JENNY - "Trajinero"

As you may know, JENNY is the solo project of a great friend of this blog -- Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Maniac, Suspect Parts). "Trajinero" is JENNY's debut Spanish language single and second release overall. It will be coming out as a 7" record on Wanda Records in Europe and Dirt Cult Records in North America. "Trajinero" is something a little different from Maurer. He recorded the track with Jacobo Fernandez (Las Bruscas, Les Tragiques, Desobedientes) and Gabriel Lopez (Espectroplasma, Sonido Gallo Negro) in Mexico City in November of 2020. Co-written by Maurer and Fernandez, the song is loosely based on the plot of Emilio "El Indio" Fernández's 1943 film Maria Candelaria. Its protagonist is a lovelorn working-class trajinero who commits a crime of passion and must face the consequences. In just a few lines, the song tells an epic tale. Yet even with such dramatic themes, this is an immensely fun song that ought to have you dancing and singing along in short order. Man, I love those keyboards! A truly amazing music video for "Trajinero"  (embedded below) was animated by Miguel Jara and Celestial Brizuela. 

"Trajinero" is backed with "Kids of Today", which Maurer recorded in Los Angeles with his former LA Drugz bandmates Cezar Mora, James Carman, and Johnny "JD" Reyes. The track is a classic shot of power pop punk in Maurer's signature style. What a powerhouse single! The digital release of "Trajinero" is available now from JENNY's Bandcamp. Hit up Wanda Records or Dirt Cult Records to pre-order vinyl! 

-L.R.

https://jenny2020.bandcamp.com/album/jenny-trajinero-b-w-kids-of-today
https://www.facebook.com/JENNY.POWERPOP.BAND

Premiere: JENNY (Justin Maurer)

Here's a really wonderful surprise to start a new month! Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Suspect Parts, Maniac) is a great friend of this blog and one of my favorite people in music. Today he debuts a new solo project called JENNY that he created with the help of a couple of luminaries from the world of underground pop. If you're a fan of Justin's other bands, you will not be disappointed by JENNY. Three of these tracks were recorded by James Carman (whom I just talked about last week!). The other two were recorded by Matt Rendon of The Resonars.

JENNY came about after Maniac broke up. Maurer was working on some songs that were shaping up in a power pop direction. Naturally, his friend Carman was a perfect choice to record the songs and contribute drums and backing vocals. The first three songs on the EP are from the sessions with Carman. The final two tracks were recorded in Tuscon last Christmas with Rendon, who also played bass, drums, and lead 12-string guitar as well as singing backing vocals. Even though this is a true solo project, I appreciate that Mauer allowed his collaborators to put their stamp on these recordings. The songs Maurer recorded with Carman are in the style of late '70s power pop/punk-pop and recapture a great deal of the magic the two made together in LA Drugz. The tracks recorded with Rendon have a distinctive '60s pop flavor. In terms of the sound of the recording, The Everly Brothers were a big inspiration. If you're a big Maurer fan, you may recognize "Song For Sadie" from a recent Suspect Parts release. The JENNY version sounds so different that it's practically a new song! I dug this tune before, but this particular arrangement has me feeling the emotion of the song tenfold. The bare bones percussion is an homage to the Los Lobos song "Christmas and You", which Mauer was enamored with at the time of the recording

JENNY will soon be released as a one-sided 12-inch by the always fabulous Wanda Records. Digital is available now via Bandcamp, so go check it out!



-L.R.

https://jenny2020.bandcamp.com/album/jenny

Suspect Parts - "You Know I Can't Say No" (Video Premiere)

I am deeply honored to premiere "You Know I Can't Say No" - the new music video from Suspect Parts! It has been released in conjunction with the powerpop/punk supergroup's new single of the same name. Following the band's tremendous debut album from 2017, "You Know I Can't Say No" is Suspect Parts' first single in nine years and fifth overall. It's out today on Dirt Cult Records in the USA and Wanda Records in Europe.

