Despistado / Time in Malta

Adam: Here's a song from Regina Saskatchewan's own Despistado. This is the lead track from their upcoming EP The Emergency Response, which should hit stores on June 22nd via Jade Tree. The band's press is namedropping Wire and using terms like "quirky, angular, driving, and thoroughly commanding," check out this song to see why:
Despistado - A Stirstick's Prediction
If you're interested in hearing more, the band recently recorded a CBC In Session which can be streamed from JustConcerts.com.

Aubin: The last record from this band, A Second Engine, was an outstanding and progressive foray into hardcore rock. They've completed their follow up to that record, due out June 29th, and until then, here's a track from Alone With The Alone:
Time in Malta - Bare Witness

Beehive and the Barracudas / Paris Texas

Adam: I finally got around to picking this up last week and it's such a fun release. Beehive and the Barracudas, a band that features members of Rocket From The Crypt, PeeChees and Red Aunts, play a decidedly weird mix of punk, garage, psychedelic rock and no-wave noise that's entire unpredictable from one track to the next. This song's from the full length In Dark Love, released last July on Swami. It's entirely uncharacteristic of the rest of the record, but that can be said about just about every song on the record:
Beehive and the Barracudas - Stuck On The Bus
For more info head over to Swami Records.

Scott: The sound of Paris Texas is as sweet as candy, without the aftereffect of tooth decay. Pop-rock never sounded better than this song:
Paris, Texas - Hip Replacement [demo]
The final version of this song will appear on Like You Like An Arsonist, the band's new full-length out June 8th on New Line Records.

The Riverboat Gamblers / Scarlet / The Felix Culpa

Adam: We've been covering Denton, Texas' The Riverboat Gamblers for almost a year now but have never really given you, the loyal Punknews reader, a proper introduction to the band. The Riverboat Gamblers released an album last year on Gearhead Records titled Something To Crow About, that's garnered lots of positive buzz and I recommend you check out. The record was produced by Tim Kerr of Big Boys / Poison 13 / Monkey Wrench fame. Check this out:
The Riverboat Gamblers - Dead From The Neck Up The Riverboat Gamblers - What's What
For more info hit up Gearhead Records.

Aubin: Even though some have unfairly dismissed Scarlet as just another Ferret metalcore band, I've found their full length Cult Classic to be a completely addicitive document of amelodic, violent insanity. While a single track doesn't really do the band justice, this track is an especially potent blend of mayhem and atmosphere.
Scarlet - Suicide Soundtrack Scott: The Felix Culpa are a band from the middle of nowhere [Beloit, Wisconsin to be exact]. This song has been rocking me senseless for the past few days. It's a nice blend of indie/post-hardcore that the kids are digging these days, but with a touch that is undeniably their own. Check it out:
The Felix Culpa - The End Of Inspiration
For more information on The Felix Culpa, go to TheFelixCulpa.com.

The Stereo

I've been spinning The Stereo's discography, especially their flawless debut 300, pretty much all week since the band's untimely demise last weekend. It's sad to know that a band so good went unheard by so many. If you're unfamiliar with the band, please download the following MP3s for some pure pop goodness:
The Stereo - She Would Never The Stereo - New Tokyo Is Calling The Stereo - Get Set For Sound The Stereo - Pay No Attention
You can also sample some more of the band's material at their Purevolume page.

The Fullblast / Only Crime

Scott: Seeing Moneen in an intimate setting this past Thursday was awesome enough, but The Fullblast tear it up was the icing on the rock and roll cake. This Canadian quintet rocked me senseless with their infectious blend of [early] Saves The Day-meets-Grade-meets-[early] Get Up Kids-meets-Lagwagon. Check out these two tracks off their new CD Contagious Movement Theory, out in Canada on Blackbox Recordings:
The Fullblast - All I Need Is A Jetpack and Some Rollerskates The Fullblast - Phase One: The Epidemic
For more information on the Fullblast, go to TheFullblast.com.

Aubin: With all the talk about the new Descendents record, not as much has been said about this new "side-project" from Descendents drummer, Bill Stevenson. Besides Stevenson, it includes current and former members of Good Riddance, Converge, Bane, and Hagfish. If you guessed that it's some sort of hardcore, you'd probably be right, but the recordings so far promise more then you'd expect from that simple description.
Only Crime - To The Nines Only Crime - The Real Enemy
For more information, you can visit onlycrime.com

Jeffie Genetic and His Clones / Pilot To Gunner

Adam: The debut full length from Jeffie Genetic and His Clones was just released by Seattle's mighty Dirtnap Records. Jeffie, from Vancouver's New Town Animals, put together the Clones tracks by himself during various home recording sessions over the years. The result is a 12 song album of extremely catchy new wave / pop / punk tracks like the one linked below. A live version of the Clones, made up of members of the New Town Animals and The Smugglers, will be on tour soon.
Jeffie Genetic and His Clones - Records Go Round
For more info head over to Dirtnap Records.

