Media Monarchy plays Muse, Motion City Soundtrack, Franz Ferdinand x Johnny Marr and more on #PumpUpThaVolume for June 27, 2025. ♬
Bobby Sherman – “The Drum” (Vinyl)
‘Portrait Of Bobby’
Metromedia Records – Apr. 1971
*Bobby Sherman – “The Drum” (Vinyl) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofQsD6sFMk0 // https://www.discogs.com/release/2607150-Bobby-Sherman-Portrait-Of-Bobby // https://www.allmusic.com/album/portrait-of-bobby-mw0000172776 // This jaunty tune kicks off side two of ‘Portrait Of Bobby,’ the only Bobby record I have and that LP Danny gifted to me that’s missing the outer sleeve. “Bobby Sherman’s last two chart songs of the seven that entered the Top 40 between 1969-1971 appeared on ‘Portrait of Bobby,’ a pink gatefold album with an easel to cut out and assemble, along with an offer to join the Bobby Sherman fan club. The Top 30 entry from May 1971, “The Drum” was written by Alan O’Day, author of the brilliant “Heavy Church” for Three Dog Night… “The Drum” is an interesting Harry Betts/Bobby Sherman arrangement, borrowing heavily from the style with which Tony Orlando was finding success. Ward Sylvester’s production is slick and actually quite realized. Sherman’s voice is better than on previous albums, the television star finally finding a groove after years of effort, having recorded a bunch of singles before “Little Woman” finally hit for him in 1969.”*
*****
Teddy Swims – “All Gas No Brakes” (w/BigXthePlug)
‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete Edition)’
Warner Records – June 27, 2025
*Teddy Swims – “All Gas No Brakes” (w/BigXthePlug) https://soundcloud.com/teddyswims/all-gas-no-brakes // https://shop.teddyswims.com // From ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete Edition),’ available now via Warner Records.*
Jade – “Plastic Box”
‘That’s Showbiz Baby!’
Sony Music UK – September 12, 2025
*Jade – “Plastic Box” https://soundcloud.com/jadeofficial/plastic-box // https://shopus.jadeofficial.com // From ‘That’s Showbiz Baby!,’ the upcoming debut album by UK pop superstar, Jade. Due on September 12th via Sony Music UK.*
Tchotchke – “Poor Girl”
Digital Single
Tchotchke LLC – Jun. 24, 2025
*Tchotchke – “Poor Girl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zK5L1QKevQ // https://glidemagazine.com/314646/tchotchke-reveal-new-album-playin-dumb-share-infectious-60s-girl-group-inspired-poor-girl/ // NYC’s Tchotchke has announced ‘Playin’ Dumb,’ their new album produced by The Lemon Twigs (aha! that’s why it’s so good!) out September 5th, and share a delightfully off kilter new single/video, “Poor Girl.”*
******
Muse – “Unravelling”
Digital Single
Torpack Limited/Warner Music UK – Jun. 19, 2025
*Muse – “Unravelling” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXmUJvNSSm0 // https://www.nme.com/news/music/listen-to-muses-explosive-new-single-unravelling-3871333 // “Unravelling” puts a new spin on the genre-clash creativity that has become a hallmark of the Muse experience. Haunting, arpeggiated synths establish a foreboding tone before it suddenly detonates into a colossal wall of barbed riffs and unleashing a full-drama hook that pulsates with their renowned maximalist theatricality. The track was produced by live member and Bring Me The Horizon collaborator Dan Lancaster.*
The Beths – “No Joy”
Digital Single
Anti- – Jun. 24, 2025
*The Beths – “No Joy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-YWoVuqtp0 // https://pitchfork.com/news/the-beths-announce-new-album-share-video-for-new-song-watch/ // “New Zealand indie-rockers the Beths have announced their first new album in three years. ‘Straight Line Was a Lie’ is out August 29 via Anti-, marking their debut on the label. The band has also shared the new song “No Joy,” which singer Elizabeth Stokes wrote when trying to process the newfound benefits and struggles of taking an SSRI for her health. “[‘No Joy’] is about anhedonia, which, paradoxically, was there both in the worst parts of depression, and then also when I was feeling pretty numb on my SSRI,” Stokes explained. “It wasn’t that I was sad, I was feeling pretty good. It was just that I didn’t like the things that I liked. I wasn’t getting joy from them. It’s very literal.”” Awesome. She’s on psych meds, I predict this will go well! Also The video is 4:3 :meowthangry:*
Motion City Soundtrack – “She Is Afraid”
Digital Single
Epitaph – Jun. 17, 2025
