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Jonathan Hulten

Chants from Another Place
Kscope (2020)

It is always interesting to see well established artists step out of their comfort zone, attempting to broaden their horizons and produce something novel. Jonathan Hulten has taken such a turn once already, when his main band Tribulation departed from their early, death metal drenched style and stepped into a forward-thinking heavy metal bliss. Incorporating everything from black metal to … Read more

Regarde

The Blue And You
Epidemic Records/Through Love Records (2020)

The mind is a wonderful thing. Memories can be triggered by different stimuli. If you have ever watched The Chef's Table (a series about the chefs and their motivations to do what they do best) you will have seen many chefs confess they make food that reminds them of the food they ate in their youth. And that eating that … Read more

Wolf-Face

Still Golden
Say-10 Records / Gunner Records (2019)

Teen Wolf itself is goofy but with some surprisingly poignant metaphors. Wolf-Face is the same, straddling its own bizarro stance between cartoonish monsters, high school, adolescence, melodrama and real, honest emotion. I didn’t expect to like Still A Son of a Bitch in 2013, but I did – quite a bit, really. The band is built on a gimmick: that … Read more

Bad Year

My Escape
Snappy Little Numbers (2019)

Snappy Little Numbers make some snappy packaging. Cover art, one-sided vinyl and specialty colors shouldn’t drive musical decision-making but, let’s face it, in the digital era it definitely makes a difference when you pick up a record that stands out from the pack. And as an uncle who has spent a lot of time watching Ninjago and making internal judgments … Read more

Bernays Propaganda

Vtora Mladost, Treta Svetska Vojna
Moonlee Records, Geenger Records, Pop Depresija, Ill in the Head, Balkan Ve (2019)

Nothing is certain except that everything will change. The fact that change is one of the only things you can count on in life is sometimes hard to deal with. Some bands present you a different nuance of the same sound on each album, which can result in the complaint they release the same album again and again. Some bands … Read more

Envy

The Fallen Crimson
Temporary Residence (2020)

I doubt that many musicians would claim to not be slightly jealous of Envy's career trajectory. From humbler beginnings as a hardcore band singing in a non-native tongue, to issuing splits with the likes of Thursday and Jesu, releasing albums through Stuart Braithwaite's Rock Action, and palling around with Steve Aoki, they've been met with almost universal acclaim and success … Read more

Black Lips

…Sing In a World That’s Falling Apart
Fire Records/Vice Records (2020)

In an era of heart-on-sleeve Americana, the Black Lips are up to something else on …Sing In a World That’s Falling Apart. Black Lips approach Americana in this record in half parody and half serious mode. It embraces the ugly with their tongues sticking out instead of buried in their cheek. The record takes traditional stylings, music-wise, and piles the … Read more

(මහසෝනා​)​*

යන්ත්‍ර.මන්ත්‍ර.ගුරුකම්!
Virvpi Propaganda (2020)

Given that I’ve put together year-end lists of the strangest albums I heard for the past couple years, I was pointed to this release coming out of Sri Lanka. It’s by a band with no name (the only representation of the group is the image of Sri Lankan demon Mahasona depicted on the album cover), there’s no list of band … Read more

Personality Cult

New Arrows
Dirtnap (2020)

I like to find new bands. One of the challenges as I get older is exactly that. I listen to a lot of music, but a lot of it follows a certain artistic lineage. I want to keep up with what old favorites are doing, but with new groups too. There are always a few labels I can count on … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Carvels NYC

Late Night Heart EP
Die Laughing Records (2020)

If you follow Scene Point Blank you might be aware I like The Carvels NYC. So a new EP by their hand is good news in my book. Even if it only has three tracks and leaves me hungry for more. Again.This is going to be a short review. There is not much new to mention about this EP. The … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Puppy and the Hand Jobs

I Hate Everything
Black Gladiator / Slovenly Recordings (2019)

It'd be quite easy to write off (the fantastically named) Puppy and the Hand Jobs for making self-described “trash rock and roll.” Much as is the case with bands like The Dwarves however, while the band does produce vulgar rapid-fire punk music that seems to have been recorded as “hot” as possible, there’s an undeniably catchiness to their music. 2019’s … Read more

MakeWar

Get It Together
Fat Wreck Chords (2019)

MakeWar aren’t like most of the other punk bands out there. They play what I call midtempo punk. It’s not built on anthems, choruses or super-fast into-the-pit adrenaline. Get It Together isn’t about fist-in-the-air release, it’s about built-up tension. The band is actively calling for people to (ahem) Get. It. Together. The tone is one of frustration and marginalization, but … Read more

Vesperith

Vesperith
Svart Records (2019)

Vesperith is the project of Finnish artist Sariina Tani, and a vessel in which music is used to explore the inner depths and outer limits of the mind. In Vesperith, Tani channels black metal sonics within a structure that takes in ambient textures, hypnotic vocals and psychedelic tones. When a project is born and created by the mind of one … Read more

Jumpstarted Plowhards

Round One
Recess (2019)

I’m going to jump right into the thick of it and admit I’m not well-versed in Mike Watt’s catalog. In my defense, the man is a workhorse, releasing records with Minutemen, firehose, Stooges, solo, and many many more. I know the big ones, but not the deep cuts. Watt’s songwriting counterpart with Jumpstarted Plowhards is more familiar to me: Todd … Read more

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