BlowUpRadio.com’s New & Notable NJ Music 8/7/23



Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at releases by BreakTime, DLFC, Chris Batten & The Woods, The Deflators, Don Ryan & The Blank Canvas Movement, furiousBall, and Matt Fisher & the Telephone Junkies. Plus a look back at “Time to Burn” by The Number Theory.

BreakTime – “She’s The One/Love And Harmony”. Whoever said, “there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues” [Editor note: it was Eddie Cochran], probably never heard BreakTime, who continue to cultivate their 60’s retro-pop sounds with their latest singles, “She’s The One” & “Love And Harmony”. Both evoke feelings on summer fun on the beach, while neither song is about that.

DLFC – “File Under Tastee – EP”. “File Under Tastee – EP”, is the second release from DLFC, a side project featuring three members of Jon Caspi & The First Gun (Jon Caspi, Pete Jager, and Doug Lane), sharing the vocal duties. Fans of the First Gun, and Pete Jager’s solo (and The Extras, Inc.) music, will recognize their combination or power-pop and punk rock. The tasteeiest track of all is also the mellowest, “True”, with lead vocals from Doug Lane.

Chris Batten & The Woods – “The Ceiling”. We had to wait 15 years for the first new Chris Batten & The Woods song. Thankfully, it took less than a year later to get their newest single, “The Ceiling”. The song is a blistering Americana/Alt-Country-Rock tune.

The Deflators – “Check Your Pressure”. I was trying to come up with a better description for The Deflators’ debut EP, “Check Your Pressure”, but I can’t, because much like their EP, their description is spot on: “Melodic Punk reminiscent of 70’s Power Pop, 80’s New Wave with a dash of the 90’s for good measure.”

Don Ryan & The Blank Canvas Movement – “Warwalking Part Three”. The third installment in Don Ryan’s “Warwalking” albums, has been a long time coming. Parts One & Two were released back in 2020. I don’t know, or care, what the delay was. Don Ryan & The Blank Canvas Movement can take as long as they like as the end result is an incredibly moving, and upbeat, Alt-Folk/Americana album.

furiousBall – “The Last Music on Earth”. furiousBall’s 14th album, “The Last Music on Earth”, is an ecclectic collection of modern rock tunes. The songs are unified by Van Kapeghan’s ability to imbue these soundscapes with enough hooks to make each an earworm, no easy feat.

Matt Fisher & the Telephone Junkies – “Dance With Me Easy”. A funny thing happened when I was listening to Matt Fisher & the Telephone Junkies’ 2006 album, “The Clock Doesn’t Stop”. I knew Matt had fronted Smile Mafia for awhile, but had not heard anything recently…. until I did a web search (because I intended to talk about their 2006 album in “Not New, But Memorable Corner”) and discovered that Matt Fisher & the Telephone Junkies just released a new album, “Dance With Me Easy”. Only took 17 years for a follow up album, but well worth the wait, with a mix of power-pop and mid-tempo acoustic pop-rock tunes.

Not New, But Memorable Corner

The Number Theory – “Time To Burn”. In the early 2000’s The Number Theory combined indie-rock with power-pop and classic rock, into some the catchiest art-rock tunes. It is hard to believe their album, “Time To Burn”, came out 20 years ago.

Side note: The lead singer continues to put out music today as DDA (https://ddaartiste.bandcamp.com)

That’s all for this week.

Remember BlowUpRadio.com, plays these and many other New Jersey based artists on our internet radio station, so please check us out. #SupportGoodMusic – If you like any of the above artists, please purchase their music from their site. And if you would like to part of BlowUpRadio.com’s New & Notable, please send downloads or contact Lazlo at Lazlo-at-BlowUpRadio-dot-com. We’re also on Mastodon at https://gardenstate.social/@BlowUpRadio