Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send one copy of vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc. No major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Endora y Sus Vicios Son Mis Normas LP

Post-punk feel with more intense, punky vocals. I loved how angry and fierce the vocals were throughout, which paired nicely with the more punchy and choppy guitar (like in “Guerra al Desencanto”); it really just comes at you and taunts you relentlessly. They didn’t lose intensity throughout the album though, like with “Vecino,” where they upped the tempo to a more classically punk speed that really keeps you on your toes. They really know when certain parts are needed; they know when to have only vocals and drums versus everything together, they don’t overdo anything.

Florida Men Dive Bar CD

This band is from the Netherlands, and they spell it out as plainly as possible—RAMONES-core, heavily influenced by SCREECHING WEASEL, the QUEERS, CHIXDIGGIT, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, et al. Let’s be honest, by the bands I mentioned above, you already know if you want this or not. There is zero chance that you are on the fence with the FLORIDA MEN at this point. Here’s the question, though: in twenty-plus years, will FLORIDA MEN be the kind of significant band that will be mentioned as an influence and peer to the list above? The answer is “I don’t know.” The impact is for you to gauge. These twelve pop punk songs time out in just about twenty minutes. For me, the FLORIDA MEN’s Dive Bar album is undoubtedly a faultless example of what they say they are, with entirely no surprises.

Guðir Hins Nýja Tíma Ég Er Ekki Pervert ég Er Spæjari cassette

Two-piece Icelandic synth punk. GUÐIR HINS NÝJA TÍMA, or “GODS OF THE NEW AGE” if you prefer, put out their first demo in early 2021, and XTRO does us the kindness of releasing their brand new nine-song cassette in the US. Sometimes dancy, sometimes demented, with the occasional wildly unhinged theremin on top. As with all XTRO cassettes, this is limited to a mere 25 physical copies , and as with most XTRO releases, I can’t say enough good things about it.

Haraa Shide 紙垂 cassette

HARAA is a powerviolence band from Indonesia and has been playing together for a couple of years now. Their sound is heavily influenced by Japanese hardcore, but also incorporates harsh noise, ambient noise, and field recordings. Shide 紙垂 is a five-track recording that is over in about six minutes, so multiple replays are a prerequisite. However, the amount of sonic space HARAA traverses in this time is immense, so you’ll be needing to replay this cassette a few more times just to catch all the nuances hidden within the melee. In total, Shide 紙垂 carries with it an archaic power, like being crushed by the fist of an angry ancient god while at the same time being absolute raw punk gold and satisfying the “noise not music” sect in a single tidy package.

Ismatic Guru An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information LP

Buffalo’s ISMATIC GURU is truly a unique duo. Yes, they’re regarded as egg-punk and yes, egg-punk itself is a diverse genre where two bands rarely resemble each other. But even in this ocean of bizarre sounds, they manage to stand out. Covering all their previous work plus five brand new songs, their latest release An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information is the full package and the ultimate testimony to their eccentricity. With guitars alternating between rhythmic stabs and demented single-note lines, bass laying down jittery grooves, drums providing a steady backbone, organs adding another layer of manic melodic content while the vocals ramble on and on with such dynamic delivery, the overall sound is an even further abstraction of post-punk and full of nods to the iconic sounds of both no wave and new wave. I really appreciate their minimal, almost fully DI-sounding signature production style that makes the duo’s immense songwriting skills shine further. There is nothing quite like ISMATIC GURU, and there is no better way to immerse yourself in their work than An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information.

Los Pepes For Everyone LP reissue

This was originally released on Wanda back in 2014. I’m not certain it really needed to get re-released, but I’m a big fan. If you’re into super-catchy power pop, if you prefer that power pop to be mid-tempo, and if you like pretty vocals, this is also for you. It somehow reminds me of the late ’70s and also the BUSY SIGNALS. Good stuff.

