Pop punk

Real Sickies: “Should’ve Seen It Coming”

Raucous, infectious, and powerhouse are all words used to describe Real Sickies. Not much of a surprise coming from the band Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong has deemed his “favorite Canadian punk band.”

The Edmonton-based band has been known for years for their relentless touring schedules and sublimely noisy sound comparable to everyone from Buzzcocks and Devo to Ramones and even a little bit of vocal inspiration from Led Zeppelin. Then you throw-in physical styling akin to the Cramps, and buddy, we’re rolling.

The group’s fifth album, Under A Plastic Bag, comes out this Friday, illustrating a new stride for Real Sickies. They’ve added more complex, experimental textures to their fun, pop-punk sound that’s already perfectly portioned for a head-bopping pick-me-up any day, any time.

“Should’ve Seen It Coming,” out now, is on Under A Plastic Bag, out March 14th on Stomp Records.

Ram Vela & the Easy Targets: “Life Is Rigged”

Everyone benefits from the empowerment of self efficacy. And nobody wants to scrape by each day facing a sealed fate. Those truths must have at least subconsciously fueled the landmark success of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which endures as a surprisingly hopeful narrative despite its status as a relentless “hard R” sci-fi action flick. But as we’ve hinted at, you don’t need to be Sarah Connor going up against Skynet to appreciate the importance of altering a timeline.

Heck, with their latest single even Ram Vela & the Easy Targets have revealed themselves as optimistic revisionists. Over more than half a decade purveying power pop and alternative rock, the Austin quartet’s rarely strayed from themes of modern disenfranchisement, tough truths, and reality-aware humor. So if you feel the “no fate but what we make” principle of T2, you’re gonna love “Life Is Rigged”, on speakers, headphones, or in person for the single release show 8PM tomorrow night at Chess Club following openers Flags at 7PM.

We could totally see “Life is Rigged” playing over the end credits of T2 in an alternate, carefree timeline where James Cameron grew up as a West Coast skater. But T2 tie-ins aside, “Life is Rigged” is rich with that late ’90s/early ’00s intersection of angst, disillusionment, and pop culture references, aided in no small part by killer performances from each of RV&ETs four players, especially those full chorus “HEY”s in the hook.

Female Gallery: “Simon Says”

Scrolling through social media, watching ten-second clips of people’s little circus acts in the comfort of their own natural habitats…it can sometimes feel like a human zoo. So while we’ll never fully encourage those vapid grasps at short-term stardom, anything that detracts from the oversaturated landscape of bland masculinity in the entertainment sector’s worth the price of admission, right?

On that note, today we’re taking a gander at Female Gallery. The Austin-based four-piece sources their rock-meets-dance (dare we say indie-post-punk?) sound from the likes of Paramore and No Doubt all the way to Pink Floyd. But in terms of Female Gallery’s overall brand, the pairing of Queer identity with Latinx roots almost speaks louder than their literal influences.

And after starting off strong with two back-to-back introductory singles in Spring 2022, Female Gallery’s feel-good energy’s set to score the quartet a new force of fangirls with their upcoming debut EP Best Friends Together Forever, dropping just before Halloween ahead of a namesake tour next summer. As if to put a collective foot down proudly declaring their diversity against cis-heteronormativity, Female Gallery pulled the curtain on their latest, “Simon Says”, last Friday. An uptempo, reverb-washed original that effortlessly shifts gears throughout a sophisticated sequence, this four-and-a-half minute affair’s gonna make you forget all about following the leader and instead will get you fueled up to become BFTFs with Female Gallery six weeks from now.

Ne’er-do-well: “I Want It All”

As the birthplace of industry heavyweights like Spoon, indie rock is perhaps the most outspoken apex of the Austin soundscape. But depending on who you ask, indie is undoubtedly one of the safest, most inoffensive sonics rock has to offer, at least in the grand scheme of that genre’s mega-spectrum. But if you want something with a little tougher substance underneath the surface, rock ‘n’ roll that bleeds and induces bruises in the audience, there are some solid options right here in the city limits.

Like Ne’er-do-well. Although it started as the one-man endeavor of singer-guitarist Bryan Rolli, Ne’er-do-well’s leveled up into a fiery four-piece. These all-black fashioned rapscallions thrash around the avenues of arena rock and pop-punk for some truly kickass kinetics. Ne’er-do-well’s live shows are like a spate for your heart rate, something that’s been translated impressively well on their September 2022 debut EP Fun Days.

If you want to face the stage antics for yourself, slide by Ne’er-do-well’s single release show tomorrow night at Valhalla alongside Chancla Fight Club and Subpar Snatch. But if you just need a pop-punk pick-me-up to push you through the mid-week hump, fire up Ne’er-do-well’s third single of 2024, one that preserves the hand-drawn skeleton aesthetic of their visual artwork thus far and keeps the energy at its apogee through a three-minute sprint. Yeah, from its introductory drum fill through its rapid fire verses, melodic choruses, virtuoso solo riffs (both on lead guitar and lead vocals), breakneck midpoint bridge, and explosive finish, “I Want It All” almost sounds like Journey if they’d started at the turn-of-the-millennium instead of the early ’70s, albeit with a lot more of that Green Day-esque adrenaline.

