Any bancamp album that is titled As Shit is probably one that’s going to get my attention, lucky for Berlin/Brisbane’s Kids Cryptic. Besides knowing nothing about them besides these few songs, I’m pretty into it y’all, because I’m superficial that way. Fortuitously,  As Shit is what it is — a small and endearing introduction to this cross-world duo who do noisy garage rock that veers downwards to (self-prophesized) drowsy punk rock. Shore sort of beats onward, into the past, in a sort of melancholy way, jingle-jangling it’s way through fuzz and tons of cymbals. There’s something about the twanglin’ and nonchalance that is very exciting about Kids Cryptic and it’s all well evident on their debut songs. Pick up your free copy via bandcamp.

mp3: Kids Cryptic – Shore

It’s no secret that I’m hot for High Pop. It’s also undeniable that Boy Crush (Sean from High Pop’s solo project) has caught my love as well. Now, Jordan from High Pop has come out with an equally great side project going by the name Major Bummer (I think there’s a How I Met Your Mother joke there). It’s fairly obvious when listening to both Jordan & Sean’s side projects make High Pop as great as it is. Sean brings the pop melodies , Jordan brings the frenetic energy and the noise. His work as Major Bummer is as economical as it needs to be, a gift around these parts, and each song has a certain element of warbled pop sensibilities. Give It To Ya emerges from the fuzz, with a hazy backing riff and plenty of cymbal, and delivers a song that captures attention with its leaps from strange to catchy and right back again — and then it’s over. Prime for repeat listens, this is an EP that comes wholly recommended from Cactus Mouth, too. What more can you ask for?

mp3: Major Bummer – Give It To Ya

Every so often I think about why the OC has such a multitude of great bands, and as soon as I do, another one pops up. I’ve been a fan of TRMRS for a while, which led me to start enjoying dummer Wyatt Blair‘s solo project (check that out here), and then that led me to his side project Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel. I guess it’s hard to dodge the “60s influenced” bullet when you take your name from a Donovan song, but there’s something about the way that Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel bend the sounds that are such obvious 60 references but they make them sound spooky and fresh. Comparisons to the Doors aren’t that far off the mark, I guess, but they don’t suck as much, that’s for sure. I Want You sounds like a dumbed down version of the Dylan song, with a harder-lined keyboard and (if you can even imagine) more howling vocals. That’s probably the highest compliment I’ve paid a band in a long time. Their whole album is filled with really relevant and modern takes on 60s sounds, drug hazes, and just really primal, kickass rock and roll. You can pick up a copy via their Bandcamp.

mp3: Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel – I Want You

Fucking FINALLY, you guys. First of all, I am terrible at keeping secrets. I almost once ruined N.I.N’s final show at the Echoplex by telling someone, so you’ll be incredibly impressed that I kept Toto & The Bad Eggs a secret for so long. I can only call Toto & The Bad Eggs a super group as it’s Jerry Tropicano on improvised vocals, Mark (Brown Brogues) on guitar with Luke (Sex Beet), and Ben (Brown Brogues) on drums. This EP was born out of the PNKSLM boys getting Brown Brogues down for a post-SXSW show in April, recorded in a little rehearsal space near Brick Lane and I’ve had to not blog about it for ages. When you give this EP a listen and realize it was written and recorded in the space of like, a weekend, you’ll be suitably impressed at my willpower. While the entire EP, which you can grab off PNKSLM’s bandcamp, is entirely encompassing of the future of UK garage-punk (sorry, don’t want y’all thinking I mean UK garage) my favorite recording is a weird little number: Dead School Girl. It’s a perfect amalgamation of all bands – catchy riffs, echoing vocals from Jerry (who I wish would sing like this all the time), and little guitar freakouts. It’s stunning. Hopefully one day we’ll have an LP of this. I will, of course, keep you all updated.

mp3: Toto & The Bad Eggs – Dead School Girl

I hope there never comes a time where I get an email about a little EP entitled Tweaker in the Park by a young dude in Indiana and I am not ultra keen to listen to it. Although probably everybody is how do you say, not that down for the ridiculous name, Hypocrite in a Hippy Crypt employs a much more laid back hand musically. On this EP, released through Kurt Vile‘s first label Gulcher Records, HIAHC exudes this magnetic lo-fi breeziness that works perfectly with his sense of whimsical storytelling. My favorite, The Town Crazies is a really hypnotically simple and effortless trip through what feels like a hazy morning but is actually a hilarious account of, well, the town crazies. Once again, and as always, don’t judge this band on their name, they rule.