Man With Rope Multiply. Expand. Consume. cassette

With a name like that, you’re probably not going to sport the band’s shirt at your nan’s birthday, unless of course she’s well into dark ’00s-flavoured crustcore, in which case she could already be into MAN WITH ROPE and might actually nick your shirt (it’s her big day, after all), so maybe bring another non-crust top to be safe. This lot are from St. Louis and Multiply. Expand. Consume. is their first oeuvre, with five songs of heavy and anguished crust that should have been released in 2005 and can be said to fall under the “neocrust” umbrella. I hardly ever listen to that subcategory these days, and I realize it has become something of a derogatory term in some quarters as many do not look back too kindly on the ’00s. But when the genre is that well done and the passion and energy are there, I’d rather listen to this tape than the fancy post-punk act of the day. MAN WITH ROPE is not one of those total TRAGEDY copycats that I do, truthfully, tend to avoid because they often dick around too much with melodies and forget to hit hard. MAN WITH ROPE does not. There are elements of HIS HERO IS GONE of course, but I am hearing a lot of ACURSED and mid-’00s SKITSYSTEM too, the Swedish school basically, and Madeline’s vocals sound incredible here, vehement and quite extreme inviting AMBULANCE or SCHIFOSI to the table of despair. Not a style I would blast daily, but an enjoyable and a little nostalgic moment nonetheless.

No Drama Papershop / A City Within 7″

This band from Toulouse really leans into labeling themselves as ’90s retro, and I mean, yeah. The A-side especially recalls shimmery indie pop that could have been released on Simple Machines or Teenbeat in the mid-’90s, and their previous EP is kinda grungy. What saves this from being a trite retread is excellent songwriting and performance/production that sounds scrappy and not too slick. I was really not expecting to get anarcho vibes from the B-side, but here we are! It reminds me of the random mellow song that sticks out on a Bullshit Detector comp or some other early ’80s UK comp to benefit a bail fund for hunt saboteurs. It kind of sounds like a really chill MOB or BLYTH POWER song, or later OMEGA TRIBE, in that it’s poppy, for sure, and chill and even pretty, but has a stinky punk soul deep inside.

On the Cinder Heavy Handed LP

Tucked under the surface between fast-shouting hardcore band parts and indulgent ’90s pop emo sections lies a thoughtfully formed album. For easy comparisons, I’ll plop in STRIKE ANYWHERE, LAGWAGON, A WILHELM SCREAM, and I‘m not sure why, but “Coffee Achievers” by 76% UNCERTAIN comes to mind. I’m certain that kids will drive around at night, scream some of these songs, and hit the steering wheel during their favorite parts. The LP’s cover is a home being torn in half during a party thus dumping the kids into the basement, and I think the sleeve completely captures the spirit of the record. The music is energetic, musky, damp, probably smells like cigarettes and stale beer, lots of friendly smiles bumping into each other, all with equal parts of hope and regret but in a familiar way.

Parasites EP​-​Onymous EP

If your girlfriend is in the market for some fast-paced pop punk themed with rockabilly romance, EP-Onymous is perfect for your sweetheart. Midwest punks know how to love; the PARASITES prove this with their passionate five-song EP. Serenading us with a sort of lived-in recording quality and boy band-ish charm, this release is a short burst of electricity bringing to mind the RAMONES as source material. Singing about a girl (or many), the catharsis of this EP stems from a mix of lyrics centered on heartbreak and loving redemption, backtracked by repeating riffs and semi-muted drums. “I Love Her, But She Don’t Surf” is a classic, and the incorporated tambourine in “Love Me Too” is always appreciated (other bands, take notes). The type of album you find buried in a former punk’s garage sale, EP-Onymous is just, well, good: not overly pleasing nor underwhelming, a precious staple in the Chicago scene.

Rabid City Modern Problems LP

Rabid hardcore punks RABID CITY come at you with everything they’ve got. On their second full-length, this Baltimore outfit pulls all the cards out of their sleeves and rolls the dice with great luck, as the finished product is superb. Ten songs clocking in at fifteen minutes, short and sweet, like it was meant to be. They certainly sound as good as the classics from the ’80s American hardcore scene. A great rendition of “Second Coming” by the iconic BATTALION OF SAINTS just ties everything together neatly.

