-b2-10-miles-high

https://www.stardumbrecords.com/products/more-kicks-animal-7
https://store.greennoiserecords.com/products/more-kicks-animal-ep-new-7?_pos=3&_sid=32e5fe4cf&_ss=r
https://brassneckrecords.bigcartel.com/product/more-kicks-7
https://open.spotify.com/album/0o6itQDi9MEHTd4Ik6Y4SI
https://www.facebook.com/morekicksmorekicks/
https://www.instagram.com/morekicksmorekicks/
https://www.facebook.com/stardumbrecords/
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/more-kicks-animal-ep

The Ergs! - Time and the Season

I've been tampering my expectations for 2022 after 2021 turned out to be nothing more than a bad sequel to 2020. That said, any year that affords me the opportunity to write about The Ergs! (at least) three times sure seems promising. Out today, the 7" Time and the Season finds The Ergs! back on Dirtnap Records, the label that released their second studio album and first compilation album. It's also the band's first new release since 2016's triumphant comeback EP Goddamn Death Dedication. So basically, this is a really big deal. Public displays of elation are well within reason and ought to be expected. 

After many years of study and deliberation, I have reached the conclusion that The Ergs! were the greatest pop-punk band of the 2000s. And it's not even close. The Ergs! were the Cadillac Eldorado, and whoever was #2 was a set of steak knives. At the peak of their game (in my estimation, The Ben Kweller EP through dorkrockcorkrod), The Ergs! were the best band on the planet. And so it delights me that Time and the Season reminds me so much of that "classic" period of The Ergs! The press release mentions it's "like they never went away", and that is 100% on-point. "Ultimate Falsetto Book" instantly takes me back to those good old days of the early to mid 2000s. Imagine, if you will, a world in which telephones were used for talking and people could agree that Nazis were bad. And if you were a girl-crazed lonely dude desperately looking for love, it was as if Mikey Erg was singing straight from your soul. I am pleased to discover that the formula holds up splendidly well to my 50-year-old ears. Another original, "Half Empty Strip Mall", employs quite the poignant modern-day metaphor in service of a vintage Ergs! number. The fact that this EP is 50% covers shouldn't dissuade anyone from making a purchase. The Ergs! have always excelled at covers, and here they tackle a couple of stone-cold classics from the 1960s. "Say You're Sorry" was originally recorded by The Remains, one of the most underrated American rock and roll bands of all-time. And of course you would hope that a band that once wrote a song called "Rod Argent" would eventually have a go at The Zombies' "Time of the Season". If you didn't know any better, you could mistake "Say You're Sorry" for an Ergs! original. "Time of the Season" is a little bit more of a straight cover, but the "they make the song their own" cliché certainly applies. And if this rendition leads just one person to discover that Odessey and Oracle is one of the greatest albums ever made, it'll be mission accomplished! 

It feels so good to be reviewing The Ergs! again! And this is just review number one of three! In the near future, I will have much to say about the band's new country EP Renovations and the long-awaited vinyl release of its second compilation album Hindsight is 20​/​20, My Friend Vol. 2: OK, Enough Reminiscing (on the legendary Creep Records!). I would have been happy with any new Ergs! music, but Time and the Season isn't just any Ergs! release. It's a freaking excellent Ergs! release! I'll delve further into where "Ultimate Falsetto Book" ranks in the Ergs! canon when I review Hindsight is 20​/​20, My Friend Vol. 3 in ten years.

-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-ergs-time-and-the-season
https://theergs.bandcamp.com/album/time-and-the-season
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Ergs/100063796026629/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Dirtnap-Records-Official/100063625227282/

Steve Adamyk Band - Paradise

When you think of powerpop/punk in the 2010s, the Steve Adamyk Band ought to be one of the first bands that comes to mind. Adamyk was there at the beginning of the decade, and he's still here at the end. Out on Dirtnap Records, Paradise is now the sixth SAB album (and first in three years). It's the first to feature the band's most recent three-piece lineup with Pat Johnson of The Acorn and Johnny O of Uranium Comeback backing singer/guitarist Adamyk. Spoiler alert: it rocks!

First things first: Paradise sounds like a Steve Adamyk Band record! No one's going to hear this album and be like, "Whoa! They really changed their sound!". And thank God for that. I'm not saying that Steve Adamyk invented powerpop/punk, but he was one of the individuals most responsible for defining what that genre would become in the present decade. A Steve Adamyk Band record that deviated from the basic formula of power pop influenced punk rock would just seem...wrong! Certain SAB albums have leaned more "pop" or "garage", but the band has never wavered from its general musical style. Paradise, for the lack of a better term, is quite possibly the "punkest" of the band's six albums. Recorded by Mike Bond and mixed by Jesse Gander, this is a huge-sounding album that really punches up the guitars and vocal harmonies. Locked in tight with his latest rhythm section, Adamyk just sounds like a guy who's super inspired to play some fast and tuneful punk rock! There's a palpable Ramones influence propelling "In Death" and the ripping title track. The band has never sounded more powerful or purposeful as it does on "Waiting To Die Part 2". "No Help", in the vernacular of the modern-day punk rock reviewer, is positively crackling! But don't go thinking that Adamyk has come to the table without some goodies for you pop people as well. "Take It To The Top" is powerpop/punk played right down the middle: the sort of song that Adamyk should never stop writing since he's just so damn good at it! "When I Was Gone" and a fine cover of The Kidda Band's "Get Off The Telephone" swing all the way to the power pop side and are total crowd pleasers. "Left In Pieces", which manages to mash the Beach Boys and new wave pop into the band's core sound, is one of this record's true gems.

