Blimey, just 2 weeks after naming the new Uni Boys platter as potential power pop album of the year, along comes Brad Marino and wipes away the competition with his 5th solo record ‘Agent Of Chaos’. The former frontman of The Connection has released a bunch of quality albums over the past few years. And the singer/songwriter from Rochester, New Hampshire returns with your new soundtrack to the summer.
I’m not exaggerating when I say ‘Agent Of Chaos’ is choc-a-block with potential hits. Killer first single ‘Voodoo’ is power pop royalty with Marino’s signature twangy telecaster, 3 chords and a ridiculously catchy hook. It’s got the magic ingredients all power pop aficionados desire.
The radio friendly vibe continues with the 60’s pop of ‘Dissin’ & Dissmissin’ and the brilliant ‘Devil May Care’, what a joy it must be to have songs this good in your arsenal at this point in your career. Songs designed to be sung with a smile as you cruise the highway with the top down and the volume up.
Ok, imagine if late 80’s glam rock legends The Soho Roses had kept it together long enough to make a sophomore album? The likes of ‘Blowing Smoke’, ‘I Don’t Want You Anymore’ and the dark and delirious anti-anthem ‘Murder and Violence’ coulda been outtakes. On ‘Agent Of Chaos’ I hear that long-lost cult band as much as I hear The Ramones. Mind you, The Soho Roses were heavily influenced by Ramones and The Buzzcocks, so it sorta makes perfect sense.
Elsewhere, the more punky ‘Sick Of You’ and ‘Lost Without You’ are about as Ramones as you can get without actually being called The Ramones. Brad knows the formula and he ain’t about to stray too far from the road (to ruin). The vocals, the guitars, the delivery and the sentiment…it’s spot on.
It’s criminal really that an album this good by a great songwriter will go largely unnoticed by the general music buying public, but hey, it’s a familiar story. But Brad Marino has released another banger and ‘Agent Of Chaos’ is essential listening.
One thing you can do to help, is buy the goddamn record, and you can thank me later.
LA and Seattle’s Mr Dinkles is a power pop punk duo made up of Mac Rettig on vocals and guitar and Rocco Ramos on drums. And they waste no time getting straight to the point with their no-frills power-punk songs.
The R.I.P.T EP is the upcoming release that collects their last two singles, along with their latest ‘Letter to Elon’ and two more tracks, for a 5-track wallop of a musical statement.
Ripping straight into the sublime ‘Socialism Ditty’, and the duo instantly set out their mission statement with a two and a half minutes lyrical and sonic attack that delivers on all accounts!
Wasting no time, the duo kick straight into ‘Eat Chips and Talk Shit’. Setting the scene from the perspective of a twenty-something in today’s world.
The latest single ‘Letter to Elon’, immediately sees Weezer come to mind, with the laidback slacker riff melody, which is never a bad thing, especially to these ears anyway. The song takes aim at the world’s wealthiest man and pokes at the world and his disconnection with how the world actually works.
The lo-fi garage vibe of the EP is a welcome sound in today’s oversaturated, mechanical sound. While the sound is clearly top-notch, it’s more the slacker vibe that shines through, especially on ‘Grinding My Teeth’.
The final song on the EP is the previous single ‘I Don’t Really Wanna’, which is also abbreviated to IDRW. The track is a catchy melodic slab of garage rock that quietly sneaks into your conscience and will become the earworm that will bug and delight you in equal measures.
Thanks to this EP, I will be checking out the duo’s back catalogue straight away
The fact its on Wandas is enough to prick my interest so when the needle dropped and I was greeted by spikey happy go lucky snotty power pop punk rock I was over the moon as ‘Addicted’ flew out of the speakers and this German trio flew to the top of the pops at RPM HQ. with a 1-2-3-4 they were off as ‘Work & Buy’ sounded like the mid period Green Day before they hit paydirt as the drums were tight and the the guitars thrashed around like their life depended on it it was the melodies that draw you in.