Rolltreppe Es Geht Bergab 12″

It’s possible that Es Geht Bergab sounds so completely original because it sounds so instantly familiar, and now I’m stuck wondering which it actually is (and knowing it’s both). You’re going to see terms like “post-punk” and “goth punk” thrown around a lot when people talk about this record (and this band), but that’s just folks not listening past the flanged bass and the spacial guitars—in reality, ROLLTREPPE is a damn punk band that takes advantage of those elements instead of leaning on them. From the opening track, I’m dragged back a decade. “Kranke Welt” feels like a mid-2010s RAKTA and WHITE LUNG collaboration (with the bass lick borrowed accidentally and/or blatantly from the former), while the general energy ROLLTREPPE projects is the stark, cold, dance frenzy that dominates ’80s Eastern Bloc punk with all of the energy and intensity that comparison conjures and more. Rhythm-section-driven, high-energy punk with guitars taking their own trip and vocals that command full attention. I went back and checked out their 2020 release because I’m curious (and thorough), and seeing the progression makes me really anxious to hear whatever comes next—I can talk about how many elements remind me of other bands, songs, and records, but really I just keep coming back to how I’ve never really heard a record that sounds like this. Excellent.

Stranger Gallery Echoes From Camden Bridge LP

Post-punk with shimmery guitars and synth washes that recalls bands like the CHAMELEONS and ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN. The inclusion of violin and sampled industrial-light beats paints an atmosphere of beauty and tension where tracks like “Alter,” with its syncopated, shadowy dancefloor beat, pairs perfectly with the earnest and nostalgic synth-pop of “Water Towers.” The production is rich and full, which highlights the dynamics between the driving bass, trebly guitars and spoken/sung vocals. A strong first release enveloped in isolation, confusion, and love.

Subculture Fred 12″

Among SUBCULTURE’s many claims to fame are having particularly sick drummer who went on the play in the SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS, being the tourmates of NOFX that christened Mike Burkett “Fat Mike,” and recording this tight little EP, which was left unfinished and unreleased until now. Rescued by the good folks at Sorry State, this six-song record from the North Carolina group was named in tribute to their late guitarist Fred Hutchinson, who passed away in 2023. Recorded in 1986, it showcases an evolution from their full-length album I Heard a Scream that was released in the previous year. Where the LP was rooted in classic SoCal style, Fred captures the band as they were morphing into more of a speedy crossover sound—a common progression of that era. It’s pummeling and punchy with a metal-y edge, but tunes like the goofy closer “KC’s Coming to Town” remind you that they were still the fun-loving punks you knew and loved. It comes with a big-ass poster and lyric sheet, and proceeds from the album will go to Hutchinson’s family.

TA-80 Turn It Up! cassette

This is straightforward, catchy punk rock. The guitar has a great sound, and the vocals are sort of infectious, with a focus on female vocals. And they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously. I like that. In fact, they border on getting a little too goofy at times. These guys might not change the world, but they’ll definitely make your day a little brighter.

Barren Hellscape Anti-Genocide demo cassette

These New Zealanders’ demo is ear-shredding to the fullest. Incessant, maddening, chaotic ’90s-style noise crust that resembles Japanese and Swedish sounds in the genre. Donations for anti-genocide actions have been collected through this first glimpse of BARREN HELLSCAPE. Noise is there for sure, along with steady, fast crust cadences. Vocals are rough and angrier than usual in crust punk projects, putting this demo on a more extreme side of hardcore punk holding to metallic-driven guitar riffage and ever-ranting drum sections.

Benzin Treibjagd LP

Garage punk from Berlin that rips through twelve songs in about fifteen minutes, with solid gold surf-inspired riff after riff like TEE VEE REPAIRMANN with Klaus Flouride on guitar. These short tracks have everything you could ask for in this strain of punk: hardcore speeds, straightforward production, hooks aplenty, a fully developed sound, and inspired performances. A few tracks expand beyond the garage, like “Botschaften,” which sounds like BAUHAUS played at like six times the speed, and the title track that features a slower tempo and vocal delivery recalling KLEENEX/LILIPUT. What a great band and a great record (and a debut full-length at that!).

Dunstan Bruce Fucking Expensive / PIN Number 7″

I was not sure what a record by a former CHUMBAWAMBA member would be like; I had no idea what to expect. Well, I’m pretty happy to say that it sounds very much like his former band. Social commentary, some dance beats, some rocking. Starting off with some nicely orchestrated strings before the beat picks up and the list of things that are “Fucking Expensive” begins, we learn everything is fucking expensive including democracy. The second song, “PIN Number,” is a dance song that has one of the most infectious beats that I’ve heard in a while. This record was very enjoyable—I really like it and I really miss CHUMBAWAMBA.