There are few better than Steve Adamyk at turning out high quality poppy punk tunes. And my takeaway from Paradise is that his passion for creating this type of music has never been stronger. It goes without saying that anyone who has bought all of the band's previous albums will love Paradise as well. But I'll take it a step further: if the sixth Steve Adamyk Band album is somehow your first, it will make you want to own the other five!



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-paradise 
https://steveadamykband.com/ 
https://steveadamykband.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband/ 

Patsy's Rats - Roundin' Up

In the two years since I first raved Patsy's Rats, the Portland duo has released another EP and now three more singles. The band's newest single, "Roundin' Up", is the first 7" released by Dirtnap Records in three years. The title track, in my humble opinion, is the band's strongest since "Rock & Roll Friend" blew so many of our minds in 2015.

For this release, Patsy and Christian have enlisted Steve and Jon from Mope Grooves to play bass and drums. And the band sounds great! "Roundin' Up" is the perfect song for a 7" format. It's a total hit and definitely a track that will compel repeated spins. Style-wise, this one is right in Patsy's Rats' wheelhouse: punchy indie pop with Patsy's likeable vocals and some stellar lead guitar work really standing out. Be wary: this song is liable to get stuck in your head to the point where you may require medical attention. I can't stop playing it! If you can bring yourself to flip the record over, B-side "Little Rat Charm" is another ace tune. This song features Christian on lead vocals and starts out with a really mellow vibe to it. But stick with it, because that chorus is totally worth waiting for. What a hook! This is a little bit of a different sound for Patsy's Rats: like an updated version of '80s new wave pop. I had to double check to make sure it wasn't a cover of some obscure song from the soundtrack to a John Hughes movie!

Without a doubt, "Little Rat Charm" could have been an A-side in its own right. If Ken Dirtnap was going to get back into the 7" game, it seems appropriate that he waited for an opportunity to put out a single this good! No longer mere up-and-comers, Patsy's Rats are an absolute must-hear for anyone who's fond of well-crafted guitar pop. Bachelor Records will be releasing a singles collection later this year, and there's more new music on the horizon as well. For now, enjoy this terrific single - easily one of the year's best.



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/patsys-rats-roundin-up 
https://patsysrats.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/patsysrats 
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/ 

Drakulas: the debut album!

So the immensely-anticipated debut album from Drakulas has arrived, and it leaves no doubt as to why all of that anticipation was so immense! Drakulas are a garage/punk super group featuring the likes of Mike Wiebe and Rob Marchant from Riverboat Gamblers and Zach Blair from Rise Against. The band's debut album Raw Wave is out on Dirtnap Records, and it's another stellar addition the "Texas branch" of this venerable label.

While there's no doubt that fans of Marked Men, High Tension Wires, etc. will go completely nuts for Raw Wave, this is truly a release unlike anything else Dirtnap has ever issued. The sound is new wave meets garage punk meets power pop meets post-punk, and lyrically the songs come together to create what is essentially a work of high concept fiction. The story is set in an imaginary metropolis of the recent past that brings to mind the seedy 1970s Times Square - a domain of pimps, prostitutes, pornographers, gangs, street preachers, and addicts. Each song advances the narrative from the point of view of a different character. The title of the album refers to a period of time when the arrival of new analog technology loomed large in this world. Yet even with all of this literary ambition, the music never gets bogged down in pretense or grandeur. This is some seriously catchy stuff! Even if you weren't paying attention enough to realize that Raw Wave is a concept album, you could still delight in the record's pulse-raising mix of late '70s punk/new wave and more modern variations of garage and punk. The feel of the songs varies from the punchy, almost Dickies-ish rush of "Getting Out" to the futuristic menace of "BetaMax" to the dizzying frenzy of "Headphones/Slit Throats" to the angular oddness of "VHS" to the pure poppy punk of "Stepping On Glass". Drakulas really succeed at drawing from a number of stylistic influences and putting it all together to create someone that feels genuinely fresh. This is a rare case where a punk band manages to do something "different" without straying from the most satisfying elements of the genre. You can sit down with Raw Wave and absorb yourself in the story, or you could enjoy any of these tracks in complete isolation from the larger work. Either way, this is the best thing that Dirtnap has released in quite a while. One of the year's best!



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/drakulas-raw-wave-lp
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/website/
https://www.facebook.com/drakulastx/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225

New Low Culture album!

I would definitely consider Low Culture's 2013 debut album Screens to be the most underrated of all the great LPs issued by Dirtnap Records in recent years. Truthfully, I can't think of many better examples of the "Dirtnap sound". Listening to it over three years later, I am taken by how well it holds up and perplexed as to how it didn't make my top ten for 2013. I guess it was underrated even by me!

