A Happy New Year to you all. Inspired by the song I'm featuring today, I've decided to kick 2024 off with a tribute to all those people who are toiling away in relative obscurity releasing great new music that 99.99% of the general populace will remain forever unaware of. But to those band's I say, there's at least one person out there who loves you and is grateful for your efforts.
I mentioned yesterday that it was this blog's 10th birthday and it's also 10 years since Vista Blue started crafting their oh so catchy power pop/pop punk earworms. I've not checked but I'm pretty sure they've featured on here more often than anyone else. That being the case I don't need to tell you anything else about them, I can just use this update to say thank you to all the under appreciated musicians out there who brighten up our lives with their creativity.
It's a theme that Vista Blue run with on their new ep. Alongside a great cover of one of my favourite Queers' songs they have 2 original compositions. One implores all of us to make our own record. Make something that guys like myself can play on our podcasts or enthuse about in our end of year lists. The other, the title track, pays homage to a "nothing special" band that no one knows but must be someone's favourite.
Halloween is creeping up on us which means there's a new themed Vista Blue (https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue) release to enjoy. This years creepy treat is a 4 track ep titled New Nightmares and the songs are inspired by a quartet of horror movies; Halloween III, Candyman, Terror Train & Friday the 13th VI.
This track is the Friday the 13th VI inspired one, or to be more specific it's inspired by the cop in that movie who has a laser scope that he says he's been dying to use. He says, "Wherever the red dot goes... ya bang!" It's one of the most famous and cheesiest quotes from the series and there's a clip of the scene here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APQrSZwhYQg.
When you're as talented a songwriter as Mike Patton (that's the good Mike Patton, not the other guy who shares a name), there's always a danger that you'll release another "should be a hit" and the blogs and reviewers that love your music might overlook it in favour of recommending other songs that their readers should know about. This isn't done because the latest release is any worse than previous releases, it's merely because there's only so many times you can say that Nashville pop punk/power pop outfit Vista Blue (https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue) are the catchiest and most consistent purveyors of that kind of music currently operating.
But even though not all releases are shouted about they are all highly recommended (as are those by offshoot projects such as Ralphie's Red Ryders https://ralphiesredryders.bandcamp.com/). Every so often though, the band will pop up again...
The new 3 track ep by Vista Blue is titled Back To The Summer Olympics and it's perfect listening on a day like today where the sun is beating down and temperatures are as hot as a Californian beach in high season. The band usually write about stuff such as seasons of the year, horror movies (watch out for a bunch of those songs coming later this year) or various sports. Back To The Summer Olympics features Vista Blues second Olympic Games themed song (this 2016 single featured the first https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-summer-olympics) and it also includes the timely It's Summertime Again which originally appeared on the Ramonescore Radio Records' summer comp (https://ramonescoreradiorecords.bandcamp.com/album/20-original-summer-hits-rcrr-c005). The other track, Hey Anthony, is about some guy who's mother's got a boombox but I've not as yet been able to work out who Anthony is! You can get the ep here as a name your price download :
Nashville's finest, Vista Blue (https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/), return today with a firm contender for best summer song of 2020. It's been somewhat of a crappy year so far but that's not stopped the band from releasing a new single that'll brighten up your day. I didn't know the single was on it's way till I got a message from frontman Mike Patton saying "You've urged me to do Beach Boys stuff in the past. Here are a couple of attempts!" Obviously trying to put out music in the style of The Beach Boys is going to leave you wide open to comments that you aren't as good and whilst Vista Blue would never claim to be batting in the same ballpark, if anyone's gonna make a decent fist of things it's going to be these guys.
The first track has a title that is a play on words on the title the Beatles' smash Here Comes The Sun and it's a song that reassures us that even though it may have been raining for so long, one day the sun will be out and we can forget all our stresses and get back out on the beach. It's a love song in which Mike doesn't care how long the drive is, as long as his loved one is by his side. It's a modern day power pop classic that could easily be a metaphor for these current difficult times.