They say they peddle snotty 77 punk rock, which isn’t a lie, it’s a bit modest as well because there’s more going on here from deepest darkest Cologne. The back beat of ‘End Of The World’ is only half of it because the chorus is a real earworm. Try keeping your feet still and not tapping your toes or throwing shapes. This stuff is infectious. Most of the thirteen tunes don’t venture over two minutes, so boredom isn’t even a factor, and solos are dispensable but in the best possible way keep it lean and cut the fat, it’s all good stuff.
Sighting Angry Samoans and New Bomb Turks is always going to get the thumbs up round here. Go get some Flash Kicks in your life, it’ll be thirteen times better than it was before you heard this record. Buy It!
Denver, Colorado — In a sense, this record has been overdue for a long time, ” shares MICAH AND THE MIRRORS frontman Micah Morris, who might be familiar around here because his former day job was fronting Fast Eddy, but alas, his world got turned upside down after ending his marriage, losing his job, and his band breaking up.
The day after Fast Eddy broke up, He played the last show in Tokyo alone on a Friday night. He called Dan Dixon the next day and booked studio time for this record. What is it they say about clouds and silver linings?
Micah recounted that when he got home, though, he hit an all-time low and felt like he could see myself burning alive on a chair that people had propped up for me. He spent many late nights alone, looking out his window towards the radio towers in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, staring into a void. He played piano and guitar until the bright hours of the morning, and at times did nothing but sit there and think.
Friends and family came through, and with their support, he regained his mojo and found the strength to start over and not give up on my lifetime of work with music.
Less than a year since Fast Eddy broke up,’ I’m now sitting on ‘Liar’s Chair’ is out in the wild, and with the speakers turned up, it’s time to walk the walk. You’re eased in with the sound of the wilds as an acoustic guitar is picked gently, as ‘Opus’ sets the mood. ‘You’ll See’ follows with Micah’s voice and a strummed acoustic guitar before the bass and drums ease in and the slower, measured intro builds. The song weaves a thoughtful melody, less bombast and dare I say it, more mature and reflective Micah.
The title track is again a dusty morning on the porch with acoustic guitar strumming towards the chorus. Not a million miles from Ashcroft post Verve in style and feel. ‘Condolences’ is more uptempo with the electric guitar sitting proudly in the centre of the mix. A midtempo slice of modern rock n roll with a lot going on from the horns to the rolling tempo, it’s a top tune and melody with excellent vocals that lift the track out of the darkness.
The single off the album ‘Yokohama Mama’ is like the Kinks meets Roxy Music in vibe, late 70s early 80s groove racing off on a great tempo to be followed out of the traps by the jarring punchy ‘Lady Blue Eyes’ before the barroom rocker ‘Hungry Hungry Heart’ is fired off like a swinging boxer who fancies his chances windmilling and dancing feet its got a hint of prime time Hives for good measure.
‘They Might Say’ is a sidestep with the piano stabs like a late-night, early-morning walk of shame, wondering where you got that feather boa from, but hey, this mellow slice of 70s glam is very welcome, adding another texture to an already most excellent record. Before the album signs off, we walk on the wild side with the bass-heavy rhythmic ‘Tortilla Chip’ coming on like a late 80s Jagger Richards thumper breaking out on the chorus.
We sign off with some ” Oh La La “, “After I Die’ which was only missing the honkin new orleans marching band for the last verse. Welcome back, Mr Morris. With a record this good, I can only see brighter days ahead. Go check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Yes, we like it loud at RPM, but we’re a broad church, and, what with Daley Towers being based in Wales, we keep a keen ear on those with top tunes and Welsh connections. Step forward, Simon Love, London-based, Welsh-born songwriter. If you don’t know the name, you should, and now is the perfect time to rectify this sad state of affairs.
Having recently released his fourth solo album, the ex-singer of The Loves brings us another batch of smart, addictive pop gems. He may be a cynic, but with a gentle soul. Imagine Nick Lowe’s stroppy nephew, and you won’t be far wrong.
