BARRERACUDAS
We haven’t heard from Atlanta power poppers Barreracudas since around 2015 when their also excellent sophomore album ‘Can Do Easy‘ came out. ‘Nocturnal Missions‘ is a reissue from 2011 but it shines bright like a diamond and harkens back to when Barreracudas carried the Atlanta rock and roll flag with The Biters, Gentleman Jesse, and The Carbonas. Led by frontman Adrian Barrera, ‘Nocturnal Missions‘ is a super solid collection of power pop in the vein of The Rubinoos, Cheap Trick, and maybe even a bit of Tom Petty.
BIG CLOWN
I don’t know how to describe Big Clown, but the sound takes me back to the early 80s and the fresh weirdness of Flipper or Feederz. From Memphis, Big Clown has been around for a bit and while their earlier stuff is no-nonsense d-beat hardcore, this new 8-tracker finds them honing in on something special. It’s grimy and sounds like L7 offroading without a steering wheel.
DIPPERS
Melbourne’s Dippers, previously known as Thigh Master reminds me of The Cowboys who remind me of Sparks. Their sound is hooks and quirks, and vocalist Matthew Ford even has a Robyn Hitchcock vibe. There are certainly a bunch of tracks that will get stuck in your head. ‘Clastic Rock‘ is out on Goner and the band played Goner 20 last Saturday.
CLASS
The first time I heard the lead track ‘Steady Hands‘ from Class’s inaugural cassette back in 2022, it became a staple on playlists. It’s a hard-rocking version of the Buzzcocks, with big guitars and even bigger hooks. Class is a four-piece from Tucson, AZ, and ‘2-4-1’ was released back in June on Drunken Sailor compiling the two cassettes they’ve released on Cincinnati’s Feel It Records. They also have a brand new LP ‘If You’ve Got Nothing‘ coming in October from Feel It Records. Both records feature the wizard in the desert Matt Rendon behind the console.
IMPLODERS
I think Neon Taste might be my favorite label right now. Every release is in my wheelhouse, Toronto’s Imploders included. Blistering, no-frills hardcore of the highest order – you know Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, and the like thrown from the chum bucket to hook in, percussively stun, and render the listener instantaneously insensible.
TAXI GIRLS
Formed in 2022 by two members of Montreal’s Pale Lips, Taxi Girls have released their debut 5-track EP ‘Coming Up Roses‘. The trio’s sound is powered by heavy guitars and big drums and the songs are bolstered by Misfits hooks and Lunachicks/Death Valley Girls vibes. You can grab the vinyl from Wild Honey Records (Europe) but the cassette from Dirt Cult Records is sold out!