The other track is another harmony drenched song called I Like Brian, She Likes Mike in which our love struck couple argue over the merits of Pet Sounds compared with Kokomo.
Mike, Mark, Richard, and Reese have done themselves proud with another killer Vista Blue release. It's the catchy fare we've come to expect with maybe a little extra gentle guitar riffage. You can find it as a name your price download here : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/there-goes-the-sun
By their prolific standards, it's been ages since we heard from Nashville power pop heroes Vista Blue (although it's only a week or so ago since side project Ralphie's Red Ryders released their debut single https://ralphiesredryders.bandcamp.com/releases). The band have featured on here often enough that you probably already know if you like them or not. They've been very consistent putting out numerous catchy releases, some sitting slightly on the pop punk side of the fence, others on the power pop side. You know what you're getting with the band so I don't really need to rattle on.
The new release is a 3 track ep titled Rock Acrostics. It's a free download on Bandcamp and in these times of social distancing, Vista Blue are one of several bands determined to get their music out there to give an isolated public something to listen to. You can grab the ep here : ttps://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/rock-acrostics
They promise more new music is on the way.
This song name checks Baltimore pop punkers The Huntingtons, the Ramones influenced band who formed in the 90's and recently featured on here with a track from their new album Muerto, Carcel, O Rocanrol! (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2020/02/huntingtons-too-old-to-care.html). It's a timeless pop punk love song to a favourite band and it's called I Wanna Be A Huntington...
You should have all heard of Vista Blue by now, they're the power pop and pop punk loving band from Nashville fronted by the 2nd most famous (but most talented!) Mike Patton in music. They've probably been on here more often than any other group but they are very prolific in their output and they don't half have the knack of penning a catchy tune.
This time they feature with a track from their latest ep, Hit The Floor! They tried something a little differently this time around and decided to crowdfund the ep in order to be able to get it recorded at a "proper" studio. That studio was Ardent Studios in Memphis (famous acts to record there include the likes of Led Zeppelin, Isaac Hayes, Big Star, Cheap Trick, The Cramps, REM etc etc etc...). The results speak for themselves as the band have never sounded better. With a line up of Mike Patton (vocals, guitar, organ), Richard Bates (guitar, vocals) Reese Chism (drums, vocals), Mark Crowley (bass, vocals) and (on the song you'll find below) Perry Leenhouts (vocals, tambourine), they've knocked it out of the park. There's a couple of original compositions plus a cover of Three Chord City, a song originally recorded by early 80's New Orleans band The Cold. You can pre order the coloured vinyl from Radiant Radish Records http://radiantradish.storenvy.com/products/28939873-vista-blue-hit-the-floor-7-inch or download it now from Bandcamp : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/hit-the-floor
This is my favourite song, it's described by musician/songwriter/producer Wyatt Funderbunk as "a not so subtle nod to Ardent Studios' most famous clients which also pays tribute to Mike’s DIY values that brought him to this point. It also features some fantastic soaring harmonies from Perry Leenhouts of the Travoltas. A brilliant collaboration." and it's titled Big Stars...
If I was to hazard a guess I'd say Nashville's Vista Blue have featured on here more often than any other band. The reason for this is because they're very prolific and because I'm a big fan of their catchy blend of power pop and pop punk. Usually they put out themed releases featuring songs about the stuff they love, mainly sport or horror. This time around they're preparing to present their first full length dedicated to the spooky Halloween season. Titled Trick And Treats, you can expect 11 "hook-filled sing-alongs about haunted houses, trick or treating, zombies, ghosts and scary movies." As vocalist Mike Patton admits, there's numerous punk rock fans who don't always appreciate the band's power pop sound but hopefully they'll find this album more to their taste as it shows off more of their pop punk side. Without sacrificing any of their trademark catchiness, this time around they rock a little harder. Although not out until October, there's a couple of songs streaming already on Bandcamp : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/tricks-and-treats
This is the opening track on the album, a bouncy sub 90 second joy that reminds me a bit of Shit Out Of Luck period Lillingtons. I'm looking forward to hearing the full album. This is I Don't Wanna Trick or Treat With You...