Ceresit 81 Kraft Durch Bier EP

A nice peruse through the history books with this release, a collection of fast hardcore tunes from Berliners CERESIT 81. Not their most politically-charged release by all accounts, with two-thirds of the three songs shared here revolving around beer, but aside from the relatively plodding start to the first one, it takes off like the clappers and is a lot of pogo-worthy fun.

Chilton Chilton LP

The self-titled sophomore album from Brooklyn-based CHILTON, a five-piece (super?) group, strikes a balance between honoring its members’ pedigrees and carving its own space. Founded by Josh Carothers (I FARM, EARWORMS), this album sees a couple lineup changes since their debut, including Abe Brennan (DEAD PIONEERS, MY NAME) stepping in for Bill Stevenson (DESCENDENTS/ALL/BLACK FLAG) on guitar. The recording sounds great and the songs lean toward an ALL-inspired vibe, featuring some sharp musicianship with minimal wank. The tracks “Mouth to Ear” and “One More to Go” bring to mind NOMEANSNO, and that might be the highest praise I can imagine. Propulsive, fun, and recommended.

The Downstrokes / The Prozacs Better Late Than Never split LP

More pop punk from two bands who heard the QUEERS three decades ago and thought “This is how I’ll write music for the rest of my life.” I guess that’s the entire theme of this split. Arrested development and refusing to grow old and change your attitude. But Jesus Murphy, how many more times are we going to have to hear this tired, old trope? There is nothing that differentiates these two bands from the mounds of other bubblegum punk bands out there. This review ended up being more negative than I wanted it to be, so I’ll leave you with this thought: I know that RAMONES-core in general has a very dedicated fan base, so if you’re into all of that shit, then you will absolutely love this split.

Dream World Dream World demo cassette

Five-song demo cassette from this new Richmond, VA band. DREAM WORLD plays  stripped-down, no-nonsense, modern day anarcho-punk. No frills, no bullshit. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that they sound like FLUX OF PINK INDIANS, but if you were to remove the particularly standout FLUX tracks from the equation, nix the accent, and ditch the poetry, a few of these guitar licks would fit right in. DREAM WORLD scratches the nostalgia itch without feeling at all like a carbon copy. Now make this dream a reality and give us more!

Excrement of War What Glory in Death… LP

A very short-lived band from the ’90s UK punk scene, with members ranging from DOOM to ZOUNDS. Even though they were short-lived, their material made an impact and the crater can still be seen today. Somewhere between EXTREME NOISE TERROR and STATE OF FEAR, this is a heavy-hitting crust machine. Phobia Records put together this great reissue, which consists of their demo from 1990 and another demo from 1992, with extra songs from a 1993 split with Japanese legends BEYOND DESCRIPTION. A staple in any crusty’s collection!

Fénwär Fénwär LP

FÉNWÄR is a group of anarchists who reside at Réunion, which is a small island in the Indian Ocean, and they play toothsome, crusty anarcho hardcore. The Fénwär LP, the band’s first release, is eleven tracks of all-out blistering guitar, huge chugging bass lines, and intriguing rhythm shifts. The vocals range from spoken word, sung, and dual shouts, which keeps things really interesting, while most of the lyrics are in French. There’s also a DISCHARGE and a NAILBOMB cover, so you know from the jump what references FÉNWÄR is citing. “La Soucoupe et le Perroquet” is currently my preferred song, as it drifts into starting and builds stronger as it progresses into a ferocious pummeler. In all, don’t sleep on FÉNWÄR, as they’re top-shelf.

Frank Dux Product of Our Youth CD

Cambridge, Ontario’s FRANK DUX comes swinging with their debut full-length, Product of Our Youth. Named after the guy from Bloodsport, this four-piece has been at it since 2015, cranking out slick, fast-paced melodic pop punk with a singer who can actually sing. Despite their deceptively youthful sound, most of the themes in their lyrics are all grown-up, tackling grief, loss, and the uselessness of “thoughts and prayers.” If you’re nostalgic for that ’90s-era STRUNG OUT or LAGWAGON and love those emo-boy singers from bands like TAKING BACK SUNDAY or SAVES THE DAY, you’ll want to give this a spin.

