CLASS - First To Finish Last

  

  CLASS are from Tucson, Arizona and they've been impressing for a while now with Clash meets powerpop style of punk rock (or as their Bandcamp page just as correctly has it, The Boys meets Exploding Hearts). If you've not come across them so far then I'd recommend the 2-4-1 album released by Drunken Sailor Records that collected together the tracks from the two cassettes they released on Feel It Records : https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/2-4-1-lp

  They've just released a new single. It's on Total Punk Records, one of the first two singles released as part of that labels The Order Of The Dirty Plates series (the other single being by Itchy And The Nits). The band's line up on the single is Joe Jennings (Bass), Ryan Chavira (Drums), Richard (Guitars/Vocals) & Randall (Guitars/Vocals). 

  It's limited to 300 copies on 7" vinyl (which I'm sure will sell very quickly) and you can get it, along with the digital version, here : https://nowthatsclass.bandcamp.com/album/total-punk-order-of-the-dirty-plates-singles-club-2024

  This track is called First To Finish Last... 

houseghost - Hazel

  

  

  I mentioned yesterday that Ralph J Rivera had great taste in music and that when he starts getting excited about a new release you should take notice. Today you're getting a song by another band that's been causing his heart to beat just that little bit faster. From Dayton, Ohio, they're a 3 piece called houseghost (https://upload.facebook.com/houseghostdyt/) and they're fronted by brother and sister Nick and Kayla Hamby. They formed in 2018 and play very catchy "spooky punk" combining horror tinged lyrics with some of the most infectious melodies I've heard since The Bat Bites unleashed their S/T album (https://thebatbites.bandcamp.com/album/the-bat-bites). 

  They've just released a Self Titled album on Rad Girlfriend Records which the label describes as being along the lines of The Misfits meets Sleater - Kinney. It's 13 spooktacular tracks that'll wow any pop punk/power pop fan that likes their music to have both hooks and bite. You can get it on vinyl here :   https://radgirlfriendrecords.storenvy.com/collections/494848-rad-girlfriend-releases/products/30917647-rgf-118-houseghost-s-t-lp and digital download here :  https://houseghostdyt.bandcamp.com/album/houseghost 

  I'll play a different song on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show (https://www.facebook.com/events/649039772640821/) but today I'll share the recent video they released. This is the hauntingly good Hazel... 

  

The Staples - Heart Stops Beating (Guest Review By Tyler Boots (Phone Jerks))

  In an attempt to stop you getting bored with me doing all the write ups I reached out to a few people from various cool bands that have featured on here this year and asked if they knew of a new(ish) release they'd like to draw to the attention of the fine visitors to this blog. The results were mixed, a Wonk Uniter was very keen but forgot, a Slow Factioner is away abroad but will be doing something upon his return but a Phone Jerk came up with the goods.

  Hopefully you've all checked out the excellent new 10" by Phone Jerks by now but just in case I'll post a link to it and then I'll leave you in the capable hands of Tyler Boots who thinks you should be pointed in the direction of a new 7 track ep by Nova Scotia band The Staples...

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/phone-jerks-10x10


  Holy shite! The Staples!

Torn is the name of the new EP from this great new Halifax band featuring members of Tongan Death Grip, Fat Stupids and Future Girls. Apparently they had everything recorded and mixed around 3 to 4 years ago! So what was the friggin' hold-up?! Unfortunately, the hard drive with all their vocals bit the dust. Cripes! After a few years, Craig Hamlin finally re-did the vocals over the old mp3s (using a $14 desktop mic from The Source! (y'know, Radio Shack!)
It was well worth the wait! Songs like "Starry Skies" and "Heart Stops Beating" have a Primitives feel. "I'm Trash" reminds me of something from that first GG King record, Estoteric Lore. 90s Moncton and Halifax pop influences really come through on songs like "So Bad". There's even a creepy instrumental called "Christmas at the Forum" that perfectly captures the feeling of dread every maritime kid feels when their parents guilt them into attending one of those insufferable events! Hey, everybody likes an underdog story, so go give The Staples a listen and download!

You can snap it up name your price here : https://thestaples77.bandcamp.com/releases 

  This song is called Heart Stops Beating...

Mystery Date - Foreign Affairs

 
  Today's song is by a band from St Paul, Minneapolis who have a real enthusiasm for the tuneful side of the punk genre. Most of their influences would be probably filed under new wave, powerpop and mod, for example they list as influences the likes of The Jam, The Buzzcocks, Protex, Excel and The Vapors. Most mentions of them you'll come across will tell you they have a British feel about them and I can't disagree with that. You aren't going to get 100mph, sweaty, aggressive punk rock from these guys but if it's expertly crafted and catchy as hell timeless songs that you're after, read on.

  Mystery Date are a trio comprising of Johnny Eggerman (vocals/guitar), Steve Splettstazer (bass/vocals) and Grady Appleton (drums). They first came to my attention last year with the release of their single, You And Your Sister, 2013's debut single, Dreaming In Black & White and their early demo, had flown under my radar.  

  My interest piqued I was looking forward to their debut album and happily it exceeded my expectations. Released last month on Pinata Records, New Noir is a treasure trove of gems that you can dig up here :  http://mysterydate1.bandcamp.com/album/new-noir

  Tomorrow I'll be posting Johnny Eggerman's favourite songs but in the meantime here's one that's becoming one of mine, this is Foreign Affairs.....

The Cistems - Lets Spend Our Night

As there's been a hell of a lot of new visitors to this blog over the last couple of days since the 2014 top 30 list went up, lets try to keep all those new readers by posting something that everyone knows and loves. Actually, bollox to that, here's some obscure Japanese bubblegum powerpop! Thanks to Alberto Vei for putting this band on my radar, I love them.
  Unfortunately I know very little about them other than that they're a black leather jacket wearing foursome from Utsonomiya (which is the capital and most populous city of Tochiga  Prefecture, Japan). The line up comprises of BeeBee (guitar, vocals), KJ Monmon (guitar, vocals), O-Zeki 613xx (bass, vocals) and Monda-C (drums, vocals), having said this, all the photos I've seen of them seem to show them as a 3 piece so I'm not sure if all the members were together at the same time!. They released a debut mini lp called CCC and followed it up a few months later with another, this one called Toy Box. As far as I'm aware, their debut full length, called Lollipop and released on Underground Government records, was their last release (O-Zeki 613xx joined Telephone Sisters (who recently released a split ep with The Cry!), whilst the other 3 stayed together as Kingons). The album's full of feel good, life affirming pop punk of a style that The Ramones might have produced if they had come from that part of the world. Today's song however comes from their debut and it's called Let's Spend Our Night. It's wonderful.....