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super*user

Gutless Wonder
GC Records, Ideas Are Bulletproof Records (2026)

Detroit is famous for bands like the MC5 and The Stooges, White Stripes and of course KISS. Fellow Detroiters super*user may sound nothing like any of those bands but I would have thought it would take some KISS-sized balls to intentionally start your punk record with a riff ripped off from U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday”! Maybe that one’s unintentional but … Read more

Nick Soulsby

Born of Struggle, Living in Hope: The Anarcho-Punk Lives of the Centro Ibérico (1971-1983)
PM Press (2026)

Living in Hope , as the subtitle suggests, is a punk-centric history of the Centro Ibérico, an anarcho-punk squat at 421 Harrow Road. It is also the first book-length treatment of the space, which was at the crossroads of far-right fascist violence, police surveillance, housing disputes, and the punk scene. Founded in 1970 by Spanish Civil War veteran Miguel García … Read more

Roky Erickson And The Aliens

The Evil One (deluxe edition)
Fire Records (2026)

I feel very fortunate to have seen Roky Erickson perform live at SXSW backed by Okkervil River in 2010 or 2011. Erickson passed away in 2019 at the age of 71. For those of you who aren’t already disciples, Roky Erickson was the lead vocalist of legendary Texas psych rockers 13th Floor Elevators. Recorded after the breakup of the Elevators … Read more

Mike D

Thank You
Capitol (2026)

Beastie Boys were a huge part of my transition from teenager into adulthood. An album for every stage of their growth musically matched the many chapters of my own personal development. Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D were like cherished friends for my earholes. The world mourned together when we lost Adam Yauch to cancer in 2012 and were heartbroken knowing … Read more

Softjaw

Love Can't Kill You
Bachelor Records, Dandy Boy Records (2026)

I already wrote about these dudes in my mid-year top 5 since Oakland’s Dandy Boy Records released a compilation of their early digital singles back in April, and here they are following it up with a 12-song album of all new material! This second release proves Long Beach’s Softjaw have a masters in powerpop from the school of rock. I’m … Read more

Fontaines D.C.

Dopamine Chamber
XL Recordings (2026)

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS – “Tongue”, “Where Is Gone?”, “You Miss Me”, “Japan”If you’ve been here from the start, Fontaines D.C. will always conjure up gritty, political poetry and clashing, driving rhythms. Third album Skinty Fia, the defining breakthrough moment and fan favourite, gave them their first number one record in the UK and Ireland in 2022 – but can they improve … Read more

DeeCracks

True Nothing
Pirates Press (2026)

Let’s get crazy and out of control! That’s what the opening line of the album instructs us to do and I’m inclined to listen. I am new to the DeeCRACKS party and I’m not sure how I missed them. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, the band released 20 Years. A Frantic Effort, and I’m sure this newest release fully delivers … Read more

Massive Nightmares

Ain't My World
Black Numbers (2026)

Massive Nighmares debuted in 2024 with a short EP. Now they return with a full-length. The band plays a somewhat even blend of punk, emo, and alt-rock. As an example, check out "Up In Arms," which is like Dear You era Jawbreaker with a boost of power-pop and maybe some Lemonheads mixed in as well. While it's easily the poppiest … Read more

Contention

Nuclear Summer
Daze (2026)

Contention, I would argue, has spent the last few years at or near the top of the heap of the return to 90's styled Straight Edge Metalcore. I am being specific because there is no mistaking Contention's influences nor their message. This is a STRAIGHT EDGE band that is far more indebted to Morning Again that anything that uses a … Read more

A Secret Revealed

The Ruin I Summoned Forth
Lifeforce (2026)

There are albums that use heaviness as an assault and others that use it to create an atmosphere. On The Ruin I Summoned Forth, A Secret Revealed manage to does both. The German quintet’s fourth full-length is an enormous, bleak piece of post-metal, but calling it post-metal only gets you part of the way there. Black metal cuts through its … Read more

Time Spent Driving

Lost Leaves
Thirty Something Records (2026)

There's a particular challenge facing bands that came out of the late '90s and early '00s emo scene. You can recreate the sound people remember and risk becoming your own nostalgia act, or you can abandon it entirely and risk losing whatever made the band matter in the first place. Time Spent Driving choose neither on Lost Leaves. More than … Read more

Alien Chicks

Toys Taken at Birth
Alcopop! Records (2026)

EP HIGHLIGHTS – “5/4” & “I Killed Uncle Ben” Those who haven’t heard of Alien Chicks by now are sorely missing out. The Brixton trio have been consistently dropping singles and EPs since at least 2022, with funky frenetic energy and a sonic nebula of art punk, jazz, math rock, rap and a whole lotta noise. Released on 2nd October … Read more

Drink Deep

In Reverse EP
Thirty Something Records (2026)

Upon first listen, those close to my age and who may share similar musical tastes may suspect that Drink Deep might be a band from Washington, D.C. For starters, the band takes its name from a Rites of Spring song, wears its influences on its literal sleeves (a brief glance at their social media presence will reveal members wearing official … Read more

Uncle Acid and the DeadBeats

Shapes of Midnight
Killer Candy Records (2026)

Stoner rock is one of the most astounding and incredible genres emerging in the rock scene today. It's a global phenomenon with countless bands across the world, plus various subgenres such as desert rock, stoner doom and psychedelic (heavily influenced by the original psychedelic bands of the '60s and '70s). At the forefront of this genre and in the vanguard … Read more

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