Off-the-beaten path: Wonderlick “Goes to War”

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“The

Wonderlick “Niagara Falls, 1969”and “Rhinoceros”

Woody Guthrie famously scribbled “This machine kills fascists” on the back of his acoustic guitar in 1943, but can musicians truly offer any effective resistance to rising political strife in 2025? ‘Wonderlick Goes to War’ is an attempt to answer this topic by the California duo Wonderlick (Jay Blumenfield and Tim Quirk). The 11 songs investigate the incredible true stories of human accomplishments, as well as the terrible depths to which they can descend, and attempt to connect the dots between the triumphs and tragedies. The album is due in early August.

Produced by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built to Spill), it opens with the pounding rhythms of “Niagara Falls, 1969” about how the famous Falls were drained for five months to allow engineers  to remove unstable debris. Visitors flocked to observe the falls in their dry form during this event. The song chugs along, the quirky lyrics include the things people found (coins, skeletons, etc.) and it all feels a bit like a lost Taking Heads tune with its repeating chorus.

Next, “Rhinoceros” is a deliberative analogy about how people who know can harden their political opinions against others, and charging like an animal against others that aren’t “one of us.” The song plods along with the duo harmonizing in distinctly different tones. The lead vocal is almost a warble, but the duo makes the song work with it’s harmonies and a very straight forward guitar line that reminds me of REM. Both songs have hooks that catch you and overall, these two tracks showcase the musical skills of Blumenfield and Quirk, and if you are looking for pop off the beaten path, check out the album!

Amazon (Rhino) | Amazon (Niagara Falls 1969)

New Rock documentaries: Collective Soul and The Beach Boys

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For multi-Platinum Atlanta rockers Collective Soul, seeing eye to eye, and ear to ear, is part of the secret sauce of why the band continues to both record and play together after 30-plus years. They’ve sold over 15 million albums worldwide–six of which have gone Gold or Platinum—and boast seven #1 singles, including “Shine,” “December,” and “The World I Know.” They’re now giving fans an insight into that musical world with the release of their first-ever documentary, Give Me A Word: The Collective Soul Story, which will be released July 8, 2025. Official movie site here

We all know and love The Beach Boys, and with Brian Wilson’s passing it’s important to share the bands legacy. Disney+ has a new documentary called The Beach Boys. It features exclusive interviews and rare footage from the band’s career. Including interviews with many artists, such as Lindsey Buckingham, as well as band members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. The film also features Blondie Chaplin, Ricky Fataar, and former band members Carl and Dennis Wilson. It is definitely a basic bio of the band — not too in depth, so Beach Boys virgins apply!

The Brigadier and Bryan Estepa

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“The

The Brigadier “Sailing the Seven Neuroses”

It’s been 8 years since The Brigadier (aka Matt Williams) visited us, and his return brings back his unique sound exemplified on the opening track “Bleak Companion.” The pop bounce of “The Purge” is about the difficulty of leaving things behind, “I can’t let go, everything I ever had is in this place” he sings, and it has enough twists to have you humming along. “Count Your Blessings” offers advice on gratitude, and be thankful “before you mess things up” with a nice jangle break between the verses. Matt’s soft vocals and layered synths work well, but several songs are missing hooks to keep you invested in repeat plays.

But he hits the mark with “Hot Solace” as he states, “I won’t let the melancholy come over me.” When the guitars mix with synths on “Heaven’s in my Heart” or “Everyday an Ordeal,” it often recalls 80s-era new wave pop, and this is Matt’s sweet spot. The title track is an interesting instrumental that recalls late-era Brian Wilson. This also comes up on the finale, “Don’t Go to Bed Mad,” which has lovely harmonies and is one of the best tunes here. Overall a good album that reintroduces us to the talents of The Brigadier. Check it out!

Amazon


Bryan Estepa

Bryan Estepa “I See It Now”

Australian Singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa has been a fixture of the DIY indie pop scene for over 20 years, and each album is a lesson in polished authenticity. The opener “Where You Begin” sets up the reflective theme, and “Grounded” is a lovely mid-tempo ballad that evokes McCartney styled sweetness. My favorite here is the light rocker “Version of Me;” picture a mixed blend of yacht rock and Fountains of Wayne. Estepa also addresses the passage of time on “Lines Will Show” and the hook-laden “Alright, OK,” which features a soft chorus that preserves the reflective atmosphere, even with those sharp guitars riffs.

The album closes out with the bittersweet “La última vez” and the lyrically sincere, unpretentious title track “I See It Now.” Although “Corners” feels like a misfire with its pounding rhythm, this short album lacks any filler. If you like soft guitar-pop and are interested in stories about healing, self-improvement, and introspection, you will enjoy this album. Fans of Wilco, Elliott Smith, or Fountains of Wayne should check out this well-crafted group of songs.

Amazon

Singles Late June: John Larson and The Silver Fields, Late Cambrian, The Dogmatics, Friends of Cesar Romero, Star Circus, The Jive

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John Larson and The Silver Fields has a new album out called ‘Rumble Candy’ and, we feature the video for “Turnaround, Girl” one of the better tunes here. Fans of rock and roll jangle should check it out! Late Cambrian was looking to make happy music for the zombie flick “28 Year Later,” it’s an awesome tune, even if it doesn’t match the movies tone. On the harder track, we have The Dogmatics punk-pop of “You’ve Got What I Want” and it speeds through our headphones quick. Friends of Cesar Romero is sounding more like Sloan on it’s new freebie – check out “Summer Boyfriend” and “Rebound Baby.” Star Circus is a band that walks the line between power pop and stadium hard rock. Influenced by Queen, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick and Def Leppard, it works nicely. The new album is ‘From The Wreckage’ and I’ve inclined to get it based on this single, visit the Bandcamp page for more. Finally, along the same lines The Jive is another strong power pop band with a hard rock edge. Check out “Good Time Call” and you’ll see what I mean. So these hot bands should help you cool off!





Live at The Bowery Electric: Steve Conte, JoyBuzzer, The Jellybricks, The Midnight Callers

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I was a happy participant at the show in the basement bar Bowery Electric on June 13, 2025. How could I not love all these great bands! MC’ed by Kurt Baker, The Midnight Callers opened the evening with their retro-rock swagger, reimagining ’70s riffs.  Next, The Jellybricks performed power-pop with style. From “DOA Brooklyn” to a lively Beatles cover (“I’ve Just Seen a Face”), their set was tight, lyrical, and full of hooks. Joy Buzzer lit up the room and the crowd sang along to their debut ‘Pleased to Meet You’ album loaded with  energy. Steve Conte ended the night with some serious New York Dolls-inspired swagger. What else can I say? Check out the video bits from my buddy Steven.

See the entire Playlist