Siouxsie and the Banshees “All Souls” 2022. It’s Siouxsie season! This comp of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ releases was put together by Siouxsie herself as a “seasonal celebration” of some classic Banshees spookiness, remastered, like “Halloween” and “Spellbound” plus other macabre-themed album tracks and b-sides from over the years. The aforementioned tracks are both from the 1981 album Juju, and the album opener “Fireworks” is a single-only release from 1982 in between Juju and 1982’s A Kiss in the Dreamhouse. And one of my favorite Siouxsie songs of all-time, the single “Peek-A-Boo.” There are a couple of non-singles: “We Hunger” comes from 1984’s Hyæna, “The Sweetest Chill” is from 1986’s Tinderbox, and “Rawhead and Bloodybones” from 1988’s Peepshow. A cover of Ben E. King’s 1975 hit “Supernatural Thing” was the b-side to the 1988 single “The Last Beat of My Heart” and “Something Wicked (This Way Comes),” was the b-side to “The Killing Jar,” both also on Peepshow. We have all of the albums mentioned above so most of the tracks but not some of the b-sides so this is a really great Halloween/All Souls Day/Day of the Dead collection.

Wine Lips “Stressor” 2019. Not on a label/self-released. Canadian garage-psych-punk, their debut LP. We saw Wine Lips perform for the first time 3 years ago (opening for Frankie and the Witch Fingers at the Miramar in November 2023) and saw them about this time a year ago at Cactus Club (November 2025). They’re on tour now and playing Chicago in about 2 weeks, not sure if we will get down there or not but it would be absolutely worth it: they have killer energy with mullets that are epic even by Canadian standards (though cannot confirm they still have that style this year). Shreds, ass-shaking, high high high voltage energy and their debut album is no different. 

Wine Lips at the Miramar 2023

Wine Lips at Cactus Club 2025

My top tracks on Stressor are the highly danceable “Fly Swatter, ” the grooving (and 90’s vibey garage punky) “Electric Lady,” and the head-banging meets booty shaking shredding ‘Weak Knees” Also great is the exotically hypnotic “Fried II” (which evolves into an all-out rocking freakfest) and the funky garage psycher “She Said.”  Their latest album TV Dinner came out just a couple months ago, in August 2026. It is possible we have a copy somewhere around here that I’m not aware of (or maybe it’s an upcoming holiday present!) but I don’t remember picking it up. Of course it could be a stupid tariff trade war casualty and just not available for a reasonable price here in the States.

Hot Garbage “Precious Dream” 2024. Mothland Records, EXAG’ Records. Limited edition “Ready 4 Blood” variant. Canadian heavy psychedelic rock. We picked up this LP in Toronto this past July, after asking about local music in our preferred genres. The very helpful record store clerk suggested Hot Garbage and I think (or want to think) was pretty impressed when I was like, “Oh yeah, we saw them open for Frankie and the Witch Fingers a couple of years ago in Milwaukee.” It was in July 2022 and back then I wrote about their 2021 release Ride, which we bought at the show, “Holy shit! So so good: swirling and hallucinogenic organ/synths (Dylan Gamble), icy cold vocals (Juliana Carlevaris), hot buzzy guitar (Alessandro Carlevaris) and nonstop hardworking rocksteady beats (Mark Henein). Comparing them to bands I love and listen to: a mash up of Ty Segall, The Limiñanas and Sonic Youth.” Precious Dream seems heavier (though I admit it has a couple of years since I’ve taken Ride out for a….ride) and darker. “Tunnel Traps” in particular is dense and sludgy, more slow head banging than ass shaking, and slothfully hypnotic (that’s not a bad thing). I also really like “Look at My Phone” and “Blue Cat” has an absolutely addictive beat and hook that grabbed me two seconds into the track, layered on top are experimental textures of buzz, fuzz and drone.