Mondo Ray
Hypnotized
Windian Records

Last spring Mondo Ray contributed a track to It Came from the Hideout- The Best of the Garage Punk Hideout Vol. 1 and impressed with Riverboat Gamblers-esque  "Brush Your Tits". Raucous, melodic punk from Munich, Germany that proves Punk Rock is Nicht Tot! (Not dead).
A funny thing happened with the arrival of Hypnotized. Instead of frenetic melodic punk, the boys of Mondo Ray put out an even more melodic, new wave-ish power pop single. Falling somewhere between Gentlemen Jesse and His men and the Carbonas. "Hypnotized" is advertised as sugary sweet west coast power pop, but if Plimsouls doesn't run through your mind then you don't know your Power Pop. Mondo Ray's song clearly was inspired by the Plimsouls own "Hypnotized" but clearly this is more vibrant and the sum of it's musical inspiration. No dreamy jangly guitars here. The band back the single with the excellent post punk meets power pop "Nothing". The laid back vibe of the song, plucking rhythms,  and catchy chorus is infectious.