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Retirement

Bike Shop

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • March 23, 2025

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we chat with Kevin Purcell (guitar/vocals) of Retirement about running Portland bike shop Golden Pliers and how that world intersects with his outlet. Retirement will release Attention Economy this spring (Iron Lung Records) and will tour along the North American west coast (dates below). Scene Point Blank: First, what is your job title? Walk us through an "average day," if such a thing exists. Kevin Purcell: Co-Owner/Lead Mechanic An average day at Golden Pliers consists of checking folks in for any repair needs, listening to the customer's concerns and assessing their bicycle for the repair at hand, and making suggestions (if needed) for any additional work. I answer emails, order items for our inventory or for custom builds, field questions and concerns from our staff, research new vendors, and do a lot of front-facing customer service stuff like fixing flats or helping someone pick out the right lock or lights for their bike. Scene Point Blank: You mostly do repair, right? Then sell a few bikes and have an in-house drink counter? Kevin Purcell: Yes, we mostly do bicycle repair, but we are also known for our custom bike builds and stocking a variety of fun/non-traditional bike shop stuff like knives, slingshots, used … Read more

Sumu

Individual Coach

Interviews / Don't Quit Your Day Job • February 28, 2025

There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not … Read more

Peter Jesperson

Interviews • February 28, 2025

There is perhaps no bigger music fan than Peter Jesperson. His passion for music translated to jumping feet first and … Read more

Channel 3's Mike Magrann

Interviews • February 28, 2025

What's not to love about driving across North American highways in a well-used van, drinking copious amounts of beer, blaring … Read more

Latest album reviews browse all

Detention

Dead Rock ‘N’ Rollers
Left For Dead Records (2024)

Life ain’t so easy in the detention home- Dead Boys. Emerging from the underbelly of Jersey, made up primarily of three brethren. Raised on rock and roll and sipping from the chalice of early punk rock stalwarts like Da Bruddahs from Queens, Hey Ho! and the Pistoleros of Sexual Nature screaming banshees from across from the large pond. Thus forging … Read more

Nightfreak

Nightfreak
Big Neck Records (2024)

Semi-feral punk outfit NightFreak are back with a self-titled LP filled with breakneck riffs and 70s metal bombast. The Chicago group haven’t slowed down since 2022’s Speed Trials but they have filled out. NightFreak the album is lousy with warm back beats and melodic guitars; although, hardcore vocals and tight drums still reign supreme. Album opener “Blackout” is dead serious … Read more

Death By Unga Bunga

Raw Muscle Power
Jansen Records (2025)

I’m pretty sure I became aware of Mike Krol when The Whiffs posted about playing some shows with him. Krol is a bit of an anomaly. Not only is he on Merge and collaborates with Mac Superchunk- a dream scenario imo- but he’s also been elusive of my fan boy attempts at cold dm’ing him about stuff even tho we … Read more

Celebration Summer

A Little Less Numb
Den of Wax (2024)

I get a lot of music here at SPB and, unfortunately, my memory isn’t perfect. But I consider it a good sign when my first thought on hearing a new release is that, “Hey, I need to go back and relisten to the last one again.” It’s not a slight about the old stuff at all, but it means they’ve … Read more

Additional album reviews

Gus Baldwin & The Sketch

The Sketch
Permanent Teeth (2025)

When The Sketch opens, I find myself quickly thinking of “Got The Time” by Joe Jackson. For the most part, that comparison fades by the time the power chords kick … Read more

Chat Pile

Cool World
Flenser (2024)

The great American experiment has a wide range of experiences, but it tends to focus on the coasts. There are countless dystopian pieces of art, often culling from a Warriors-esque … Read more

The Anomalys

Down The Hole
Slovenly (2024)

If I have to give the elevator pitch, I’ll call The Anomalys garage rock with an ear for surf and psyche rock -- turned up to 11 and blasted through … Read more

Pinhead Gunpowder

Unt
1-2-3-4 Go! Records (2024)