Glass Reflexo Transparente cassette

Have you ever wondered if punk might have ruined your life? I’ll admit that in moments of weakness the thought has crossed my mind. Well, here’s the antidote to such nonsense. When a release like this comes along, it just makes me fall in love with punk all over again. GLASS is primitive, savage, and unhinged. This cassette features seven songs and a spoken word intro and makes for an exceptional debut. Everything here is jagged and raw in all the right ways. The vocalist sounds convincingly angry, the guitars are fuzzed-out, and the drums are pounded out in a manner that makes it seem like the whole thing could implode at any moment. The story goes that none of the members of GLASS had ever picked up an instrument prior to starting the band, spending their time skating around Milan. Is that not the perfect origin for a killer band? They may not be the tightest in their playing, but it’s more than made up for by the group’s obvious passion and authenticity. Most of the cuts are straightforward hardcore punk tunes with D-beat drums, but they change it up on the last track “Perdido,” with a touch of darkwave influence. Brilliant. Punk rules, okay?

Gun Fever No Easy Way 12″

CHAIN CULT alumnus joins forces with other Athenian punk rockers for a slightly glossy take on modern street punk. Undoubtedly the choruses have that sing-along-ability that is mandatory for this genre, and it has the kind of spartan, driving guitars that, legally I believe, I have to draw parallels with Second Empire Justice-era BLITZ. However, it’s a little too accomplished for my taste—if you like the kind of stadium skinhead rockin’ of LION’S LAW, you’ll have a lot to enjoy here, but it unfortunately fails to move me entirely.

Interterror Interterror LP reissue

A reissue of seminal Spanish punkers INTERTERROR’s 1985 LP; this release tacks on one additional track from the original recording session that was previously unreleased. With nine songs sung in their native tongue, the band tackles serious subjects like suicide and the Holocaust while maintaining an upbeat and melodic sound with sing-along choruses.

Judy and the Jerks / Shitty Life split LP

Good HC/punk split record. JUDY AND THE JERKS open insanely strong with a unique start to “Something On Your Mind?—super-fast guitar, then a break for a quick bass lick. Their songs manage to somehow get faster and faster, to the point where I audibly said “goddamn,” out loud. Sheer speed and madness, loved it. SHITTY LIFE brings the same energy in a different way. While they’re less fast, the clean guitar mixed with loud and slightly distorted vocals creates a fun combination. More of a power punk band, they’re punk but with more character. “Your Life, Their Choice” is a powerful track to end the album with.

Korupuhe Näin on Hyvä EP

Deftly dancing between melodic pop punk and something with a slightly harder edge, this is an impressive little sampling from these punks from Helsinki. The production loses me a bit; it’s somewhat sterile with each element in its own sonic space rather than truly melding together for something holistically special. The songwriting and the playing is all there, though. While I often prefer shorter songs, my favorite tunes here actually take their time to spread out and explore their ideas. The finest example of what this band does right is on the harmony-rich “Rainbow Islands.” I’m less convinced by the attempts at faster and harder punk, which the band delves into as well. For me, the pop punk is right in the pocket, while the rest just doesn’t have the teeth or the riffs to sell me.

Lumb Lumb cassette

This was my first introduction to the solo project known as LUMB, and it is a lot to take in at fourteen songs and forty minutes in length. The standard problem that I feel many solo projects have of there not being enough ideas is not even remotely applicable in this case. If anything, I would suggest that the brain-child behind LUMB seems to have far too many ideas. Almost every track on this cassette sounds wildly different from the one before it, but not necessarily in an interesting songwriting kind of way. It sounds more like someone trying to play cover-all on their bingo card of all the different musical genres they wanted to touch upon. From country to new wave, from DILLINGER FOUR-inspired pop punk vocals to DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN herky-jerkiness, from experimental art to rockabilly guitar leads and back again. There are the occasional moments where I am intrigued, but the cool parts just tend to get drowned out by the confusion that inevitably and immediately follows.

Moskwa Jarocin ’84 LP

MOSKWA is from Poland and I believe that they still play once in a while, or at least they did until the pandemic happened. They started in 1983 and I hear some similarities between them and G.B.H., although MOSKWA tends to go faster and faster while having the same kind of song structure and 1-2-1-2 drum beats. MOSKWA seems to like to push their music to the edge where it feels like everything is just going to fall apart, but everytime it gets to that point, it’s like whiplash and they’re back to a solid verse or chorus. I like bands that play with reckless abandon, and that describes this record. It’s wild hardcore punk. I’m happy to have this.