After a long wait, we finally get a second LP from Low Culture. It's called Places To Hide, and it's a dandy! The band, now based in Portland, Oregon, has totally knocked it out of the park with this album. Fans seeking more of the band's poppy, fuzzy, garagey punk goodness will not be disappointed by any means. But rather than rehashing its signature sound, Low Culture has chosen to build off of it. Without getting too far away from what this band does best, Places To Hide combines a tougher sound with more sophisticated songwriting and greater stylistic variety. This still sounds like a Low Culture record, but there are a few tracks that might totally surprise you as well. A lot of the lyrics are inspired by singer Chris Mason's move from New Mexico to Portland and the alienation/dissatisfaction that compelled this life change. Perhaps that sounds like heavy stuff, but I've always admired Mason's ability to pair "bummer" lyrics with music that's upbeat and hard-driving. He reminds me of Bob Mould in that respect. The feel of this album is ultimately triumphant - as Mason works through his issues and finds his way toward the light.

Places To Hide starts out in familiar territory with crowd-pleasing numbers like "Head In a Blender" and "Slave To You" rivaling the best of recent output from label mates such as Radioactivity and The Steve Adamyk Band. And "I Don't Buy It" is a shining example of pop-punk done right. But the breaks from Low Culture's signature form are no less satisfying. "Hate Me When I Go" eases off the tempo and is pretty close to a pure pop song, while the melancholic jangle of "Lonely Summer" really tugs at the heartstrings. Album closer "Shake It Off" - with its post-modern/new wave vibe - is almost completely unrecognizable as a Low Culture song. Yet it's not just there for the sake of something different. It's genuinely one of the highlights of the album - suggesting what Weezer might have sounded like if they'd come out in 1980.

With Places To Hide, we get an album from Low Culture that's somehow both poppier and harder-hitting than its predecessor. It's got enough in common with Screens to keep the fan base happy, but it's definitely a step forward for the band. Even more straight-forward tracks like "Evil" and "Take and Take" have surprising depth due to their emotional intensity and thoughtful lyrics. In every respect, this album is a classic Dirtnap release. Something tells me I won't be overlooking it come year end!



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/low-culture-places-to-hide
https://lowculturepdx.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lowculturepdx/

New Steve Adamyk Band album!

When it comes to singers and songwriters in the present-day punk world, Steve Adamyk has to be considered one of the most underappreciated talents out there. He's such a consistent creator of top-notch powerpop/punk that a lot of people take it for granted when he turns out yet another fantastic album. Fair or not, there's a perception that Adamyk essentially makes the same (great) record over and over. He finally seems poised to shed that rep with Graceland - his fifth album fronting the Steve Adamyk Band (out now on Dirtnap Records). Much to my delight, he accomplishes this without dramatically altering his approach to songwriting.

If you like catchy & ultra-energetic tunes that blur the line between punk rock and power pop, Graceland won't leave you wanting. Opening cut "Though My Fingers" can only be described as "classic" Steve Adamyk Band, and longtime fans will delight in heavily caffeinated racers like "If I Wanted To" and "Lose Control". But while Adamyk certainly would have been capable of delivering another first-rate album without leaving his lane, Graceland finds him majorly benefiting from some subtle changes in approach. "Give It Away" is similar to so many of Adamyk's top songs of the past - but with a less frenzied tempo and more breathing room for the hooks. "Carry On" and "Broken Arms" are pretty much pure power pop - and they're absolutely great! The entire back half of the album in particular hints at something close to a "new" sound for the band - with sprinklings of keyboards and inventive guitar/bass work infusing Adamyk's signature melodic punk style with a modern, new wave influenced feel. "High Mile", with its many layers and darker tone, is unlike anything we've ever heard from the Steve Adamyk Band. Yet it totally works - bringing to mind classic punk bands like the Buzzcocks that managed to indulge their experimental cravings without fully losing the plot. And the super-poppy, synth-infused "She's On My Mind" is a perfect example of why this is such a successful record. Rather than completely reinvent himself as a musician, Adamyk has chosen to add new dimensions that serve to complement what he already does so well. While never in doubt, his skills as a songwriter are really shining in a new light.

This is already my fourth time reviewing a Steve Adamyk Band album, and it has me hoping I'll get to review a whole lot more! If the distinction between previous albums largely came down to feel (e.g. Third was Adamyk's "punk" album; Dial Tone was his "garage" album), Graceland comes off as genuinely different from its predecessors. It still sounds like a Steve Adamyk record - just not one that you've heard before. Perhaps it's because I'm such a pop guy, but I consider this Adamyk's best work since Forever Won't Wait. Seriously: listen to "Carry On". If you're not digging it, I'm not sure we can remain friends.



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-graceland-lp
https://steveadamykband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband/

Radioactivity: the second album!

I've been eagerly awaiting Radioactivity's second album ever since the first one was released. Let's review: Radioactivity is Jeff Burke and Mark Ryan from The Marked Men along with Daniel Fried and Gregory Rutherford from Bad Sports. It's tempting to think of this band as a continuation of The Marked Men. But that's not quite accurate. Whereas The Marked Men is an equal creative partnership, Radioactivity is Burke's vehicle. Still, there's no denying that good things happen when he and Ryan get together to make music.

