First Impressions is a collection of whiz-bang reviews of singles, 7″s, and shorter EPs, which are given a review after a single listen. This is a great way for TGEFM to showcase some of the releases which wouldn’t get a full review on their own.
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Geoff Palmer – “Cocktails and Candy Canes”
Self-released, 22 November 2021
Geoff Palmer pretty much always hits the right notes for me. “Cocktails and Candy Canes” is a fun holidays song, hitting a nice mid-tempo stride while the fuzzing guitars and power pop hooks that are by now routine for Palmer have a new sidekick with rhythmic sleigh bells keeping the pace throughout. Oh, and the lead guitar that is unveiled at points is so super melodic and wonderful. It’s a great song no matter the season, but the joyous lyrics really feel nice to hear right about now.
Review by RYAN
Panic Monster – “Breathe”
Kicking/Monster Zero/Black Out Prod/Paranoïa/Buzz Off, 18 November 2021
Over a simple drum machine track, Panic Monster has a catchy little pop ditty on his hands. Nicely recorded acoustic guitar keeps the rhythm moving along while some chiming guitars and washes accent and add depth to the song. But the star of the show here are the vocals, which sound a little amateur and rough around the edges in all the right ways. I really like the guitars on the minibreak and the “woo-ooh” backing vocals that pop up are just obnoxious earworms. Cool stuff here.
Review by RYAN
Kahuna Surfers – “Surfer Girl”
Self-released, 26 November 2021
This debut single from Sweden’s Kahuna Surfers opens with a bare vocal take. From there, the song goes into a double-tap throwback fuzz number with some nice backing vocals. The nostalgic verses hit pretty alright, but the song soars on the chorus with fantastic vocal harmonies and a brainwashing vocal melody. And I’m not sure about this, but it sounds like there’s a pump organ or something going on, too. That chorus is a knockout.
Review by RYAN
MxPx – “Hold Your Tongue and Say Apple”
Self-released, 25 November 2021
Repeating the refrain “you’ve been an asshole for most of your life”, the newest MxPx goes by as a mid-tempo song with all the other usual suspects: buzzing guitars, “whoa-oh” backing vocals, nice hooks, and a song that’s singalongable before the first listen ends. This one has a good energy and I ended up liking this a bit better than the last single of theirs that I heard, “Can’t Keep Waiting”.
Review by RYAN
The Rieslinger – “921”
Laptop Punk Records, 28 November 2021
Song #2 from Germany’s The Rieslinger (Sid from Lookit, Martians!). “921” has a gruff count-in before launching into a Ramones-style pop punk number. The guitars buzz nicely and the overall melody is pretty memorable, with some really pronounced bass setting things off along the way. I like the backing vocals on the chorus, too. Some of the vocals copy the lead take and I especially like the lower pitched harmony, but the “ooh’s” and “whoa-oh’s” are where it’s at. This is a fun one.
Review by RYAN