This time around the band are celebrating opening day of what I assume is the baseball season. All this baseball stuff is beyond me but I'm sure as a cricket fan and someone who suspects himself to be at least dipping a toe into the autism spectrum (I'm quite interested in stats which is what seems to make up a large part of baseball plus I update this blog everyday which suggests an obsessive personality!) I think I'd enjoy it if there were enough hours in a day for me to give it a go. But it doesn't matter, knowing nothing about baseball doesn't detract from my enjoyment of today's song.
Also of interest, even though they don't seem to play too many live shows they've got what looks like an awesome gig lined up where they'll be on a bill with The Radio Buzzkills, The Prozacs and The Rip Taylors. It's at The Cobra, Nashville on 19th April and details are here : https://www.facebook.com/events/2189605147718537/
This song is typical Vista Blue. Bright and bouncy, catchy as hell and likely to be rattling around in your head for the rest of the day. It's called Opening Day...
I did an interview with Vista Blue's Mike Patton a couple of years ago which went down pretty well and as I've not done one for a while and Vista Blue have an interesting project in the works I thought it might be a good idea to have another chat. The first interview is here if anyone wants it : https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2016/02/an-interview-with-mike-patton-vista.html
Now here's the new one :
Hi Mike, has anyone ever mentioned you share a name with the singer in Faith No More?
Wait, really? Never heard of him!
What's the current line up of Vista Blue?
We've had the same basic lineup for four years. Live, it's me, Mark on bass, and Reese on drums.
Todd lives in Cincinnati and is very busy with two young sons. He still contributes songs, and we're recording at least a couple of his tracks this year at some point. He'll record a track with me from time to time if I need him to. When we played in Cincy a few months ago, Mark couldn't make the trip, so Todd played bass. We grew up playing music together, so he can jump in whenever and wherever needed.
On our upcoming 7-inch, we'll be adding my friend Richard Bates (Sally Stitches, The Hons) on lead guitar to give us a little more of a power pop sound.
When I started this project, I was always open to having friends contribute at various points. We've had a lot of different guests join us on recordings, and you'll probably see more of that in the future.
Whenever I play your songs on the show they split the chatroom with some people liking them but others not being fans as they prefer something a little heavier. Do you consider yourselves as a punk band? Or a power pop band or maybe something straddling both genres? How would you describe your audience and does not being easy to pigeonhole you into a certain genre maybe make you outcasts to some degree?
This is spot on. Coming up in New Orleans, anyone who knew us called us a punk band. Not because of our sound, but because that's what we were. We were booking shows, we were giving all the money to the touring bands, we were doing community benefit shows, and mostly, we just fit in with that scene. So even though our music sounded more like the Beatles than hardcore punk, all the punk bands accepted us, and many of them actually "got" it.
But then reviews would always be mixed, which holds true to this day. For some reason, the Loblaws got a pass, I guess because we were on Mutant Pop. But put those same exact recordings on any other label, and no one is calling them punk.
Yet, on the other hand, so many of the power pop guys dismiss us as well for being too "punk," which is just absurd.
I can totally understand people listening to your show and not liking our music. But anyone who really understands the history of Buddy Holly/Chuck Berry to the Beatles/Beach Boys to the Ramones and then to Lookout Records and beyond knows that our sound does fit somewhere in there.
Of course, if people don't like us, it's fine. I come across people all the time who don't like The Zombies or The Carpenters or The Smiths or Pulp and on and on. All of that is crazy to me, but it also shows me that music is really just an individual, personal thing.
Your output is prolific and you have loads of digital releases available through bandcamp....
One thing people can never say about us is that we don't work hard. Physical releases and comp appearances aside, we had 28 digital releases in our first four years as a band. Again, this project was all about having fun from the moment I started it. My goal was to do whatever we wanted to do whenever we wanted to do it. And it really has been so much fun.
You're too power pop for the punks and too punk for the power pop fans, which other modern day bands would you compare yourselves with?