Made up of Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Maniac), James "Sulli" Sullivan (Ripchord, More Kicks), Chris Brief, and Andru Bourbon (Radio Dead Ones), Suspect Parts represent the union of three countries and several complementary musical aesthetics. The group's brand of buzzsaw powerpop/punk has roots in '60s pop, early UK punk, and the melody-driven punk rock of '70s California/early 2000s Pacific Northwest ."You Know I Can't Say No" is vintage Suspect Parts - a bittersweet pop song with a whole lot of guitar crunch. There are times when I think that Sulli is the new Pete Shelley, and this is one of those occasions! The video was shot at Smail Shock's recording studio in Kaulsdorf, East Berlin. Shock (from legendary Berlin punk band The Shocks) recorded this single as well as the band's LP. You can see him in this video walking down the stairs and watering plants in the control room. I consider myself a big Suspect Parts fan, and this is my favorite track from this band to date. That melody is something else! Accompanying "You Know I Can't Say No" on this release are another brilliant heart-wrenching pop tune in "Song For Sadie" and a really fun cover of "Hundsgemein" by Berlin new wave band Ideal. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you need this record and this band in your life. This is how you do powerpop/punk! My friends in Europe can order the record here! If you're in the States, order here!


-L.R.

https://dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/you-know-i-cant-say-no
https://wandarecords.bandcamp.com/album/you-know-i-can-t-say-no
https://suspectparts.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/SuspectParts/ 
https://www.facebook.com/dirtcultrecords/ 
https://www.facebook.com/wandarecords/ 
https://mailorder.wandarecords.de/ 

Justin Maurer - "Falling on Deaf Eyes"

Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Maniac, Suspect Parts) has been a favorite of this blog for many years. Today I want to feature something he is doing outside the realm of music. He has written and produced a play called "Falling on Deaf Eyes" that will be premiering next month at Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019. "Falling on Deaf Eyes" is an autobiographical comedy about a single Deaf mother raising a family of teenage punk rockers in a small town. This production incorporates music, sign language, storytelling, and theatrical visuals along with a team of sign language interpreters to ensure access to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The play is being directed by Jevon Whetter and will feature the performances of a talented cast of actors and musicians. I had the pleasure of discussing "Falling on Deaf Eyes" with Maurer. Here's what he had to say! 


F & L: "Falling on Deaf Eyes" must be an extremely personal project for you. Have you written about your mother's experiences raising you and your siblings before? How did it come about that this story became a stage production?

JM: The title "Falling on Deaf Eyes" is a play on what my mom used to call her "Deaf eyes". She wouldn't miss anything because her vision was so astute. I remember one time, I walked into the room and she turned her head. I asked her how she knew I was in the room because she couldn't hear me. She said, "I saw the curtain move in the corner of the room...Deaf eyes!"

I did write a few true stories in some chapbooks that were published. I had my dad thrown in jail when I was 16 for assaulting my sister, and I've written a little bit about that. It's a therapeutic experience to just let stuff like that go, and by writing about it, you can also hold the responsible parties accountable. We ended up getting a restraining order against him and moving into low-income housing. My mom was a part-time ASL teacher at the high school, and sometimes we had to eat canned food from the local food bank. Punk rock was a very important outlet for me at this time. And going back and looking at the strength of my mom, I wanted to write something that could show her resilience during this time.

As far as this becoming a stage play, I realized that punk can have a limiting audience, and book readings can have a limited audience. I also realized by working as a freelance ASL Interpreter that many of my performances weren't accessible for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. I wanted to put together a show that everyone could enjoy, and to also try something new. I've been recording and touring with punk bands since I was 15. I'm 35 now and wanted to give myself a new challenge.

F & L: You are working with some tremendously talented individuals in this production. How did you go about bringing these people into the fold?

JM: You're right! I'm very lucky to have them all on my team. I met Jevon Whetter as he was a striking Deaf teacher during the L.A. teachers' strike. I was friends with his brother Del who told me how experienced Jevon was at acting and directing plays for the National Theatre of The Deaf and Deaf West Theatre. Since this is my first time writing and producing a play, I wanted someone experienced, and also wanted a pair of Deaf eyes on the play to make sure that it's also entertaining for a Deaf audience. Jevon suggested Deaf actor Lisa Hermatz for my mom's character. She is very charismatic, and I think she's perfect for the role. Voice actor Jann Goldsby will be voicing for Lisa. We have Canadian singer/songwriter STACEY writing an original score on piano for the play, and she will be playing it with us live for all of the performances. We also have some very talented ASL interpreters George Balayan and Andrew Leyva working with us. Del Whetter is producing.

This thing all seemed to come together pretty effortlessly. Now we need to put the work in and put some finishing touches on the script and rehearse quite a bit for the four weeks leading up to the show!

F & L: What is your previous experience with stage productions?

