Words by Jonathan Stout
When not doing freelance writing, Jonathan Stout is heavily involved in the NKY and Cincinnati music scenes as the Marketing Manager for Kentucky based venue The Southgate House Revival and founder of DIY Recording label Lo Fi City Recordings. He’s also an active musician, performing and recording with Sleepy Drums, Mutt Fuzz, Burnt Cabins and gewgaw.
For anyone tracking the trajectory of King Tuff’s discography, it’s evident that he’s felt a little lost over the course of his last few releases. Black Moon Spell leaned hard on heavy metal riffs and imagery – a direction he somewhat lamented on his following release, the shimmering neo-indie psych release The Other. While the songs on this record grooved, something still felt uneasy in King Tuff’s spirit. He did some soul searching. He became the rhythm guitarist in Ty Segall’s backing band for the Emotional Mugger tour (as part of one of Ty’s most historically top notch lineups). He returned once more with Smalltown Stardust which saw him retreat back to a more homespun sound – a little closer to the records he made in his heyday but not quite there. Well now, in 2026, we get the fantastic MOO (MUP), the most confident, catchy and natural sounding record he’s released since his 2012 self-titled breakout. Filled with all the great things that fans love him for – memorable hooks, catchy choruses, playful lyrics, face melting guitar solos – MOO delivers and does so without sounding labored or forced. I’ve returned to this record many times since its release and really can’t recommend it more for fans of 70s garage and power pop.
Although White Fence’s Tim Presley stays incredibly busy with a barrage of solo and side projects, it’s been seven years since White Fence’s previous album, the atmospheric (and hilariously titled) I Have To Feed Larry’s Hawk. He returned in April with Orange (Drag City), a somewhat mellow, jangly affair built upon 60s power pop/psych influences. Gone is the abundant fuzz and clatter of their earlier records to instead lean upon expertly crafted pop numbers, ringing out in concise clarity. Even though there is a somewhat mournful nature to Presley’s vocals (cutting through the mix possibly more clearly than ever before) there is an upbeat and driving nature to most of these songs. They come through, bursting with comfort and confidence, proving that Presley – an already talented musician – has truly come into his sweet spot, from a songwriting standpoint. Nothing sounds forced or out of place here. Instead there is a keen sense of re-energization- as if Presley and co. sensed the urgency to return to let all of the copycat upstarts know who started this and who still does it the best.
Hot on the heels of the most recent Osees release, John Dwyer simultaneously released ZUZAX (DEATHGOD CORP), the newest in his series from side project Damaged Bug. Although the first couple releases from this project had a distinctive, weirdo, homespun touch dissimilar from his other projects, the most recent Damaged Bug releases could’ve been blindly played shoulder to shoulder with recent Osees recordings without anyone noticing a difference. Not that anyone’s really complaining! It’s all solid, engaging, material. It’s just always exciting to hear your favorite artists do different things. ZUZAK begins similar to recent Osees releases but gradually stretches out more and more to rightfully earn its own project name distinction. Although the Osees will always be placed under the psychedelic umbrella, the recent records have had a sharper, more aggressive punk or new wave approach. A few songs into ZUZAX it becomes clear – this is Dwyer’s current primary place to focus on far out, psychedelic exploration. From the tracks like “SIKE WITCH” and “RARE LIGHTS” which harken back to the Cold Hot Plumbs era, to tracks out of left field, like the funky minimalist Prince-like “JUNK FOOD” or the cold and creepy vampirian like ballad “MAN WITHOUT A PLANET,” Dwyer is indeed trying new things here – mixing the familiar with the unexpected for an engaging mix for fans and new listeners alike.
Natural Child just returned with Wooden, a classic rock infused choogler that fits right into any chill summer activity you may have planned this season. Occupying that ultra-comfy zone between the familiarity of bands you grew up listening to (or maybe your parents did, anyway) with fresh blues/folk/psych that doesn’t push the listener so much as draw them in to ask if they want a beer or a quick toke. It’s a party album, but not in the balls-to-the-wall-Andrew-WK way so much as the slow rollicking way that starts in the afternoon and grooves to the early hours of the morning. There are a lot of very serious things to talk about nowadays, but I’m a firm believer that there’s a time and place for everything. Albums like Wooden are just as important as anything else – it may not be overly serious but these jams make you feel good. Something that should never be underrated, especially in grim times. Highly recommended for fans of Neil Young, CCR, Canned Heat, early Santana and the James Gang.
To close this edition out, I’m going to do something a little different and talk about an album that came out last year that I recently discovered – Ridgewood-Brooklyn rippers Bad Trips’ Nothing But Trouble. From harsh noise (“BONE DEALER”) to exploring the varied terrain of lumbering, spacey goth rock (“CHILDREN OF THE SPIRIT FORCE”), reverb soaked shoegaze (“HIGH SPIRITS”), melodic psych rock (“NO QUESTIONS ASKED”), booming lo fi sludge punk (“SLAUGHTER HIGH”) and more. To put it bluntly, they certainly keep things interesting within Nothing But Trouble’s brief 27 minute runtime. There’s a direct, raw urgency of art for art’s sake felt throughout this release that’s very inspiring.
Further Recommended Listening:
Gong: Bright Spirit (Kscope)
Soft Machine: Thirteen (Dyad Records)
Daniel Romano’s Outfit: Preservers of The Pearl (You’ve Changed Records)
Dream Sitch: DS3 (People In A Position To Know)