Reviews

Sketchy

Total Wolf World Wolf III / Defcon 4 LP

The Wolf World III side was released in 2022, while the Defcon 4 side just plopped out in 2026. TOTAL WOLF has gotten tighter in the four year gap between releases, but their message of being mad picks up perfectly from where it stopped in 2022. TOTAL WOLF has grunt-loads of punk’n’roll melody with ”shut the fuck up” shouted gang vocals that inspire you to not “shut the fuck up.” Imagine tough-guy melody with guitar solos and driving rock’n’roll punk, like if NASHVILLE PUSSY’s ass-kicking fast pace and relentlessness were bottled and corked. They like to get fucked up, as they said in one of their songs from 2022. They curse a lot and probably do some high kicks and bring it hard to every show. In a 2026 song, they are still committed to getting fucked up. Live, I’m nearly almost maybe certain that they are possibly unhinged. One thing is undoubtedly certain, TOTAL WOLF brings the party. Man, two records on one record is a great savings too, and also shows their attention to budget-conscious punks. Thanks, TOTAL WOLF.

Turnarounds Turnarounds LP

Musically, I hear FACE TO FACE and PROPAGANDHI in the best ways possible, if you can imagine. Although saying that this could be an Epitaph or Fat Records release will deter some readers, I believe that this record lends itself to the better side of those label’s releases. Unlike many of the bands that step into any genre of DIY, these TURNAROUNDS seem less like they are trying to purposely pattern themselves around a sound as much as they are compelled to make music that sounds like this (e.g. ASEXUALS, DOUGHBOYS, NILS, STATUES). Ten songs total, and each song feels honest and musically thoughtful in a very Canadian way that only Canadians take the time to do, methinks. I can see this record making a 2024 top ten list.

Upside Down Man Fairy Tale for a Modern Age 12″

UPSIDE DOWN MAN does not back away from melody and tight-as-hell articulated musicianship. It’s easy to make comparisons to PROPAGANDHI with their styled and personalized lyrics, but stopping there would also do a disservice to UPSIDE DOWN MAN. These six songs work to amplify a current disconnect we are all feeling with the world happening around us while trying to draw in that helpless feeling by moving toward action through that commonality, or they are about a harsh breakup, as they are all perfectly vague enough to be about whatever you want them to be about. I’m continually brought back to the razor-sharp production where you can hear every single note and drum hit perfectly while still maintaining the momentum of a bullet train. In the ’90s and ’00s, this would have been an easy fit on Fat Wreck Chords or Epitaph with the their three metrics hitting at one hundred percent: speed, clarity, and another one too, I was going somewhere with that but I got distracted by the song and started bobbing my head. If you like those things mentioned above, then you’ll like the link linked below.

V/A Calgary Calling LP

I’m half-Canadian, like left ear to right ankle or something, so I’m really connecting with this comp right now. Local scene comps are my favorite because I feel they really take the time to give an accurate slice of a community. On the other hand, one of the biggest issues with local comps like this is that bands will sometimes give their throwaway tracks. I don’t feel like this is at all the case here. Some of the standout bands for me start at the beginning, with the BREAK INS’ opening shouts of “One, two, fuck you” energetically blending parts of the OBSERVERS and the BAGS. GALATICAS, JULIET’S GOT A GUN, and LETTERS TO NORMA continue on with punk, thrash, hardcore, and indie vibes, and I thought MEDUSAS’ song “Block Him” was a hockey song, but upon further listen, it is a scathing review of dude that I think is harassing one of the people in the band. For the most part, the only job of a compilation is to give some new bands a try, and moreover, to provide something new to track down, and this does just that. Calgary Calling has everything from art-punk, punk, math-rock, SoCalL riffs, indie, ’90s DC-core, riot grrrl, and hardcore, which means there is something on here you’ll certainly be turned onto. REBEL GIRRLZ have a great BIKINI KILL-ish tune that completely knocked my socks off. Just when I thought I’d found my favorite song, TIPLESS comes in with “Emetophobia,” which has a sound like SONIC YOUTH blended with chaotic hardcore. Look, if I was a non-dirty mayor, completely unlike the mayor that JULIET’S GOT A GUN talks about in their “Dirty Mayor” song, I would post this on Calgary’s city website to attract tourist punks that might not stop into Calgary traveling through doing black bear and moose research. There are fifteen bands, and both the CD and LP come with a twelve-page booklet. There is something on Calgary Calling for almost everyone. I think you should consider grabbing this from wherever you grab things from.