The recently proposed coupling between the angular momentum density and magnetic moments is shown to provide a straightforward alternative explanation for galvanomagnetic effects, i.e. for both anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) and planar Hall effect (PHE). Such coupling naturally reproduces the general formula associated with AMR and PHE and allows for the occurrence of so-called 'negative AMR'. This coupling also provides a unifying link between AMR, PHE and the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) since this same coupling was previously found to give rise to AHE (Bellaiche et al 2013 Phys. Rev. B 88 161102).