‘(Feels Funny) But I’m Getting Used To It’ is already stuck in my head, due to the tune and the video. After the death of his father, Simon wrote this to describe “the weird game of hide and seek that grief plays with you”. You won’t see another video like it this year.
‘Everything Is S4C’ is equally catchy, but being upright, decent types, we can’t tell you what the title means. Buy the album and find out. You’ll be treated to ‘I’m Not Worth It’; Simon’s altercation with some unimpressed bouncers, and ‘Green Man Blues’; belating the festival whilst sounding like a righteous blend of Madness and The Blockheads. ‘Coventry’ even evokes early 70s Kinks, so this gives you an idea of the quality throughout.
‘Happy Birthday To Me (And Rita Lee)’ is perfect for those who have a festive birthday, while ‘Strange Technique’ is the kind of tune that Lawrence used to write so well, but the sax solo also hints at Bowie. It’s rather lovely. ‘Us Against The World’ is epic, but it may give you cause to doubt your children.
Bookended by ‘Bore Da/Nos Da’ and with a slice of the rousing ‘hen wlad fy nhadau’, I can imagine it brought a tear to the eye of uncle Dom. My late, Welsh mother-in-law would be impressed as well. There are more songs here, but I’m going back for another listen. I suggest you nip over to Bandcamp sharpish and get your order in.
Horns up who was at Venom’s legendary Seventh Date of Hell gig at Hammersmith Odeon on June 1st 1984?
I was, and if you were as lucky as I was to be in attendance, you don’t really need me to tell you how important a band Venom were back in the day. I mean, back then, ‘Black Metal’ was all about one band and a word-of-mouth buzz between metal fans who liked their music sounding like it was spewing from the very depths of hell. It most certainly wasn’t the worldwide musical tour de force that it is today, one that even has its own sub-genres, and even managed to pop up as a topic for discussion on a celebrity travel show on TLC earlier this month (the Norwegian episode of Zero Stars in case you are wondering, starring Sarah Pascoe and Roisin Conaty).
That’s how influential Venom’s music was, and some might say still is.
Those heady and chaotic days of the classic ‘Black Metal’ line up are of course long since gone, but here I am in 2026 about to indulge myself in the band’s sixteenth studio record, ‘Into Oblivion’, featuring founding bassist/vocalist Cronos alongside Rage on guitar and Dante drums, this incarnation’s first new music since 2018’s ‘Storm The Gates’, promising to be their most “progressive” music to date.
Okay, let’s wind my neck in a second, this doesn’t mean that Venom have suddenly decided to go all Gryphon on us, and Cronos has dropped his bleeding cruciform bass for a crumhorn. No, what it means is that whilst the band recognises things from back in the day, they are looking to bring their new tunes into a whole new setting that gives their sound a whole fresh approach.
And I need look no further than the album’s opener and title track, ‘Into Oblivion’, to hear exactly what they mean by this. There’s a near power metal melodic guitar intro to the track before the double bass drums thunder out of the speakers, and Cronos bellows perhaps one of his most gutturally melodic vocal performances since the band’s ‘Calm Before The Storm’ days. By contrast, ‘Lay Down Your Soul’, which follows (and was the LP’s first single), is more pure old school Venom, packed full of lyrical nods to the band’s history and that gig I mentioned at the top of this review. This track will immediately have the Venom Legions worldwide windmilling like lunatics.
With eight years between studio albums Cronos and his bandmates have certainly had time to get this record sounding exactly how they want it to sound and it’s the guitars of Rage that delivers the monstrous chug that hammers home the likes of ‘Nevermore’ and ‘Man & Beast’, whilst the earthshaking rhythms of Cronos and Dante take the likes of ‘Death The Leveller’, ‘Legend’, and the awesome ‘Kicked Outta Hell’ to an all new level of intensity and have me screaming for ‘Metal Bloody Metal’, something I haven’t done in quite some time.
C’mon turn it up…‘Into Oblivion’ will be released on May 1st 2026 on vinyl, CD and digital formats and can be pre-ordered here.
