Punk and garage figured prominently in my best albums of 2016 list (GØGGS, Ty Segall, Death Valley Girls, Nots, etc.).
Yet there are still so many great overlooked albums from bands that really rip.
Some of those albums were made and released in Chicago last year. Credit some local record labels and a growing number of bands.
Chicago’s Hozac Records continues to crank out great garage rock, including a frenetic dozen songs from the Sueves. Change Your Life is the 2016 debut from this Windy City band.
I’m also a fan of Leather Towel, an Australian garage super group featuring the lead singer of Ausmuteants. The band’s debut, IV, was released on Hozac. (Ausmuteants latest album, Band of the Future, is great, too.)
Tall Pat Records is another interesting Chicago label that is small but mighty. Check out late-year releases from Chicago bands, Swimsuit Addition (Killin’ Time) and Bleach Party (Endless Bender). Also recommended: A four-song release from Clearance (a Chicago band that sounds a lot like Pavement).
Chicago’s Radar Eyes made a very good psych-garage album, Radiant Remains, which was released by another local label, Under Road Records.
Elsewhere, Portland, Oregon, label Dirtnap Records turned out a slew of good albums this year, including releases from Low Culture (Places to Hide), Sonic Avenues (Disconnector), Bad Sports (Living With Secrets) and Mind Spiders (Prosthesis).
Mind Spiders
Detroit’s Tyvek put out the solid Origin of What, which was released on L.A.’s In the Red Records. (The label also released Ex-Cult’s excellent 2016 release, Negative Growth).
All the Young Punks 