Wanda records Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Los Pepes “The Happiness Program”

sfilzen — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 19:24:47 +0000

Los Pepes “The Happiness Program” 2022 (three labels credited: Adrenalin Fix Music, Beluga Music, Wanda Records). Punky power pop from the UK. The Happiness Program is Los Pepes’ fifth album and the first in our collection. They’ve been around since 2014 but I just got hip to them recently when I saw on social media that former More Kicks drummer Kris Kowalski was part of the Los Pepes collective (on this LP there are four guys who play on all twelve tracks and then another five playing various instruments – organ, harmonica, etc – on some of the songs), I knew I had to check them out so scored their most recent release on a Bandcamp Friday. From their Discogs bio: “Formed in London by Ben Perrier some years back, Los Pepes is an international organisation. Made up of a strange bunch of misfits from the four corners of the world, from the UK to Japan to Brazil to Poland. Born thousands of miles apart but all with the shared experience of growing up hooked on punk and not giving a fuck, Los Pepes is living proof that rock and roll is a global force of nature.” The bulk of The Happiness Program is straight-up great high energy, garagey power pop, like a few of my favorites including the anthemic opener “Small Time” and the punk’d “Never Get It Right,” but there’s tracks with a distinctly 60’s jangly mod-pop sound like “Sick and Bored” and “Anecdotes.” It looks like they tour pretty extensively in Europe, fingers crossed for a US tour soon as they have (again according to their Discogs bio) “a reputation for being a relentless high-energy punk rock whirlwind live.”

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More Kicks “More Kicks”

sfilzen — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 17:14:57 +0000

More Kicks “More Kicks” 2019. There are five record labels listed on this LP: Beluga Records, Wanda Records, Snap!! Records, Adrenalin Fix Music and Dirt Cult Records – I can’t say I’ve ever seen that before on one disk. Anyway, I’ve been hanging onto this record to write about since about a year ago when we caught London’s More Kicks at Dirtnap Records Fest in June 2022 in the hopes they’d be swinging back through the States again this summer. Unfortunately, the mod-rock power pop band announced their breakup a couple of weeks ago and I’m super-bummed. Here’s their farewell note from social media:

More Kicks

2017-2023

Hard one, but there it is. It’s been a total pleasure to make music for the past six years as MORE KICKS but it’s time to say adiós. Two LPs, four singles, gigs across Europe and the US. Records released on labels we love such as Dirtnap Records , Stardumb Records, Wanda Records, Snap Records, Dirt Cult Records, Beluga Records, Adrenalin Fix Music. Hotel rooms, flats, camper vans, inflatable mattresses, festival stages, squat stages, no-stages shared across multiple cities; mountains of ginger for aching throats belonging to paranoid singers; litres of gin and tonic ‘for the stage’. Three men driving around the globe in small vehicles with bass cases and assorted paraphernalia jabbing them in the head. What a trip.

There are so many people to thank. Too many. Label bosses, bookers, promoters, sofa-bed providers. Dear friends and people we had never met going above and beyond to help us pull tours together. And of course, all those who came the gigs, bought a record, came to say ‘hi’, said that we were ‘brutales’, too loud, too soft, asked if we were really British (we sort of are). A sincere thanks to all.

An absolute blast.

Sulli, Paolo, Kris xxx

Their music is bright, punchy and ass-shakingly upbeat and their live performance was utterly delightful – definitely a highlight from last summer. More Kicks is their debut LP: it’s 60’s-inspired in the very best of ways with hooks and garagey beats galore. So many excellent tracks! My top picks is the 60’s garage (with organ!) and completely addictive “She’s a Reaction,” followed closely by another ear-worm ready track “Blame it on the Satellite.” Also of very notable mention: their first single “It’s a Drag,” “Rock N Roll Again,” the lo-fi jangly “Ain’t That Just the Way” and the garage-thrasher “Your Vibration” – that video below from Dirtnap Fest (but I didn’t record it).

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More Kicks “Blame It On the Satellite”

sfilzen — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:27:18 +0000

More Kicks “Blame It On the Satellite” 2020. Snap!! Records/Wanda Records. Limited edition (100) on green vinyl. Modern UK punkish power pop. We saw More Kicks this past weekend at Dirtnap Records Fest in Madison – it’s the band’s first time touring the US – and I’m absolutely smitten! Catchy and melodic, with just a hint of snottiness, they played a killer set for Dirtnap (they have an EP coming out on the label in August) and I couldn’t stop watching More Kicks drummer, Kris Kowalski (also from Los Pepes and The Speedways) who reminded me of a mix of a young John Lydon (without the assholishness) and Topper Headon (without the heroin) – he was an absolute delight behind the kit. After the show I headed to the merch table and Kris basically became my new best friend as I attempted to purchase the 7″ and a t-shirt from him (it took awhile but, finally, success).

More Kicks at Dirtnap Records Fest

The 7″ single has the power pop track “Blame It on the Satellite” on Side A. Side B has another slightly jangly and melodic power pop track, “Ain’t That Just the Way” as well as “Your Vibration,” which is my favorite of the three songs. It’s fast and crashing and catchy as hell. I’ve got their EP Animal on pre-order and I can’t wait to hear it.

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