today’s rock picks move through summer escapism, outlaw country-rock, civic protest and veteran shoegaze force. these four tracks bring character, conviction and guitar-led momentum into bright, restless focus.
anuther sunny hulliday – mick j. clark
mick j. clark turns holiday joy into a wonderfully bright, playful rock singalong
anuther sunny hulliday is a happy summer rock track built around sunshine, anticipation and the full arc of a holiday. from the counting down to leaving, arriving, enjoying the pool and feeling that small sadness when it is time to go home. i love the concept, and the whole thing feels direct, playful and made to lift the room. and there’s nothing quite like a holiday is there? mick really nails the mood with his brand of groovy rock pop.
friend of the blog mick j. clark is a croydon singer-songwriter who writes, sings and plays many of the instruments himself, working with producer martin smith at garage studios. the song comes from his album notes two and carries his love of wordplay, right down to the spelling shaped by the way he sings it. apparently there’s even a parrot dance made for children, it keeps things generous, light and family-friendly. a great summer single.
thank u for making this mick j. clark 🦜
shady road – down south pepper band
down south pepper band turn wasted potential into a catchy country-rock beauty
shady road is a catchy country-rock track with bright melody, electric guitar, steel guitar and a humorous edge. it’s panned carefully, giving you a wonderful ‘band in the room’ kinda feel, which really works. the song looks at people who fail to live up to their potential, wasting talent and disappointing themselves and those around them – we know the feeling – but it tells the story with a lively, accessible swing. its got a touch of dire straits to it, in the best possible way, and the performances are all round great.
down south pepper band, also known as dsp band, are an outlaw country and americana group from kvalsund in northern norway. with rune nyby on vocals, per øyvind mathisen on electric guitar, alexander adrian on bass, eivind kløverød on drums and lars rune rebbestad on steel guitar, they bring a polished band feel to this release. after dozens of songs and international radio rotation, their sound remains fun, melodic and full of character. it’s a brilliant single.
thank u for making this down south pepper band 🤠
no kings – woody lissauer
woody lissauer turns civic frustration into a wonderfully bold art-rock stunner
no kings is a stirring rock track built around the refrain “once there was a dream, there would be no kings”, turning political frustration into a wide, communal statement. with choir-like force, sharp imagery and a clear sense of urgency, it feels both historical and painfully current. it’s not all message though; melodically, it’s very strong, the production is great and i particularly like the vocal approach and synth flourishes in the chorus. and the outro? all fantastic build and emotion.
woody lissauer is a baltimore artivist, songwriter and long-time performer whose musical path spans classical training, touring bands, original projects and decades of restless creativity. featuring chuck sabo, myles evans and guest singer gordon michaels, the release questions power, responsibility and the fragile dream of democracy. with a self-made video twisting american imagery into something dystopian, it stands as protest, warning and invitation to act. it also sounds really, really great, and you should definitely check it out below.
thank u for making this woody lissauer 🗽
stop looking at her – flywheel
flywheel serve up a beautiful, hazy blend of shoegaze, goth and pop in their new banger
stop looking at her is an edgy shoegaze-rock track with goth-pop atmosphere, layered guitars and vocals that sit boldly at the centre. i love the repeated, cycle-like vocals in this, it’s brilliantly and effortlessly cool. and the explosion into the chorus? ooft, that’s stunning. the single marks a clear step forward for the cork band, moving beyond buried textures into something sharper.
flywheel are a veteran irish shoegaze outfit first formed in the early 1990s, with ann marie ryan on vocals, mark tangney and kieran curtin on guitars, and paul kelleher on bass. recorded in cork by tangney and produced by andy killian, the single opens a planned five-track ep. influenced by my bloody valentine, slowdive, cocteau twins and gilla band, it’s a banger that’s chock full of seething energy, and i’d really love to see this live.
thank u for making this flywheel 🌫️
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