JM: In high school on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where the play is set, I worked with the legendary Bob McCallister. He had been in loads of music videos, directed and wrote many plays, and was an all-around inspiration. I remember I was too broke to buy or rent a suit for our high school prom, and he let me borrow a suit. I was in a bunch of plays with him in high school, and since then have not set foot on a theatre stage. I have written quite a bit, though, and all of these mediums are related - scripts, short stories, books, treatments, etc. Luckily for me, I have some very experienced theatre folks on my team who will help bring this vision to fruition.

F & L: Aside from the entertainment value of this production, are you anticipating this being a highly educational experience as well? What would you like people to learn about American Sign Language?

JM: Sure, I'd like hearing people to be aware of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing American experience. They're often a voice that isn't listened to or disregarded. I would like people to expand their curiosity about American Sign Language, but also be aware that along with a language, there's a very rich culture. Storytelling is an important part of this culture as well as performances in ASL. Hopefully we do it justice.

F & L: You've received a great deal of recognition for your work as an ASL Interpreter for the LA teachers' strike. What was that experience like for you?

JM: It was an incredible experience. It was emotional. It was tense. It was inspiring. 32,000 teachers picketing and marching for six days in the rain was a real sight to behold. The rallies had around 50,000 people attending, and included musical performances from groups like Ozomatli, Wayne Kramer, Aloe Blacc, and Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine. Being up on that stage in front of city hall with all of the teachers screaming and chanting, it was something else, man. I won't forget it for the rest of my life. It was such an honor to be a part of, and I have so much respect for all of those teachers who put everything on the line for their students and their communities. As far as the recognition, I was just doing my job. It was an emotional moment, so many of the speeches were filled with passion and emotion. My interpretation reflected this emotion. It was my job to provide equal access to communication for all of the Deaf educators on strike as well as the Deaf and Hard of Hearing parents and students at home who were watching on TV for updates. The strike affected millions of people, and there's approximately 800,000 Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Southern California, many of them in LA County, with kids in the LA Unified School District. An interpreter should never be the center of attention. But as I was on TV interpreting the press conferences, and was up there on stage interpreting the speeches and musical performances, I did end up getting some attention. I think it's important to note that I was there to provide equal access to the Deaf Community, not for any other reason. I'm so fortunate to have been able to have been a part of that inspiring movement.

F & L: How did the experience of growing up with a Deaf single mother inform you as an artist?

JM: My mom could feel music, but being profoundly Deaf, she couldn't hear it. She loved feeling the bass in the car. So I could blast music driving around with her. She was supportive, although she wished I would spend more time studying or doing school work rather than spending endless hours playing guitar and drums. She also saw punk fashion as being directly related to people who used drugs. She also was confused by the bondage thing, spiky hair, mohawks. She didn't really understand that part of it. She was ostracized her whole life for being different; she just wanted to fit in. Having kids with green mohawks certainly didn't help that ambition of hers. But that said, she let us have band practice in the basement, she let us throw shows in the basement. So she was cool as a mom; she was supportive of us in that way. God bless her for putting up with us.

F & L: I see you have seven performance dates scheduled for this production. Do you envision continuing this production again in the near future?

JM: Yes, there are seven shows as a part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. I would love to tour with the show. We've gotten a little interest up in Seattle, where this show is set. So I'd love to go up there and do it. I also found out that the Bainbridge Island Museum is doing an exhibit on Bainbridge Punk and Youth Culture. This show is set on the 1990s on Bainbridge Island, so I would personally love to do a performance on Bainbridge as well as in Seattle. It's amazing that the museum up there is legitimizing all of the trouble we caused as a legitimate form of art 20 years later. Back then the cops would shut down many of our shows. We'd have to hide in the bushes 'cause we were drinking underage. Neighbors would call the police on our band practices and our shows. It's nice to see the adults on Bainbridge now perhaps changing their perspective on the music we made and the shows we threw. We created something out of nothing. Kind of like this play.
  
