The Boojums “The Boojums” 2025. Limited edition red vinyl (and sleeve), Having Fun Records. The debut LP from Nova Scotia’s The Boojums. They’re a tight, lo-fi, hard rocking three piece power pop garage rock band and it’s my first listen/first exposure. I think we picked this up last month when we were in Toronto (I’m delighted to learn that this album was partially funded/supported by the Canadian government, Factor Canada – an arts organization from what I can gather, plus what looks like a coalition of Canadian radio broadcasters. Imagine, real public funding for the arts!). The riffs are heavy, the drums thundering and the vocals reminiscent of 80’s/90’s punk and grunge with a dash of Waits-gravel. My top track is “Garden of the Sun” which leans garage punk – the video looks like it came from a well-worn VHS tape from 1985. Also great are the dance-punk opener “Outta My Head” and angular, thrashy single “Wings of Fire.” Other tracks lean more garage pop and/or 80s rock (like Springsteen with jangle) like “Football.” Heavy indie pop, too, like on the grooving “Gravy” and “Dan’s Transmission” upon which the sole female member, bassist Sara Johnston, takes over lead vocals. If this was one of the LP’s recommended by Toronto’s excellent Sonic Boom record store clerk, she made a great pick.

GGOOLLDD “Boyz” 2015. Deluxe edition, limited edition on blue cassette. Gloss Records  It’s a perfect summer day, a crime to be indoors,  I’m taking the Vault to the patio and firing up my  new, old-school portable cassette player. Formerly from Milwaukee, the dream-pop synth-forward GGOOLLDD released a few versions of their debut full-length Boyz. This version has a couple of demo versions and different remixes from other releases (I believe we have a different variant, entitled Gold +, on vinyl). The sound is lush and decadent, the perfect aural backdrop for my current garden view which is exploding with flowers, leaves, trees, bees, birds, butterflies and even a couple of hummingbirds. That view is also incredible distracting (in the very best of ways) so my ears are only half-focused on the album. The title track/lead single had quite a buzz around it back in 2015 and was covered extensively-ish by local indie media. It is catchy and ABBA-danceable for sure. Their “theme song” “Gold” is a tad more upbeat and also fun; the instrumentals “Love Me Like Honey” and “STFU” are like dream sparkles. Another top pick is “For the Night” (which, along with the instrumentals, will be a perfect backdrop for nighttime firefly watching).

The Little Roosters “Live!” 1983, Wrapping Great Music, featuring Alison Moyet (Yazoo/Yaz) and Garrie J. Lammin (The Bermondsey Joyriders). Seeing the name Alison Moyet on the cover, let’s just say I had expectations and preconceived notions about what this live album would sound like and those were proved 100% inaccurate! Not a bleep bloop Vince Clarke/Yazzy synthpop note to be found – just hard-rocking guitars and beats. Moyet’s appearance is also super-muted; I’m not sure she sings lead on any of the tracks. This live LP (no date or location noted, it’s also the label’s only release so likely a bootleg) is straight-up pub rock, with some glam and r&b influences. Their sole S/T album release, from 1981, was produced by Joe Strummer so that gives an idea of their fans/audience. The sound quality is pretty decent for an early 80’s bootleg live record. Most of the tracks are written by the band (Lammin in particular) – “Ain’t Proud” is particularly funky and “Scared” is glammy with some punk sneer and attitude (the full title really should be the chorus “Scared the shit right outta me!”). The encore “People Breakdown” must have been their “big hit” as it was the only single released on a somewhat major label (Polydor, 1981) and it’s just a good rock-n-roll song and I’m fairly certain this is where Moyet is actually at the mic. There are a few covers, mostly by American blues musicians. “Pills” is great, written by Bo Diddley but The Little Roosters’ version has much more in common with the New York Dolls’ cover. The Roosters cover of The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” takes Motown to the pub – it’s raw and fun. So despite the somewhat false advertising of Moyet’s involvement, it’s a nice glimpse into the rock/pub scene of the early 80’s.