I never know who to compare us to! I love Parasite Diet. I think they're great. Hopefully I'll play with them eventually if I ever have the time and we can make it work. I love Neon Bone. The Riptides. The Travoltas, of course. Again, I don't know if we sound a ton like those bands, but I like to think we all share some of the same pop sensibilities.
Do you never get tempted to put out a hardcore punk ep under a false name just to see what the reaction is of the people who don't think you're proper punks?
We joke about a lot of things, and that's definitely something we've joked about. But the thing is, I know that's not even something I could do well enough to make it a proper joke.
Again, people like what they like. As long as they don't make it personal, we really shouldn't be concerned about someone not liking our music or anyone else's music. You know, I have actually supported A LOT of bands in the past that didn't have one song that I liked. As long as we remember that punk is more about the community than the notes being played or the speed at which they're being played, it's totally fine. You can't please everyone!
Tell me about Radiant Radish Records
Back in New Orleans, starting around 2001, the Radiant Radish was a collective of friends who booked shows, hosted events, and just hung out a lot. We released all the Robinsons stuff on CD-Rs, along with a few other local bands. Right before Hurricane Katrina, we started setting up our first real CD release, but the storm wiped that out. Over the last few years, we've revived the Radiant Radish to distribute digital stuff and released our first 7-inch last year. I'd love to do more with it, but it comes down to money of course.
You released your debut 12" (Seasons) on Something To Do Records. There was also a split 7" with The Zambonis. Are vinyl releases something you want to do more of? How much more difficult is putting out vinyl compared with digital (or even cd) releases?
The coolest thing about Vista Blue is that, no matter how much I say this is all about having fun, new awesome things keep happening. Our first vinyl release was the split with PEARS. We wrote a song for our friends' NOLA record store (Sisters in Christ), and they put out the 7-inch with PEARS covering our song on Side A and our version on Side B.
Then yes, Something To Do put out the first 12-inch I've ever had. Matthew is doing some really cool things with that label, and I feel like people are sleeping on it. But it's seriously an honor to be on that roster, and we have more releases coming up with them.
The split with The Zambonis was another cool thing that just sort of happened. I'd been a Zambonis fan for years, and they were one of my biggest inspirations when I started this band with the idea of doing themed releases. I joked on Facebook about doing a curling record for the 2018 Olympics and tagged Dave Zamboni. Next thing I knew, I was on the phone with one of my favorite songwriters discussing our options. In the end, we had to put it out ourselves, making it the first vinyl release I've done on my own, but we're so glad to have it in our collection.
I would LOVE to do more vinyl releases if I could generate the money to do so. The curling record barely broke even. But the vinyl releases are just so much fun. Of course, I've been lucky to have guys like Tim at Mutant Pop and Rami at Killer Records who have done vinyl for us, which is obviously such a huge financial commitment.
Is it hard finding the right label to release your music?
Honestly, I've just about given up on trying to find labels at this point. We have a great relationship with Something To Do. Other than that, I think it goes back to what you said about your show. The punk labels won't touch us cause we're really not punk. But we're too DIY (and unknown) for anything bigger.
The weird thing is that I feel like I have friends who run some of these labels, so it's not a personality conflict. And if I can move 250 records about curling by myself, imagine what a decent label could have done with it! We don't tour, and I'm a terrible salesman. But in the end, if I need to do it myself, I will.
Is this why you've launched the new Kickstarter campaign?
Exactly. I know I'm not Dr. Frank or Joe Queer. I don't plan to be doing this when I'm 50, at least nowhere near as active. So I'm starting to look at the final things I want to accomplish before thinking about shutting things down.
Last summer, I went to Memphis and got to interview Jody Stephens of Big Star for my Nashville radio show. It was such an amazing experience. I couldn't believe I was in that building with the drummer from one of my all-time favorite bands. Afterward, we talked about Vista Blue coming in to record, and the guys in the band were really into it, of course.