Scott: I had heard the name Pilot To Gunner mentioned for some time, but had never heard them until last night, when I watched "The Dive" on FUSE. The band's dirty rock sound was a breath of fresh air into the stagnancy of indie music today. Here's the "single" off their new album, Get Saved, out now on Arena Rock:
Pilot To Gunner - Barrio Superstarrio
For more info on Pilot To Gunner, go to PilotToGunner.biz.

The Thermals / The Gossip / The Distance

Scott: While I was in Seattle last week, I had the pleasure of catching two awesome shows - the first being the reunited Presidents Of The United States Of America playing a sold out show at the Showbox. The second was a bit more low-key, but still just as fun - The Thermals at the Vera Project. The band's high energy, politically-charged garage punk anthems had the small room rocking and rolling like there was no tomorrow. I was hoping to feature one of the band's new songs that will appear on their upcoming sophomore album, but sadly, the only one available is from their first disc, More Parts Per Million [out on Sub Pop]. It's still good:
The Thermals - No Culture Icons
For more info on the Thermals, head to TheThermals.com.

Adam: Entirely by coincidence here's more love for the pacific northwest. Olympia, WA's The Gossip released their second full length Movement last year. The band plays an infectious mix of gospel, riot-grrl, punk and garage blues. Shake your ass to "Fire/Sign":
The Gossip - Fire/Sign
For more info head over to Kill Rock Stars. Aubin: This band sounds a lot like Ensign to me, but I like Ensign so I won't hold that against them. It's fast, it's scornful, it's angry, and it's good. They just put out their first EP on Bridge Nine and it's worth checking out.
The Distance - An If (The Lucky Ones)

A Wilhelm Scream / Balzac

Adam: There's quite a buzz building around New Bedford, Massachusetts' A Wilhelm Scream and with good reason. The band that was formerly Smackin Isaiah recorded in 2003 with Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents) and Jason Livermore (Good Riddance, Rise Against producer) and the resulting record Mute Print finally comes out on April 20th. These songs have been online for a while but if you haven't checked them out, sample the goods below:
A Wilhelm Scream - The Rip A Wilhelm Scream - Famous Friends & Fashion Drunks
For more information head over to Nitro Records Aubin: Japan's premiere horrorpunk outfit, Balzac, went beneath my notice for some time, but as I was browsing through a nearby indie shop, I found a copy of their US-released disc Beyond the Darkness and took a chance. I'm glad I did. At the core, it's a modern version of the classic Misfits sound, complete with cartoonish horror imagery and a healthy amount of "whoahs" in accordance with what Danzig and Jerry laid out two decades ago. Check out this track for a nice example of their sound:
Balzac - The Black Light Shines in '99
For more information, drop by their official Japan, Europe or American websites.

Gunmoll

Because YOU, the humble Punknews reader, requested it: Gunmoll. "Less Than You Hoped For" is first track on the band's new long player Board Of Rejection, which we reviewed here. While this Florida trio is currently on a hiatus, there's been whisperings of a return to action later this year. We'll keep you informed on that front, but in the meantime don't hesitate to partake in the pre-recorded rock below.
Gunmoll - Less Than You Hoped For
For more info, hit up GunmollRock.com or No Idea Records.

Cougars / The Lashes

Scott: I saw the Chicago octet known as Cougars on Friday night, with about 20 other people. Cougars absolutely killed. Their sound was that of the Blue Meanies getting into a fistfight with Drive Like Jehu, then drinking into oblivion with Rocket From The Crypt until Fugazi called a cab for them. You need to check this band out, and there's no better way than sampling these tracks off the band's 2003 effort Nice, Nice [review], out on Go-Kart Records:
Cougars - Duke's A Champ Cougars - She Can Wear Gold Cougars - Slow Pants Changer
For more info on Cougars, go to CougarsRock.com.

Adam: Lookout! signed this Seattle based band in late January, namedropping Elvis Costello and The Cars in their description of the group's power-pop. Here's a sample of the goods, it's the b-side from the It's Your Party 7" that was released on Sonic Boom Recordings:
The Lashes - Death By Mixtape
For more info hit up TheLashes.org.