Following the release of their tenth studio album Brain Drain Diaries on December 5, 2025, Swedish high-energy rock ’n’ roll trio MÄRVEL returns with the new single “Secrets” — a track that digs deeper into the emotional undercurrents that have long fueled the band’s songwriting.
Where Brain Drain Diaries captured the weight of endurance and the tension between collapse and persistence, “Secrets” shifts focus to what happens beneath the surface — the things left unsaid, the struggles carried alone, and the quiet moments where cracks begin to show. Built on a steady, driving rhythm and layered with sharp guitar work and melodic urgency, the song balances introspection with the band’s signature punch.
Lyrically, “Secrets” explores isolation, fractured relationships, and the burden of internal conflict, while still holding on to a sense of movement forward. There’s confrontation here, but also loyalty — a dynamic where support and friction coexist. The recurring line “no matter what the cost” underlines a refusal to give in, even when the weight feels overwhelming.
Written during the same creative period as Brain Drain Diaries, “Secrets” stands as a natural extension of that album’s narrative. It’s another piece of the puzzle — one that highlights the personal battles running parallel to the broader themes of burnout and resilience.
With its anthemic chorus, relentless groove, and a tension that builds without ever fully resolving, “Secrets” shows Märvel continuing to refine their sound while staying true to their core — direct, emotional, and driven by raw energy.
“Secrets” will also appear on the upcoming extended CD edition of Brain Drain Diaries, scheduled for release in the spring of 2026. The expanded version will feature additional material from the album sessions, giving fans a deeper look into the world surrounding one of the band’s most personal records to date.
“Secrets” will be released on Märvel’s own label Leather Lake and will be available on all digital platforms on 2026-05-01.
London-based rock project Thirsty Quireboys return with God Bless America, a striking release that celebrates the life, work and unmistakable creative spirit of the late Guy Bailey – founder of The Quireboys, songwriter, guitarist, and the architect of Thirsty’s distinctive sound. The album will be released June 5th 2026.
The title song God Bless America recounts the devastating real story of Rosemary Kennedy, sister of JFK: presented as a debutante to the Royal Family, later forcibly lobotomised on the insistence of her father, Joe Kennedy. During the operation, fully conscious, she was asked to sing God Bless America. When she stopped, so did they. Set to Irina D’s vivid, tightly focused lyrics and Guy’s haunting guitar motif, the track moves from romance to horror with stark elegance. Spike delivers one of the most emotionally charged vocal performances of his career, rising from tenderness to raw intensity as the narrative unfolds. Musically, Bailey’s use of discordant, looping E-minor phrases functions as an allegorical unravelling of the American Dream, echoing the spirit of Hendrix’s Star-Spangled Banner and the subversive grit of Springsteen’s Born in the USA.
Guy Bailey and Spike co‑founded The Quireboys, writing the songs that took the band from Monday-night pub gigs to being managed by Sharon Osborne and global tours with The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith, earning gold and platinum records along the way.
Guy Bailey’s solo project “Thirsty” began early in 2014 when he began working with Russian poet and lyricist Irina D. Their collaboration fused Bailey’s song-writing genius with Irina’s passion for storytelling and literature. Favourite novels, poems and real-life histories were framed and retold in three-minute songs, each lovingly produced by Chris Kimsey. Irina D: “I loved working with Guy on these songs. He was very well-read and his home was always full of books – Master and Margarita, Last Exit To Brooklyn and Moby Dick. The first song we ever did was Donnie to Sonny. I showed him a poem I had written and, whenever the story resonated, Guy went away and set my words to music. It was beautiful.”
Thirsty absolutely embraced the discipline of the classic song format. Within that tight frame, Bailey and Irina D crafted miniature cinematic worlds: each track a distilled portrait of a life, a myth, or a moment of human truth. Between 2015 and 2018, they released three critically acclaimed albums: Thirsty, Albatross and Nomad, featuring contributions from top-tier musicians including Simon Hanson (Squeeze, Death in Vegas), Chris Johnstone (The Quireboys), Lynne Jackaman (Saint Jude), and Kristi Kimsey. Drummer Simon Hansen “I’ve known Guy for longer than I have been in Squeeze! He was a great friend – a fabulously talented musician and songwriter even though he always did his best to downplay this fact. The Thirsty thing really was unusual. Irina D would bring poems to Guy based on books and stories she had read – and Guy went away set them to music. It was a bit like Elton John and Bernie Taupin in that respect.”
