Reviews

Do What?

Petty Grievances Wizard Tattoo EP

Fast, catchy, and moderately distorted stuff here. Some tracks could have been even shorter. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want a good riff in small portions. Punk songs can peter out pretty quickly, and I’d respectfully suggest many bands could imply some real editorial restraint and let the riffs speak for themselves. Please pop punks, I urge you: don’t tie yourself in knots repeating a chorus just to play it bass-only or insert the dreaded bridge-to-nowhere. PETTY GRIEVANCES churn out some real earworms, and if they trim some of the slack, it’ll be that much better.

Pleasure Center Pity in Jangle City LP

I write a lot about wanting bands to sound dirtier, meaner, like more clear reflections of a fucked-up world. But you know what? I’m full of contradictions, because I also grew up loving pop punk. If I hear a guitar band with solid hooks and heart-on-sleeve lyricism, I’ll usually perk up to see what they’re up to, at the very least. This St. Louis band caught me immediately, striking that same nerve TEENAGE FANCLUB and ASH used to when I was a kid. There’s plenty of jangle, just a kiss of fuzz, and thrumming melodic energy for days. The vocals carry the kind of unvarnished, disarming charm of Jon Brion back when he didn’t just write film scores. Songs like “Cool 2 Crash” capture summer DIY space magic, where everything feels so melancholic and fleeting all while energizing you at the same time. There are tasteful bridges and the band in general just bangs it out where it counts. Power pop often falls short on both signifying terms, but this group embodies the term beautifully. One can only hope they’ve got more golden songs in the song warehouse.

Shitstorm Demonic Alien EP

This EP checks the boxes. There is all the snarl and sass that one would expect from such a band that is SHITSTORM. There is some PRISON AFFAIR for sure, laced with vocals that could easily be coming from B.A.’s offspring. The tracks are all fast and just kinda furious, with the sloppy lyrics being the only point of discord throughout the listen. The party ends with the slow-moving tank of a track “Get It Right.” Hell yeah! Let Missouri continue to be the depository of this satisfying filth. I can feel the septic Midwest bubbling away.