Nov LT Recesses cassette

The use of certain descriptors can feel very reductive. Being in a band ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, and having the time and energy spent on writing, rehearsing, and recording songs boiled down to a couple words seems kinda lazy and (over) easy. So I ain’t gonna do it! On to the matter at hand…NOV LT (pronounced like “novel tea,” I presume) plays ultra lo-fi, new wave-y punk, served up hot and runny, right off the breakfast plate. The snot-nosed vocals and modulated guitars remind me a lot of SKULL CULT, but more damaged. Fuck art, this is nerd-damaged. The opening track is called “Daniel Johnston on Love Island,” for chrissakes. Not a chain in sight. If you’re familiar with XTRO’s catalog, then you know precisely what I mean. If I have any complaints here, it’s that for a band named NOV LT, I expected them to bring something new to the table. But hey, these lads are quite good at what they do and there’s nothing new under the sun. After all, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few…ahhh, forget it.

The Overprivileged / The Revelevens DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 31 split LP

Pleased every time I see a new volume pop up, because the DCxPC Live series is the epitome of a labor of love. Nothing fancy, and the packaging is typically minimal—just live recordings of DIY punk bands who are often underknown and/or underappreciated. Two turn-of-the-century Baltimore/DC area bands here who reunited a couple of years back at Ottobar and played a ripper; the REVELEVENS are fast ’n wild with a cowpony tinge and ultra-upfront femme vocals. The OVERPRIVILEGED are harsher (maybe also drunker) but hopelessly catchy street punk, and their set is a wee bit looser (in a good way). Both bands deliver maximum intensity sets and were (according to the liner notes) integral to their respective scenes in their respective eras. And you see, this is why I’m pleased every time I see a new DCxPC Live volume pop up.

Pigmale Brains Sanity? Okay! cassette

Weird, punky band from Indianapolis. I thought these guys were so fun to listen to, they were so different and weird that I was immediately hooked. My absolute favorite track was “Big Struttin,” where the guitar and vocals mimic one another tauntingly, then morphs into this just absolutely heavy metal scream that was so distant yet guttural, I was blown away. I also loved the variety of kinda funky bass lines with both heavy slower guitar (like the explosion of noise in “Liar Liar,” wow) and more classically punky guitar. The way the vocals and instruments worked off of and balanced one another was so impressive because they weren’t separate at all but continued to create one cohesive musical space. The vocals also reminded me of Kat Moss of SCOWL at times, but with a more kinda whiny and unique quality. Absolutely loved these guys.

Punitive Damage Hate Training 12″

Vancouver’s PUNITIVE DAMAGE returns with another set of politically charged hardcore on their latest EP, Hate Training. Filled with cool tempo changes, wailing guitar solos, tough gang vocals, and I think a little tambourine(?), the band sounds sharp as hell while admirably speaking on the atrocities being committed in Gaza. If the current crop of modern hardcore bands and the rest of the Convulse roster are your thing, check this out.

Rad Gnar Rad Gnar cassette

This tape brings to mind SIDEKICKS, the GET UP KIDS, SOMOS, JIMMY EAT WORLD, and SIGNALS MIDWEST, but with far less intensity and instantly forgettable. I researched this band and they have a covers LP, and by looking at their choice of covers (GUIDED BY VOICES, DINOSAUR JR, DEAD MOON, SEBADOH), I feel like they think they are something that they are not. This band is very musically competent, but overall, these songs sound compromised, which in this case has led to diluted songs being plopped along by bored people. I say this with the best of intentions; this band should break up and go start four new bands. I have been in bands like this before, and I know that half to three-quarters of the people in this band are bored and don’t want to compromise anymore, they want to make their own thing. I’m being 100% honest when I say that I will be the first Bandcamper to purchase whatever their new bands become, but this will be a thing I listen to once and then file with stylistically similar bands that don’t feel like their songs are muscle memory or gap-fillers. This cassette is ten regular songs of medio-core.

Rowdy Rowdy LP

This is off to a great start with some jangly power pop guitar, matched perfectly with the catchy vocals which include both male and female components, but leaning female for sure. With members of HEX DISPENSERS featured here, the garage influences come as no surprise. But it’s also got a power pop element that is reminiscent of BUSY SIGNALS. Mostly played with a peppy mid-tempo backbeat, they do slow it down here and there, but it never feels like they’re taking their fee off the gas pedal. You wouldn’t ever mistake this for RIVER CITY TANLINES, but it’s got that same honest rock’n’ roll quality. And at its core, this really is unapologetic rock’n’roll.

