Powerpop
The Dowling Poole – Refuse
The Dowling Poole have released a brace of albums over the past few years, and this one is a compilation of tracks that have only previously existed in a digital format but now are available as a physical CD. Formed in 2013, they consist of Willie Dowling (formerly of Jackdaw4, Honeycrack and The Grip) and Jon …
TRACK: Death By Unga Bunga – ‘White Lies’: one final power-punk blast before the album
COMING atcha from their roots as an actual, proper, garage punk band – they formed from auditions held in guitarist Sebastian Ulstad Olsen’s garage, what’s not to like? – Norway’s power punk five piece Death By Unga Bunga have shared one final, super-infectious nugget on the trail blazing towards their album, Heavy Male Insecurity, which will …
SEE: Death By Unga Bunga – ‘Egocentric’: don’t be a dick, say Norway’s power punkers
WITH a new album, Heavy Male Insecurity, just around the corner, Norwegian power-pop punkers Death By Unga Bunga have released a video for another come-hither, “Egocentric”, which you can watch below. It’s a bit of a banger, with that trademark DBUB attention to fuzz and melody, all wrapped up in basketball court shenanigans. And there’s intelligence …
Say Psych: Track Review: Radio Days – I Got A Love
Radio Days are a powerpop trio hailing from Milan, Italy who have been on the scene since 2008, playing in their current line up since 2015. They are an ideal mix of Beatlesque melodies of the 60s and 70s punk energy; combining the sounds of early Elvis Costello, the Rubinoos’ vocal harmonies, Big Stars’ scratching …
TRACK: Death By Unga Bunga – ‘Egocentric’: your new Nordic garage-punk idols
NORWEGIAN quintet Death By Unga Bunga have recently announced the release of new album, Heavy Male Insecurity, which will be out on Jansen Records on February 12th; and they’ve trained their sights on your rawk heart with their latest single, “Egocentric”. Take a listen below. It takes everything that’s great about Nordic garage rock, gives it a little …
The Lickerish Quartet – ‘Snollygoster Goon’: Jellyfish bods back in the groove
DO YOU miss the prog-psych-powerpop odysseys of Nineties’ San Fran outfit Jellyfish? All those empurpled paisley power ideas thrown into a thrilling mix? Well listen up, listen up; Jellyfish’s Roger Joseph Manning Jr, Tim Smith and Eric Dover, who’ve been plying their respective individual trades with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Slash’s Snake Pit, the Finn Brothers, Alice …
TRACK: The Lemon Twigs – ”No One Holds You (Closer Than The One You Haven’t Met)’: arch songwriters’ take on soured romance
BRIAN and Michael D’Addario, the brothers and musical prodigies who dazzle us mere mortals as The Lemon Twigs, are tantalising us with another taster from their forthcoming third full-lengther for 4AD, Songs For The General Public. “‘No One Holds You (Closer Than The One You Haven’t Met)” like everything the D’Addarios touches, it crams more …
NEWS: mod revival nearly men The V.I.P.’s get an Optic compilation
OPTIC NERVE is really becoming the go-to mecca for wax heads who want pristine vinyl reissues of lost, past greats; an Edsel for the 21st century. The latest cult musical waifs to receive the label’s loving care is British powerpop/mod outfit The V.I.P.’s. The V.I.P.’s are notable, besides perhaps an over-blessing of punctuation, for never …
TRACK: Jane’s Party shake the powerpop fizz on ‘Change Your Mind’
THE BOX-FRESH, bounce-along-in-your-DMs zing of Jane’s Party really belies how long this Canadian four-piece have been in the game. Originally meeting in 2006, singer-guitarists Jeff Giles and Tom Ionescu, bassist Devon Richardson and drummer Zach Sutton are actually five albums deep into their recording career, but not for them the hoar and tarnish of too …
Album Review: Hooton Tennis Club – Highest Point In Cliff Town
Just from the first glance at the album cover, there’s something familiar about Hooton Tennis Club’s debut. Having listened to this album a number of times now, there’s also something familiar about its sound, its feel, its tone. A few songs in, and it starts to become obvious that this Merseyside four piece are well …