*Motion City Soundtrack – “She Is Afraid” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkwP8KsnvrI // https://www.brooklynvegan.com/motion-city-soundtrack-announce-first-album-in-10-years-share-she-is-afraid/ // “Motion City Soundtrack have announced their first album in 10 years, ‘The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World,’ due out September 19 via Epitaph. The album was produced by Sean O’Keefe, who MCS worked with a couple times in the early/mid 2000s, and it also reunites the band with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump… The first single is “She Is Afraid,” an undeniable power pop anthem that Justin (Pierre, front man) says takes influence from Del the Funky Homosapien, that dog., and Faith No More.”*
*****
Franz Ferdinand – “Build It Up” (w/Johnny Marr)
‘Build It Up / Hooked Live’
Domino – Jun. 24, 2025
*Franz Ferdinand – “Build It Up” (w/Johnny Marr) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNQy1G4eUAg // https://www.brooklynvegan.com/franz-ferdinand-tap-johnny-marr-for-new-single-build-it-up/ // “Franz Ferdinand have released a new version of “Build it Up,” off this year’s ‘The Human Fear,’ which features Johnny Marr on guitar. “Johnny is an inspiration. Literally,” front man Alex Kapranos says. “I sat in my bedroom as a teenager trying to work out how to play his melodies. To hear his distinctive playing on our song is glorious. He’s elevated it in that way only he can.” Franz Ferdinand have a busy tour schedule, playing Glastonbury 2025 this weekend, and they have US dates in September and October… In other news, Johnny Marr joined The The onstage for the first time in 35 years at this past weekend’s Forever Now festival.”*
The Black Keys – “Man On A Mission”
‘No Rain, No Flowers’
Easy Eye Sound / Warner Records – August 8, 2025
*The Black Keys – “Man On A Mission” https://soundcloud.com/theblackkeys/man-on-a-mission // https://theblackkeys.com/collections/all-products // The second single to preview ‘No Rain, No Flowers,’ the upcoming album by The Black Keys, due on August 8th via Easy Eye Sound / Warner Records.*
The Hives – “Paint A Picture”
‘The Hives Forever Forever The Hives’
PIAS – August 29, 2025
*The Hives – “Paint A Picture” https://soundcloud.com/the-hives/paint-a-picture // https://store-us.thehives.com // From ‘The Hives Forever Forever The Hives,’ the upcoming album by Swedish rockers that is due on August 29th via PIAS.*
*****
Bill McClintock – “Hotter Than a Highway to Hell With the Devil” (Stryper x AC/DC x KISS)
Digital Single
YouTube – Jun. 23, 2025
*Bill McClintock – “Hotter Than a Highway to Hell With the Devil” (Stryper x AC/DC x KISS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCgUTojXlLg // Over a dozen hell/devil/fire songs went into this instant Shocktober classic, including: Mötley Crüe, Pantera, Dokken, Priest and much more!*
Bill McClintock – “I’ll Be A Disciple for You” (The Rembrandts x Slayer)
Digital Single
YouTube – Jun. 24, 2025
*Bill McClintock – “I’ll Be A Disciple for You” (The Rembrandts x Slayer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OdiY1yHrD8 // But then Bill only needed just these two songs to create – The Slaybrandts!*
*****
Ramones – “Danny Says” // “Chinese Rock” (‘Ramones Mania’ Vinyl Version)
‘End Of the Century’
Sire – May 16, 1980
*Ramones – “Danny Says” // “Chinese Rock” (‘Ramones Mania’ Vinyl Version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIv95_DgAQ8 // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9p6IynfQEQ // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_the_Century // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Says // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Rocks // “”Danny Says” is a love song written by singer Joey Ramone at the Tropicana Motel in Los Angeles when the Ramones were staying there for the recording of End of the Century. The “Danny” alluded to in the title is the Ramones’ manager Danny Fields. “Chinese Rocks” or “Chinese Rock” is a song written in 1975 by New York punk rock musician Dee Dee Ramone with contributions from Richard Hell. Inspired by Lou Reed’s “Heroin”, the song openly details the day-to-day struggles of a heroin addict, and is based on Dee Dee’s real-life experiences. Authorship of the track is heavily disputed. Hell made several claims that it is his, though it is generally accepted as mostly Dee Dee’s work.”*