After all these years, Burke has developed a signature style as a vocalist and songwriter. What he's been doing with Radioactivity is taking that style and evolving it a little. Silent Kill, the new album, manages an ideal combination of familiarity and pleasant surprises. If you're looking for differences in this album, they're very subtle. Burke isn't trying to re-invent his approach to songwriting. Silent Kill's marriage of electrifying garage punk and tuneful power pop is straight out of the Jeff Burke/Marked Men playbook. With so many devotees and imitators out there these days, it's a pleasure to hear the master showing everyone how it's done. Scorching tracks like "Battered" and "No Alarm" provide instant gratification for anyone craving the "classic" Jeff Burke sound. The guy still knows how to sneak stellar hooks into a fast and aggressive shot of punk rock adrenaline. But it's the slower-paced songs that ultimately make the greater impression. The songwriting sensibility is melodic but not over the top "poppy". I love how Burke and co-producer Ryan were able to use the smallest touches (a haunting backing vocal here, an inventive guitar lead there) to bring a unique tone to mid-tempo pop songs like "Stripped Away" and "Where I Come From". The feel is darker and more contemplative, and it's carried off well. "Way Out" almost out-Buzzcocks the Buzzcocks!

Silent Kill is a logical successor to the first Radioactivity album. It gives you a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new. One minute it's leaning power pop, the next it's kicking up enough punk vigor to power a major city. This album throws a few bones to longtime fans, but by no means can it been written off as just another installment in the Marked Men franchise. Very often, we expect our favorite musicians to stick with what they do best yet not repeat themselves. Seems like an impossible task, eh? But that's essentially what Burke and the gang have been doing with Radioactivity. And as long as Burke continues to write songs as good as "Pretty Girl", I will eagerly await each new record. Silent Kill is a first-rate work of garage/punk/powerpop - brought to you by some guys who helped invent the genre. Get it from Dirtnap Records!



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/radioactivity-silent-kill 
https://www.facebook.com/radioactivitytx 
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com 

New album from Legendary Wings!

It's been two years since Kalamazoo, Michigan's Legendary Wings released their debut album, Making Paper Roses. Without question, I'd say that Making Paper Roses is one of the most underrated titles to come out on Dirtnap Records in recent years. And Legendary Wings, in my opinion, are one of the six or seven best bands on Dirtnap. Now they're back with a new album called Do You See - which I hope will be less underrated and more...uh....widely acclaimed! 

One of the things I liked best about Making Paper Roses was its raw, lo-fi charm. I wondered if Legendary Wings would be as appealing if they made a more "professional" recording. Luckily, that question seems moot in the wake of the release of Do You See. Essentially, Legendary Wings' second album is just a leaner, stronger version of their first. They haven't lost any of that rawness, and they have largely returned to the formula that worked so well last time: a back-and-forth between fast, catchy garage-punk and jangly fuzzy pop. Again this band finds a way to combine "classic" Dirtnap influences (think Marked Men, High Tension Wires) with a post Husker Du, early '90s college radio type sound ("Missed Connections" could almost pass for a Buffalo Tom demo!). These guys seem way more interested in tightening their chops and perfecting their songwriting craft than they are in polishing their sound in the studio. So even with the messy, rough-edged fidelity still very much in tact, you can totally hear a progression from the last album.

In the grand Midwestern punk tradition, Legendary Wings still exhibit an unassuming, "Let's plug in and let it rip!" approach to their music. This comes through gloriously on hard-chugging numbers like "Fatuous" and the crackling album closer "Use". But while Do You See is a total blast in every sense, it has way more going on than you might sense at the surface. "Weather Advisory", with its haunting chord progression and cleverly ominous lyrics, forecasts rough sailing on the relationship front. And the wistful jangler "Separate Rooms" will just about tear your heart out. These more melancholic pop songs are quickly becoming a signature for Legendary Wings. And when they're thrown into the mix with the more upbeat tracks and a few funny soundbites, it really makes for a well-rounded album.

In terms of both total running time and number of tracks, Do You See does not approach the sheer quantity of its 16-song predecessor. But perhaps this is what an album should be: just ten songs and nearly all of them fantastic. Legendary Wings have left me wanting more, and I keep hitting that repeat button once the music stops. Combining the best aspects of garage, pop, and punk, Legendary Wings have emerged as a genuinely original force in today's scene. And Do You See is a record that ought to make people notice.



-L.R.

http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/legendary-wings-do-you-see 
https://www.facebook.com/legendarywingskalamazoo 

Low Culture V. Needles//Pins!

In today's underground punk world, there aren't as many split releases as there used to be. But I still enjoy a good split from time to time, and Dirtnap Records is one label that really seems to "get" this format. If there's a down side to splits, it's that sometimes the one band is awesome while the other completely blows. Or sometimes bands will be paired together when they have absolutely nothing in common in a musical sense. So I really appreciate the thought that Ken puts into his split projects - and his history of winning pairings such as Something Fierce/Occult Detective Club and Mean Jeans/Big Eyes. Dirtnap doesn't get involved with splits very often. But when it does, it gets it right! A case in point is a brand-new one featuring Low Culture and Needles//Pins. Low Culture - with its poppy garage sound and direct Marked Men connection - is pretty much the quintessential Dirtnap band. And when it comes to Needles//Pins, a lot of us have been wondering why in the heck they weren't already on the Dirtnap roster!

I'll be honest - I had a preconceived notion that I was going to like the Needles//Pins side of this split way better than the Low Culture side. That's no knock on Low Culture - just a reflection on Needles//Pins being one of my favorite bands. But, you know, if I had to pick a "winner" of this split, I might give it to Low Culture by a hair. "Reservations" and "Don't Tell Me" are the best songs I've heard to date from this band. To me, these tracks are a perfect example of how a band can keep a lo-fi garage spirit in its music even when it records in a professional studio. With Joe and Chris so well-known for their work in Marked Men and Shang-A-Lang, it's no surprise that Low Culture combines qualities of both bands. That was true of the band's LP, but it's far more noticeable here with the better production. This is definitely a poppier sound than I was expecting - but in an adventurously off-kilter way. "Reservations" in particular indulges in a bit of what you might call "slacker jamming". I'm reminded a little of the classic days of alternative rock - when loose, fuzzy pop ruled college radio. I love the energy, and those melodies have really been working their way into my brain. If you fondly recall a time when "indie" rock didn't suck or are into newer bands like Tenement, I think you will dig. Now I'm stoked for the next album!

