First Impressions is a collection of whiz-bang reviews, primarily of shorter albums (EPs and singles) 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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Review: Lily Livers – “Googly Eyes [ROUGH MIX]”
Self-released, 28 February 2021
Lily Livers “Googly Eyes” is a high energy romp through some great pop punk catchiness. The vocal melodies are sweet earworms on the verses and the chorus has some super infectious backing vocals. All the while, the band rips irreverently through some amped-up and sort-of-sloppy bouncy pop punk that reminds me a bit of stuff from The Replacements Sorry Ma for some reason. If you’ve ever seen a band live and all of a sudden a few randoms get on stage and get all thrilled as they scream into the mics, that’s what I’m hearing here. It’s a blast.
Favorite song: “Googly Eyes [ROUGH MIX]”
Review: Atomic Treehouse – “Everybody Says”
Laptop Punk Records, 5 March 2021
“Everybody Says”, Atomic Treehouse’s newest song is a mid-tempo pop punk song with some catchy melodic vocals. The guitars (especially the lead) hook and the bass digs into a cool melodic thing, but the real star might be the synth line that careens across the song. The song has a real innocence and playfulness to it that’s endearing and uplifting and the independence-diy-minded words back it up. I like this sort of thing when it lands right, and “Everybody Says” does.
Favorite song: “Everybody Says”
Review: Morocco – “There’s Snow Way In Hell”
Self-released, 26 February 2021
Okay, so Dallas’ Morocco’s “There’s Snow Way In Hell” is a pretty timely take on the deep freeze that hit Texas recently. The vocals are strained and melodic and the “there’s snow in Texas” refrain is catchy. And the “need to have the lights working, the water’s running to keep the pipes from bursting” lines hit home to this Iowa listener. The recording is pretty raw, but that’s something I like in a lot of my punk rock. The pace never wavers, the guitars lacerate and the cardboard drums pound. It’s a pretty good song, worth a listen.
Favorite song: “There’s Snow Way In Hell”
Review: Space Cadet – “Start Running Away”
Wiretap Records, 26 February 2021
“Start Running Away” is the newest single from Space Cadet’s upcoming record Lion On A Leash. The band features members of The Explosion playing post-punk new wave. The opening treated echoing guitar figure is hypnotic and when the song breaks into a mid-tempo song (keeping the guitar loop as a baseline), the atmosphere is cool, the melodies are catchy, and the vocals sound great, like they’re coming from a silo or something. If you’re an Explosion hardliner, this might not be what you want. But it’s a pretty cool song if you go in with an open mind.
Favorite song: “Start Running Away”
Review: Mark Murphy and the Meds – “Therapy Room Ten”
All In Vinyl/Bloated Kat/Brassneck/Horn & Hoof/Kezy P Recs, 12 March 2021
Mark Murphy and the Meds new one “Therapy Room Ten” premiered on this site a few days back. The song is a buzzing pop punk basher with one of my favorite guitar riffs of the year, simple driving drums, and a super cool guitar lead. Over top the hookfest music are some fantastic vocals, melodic and charming. The whole thing reminds me of stuff from Buzzcocks (especially the beginning parts of the guitar lead) and Steve Adamyk Band. If you know much of me, you know that’s high praise. You know what to do.
Favorite song: “Therapy Room Ten”
ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He’s very secretive, he might be an alien.
