Wimps Announce City Lights LP

It’s been a hot minute since we last heard from Wimps, but they waste no time in getting stuck right in our rotation with the announcement of a fresh new record on the horizon. Like many of us, the pandemic hit hard, but it did bring with it some special moments, like motherhood for Rachel Ratner. This song just rips right in, kicking off with a furiously pounding rhythm that rushes the song through your speakers as quick as can be! Lyrically, the song celebrates being a mom, while trying to find that balance between parenting and artistic creativity. As a dad, I can definitely relate to the need to find that balance! The band will be releasing City Lights on October 13th via Youth Riot Records.

Wimps Return with Poppy Rocker

You imagine folks get bored playing the same old sound, which is great for Wimps, as the band continue to evolve sonically. They’ve just recently announced they’ll be releasing Garbage People via Kill Rock Stars this summer, and our first listen still has the band brandishing their same frantic rock sound…though they’ve turned up the infectiousness quite a bit. Rachel’s voice naturally grabs the listener on this track while the guitar work pushes the song forward emphatically…and in the end it almost feels like we’re spinning out of control, until they settle in to close the song out. The new record will be released on July 13th, so mark your calendar for something fun!

The ATH Top 50 Albums of 2015

Albums ListYear-end lists are everywhere…and I can see why they’re important to people. But, seeing as we generally walk off the beaten path more often than not, our list of the Top 50 Albums of 2015 is in no particular order, save alphabetically. It seems pointless to rank one piece of art higher than another, especially when the four of us at ATH all have varying tastes. We just put this list together of the albums we loved the most this year. Are we saying they’re better than records by Grimes or Kendrick Lamar? No, we’re just saying that these are the records we loved more than others. So, you can read on for what we thought was hot.

Also…put links to individual stores where you can buy the albums from the bands…as that’s how we all survive in this music world.
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Wimps Hit a Home Run with New Single

wimpsI’m pretty sure that Wimps wrote this great new tune while thinking of me, or maybe you. The music itself is pretty straightforward, feeding listeners some solid riffs with a catchy ring to them. But, the lyrical content is where I connect the most. My interpretation is that the “old guy” mentioned in the song is disgruntled at having constantly being seen as the old guy at the party with all the answers. Now, I might not know exactly what they mean, but I definitely feel like the old dude at some of the shows we go to. It’s not a complaint for me so much as it is that everyone just stares at the “old guy” in the corner; I’m that old guy. Sorry for creeping everyone out. Still, the song’s great, period. It appears on the band’s new album, Suitcase, which has a November 13th release via Kill Rock Stars

Hear Another New Single from Wimps

wimpsListening to this new single from Wimps, I’m pretty convinced they need a larger stage in the indie realm. Their latest single, “Suitcase,” is a splendid piece of propulsive punk rock, fueled by incredible guitar work and a bit of ramshackle percussion. It’s reminiscent of the work by Parquet Courts, though I think this one has a ton more attitude and punch than their contemporaries. Could this be the year when Wimps break into the ears of the masses? I sure hope so. Look for their new album, Suitcase, to hit on November 13th via Kill Rock Stars.

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More Love for the Wimps

wimpsAs you get ready to pick up the new EP from the Wimps, I figured I’d toss out another tune that’s been out for a week or so…just to further encourage your good tastes.  While this quick little jaunt runs at just under 2 minutes, there’s plenty music in here for you to enjoy.  Personally, I love the fact that the three piece seems to really have narrowed their focus in the songwriting, as their new tunes sound infinitely more powerful and direct than their earlier work…though that was enjoyable in an entirely different delight. It’s just nice to see a good band grow and still charm you…so without further adieu. Kill Rock Stars is handling this release…for this Friday!

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Wimps Sign to Kill Rock Stars

wimpsNew of the Wimps signing with Kill Rock Stars is both a good thing and a bad thing.  It means they’re leaving their label End of Time Records, who we love (sad), but they moved onto a larger stage with KRS (good).  Ultimately, this just means they’ve now got a larger platform for their jittering punk rock, known for rapturous live shows and albums of exuberance.  They’ll be releasing the Super Me EP, and this first single definitely highlights the band’s sound, filled with bouncing rhythms and just enough angst to make you feel young. Give it a listen and look for the EP on August 7th.

