VARIOUS ARTISTS – Second Shot (A Rum Bar Records Sampler)

Over the last decade or so, Rum Bar Records has grown to become one of the great independent labels. For lovers of grubby sounding retro rock, power pop and even melodic punk, it’s become a one-stop shop for some superb underground sounds. They’ve even diversified to bring their audience bits and pieces from the alternative country scene, and via artists like Jittery Jack and Mozzy Dee, some top quality rockabilly, old school rock ‘n’ roll, and a whole different retro vibe.

The label’s 2023 sampler, ‘The Nice Price’ – promoted by Knyvet PR – ranks an essential freebie, but this selection of tracks (yours, again, for absolutely nowt) runs it pretty close. ‘Second Shot’ gives the label’s fans, and those with a more inquisitive ear, a fantastic round up of the Rum Bar wares released over the prior twelve months or so. In short, it’s a very interesting overview of where the label stands at the time of issue.

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VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Nice Price: The Rum Bar Records 2023 (Free Digital) Sampler

Keen power pop fans and garage rock aficionados who’ve been following the Rum Bar label since their early days will know how seriously they take their music. For head honcho Malibu Lou, the label has been an ongoing labour of love, and his bands are his family. Those bands, in turn, appear to look out for each other, and their social media often shows musicians hanging out at each others’ shows. The Rum Bar ethos values heart over perfection, and often feels as if its giving something back to the Boston music scene. The aspect of “giving back” is also why the label has never been shy of issuing free downloads: their album length samplers aren’t just a way of attracting new listeners to great, DIY music they might not have otherwise found, they’re also a celebration of the scene as a larger construct. The label’s Summer ’21 download – ‘XOXOXO Volume One’ – was one of the best free downloads ever. By rounding up a lot of the label’s better known bands and previewing things to come, it felt like a complete experience, enjoyable for committed followers and the curious alike, but this even bigger selection of Rum Bar wares – orchestrated by the guys at Knyvet PR – is pretty much its equal.

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SUNNYDALES – The Puppet Show EP

For a band that essentially formed themselves around a novelty idea – to perform punk songs based on plot points from Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Sunnydales have a surprising amount of staying power. On this fourth EP, the Fresno punks sound better than ever. Granted, their lyrical schtick ploughs a similar furrow to before, and they display their love for Ramones’ past works so proudly, the influence isn’t ever subtle, but all of its predictability, ‘The Puppet Show’ EP shows them in a more confident way than ever before.

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Grab some free music from They Might Be Giants

Considering January is supposed to be the longest and most miserable month, February 2022 seems to be going on forever.  Between a world seemingly dominated by bad news, and the UK braced for not one, but two storms – it feels like things will get worse before springtime eventually hits.

We all need a distraction, and the two Johns from They Might Be Giants have the very thing.  For the next few hours, they’re offering everyone two digital album releases FREE of charge.

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Corners of Sanctuary share new video and free download of Def Leppard cover

For a rock band so well loved, Def Leppard aren’t often given the cover tune treatment. You might remember Emm Gryner’s excellent ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ on which, the Canadian singer songwriter gave the Leps’ huge hit the “full Tori Amos” treatment, or perhaps, you’re fond of Hayseed Dixie’s bluegrass take of ‘Photograph’, but for a multi-million selling band, reinterpretations of their work seem few and far between.

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