I'd also been talking a little bit to Perry from the Travoltas, who is also just a great guy that I've learned so much from over the years. In the fall I wrote a Travoltas-ish song called "Don't Go Out With Judy (She'll Break Your Heart)," and I sent it over to Perry. He felt like he could really help us with mixing and mastering on a release, so we decided we'd do it as soon as the right project came up.
So this is definitely something that I wanted to do before Vista Blue was done. We don't have a strict deadline, but July works best for all of us to make it over to Memphis at the same time. So we launched the kickstarter now to have it wrapped up in time for the summer, and hopefully this will all work out.
I understand crowdfunding is not ideal, and I don't even have the added marketing punch of the Zambonis on this one. So it's going to be tough. But I feel like we've been as supportive as we could be to all our friends over the years, so we'll just see what happens.
What else does Vista Blue have planned?
We have a digital single coming out on Something To Do on May 1st. It's one of our favorite songs, actually, but it's a little different, so it'll be interesting to see how it's received. I can tell you that we had it in our live sets in the fall, and it went over really well.
We'll likely do at least a baseball single this spring. I don't know if it will be out for Opening Day, and I know it definitely won't be a nine-track release like the last two years. Those releases really took a toll on me, especially the last one (End of the Season), which was a concept release that I worked on for four months straight, writing the story, the character arcs, and of course, the songs. But we've had at least one baseball release each year, so we'll do something for 2019.
We're doing another covers EP soon, probably in the next month or so. And then those tracks will go on a CD we're putting out on Radiant Radish called "Around the World," which will also feature songs by The Barbecuties, The Screaming Dogs, and Los Padrinos!
After that, it all depends on what happens with the kickstarter.
How do you think the proposed hit the floor 7" will differ from your previous material and do you think if it's a success crowd funding is something you'd do again in future?
This 7-inch will be a little different. I don't think you go to Ardent Studios to make a record that sounds like the Queers, especially when we already rehearse at Drastic Sounds, where so many great pop punk records have been made!
We're bringing in my buddy Richard Bates on this project to add a second guitar. If anyone is familiar with my New Orleans project Sally Stitches, Richard was in that band, which is the only real band I've been in with two guitars. So you could probably expect something closer to Sally Stitches, to be honest. We have 4-5 songs on the table and will likely choose 3 of them. One for sure is a cover of a really great song by an old school New Orleans band, which I'm sure most of our fans have never even heard.
As for crowdfunding, I really hope this is it! I hate it so much. I am SO thankful for the people who have supported the other two campaigns I've done (our horror zine in 2013 and the curling record campaign in 2017). Like I said, this could end up being one of our last vinyl releases anyway, aside from whatever we can do with Something To Do.
The main thing that I hope people take away is that the "pre-order" level should serve as just that. If 130 people chose that level, that's all we'd need. But it doesn't happen that way, so I'll be promoting the thing for two months. People do like test pressings and some of the other rewards we have, so I'm pretty confident that we'll make it. But again, I am fully aware that it truly takes a community to make something like this work.
In the end, I never say never. I could end up doing it again if it were for something else I considered to be a cool accomplishment. But if I never crowdfund again, I'm totally fine with that as well!
All that's left for me to do now is thank you for checking out Just Some Punk Songs and wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Today's song eschews the the traditional mawkish sentimental bollocks usually associated with the festive season in favour of something much more delightful. This is Silent Night, Deadly Night...
Halloween is almost upon us which means there's a good chance Vista Blue will be releasing a suitably creepy ep. 2016 saw October Days (And October Nights!) feature songs about Camp Crystal Lake, Freddie Kruegar etc whilst last year's Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark was inspired by Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark book series and touched on various urban legends such as gators in the sewer and why you should always check the backseat of your car!
