THE PLAYLIST

Dylan Hudecki is a Canadian indie-rock vet having played in many different bands, including By Divine Right, Cowlick, Slow Beach and The Dill. He’s a proud Hamiltonian who covers local album releases for HAMILTON CITY Magazine.

TV FREAKS  – Blue Genie (garage, punk rock)

Devotion, distortion, and the strength of four friends is how I’d describe the vibe and sound of Blue Genie. Hamilton art-garage punk lifers TV Freaks sharpen their sound while keeping its edge. After a five-year break since their last full-length People, our beloved Freaks return with Blue Genie. It's a record shaped by love and heartbreak, but held together by something just as powerful: the desire of four best friends to continue creating together.

Compared to earlier releases, Blue Genie feels more patient and deliberate. The urgency is still there, but it’s channeled through locked-in grooves, extended passages, and a confidence that allows songs to stretch and evolve. They haven’t lost their bite and wit and power, but they’ve gained musicianship, melody and diversity.

The two-part title track anchors the album with hypnotic momentum, pulling listeners through waves of tension and release that blur the line between punk immediacy and psychedelic immersion. Sweet Dave’s (David O’Connor) lyrics and vocals sit at the heart of the record. His writing is direct and unsparing, capturing fractured relationships, emotional exhaustion, and self-reckoning without drifting into self-pity. 

“You’re my least favourite good friend. I was running toward your screams, then all the lights went out.” There’s a conversational sharpness to his delivery – biting, reflective, and deeply human – that grounds the album’s more expansive moments. The result often feels like a breakup record, but one tempered by honesty and resolve rather than despair. “There’ll be time to cry when she’s gone. There’ll be time to die when you’re done” is a good example of where Sweet Dave’s head is at during this rumbly ride of a disc.

Musically, the band functions as a unified machine. TJ Charlton’s guitar work alternates between abrasive, angular hooks and droning textures, while Vee Bell’s bass adds both muscle and melody, including additional vocals on standout track “Brick By Brick.” Nathan Burger’s drumming is forceful and precise, driving each song forward with purpose and foundational grit. Throughout the nine songs, the group oozes hints of British bands The Fall, and Wire, while remaining true to their own sound that only a band of 15 years can do. 

The album’s production reflects its long gestation. Drums were recorded in July 2022 by Sean Pearson at Boxcar Sound, while bass, guitar, and select vocals were tracked by O’Connor in his home studio throughout 2023 and 2024. Final vocals were recorded in January 2024 by Marco Bressette at Deadquarters Studio. Then it was mixed by Mikey Young and mastered by Junior Boys’ own Jeremy Greenspan. Visually, the album is completed by a cover photo of Michael Sheehan taken by O’Connor, with additional art direction by Franz Stefanik and layout and design by Charlton.

Ultimately, Blue Genie is proof that TV Freaks are more than just survivors of the underground, they’re builders of something lasting. Fuelled by friendship, devotion, and the push-and-pull of love and heartbreak, this is Hamilton punk at its most confident, complete and fully realized.

Standout tracks: “Blank Faces,” “More Love,” “Brick by Brick,” “Dark Places,” “Blue Genie, Pt. 1 & 2” 
RIYL: Parquet Courts, Television, The Fall, Wire, Ancient Shapes.
Listen on Apple Music or Bandcamp

The Dirty Nil – The Lash (rock)

With The Lash, The Dirty Nil kicked the door back open and reminded everyone why they’ve always thrived in the sweet spot between reckless punk abandon and arena-ready hooks. It’s loud, lean, and unapologetically fun, but beneath the distortion and bravado is a band clearly working through frustration, doubt, and desire with their amps turned all the way up.

From the opening charge, The Lash doesn’t waste time pretending to be polite. Riffs hit fast and hard, drums swing like they’re trying to knock something loose, and choruses arrive with the kind of punch that makes you want to shout along even if you don’t know the words yet. 