Both of Needles//Pins' contributions to this split are from the same sessions that produced the terrific Shamebirds LP. In case that album didn't leave you with your fill of bad breakups, broken hearts, and toxic relationships, "Hateful" picks right up where Shamebirds left off. I can't get over how good Adam is at writing this type of song. For his sake, I hope he doesn't write entirely from personal experience. But considering the brutal honesty and sheer intensity of his lyrics, it seems unlikely that he's just making this shit up! "Bored" is a song that people will relate to immediately - an anthem for all of us who know that one person who just needs to shut the hell up. What I love about Needles//Pins is that their songs speak to the universal human experience. But when it comes to the things that are genre specific about their music, there's no questioning why they're so beloved by powerpop/garage/punk fans. The lead guitar in "Hateful" is just so catchy, and "Bored" delivers a hook to die for. Sometimes the "leftovers" from bands' album sessions are best left unheard, but both of these songs are quite good. And now all feels right in the world since Needles//Pins and Dirtnap have finally worked together. I would say that this is not the last time you'll hear this band on this label.

Did I say that Low Culture "won" this split? I lied. It's a tie. And when a split is done right, that's just how it should be.



-L.R.

http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/low-culture-needles-pins-split-7
www.dirtnaprecs.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NEEDLESPINS/126242374075791
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Low-Culture/292105234150979

Sugar Stems are back!

Every time I sit down to write up an "official" list of my favorite bands, Sugar Stems are always somewhere near the top. The last time I composed such a list, I had them at #2. So it comes as no surprise that I would be raving about the Milwaukee outfit's new album - out today on Dirtnap Records. But while I usually laud bands for adhering like glue to tried-and-true formula, Sugar Stems have won me over by doing exactly the opposite. The band's debut LP was textbook bubblegum power pop - and a true classic of its form. I would not have complained about another album or two in a similar vein. But this band has never been content to repeat itself, and it was 2012's Can't Wait that started to give us an idea of who Sugar Stems truly were. Now the band has fully come into its own on the stunning Only Come Out At Night. No longer defined by influences or genre, this is a band we all love because of its unique talents and remarkable flair for perfect melodies. Sugar Stems, at this point, sound like Sugar Stems. Betsy is one of the best songwriters out there - and a superb and distinctive singer on top of that!

Only Come Out At Night is the full realization of everything that was promised on Can't Wait. It feels like such bad form to use the term "masterpiece" to describe an album that was just released 20 minutes ago. But, you know, it actually is a masterpiece! Not only has Betsy written the best songs of her life, but she's written so many of them that one might mistake this album for a greatest hits collection! And from a production standpoint, this is the best-sounding record I've heard in quite some time. While the band name still conjures thoughts of lighthearted cutesy fun, for the most part this is a far more serious and mature record than you're probably expecting. And I mean that in an entirely good way. This is an album that proves that power pop can "grow up" without losing the things that made it great in the first place. The hooks are bigger, the melodies are more beautiful, and just about every song ought to be a hit (seriously, why isn't "The One" all over the radio?!). Betsy sings about real life issues we can all relate to - her fears, her frustrations, her hopes and dreams. And her voice, while still sweet as punch, resonates with a confidence and power that could not have been foreseen a few years ago. And the band as a whole has never sounded better - propelled by Jon's dynamic drumming and strengthened by the addition of Andy Harris (ex Goodnight Loving) on keyboards.

Opening with the pretty, refined pop tracks "Baby Teeth" and "I Know Where I'm Going", Only Come Out At Night wastes little time in showcasing the maturity of Betsy's songcraft. But just when you think you've figured out exactly what kind of record this is going to be, it proceeds to surprise you with wonderful, unexpected turns. This album, it turns out, has a little bit of everything - from the '60s girl group splendor of "Some Might Say" to the rootsy rock n' roll of "Haunted" (featuring Drew on lead vocals) to the racing adrenaline of "Run Run Rabbit" to the crunching pop-rock of "Radio Heartthrob" to the lush acoustic radiance of "Million Miles". It's the kind of album that satisfies immediately - yet becomes even more enjoyable after repeated listens. And while it has the hooks and melodies to win over power pop diehards in a heartbeat, it's not strictly a genre record. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves melody or great music in general. The band has made a free stream of Only Come Out At Night available, and I think that's a brilliant idea. People are going to hear this album and want to own it - along with gift copies for various friends and family. I think I've got my album of the year front-runner!



-L.R.

http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/sugar-stems-only-come-out-at-night
https://www.facebook.com/sugarstems
http://www.sugarstems.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225

Dial Tone!

