Reviews

Expert Work

Birth (Defects) Fictional Days LP

Hell yeah—nice and sludgy, noisy as hell, and chorus pedals completely maxed out. Is it passé to make Spinal Tap references in the year of our lord 2026? Because if not, these guys bring it all the way up to eleven. This needs to be listened to as loud as possible. My one and only complaint: the vocals do not match the energy of the music. Now, I’m not naive enough to think that this wasn’t done intentionally, but when your band is playing music equivalent to the MELVINS on mescaline, I think it does it all a great disservice when your vocalist sounds like a mopier version of BECK. There are a couple tracks where the singer comes a bit more out of the pocket, like on the song “Scapegoat,” sounding a bit more like a poppier LARRY LIFELESS than your standard ’90s rock radio idol. Speaking of which, there are a handful of covers on this slab from bands like NIRVANA and SONIC YOUTH. Fun album if you like the heavier stuff. Worth a spin.

Denude A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees LP

DENUDE’s debut LP, A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees, delivers eight tracks of mathy post-rock recorded live in the studio with “very few overdubs.” The three-piece, with members from PIGLET, MURDER IN THE RED BARN, FUIGUIRNET, and CREDENTIALS, clearly knows their instruments—the rhythm section drives with bombast and James David’s semi-sung vocals serve the material well. However, the first half of the album feels a bit directionless, leaving me wondering, “Where is this going?” By the second half, the tracks pick up slightly and “Phalanx” is a high point, but overall, the band’s restrained style left me craving more intensity. Fans of bands like SLINT and FARAQUET might appreciate the album’s subtle approach, but it may not fully satisfy those seeking more aggression. The vinyl is limited to 74 copies on clear root beer plastic with black and gold swirls, and 200 copies on black vinyl.

Pretty Baby Layaway Plot LP

You know what the toughest thing a punk band can do in 2026, a year dominated by horrible people doing and saying horrible things to each other? Be radically vulnerable; emotionally transparent and available. Charlotte, NC, post-hardcore band PRETTY BABY purges stories of grief, loss, and hope on their gorgeous debut LP that sounds like amplified heartbreak. Buffeted by lush instrumental interstitial tracks, the songs ride quiet/loud dynamics that move from hushed, finger-picked passages to propulsive post-punk bass grooves to full-chested emoviolence screaming, all while remaining tonally consistent and affecting. “Ghost Teller” opens with a melodic guitar hook that sounds like TITLE FIGHT at their shouty best before erupting into blastbeat hardcore by the end. “Hector’s Loop” goes from a filthy noise rock riff into textural indie punk like a PISSED JEANS/JAWBOX best friend handshake. There are raw moments too, like the ripping chaotic violence of “Grappled and Poisoned,” but even then, shards of layered beauty shine through in the form of melancholy piano and reverse reverbed synth. It’s a complex and rewarding listen and totally recommended.