LEO Weekly has Spotify playlists for each Listen Local column featuring selected tracks from each reviewed release. Check them out here! The Glasspack – The Fuzz The Glasspack“The Fuzz” – singletheglasspack.bandcamp.com It’s been 15 long years since we last heard from T he Glasspack. Band frontman/guitarist and founder “Dirty” Dave Johnson certainly has a good reason for that; spending those years studying law and becoming an attorney, (he was one of the main Louisville attorneys providing pro bono assistance during the 2020 Breonna Taylor protests by representation for criminal defense and litigation of civil rights lawsuits against the Louisville Metro Police Department). Now the “purveyors of the dirtiest blues around” are back to reclaim their throne, and they’re picking up exactly where they left off. “The Fuzz” is two minutes and some change of pure punk-fueled stoner rock that doesn’t fuck around in letting you know just who the fuck The Glasspack are and why their return is so warranted. This is some hard-hitting, heavy shit here, folks! The riffs are as chunky, fuzzed-out, and as furious as ever, and the energy is through the roof. If you stuck Black Sabbath and Black Flag in a blender, The Glasspack is exactly what you’d get out. “The Fuzz” is dedicated to the protesters and activists of Louisville in 2020 regarding their endless efforts to find some justice for Breonna Taylor’s death by the Louisville Metro Police Department. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as The Glasspack has some big plans in store for 2026, including a new single entitled “The Howl” coming out on Third House Communications, as well as the long-awaited album Moon Patrol on their own Riverrock Records, and hopefully some live shows soon because I need that shit! So light one up and hold on to your ass because the kings have returned! Half Nelson – Finish the Story Half Nelson“Finish the Story” and “Runtime” – singleslinktr.ee/halfnelsonky I’m so far behind on reviews that I am just now getting around to Half Nelson’s “Finish the Story,” and I see they’ve already released an even newer single, “Runtime,” so I’m tackling both. Let’s start with “Finish the Story,” the title of which was inspired by wrestler Cody Rhodes’ mantra and pays homage to vocalist/guitarist Ann Gilly’s love of pro wrestling, but also “matches the theme of the song surprisingly well,” according to Gilly, who described the lyrics as being “based on the true events of someone with a lot of anxiety manifesting in weird dreams and a strong urge to run away and start a new life.” On “Finish the Story,” Half Nelson walks a fine line between lo-fi, indie pop, garage rock, and post-punk. For an idea, imagine if the Patti Smith Group, The Breeders, Mannequin Pussy, and The Pleasure Seekers all got together and wrote a song. Gilly’s vocals are definitely a standout here. Comparisons to Debbie Harry of Blondie would certainly be fair. Clocking in at only a minute and a half, “Runtime,” however, is a straightforward garage punk burner with lyrics about dealing with the pro-gun crowd. And there is a lot of energy here to back this one up. There is a sentence in their bio that says, “Half Nelson makes music for people who feel too much, think too hard, and want to dance about it anyway,” and nothing I say is going to more accurately sum up this band better than that. The Low Glow – D’oh! The Low GlowD’oh! – albumthelowglow.com So what is The Low Glow? That’s a good question. A broader definition would be jam band, but there is so much more depth here than that. Roots rock, jazz, funk, Americana, blues, folk, RB, soul, psychedelic, and even Southern rock are blended to create a gloriously original style. As the band says in their bio, it “is a whole vibe. Truly original in every way.” And they’re not kidding. Imagine taking all the best parts of Phish, Frank Zappa, Janis Joplin, Captain Beefheart, Pink Floyd, and Lynyrd Skynyrd and combining them together for one big sound. And even that doesn’t really do The Low Glow’s sound justice, as there seems to be influence coming from everywhere. The album kicks off with the ridiculously catchy “Bananas Are Good,” which is literally about bananas, and with its silly sound effects would be right at home on a kids’ TV show. The band brings the 70s funk on tracks “Change,” “D’oh!,” “Hands Up,” “Losing Faith,” and album closer “Wax Hammer.” The Low Glow also gets in a touch of psychedelic and explores Pink Floydian territory on tracks “Frozen” and “Rescue Me.” They embrace their jam side on “Mom and Pop,” while my favorite track on the album, “Motherfuckers,” takes more of an Americana route, and ballad “The Rain” sees The Low Glow finding that sweet spot between The Band and Bob Seger. Go ahead and book them at the next Bourbon