Dark Optimism, Dark Poptimism by Anime Creek Straight out of the vein of late 90’s K Records,“Feelings” by Seattle’s Anime Creek lay down pop perfect hooks with an arch humor that really reaches out to the listener to pull them…
Pop Occulture
We ♥ Fuzz
Category: Bandcamp
SKRRT “Live”
Live by Skrrt “Live” by SKRRT brings back all the grit and grime of 70’s New York No Wave all the way from the sunny shores of California. These 6 tracks, coming in just over 12 minutes show a band…
The Coffinhunters “Get Lost”
The Coffinhunters by The Coffinhunters The Coffinhunters are a post-punk band from Ohio, their haunting and hunted sounding song “Get Lost” sounds like it came straight off of a compilation put out by Projeckt records. It’s tight and churning, and…
Whispering Jackie “Breaking Up This Time”
Whispering Jackie’s “Breaking Up This Time” is an interesting song that is thematically timeless, while also being completely inscrutable if the song was recorded any time since the late 70’s. With tight performances from all three members of this Sydney…
FREAK GENES “Playtime”
FREAK GENES – Playtime by ALIEN SNATCH! If you’re familiar at all with the wake of homespun garage pop the 77″ punk movement left across Europe in it’s wake, you will have a great head start placing the sound of…
The Heck “Waiting in Line”
Straight outta the Netherlands, The Heck’s “Waiting in Line” 7″ is a raucous piece of 60’s influenced proto-punk straight out of a Pebbles compilation, and then cranked up to 10. Out soon on Dirty Water Records. Waiting in Line by…
The Mad Doctors “No Waves Just Sharks”
No Waves, Just Sharks by The Mad Doctors This album was sent to me months ago and somehow I overlooked it until now. These New York City, surf-punk weirdos know exactly how to pull off killer but off kilter riffs…
Narco States “Wicked Sun”
For those of you out there who are obsessed with organ heavy proto-punk, there’s no better example of bands doing it right as Minneapolis, MN’s Narco States. Their album Wicked Sun came out a few years ago, and really has…
Foxholes “S/T”
Foxholes make the kind of unadulterated power-pop / post-punk that is only made to to be catchy and undeniably enjoyable. Following up their 2013 LP “Can’t Help Myself”, “Foxholes” finds the band that is more comfortable in their skin and…
Vahnevants “Criminals”
Any time these “Back from the Grave” inspired rockers release anything it’s a time to celebrate. Their third full length release in just as many years, “Criminals” find the band refining their wobbly and raucous music into a singular vision…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Back from the Grave, Des Moines, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Iowa, Music Review, Pop Occulture, Psych, Punk
Odd Pets “Heavy Petting”
Sometimes when you listen to a (song/band/album) you find it nearly impossible to convey to anybody else, in words, the feeling of excitement and renewed enthusiasm for music that it has brought to you. Sometimes you sit up late at…
Graves “RIP” EP
The nervous energy radiates off of London’s Graves’ “No-Ones There, No-One Stare”, like the first time you heard “Blood Visions”. These three short and precise songs are exactly what’s missing from the music scene these days. You can download the…
The Stranger “7in”
St. Louis, Missouri is fast becoming one of my favorite scenes. Especially all the music that has been circling around The Sinkhole venue. The Stranger is a thrashy/trashy punk band that comes straight down the middle with some really solid…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Fuzz, Garage, Garage Pop, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Heavy, Lo-Fi, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Rock
Karen Meats the Vahnevants
Karen Meat and the Vahnevants, two great Des Moines sounds that taste oh so great together. On this release, we find local singer/songwriter/musically schizophrenic pop-star Karen Meat getting dissolved into the acid-drenched “Back from the Grave” stylings of the Vahnevants.…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Love L.U.V. “Christmas”
2 new holiday themed singles by Pop Occulture favorites Love L.U.V. these songs are no exception, once again bringing some of the finest garage-pop song writing this this side of a Phil Specter Christmas album. Alright so this review just…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Rude Dude and the Creek Freaks “Eye of the Sun/Follow Me Down”
Rude Dude and the Creek Freaks’ first single “Eye of the Sun/Follow Me Down” is a dark ferris wheel of rubbery bass lines and infectious mellodies that will be stuck in your head for days. Eye of the Sun/Follow Me…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Reality Something “Bail”
Recalling a lot of the best indie rock of the late 90’s, Reality Something’s “Bail” is a scorching lament, well worth checking out. Bail by reality something
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Jitterz “One Good Song”