Originally, the new album was the brainchild of Irina D and was conceived as a simple tribute: Spike would sing just one track, ‘10 7 and Possibly 6’. But his first take stunned everyone in the studio, Guy’s guitar and Spike’s voice locked together with the force of old chemistry reignited. What began as one song quickly became a full, emotionally charged album. Spike himself says “…to get the chance to make a record again with Guy was really special.”
More than a compilation, God Bless America is a rare and unexpected reunion: a posthumous collaboration between Guy Bailey and his longtime friend and musical partner Spike (The Quireboys), reimagining Bailey’s songs through new vocals and powerful duets. Remixed and shaped under the ear of legendary Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey, the album brings new clarity, weight and emotional depth to the music Bailey created with co-writer Irina D. As Chris says,“Spike’s voice has always complemented Guy’s guitar playing perfectly. And the addition of one of the world’s best vocalists really complements and illuminates these songs. It was a really happy accident and I was delighted to be a part of it”
In addition to the title track, the album revisits some of Thirsty’s most beloved and most ambitious storytelling pieces: “Donnie to Sonny”– the true-life bond between mobster Sonny Black and undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone (Donnie Brasco). “Flawless” – a jewel thief’s escape, inspired by To Catch a Thief and the 2013 Cannes jewellery heist. “Albatross” – a vivid reimagining of Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. “Chaos” – Guy Bailey reciting Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to introduce a modern allegorical wanderer. “Orlando” – a musical transformation of Virginia Woolf’s gender-shifting hero/ine. Each track has been re‑voiced, remixed and revitalised under Chris Kimsey’s direction, creating incredible versions of Thirsty’s strongest work. Chris Johnstone (bass) agrees “…This was an important record for all of us – and he (Spike) made sure that his voice was sounding as good as it has ever done. The results speak for themselves. “
God Bless America – Best Of Thirsty stands as both a celebration and an evolution: a final collaboration between two great friends and lifelong musical partners, and a new chapter in the ongoing story of Thirsty. At its heart is the enduring creative spark of Guy Bailey—his melodies, his instinctive guitar work, and the stories he helped bring to life. Through Spike’s vocals, Irina’s writing, and Chris Kimsey’s guidance, the album cements his legacy while allowing the songs to breathe in a new and powerful way.
You could say ex-Wildhearts six-string shouter CJ is more prolific than main Wildhearts mouthpiece Ginger right now. Since stepping away from the band, CJ has kept himself busy and upped the ante with his own solo career. Recent tours with Michael Monroe and Ricky Warwick now lead to the release of his 8th solo album ‘DEViL’, an album that was apparently a true labour of love and could well be his musical swan song.
CJ is a true DIY artist in every sense of the word. On ‘DEViL’ he has recorded and played all the instruments himself, bar drums, which are more than ably handled by long-time compadre Jason Bowld, and mixing duties are once again by go-to-guy Dave Draper. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Lead single ‘One Of The Boys’ is a great starting point. Lyrically, it’s introspective and tackles the doubts and questions of an uncertain future. Musically, it aims for the stadiums with a chorus so uplifting that the ensuing goosebumps will contradict the lyrical message. It’s up there with his best work.
‘DEViL’ follows the blueprint of CJ’s solo career to date, in-yer-face powerful punk ‘n roll, dripping with memorable hooks and killer choruses, no slow songs and no acoustic guitars. Opener ‘Nein Nein Nein’ is a punchy assault to the senses, a wall of urgent beats and distorted guitars leads the way for gnarly vocals. The following, ‘The Art Of Being Free’, is a glorious and instant earworm with a euphoric refrain that is just what the doctor ordered. Mark my words, you’ll be singing along from the opening chorus, and it’s a song that demands the replay button.
But don’t hit that button just yet, as there is more great ear candy to devour. You could say some artists mellow with age, and some bellow with rage, CJ is firmly in the latter camp. He has perfected that vocal sneer over the years, and ‘SOB’ sees our man firing on all cylinders with a track that could be a Wildhearts B-side from 20 years ago (and we all know how good those are, right?). Elsewhere, the regimental rifforama of ‘No More’ bridges the gap between punk and metal nicely, leaving those pop melodies by the wayside, it’s the perfect conduit for a punk vocal delivery. Yet it is bookended by ‘Rotten’ and ‘Twenty Two’, a pair of ridiculously catchy tunes that walk a familiar, catchy and more commercial path. Album closer ‘Fade’ then sees our man in an introspective mood again as he soul-searches one last time.
As it becomes increasingly difficult for artists of all levels to tour and release music, you can forgive CJ for feeling it’s time to step away from the music business and move on to other things. And with the recent sad loss of former Wildhearts bassist Scott Sorry and Ginger’s recent health diagnosis, it feels like we are coming to the end of an era for fans of all things Wildhearts.
But don’t feel sad just yet, Wildhearts fans, as CJ has given us a winner with ‘Devil’, and if it is his musical swansong, then so be it, it’s a fine way to bow out in style.
Now, go pre-order the thing and maybe bag some Devilspit hot sauce for your bacon butty while you’re at it.
Available in multiple formats, exclusive color variants, and a special “Punk Note” edition with artwork by John Yates inspired by Blue Note jazz classics.
“This classic album has it all. Punk riffs, catchy hooks, and even scatological humor. One could say it is the perfect album.”- The Hard Times
“When it’s at its best, it’s absolutely f*cking brilliant.”– Punknews
Org Music continues its comprehensive Descendents reissue series with Enjoy!, the third installment in the campaign celebrating the band’s foundational catalog and the latest release since the group reclaimed ownership of their master recordings. Originally released in 1986, Enjoy! captures Descendents pushing fully into their instincts, doubling down on short, fast, melody-driven songs that balance juvenile humor with sharpened songwriting and unmistakable urgency.
While the band had already helped define what would become pop punk, Enjoy! finds them expanding the formula without losing intensity. Tracks like “Hürtin’ Crüe” and “Get the Time” channel irreverence through speed, melody, and tension, while subtle new wave and pop touches—including a punked-up take on The Beach Boys’ “Wendy”—broaden the band’s sound without dulling its edge. Forty years on, Enjoy! remains a defining entry in the Descendents catalog and a crucial document of the band’s restless evolution.
This new edition is out now on LP, CD, and cassette, with multiple color-vinyl variants. Produced in close collaboration with the band, the reissue brings Enjoy! back into print across formats with careful attention to presentation and detail.
Among the vinyl offerings is a limited “Punk Note” edition featuring alternate packaging by John Yates (Stealworks), inspired by the iconic jazz designs of Reid Miles and Francis Wolff, whose work helped define the Blue Note label. This visual reimagining of punk classics continues the aesthetic series that began with Org Music’s Bad Brains reissues. Each “Punk Note” title includes new liner notes by BrooklynVegan senior editor Andrew Sacher and is housed in a deluxe case-wrapped jacket.
The Enjoy! reissue follows Org Music’s widely praised reissues of Milo Goes to College and I Don’t Want to Grow Up, forming the third chapter in an ongoing archival series dedicated to keeping Descendents’ core albums in print across formats for longtime fans and new listeners alike.
FORMATS
Widely Available
Black LP
“Wild Cherry” LP
Punk Note Edition (black vinyl)
CD
Cassette (Pink)
Limited / Exclusive Variants
Punk Note Edition (magenta vinyl) — Org Music exclusive
“Green Green” LP — Descendents exclusive
“Sour Grapes” LP — Zia Records & Org Music exclusive
“Bubblegum” LP — Amoeba Records & BrooklynVegan exclusive
Black LP with Exclusive Obi Strip — Celebrated Summer Records
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