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Wimps – Repeat

wimpsRating: ★★★½☆

As a pseudo-music critic it pains me to admit that I often have a tendency to over-analyze the music put before me.  Sometimes music is just meant to be fun; it doesn’t have to have this higher meaning you can only discern by thumbing through the lyrics sheet.  The debut LP, Repeat, by Seattle’s Wimps is just that.  It’s a rock n’ roll record meant to be blasted loud through your speakers. If you approach it just right, you’re going to pogo about your house like your teenage self.

“Slept In Late” kicks Repeat off in a great fashion, getting your energy pumping from the very get-go.  Rachel Ratner’s vocals have this natural brattiness, but in the endearing manner that most of us who love punk rock will easily enjoy.  Guitars are turned up to just the right levels, careful not to appear over-bearing in front of the drum kit.  That same no-frills attitude comes in again with “Grump,” a song that immediately begins with exuberant shouting.  But, before the group dallies in repetition, they decide to switch things up with careful guitar work instead.  It’s a slight move away from the opening track, albeit not too far.

Upon repeated listens with Wimps my ears seem to gravitate towards “Hello Frustration.”  I love the sound of the guitar here, which almost has a bit of a stutter to it.  The call-and-response lyrics of “let’s grow old and be boring” are perfectly delivered, allowing the song to stand-out just a bit from its predecessors.  From here it only gets better as you blast off into “UFO.” There’s a bit of a swing to the overall feel of this tune, which will have you tapping your toes as you rock along.  And sure, the lyrics might be a bit juvenile, but when did we start taking our rock n’ roll so seriously?

Repeat has a lot of songs that don’t necessarily have lofty lyrical aspirations, but I don’t remember “Judy Was a Punk” being the most poetic piece ever.  Perhaps there’s even a bit of tongue-in-cheek nerdiness, especially when you listen to songs like “Stop Having Fun.”  I mean, come on, the opening line is “I got a long face/that’s because I’m a horse.” You’re allowed to appreciate music just on its own basis, and that’s just what I feel this debut from Wimps provides.  You’re not going browse through the insert looking for deeper meaning in lyrical craftsmanship, but you’re going to have a hell of a time turning this one up really loud.  Throughout Repeat, the vocals are shouted in joy, and the guitars bring in a distorted garage rock mess.  It’s rock n’ roll music, and I love the way Wimps pull it off.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Stop-Having-Fun.mp3]

Download:Wimps – Stop Having Fun [MP3]

Bratty Rocker from Wimps

Repeat, the debut album from Seattle’s Wimps just came out today, and based on the evidence, it’s a refreshing piece of punk rock.  There’s no frills to this debut; it’s an album with nothing but substance.  The songs are gritty and sharp, but their juvenile and fun.  This is precisely what made punk rock so endearing in the early days, with bands just blasting out their tunes in a raucous manner. You can pick up this album right now, and I encourage you to do so, as it’s the first release from the brand new End of Time label.  Don’t be afraid. Punk rock can be fun.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Stop-Having-Fun.mp3]

Download:Wimps – Stop Having Fun [MP3]

Fresh Rocker from Wimps

I’m really excited for my friend Sarah up in Seattle who has been a huge help to ATH throughout her time working with various labels.  She’s just recently started her own End of Time Records, and the first signee is Wimps.  The Seattle three-piece features a line-up of the city’s finest, and most seasoned, rockers from Meth Teeth to Intelligence, demonstrating their unending potential.  Our first taste of the group is a quick paced rocker that jumps in with distorted guitars and anthemic vocal deliveries.  If this is what we’re to expect from the label and the band, good things are surely on their way. The band’s album, Repeat, will be out on January 22!

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Nap.mp3]

Download:Wimps – Nap [MP3]