So prolific and consistently good that he's sometimes taken for granted, Steve Adamyk seems to be a victim of his own excellence. Maybe if he only managed one album every five years, the arrival of a new one would be cause for mass celebration and perhaps even a national holiday in Canada. But Dial Tone, out now on Dirtnap Records, is the fourth Steve Adamyk Band album in five years. Perhaps it's just my perception, but it seems like these last couple of albums have not been fully appreciated. The things Adamyk sometimes gets criticized for (e.g. too many songs sound the same, he's "only good at one thing") are exactly the things I like about him! If you feel the same way, you'll be happy to discover that Dial Tone is very much in the same vein as all previous albums from the Steve Adamyk Band. But if you think that Steve Adamyk just keeps making the same record over and over, you're not paying very close attention.

Granted, Steve Adamyk's "thing" is that he writes catchy power pop punk songs and plays them really fast. But I like that each album takes a little bit of a different angle. 2011's Forever Won't Wait went in more of a pop direction, while last year's Third was racing punk rock adrenaline. And now with Dial Tone, Steve and the gang offer a record that should go over great with today's garage crowd. The album was recorded by Matthew Melton (Warm Soda/Bare Wires), who definitely put his own stamp on it. If Warm Soda often comes off a little too laid back for my tastes and the Steve Adamyk Band could sometimes afford to give its hooks a little more room to breathe, then it goes to figure that this collaboration would strike the perfect balance. And it does! Dial Tone is a classic Steve Adamyk Band album with the muffled fidelity of a Warm Soda record. There are a few tracks (like "Suicide" and "Mirror Ball") that actually start off sounding like they might be Warm Soda songs - but then the vocals come in and you know exactly which band you're listening to! The light speed tempos maintained throughout Third have been dialed back just a little - resulting in an album that's not quite as dizzying but still snappy and energetic. Adamyk is a master at crafting punchy, hook-laden pop tunes - and front to back this is as good of a collection of songs as he's ever delivered. "Careless", "Last In Town", and "Empty Cause" are the kinds of songs Steve Adamyk has been turning out for years - and will hopefully continue to turn out for years to come. And perhaps because there aren't as many super fast songs on this record, breakneck numbers like "Waiting For the Top" and "Anne" really crackle.

Even with its top shelf material and Melton's nifty production touches (a handclap here, a sprinkle of synth there), Dial Tone would not be the record it is without such a tremendous performance by the band as a whole. The revamped four piece lineup that energized the band's sound on Third has found another gear on Dial Tone - tearing into these tunes with confidence and purpose. On the heels of great albums from Sonic Avenues and Mother's Children, Dial Tone reaffirms what a huge difference a killer rhythm section can make with this kind of music. This album essentially combines the best aspects of the previous two with additional hints of things to come (a couple songs nearly hit the three-minute mark!). I think it's by far the band's best album to date. There may be a time when Adamyk abandons the Buzzcocks/Ramones/Dickies songwriting template and stuns his fans with something completely different. But I'm in no hurry for that to happen. If you play this kind of music yourself, you know how hard it can be to write really simple songs. Adamyk seems to do it effortlessly - and his gift should be celebrated.



-L.R.

http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-dial-tone
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225

A stunner from Sonic Avenues!

If you're into today's garage/punk/powerpop scene, Sonic Avenues are a band you ought to be well-acquainted with. Their 2012 release Television Youth is a true latter day standard of the style. But on its superb third album, Mistakes, this Montreal foursome has moved well past any genre pigeonholes and fully come into its own. Much like Dirtnap label mates Something Fierce, the Aves can no longer be discussed in terms of what bands they "sound like". This isn't to say that they have moved away from pop or punk. But they've found their own unique voice as a band, and Mistakes is by far their best album yet.

Mistakes is generally more of a pop record than Television Youth was, and perhaps the first thing most people will notice is that the Aves don't play the entire album at lightning speed. There are a couple of tunes that totally race, and there are moments in a few songs where the tempo is pushed to the brink. But for the most part, the band has taken its foot off the pedal and really given its signature hooks room to breathe. The melodies that were so pronounced on previous releases are even stronger now, and the band's songwriting has gotten far more sophisticated and just plain better. I think most great bands eventually reach this point in their history - where they discard any preconceived notions of what their music is "supposed" to sound like and just start making the music that they want to make. By no means is Mistakes going to alienate the band's current fan base. This is a Sonic Avenues album all the way. It builds on the foundation the group had already established and takes a big step forward. You'll hear the band playing fast and slow - sometimes within the same song. Some tracks have a bright, goodtime vibe to them, while others come off vaguely dark or melancholic. And although the songwriting is more refined and complex, from an energy standpoint absolutely nothing has been lost. This is still the perfect band to listen to while you're out having fun with your friends on a summer night. "Automatic" and "Teenage Brain" are as infectious and immediately satisfying as anything this band has ever done, and they'll quickly have you punching up the volume and singing along.

Mistakes is that rare achievement in punk/powerpop music - a break from formula that doesn't sacrifice an ounce of what made the band great in the first place. From the opening notes of the spectacular "Waiting for a Change", the band sounds amazing - exuding tightness, confidence, and a palpable joy for playing music. New bass player Chance Hutchison has elevated an already outstanding rhythm section, and the lead guitar work is well beyond anything you'd expect to hear on a "punk" record. Mistakes was self-produced by the band in singer Max's apartment, yet it sounds like it was made in the best studio money could buy. It's just an incredible record at every level. Songs like "Too Late" and "Wasted Summer" recall the band's prior sound but do so much more with it. And while '60s pop inspirations have been critical for the Aves from the beginning, tracks like "In Your Head" and "Lost and Found" revisit them with a maturity and evolved artistry that will surprise a lot of people. In this realm of music, some bands are best-suited to make the same record over and over. Thankfully, Sonic Avenues are not one of those bands.