What makes The Lash stand out isn’t just its volume, it’s the contrast. For every snarling blast of punk swagger, there’s a surprising left turn into vulnerability. “Rock N’ Roll Band” skewers industry nonsense with a smirk and a raised middle finger, while other tracks lean inward, airing self-doubt and emotional fatigue without killing the fun. It’s catharsis with a sense of humour, frustration delivered through massive hooks.

Then there are the curveballs. “This Is Me Warning Ya” slows the pulse and brings in strings, actual strings (which has to be a first on one of their releases), wrapping the song in romantic drama and soft-focus melancholy. It shouldn’t work, but it does, adding emotional weight and proving The Dirty Nil aren’t afraid to trade distortion for tenderness when the moment calls for it. “Spider Dream” floats in similar territory, dreamy and restrained, showing the band knows when to pull back just as well as when to floor it.

Across the album, the songwriting feels sharper and more focused than ever. There’s no filler, no wasted motion, just punchy tracks that land, linger, and move on before overstaying their welcome. The Lash sounds like a band re-energized, reconnecting with the joy of loud guitars while embracing the messiness that comes with growing older in rock and roll.

In the end, The Lash is The Dirty Nil at full throttle: riff-heavy, emotionally honest, and gloriously unfiltered. It’s the sound of a band having fun again — and daring you not to.

Standout tracks: “Rock’N’Roll Band,” “Do You Want Me?,” “This Is Me Warning Ya”
RIYL: Weezer, Pup, Danko Jones, The Darkness
Listen on Apple Music or Bandcamp

Lisa SQ – Reel Me In (indie pop)

Lisa SQ’s Reel Me In feels like flipping through a well-worn photo album, the kind filled with blurry snapshots, emotional moments you didn’t realize mattered until much later. “Reel Me In is kind of a sonic photo album, and that idea runs through every track,” Lisa explains. Written during a perplexing, in-between period of life, the album captures the process of self-discovery in real time. Some moments drift into moody introspection, but there’s a clear sense of playfulness pulling it all together, keeping things light on their feet even when the feelings run deep.

That balance between reflection and fun is baked into the album’s creation. Half of Reel Me In was recorded overseas in the English countryside on the Isle of Wight in a converted stone abbey, a setting that adds warmth and spaciousness, while the other half came together during impromptu “birthday sessions” in Toronto at the Dwaynespace with a tight circle of friends. Produced by Tyler Kyte (Dwayne Gretzky), Ian Docherty (July Talk), and David Granshaw, the project bridges continents and creative communities, bouncing from late-night jams to early-morning dog walks. 

The songs themselves feel intentionally polished in the best way. Reel Me In embraces spontaneity and collaboration, letting the songs breathe and have space to let the groove sit and have some life, which many bands don’t do. That’s mostly due to feeling forced to always be tightening things up and keeping most songs concise, but less isn’t always more! Lisa SQ’s vocals guide the listener through moments of desire, doubt, and quiet clarity, often sounding like she’s thinking out loud, vulnerable but never heavy. Lead single “Teeth,” co-written with Docherty, captures that push-and-pull beautifully, while “Make It Up to You,” co-written with Kyte, leans into tenderness and resolve.

Across the album, Lisa SQ keeps returning to the idea of connection, to others, to creativity, and to herself. “I think each song can be linked to a moment of personal growth,” she explains. “The heart of the album is about how the quality of our relationships to others and to ourselves is what really brings value and purpose to our lives.” That sentiment gives Reel Me In its emotional through-line, turning personal reflections into something quietly universal.

Reel Me In is a debut that feels lived-in and inviting. Through playful honesty, big feelings, and indie pop with heart, this album gently reels listeners back to themselves, one song at a time.

Standout tracks: “Primitive Us,” “Teeth,” “Fumes,” “Rubbing Off on You” 
RIYL: Middle Kids, Mitski, Strokes, Sharon Van Etten
Listen on Apple Music or Bandcamp

Buddah Abusah – 90-2 (hip hop)

Buddah Abusah’s 90-2 lands like a smooth breeze through Hamilton streets, confident, effortless, and full of personality. A versatile artist, Buddah wears every hat here: rapper, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer. And it shows. The album moves with purpose, delivering tight flows, clever bars, and beats that feel alive without ever feeling overworked.