Chunky and choppy, Jitterz’s “One Good Song” speeds through it’s 2 minutes in a blink of an eye, and makes you wish they had at least one other song, if it was even half as good it’d still be better…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
The May Company “Son of the Skies”
First of all, after going to The May Company’s web-page, and seeing a bikini-clad Allen Ginsberg with Shiva arms, I knew that this was a band for me. This 17 minute burner is by a mile the longest song that…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Sail into Night “Parade”
There’s a quiet desperation to Pakistani, Sail into Night’s “Parade” like the music coming out of the bedroom radio of a David Lynchian melodrama. With deep croon, the song glides on a pillow of reverb until you find yourself in…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Field Medic “POWERFUL LOVE”
Field Medic is a one-man garage-y anti-folk project out of San Francisco, hyphenates abound! Well worth checking out their new EP “that beer called becks reminds me of a haiku i wrote” now free to download on their Bandcamp! that…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Wine Lips – Self-Titled
This self-titled EP by Toronto’s Wine Lips, is a melodic / shouting / syncopated / catchy / darkly humorous ride, which is criminally short at just 4 songs. Even if I compared bands to eachother, I would still fail to…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Punk. Pop occulture, Toronto, Wine Lips
KHARLOS – Don’t Think About Dying at My Party
New Yorkers Kharlos’s new cassette Don’t Think About Dying at My Party is entrenched deeply in the kind of Left Coast garage rock that’s prevalent these days. With a sneer and a sense of humor, this 8 song release finds…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, KHARLOS - Don't Think About Dying at My Party, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog
Video Daughters – S/T
Video Daughter’s released their self titled cassette came out on Already Dead Tapes and Records back in March, in case you missed it. The entire LP is a solid rocking tableau of punky rock experimentation. With enough hooks and weirdness…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Experimental, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Self Titled, Video Daughters
Swimsuit Addition – Wretched Pinups + Interview
Wretched Pinups by Swimsuit Addition is one of those albums that I actually gravely fear coming along. Because I generally try not to gush over the music that we review here. That being said and hyperbole aside Wretched Pinups might…
Posted in Bandcamp, Interview, Music Tagged with: Chicago, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Interview, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Swimsuit Addition, Wretched Pinups
Nowns – S/T
Debut tape from garage-pop duo Nowns. This self-titled release finds the band treading familiar guitars, drum machine, guitars and reverb formula that’s pretty typical these but with a bit more interesting twists and turns than your average “west-coast” garage band.…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: 2 piece, Des Moines, Drum Machine, Fuzz, Garage, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Nowns, pop, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Rock, Weirdo
Giant Kitty – This Stupid Stuff
RiotGrrl seems to be making quite the comeback as of late, and Giant Kitty embodies everything that I like about the genre, including what a lot of the modern purveyors seem lacking in, having a sense of humor. Their latest…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Female Fronted, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Giant Kitty "This Stupid Stuff", Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Riotgirrl
Super FM – Fuck Barnacle
NYC’s Super FM is a power trio that blasts through their new cassette Fuck Barnacle in a distorted haze that pummels your senses. Why are you still reading this? You should be listening to this, rather than read me wax…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: Fuck Barnacle, Fuzz Trio, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, New York, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, Super FM
The Scamps – Porcelain 110
Cool new LP by Springfield, MO garage rockers The Scamps. With soulful yet growly vocals and great flourishes of organ, The Scamps stomp and buzz their way through the album at breakneck speed. Standout track “Let’s Get Rid of New…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: age, Garage Pop, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, The skamps
Dream Nails – DIY
London based self-proclaimed ‘feminist punk witches from hell’, Dream Nails just self-released their first single through Bandcamp entitled “DIY”. However those lucky enough to live in England and have a chance to see them live will have an opportunity to…
Posted in Bandcamp, Music Tagged with: England, Feminist, Garage Punk, Garage Rock, Garage Rock Blog, london, Pop Occulture, Punk, Punk Blog, riotgrrl
