Vanilla “Cookiewow”
Northwestern band Vanilla returns with ‘Cookiewow,’ a 17-track album released gradually over the past year, following 2024’s ‘Pish Posh.’ The slow rollout fits the record’s reflective tone, which centers on aging, loss, frustration, and resignation. The album opens with “Abney Park,” a jazzy meditation on a lingering ghost. It sounds refined rather than eerie, though the mood stays dark. “Weathered Faces” leans into rock territory, focusing on time slipping by and memories fading. Cultural decline surfaces in “Hand of Glory,” where a strong chorus shines through layered horns and guitars. “Hollow Man” strips things back with shuffling percussion and lyrics steeped in self doubt and surrender.
The second half brings more energy. The bouncy “Pardon Me” takes a blunt swipe at political corruption, while “Boxing Clever” answers with guarded optimism, undercut by the line “nothing’s worth the price we pay.” It stands out as one of the album’s strongest moments. “In the Margins” pushes forward with driving guitars and a sense of resolve. “Beat the Clock” and the seasonal “Gingerbead Shitshow” add more hooks without losing bite. Jayson Jarmon’s songwriting remains sharp throughout, as this album is Highly Recommended.
The Prize “In The Red”
Another classic Aussie debut! ‘In The Red’ by The Prize hits hard from the opening seconds. This record grabs you on first listen and never lets go. The Prize come out of Melbourne, consisting of Nadine Muller on lead vocals & drums, Carey Paterson on lead vocals & guitar, Joseph Imfeld on guitar, Austin Haire on guitar, and Ethan Stahl on bass. Their sound is akin to Redd Kross or Buzzcocks, but I hear the influence of Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick with plenty of layered melodic riffs. You get tight punk energy, power pop hooks, and straight-ahead rock grit.
The strong opener “Connie” sets the table, and we are off to the races. The three guitarists trade riffs and solos without excess on “Don’t Need ‘Em.” Not a note of filler and the energy stays high across the full run time. The vocalists work equally well too, both Nadine and Carey carry each song and the songwriting keeps things compelling. The tempo finally moderates on “Silver Bullet,” so a ballad would have made it perfect. However, it still makes my Aussie dominated year-end list. Super Highly Recommended.
