Guitar Pop For Now People—Part 3
10 Recent Tracks + Music Reviewers/Publications
It’s all about the music.
The third installment of this series features recent tracks from all around the rock and roll globe. We’ve got music from Japan, Canada, Australia, Finland, U.K., and U.S.
The two previous Guitar Pop For Now People posts featured 20 songs each, but that’s a lot of new music to explore all at once—even for a music-lover like me. So, moving forward I’ll be focusing on 10 tracks. And what incredible songs they are.
As always, I’ve included a quote and link from a review or interview about the band. That way you’re not just taking my word for it. Music scenes are thriving eco-systems, so we need to support the bands AND the zines, blogs and music writers too.
What’s your favorite from these 10 tracks? What other recents songs would you recommend? Join the conversation in the comments.
10 Recent Tracks and Music Reviewers/Publications
“Everything I Need is writer/producer Shane Tutmarc’s new Dolour EP. Bursting with irresistible earworms that’ll have you humming along for days, this little gem is a certified banger. And with a full album on the horizon, you’ll be grooving to Tutmarc’s tunes well into the summer and beyond!” —Patrick Donders, Sweet Sweet Music Blog
“When asked to describe themselves, Pinksqueeze uses the term ‘mom-rock’—which they describe as the obviously cooler and feminine version of ‘dad-rock.’ Rather than singing of lost love and the golden days of misogyny, the band sings about ‘sweet things’ like mental health and loving their partners.” —Carsen Holaday, Grain Of Salt
“Rex Tycoon’s new EP What’s Good blasts off with a largely wordless and absolutely rocking opener before settling into a run of three killer garage rock tracks. ‘Skin’ pairs a hauntingly catchy ’90s vocal melody in the chorus with shouted, heavier verses, while slacker anthem ‘Bad Habits’ makes an endearing refrain out of “every time I try to kick one of these old bad habits / all I seem to get is my ass kicked.” —The Alternative
“‘Let Ya Hair Down’ is a great period piece, employing a killer organ and guitar riff to help create a ‘60s beach party vibe.” —Richard Rossi, Power Pop News
“In general, debut albums are required to show who the band or artist is to the outside world. …Osaka's Subway Daydream easily clears that hurdle and goes above and beyond. As you can see in ‘Radio Star,’ which sublimates the popularity of The Buggles into a solid rock sound, the lively, colorful and energetic sound has attracted many J-Pop fans.” —Music Tribune Tokyo (via Google Translate)
“New Jersey’s The Anderson Council have got a heaping helping of sixties-inspired tune-age ready with new LP The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, due out shortly. While we for wait we can enjoy the teaser single ‘Alone With You,’ a guitar-centric slice of the band’s distinctive brand of power pop.” —Dennis Pilon, Pop Rock Record
“While ‘Power Pop Mixtape’ is a tribute to pop-punk and pop-rock classics, the guitars still remain a bit on the soft side as they jangle along. It’s a fun little gem of nostalgia.” —Julie River, New Noise Magazine
“This is a theatrical and carefree collective of friends who took inspiration from the glam aesthetics of the early 70s, who generate primal and straightforward punk rock energy, where glitter and glamour hide how dangerous and dirty the band and their sound actually are. Kissa’s sophomore full-length Apinalinna (translated: monkey castle) consists of nine new pieces of catchy music full of hooks and screams. These animals may be wild, but they make for a good time.” —Add To Wantlist
“It has been ages since I’ve heard Canadian power pop legends Odds. It seems a kinder, gentler band emerged with all that maturity.” —Aaron Kupferberg, Powerpopaholic
“Bad Nerves are a 5-piece power pop-rock and roll band from Essex. The bastard child of a Ramones/Strokes one night stand, they play ferociously fast distorted pop songs, with melodies that hook so deep, even the most skilled lobotomist would struggle to scrape them out. As a follow up to their self-titled debut album (2020), they are now releasing a 10" live album: Alive in London.” —PunkRockTheory
Guitar Pop For Now People—Part 1
Guitar Pop For Now People—Part 2
Remember The Lightning—A Guitar Pop Journal
A new semi-annual music journal featuring some of today's best music writers on modern guitar pop, and talented modern artists on the music/genres that inspire them.
Exclusive contributions:
James Goodson (of Dazy) on Being Power Pop-Adjacent
Annie Zaleski on the Beths
Mo Troper on Chris Bell's "I Am The Cosmos"
Rob Nesbitt (of the Suitesixteen) on the Exploding Hearts
S.W. Lauden on the Whiffs (Our debut cover models!)
Mary E. Donnelly on Sloan
John M. Borack on Juniper
Paul Myers on Tinted Windows
Mike Randle on Popsicko's Off to a Bad Start
David Laing on Power Pop's Country Roots
PLUS: Custom Cover Art By Brian Walsby
Top 3 for me: Dolour, Rex Tycoon, and Kissa.
Loving this new series (and not JUST because I appear in the list!).