WHO: Pissed Jeans WHAT: Why Love Now WHY: We’re hard pressed to find an album that’s as intense as it is hilarious. Something about Why Love Now is as threatening and raw as it is goofy and entertaining. It’s definitely hardcore and punk rock and structured at times while still sounding not just unpolished but downright unfinished. Why not? These results are cool as fuck. Check out their Bandcamp...
WHO: OPEN CITY WHAT: SELF-TITLED WHY: There’s so much that Open City gets right on their debut. A solid foundation featuring members of Paint it Black, Kid Dynamite, and Ted Leo. Compliment it with Rachel Rubino (Worriers) and her blown out distorted vocals and the whole sound of Open City fits together perfectly. The results are intense, melodic, and threatening. Philly hardcore is being too good to us. Stream the album...
WHO: Priests WHAT: Nothing Feels Natural WHY: It seems like people have been missing the point and assuming Nothing Feels Natural is a response to the Trump administration, which is of course wrong because Priests completed this album long before the elections last year. What hopefully will not be missed is how this much-awaited debut is both a brooding, aggressive and moody commentary on modern life and a push out of the comfort zone both for the audience and the...
WHO: Jeff Rosenstock WHAT: WORRY. WHY: It’s just about official: Jeff Rosenstock holds the title as the most relevant punk artist active today. What at first seems like your standard batch of punk songs, upon closer inspection reveal to be nuanced, complex, and absolutely unpredictable. Rosenstock is basically taking pop punk to the next level and is dragging us with him while wearing his heart on his sleeve. Unbelievably, his latest album WORRY is by far his most compelling release,...
WHO: toyGuitar WHAT: Move Like a Ghost WHY: I swear to God, Jack Dalrymple is the unsung hero of punk rock. Everything he touches turns to gold. The man has brought his unique style to toyGuitar, Swingin’ Utters, Dead to Me, and One Man Army (RIP), and will probably continue to do so on many more bands in the future. It’s hard to say which band this man calls home (he personally assured me years ago that...
WHO: The Subprime Lenders WHAT: On the Automile WHY: New England has no shortage of great bands and no matter how hard I try I will always be way behind on who the cool new act in the area is. What I do know is that the Subprime Lenders most definitely qualify as one of the outstanding bands in Boston (though technically they’re from Lowell). Their latest release (although a couple years old) pulls from all the right...
WHO: Mikey Erg WHAT: Tentative Decisions WHY: It’s about time you found out that Mikey Erg is probably playing drums for your favorite band, or he has in the past, or he probably will be in the future. Step aside, Josh Freese, there’s a new go-to punk rock drummer in town. The Man (yes, we’re going to capitalize that for Mr. Erg), has been a punk rock institution for years. He’s fronted the wonderful Ergs!, he drums for the LLC...
WHO: THE OTTOMANS WHAT: Their SELF-TITLED debut WHY: There are some changes brewing here at Ground Control Magazine and this includes a new partnership with Red Sound Records. If you didn’t know yet, Red Sound Records is an online label focused on distributing free music, plain and simple. The bands control the process from beginning to end, and pass on the savings onto you. Or something like that… Having gone dormant for a while, Red Sound Records is back with an...
WHO: TOYS THAT KILL WHAT: SENTIMENTAL WARD WHY: Front man and Recess Records Grand Poobah Todd Congelliere has been churning out the hot punk riffs for decades now with his own brand of skate punk rock. After a short hiatus, the boys are back at it with their new full length Sentimental Ward. Full of that well-known and beloved Toys that Kill formula, Sentimental Ward makes for the perfect Summer soundtrack. It’s snappy, it’s snotty, it’s sophisticated… Get it...