More info and tickets to "Falling On Deaf Eyes" are here:
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/5982 

-L.R.

https://www.facebook.com/fallingondeafeyes 

IG: @fallingondeaf

IG: @maurerjustin

Twitter: @justinmaurer17

MANIAC - Dead Dance Club

Man, have we ever had an astounding flurry of new album releases over the last couple of weeks! The barrage continues with the second album from MANIAC, who have been a little quiet since releasing brilliant singles back in 2015 and 2016. I would definitely consider myself a MANIAC, so of course I was eager to hear the long-awaited Dead Dance Club (out today on Hovercraft and Dirt Cult Records). The band's first LP Demimonde from late 2014 is, in my opinion, an overlooked gem of present-day punk albums. I wouldn't change a thing about it, but I appreciate that Dead Dance Club is a little different. Sure, MANIAC can still do fast and frantic punk rock with the best of 'em. The opening 1-2 punch of "City Lights" and "Subject To Change" might lead you to believe that this album is headed down the same dizzying path as the last one. But then comes the moody and modern "Neutral Libido", and it's quickly apparent that the band has upped its game. It all still sounds very much like MANIAC - edgy, energetic, and forged in the storied traditions of West Coast punk and pop. But the band has really pushed itself to expand its sound on this release. There is no shortage of ripping tracks, but standout numbers like "Modern Love" and "Post Post World" really give the album atmosphere and room to breathe.

One of MANIAC's greatest strengths is that it has four songwriters and four essential contributors. Singer/bassist Zache Davis is probably considered the "front man", but on quite a few of these songs he trades off vocals with his band mates. F & L favorite Justin Maurer authored some of the album's strongest tracks. Andrew Zappin is one of my favorite lead guitarists working today. James Carman, in addition to being an incredible drummer, is a tremendous pop songwriter and vocalist. That's a whole lot of talent, but it's the way it all comes together that defines MANIAC. You can hear that in the interweaving of the two guitars, the sophisticated layering of the vocals, and Carman's soaring harmonies. Davis, quickly emerging as a modern master of odes to failed relationships, contributes the deliciously bittersweet "Neutral Libido" and crackling "Living In Stereo". The latter brings to mind a Cali-soaked Buzzcocks. Maurer's songs cover a range of topics from youth and the loss of innocence ("Children of the Dirt") to how our contemporary society no longer believes in anything ("Post Post World"). The reappearance of three 7" tracks was music to my ears because they were just too good to leave out ("Calamine", to me, is a top five MANIAC song). And then there's "Dead Dance Club", which I absolutely love! It's completely unlike anything the band has done before, yet it fits so perfectly on this album. This song has me envisioning MANIAC as a band in a John Hughes movie! 

MANIAC is a band like no other - distinctively part of the modern wave of powerpop/punk yet so undeniably influenced by the art and multiculturalism of Southern California. Those last two singles suggested that MANIAC was on the verge of a significant step forward, and Dead Dance Club fully confirms that. "Maturity" in punk groups is often considered risky or downright counterproductive. In this case, however, the advancements in songwriting and production really hit the spot. Demimonde was a very good album. Dead Dance Club is a genuinely great one.



-L.R.

https://dirtcultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dead-dance-club 
http://www.hovercraftpdx.com/ 
https://store.greennoiserecords.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/maniac-dead-dance-club-lp 
https://wearemaniac.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreManiac/ 

An Interview with MANIAC

You've probably deduced after seven years that this blog doesn't do band interviews. Well apparently there's a first time for everything. MANIAC is one of my favorite bands, and when they came a calling I wasn't about to say no. So I dusted off my long-dormant interview chops in anticipation of MANIAC's new album Dead Dance Club, which releases later this week. On to it!

MANIAC PERSONNEL: 
Zache Davis (ZD): vocals, bass 
Justin Maurer (JM): vocals, guitar 
Andrew Zappin (AZ): lead guitar 
James Carman: (JC): drums 

F & L: Hi MANIAC! Your new album Dead Dance Club strikes me as being very socially and culturally relevant to our present moment. Was that intentional?

AZ: All great art is a carefully constructed reflection of the times in which it is made. So, to answer to your question...no.

F & L: Musically, how is this album different from the last one? Were there any particular influences or ideas that shaped the sound of Dead Dance Club?

JM: This record was recorded after 2 west coast tours, a European tour, and a gazillion local shows, so this record sounds like how we sound live: tight, loud, and combustible. We were also real comfortable after recording 2 previous times with Mark Rains at Stationhouse Studio. Mark had his dog Darkness roaming around the studio, we ordered Thai food, it felt like home. The 3rd time with Mark was definitely the charm. As far as influences or ideas, we all work off of each other, it's a collaborative effort and we enhance each others' songs with our own individual parts. Team MANIAC has been through the ringer, so a lot of that toughness comes out in the music.

