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We love 1-800-MIKEY the lo-fi bedroom garage punk project of Eora/Sydney musician MICHAEL BARKER, who also plays in the live line-ups of R.M.F.C. and GEE TEE. The latest album Digital Pet is 'for all the cuties', sunny, full of infectious hooks. If you want an album to make you smile and brighten your day—this is it!
Attention all pop aficionados and rock enthusiasts! The wait is over—1-800 Mikey is back with his electrifying new album, Digital Pet, and it's about to blow your mind! Packed with irresistible hooks and infectious melodies, this LP proves that the best pop is still crafted by rockers who know how to deliver a punch. From high-energy anthems to heart-stirring ballads, Digital Pet is a masterclass in the art of crafting pop that rocks.
Dive into a sonic experience where every track is a hit waiting to happen. Whether you’re hitting the road or just chilling at home, Digital Pet promises to be your new favorite soundtrack. Don’t miss out on the album that’s setting the bar high for pop-rock perfection. Get your copy of Digital Pet and discover why 1-800 Mikey is redefining the genre with every beat. Stream it now and let the hooks take over!
Our take: I missed 1-800-Mikey’s debut full-length from 2022, and since (like this new album) it came out on the classic egg punk label pairing of Under the Gun Records and Erste Theke Tonträger, I assumed I knew what I was missing. Turns out that’s not really the case. While the label names on the back and the fuzzy sound indicate a spiritual affinity with the egg punk set, Digital Pet sounds to me like a dyed-in-the-wool melodic punk album, landing somewhere between the gooey pop-punk of Lookout! bands like the Queers and Sweet Baby Jesus and the more urbane, punky power-pop of the Boys. The songs are straightforward, built on a familiar verse-chorus-verse skeleton, but they’re packed with memorable guitar and vocal hooks and never overstay their welcome, generally clocking in at 90-120 seconds. While the penultimate track “Story” features the album’s most memorable chorus, I love the rock and roll swagger of songs like “W.F.H.” and “Welcome Back,” whose extended lead guitar passage reminds me of the great song “T.C.P.” by the Boys. Often bands that toe the line between punk and power-pop can lack the energy and heft to keep them punk and/or the big hooks that make you sing along, but 1-800-Mikey gets it just right.