So while Ne’er-do-well wants it all, damn if this new tune doesn’t leave us wanting more.

Lavender Scare: “I Hate Saturdays”

Pride Month kicks off in just a few days, and to help you celebrate in style, we’re swirling the colors with a rising Queer project. And that’s Lavender Scare, whose midcentury reference of a band handle alone tips you off to their championing of LGBTQ identities.

Chief songwriter Ruby Del Mar commands the quartet with high-octane vocals and riveting rhythm guitar, collectively creating what they call “slop pop punk”. And based on what we’ve heard from their upcoming debut Bites, that’s a pretty accurate classification; the power chord subdivisions and instrumental synchronization might not be perfectly precise at these breakneck tempos, but with pop-inspired chord sequences and radio-friendly runtimes, this four-track introduction almost sounds like Against Me! mixed with Yellowcard, all with a bit of a Queer Texas twist.

We’ll be able to sink our teeth into Bites when it hits streaming this Friday or in-person for the record release show 8PM next Thursday at 13th Floor alongside Shysters and Reality Refugee. But until then, embark on Lavender Scare’s snark with the EP’s lead, “I Hate Saturdays”, because like the anthem to a bizarro, weekend-loathing Garfield, this loneliness-engendered tune’s gonna leave you hungry for more.

Dad’s Home: “Automatic Reply: No Thanks”

Ever since punk rock took off in the late ’70s, it’s expanded and matured into a ton of subgenres. Its kiddo pop-punk, on the other hand, is more like a Lost Boy from Neverland; it never grew up and that’s the way we like it. So when we look at the robust roster of pop-punk acts right here in our city limits, it fills us with a one-of-a-kind juvenile joy.

Embodying that theme of youth is Austin quintet Dad’s Home. Although its five members had already cut their teeth in groups like Quiet Company, Kingsley, Cruiserweight, and Closet Drama, Dad’s Home didn’t kick off until last summer. Following the concrete-scuffed footsteps of their pop-punk forefathers, Dad’s Home dropped their delightfully-uncouth debut EP My Sitcom Life on New Year’s Eve, almost as a resolution to keep following their favorite genre’s fast and fun formulas.

But since punk depends most on its live performance aspect, Dad’s Home riles up some more of that paternal testosterone with a show 9PM this Thursday at The Mohawk along with Bad Lives, Space Tan, and Midcard. The occasion? “Automatic Reply: No Thanks” – an emotional rollercoaster over perfect palm muting, superb group vocals, insane drum fills and a sense of instrumental unity which reminds us that being loud doesn’t signal a lack of taste.

Sweet Slacks: “Cruise Control”

There’s no sensation quite like discovering a new artist, and when a group has really fun song titles, that joyous curiosity can show up well before you even press “play”. One glance at track names like “Tijuana Blowout”, “Check Please”, and “Whiskey Diviner” clues you into the inherent lighthearted friendship that fuels Austin quartet Sweet Slacks. Like a perfect pair of trousers, over the the past four years Sweet Slacks has seamlessly slipped into their hem of harmony-heavy, guitar-driven indie rock and pop-punk. Sweet Slacks’ three studio EPs came out in a two-year sprint (between their January 2019 debut Fever Breaks and their latest, October 2020’s Strays). But recently they’ve hit a stride that matches closer to the pedestrian pace of our pandemic-era. Sweet Slacks has sewn three standalone singles over the last few months, each toting an inseam of matured, retro-beckoning indie. So with sultry showers dominating our skies, you can switch on “Cruise Control”, set your sights on the crying clouds, and let your foot tap to its fullest – no pants required.

Ram Vela & The Easy Targets: “Worcester”

Pop-punk. Alt-rock. Whichever genre classifiers you choose, it’s ultimately rowdyism and virility that defines Ram Vela & The Easy Targets. Ram Vela & The Easy Targets got started in 2018 and quickly established a brand of melodic punk rock and athletic, adrenaline-drenched live shows. Translating the Austin four piece’s fierce power into the studio without sacrificing the charm of onstage chaos seems Herculean, but Ram Vela & The Easy Targets have pulled it off with impressive accuracy and precision.

Late last week the quartet shared their debut album, Stuck on Yesterday, and we’re positive Ram Vela & The Easy Targets won’t miss the mark when they perform Saturday, August 6th at The Ballroom. So get revved up with Ram Vela & The Easy Targets and share their love of living in our Lone Star location with one of the more energetic and explicit offerings off Stuck on Yesterday (apologies in advance to all the Bay Staters out there) – “Worcester”.