This year they're back with more urban legends on their More Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark ep (can I suggest you download all 3 eps, add their song Jamie Lee and you'll have pretty much the perfect Halloween album). From the opening track, Babysitting (we all know what happens to babysitters in horror movies), to closer The Slithery Dee ( based on the children's poem " The Slithery Dee Oh where can he be? He ate all the others But he'll never eat --- (abrupt stop and a strange noise) ") the ep is a joy. We even get the added bonus of female backing vocals on Wait Till Martin Comes (something they should consider doing more often as it works really well). You can find the ep here : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/more-scary-songs-to-sing-in-the-dark The song you'll find below deals with the urban legend of the hook found in the car door. Dating from at least the mid 50's the basic premise of this tale has a young couple in lovers lane hearing a news bulletin reporting on a serial killer escaping from a nearby institution. They leave quickly and later discover a hook hanging from their door. As vocalist Mike wryly observed on Facebook, who thought it'd be a good idea to give a deranged killer a sharp hook in place of a missing hand and why would said killer try to open the door with his hook and not his good hand! Both fair points but they don't detract from a wonderful song. Vista Blue are one of the catchiest bands around and this release is perfect for playing to your kids just before you take them out into the dark for a spot of trick or treating. This is The Hook...
Judy. The Ramones claimed she was a runt, a juvenile delinquent who went with a punk called Jackie down to San Francisco and joined the infamous Patty Hearst kidnapping group the SLA. Immortalised in a song that contains possibly punk rock's best ever line ("second verse, same as the first").
Judy. Not sure if she's the same girl, possibly her at an earlier stage of her life, but according to Vista Blue, she's a narcissistic heartbreaker. You might think she's the hottest chick in school but give her a wide bearth.
Another month, another song from Vista Blue. This time around Mike and co have released an ep titled ...And You Have A Pizza. Eschewing their usual baseball themed tropes, this time around it's 6 power pop tunes about girls and relationships. The kind of songs Mike wrote for his previous bands The Loblaws and The Robinsons. There's even a cover of the Beach Boys' classic It's Ok on there. But as soon as I saw one of the songs was about Judy, that was always going to be the highlight.
They say that a week is a long time in politics, it's also true that 5 months without a new release from Vista Blue seems like a lifetime. The wait is over.
I should think you've all seen me going on about Nashville's number 1 power pop / pop punk band by now so I don't need to go over old ground. Suffice to say that even if you're a Billy Leeds (that's an archaic Yorkshire term for grizzled old punk) you'll still find something from their lengthy back catalogue to enjoy and what's more, all their digital releases are name your price : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/
Usually their (catchy as hell) songs are about baseball or Halloween or Christmas or even curling! But this time around they return with an ep aimed at kids but that adults can enjoy too. It's called The Kids Still Don't Like It and it contains 5 tracks inspired by some of the bands that did this kind of thing when they were growing up (They Might Be Giants, Ralph's World, Justin Roberts etc). To be honest, even though they're pitching it as a kids ep, it isn't really much different from their other stuff. It's still gonna get stuck in your head. They're one of those bands that don't stray too far from their core sound and to be fair I'm very happy about that. https://www.facebook.com/wearevistablue/
Maybe aimed at kids (so play it to your young ones) but definitely gonna be enjoyed by everyone, this is My Dad Listens To The Ramones...
(btw.... if you're wondering about the picture at the top of the page, Vista Blue are a band that don't have many photos online so I've posted one of someone who's dad listens to The Ramones. My daughter).
Fresh from releasing songs about curling and basketball, Nashville power pop legends Vista Blue are back with a new baseball themed album. You aren't a baseball fan? Fear not, I know pretty much nothing about the sport either so unsurprisingly much of the story of the final day of the season game between the Hawks and the Lions goes straight over my head. But it doesn't matter one jot as the songs are so catchy that Vista Blue could release a concept album about sanitation in Ghana and it'd still be a wonderfully upbeat treat.
There's going to be a cassette release via Byaaaaaah! Records or you can snap it up name your price here :
I could have picked any of the album's 9 tracks to showcase as they're all great. The one I went with takes it's inspiration from 60's surf legends Jan And Dean, it's slap bang in the middle of the album's narrative and this is the part of the storyline it deals with..... While the Lions were retired in three straight at bats in the top of the 5th, the Hawks threatened again, taking advantage of poor throws from Weston "The Rifle" Smith behind the plate. Flowers started a two-out rally with a single (his third hit of the day) and stole second and third, before catcher Frankie LaRue walked and stole second himself. Giles avoided trouble by striking out "Mack" McCartney, who was hitless on the day.
