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.
Tag Archives: rum bar records
DANNY THE K – Cigarettes & Silhouettes
Guitarist/vocalist Dan Kopko has been an integral part of the Boston music scene for years. Maybe you’re familiar with him and know his work with bar room rockers Watts – makers of the excellent ‘Black Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ LP. Or maybe you stumbled across him in 2022 with his newer band The Shang Hi Los, delivering catchy power pop. Whatever your experience of Dan’s work, you’ve been guaranteed to find some great tunes along the way.
THE LEMON DROP GANG – I’m Done! / Johnny Is A Jerk
At the beginning of 2023, Tucson’s Lemon Drop Gang made their overdue return with ‘Sweetie Pie’, a track that re-introduced listeners to their ragged blend of CBGB’s infused riffs and Phil Spector-ish pop. As with the band’s previous works, it was far from sonic perfection, but then this band never pretended they were in possession of Brian Wilson or Todd Rundgren’s song writing chops or studio expertise. For fans, it was the kind of track that signified a fun and welcome return, whilst its digital flip side (‘The Party’s Over’) shared their love of 60s pop in its own brilliantly wonky way.
LEATHER CATSUIT – Leather Catsuit EP
A long time coming, DJ Kim Olin allegedly first hatched an idea for a rock ‘n’ roll band back in the 80s, but it wouldn’t be until 2022 that Leather Catsuit became a reality. At just five tracks, the band’s debut is too short, but since each of the tracks explores a different avenue, it plays like a complete showcase – enough to win the affections of potential fans without trying too hard.
The Real Gone Singles Bar #11
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual MP3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. As usual, we’ve had an absolute flood of submissions, and it’s been an absolute pleasure picking some of the finest tracks from the material in hand. There’s a rock core, as expected, but in the usual Singles Bar tradition, we’ve tried to mix that with a few other interesting bits in the hope that there’ll be something to entertain a lot of our supporters. Whatever your tastes, hopefully you’ll find something new to enjoy.
*