“This Heaven Has Bars ”, Pot Valiant

This way: This Heaven Has Bars

American band from El Cerrito, CA, in the San Francisco area. Featuring Brian Jay, Craig Miller, Dave Henwood, Nicolai Gancheff. They carved out a mid 90s assult of punk soon to emo-me.  

[Spotify] This Heaven Has Bars  

“Making Plans for Nigel”, XTC

This way: Making Plans for Nigel

Here's one of the great songs. "Making Plans for Nigel" is a song by English rock band XTC, released by Virgin Records as the lead single from their 1979 album Drums and Wires. It was written by Colin Moulding, the band's bassist. The lyrics are told from the point of view of overbearing parents who are certain that their son Nigel is "happy in his world", affirming that his future, to be spent working for British Steel, "is as good as sealed", and that he "likes to speak and loves to be spoken to". 

The single marked XTC's commercial breakthrough. It spent 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at No. 17. In 2016, the song was ranked number 143 on the Pitchfork website's list of the 200 best songs of the 1970s. It was also ranked number 73 in NME list of 100 best songs of the 1970s.

XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (vocals, guitars) and Colin Moulding (vocals, bass), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in a variety of styles that ranged from angular guitar riffs to elaborately arranged pop. Partly because the group did not fit into contemporary trends, they achieved only sporadic commercial success in the UK and US,

[Spotify] Making Plans for Nigel 

“Entirely Different Matters”, Unwound

This way: Entirely Different Matters

Unwound is an American post-hardcore band. Formed in 1988 in Tumwater and Olympia, Washington, the band currently consists of Justin Trosper (vocals, guitar), Jared Warren (bass guitar), Sara Lund (drums), and Scott Seckington (guitar).

Originally founded by Trosper, bassist Vern Rumsey and drummer Brandt Sandeno under the name "Giant Henry," Sandeno was replaced in 1992 by Lund who performed on their debut album in 1993. Largely based in Olympia throughout the 1990s, the trio consisting of Lund, Trosper, and Rumsey recorded seven albums, plus numerous singles, and toured relentlessly until the band's dissolution in 2002. Often classified as noise rock in addition to post-hardcore, Unwound played a sharply dissonant and angular style that made use of unusual guitar tones, and garnered attention locally for their relentless touring schedules, favour towards "all ages" venues and their strong DIY ethics. Unwound was largely associated with the independent record label Kill Rock Stars throughout the 1990s, with the band's debut album, Fake Train (1993), being the first non-spoken word release from the label.   

[Spotify] Entirely Different Matters 

“Boomerang”, Xmal Deutschland

This way: Boomerang

Xmal Deutschland often written as X-Mal Deutschland, was a German gothic rock band. Founded in 1980 with a completely female line-up, they had chart success both in and outside their native country. Their last album was released in 1989.

Xmal Deutschland was formed in 1980 by Anja Huwe (vocals), Manuela Rickers (guitar), Fiona Sangster (keyboards), Rita Simonsen (bass) and Caro May (drums) in Hamburg. Their first single, "Schwarze Welt", was released a year later on Alfred Hilsberg’s ZickZack label. The band also contributed to the label compilation Lieber Zuviel Als Zuwenig (ZZ 45). Around this time, Rita Simonsen was replaced by Wolfgang Ellerbrock. 

In 1982, the band released the goth classic "Incubus Succubus". Caro May left the band and formed a new band, and was replaced by Manuela Zwingmann the same year. While German audiences were less than receptive at first, a United Kingdom tour opening for Cocteau Twins resulted in a deal with independent label 4AD. Their debut album, Fetisch and the singles "Qual" and "Incubus Succubus II" were released in 1983, all three making the UK Indie Charts, even though the band wrote and performed in German.

[Spotify] Boomerang 

“Thistrainwillnotstop”, Lowercase

This way: Thistrainwillnotstop

Lowercase (sometimes stylized as lowercase) was a band from Palm Desert, California, led by Imaad Wasif on vocals and guitar and Brian Girgus on drums. The band put out 2 full-length albums on the Minneapolis label Amphetamine Reptile before recording their last LP for Vern Rumsey of Unwound's label, Punk in my Vitamins. Tours with Sebadoh, Karp, Unwound, Hovercraft, Caustic Resin, The Lies, Faith No More, and Chokebore helped gain them a national as well as international following.

