Paul Bertolino - New Action - 2000

Paul Bertolino is a behind-the-scenes musician's musician from Berkeley, California... a short-list Bay Area session player who has done time fronting one of San Francisco's toughest garage-soul outfits The Sleaves, and is currently playing drums for major label breakout band Persephone's Bees.
Paul draws from a well that incorporates the toughest 60s jangle-rock, the softest 70's a.m. gold, and maybe even a pinch of Radio Shack synth swagger. Almost in spite of that it's laid back, California songwriting so solid and proprietary that it refuses to be picked apart into it's base elements...try as you might. This is the stuff that will make up the Nuggets Boxes of the future, so why wait? Come feel the love. - Paul Koehler 
Find out more about Paul at http://paulbertolino.bandcamp.com/.



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Polaris - Music From the Adventures of Pete & Pete - 1999

Nickelodeon's late, lamented Adventures of Pete & Pete was the greatest children's show ever. Documenting the surreally hilarious exploits of teenager Pete Wrigley and his younger brother, Pete, the series earned hipster cachet for its stunt casting (cameos included the likes of Michael Stipe, Iggy Pop, Janeane Garafalo, and Steve Buscemi) as well as its uncommonly cool musical sensibility -- in one episode, Luscious Jackson played the school prom, with bassist Gabby Glaser even making eyes at older Pete. The series' title theme and much of its incidental music was performed by Polaris, the side project of then-Miracle Legion frontman Mark Mulcahy; their crisp, richly melodic jangle pop perfectly complemented the show's vibrant wit, but except for a premium cassingle available from Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats, no official Pete & Pete soundtrack was ever made available. Polaris' debut isn't quite official -- Music From the Adventures of Pete & Pete consists of what sounds like re-recordings, although they're almost mirror images of the originals. No matter, these dozen tracks are still superb, especially the nearly unintelligible theme "Hey Sandy," the lovely "She Is Staggering," and most notably "Summerbaby," little Pete's all-time favorite song per the classic "Hard Day's Pete" episode. Even the Powerpuff Girls never had it so good. -AMG



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Pictures - Better Than Words - 2001

The sound of this band is capital letter POP, timeless pop, fresh, melodic and strong. They cater their sound with many vocal harmonies and catchy refrains. They melt the vitality of the Kinks or the Beatles, the energy of 60's garage rock and the melody of the best power-pop (Plimsouls, Flaming Groovies, Teenage Fanclub). The strong rhythm section turns every one of their shows into the wildest party. -bipbip-records.com



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Local Boys - Whattheclockman - 2005

The much covered debut album from a sensational new Swedish band. Produced by the legendary man Björn Olsson, former guitar player and song writer in The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and Union Carbide Productions. They celebrate power-pop with lots of energy and their songs got that punch you will never forget. Combining the self-ironic pop-attitude of the Caesers with ingenius songwriting qualities of the Yum Yums and the big production & highly infectious guitar work of Brainpool, the Local Boys are going to be the saviours of today's power-pop. 13 Incredible power-pop pearls, full of wonderful harmonies, crunchy guitars, irresistible melodies and driving beats. -Clear Spot



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Sleeper - Smart - 1995

"Inbetweener" is an intoxicating single. Fuzz guitars, light harmonies, singsong melodies and hooks keep piling up until the whole thing collapses in a heap after three minutes. Unfortunately, there's nothing that matches it on Smart, Sleeper's debut album. Occasionally, Louise Wener comes up with a memorable hook, melody, or lyric, but never can quite pull them together into something as well-crafted (and sexy) as "Inbetweener." Still, the flashes of inspiration scattered across Smart prove Sleeper has potential -- which they have already fulfilled once, with the single. - AMG




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The Grifters - One Sock Missing - 1993