mp3: Hypocrite In A Hippy Crypt – The Town Crazies

Has there been ever been a band whose name is so perfectly indicative of what they do like High Pop? This Connect-i-cut duo have currently been saving my boredom with their so aptly named high pop that it makes my job about one hundred thousand times easier. From their beautiful Hippie Speedball cassette (which you can nab via Sex Cave Records) comes Drip From The Sea which 2:27 of perfect bleary eyed vocals, brightly fuzzy guitar, and the build of longing repetition of ‘you were all that I had’ that makes this completely irresistible.They remind me a little bit of a much more melody/harmony driven Bitch Prefect. Grab this below, or stream the full cassette via bandcamp & grab yrself a copy.

mp3: High Pop – Drip From The Sea

I’ve talked a lot about Canadian bands recently, and rightfully so, the garage rock community happening in the great Northern beyond is excellent, and it seems like Vancouver is the place that’s jumpin’ jumpin’. Bummer High, a garage punk foursome, come to us from BC and fucking rule. If you like your garage rock with a little dash of country and a hefty pinch of psych, this will be right up your alley.’Cough Syrup‘ is perfectly named for what it is — the lazy, almost slurred vocals and the little psychedelic freakout towards the end work perfectly, and it reminds me just a bit of the Black Lips ode to the same thing. If you’ve been digging any of their friends & fellow Vancouverians like Dead Ghosts and Indian Wars, or fellow countrymen Demon’s Claws — Bummer High is for you.

Their cassette is (or was? not sure if its sold the fuck out) out now via Southpaw (the impeccable label) so if that doesn’t convince you to listen, god knows what will.

mp3: Bummer High – Cough Syrup

Although Brighton, I guess, is technically a beach town, anyone who has ever been to a climate that has more than 50 days of sunshine would probably declare Brighton’s position on the seaside pretty irrelevant due to terrible weather. It’s also the weather that is probably the culprit for the lack of lo-fi, beach inspired, 60s doowop pop stuff that comes out of this town. However, this brand new band called The Teen Velvettes emerged to us via our friends over at Can’t Hear My Eyes and I pretty much can’t get this little ditty, Everyone’s Got Someone But Me, out of my brain. This is all smooth business, the clicking heels of saddle shoes, swishing skirts, burger joints and leather jackets — of course with the trademark lyrically sad undertones. Clean and modern surf pop never goes wrong in my books. Imagine a little bit of a more upbeat, surfy Shimmering Stars and you’re not too far off point. Let’s hope they play Brighton immediately.

mp3: The Teen Velvettes – Everybody’s Got Someone But Me

I know, I know, I write about Burger Records and their great array of bands and releases, but what can I say? I’m just a Burger Girl. Their most recent tape, by the incredibly named Salsa Chips, is somewhat of a Burger team of all-stars. The brainchild of Jamie and Lauren was brought to fruition by Matt (of Audacity, Fonzie (of AM), Caleb & Miguel (of My Pet Saddle) and it rules. These left field, lo-fi pop songs are filled with swoony double chick harmonies and sparse but perfect twangs make this EP catchy as all hell.

Burger has made only 250 of their debut EP, 100 on red cassette and 150 on yellow. Don’t snooze on this and get an earful of the doe-eyed ‘Why You Gotta Be Like That? below:

Salsa Chips – Why You Gotta Be Like That?! by BurgerRecords

Last week, I introduced you to the Turn Offs, who rule, but then I got an email from the band saying that they had to revert back to their previous name Something Men due to some shitty ass American band using the same name with 100% less charming songs. So, if you didn’t listen last time, here we go again with the awesome Something Men:

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you’ll know that my grasp on Geography is poor at best, especially English geography, which is funny because this country is so small. Anyway, I don’t know where the fuck Worcester is, nor do I ever want to go there. In fact, I’ll just wait for their best export, Something Men, to come to London so I can scope their somewhat rockabilly influenced, English take on down home Chuck Berry (er, I guess Bo Diddley) and apple pie style of rock and roll. ‘Go Diddley‘ is just that – a perfect slice of beautiful garage blues complete with excellent harmonica use not too far off from the Rolling Stone’s ‘Not Fade Away‘. Get on board.

The Turn Offs are releasing their debut 7″ very soon and happen to be playing London for our bros PNKSLM’s next show on July 23rd (TONIGHT) with the incredible Bleeding Knees Club & French Kissing.

mp3: Something Men – Go Diddley