Straight outta Manchester, England comes PROTO IDIOT and their shambling DIY pop. DOLLY MIXTURE, or DESPERATE BICYCLES, that kind of thing, or some of the Australian jangle punkers that we’ve gotten our ears on over the last few years. Punk in attitude, but with the volume scaled back some and a bunch of strumming going on. They don’t sound anything like them, but if you love THE BEETS then this? You should probably check out.

This band is Andrew Anderson, all by his lonesome, whose garage punk band HIPSHAKES has been churning out the jams for some time. Between solo recordings and his band Anderson has released records on such incredible labels as GONER, TIC TAC TOTALLY, and SLOVENLY. Quite a resume if you are into legit, powerfully crafted (and often scuzz coated) rock music in the here and now. PROTO IDIOT released the “You’re wrong”/”Can’t Hide” 7″ on Chicago’s amazing TROUBLE IN MIND (home to locals like DOUG TUTTLE & ESTROGEN HIGHS) earlier this year. Beyond that there seem to be a number of self released singles also from 2013, and this seemingly self-released EP that you can stream below, SATURDAY NIGHTS. 6 head bopping, head and hip shaking almost folk-punk-pop (that seems horrible but this isn’t) songs that you could really like if anything I’ve been prattling on about makes any sense to you!

“It Is None of My Business” is a great punk popper that is amazingly about minding your own business, which is a fair enough but novel sentiment, when coming through atop a driving beat and mad guitar chord downstrokes. Seems to be about not bothering oneself over what other folks do, including who they choose to love. How lovely. And it’s happening as this proto-punk stomper keeps moving right along. Cool stuff from England, and a great find for me in this particular Andrew Anderson mode of songwriting. Those carrying the KINKS (insert your fav here) torch are seemingly becoming rarer and rarer birds as the years wear on. Fun.