Certainly the most low-key (if not lo-fi) of the Grifters' early records, 1993's One Sock Missing is less noisy and aggressive than its immediate predecessor, So Happy Together, but that doesn't mean it's mellow. Not even close, in fact. The Memphis foursome play with the swaggering-and-staggering intensity of the circa-1984 Replacements channeling the circa-1968 Stones, and for once, the lo-fi pretense (abrupt fade-outs, jerky tape splices, audible coughs, and background noise, more distortion than a Sonic Youth record) actually enhances the funky charms of the songs instead of serving as a distraction. Dig the way "Encrusted" is gradually swallowed up by the background noise until the song finally bursts through again for a triumphant climax. The swirling, almost psychedelic "#1"; the strings-enhanced "Wonder"; and the choogling opener "Bummer" are among the band's best-ever songs, and the filler that mars most of the Grifters' albums (even gems like Ain't My Lookout) is largely absent. The more in-your-face Crappin' You Negative got better press at the time, but in the long run, One Sock Missing is by far the best of the Grifters' pre-Sub Pop albums. -AMG



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Peter Berry & The Shake Set - For Goodness Shake! - 2007

12 authentic and powerful early 60's shakers from the Norwegian R'N'R/ Beat sensation No. 1! After their debut 'wildberry shake' on Teen Sound, the vinyl version of their new LP 'For Goodness Shake!" is issued on Soundflat Records. Peter Berry & The Shake Set tried really hard for the principally self-composed songs. Authentic MerseyBeat, which is influenced by famous bands like THE Shadows, TheSwinging Blue Jeans, Shane Fenton & the Fentones, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas. Think Star Club and Koenigkeller. They are authentic in their sound, songwriting, appearance and of course, the guitars (Rickenbacker, Fender Stratocaster) are hanging above the belt in proper style. This master piece was produced by Lian Watson, in his for R'N'R-, 60's- and garage music quite legendary Toe Rag Studio. -.soundflat.de




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The Makers - Howl - 1994

Garage punk outfit the Makers formed in Spokane, WA, in 1991, originally assembling frontman Mike Maker, his bassist brother Don Maker, guitarists Tim Maker and John Maker, and drummer Jay Maker. Famed for their anarchic live dates and for traveling from show to show in a 1965 Pontiac hearse, the group signed to Sympathy for the Record Industry to issue their debut 10" Hip-Notic; the exit of John Maker coincided with a move to the Estrus label for the full-length follow-up, 1993's Howl! The instrumental EP The Devil's Nine Questions preceded the Makers' second long player, 1994's All Night Riot; a trashier, more distorted sound distinguished the band's self-titled third LP, with guitarist Jamie Maker replacing Tim Maker for 1997's Hunger. After backing singer April March on her April March Sings the Songs album, the Makers resurfaced in 1998 with a new retro-glam approach on the acclaimed Psychopathia Sexualis, heralding the change by adopting new stage names -- Michael Machine, Don Virgo, Jay Amerika, and Jamie Jack Frost, respectively. The Makers made their Sub Pop label debut with 2000's acclaimed Rock Star God and followed it in 2002 with Strangest Parade. Jay Maker left the group that year to be replaced by Jimmy Chandler and the band parted ways with Sub Pop as well. They soon signed with Kill Rock Stars and in 2004 released Stripped, a collection of re-recordings of songs originally put out on Estrus between 1991 and 1998. They also welcomed back guitarist Tim Maker (now known as Timothy Killingsworth) expanding the group to a 5-piece for the album. This same line-up released Everybody Rise! in the fall of 2005. -AMG




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The Masonics - Royal & Ancient - 2007

Anyone who has even a passing interest in garage and beat music of the last 25 years will have come across the names of Thee Headcoats, The Milkshakes, The Clique,The Delmonas, The Kaisers or The Wildebeests. The three members of the devilishly stylish Masonics all spent time in at least one of those legendary bands and in more recent years came together to form a veritable supergroup of the British rock 'n'roll scene. Combining their previous bands' sixties beat, US garage and instrumental stylings with a punk rock attitude, this is a group that pays attention to detail, with a talent for songwriting coming to the fore. Micky Hampshire (guitar/vocals) possesses a merciless instinct for touching, simple, timeless rock'n'roll melodies and lyrics.The band performs with verve and precision, on record and on stage, always giving their followers their money's worth. Bruce Brand pounds the traps like it could save your life - and sometimes I believe it very well could! John Gibbs twangs the bass strings with a gut instinct, taking you into a groove with grit and gumption. Six albums down the line ( 'Royal and Ancient' being their seventh) The Masonics remain more hard-hitting and vital than any group of teenage hopefuls on the scene - of that there's no doubt.-soundflat.de



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