The band first formed in 1993 in Palm Desert, California by guitarist and vocalist Imaad Wasif and drummer Brian Girgus. Initially, Girgus played bass, however he switched to the drums when the group faced difficulty finding a drummer. The band issued their debut 7-inch single titled Two Songs in early 1994 through Punk in my Vitamins?, an independent label operated by Vern Rumsey, the bassist of Unwound. The duo followed this up with a second 7-inch single, Brass Tracks, which was issued in 1995 through X-Mas Records. That same year, the band was signed onto Amphetamine Reptile Records, who issued their debut full-length All Destructive Urges... Seem So Perfect on November 11, 1996. That same year, the band moved out to San Francisco, where they would stay until their disbandment in 2000. This LP from 1999.

 

[Spotify] Thistrainwillnotstop 

“Oyster Cuts”, Quivers

This way: Oyster Cuts

Quivers, of Melbourne, Australia, have been a cathartic jangle pop band for long enough now to get supportive ears at Pitchfork, NPR, JJJ and even the band R.E.M., who once slid into the bands DMs to send fire emojis. Quivers have performed at Dark Mofo, Meadow, Boogie, and SXSW after which they filmed a session for beloved Seattle station KEXP. They have also supported the likes of The Hold Steady, Sonny & the Sunsets, and Methyl Ethel. Late 2022 saw Quivers love every minute of a much postponed 16-date US tour to celebrate 2nd album Golden Doubt, described by Pitchfork as “like a Go-Betweens with Coachella-conquering ambitions”. With a Bella-sung 7” single, If Only, now nearly sold out, Quivers have finished their next album, 'Oysyer Cuts'. It sees the band dive into a tougher and more expansive pop with both Bella and Sam sharing singing duties. There’s more angular than jangular guitars now, 1970s synth drones, and more songs about hometowns, friendship, giving in to love, and swimming away from grief. Quivers’ come alive on tour; four people and voices that build it up to let it fall apart and then build it back up again. 

[Spotify] Oyster Cuts 

“Slide The Needle In Under Blue Skin I Took A Picture So I Still Can Burn You”, Calm

This way: Slide The Needle In Under Blue Skin I Took A Picture So I Still Can Burn You

Calm was a short-lived indie rock band, from San Jose, California. Active between 1994 and 1996; and formed by Marc Bianchi (guitars, bass, vocals), Clay Parton (guitars, bass, vocals), and Albert Menduno (drums). Mainly as a trio, Canaan Dove Amber (guitars, bass, vocals), participated in Calm 7" recording.  

[Spotify] Slide The Needle In Under Blue Skin I Took A Picture So I Still Can Burn You 

“Opening”, Second Still

This way: Opening

Second Still is a three piece post-punk/coldwave band from Los Angeles, CA. Combining the definitive sounds of French coldwave with the unconventional time signatures of No Wave, then layering that hybrid with hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies, Second Still crafts a sound soaked in nostalgia but also one that marches onwards towards the future. Infectious bass lines infiltrate your body and attack your senses. Guitar phrases glide in undulating melodic waves that peak into moments of formidable delay feedback. Heavyweight drum machine beats feel like punches to the gut. Combing the 80s underground for only the best of influences like Xmal Deutschland, Garlands-era Cocteau Twin, Asylum Party, and Opera De Nuit, Second Still invokes the classic wave of La Vague Froide as their sound washes over you. Smooth running water slowly freezes as the sun’s reflection is blocked by a sound that is decidedly Second Still’s own unique imprint.  

[Spotify] Opening 

“Marie and the Undersea”, The New Pornographers

This way: Marie and the Undersea

Here is a band I will follow anywhere. The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band, formed in 1997 in Vancouver. Presented as a musical collective and supergroup of singer-songwriters and musicians from multiple projects, the band has released nine studio albums to date. The band have received critical acclaim for their use of multiple vocalists and songwriters, as well as for the elements of power pop incorporated into their music. Pitchfork has described the band's sound as "peppy, gleeful, headstrong guitar pop", while Stereogum has retrospectively praised the band's debut album Mass Romantic as "one of the greatest and most immediate power pop albums ever rendered". 

[Spotify] Marie and the Undersea 

“New Jersey Blues”, 070 Shake

This way: New Jersey Blues

Here is some fascinating new music. 070 Shake (pronounced "oh seven oh shake"), is an American rapper and singer. She is best known for her guest appearance on English singer Raye's 2022 single "Escapism", which peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked atop the UK Singles Chart, and won Song of the Year at the 2024 Brit Awards.