Savage Beat The Singles: 2018–2022 LP

Solid, self-proclaimed “street boogie” out of Amsterdam. This is the kind of music you can make your mind up on within the first twenty seconds; if you like the first track you hear, you’ll probably like the rest of them. That statement rings even more true here, as this is a collection of singles, so there’s no attempt, or need really, for much dynamism from track to track. This is twelve tracks of high energy, guitar-licks-a-plenty, SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS-inspired rock. Sounds like there is a full-length on the way in 2025, and I’ll be sure to see how they go about creating a cohesive album, but as these individual singles are apparently tough to come by, this gathering is a great holdover until then. Shout out to the great cover of “Paper Dolls,” too.

Second Death Second Death 12″

SECOND DEATH from London plays a tight, airless brand of hardcore that feels claustrophobic. This nine-song, self-titled 12″ explores a variety of personal and interpersonal issues in rapid succession, and with very little time wasted. Most songs are full-on walls of hardcore that open and close before there’s time to catch your breath. Occasionally, I’m reminded of hardcore that came out of New Jersey about a decade ago: ALTERED BOYS, or HEAVY CHAINS. SECOND DEATH, however, seems to somehow tweak the hardcore formula and create even more succinct songs without missing anything.

The Shitdels Where’s Your Head? LP

The SHITDELS, huh? So, like “shit” plus “del,” plural? And they’re from Nashville? A city famous for catering to people whose favorite genre of music is “live,” and whose cool-band exports have always felt like exceptions rather than any rule? Were this a band I came across organically, instead of something the MRR overlords were forcing me to listen to, my review would probably  just be a mental image of the “yeah, that’s gonna be a no from me, dawg” gif. And while I’d be justified in believing as much, I would have been dead wrong. This record fuckin’ kills! The SHITDELS play ’00s-style rough-and-ready garage punk, and this LP, which is actually their third full-length since releasing their debut cassette back in 2017, is twelve tracks that mash together Back from the Grave ravers, Vox Continental-driven party rockers, sentimental Brill Building pop, and even some glammed-up proto-punk. It’s a little punker than SHANNON AND THE CLAMS or the YOLKS but poppier than LES SEXAREENOS. When done right, this is one of my favorite types of music, and these dudes—or I guess these dels made out of shit—they do it right. Scoop it up!

The Stupids Slow on the Uptake LP

Despite this being their eighth album since forming in 1984 (and the first thing they’ve put out since 2009), Ipswich, UK’s STUPIDS sound defiantly youthful and true to their original formula. They’re still generally taking the piss out of everything and rocking pretty recklessly, but they can’t help but show a little bit of musical maturity here and there. Right after a thoughtful and melodic number like “Walnut Pacific,” they rip into the blistering “Wile in the Penile,” as if to say, “just kidding, we’re still complete bastards.”

Two Minute Mile K-Town, 3 AM CD

I love stuff that you can’t easily figure out. TWO MINUTE MILE self-released this CD, and as soon as I started the first track (“Hangin’ Around”), I was hit with some great NEW YORK DOLLS-meets-DICTATORS-style energetic punk’n’roll. This shit is fun. But then a few tracks later, I made it to “Taco Man,” and I couldn’t even make it through the whole song. This shit is not fun. A couple tracks later, and “Joyride” brought back fun, and I realized this is just dumb fun, in the best way. You don’t have to contemplate what “Joyride” is about; it’s about going on a joyride. And that holds for the rest of these tracks. Once you realize the simplicity, it’s the best way to appreciate these tunes. Without knowing anything about the band, you could tell me these tracks were all written when the members were thirteen and that would make sense. Whatever the case, I’m happy to join in on the call-and-response of “Bad Abuela.” Just don’t make me have to listen to “Taco Man” again, okay?

Ultimo Gobierno Camino de 1984 LP

Formed in the year 1984 in Burgos, this angry hardcore punk group was active until 1994, got back to business in 2012, and has kept the ball rolling ever since. To put this band into context, their split with RUIDO DE RABIA came out in 1987 and was considered one of the first crust records to be released out of Spain. This is a band that has been around and knows their way. Their new LP Camino de 1984 is both an Orwellian nod and a reference to their starting year. Seasoned hardcore punk with a middle finger poking at the all-seeing eye that spies on us all. Punk should be what this album portrays: a middle finger to the ruling order.

