Made In America - PERFECT PUSSY "Say Yes To Love" (2014)

The first time I saw the name Perfect Pussy I immediately wrote them off as another band trying to garner attention with it's name that wouldn't be able to back it up with it's music. The build up of buzz over the preceding months became too much to ignore so I succumbed to the elephant and gave them a listen and I am happy to admit that I was wrong to pre-judge.

The Syracuse, New York five-piece formed untraditionally two years ago when singer Meridith Graves (Shoppers) was asked to form a fake punk band for a cameo in a low-budget movie called Adult World. After filimg, Graves, along with Ray McAndrew (guitar), Garrett Koloski (drums), Greg Ambler (bass), Shaun Sutkus (synths), all full-fledged members of the local punk/hardcore community, decided to make it full time and formed Perfect Pussy.

Made In America - Upset, "She's Gone" (2013)

The girls of Upset have musical pedigrees that anyone would be jealous of. Ali Koehler (guitar and vocals) played drums with Vivain Girls and Best Coast, Jenn Prince (bass) co-founded La Sera and also played with Koehler in Vivan Girls and indie veteran Patty Schemel (drums) banged around with Courtney Love in Hole.

The Los Angeles based trio's debut album She's Gone is out now on Don Giovanni Records. On it Koehler steps from behind the drums, steps away from a rocky departure with Best Coast, and takes up guitar and vocals. With Upset Koehler unleashes a hand full of minute, fizzy-pop gems that are not dragged down by over-complication but contain the right amount of depth that demands more than just a fancy passing.

Made In America - Wimps, "Repeat" (2013)

Well we're into the first week of autumn here in the U.S. but I'm not quite ready to release summer yet, even though it was an unusually wet and mild one. I still want those songs and albums that at first dare you to dance around and sing along but then finish you off with a purple sky dusk that leeches lithium into your brain through your ear canals. Leaving you at peace with yourself and your surroundings.

But I don't have that band today, I do however have a great transition band that will ease you into autumn by feeding you sweet, hooky punk songs good enough to get you moving in your Chuck's, filled with sardonic woeful lyrics about the sourness and frustration of simply trying to live a life.