This is Run, Run, Run....
One of the nicest people that I've met on the internet whilst compiling this blog is Vista Blue's Mike Patton. He seems to send me links to his band's new releases every other week. In fact he's so nice, he doesn't just let myself and anyone else who might promote his music download his stuff for free, he makes it all available on Bandcamp name your price so that everyone can enjoy the wonderful power pop tunes that he seemingly has no problem writing. He's a bit like Santa, if Santa was benevolent all year round.
Which brings me nicely to today's song. Mike contacted me last week with the link to Vista Blue's new ep. It's titled Christmas Sounds and you can snap it up here : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-sounds . Being the grateful type of guy that I am, I told him "If you think I'm posting a Christmas song in November, you can sod off." So he sent me a link to a new single they've also just released (https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/yer-so-bad-my-little-blue-one). He's not one to hang around between releases!
Anyway, it's December now so even though I'm not a massive fan of Christmas songs I make an exception for Vista Blue as they're so damn catchy. I even threw a bunch of images together to make an admittedly amateurish video. Have a Merry Christmas Mike and I look forward to loads more messages in 2018.
With Halloween on the horizon it's now a good time to record a few creepy songs and as fans of New Orleans power pop kings Vista Blue will know, they're always more than happy to produce catchy horror themed tunes. Fresh from their split ep with The Zambonis about curling, they've not given the grass time to grow on top of the burial plot before returning with spooky new ep, Scary Songs To Sing In The Dark. The ep features 6 new songs inspired by the book series of the same name which deals with various urban legends. One of the songs, I Shouldn't Be So Scared, will also feature in the movie Irrational Fear which is coming soon from Slasher Studios. There's also an accompanying zine which you can find details on when you snap up the ep name your price on Bandcamp.... https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/scary-songs-to-sing-in-the-dark
If you're a collecter of vinyl, you can order Vista Blue's debut 12". It's titled Seasons and features 20 tracks culled from several of their digital eps and as a bonus they'll chuck in a cd of their Good Eye album and a d/l code for a new digital acoustic ep. It's available in various colours from Something To Do Records : http://radiantradish.storenvy.com/products/21454424-vista-blue-seasons-12-inch-blue-vinyl
It was once a fad amongst New Yorkers vacationing in Florida to bring back cute baby Alligators for their kids. Obviously once those cute babies began to grow up it wasn't really feasible to keep them, so many were flushed down the loo. Some of them survived and indeed thrived in the sewer systems beneath the city, several mutating into giant albino alligators who are occasionally stumbled upon by sewer workers.
Vista Blue have given this urban legend an upbeat Shadows type backing track that's pretty damn snappy. This is Gators In The Sewer!.....
Anyone who regularly visits this blog will be familiar with Nashville power pop outfit Vista Blue. They've featured plenty of times over the last few years and they return today with a song from a new split ep they've released on their own Radiant Radish label in collaboration with The Zambonis.
There's 2 songs from each band, The Zambonis take a laid back almost country approach with Sweep Me Over The Hogline whilst Curling Girl is not only the cutest girl in town but she likes both hockey and The Ramones. No wonder they love her! Vista Blue pick up the pace with the 60's smash hit that never was, Curling All Around The USA and they round off an excellent ep with the song you'll find below.
If there's any bands around at the moment that are catchier than Vista Blue, please let me know. This is Girl Who Can Curl....