ZD: Thematically speaking, this record is a therapy piece for me. The first record was all about fun and academic experiences. The songs I sing on Dead Dance Club are much more personal and I confronted a lot of issues that I had been dealing with for a long time. It's cliché to say that your second record is more mature than your first, but it is.

F & L: Those last two singles were rippers! I was glad to discover that most of those tracks were re-recorded for Dead Dance Club. Was there any hesitation about having those songs on the album?

JM: Thanks! I like the single versions of these tunes, but like I said before, playing these songs out live on tour really gives them some dimension. The album re-recording of these tunes really gives them a lot of volume, if that makes sense. Ya know, like hair. Thicker hair, more volume, more personality. No hesitation from the MANIAC camp on putting these tunes on the LP.

ZD: Not at all. I think we knew we were going to include the three songs on the record after we recorded them the first time. Especially with "Precision Accuracy". That was one I really liked but wasn't 100% confident in until I heard it played back the first time.

F & L: When I'm listening to MANIAC, I can feel the band's environment in the music. It's like Los Angeles and the West Coast inhabit these songs. How do you do that? Beyond just the subject matter of the songs, what would you say is distinctively Californian about MANIAC?

JM: This city can really get a grip on you in a good way and a bad way. I think we all love this city, and we all have a different perspective on the 4 corners we live in and our own personal stories that come from this place. Me and Zache also both have history in the Pacific Northwest, so that Pacific Northwest sound is definitely present, but to me we sound like MANIAC. If we were in the Midwest or the east coast, we would definitely sound differently. It's interesting how regional influences actually affect the sound of a band. I mean, there's crappy punk bands everywhere and we are most certainly superior. We think, therefore we am. What makes MANIAC distinctly Californian? Zache surfs, Andrew is a filmmaker, James reminds me of Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and my dad was a disco dance instructor and Catholic seminarian who also sang in a new wave band called The Defenders in 1980. I'm pretty sure that couldn't happen in any other state.

F & L: You've got four people in this band, and everyone is contributing to the songwriting. Yet it's not easy for me to go through a record and pick out who wrote what. How do four guys all write songs and manage to maintain such a cohesive musical identity?

AZ: In many cases, we write songs live. Someone comes up with a riff or a beat, and we all add a piece until there's a fleshed-out whole; like Frankenstein (the monster not the song). Even when a member brings in a complete song, the band gets its hands on the thing and shapes and molds it and eventually that song becomes a full-fledged MANIAC tune.

ZD: Every song on that record, whether written in solitude or in the space with three additional contributors, ultimately still takes on the "MANIAC" sound. We all differ from mild to extreme with individual playing styles and influences. I think that's what keeps our music interesting for me––it's that we often don't agree on a base for a song, but we work through every idea anyways. And sometimes after everyone adds their particular style, well that's just MANIAC.

JM: A hint is that the person who is singing the song probably wrote it. Andrew writes a lot of songs too. He is just shredding too hard to sing. James's drum parts and vocals also really tie the room together. Sometimes musical partnerships just work out well. We are blessed to have each other. Thank fuck no one in our band likes Nickelback, Creed, or Smashing Pumpkins. Oh wait, I take that last one back.

F & L: MANIAC has such great energy on record. How does this translate to your live shows? Do you generally find that crowds respond enthusiastically?

AZ: Actually, I think it's the other way around. We translate our live energy to the album in the studio. We play live in the studio, and we have a great engineer in Mark Rains at Station House; so it happens pretty naturally.

ZD: Crowds are a mixed bag, it really depends on the city, show, venue, audience. We make it a point to deliver high-energy performances for every gig. Sometimes crowds respond to that and sweat with you. Other times they stand and stare.

JM: I personally try and play every live show as if it was the last show I will ever play. If I'm not out of breath and nauseous and sweating and holding onto the wall for dear life after we're done playing, then I haven't done my job correctly. Our best audiences to date have probably been in Germany, Spain, and Vancouver BC. This town tends to take its bands for granted. When MANIAC are on, we're like a well-oiled machine, high kicking dangerously close to faces, singing mostly in-key, and sometimes losing control and falling into the drums (sorry James).

F & L: Underground music in the digital age is this immense, almost infinite universe. Almost anyone can create and release music. Getting that music heard is a different story. As artists, how do you view the world of 2018? Is it ever a frustration to put so much into a record and then wonder how many people will actually hear it?

ZD: When we record something, of course we want as many listeners possible to hear it. And of course, it can be frustrating. However, I'd rather put that energy towards writing more songs than worrying about how many people will hear them.