Beyond, as their sound is perfect for it! An absolutely incredibly talented band all the way around that I hope to be hearing more and more about. The Low Glow absolutely deserves your time and attention. Mommy’s Cigarettes – Mommy II Mommy’s CigarettesMommy II – albummommyscigarettes.bandcamp.com In the four years between Mommy’s Cigarettes’ last album, It’s My Party…and It Sucks!, and their latest full-length, Mommy II, you’d think they would have grown up a little. Nope, they’re just the same snot-nosed little punks with the same juvenile sense of humor. And thank fuck for that! If you’re not already aware of them, Mommy’s Cigarettes is one of the best old-school pop punk bands out there. This is straight-up, no frills, Ramones-style three-chord punk rock with a bratty attitude, a shitload of hooks, and songs that owe as much to The Beach Boys as they do to the Ramones. Bands like The Queers, Screeching Weasel, Sloppy Seconds, and The Vindictives come to mind here. Although they don’t do it as much on this record, one of the fun things about the band is when they’ll break into a classic punk tune during their own songs – “Gatekeeper” being a good example of that when the band rolls into “Chainsaw” by the Ramones. And how can you not love the refrain of “Don’t tax my gig so hardcore, cruster” during the track “Pauley Shore”? And, well, the song title “Suck a Dick, It’s the 90s!” alone. Even aside from all that, there is a lot here to love. The energy and the attitude here are infectious, and the songwriting skills are top-notch. My only criticism here is the mix, which often leaves the band sounding a little too flat, and the guitar too often sounding canned. Thankfully, the songs are so damn catchy that they manage not to get bogged down in the mix. 14 songs of pure, unadulterated, poppy punk rock fun! You need this in your life! OUT. – Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Songs OUT.Somebody Did Somebody Wrong Songs – albumlouisvillenoise.com While there is no shortage of music I love that has come out of Louisville, there are only two records that I can say are my absolute top favorites: Go-Kart Ride by Evergreen and Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Songs by OUT. So when Noise Pollution announced they were releasing a remastered 30th anniversary edition of Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Songs on vinyl for the first time ever, (it was previously only available on cd and digital download), and with two additional previously unreleased tracks from the same recording session, I couldn’t order it fast enough. Recorded Derby weekend of 1996 with former Kinghorse drummer Kevin Brownstein helming the production, Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Songs established OUT. as an undeniable force to be reckoned with. Opening track “You Destroy Me” explodes out of the speakers with an energy unmatched by anything to come out of Louisville before or since, and the album never lets up from there. Blurring the lines between punk, hardcore, garage rock, and classic rock, OUT. came out swinging on this, their debut album, with a sound that was equal parts The Stooges, New York Dolls, New Bomb Turks, Black Flag, Bad Brains, and Bon Scott-era AC/DC. Chad Donnelly’s vocals are absolutely fierce, backed by the thunderous bass of the legendary Tony Bailey, (R.I.P. to both Donnelly and Bailey), the cutting riffs of guitarist Dave Bird, and the gut punch of Russ Pollard’s drums. This is less an album than it is an unstoppable force. The very last thing you hear on this 30th anniversary edition is someone saying, “Oh my god, that was fucking perfect!” And I couldn’t agree more. This is absolutely an essential purchase. Obliteration never felt so good! Don’t miss LEO Weekly’s interview with OUT. guitarist Dave Bird regarding the 30th anniversary reissue of Somebody Did Somebody Wrong Songs here! Pink Crayons – Flip It Pink CrayonsFlip It – albumlinktr.ee/pinkcrayons Pink Crayons sent me the link to Flip It when it was first released back in July of last year, but they had the unfortunate luck of ending up at the very top of the list of reviews I’ve needed to write. A list I am just now getting around to due to some extenuating circumstances in my life, so my apologies to the band for being six months late on this review. Pink Crayons have been getting a lot of attention lately due to some high-profile gigs at Sweaterfest, 502 Fest, and opening gigs for Twen, Friko, and Peel Dream Magazine at Zanzabar last year. And it’s not just attention in Louisville, as the band also did an East Coast tour following the album release. Wikipedia describes twee pop as “boy-girl harmonies, lovelorn lyrics, infectious melodies, and simple, unaffected performances,” and I think that sums up Pink