Are The Phantom Operators starting to settle on a Western sound? We've had an album called Metal Mariachi Music and now a total of 4 consecutive songs going for a lonely, desolate, spaghetti Western angle. I think it works! These two are on bandcamp for free/pay-as-you-want, and they've said they have an LP on the way.

Every Trabants release has stuck out to me so far, and this is no exception. Or rather, this is also exceptional. You know what I mean. I'm not sure if I can pinpoint exactly what it is, they just seem to be one of those bands where everything lands in the right place. The drums aren't necessarily showy, but keep things moving in the right way, and really know how to add some punch when they need to. They've always got a good helping of variety and fresh ideas on every album, and the tunes stick with you.

Gee Whiz! The Mighty Swells have been dripping songs onto Soundcloud and Reverbnation for years, but finally went ahead and made a long-player. They've got a well polished very trad sound where the fun finds its way through. This LP is predominantly covers, but originals like "Lone Rhino" and "Mr Infiltrator" really hold their own amidst the time-tested classics. Apparently they've got another LP of originals on the way!

Just a few weeks ago I was listening to The (Fabulous) Wailers' "Tall Cool One" LP and thinking "Why are there not thousands of bands still making this stuff?". I just wanna stomp and twist and dance and leave my music at that!

The Satin Chaps get it! They've got some swingin' organ, honkin' brass, and percussion ready to make you move. Too bad two tracks aren't even enough to work up a sweat, but they're both right on target!

Recently I talked about how excited I was to hear a new EP from Travelers of Tyme. What I didn't realize at the time (tyme?) was that that was just a prelude to a brand new LP. True to their form, Chronomads is eclectic, mysterious and strange, with all sorts of instrumentation and sounds unique to each song.

Always great to see a surf band with a hefty brass section! Los Coyotes are about equal parts 3rd-wave ska and surf, a combination you don't hear very often. And I think it's working! This is a fun EP, though only 3 songs. Looking forward to hear where a combo like this goes next.

Demon Vendetta's previous LP "Guardians of the Bitter Sea" was absolutely excellent, with one track "Black Skull: Master of the Dark" that will probably be a mainstay on my Halloween show until forever. I had listeners genuinely tell me they were creeped out by it!

The Compadres hail from Ecuador playing fun-in-the-sun trad surf rock. It's got a nice helping of reverb, some nice use of whammy bar here and there, a lil' farfisa, the sound of waves on the shore... all contributing to music for a nice day. While I definitely tend to lean towards the fast and loud songs in most bands, I really think their slower track "Atardecer en la punta" is doing something interesting.

You can give it a listen on bandcamp as well as Google Play, iTunes, Deezer etc.

Intóxicos have been playing live since 2013 and have finally released their first LP "Vila Velha Todo Dia". It's got a wide range of themes and ideas with solid guitar work throughout. I particularly got a kick out of their attempt to make Intoxica more intoxicated in their self-titled track "Intóxicos".

They've also got a pretty fun pixel art video poking fun at the old California Games video games.

For those with weak spanish, these 9 songs were recorded live at place named "Pub Interview" in Bariloche, Argentina. So don't expect an interview, expect fast, loud, and chaotic surf tunes. For a live recording everything comes out sounding pretty nice and gives them a rawness that might have been missing from some of their previous material.