JM: Yeah, agreed, there's a lot of over saturation, over stimulation, sensory overload. It's pretty hard to get people to listen or pay any attention as people have such a short attention span these days. It's cool that people around the world can listen to your music on their smartphone for "free", but it's an uphill struggle. I find it insane that bands (sometimes us included) pay to advertise on Facebook, a multinational corporation that earned almost 5 billion in the 1st quarter of this year. Small independent bands who hardly earn any money actually pay Facebook to advertise so that they can try and get noticed in an extremely overcrowded room. It's a wiggly world we live in, but we don't have a choice, we live in 2018 and we're playing in a rock and roll band. Sometimes it feels like we're the last of the Jedis, playing in a band the old way, but trying our best to adapt to the present. I do kinda miss the old days of making copies of flyers at Kinko's with a stolen copy key and hitting the city with posters and flyers. It was a more innocent time. The song "Post Post World" on our new record is kind of about this. In these times, we are beyond postmodern, we're actually post, post, postmodern. We're part of a subculture of a subculture of a subculture. We're a little insignificant bacteria, but hopefully we'll get a lot of people sick with our infection. The good sick.

AZ: I've spent my entire life tossing lovingly created, personal work into the abyss of public consumption. So, not really, I'm pretty used to it by now. Personally, I have no expectation that anyone will hear MANIAC's music or be affected by it, so that, if and when they do, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

F & L: What are your hopes for how this album will be perceived?

AZ: If it is perceived at all, I hope it makes people jump around and jiggle their butts and titties and dongs and whatever other body parts they have that move when bitchin' tunes play.

JM: I think people will like it. I just want Steve Jones to play us on Jonesy's Jukebox and Henry Rollins to play us on KCRW. And I wanna play Japan and Australia! Thanks for the interview, man, really appreciate it! And thanks to the dozens of MANIAC fans out there reading this now.

MANIAC's new album Dead Dance Club will be out June 1st on Dirt Cult and Hovercraft Records. 
  

-L.R.

https://wearemaniac.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreManiac/ 

Suspect Parts - Self Titled

After a decade as a band, the international supergroup Suspect Parts finally has a full-length album to its credit.  And it's an absolute must-buy if you're a fan of powerpop/punk! The band is Justin Maurer (Clorox Girls, Maniac) and James Sullivan (Ripchord) on guitar and vocals, Chris Brief on drums, and Andru Bourbon (Radio Dead Ones) on bass. With Maurer's name on this project, you would not be wrong to expect music influenced by the poppier side of first wave punk rock with a particular emphasis on southern California. But this band is a true collaborative effort that highlights the talents and influences of all of its members. Musically and lyrically, Maurer and Sullivan both bring phenomenal songs to the table. And all in all, Suspect Parts really set themselves apart from most of the bands playing this kind of music today.

Suspect Parts describe their music as "a cotton candy meets razorblade concoction that goes down surprisingly smooth". If you're thinking that sounds like something I'd be totally into, I'd say you're very correct! But while Suspect Parts completely hit the sweet spot for powerpop/punk, they bring something really unique to the style. They're far more '60s-inspired than just about any band you'd think to compare them to, and they manage to take all of their influences and bring them into the now. Out on Taken By Surprise Records in Germany and Oops Baby Records in the U.S., the band's self-titled debut LP is without question one of this year's finest. The album sets a tone with a terrific 1-2-3 punch of textbook powerpop/punk ("Madmen With Guns",  "Electrify Me Honey", "Live Over There"). But just when you think you know exactly what this record is going to be, it starts to take wonderfully surprising turns. "Alright With Me" and "Run For Your Life" dial back the punk influence and prove that Suspect Parts can craft finessed pop songs as well as anyone. The latter just might be the high point of the album - a song that manages to feel epic even with a running time under three minutes. "Change Your Mind" is a perfectly executed stab at a punked-up Beatles, while "Out of Place" delivers the heart-racing jolt you'd hope to get from a band with a Briefs and Clorox Girls pedigree. And "No One From Nowhere" has a neat new wave vibe and features some of the most honest and powerful lyrics I've heard in quite some time.

Two Americans, a Brit, and a German walked into a recording studio on a sub-freezing January day in east Berlin: sounds like the start of a joke, right? But actually it was the start of something special. I would imagine it's difficult for a band to get together when its members are separated by oceans. But I'm glad these gentlemen went to the trouble to get an album made. This release may have been a long time in the making, but it sure delivers the goods! Is this punk rock for people who love pop, or is it pop for people who love punk rock? I'm not quite sure! Those of you in Europe should be sure to catch the band on tour beginning tomorrow!



