WHO: The Bombpops WHAT: Death in Venice Beach WHY: There probably hasn’t been a band more ready to be the new NOFX. They’re on FAT, their albums sound like they should, and they’ve even stood in for NOFX in their videos. But while it’s easy to write off such a band as being a derivative of a derivative, they quickly showed that they’ve got the genre figured out well enough to make a great record in their debut Fear of...
WHO: Mannequin Pussy WHAT: Patience WHY: It doesn’t happen often that a band comes out of left field to completely blow us away. As a first exposure, Patience absolutely demands the listener’s attention. In a turbulent 25 minutes, it manages to be funny, sad, emotional, desperate, furious, gentle, elaborate, and sharp. It gives you its heart of a platter and leaves you hungry for more trying to decipher how exactly did all the parts fit. The bar has been set...
WHO: The Fleshies WHAT: Introducing The Fleshies WHY: It’s hard to believe that the Fleshies have been gone for 10 years, but 10 seconds into this album and it’s clear why this band is as vital now as ever. Introducing the Fleshies is quite a misnomer for a band who’s been around for almost 20 years but it’s just as gripping as anything I’ve heard from them. It’s fiery, melodic, intense, and raw, and will have you in disbelief at...
WHO: Bob Mould WHAT: Sunshine Rock WHY: I have no clue what Bob Mould had been up to after Husker Du, but if these past two albums are any indication, it would be that the man is determined to rock himself into the stratosphere. Sunshine Rock is a perfect continuation of what made Patch the Sky so great: the songs are simple, catchy, rocking, and loud. It’s no wonder Mould had to crank his amplifiers to 11 with the high-energy...
WHO: Joe Strummer WHAT: Joe Strummer 001 WHY: A knowledge of Joe Strummer is almost mandatory for any music fan, and this new anthology certainly is a great introduction to the man’s pre- and post-Clash output. It does a perfect job of documenting Strummer’s musical evolution which always remained rooted in rock and roll. Fans of his music will enjoy revisiting the man’s life in chronological fashion and will be delighted by how much original and unreleased material they’ll hear...
WHO: Superchunk WHAT: What a Time to be Alive WHY: It’s not just that I love this album by Superchunk. It’s that I tried getting into them with their selftitled debut with marginal success, and decided to give this new one a chance, and put in the time, and it just snuck up on me one day and hit me, and now I can’t stop listening to it. What a Time to Be Alive is full of catchy punk tracks...
WHO: Swingin’ Utters WHAT: Peace and Love WHY: Through their many iterations (now with a new rhythm section, courtesy of the Cobra Skulls), the Swingin’ Utters are teetering the rope of can-do-no-wrong. This release sees them experimenting with their new buzz-poppy sound even more for an album that sounds both complex and maybe a little fragmented. The Swingin’ Utters are maybe the gutsiest punk rock band around today, considering how long they’ve been at it. With every new album they manage...
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...