Previously, she signed with rapper Kanye West's record label, GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings, in 2016. Her debut extended play (EP), Glitter (2018), foresaw her receiving further attention in June of that year for her guest appearances on West's songs "Ghost Town" and "Violent Crimes"—from his eighth album, Ye—both of which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. During that same month, Balbuena also guest performed on labelmate Pusha T's album Daytona and New York rapper Nas' album Nasir. Her debut studio album, Modus Vivendi (2020), and its follow-up, You Can't Kill Me (2022), were both positively received by music critics despite failing to chart.

Aside from her solo career, Balbuena is also a member of the New Jersey–based musical collective 070, from which she adapted her stage name. The group has released one mixtape, The 070 Project: Chapter 1 (2016). 

[Spotify] New Jersey Blues 

“The Passenger”, Siouxsie and the Banshees

This way: The Passenger

Here is a great cover of one of my all-time fav songs (might be my number one fav song). Siouxsie of course kills it as she does with most songs.

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. The Times called the group "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era".

 

Initially the band including guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris rapidly evolved to create "discord full of daring rhythmic and sonic experimentation". Their debut album The Scream was released to widespread critical acclaim in 1978. Following membership changes, including the addition of guitarist John McGeoch and drummer Budgie, they changed their musical direction and became one of the most successful alternative pop groups of the 1980s.

[Spotify] The Passenger

“Try Me out Sometime”, BRONCHO

This way: Try Me out Sometime

Broncho is an American indie rock band formed in 2010 in Norman, Oklahoma. The current lineup consists of Ryan Lindsey on guitar and vocals, Ben King on guitars, Penny Pitchlynn on bass and Nathan Price on drums.

Their debut album Can't Get Past the Lips originally came out in 2011 on Guestroom Records and Austin-based CQ Records and was later rereleased by Fairfax Recordings in 2013. Broncho released their second album Just Enough Hip to Be Woman on September 16, 2014, on Dine Alone Records. The album received generally favorable reviews from the music press.

The band's song "It's On" was played over the closing credits of "Females Only," the first episode of the third season of the HBO series Girls. "Try Me Out Sometime" was used in an advertisement for HBO Now and Movie 43. "Try Me Out Sometime" was also featured in the documentary, Valley Uprising. The track "Class Historian" was used in a commercial featuring Kate Hudson for her Fabletics brand of women's athletic clothing as well as Cartoon Network's bearstack campaign.  

[Spotify] Try me out Sometime

“Mrs. Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys”, The Smashing Times

This way: Mrs. Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys

Smashing Times are a group from Baltimore with no small amount of love for the noise pop days of C86 and the Pastels. The group does perfectly what only punks playing pop music can do- create chaotic noise in tandem with the sweetest hooks and most sophisticated nihilism. 

Featuring Thee Jasmine Monk and Zelda-Anais, Britta Leijonflycht, Paul Krolian. Written and recorded by Jaz at Druid House. Produced by Thee Jasmine Monk and Hayes Waring. Mixed by Capt. Tripps Ballsington. Mastered by Amy Dragon. 

[Spotify] Mrs. Ladyships and the Cleanerhouse Boys 

“I See”, Henrik Appel

This way: I See

Henrik Appel of Stockholm, releases new solo LP. Since moving to the Swedish capital at the age of twenty, he’s established himself as one of the key figures in the city’s indie rock underground; after starting out playing bass in the punk outfit Kilroy, he met the similarly prolific Martin Savage and joined his band, Martin Savage Gang, handling bass and backing vocals as the group toured across Europe and the United States. Working with Savage inspired Appel to step out front and centre himself, and in the summer of 2016, his new three-piece Lion’s Den released their self-titled debut album, one that had Appel on lead vocals and guitar and on which he penned the lyrics himself.

[Spotify] I See

“On a Beach”, Hayden, Feist

This way: On a Beach

The long-heralded king of Canadian slacker folk, Hayden will release his tenth studio album, Are We Good, a crowning achievement in his well deep catalogue of carefully hewn and heartrending indie folk – and his much-anticipated first new album since 2015's Hey Love. 

Featuring guest vocals by Feist and co-writing by The National's Matt Berninger, the lead single "On A Beach" is easily the most uplifting and buoyant song in Hayden's downcast (and well deep) catalog, with its chorus of "we're drinking income taxes and there's sand at our feet." A spare bass groove, the gentlest of handclaps, Hayden's strained tenor, all explode into the honeyed melodies of the one Leslie Feist amidst a stream of harmonizing arpeggiators.