Crayons’ sound pretty well, although one could certainly make an argument for labeling this under indie pop, shoegaze, or dream pop as well. Rolling, sometimes jangly melodies and alternating boy/girl vocals combine to create an upbeat soundscape of light, sweet, airy, flowing musical textures. Comparisons to late 80s and early 90s bands like Cocteau Twins, The Sundays, Slowdive, Lilys, Black Tambourine, and Heavenly aren’t unfounded. Solid production here too with just the right amount of brightness and punch to the mix, although I would love to hear what Anne Gauthier could do for them, as I think their sound and her skills would be a perfect match. Having only been around a couple of years now, Pink Crayons is just really getting started, and I certainly think big things are on the horizon for them. Radiokiller – Basement Recordings RadiokillerBasement Recordings – EPradiokiller.bandcamp.com I’ll just go ahead and state upfront that Radiokiller is one of my absolute favorite new bands in Louisville. The band is new, but the players have been around in the local and national punk scene for a while now – featuring members/ex-members of Reagan Youth, Indignant Few, The JimHarrelson, Ultra Pulverize, The Shanks, and several others. And their sound hits that perfect sweet spot between late 60s garage rock, early 70s proto-punk, and late 70s punk rock. Definitely a strong Rolling Stones influence at work here that comes across like a mix of Chuck Berry, The Stooges, MC5, New York Dolls, Dead Boys, and The Damned. Crunchy, guitar-driven classic rock with bluesy undertones and featuring the kind of riffs that Johnny Thunders lived for. It’s easy to picture these guys being right at home playing CBGB and Max’s Kansas City in New York City back in the mid-to-late 1970s. Although the three-track Basement Recordings is just that, a jam room recording, it is surprisingly clean-sounding. The guitars, vocals, bass, and drums all come through completely clear and unmuddied in the mix, with nothing overbearing. All three songs are packed with extremely catchy Stones-ish hooks that grab you and reel you in for the duration of the songs. I’m really looking forward to hearing more from Radiokiller, as three tracks is just a tease. Big show coming up for these guys on March 11th at Mag Bar with The Queers and Vallencourt, that is definitely going to be worth checking out! All ages, doors at 6:30, $25 advance, $30 day of show. Second Story Man – Calico Second Story ManCalico – albumlouisvillenoise.com They say good things come to those who wait, and we’ve been waiting eight long years for this! Second Story Man returns with the 13-track Calico, their first release of new music since their 2017 self-titled album. Work actually began back in March of 2020; however, the COVID pandemic sidelined it for some time, and production wasn’t finished until last year. And yes, it is well worth the wait! The thing I’ve always loved about Second Story Man is their ability to experiment with, shift, and evolve their music, but still retain that certain special uniqueness to their sound that harkens back to their earliest days and lets you know that this is still, indeed, the Second Story Man you fell in love with all those years ago. Different, yet completely familiar. Calico sees the band shifting away from the fuzzed-out, psychedelic overtones of the self-titled album while continuing to embrace the shoegazy, garage punk, indie rock sound with strong pop sensibilities that they’re known for. The music is dense, yet approachable with rich harmonies and the kind of amazing songwriting we’ve come to expect from this band. Tracks like the 90s-influenced alt-rocker “Side of the Road,” the poppy stomp of “Calico,” the punk-driven “Let it Out,” the slow burn of “Simple Sounds,” the dreamy soundscape of “Storm’s Reach,” the throwback poppy alt-rock of “Lawn Darts,” the rolling indie rocker “Big Seltzer,” and the meaty crunch of album closer “Feel the Notion” are all among Second Story Man’s best work to date. Producer extraordinaire Anne Gauthier and the renowned La La Land Studio bring a bright and punchy, yet warm and intimate sound to all 13 tracks here. After almost 30 years together as a band, Calico is absolute proof that Second Story Man is still as fresh and vibrant as ever! Want to see your music reviewed in LEO Weekly? Louisville and Southern Indiana-based bands/artists, send a link to your music along with a band/artist bio, (lengthy bios are highly appreciated), a high-resolution pic of the release’s cover art, and any additional information that may be helpful for the review to [email protected]. The post Listen Local: New Louisville Music For February 2026 (Part 1) appeared first on LEO Weekly | Louisville Eccentric Observer. ...read more read less