V/A Against All Odds: Ten Years Horst Klub 2xLP

Absolutely massive compilation celebrating the decade anniversary of Horst Klub in Switzerland. I couldn’t dig up a whole lot of information (and the info I did find was in German), but according to Google Translate, this record highlights some of the venue’s favorite hosted bands from the last ten years. There’s a whole combo-platter of rock’n’roll madness here. Egg-punk, fuzzed-out sludge, goth dance rock, RAMONES-core, D-beat crust, dungeon synth, and even a little bit of European techno! This album is the perfect soundtrack for someone like me who loves it all. Horst Klub has led me to believe that it may be one of the best venues in Europe, if not the world. This is on par with one of those Alternative Tentacles comps like Not So Quiet on the Western Front. Fantastic work to everyone involved!

Already Dead Something Like a War CD

The first track starts off musically similar to a SOCIAL DISTORTION tune, while vocally, it has a street punk Oi! vibe. This is fine USA-styled blue collar Oi! with a little HOT WATER MUSIC and most of the No Idea Records catalog in a blender. I hear some mid-period DWARVES and Dave Hause influence as well. They have been a band for five years and have consistently put out this working class flavor of driving street punk and singing on the downstrokes. The CD has fourteen songs, some are shorter and some are longer. I think that if these folks were forced into a room for three days to write ten songs, throw all ten in the trash, and repeat this until they have written and garbage-binned thirty songs, that the next ten songs we hear could be the kind of record that inspires. That next record could be on a best of the decade(s) list, but this record, even with its memorable chunks, still has the feeling of a reporter talking about observable events, whereas they could be the stroke that makes the spectator take action, or whatever.

Bad Idea USA Home cassette

A solidly pithy five-song cassette from this female-fronted three-piece hailing from Salem, Massachusetts. The vocals will bring to mind guitarist/singer Louise Post of VERUCA SALT or Kim Deal of the AMPS. The ethos of the release might bring to mind mid-’90s alternative rock in the same way the BIG EYES did, and I thought that before the album closed with a great fuzzed-up cover of R.E.M.’s “The One I Love”—but it’s all punk at heart. The steady pound of the bass on the second track “Drive Slow” is reminiscent of Robbie Smartwood’s style on the early OFF WITH THEIR HEADS releases, and this self-released collection of songs would be right at home on Don Giovanni Records.

Birds on a Kill Dawn of the Apocalypse EP

This Florida band describes their sound as “post-punk meets sludge metal,” but I don’t hear that at all. If anything, it’s more like CIRCLE JERKS-inspired early West Coast hardcore with sarcastically delivered vocals, gang choruses, and trebly production. It sounds good, with punchy drums, prominent high-on-the-neck bass lines, and straightforward riffage. “Heavy Seas” expands on the sound some with atonal chords and an extended bridge that rides a bass-heavy groove until fadeout. Lyrically, the songs are either nondescript and personal or very topical. “Mosquito Truck” is about deadly pesticides, and “Cone of Uncertainty,” with the lines, “Governor says I’m gonna die / The national guard’s outside / Time to stand in line / Consume, don’t ask why” and “Laugh as the Yankees flee / Florida man is finally free / Hoard all the D batteries / Prepare for uncertainty” is about, you guessed it, someone’s hot take on the COVID pandemic. My wish for 2025 is that I don’t have to hear another amateurish journal entry set to music (ironic or not) about how you had to wear a mask. Decent release otherwise.

Captain Pigeon Lo-Fi Stereo cassette

Four songs of kooky, spastic, fast-paced, synth-heavy egg-punk from Nashville, TN. The chosen guitar tone is a bit confusing to me. I know that a lot of egg-punk stuff really leans into the warbly chorus effect, but this is quite possibly the most underwater-sounding guitar tone I have ever heard. Songs are cool and danceable and written with a level of pop sensibility that I think helps bands of this ilk really stand out. While I do really dig the four songs on this second CAPTAIN PIGEON cassette, I think I would rather retire from music than lean into a self-proclaimed genre such as “sillycore,” as the band has chosen to do. Limited cassette edition of 25 copies, so get on it to complete your “sillycore” cassette collection.