Hayden offers some of his best songwriting, painting with uncharacteristically broad strokes of emotion and sonic texture, like a cross between Pavement and Leonard Cohen. 

[Spotify] On a Beach 

“Fire in the Western World”, Superchunk + Quivers

This way: Fire in the Western World

If Superchunk says it is so, then it is so. They have a solid record of records dating back 34 years. So please do not question thier actions. If they cover a song it is because it is a beacon to the treasure trove. Here they take there hand at a Dead Moon song that hits home today. They done been touring Austrailia with the Quivers and put this and another to magnetic tape.  

[Spotify] Fire in the Western World

“You're So Cool”, Grey Factor

This way: You're So Cool

Pioneers of the Los Angeles underground electronic music scene, Grey Factor have been mythical for over 40 years. The band recorded two experimental synth/ post-punk EPs and gigged sparingly before disbanding. None of their recordings have been released in physical format until 2023, except for cassettes distributed at one of the 20-odd gigs Grey Factor played at L.A. punk venues.

 

[Spotify] You're So Cool

“Don't Let it all Pass By”, Plasticland

This way: Don't Let it all Pass By

Plasticland is an American Neo-Psychedelic and Garage rock (revival) band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980 with two members of Arousing Polaris, Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic.

 

Several guitarists and drummers would rotate in and out of the band over time, but Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic have remained the core of the band. Dan Mullen was the second guitarist for most of the 1980s recordings and live appearances. Brian Ritchie, later of The Violent Femmes, played guitar briefly with the band on early recordings. Multiple singles, EPs, compilation appearances, studio and live albums appeared in the 1980s and early 1990s. Several compilation CDs chronicle the band's earlier years. 

Color Appreciation (1984), their first album, was on the French Lolita label. Enigma Records in the US reissued the album in 1985, self-titling it, with track alterations and substitutions. Enigma subsidiary label Pink Dust released the next two albums, Wonder Wonderful Wonderland (1985) and Salon (1987). For Wonder Wonderful Wonderland the label wanted the band to use Paul B. Cutler, a producer and guitar player with The Dream Syndicate. German label Repulsion issued their final studio album, Dapper Snappings in 1994, though it was recorded several years earlier. Two very different live albums were also released. You Need a Fairy Godmother (1989) and Confetti (1990) were both issued by Midnight Records. The former was recorded with Plasticland backing one of their musical heroes, Twink, legendary drummer of The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies. Confetti consists of various live performances edited together.

[Spotify] Don't Let it all Pass By

“Fly Away”, Paul B. Cutler

This way: Fly Away

Great new LP from Cutler put out last year. Paul B. Cutler is an American producer and guitarist, best known for his work with the Dream Syndicate and 45 Grave. Former Phoenix dude.

Cutler's first band, the Consumers, were the first punk rock band from Phoenix, Arizona. In 1979, he founded the punk and gothic band 45 Grave, who played off and on until 1990 and released several records. 45 Grave had formed alongside another Cutler band with almost the same lineup called Vox Pop, which released two singles.

In 1981, he played bass with the LAFMS-affiliated art group Bpeople, also producing and engineering their eponymous 1981 single, and producing and remixing their 1986 compilation album Petrified Conditions 1979-1981. In 1982, Cutler played on the Life Out on the Lawn 12" EP by Gleaming Spires; that same year, he engineered and produced the debut EP by Los Angeles-based Paisley Underground band the Dream Syndicate. Cutler became a member as lead guitarist for two Dream Syndicate albums, Out of the Grey (1986) and Ghost Stories (1988), before their 1989 demise.

[Spotify] Fly Away

“Where You Gonna Land (Next Time You Fall Off of Your Mountain)?”, Nova Mob

This way: Where You Gonna Land (Next Time You Fall Off of Your Mountain)?

Here's a great record to listen to. The Last Days of Pompeii is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Nova Mob, a band formed by former Hüsker Dü drummer Grant Hart. It was released on February 22, 1991 by Rough Trade. The album was remixed and reissued by Con d’Or on January 11, 2011 with bonus tracks and new album cover art. It is a concept album about rocket scientist Wernher von Braun escaping the end of World War II by time-travelling back to Pompeii and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. 

[Spotify] Where You Gonna Land (Next Time You Fall Off of Your Mountain)?