-L.R.

https://takenbysurpriserecords.bandcamp.com/album/suspect-parts-lp 
https://oopsbabyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/suspect-parts 
https://www.facebook.com/SuspectParts/ 

New Maniac 7"!

Hey! How about a brand spanking new 7" record from one of the best bands in the powerpop/punk universe? Maniac, L.A.'s favorite gentlemen punks, authored one of the finest albums of recent memory in 2014's sizzler Demimonde. And the singles they've released since then just keep getting better. New 7" "Midnight Kino", issued by Modern Action Records, continues in the band's signature style. The title track is a fast and frantic stormer with top-tier hooks and wonderfully strange lyrics that I can only describe as genius. While by no means the only band walking the fine line between first wave punk rock and the herky-jerky new wave of the same period, Maniac always manages a fresh take on these classic sounds. Zache Davis is one of the most underrated songwriters out there, and James Carman is an absolute ball of fire on drums. I also love the way Andrew Zappin and Justin Maurer combine their talents on guitar. If Wire crashed a party thrown by the 1977 Ramones, it would sound like the last 45 seconds of "Midnight Kino".

On the B-side, "Precision Accuracy" slows the pace a tad and really lets those melodies breathe. The guitars are as punchy as ever, but you can really hear some '60s California pop sensibilities bubbling under. I'm reminded just a little of L.A. Drugz - which is hardly a surprise given the incestuous relationship between the two bands (now featuring three members in common).

Last year, I credited Maniac with having one of the most outstanding singles of 2015. Take it to the bank that the band will also be in the running for top single of 2016!



-L.R. 

http://wearemaniac.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/wearemaniac 

Maniac is back!

The last time I discussed Maniac, I proclaimed the L.A. band's debut LP one of my top ten albums of 2014. It would probably rank even higher if I had to re-do that list today. That's how much I like Maniac. For the uninitiated, this is the band featuring singer/bassist Zache Davis (Cute Lepers, The Girls) along side Andrew Zappin, Justin Maurer, and James Carman (all currently in the great L.A. Drugz). Maniac had the unenviable task of having to follow such an amazing LP. But new single "Chola Queen", out on No Front Teeth Records, does not disappoint. It's an absolute crackler - and probably the best release yet from this fantastic band. Maniac takes that '77 punk/powerpop thing I'm so into and totally makes it is own - infusing frenetic, new wavey guitars and pushing tempos that will leave you breathless. Few other bands could cover '70s Swedish pop star Harpo and make it sound like one of their originals. "Chola Queen", featuring Davis on lead vocals, is a scorching reinterpretation of Harpo's 1974 single "My Teenage Queen". Oddly enough, this cover tune is the perfect introduction to what Maniac is all about. It's pure energy from the jump, propelled by super-punchy guitars and Carman's exuberant drumming. "Calamine", featuring Maurer on lead vocals, somehow kicks the pace up another notch. There's a cool Clash-y riff at the heart of this tune, and Zappin's guitar solo is sheer perfection. If you're having a lackluster day and need a quick jolt of awesome, this song will be good for whatever ails you. It's like aural Red Bull!

Before I sign off, I must mention how incredible "Chola Queen" sounds.  It was recorded by Mark Rains at Station House Studio in L.A. and mastered by Daniel Husayn at North London Bomb Factory. If someone ever asked me to describe the way a punk rock record ought to sound, I'd simply advise that person to go listen to anything that's ever come out of the NLBF studios. This Maniac record would rule no matter what. But that Daniel Husayn magic mastering touch takes it over the top. This is one of your prime contenders for single of the year. It's right up there with the latest from - you guessed it - L.A. Drugz!



-L.R.

https://wearemaniac.bandcamp.com/album/chola-queen-b-w-calamine
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreManiac
http://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/#!product/prd1/4131898791/nftr-165

LA Drugz: back and killing it!

I love it when a band surprises me in an entirely delightful way. L.A. Drugz first burst upon the scene with the Outside Place EP - a stone cold power pop gem and my favorite overall release of 2013. Having waited over a year for a follow-up, I would have been completely happy with "more of the same". But "All Burned Down" is something quite different - and a clear example of a band fully coming into its own sound. L.A. Drugz are a band informed not just by particular influences ('60s garage and pop, late '70s/early '80s punk) but also by the rich musical history of Los Angeles. This is an L.A. band through and through, and I think that really comes across on this amazing new single.

