Aluk Todolo
Lux
NoEvDia (2024)
Aluk Todolo's experimentalism always felt boundless, not shackled to a particular sound or genre. Since their inception back in 2004, the instrumental trio put forth an overarching vision that would encompass krautrock motifs, noise rock, and no-wave practices via way of a blackened psychedelic foundation. And Aluk Todolo executed this vision accordingly, amassing a stellar discography that contained excellent releases, … Read more
Assistert Sjølmord
Assistert Sjølmord
Static Shock Records (2024)
They say love is a universal language. But this eponymous EP by Norway’s Assistert Sjølmord is downright angry, so maybe they got that one wrong. I don’t know what they are singing about on here at all, though I can discern a few words from the song titles. But this 7” is a 7-song rager. The drums set the tone, … Read more
Bad Year
Bad Year
Motorcycle Potluck Records, Snappy Little Numbers (2024)
The last time I reviewed a Bad Year record, roughly four years ago, I thought of quirky pop-punk like BlackDots. On their new self-titled record the takeaway is poppy and anthemic, more akin to Broadway Calls or Ann Beretta. While the bands I just named are direct and smooth with their song structures, they lean toward crisp production. I’d say … Read more
Bambies
Snotty Angels
Spaghetty Town Records, Wanda Records (2024)
The digital files I’ve been listening to as I write this review are all tagged to begin with the band name, e.g. “Bambies Teenage Night,” “Bambies Love Bite,” etc. It seems like a fitting metaphor. The Bambies play the kind of Ramones-adjacent garage-punk that’s often self-referential and in on their own joke. The Bambies play leather jacket-clad, straight-forward punky songs … Read more
Beak>
>>>> (2024)
Invada, Temporary Residence (2024)
Without fanfare or much notice, Beak>'s unexpected appearance is nothing short of a welcomed surprise. Since their inception, the Bristol (now) trio have offered an alternate approach to the meticulous arrangements and orchestrations of their close relative, Portishead. Their latest record, >>>> does not deviate from this path if anything doubling down on their live compositional and semi-improvisational approach. It … Read more
Bootlicker
1000 Yd. Stare
Neon Taste Records, Static Shock Records (2024)
This full-length record might fit on a 7”. It’s short and fast, but still definitely a full record with 10 fully-formed tracks of stomping punk rock just over 15 minutes overall. I’ve written about the band before and this record continues their trajectory. I remember a little more barking and aggression last time, but that isn’t to say this record … Read more
Build Us Airplanes
All Things Expire
Sell The Heart Records (2024)
Build Us Airplanes covers a lot of ground on this 9 song LP, All Things Expire. It’s melodic punk for the most part, but with distinct elements of emo, post-hardcore and what I’ll call post-screamo, meaning there are somewhat jarring vocal shifts, but minus the blunt aggression. The overall vibe of this record is angry and somewhat somber, while still … Read more
Buñuel
Mansuetude
Overdrive, SKiN GRAFT (2024)
With a stellar line-up featuring vocalist Eugene S. Robinson (ex-Oxbow), guitarist Xabier Iriondo (Afterhours, A Short Apnea), bassist Andrea Lombardini (The Framers) and Franz Valente (Il Teatro Degli Orrori), Buñuel return with their sophomore record, Mansuetude. A true follow-up to Killers Like Us, Mansuetude further exposes Buñuel's dark, twisted noise rock, from the get-go with "Who Missed Me." The dark … Read more
Carly Cosgrove
The Cleanest Of Houses Are Empty
Wax Bodega (2024)
You should never judge a band by their name alone, but it’s impossible to ignore it too. Carly Cosgrove is an emo-style band that chose a band name that sounds like a person’s name -- it seems to be a long-running tradition in the genre. I point that out because Carly Cosgrove the band has a lot of traditional elements, … Read more
Chelsea Wolfe
She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
Loma Vista Recordings (2024)
Since the 2010 release of her debut album, The Grime and The Glow, Chelsea Wolfe has steadily become one of the prominent figures in the dark intersection between gothic, doom, and folk. Not only has she amassed a discography without any true blemishes, but she has also transcended to other genres (in her collaboration with Converge in Bloodmoon: I) but … Read more
Chimes Of Bayonets
Replicator
Peterwalkee Records (2024)
New York based three piece, Chimes Of Bayonets, released their first album, Replicator, in February of this year after a string of EP's dating back to 2018. There comes a point in most bands career that warrants the need for an album over an EP. It's a way to really showcase themselves and give the fans something substantial to sink … Read more
Chuck Ragan
Love and Lore
Rise (2024)
Genre labels have their place and I think they’re more useful than not -- but sometimes they just aren’t going to convey the point. Chuck Ragan, best known for his long tenure with Hot Water Music, also plays solo under his own name. I’m going to slap the “singer-songwriter” label on his solo work, though it pulls from bluegrass, Americana, … Read more
City Mouse
So Far Out
Brassneck Records, It's Alive (2024)
There are few bands that hit with the mix of raw emotion and musical talent as a live City Mouse show. There are even fewer bands that can capture that live feeling on a record. It’s been a long 7 years since Get Right, but So Far Out keeps it moving as if no time has passed. Of course, the … Read more
Clown Sounds
Par For The Curse
Recess (2024)
“I’m a real band!” When you write about an artist a billion times, sometimes your head goes to strange places -- leading to references that probably only make sense inside your own head. With Par For The Curse, the third album from the Todd Congelliere founded project, Clown Sounds has evolved from solo origins to a collaborative effort. The results … Read more
Daniel Turres
HERE FOR BLOOD
Screambox (2024)
Canadian made horror/comedy Here For Blood sees Shawn Roberts (Resident Evil/Land Of The Dead/Diary Of The Dead) as Tom, a wrestler who helps his girlfriend Phoebe (Joelle Farrow) out by taking on her babysitting gig for a night whilst she studies for exams. What would appear to be a normal night of playing video games and eating pizza with Grace … Read more
Distants
Distants
Salinas Records (2024)
Something about this guitar tone always picks me up. Add in the raspy vocals and it really only takes me a few seconds into this record to know that Distants are my kind of band. Honestly, I’ve seen them before too, so I already knew that, but that was just a half set at The Fest, not a deep dive … Read more
Dog Date
Zinger
Pop Wig Records (2024)
The first song on this album is named “Nirvana.” It’s a fitting nod to an obvious influence, though a Mudhoney reference might honestly be more apt. Going into this record, based solely on the lead single (“Nuff Said), I was expecting more of a brash, garage-punk sound with Dog Date. My first impressions weren’t totally off base, but add a … Read more
Ekko Astral
pink balloons
Topshelf (2024)
Their music is for people “who are struggling, who are at their absolute lowest". That’s a quote from vocalist and guitar player Jael Holzman talking to The Washington Post. Am I struggling? Am I at my absolute lowest? No. Have I had a bit of a rough patch? Sure (it’s not that bad- don’t worry about it mom). Work sucks, … Read more
