Wyld Gooms "Doesn't Matter To Me"

It may only be March but there's a fair chance that LA's Wyld Gooms have already produced thee garage b-side of 2022 in "Doesn't Matter To Me" (Outro Records):

The various Gooms have done time in a bunch of notable Not Unloved-endorsed groups (including but not limited to The Premonitions, The Slop, The Violet Mindfield, The Night Times) so it's no surprise that they know their way around a coulda-bin-comped-on-Pebbles tune and can deliver it with enough verve to elevate it well above the pack. The ole roar then guitar solo one-two about a minute and 45 seconds in, in particular, is a real adrenaline rush. It should be noted that the a-side is a blast, too; 2 minutes and 17 seconds of prime organ-addled scuzz to set yr bowl cut shakin'.

7"s! (Ribbon Stage / Lost Cat / Romero)

Things are looking up, finally. By looking up, of course, I mean a bunch of ace new 45s have appeared or are imminent. Not Unloved's pals at Monorail Music did the intros to New Yorkers Ribbon Stage yesterday. On the evidence of "Favorite Girl" (from their contribution to  K Records' IPU series), lovers of amped-up guitar pop that's not over-worked or over-wrought (hey...that's me!) have a new crush to set their hearts racing.

Outro Records has been busy over the last couple of years cranking out a slew of fine throwback garage punk records (The Premonitions, The Night Times, etc.). Their latest 7" to land at UK distros is the mighty fine "Don't Need A Man" by Lost Cat. The lead track makes me miss The Bobbyteens but "He's Gone" on the flip is moodier and stands up to repeated plays. I'm pretty sure you could you could sneak it unnoticed onto an early volume of Girls In The Garage without too many listeners filing a complaint with their MP.

Julian at Drunken Sailor does sterling work keeping on top of what's going on in the worlds of punk, hardcore, trash, power pop etc. so lazy lumps like Not Unloved don't have to.  For example, Australian group Romero's debut single, "Honey" (Cool Death), has been out since February but only landed with a bump in my world when Julian stocked it. It's a zesty concoction comprised of Blondie-worthy guitar lines and impassioned vocals that is clinically proven to cause fist-pumping and the shouting of "What happened at the discotheque?" . It's somewhere between Sheer Mag and The Strokes but less rock than the former and way more fun than the latter. Turn it up!