"All Burned Down" is a new high point for L.A. Drugz - a stunning re-imagination of late '60s pop chock full of poignant lyrics and angular, modern guitars. Big, beefy bass lines work in tandem with highly creative guitar work, and that chorus is nothing short of majestic. Of course the hooks are plentiful, and I have to recommend this track to all fans of Justin Maurer's previous bands. But this is far from a Clorox Girls sound-alike. I can think of no other band right now that's making music that sounds quite like this. 

On the flip, "Runnin'" is something new from L.A. Drugz: fast and furious punk rock. It's exciting to hear these guys put the pedal to the metal and just freaking rock out! Yet even playing with this kind of speed and urgency, the band doesn't forget about quality songwriting. The chorus is impossibly catchy, and this is a classic case of a song that's got way more going on musically than you might first realize. Just because a song is short doesn't mean it wasn't brilliantly constructed.

Having recently added Andrew Zappin (guitar) and Sharif Dumani (bass) to its lineup, L.A. Drugz may sound a little different on its next record. But as "All Burned Down" demonstrates, different can be good! I was so stoked to hear new music from this band. And now that the new single is finally here, I can't imagine it being more perfect.



-L.R.  

https://ladrugz.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/L.A.DRUGZ 

Maniac makes an album!

It was a year ago when I first identified Maniac as a possible contender for 2014 album of the year. I was blown away by the L.A. band's debut single and sensed that its then-forthcoming LP could be something really special. Well, after a full year's worth of high anticipation, we finally do have that debut album from Maniac. And all I have to say is WOW! Maniac completely lives up to its name on the sensational Demimonde - which crackles with frantic energy and an unrelenting sense of urgency. And as much as I enjoyed the more straight-forward '77 pop/punk stylings of that last single, I was genuinely thrilled to hear Maniac break that mold and realize such a unique and exciting sound. While by no means lacking in tuneful melodies or punchy classic punk riffs, Demimonde has an angular, hyperactive feel to it that really sets it apart from your more typical genre exercises. It makes just about everything else in my record collection sound painfully average! It's as if these guys heard that the planet was coming to an imminent end, imbibed dangerously large quantities of Red Bull, and endeavored to power out a punk record that the world just had to hear.

What I really like about Demimonde is that it brings together the myriad of musical influences existing within Maniac's stellar lineup. Lead singer/bassist Zache Davis is well-known for his work with The Girls and Cute Lepers. Rhythm guitarist Justin Maurer (ex Clorox Girls, Red Dons) and drummer James Carman (Images) are currently band mates in the supergroup L.A. Drugz. Along with amazing lead guitarist Andrew Zappin, these guys represent the perfect combination of everything that's cool about melodic punk and power pop. Davis has written some truly outstanding songs, and he sings them with conviction and desperation. Maurer and Zappin play off of each other in creative, compelling ways. And with a dynamo like Carman ably pushing the pace, this is an album bound to leave you short of breath. I feel like I need to run around the house in a full sprint and start jumping on furniture - just to keep up. My cats would be traumatized.

By the time I first absorbed the chorus to "Live Like Bats", I knew that Demimonde was going to be everything I was expecting and then some. Lately I've found myself repeating that chorus just about everywhere I go. It's just so catchy! Fast, fist-pumping tracks like "Wendy, Same Thing" and "Party City" proceed to ratchet up the energy in a major way. And once the band hits full stride on the frenetic "Dans Le Sang", it's obvious that this thrill ride isn't going to stop until it ends with a magnificent crash (the manic racer "Alright, Okay"). With echoes of everything from The Ramones to early Wire to modern-day greats like The Briefs, Demimonde hits that perfect blend of catchy '77 punk and jittery new wave. And with all due credit to Mark Rains (engineering) and Hadji Husayn (mastering), this album just sounds phenomenal. Davis, long an underrated figure in punk music, is more than ready for his close-up. And the exceptionally talented Zappin is quickly becoming one of my favorite lead guitarists. In one of the best years for music that I can ever remember, Maniac has delivered a surefire top ten album. Downloads available now, and the vinyl ships next month!



-L.R.

http://latidarecords.bandcamp.com/album/demimonde-ltdr-lp003 
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreManiac