There’s a new Fishbone album coming out on October 11. For those of you who understand the significance of that, let me repeat, there’s a new Fishbone album coming out on October 11. For those of you who do not understand the significance of that, let me repeat, there’s a new Fishbone album coming out on October 11. Here’s a pre-release single, “Crazy Glue” that sticks to you like crazy glue. It’s classic Fishbone. Musically brilliant, lyrically fearless, beautiful, absurd, a little frightening, quite fun, and barking mad.

Fishbone
“Crazy Glue” (download mp3)
from “Crazy Glue”
“Crazy Glue” (play)
(Cockroach Media)
More On This Album

From the vaults, pulled up by my friend Dan over at SFMusicSluts, here’s Critical Mass – one of the wackier ska punky bands from the ever so wacky “third wave” o’ punky ska. Led by tenor sax man Michael Valladares – now proud owner of the bestest watering hole on that strange planet of East Bay, California, ye olde Hotsy Totsy – CM brought metal madness and cartoon music to bear on their special ska brew, here expressed as an epic instrumental.

Critical Mass – “Black Liquorice” (Play this puppeh)

Critical Mass – “Black Liquorice” (Download this puppeh)

Buy all of their records

The mySpoonful list is a great source of musical treats and surprises. Today they sent this most rockin’ track from Ian Moore and the Lossy Coils. Reminds me of The Smithereens – with a bit of Urge Overkill in the soup. This is basically what The Jam would sound like if they came from Austin, TX or Seattle, WA. Very snappy moddy power pop for your medicines. Loved it first time thru, and it’s def one of those tunes that gets better on repeated listenings. Ian Moore’s bio page is a lot of fun too.

“Secondhand Store” (Play this puppy)
“Secondhand Store” (Download from mySpoonful)
Buy from iTunes (You Napsterbating Google-for-nothing freebooters)

More Ladybug Transistor. What a delicious sound these guys make. And what’s not to love about a band whose name evokes the fact that old school electronic transistors resemble ladybugs? What is cuter than a ladybug? This track is purty. I was on the train the other day and noticed that every single passenger was using their little i-Thingys. Then I noticed I was too. Always on the telephone. We need like, a volcano or aliens or something.

The Ladybug Transistor
“Always On The Telephone” (download mp3)
from “Can’t Wait Another Day”
“Always On The Telephone” (play)
(Fortuna POP!)
More On This Album

Continuing my Posh Boy kick because why not! Glad to see their stuff on IODA, such a great label. Here’s Chronic Disorder from Tacoma, Washington with an epic wail about a classic old theme: old men sending young men to war. Sounding like a collision of U2 and The Doors on this track, these disorderly lads have serious musical and vocal talent, and they play together seamlessly like veterans. Such a hardcore sounding name – Chronic Disorder – but their sound is actually very accessible and even a bit power-pop. I like, I like.

Chronic Disorder
“The Drums of War” (download mp3)
from “The Drums of War”
(Posh Boy Music)
“The Drums Of War” (play)
More On This Album

I am glad to find Pariah on the Interwasteland. In the early 80′s when they started playing in Martinez, the Uptones were starting up a few freeway exits down in Berkeley. I saw a lot of hardcore bands at that time, and these guys were one of my faves. Check this song out, it’s great.

Pariah
“After The End” (download mp3)
from “Youths of Age (Expanded Version)”
(Posh Boy Music)
“After The End” (play)
More On This Album

After long crawling under the international media radar unnoticed, Turbonegro became recognized as the greatest thing Norway ever gave to rock music. And then they were destroyed.

Turbonegro – Turbonegro Must Be Destroyed (mp3)

Here’s some fab atmospheric bliss rock from none other than Johnnie Rotten Jr. This LA band has a swell new album out called The Death of Harry Potter. On Stoney Records. I love all their names and titles. “Rockstar” is the single. And I love it too. A fine giant guitar-scape with a chill beat, and lovely, heavily effected vocals. Psychedelic sweetness reminiscent of that moment you drop off into sleep.

Johnnie Rotten, Jr.
“Rockstar” (download mp3)
from “The Death of Harry Potter”
(Stoney Records)
“Rockstar“ (play)

Need more!

Logan Whitehurst and The Jr. Science Club – “Farkle New and Improved” mp3

Occupying a unique space of the imagination somewhere between Frank Zappa and Ren n’ Stimpy, a young Logan Whitehurst recorded a wealth of brilliant and unique works in his short but hugely creative life. Before succumbing to a brain tumor at the age of 29, he told his family that playing his music for people was one of the most important things to him. Among his many talents, Logan was also a cartoonist in a style that fits his songwriting humor like a glove. The guy was a treasure. His work lives on. It’s genius in both art and craft, original yet instantly familiar, with a rare levity the world could sure use more of. As such, his music is available for download and streaming from freemusicarchive.org, and this is truly something to celebrate. You can buy the CD’s direct from his site, too. Enjoy.

Don’t usually hear of a lotta bands from Austria. But lately the power pop and progressive rock stuff has been coming from new corners of the globe, lots of lesser known towns in Europe and elsewhere, so I’m not terribly surprised. This is something gorgeous, a very sweet production and a great big composition. Nice of these gentlemen and lady to share it. <3 to Superfan for the tip.

Monk
“Santa Ana Murders And The Neonlights Of Love” (download mp3)
from “The Man Who Sleeps On His Breath”
(sevenahalf records)
“Santa Ana Murders And The Neonlights Of Love” (play)
Need more!