Raised in Hamilton, Buddah carries the city’s energy with him, but his outlook is universal. Calling himself a “modern day hippie,” he makes music grounded in peace, love, and equality while still keeping it razor sharp and real. 90-2 doesn’t chase trends, it rides its own groove, blending classic hip-hop energy with a relaxed, thoughtful vibe that’s all his own. Over its lean runtime, the album hits hard without ever overstaying its welcome. Buddah’s voice sits front and centre, balancing ambition, reflection, and warmth. His lyrics nod to grind, self-discovery, and life’s ups and downs, but his delivery feels conversational, like he’s talking to a friend, not lecturing.

Features add flavour without ever stealing the show. “Money Motives” with Coolface Hippie Gang and “Overdue” with Milo Millz bring extra energy and contrast, keeping things dynamic and unpredictable while staying true to Buddah’s core vibe. Friends vibing in the studio rather than forced collabs, like Hamont legend, hip hop historian, social advocate goat Eklipz, as well as Provi, Cj Cruicks and Roa round it out.

Everything feels natural on this release. Effortless. Human. The production leans melodic and groovy rather than harsh or aggressive, which keeps the album approachable. Even tracks touching on pressure or struggle carry optimism, giving 90-2 a lightness that makes it perfect for both casual listening and focused replay. 

In the end, 90-2 is Buddah Abusah staking his claim in modern hip-hop: a Hamilton-born artist channeling his city’s energy and his own ideals, blending chill, conscious, and confident vibes into a record that feels like him. Playful, grounded, and fully alive, a hip-hop ride that welcomes you in and keeps you nodding and swaying along.

Standout tracks: “Palm of my Hand,” “K&G,” “These Lyrics” 
RIYL: Shad, early Kanye, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Gang Starr, Tribe Called Quest
Listen on Apple Music or Bandcamp

Lovebolt – Sufficiently Loud (grunge rock)

Lovebolt’s Sufficiently Loud hits like a full-volume feedback loop that you can’t ignore. Released Sept. 26, this Hamilton four-piece doesn’t waste a second of its lean 11-track runtime, with about 27 minutes of raw, grungy rock that’s messy, playful, and impossible not to nod along to.

Marc Brenzil and Tyler McIntyre shred on guitar and vocals, Alison Novak holds it down on bass, and Kevyn Wright drives the beat on drums. Together, they create a tight, scrappy sound that’s pure grunge attitude with a wink. Every song is written by Lovebolt, giving the album a unified, confident voice, while production from Dinner is Ruined alum Dale Morningstar and Lovebolt keeps the grit front and centre without losing clarity.

Tracks like “Fake Blues” and “Keep It Together” open the album with crunching riffs and punchy drums that set a restless pace. “Everything Still Sucks” adds playful sarcasm to distorted guitars, and quick hits like “The Problem” and “Nobody” hit hard, short, and sweet, like a shot of pure energy. The songs are compact, immediate, and full of fuzz-pedalled, shag-carpet character.

What makes Sufficiently Loud so fun is how it balances messy grunge energy with catchy hooks. The riffs are dirty, the vocals raw, but choruses stick, grooves groove, and the band’s personality shines through. It’s energetic without being exhausting. A perfect grungy storm of attitude and fun. Every element feels like part of the same scrappy, creative world that Lovebolt has built around their sound.

Sufficiently Loud doesn’t reinvent grunge, it reminds us why we fell in love with it in the first place, made by lifers that were there, wearing flannel and kicking fuzz pedals with Airwalks at the beginning in the ’90s. This release is short, playful, and is the sound of a band having a blast, inviting you in, and daring you to bang your head and play air guitar along. Unapologetically Lovebolt.

Standout tracks: “Keep it Together,” “Everything Still Sucks,” “The Problem,” “Fake Blues”
RIYL: Nirvana, Ramones, Teenage Head, Pixies, Lemonheads, Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr. 
Listen on Apple Music or Bandcamp