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-avenues-mistakes
https://www.facebook.com/SonicAvenues

Another one from Neighborhood Brats!

I recently declared L.A.'s Neighborhood Brats one of the best punk bands going today. And by "one of the best", I'm talking top ten if not top five. If you're still among the unconverted few, think fast and aggressive punk rock with strong melodies and a powerhouse lead singer. Total Dementia is the band's fourth 7" and fifth EP overall. And like all the others, it's a scorcher! Sticking to the Dangerhouse Records meets early Black Flag blueprint of their previous releases, the brats tear out of the gates fixing to kill. The title track is a re-worked version of a B-side by Roofie And The Nightstalkers - Jenny and George's pre Neighborhood Brats project. Propelled by a typically ferocious vocal from Jenny, the song more than lives up to its title. George's guitar is a veritable buzzsaw, and new rhythm players Tommy Branch and Richie Cardenas prove to be formidable additions to this outstanding band. Branch and Cardenas especially shine on the hard-hitting "Speckelos Nightmare". And "Bombay Beach Party Death Camp" is the kind of song we've come to expect from Neighborhood Brats - classic California punk fired out at hardcore speed. In keeping with the band's "post-apocalyptic beach party" theme, the closing cover of The Go-Go's "Lust To Love" has a cool dark vibe to it. And what a killer rendition! It's neat to hear Neighborhood Brats showing a poppier side and letting up on the tempo a little - yet still sounding totally like themselves!

Originally pressed last year for a European tour, Total Dementia now gets an official release on the great Dirtnap Records. Fingers crossed that 2014 will bring us an LP from Neighborhood Brats!

-L.R. 

http://neighborhoodbrats.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodbrats
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/

Radioactivity: Wow!

Within the first 20 seconds of Radioactivity's superb debut album, you might conclude that the Marked Men have gotten back together. Well, not quite! But Radioactivity is probably the next best thing. This group is a continuation of The Novice- the band Jeff Burke had going while he was living in Japan. Out of respect for his Novice band mates, Burke has changed the name of the group now that he's assembled a new lineup stateside with the likes of Mark Ryan and Gregory Rutherford on board. But musically, it's in the same style as The Novice. And some of the tracks on the album were originally Novice songs. Any way you shake it, you know what you're getting with Jeff Burke. So it's no surprise that the LP is full of songs in his signature buzzsaw pop style, and that they're predominantly short and fast and catchy as can be. I love that no matter how many times Jeff Burke plays on this kind of record, it's never any less thrilling to hear. He always finds new ways to keep the formula from getting stagnant, and it doesn't hurt that he writes consistently incredible songs. And when Burke does slow the tempos a little, you can hear him gravitating towards more of a pure power pop type sound. As you would expect, I've got no complaints about that!

Racing out of the gates, "Sickness" is vintage Jeff Burke goodness. It sets a tone that Burke, Ryan, and company enthusiastically maintain, powering through frenetic and supremely hooky tracks like "Other Life" and "World of Pleasure". And while there are plenty more awesome songs in the same vein ("When I'm Gone", "What You Want"), the variations from the formula are what ultimately distinguish Radioactivity from the Marked Men. The subtle Buzzcocks echoes of Burke's early songwriting become more obvious on bittersweet gems like "Alright" and "Don't Try". And towards the end, the album takes on somewhat of a stylistic shift. "The Last" and "Alone" completely abandon the frantic rush of the earlier cuts in favor of a mellowed-out, more sophisticated approach to power pop. And closing cut "Trusted You" is the kind of aching love song you might have heard on the radio at the dawn of the 1980s. But even with the evident "growth" in craftsmanship, the hooks are every bit as satisfying. In the end, you get an album that is very much typical of Jeff Burke - yet evolved enough to suggest that he's still progressing as an artist. He may have left Japan behind, but the influence of Japanese power pop continues to color his work.

In a year full of so many highly anticipated releases, Radioactivity's debut album kind of fell under my radar for a while. I knew it would be good, but I wasn't quite expecting it to be this good! It now holds the #2 position on my album of the year list. Every track is really good, and most are exceptional. With a second Radioactivity already on the way, I can't wait to hear what this band has in store for us next!



-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/radioactivitytx
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/radioactivity-s-t
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-novice-s-t-7

Bad Sports are back!

Holy smokes! Bad Sports have delivered a completely unexpected (and totally great!) follow-up to 2011's garagey pop/punk barnburner Kings of the Weekend. For its third album, The Denton/Austin power trio has embraced a more aggressive sound and a wider stylistic palate with firm roots in early New York City punk. No doubt, another album just like Kings of the Weekend would have been welcomed by just about everyone. But give Bad Sports credit - they've managed to do something very different while still retaining the essential qualities that made them such a good band to begin with. And in the process, they've made their best album by a mile.

Bras successfully blends echoes of CBGB's heyday with the grit and sizzle of contemporary Texan garage/punk. Bad Sports continue to focus on catchy, high-energy songs - but this time with a thunderous punch redolent of the Dictators, Dead Boys, and Testors. And impressively, they cover a lot of musical territory without ever sounding like they're reaching. By no means have Bad Sports made the typical retro '77 record. Yet in spirit, this is closer to genuine first wave punk than anything I've heard in a long time, with additional nods to Detroit and Australia. I dig the raw, stripped-down sound, and the variety and quality of the songwriting absolutely blows me away. I've never been that great at math, so naturally this is about the eighth album this year that I swear is a lock for my year-end top five. Don't let the joke title fool you - this record is a monster!

