Monkey House: Crashbox (Album of the Week)

For the longest time, I tried to define what genre Steely Dan was. Was it jazz? R&B? Urban? It was...Steely Dan...they are their own genre. For so long, they just did their own thing and no one else did. 

But a band from Toronto has been honing their sound to give us Dan fans that sound that we have missed for so many years. Monkey House (named after the Kurt Vonnegut book) have hit their zenith with their latest record, Crashbox. 

This track scared me how much it sounded like Fagan...

The title track is just perfect...

And paging AM radio from the 1970s!

My faith in music is at all time high!

Autocamper: What Do You Do All Day?

There is a great jangle pop band that just dropped their first full length record. Autocamper hails from Glasgow and their album is called What Do You Do All Day? It also falls in the "dudes with guitars" sound that we have all loved so much these last 20 year, although I should mention half the band is chicks!

Opening track...

Kokoroko: Tuff Times Never Last

Kokoroko brings the lounge lizard and I can't help but crave a martini when I listen to them. The London outfit's sophomore effort is out and it's fabulous. Tuff Times Never Last is a testament to optimism and that always amazing cocktail vibe.

Opening track...

Frankie Cosmos: Different Talking

I've been loving me some NYC indie folks scene lately and, at the top of my list, is Frankie Cosmos. Her latest is called Different Talking. I love the honesty of the whole thing. People are like this, feel this way and think this way.

The best track is...

Slick Rick: Victory

Slick Rick is his own vibe. The London native continues to dazzle the earth with his latest release, Victory. His brand of paisley hip hop warms my heart.

One of my faves...

Daily Toll: A Profound Non-Event

Daily Toll is a wonderful band from New Zealand. Their first full length has just dropped and, man oh man, is it wonderful. Some serious chill, vibe and groove on A Profound Non-Event.

Opening track...

Triptides: Shapeshifter (Album of the Week)

Ah, psychedelic rock. It's such a beautiful thing. This kind of music takes you deep into the mind and out into the cosmos at the same time. A fine example of this is LA's own Triptides. Their latest is called Shapeshifter and it's one of the best albums of the year. 

The opening track reels you in...and out!

The next track, "More Than A Friend" is an instant nostalgia generator...

And the title track is a transformative journey...

Hail the gods of psych pop!

Yonder: Memento Mori

Hometown hereos Yonder have their first EP out and it's just what all of us indie/alternative fans need for the rest of the summer. Memento Mori has six tracks of sheer wonder!

Buckcherry: Roar Like Thunder

Who wants some good ol' classic hard rock? Anaheim's own Buckcherry is just the ticket!! Their latest is called Roar Like Thunder and boy does it ever!

Opening (and title) track...

Kesha: .

Kesha cool. Very cool. Her latest has one of the most boss songs in the history of pop music. It's a set of directions on how to pwn men.

Go listen to it!

YUNGBLUD: Idols

Holy crap, is YUNGBLUD amazing. His latest is called Idols and it proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, who is the current king of pop. Every track is pure gold and laced with power. He is a colossus!

Opening track...

Born Ruffians: Beauty's Pride

Holy crap! The new Born Ruffians record is easily their best yet. The Toronto outfit continues to blow me away with their sly and smooth style. Beauty's Pride is their ninth release and clearly their zenith. The album radiates that urban mood laced with amour.

Opening (and my favorite) track...

Saint Motel: Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky

LA's own Saint Motel keeps turning out magnificent music. A key element of their music is the cinematic quality of it. And that's never been more true than on their latest offering, Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky. The record is a sheer wonder of vision. Check it out!

Opening track...

Durand Jones and the Indications: Flowers (Album of the Week)

Soul music is alive and well. Thank god! Leading the charge of soul artists is Bloomington, Indiana's own Durand Jones and the Indications. Their latest masterpiece is called Flowers and is replete with instant soul chestnuts. 

Out of the gate...

And then this gem...

So many good things about this record...

As soul lovers, we truly live in a blessed time 

WITCH: SOGOLO

WITCH is just fucking crazy. This insanely intense band from Zambia just brings the shit, man! Their latest is called SOGOLO and it just cooks...with gas!

Check it out!

The Psycodelics: Please Keep Off The Grass

It warms my heart immensely to see that bands are keeping the spirt of soul alive. The Psychodelics are such a band and their latest record, Please Keep Off The Grass, is a testament to their deep commitment to the genre. Eight tracks of sheer soul chestnuts!

Opening track...

The Ravonettes: PE'AH II

Is there any band cooler than The Raveonettes? I don't think so. Their latest is called PE'AH II, a sequel to their 2014 record, Pe'ahi. It's a massive wall of cosmic energy infused with echo-y emo!

My fave...

The Young Knives: Landfill

The lads from Leicestershire put out a record earlier in the year and it has been slowly consuming me for the last six months. Landfill by The Young Knives is a 2025 treasure. What a wallop in the face for British culture, the good, the bad and the ugly.

One of my faves...

Lightheaded: Thinking, Dreaming. Scheming!

The title of the latest effort from Lightheaded is something we all do. And we do it with the same exclamation mark! Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming is baroque pop at its finest. Grab a romantic partner and listen!!

Opening track...

S.G. Goodman: Planting by the Signs

Hickman, Kentucky's own S.G. Goodman is back with her third record and it's a corker! Planting by the Signs sees new roads taken and amazing adventures to be had by all. Her voice gives me shivers and all sorts of feelings.

Witness!