Pinhead Gunpowder began in 1990, recording a 7” in 1991. The band last released a 7” in 2008… Until late 2024 when the band returned with the 14-song full-length Unt. … Read more

The Cure

Songs of a Lost World
Capitol, Fiction, Lost Music, Polydor/Universal (2024)

It's been sixteen years since The Cure released their last album. I don't know if anyone really knew what to expect, but it's one of the most influential bands in … 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 … Read more

Machine Girl

MG Ultra
Future Classic (2024)

Ideally, I would be a bit more interested in art. In visual art- paintings, sketches, MS Paint monstrosities- whatever. I wish I knew more about the meaning of a brush … 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 … Read more

News headlines browse all

Four Chords and a music festival

Posted in Shows on March 28, 2025

Four Chord Music Festival 11 has been announced for Sept. 13-14, taking place in Washington, PA (Pittsburgh). This year's headliners include Blink-182, AFI, Jawbreaker, Jimmy Eat World, Alkaline Trio, Say Anything, Hot Mulligan, Face To Face, Sincere Engineer, and more, with tickets on sale tomorrow. The first festival took place … Read more

Pacing for this summer

Posted in Records on March 28, 2025

Pacing, a trio led by Katie McTigue, who is joined by Ben Krock (guitar) and Vonnie Whatever (drums/vocals), just shared "Pl*ne *tness, the title track from a new LP that … Read more

The Nerve Agents: deluxe reissues

Posted in Records on March 28, 2025

Revelation Records is preparing a set of EP reissues from The Nerve Agents. Specifically, the label will issue deluxe editions of The Nerve Agents EP (1998), Days of the White … Read more

Samiarus’ Reign Destroyer

Posted in Records on March 27, 2025

On April 25, Sentient Ruin Laboratories will release the debut EP from Samiarus, Reign Destroyer. Formed in the San Francisco, CA Bay Area, the band merges American black metal and … Read more

The Blowers prepare for Blowmania

Posted in Records on March 27, 2025

Naarm and Melbourne-set Australian garage-punk band Blowers just shared "Tony's In Hospital," which is not just a new single but the first glimpse at the band's upcoming third album, Blowmania, … Read more

Salem 66 catalog and comp

Posted in Bands on March 26, 2025

Formed in Boston, MA in 1982, Salem 66 was a post-punk band from the same scene as Mission of Burma and Dinosaur, Jr., released One EP, 2 singles, and 4 … Read more

A Superchunk for the road

Posted in Bands on March 26, 2025

Prepping for a fall tour, Superchunk has shared anew single "Bruised Lung," featuring Merge Records labelmate Rosali. "[The new song is] about being disoriented and sleepless and not being able … Read more

More news browse all

PUP Rosenstock

Posted in Tours on March 26, 2025

PUP, set to release Who Will Look After The Dogs? … Read more

Feeling a Little Low

Posted in Records on March 25, 2025

Little Low, a little indie-punk band out of Boston, has … Read more

Experience Pig Destroyer (Australia/New Zealand)

Posted in Tours on March 25, 2025

Pig Destroyer, joined by Wormrot, will head to Australia and … Read more

All the Turbulent Hearts

Posted in Records on March 22, 2025

Turbulent Hearts, a trio that featured Suzi Moon prior to … Read more

Swans across America

Posted in Tours on March 22, 2025

Swans, who recently announced their 17th studio album, Birthing, out … Read more

The (second) Last Mile

Posted in Records on March 22, 2025

The Last Mile punk band, from Montreal, has shared the … Read more

Bear Bones sounds

Posted in Bands on March 22, 2025

Doomy Bear Bones shared the single "Waitin' Around To Die" … Read more

Dez Dare sings to CHERYL!

Posted in Records on March 22, 2025

June 6 marks the date for CHERYL! Your Love Shines … Read more

The Sword unsheathes in Europe

Posted in Tours on March 22, 2025

 Metal warriors The Sword have booked their first European tour … Read more

New Time x Heist

Posted in Records on March 22, 2025

Time x Heist released a new EP today, Unforgiving Minute, … Read more

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