Bras comes out of the gates with the driving melodic punk of "Get You", and immediately you might think you're getting another Kings of the Weekend. But things turn in a hurry with the face-melting blast of "Rockin' The Noose", and by track three it's like you're listening to a completely different band. Style-wise, they run the gamut from the scorching, sneering fury of "Washed Up" to the ballsy power pop of "Nothing In This World" to the Lou Reed meets Television swagger of "Back In Time". The band's songwriting really reaches new heights here. "Let Me In" recalls lesser known NYC punk rock n' roll greats like Tuff Darts and The Demons, while the thumping "Race To The Bottom" walks a fine line between proto-punk and hard rock a la early Dictators. Bad Sports adhere to no specific formula, taking on toe-tapping poppy punk (the smash hit "Terrible Place") and creeping heavy rock (epic closer "Rich Kid City") with equally strong results. And while this album suggests emerging similarities between Bad Sports and Orville's other band OBN III's, they remain two completely distinct acts.

A collaboration between arguably the best two labels of the past decade (Dirtnap and Alien Snatch Records), Bras is mind-numbingly good. And while it was (brilliantly) produced by Mark Ryan and Jeff Burke, it would be a huge mistake to dismiss it as just another Marked Men related project. Sometimes it's a backhanded compliment to call a band "improved". But when a band was fucking killer to begin with and somehow takes it to a whole other level, that's truly a cause for celebration. For a while I've heard talk about how Bad Sports totally tear shit up live. And now they've captured that same energy on record! If you love the '77 and garage-punk sounds but are looking for a band that's anything but another sound-alike, Bras has got to be in your record collection.



-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bad-Sports/117644598247026
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/bad-sports-bras

Missing Monuments: the new album!

And now the album of the year conversation gets really complicated. It has truly been a blockbuster summer for LPs, and the self-titled effort from New Orleans foursome Missing Monuments just might be the crown jewel. Out this week on Dirtnap Records, this follow-up to 2011's excellent debut Painted White was probably my most highly anticipated release of this year. Yet somehow, the album is even better than I thought it would be!

Missing Monuments is precisely what I've been craving: a red hot rock and roll record combining power pop hooks with arena rock guitar shredding. For my money, Louie Bankston is the best songwriter out there. And clearly the list of bands on his resume (Royal Pendletons, Persuaders, Bad Times, Exploding Hearts, Kajun SS, Loose Diamonds, Black Rose Band) is beyond impressive. But Missing Monuments just might prove to be his best band yet. Formed four years ago by Louie and his lead guitarist pal Julien Fried, Missing Monuments really gelled as a unit when Benny Divine (Wizzard Sleeve) joined on bass in 2011. The difference in the band really shows in this new record. Compared to Painted White, the album rocks harder and sounds more like the work of a true band firing on all cylinders. And from a production standpoint, this record sounds totally amazing.

While a lot of reviewers like to lump Missing Monuments in the "garage/power pop" category, that's really an oversimplification of what this band is about. I don't think there's another group out there that sounds quite like Missing Monuments. These guys have made a gritty, soulful rock n' roll record with a uniquely southern/Cajun flavor. I can name a number of Louie songs that are among my favorites of this or any era. But I don't think he's ever written a better collection of songs than this one. There's not a sub-par track on the whole album. Songs like the big statement opener "Answer The Call" and the scintillating "Crash Landing" (Southern rock meets the Dead Boys?) really bring the heat, while "Super Hero" is the latest in a long line of "classic" Louie pop gems. Reprised from last year's EP on HoZac, "Another Girl" is still the most fun you can have with your clothes on. And I love the passion and intensity of Louie's vocals on a lot of these songs. Whether it's a heartbreaking ballad ("Tru Luv"), a ripping jolt of melodic punk ("Heart and Soul"), or a balls to the wall rocker ("I Don't Share"), Louie really excels at injecting his personal stories with genuine emotion. When he sings of loss and betrayal, you really feel it. In that respect, his songwriting truly transcends genre. And as a band, Missing Monuments tear into these songs with tremendous power and energy. Julien's lead guitar work is absolutely sick, and that rhythm section (Divine and drummer Aaron Hill) is a machine.

The CD version of this release is a deluxe package - tacking on the band's first LP in its entirety plus the HoZac 7" for a total of 23 tracks. What a deal! If this is your first time buying a Missing Monuments release, you will definitely hear a discernible evolution from where the band was a couple years ago to where it is now. But I never bought into the whole "power pop" pigeonhole in the first place. As far back as two years ago, I was comparing these guys more to the likes of the Compulsive Gamblers. And they've continued to carve their own identity as a band. Who else out there is doing poppy Southern-ish rock n' roll with dueling Flying V's and epic metal solos? It's definitely a distinctive mix of things that makes Missing Monuments the spicy musical gumbo that they are. And while it all starts with Louie's raspy voice and brilliant songwriting, that's not where it ends. I think what we have here is the next great American rock n' roll band. And they're just hitting their stride!



-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/MissingMonuments
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/missing-monuments-s-t
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225