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.

Cosmic Psychos “Go the Hack” 1989. Survival Records (Australia)/SubPop Records (US), reissue on Goner Records. The second full length LP from thunderous Aussie punks that one helpful Discogs reviewer calls “the missing links between Australian pub rock, Detroit proto-punk, and the sludgy, beer-soaked attitude that would later define Seattle’s underground…Cosmic Psychos played with the simplicity of Motörhead, the swagger of The Saints, and the reckless spirit of the Stooges, but filtered it through an unmistakably Australian sense of humour and working-class grit.” I’m going to add AC/DC to the above comparison/quote: while trite it’s also important to note their hard, deep sound that not all 80’s punks had. I’m also not convinced with the grunge comparison unless you consider bands like L7 (who covered the Psychos “Lost Cause”) and Nashville Pussy from that era “grunge” (I don’t). Cosmic Psychos are way too punchy and fast to easily be lumped in with the swampy sludge of 90’s grunge.

We saw our first Cosmic Psychos show almost exactly three years ago at The Rave, along with fellow Australian punks The Chats and then again a little over two years ago in Las Vegas at Punk Rock Bowling (The Chats were there, too). Go the Hack is loud, fun, obnoxious – precisely what I expect from Australian punks. The whole record is a banger but my top picks are album opener “Lost Cause,” the Motörhead-ringer “Rip ‘n’ Dig” and the lightning-speed shredder “Back in Town.”