1. ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’ by THE HIVES

TUTV: Expect a tsunami of Molotov cocktails, punk-o-rama riffage, and yell-along
refrains spit out by primal screamer Pele. No rest for the wicked. Beware, this explosive record can damage your speakers. On the other hand, it’s the ideal soundtrack for banging your poor head against a wall of your choice and/or jumping up and down like a madman/woman.

KEY SINGLE: Countdown To Shutdown

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2. ‘The Poolest Of The Mall’ by SWIMWEAR DEPARTMENT

Band: SWIMWEAR DEPARTMENT
Who: 4 kooky indies from Houston.

“It’s their sophomore LP. Recorded with Grammy-winning producer Steve Christensen.
The 10 tracks discuss only two topics: swimming pools and shopping malls. Although
the themes initially appear whimsical or even trivial on the surface, Swimwear Department skilfully sculpts experiences laden with emotional depth and profundity.”

Learn more about the band, via this video.

TUTV: The summer is not over until it’s over. Enter Swimwear Department and their new jump-up-and-down pool party soundtrack. Expect bouncy, brisk, and bold stuff you can hip-and-hop to like a kangaroo on E. Think post-Devo-punk weirdness combined with rap-rant Beastie Boys lunacy translated in 10 instantly infectious tunes (except for coming down closer Memall). If you’re a punk surfer, this is your kind of stimulant to brave the waves.

They spice up all the excitement with schizo 70s-organ glow, non-stop pumping bass turbulence, steadfast drum hits, agitated guitar fragments and an expressive vocalist sneering a bit like The Fall‘s late legend Mark E. Smith used to do for a living. Frequently
all-together-now chants pop up, which you want to be a part of. Sounds like big fun, right? You betcha.

STREAM/BUY

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3. ‘Mommy’ by BE YOUR OWN PET

Nashville‘s inflammable garage rockers had some loud fun between 2004-2008,
vanished into oblivion afterward, but last year they couldn’t stop themselves from
coming back and starting to play an endless series of gigs ahead of their brand new
3rd LP, titled Mommy released last week.

TUTV: After 2 albums and 15 years (!) BYOP still have tons of vitality, pizzaz
and sinewy corkers to offer. Battle-axe frontwoman Pearl still has demons to
fight with, and I assure you, you don’t want to be one of them. 11 spunky cry-outs.
Combative, bad-tempered, sharp, raw and LOUD. They truly have a great mommy.

KEY SINGLE: Hand Grenade

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4. ‘Nostalgia’s Glass’ by THE UNDERGROUND YOUTH

Dyer about the LP: “The aim became to create a collection of songs that paid homage
to our back catalogue and attempted to dissect not only the positive but the negative
elements of nostalgia, primarily the romanticisation of the past – be it the politics of
a country, the controversial legacies of film and musical icons or the sentimental
idealisation of long dead toxic relationships.”

TUTV: To be honest, I needed several spins to get into the new TUY album and in
Craig Dyer‘s world. Of course, he’s the only one who knows exactly what happens in
his mind, in his soul and his heart. But as he said he looked back to times gone by.

Great/gratifying moments, bad/sad moments. I guess for so many of us, nostalgia
can be both depressing and heart-warming. Dyer opened the door to his past, that
evokes those mixed emotions.

His sombre vocals, the overall gloomy tone and slow, shadowy pace (except for
Another Country that sounds like a splendid tribute to The Velvet Underground of the
music feels like he got lost in a labyrinth of uncomfortable memories most of the time leading to a spellbinding and bone-chilling opus. Melancholic poetry in motion. You can
file Nostalgia’s Glass next to Nick Cave‘s 2016 mourning masterpiece Skeleton Tree.

KEY SINGLE: In Another Country

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5. ‘Look Out’ by LOBSTERBOMB

TUTV: After a series of stormy singles this turbulent Berlin-based released their debut LP this summer. A manic mixture of left/right punk uppercuts, garage glam swagger, and riot grrl dynamics, stoked up by roaring riffs, a frenetic bass/drum tandem and high-pitched vocals, think of Poly Sterene, Kathleen Hanna or Bonnie Bloomgarden. All limbs-activating ingredients you need for a bonkers moshpit.

KEY SINGLE: What About Never

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