The animated video is from The Dowling Poole, the track is taken from the album ‘Refuse’ which is available to buy on Bandcamp here. Really great singles this month and my faves so far; The Rallies kill it with “Must Be Love” a power pop classic in the making. The queen of power pop, Lisa Mychols also returns with The Masticators for an excellent freebie “Here’s A Boy” and Nashville band The Nobility‘s ballad “Poison Mind” recall The Bee Gees styled falsetto. If your tastes are more old-school, The Low Spirits deliver the freebie “Outta Sight” with its textbook ’66 Animals style, and Geoff Palmer’s side project The Guts has a punk pop gem with “O.F.S.C.” Finally our old friend Cliff Hillis has a sweet new EP out, but since this is a singles post, his new single is a catchy sing-along about the “coolest scuba diver we know.” He should tour kindergartens with this (is this how Raffi got started?).
Category: Singles Only
More February singles: Newski, Super 8, Local Drags, Billy Tibbals, Kid Gulliver, C.C. Voltage
Enjoy these great new singles! Wisconsin’s lo-fi alternative geek rock outfit Newski announces the album Friend Rock out on April 7, it’s got an impressive guest star list (guys from The Verve Pipe, Nada Surf, Guster) and this first track is really impressive. Super 8 and Lisa Mychols are back, and this advance single “On The Radio” is part Lou Reed, part Phil Spector. Local Drags are a Springfield band that blasts through with “Feelin’ In Stereo,” and the new LP Mess of Everything comes out next month.
Who is this Billy Tibbals? Amazing 70s glam vibe and energy here — keep your eyes open for his LP. I have to bow in respect for the magic that is Kid Gulliver. Lead singer Simone Berk perfectly plays off the Who-like riffs of this single. Finally, Vancouver-based songwriter C.C. Voltage has just announced the release of his newest single “Berliner Pilsner” which is about his favorite German beer. Nice, but it won’t get you a commercial on the Super Bowl!
New singles for February: Mike Viola, Lemon Twigs, Popsicko, Matweeds, Dropkick, Hot Nun, Wesson
Rejoice! A new Mike Viola album will soon be upon us! The first track “Paul McCarthy” is a not-so-subtle look at the life of a certain Beatle. The Lemon Twigs also have an advance single release, and “Corner of My Eye” features a heart-breaking lead vocal. Big Stir releases a new single from the late 90’s band Popsicko, and “Ashtray Mouth” was written by frontman Keith Brown. RumBar Records release the rare Boston punk pop band Matweeds only recorded material, a “lost” classic for sure. The prolific Dropkick is also back (does Andrew Taylor ever sleep?) and we’ve got the advance “Telephone.” After scoring in our top ten last year, Jeff Shelton is back with the heavy riffs of Hot Nun again, although this track feels really closer to The Well Wishers style. Finally Brit alt. rocker Chris Wesson is a new discovery for me, and he deserves to be heard by you.
End-of-January Singles, EPs and a Freebie: Ryan Allen, Luddites, Ilko Birov, Floral Portrait, Brock Pytel
After a relatively warm January, we settle in and see Ryan Allen is already following up his #7 album of 2022 with a new concept album. This is a taste, we’ll review the entire LP soon. Boston’s Luddites does a good job with old-school power pop riffs, and Bulgarian singer-songwriter Ilko Birov knocks this single “Mrs. James” out of the park. Fans of Elliott Smith and Dave Davies will enjoy this. Jason Bronson and Jacob Chisenhall bring us the warmth of Floral Portrait, a slice of sunny orchestral pop in the tradition of Brian Wilson. Fans of The Wondermints will appreciate it and it’s our freebie. On a louder note, Brock Pytel (formerly of The Doughboys, the Montreal punk band and NOT Richard X. Heyman’s band) has a new single and it’s got a catchy fatalism, akin to Bob Mould playing The Rolling Stones. Onward to Spam… I mean, February!
November EPs: The Vice Rags, The Morning Line, Christopher Peifer, Orbis Max, and Peter Hall
As we prepare to stuff our faces for the holidays, let us not forget our ears. These EPs are all perfect for that lull before dinner is prepared. The Vice Rags are back, with Paul Rosevear (Readymade Breakup) mixing bluesy rock and roll with attitude. Check out “Midnight Ride” and “Voodoo Hoodoo,” and ask why RumBar Records hasn’t signed them! San Francisco band The Morning Line also returns with a collection of crafted rock, check out the excellent “Lookin’ Right At You.” Criminally underrated Christopher Peifer has a solid sound and tells musical tales akin to Paul Westerberg and Alex Chilton. Check out “Wide Receiver,” Twisted” and “Left The Map.” Orbis Max has collected quite a few singles over the past few months, it’s compiled on This Just In. This post ends with an odd, but a beautiful single by Peter Hall. “In Plain Sight” speaks to me personally this season. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.