Vista Blue are regulars on Just Some Punk Songs, their catchy power pop/pop punk tunes make a nice contrast to some of the more gritty or hard hitting bands that feature. An added bonus with Vista Blue is that their frequent new releases (as well as being wonderful) are name your price on Bandcamp. What are you waiting for, go download some great music.... https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/here-to-stay
Now you've done that, I'll tell you about their new ep. It's called Here To Stay and this time around Mike and the guys have recorded 4 covers of some of their favourite songs. They've put their unique spin on tracks by Depeche Mode, The Cascades, Big Star and Teen Idols. The Song you're getting below was originally by Memphis Tennessee's Big Star and it was described by Rolling Stone as "one of rock's most beautiful celebrations of adolescence."
This is Thirteen.....
Won't you let me walk you home from school Won't you let me meet you at the pool Maybe Friday I can Get tickets for the dance And I'll take you
Won't you tell your dad, get off my back Tell him what we said 'bout 'Paint It Black' Rock 'n Roll is here to stay Come inside where it's okay And I'll shake you
Won't you tell me what you're thinking of Would you be an outlaw for my love If it's so, well, let me know If it's no, well, I can go I won't make you
By their prolific standards, not releasing a new record for 4 months is almost as long a drought as when the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies team lost 23 consecutive games. Eventually Gene Mauch's side beat the Milwaukee Braves 7-4 to end that losing streak and Mike Patton's Vista Blue have triumphantly returned with a new record.
Recorded by Mike and Mark in Nashville last month, the new record is a 9 track baseball themed album with a release date designed to coincide with Major League Baseball's Opening Day. It isn't their first baseball themed release (and I doubt it'll be their last), the guys have a great love of the game and that shines through in the songs. Even the band name, Vista Blue, comes from Mike and his brother Todd's local park team from when they were growing up. Titled Wonderband, you can find the new album on Bandcamp. As with all Vista Blue releases it's very generously pitched as name your price https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/album/wonderband
Below you'll find a video, put together by Joe Wellington, for a song which is a tribute to David Ortiz. Nicknamed Big Papi, Ortiz is a recently retired designated hitter who played MLB for Minnesota Twins and then the Boston Red Sox. He hit 541 home runs including a Red Sox season record of 54, set during the 2006 season. He was the MVP in the 2013 World Series. For those that don't know, in baseball, teams are permitted to have one player, the designated hitter, who's sole role is to take the place of the pitcher in the batting line up. A great way to make a lot of money without hardly having to play at all, but when you can hit a ball as far as Ortiz, no one was complaining.
Later this year, Vista Blue are planning to release their first 12" (on Something To Do Records) which will be titled Seasons and feature some of the music they recorded over the last couple of years. They're considering themed football, covers and children's song releases. Oh, there may also be a split 7" with The Zambonis timed to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics and featuring songs about curling!
Combining the punk simplicity of The Ramones with the pop sensibilities of Weezer, this is Designated Hitter....
It might sound crazy But I don't even own a glove Some people think I'm lazy But hitting's just the thing I love And I bat four times every night I never have to play in left or right I never have to dive to catch And stand to make a throw Cause I'm the designated hitter whoa oh
It might sound funny But all I do is hit the ball I make a lot of money And I barely have to play at all And I come in late every day I spend most of my time at the buffet Nobody ever asks me to shag flies Cause they all know Cause I'm the designated hitter whoa oh
"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes and a new Vista Blue ep each month." Even Benjamin Franklin knew how prolific New Orleans power pop maestros Vista Blue are.
As we're nearing the Festive season it's no surprise that this time round they've released another Christmas themed record. Vocalist Mike Patton says that they've released it to coincide with Black Friday as that's the time of the year when a lot of people start listening to Christmas music. Whether that's the case or not, I'd say that the name your price tag makes it a bargain worth checking out, in fact it's Black Friday everyday on the Vista Blue Bandcamp page as you can snap up all their eps name your price : https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/
The new ep is called Check It Twice, it features updated versions of 5 songs Mike wrote between 2012-2014 and as far as Christmas records go, they're actually very good. Future plans for the band include new music early in 2017 "We already have our first 2-3 eps planned for 2017, along with a 12 inch coming from Something To Do Records."
A song about someone who doesn't like Christmas as much as people would expect, this is Bobby Kringle....