“Soundtrack”, Thin White Rope

This way: Soundtrack

Thin White Rope was an American rock band associated with the desert rock and Paisley Underground subgenres, fronted by vocalist Guy Kyser. The band released five albums. 

The band was formed in Davis, California, during a period spanning 1981 and 1982. Founding members Guy Kyser and Jozef Becker were in a band called the Les Z Boys in 1981. Becker and Kyser split off during the 1981-1982 period, and posted an ad at Skip's Music seeking a bass player and another guitarist. Roger Kunkel answered the ad, bringing in bass player Kevin Staydohar. The newly formed band played some of the same covers as the Les Z Boys, and also began to introduce original songs by Kyser. Steve Tesluk (bass) and Frank French (drums) joined the group in 1983, replacing Staydohar and Becker, both of whom left to join True West.

In 1984, a four-track recording with about 14 songs was sent to a number of labels, and an additional demo was recorded in December with Scott Miller producing. At this time, Jozef Becker rejoined the group, replacing French. Lisa Fancher of Frontier Records, who heard of Thin White Rope through a magazine review of the 14-song demo, signed the group to Frontier, and the band then recorded Exploring the Axis.

Over time, the band retained singer/songwriter/guitarist Guy Kyser and guitarist Roger Kunkel, with a changing line-up of drummers and bass guitarists. Like Television, it was noted for its twin guitar attack, innovative use of feedback structures and oblique lyrics. The Rough Guide to Rock called Thin White Rope "one of the few worthwhile traditional American guitar rock bands of their era. While most of the essential groups of the time were pushing back the limits of the form, Thin White Rope had the distinction of managing to breathe new life into the genre."

[Spotify] Soundtrack

“Vertigo otherwise My Conviction”, Les Rallizes Dénudés

This way: Vertigo otherwise My Conviction

Guest contributor Eric Burton:

Takashi Mizutani created seismic sounds with just fuzz, wah-wah, tape delay, and powerful amplifiers. His guitar mastery lay in the feel, texture, and overwhelming volume, often leading to unnerving live recordings with his band Les Rallizes Dénudés, where piercing feedback was a deliberate choice. "Our band's direction was decided the instant my electric guitar fed back," he noted in a rare 1991 fax to Music Magazine. 

Mizutani's departure from this earth in 2019 was shrouded in mystery, leading even friends to believe it was intentional. However, recent interviews and liner notes reveal a deeper connection to the man behind the dark sunglasses. The OZ Tapes aim to replace inferior bootlegs, offering a renewed communion with one of rock's most fascinating and misunderstood figures. Here’s the track ‘Vertigo otherwise My Conviction’ from the aforementioned release:  

[Spotify] Vertigo otherwise My Conviction

Thanks Eric!— BdeV

“And Nothing is Forever”, The Cure

This way: And Nothing is Forever

Songs of a Lost World is the fourteenth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 1 November 2024 via Fiction, 113  Lost Music, Universal, Polydor, and Capitol Records. It’s the band’s first release of new material in 16 years since 2008's 4:13 Dream. All the songs on the album were composed solely by singer/guitarist Robert Smith. It is also their first studio album to feature Reeves Gabrels, having been a touring member since 2012, replacing Pearl Thompson, although previously Gabrels already featured on 1997's single "Wrong Number".  

[Spotify] And Nothing is Forever

“Stay in Your Grave”, Black Keys (feat. Alice Cooper)

This way: Stay in Your Grave

The Black Keys have teamed up with Alice Cooper for a new single, “Stay In Your Grave.”

The single is accompanied by a black and white video co-directed by Corey Bost and Ali Gomez, featuring the Ohio duo performing the song interspersed with scenes from horror films  

[Spotify] Stay in Your Grave

“Street Pulse Beat”, Special Interest — Guest Editor Michael Cornelius

This way: Street Pulse Beat

Guest editor this week: Michael Cornelius

Special Interest is a punk band from New Orleans that updates punk for the dance floor.   

Thanks Michael! 

[Spotify] Street Pulse Beat

“Bobby Bland”, Xiu Xiu — Guest Editor Michael Cornelius

This way: Bobby Bland

Guest editor this week: Michael Cornelius

A prolific and often experimental duo, Xiu Xiu is a recent discovery for me.  They released a new album titled “13” Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with “Bison Horn Grips” this year and I have been listening to it end to end multiple times a week.   

[Spotify] Bobby Bland