You may not be familiar with the band Summer Blue, but that’s your issue. If you do know the San Jose, CA based band, then you know how enjoyable they are to listen to. For some background for the newcomers, the band started in 2022 as a side project between friends already orbiting the Bay Area DIY and indie scenes. What started as a casual outlet quickly grew into something more focused. The band instantly knew how to develop space for moody pop songs, jangly guitars, and that specific ache you only get when the sun’s setting on a Sunday. They pull from touchstones like The Sundays, Velocity Girl, and Best Coast, blending the shimmer of early-’90s indie pop with the warmth of early-2000s movie-soundtrack nostalgia. I almost feel like I’m sifting through vinyl on the set of Empire Records. Signed to New Morality Zine, the band spent 2024 refining their sound, recording what would become this self-titled EP. Summer Blue aren’t chasing trends; they’re chasing a feeling. The songs sound like the afterglow of a night you didn’t want to end. There’s warmth in every chord and that soft ache of memories in every melody sung. While there’s only … Read more
At a time when experimental artists are constantly churning out new music, it is curious to find some that take … Read more
Whenever I see the cover art of an album for a metal band and there’s impaled skulls, blood, and a … Read more
Dmytro Fedorenko and Kateryna Zavoloka are two legendary artists who have defined much of contemporary experimental electronic music through both … Read more
Sometimes I'm surprised at how averse I am to change. Hearing that Street Eaters had expanded to a trio caused … Read more
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Every 15-20 years there’s a revival. This time it’s emo and Annie Jump Cannon may be a modern 2022 band, but this could have come out in 2005 and fit into the scene of that day: both for its strengths and its weaknesses. Emo has always been a flawed genre for me. The melodrama plays well with crescendos and soaring, often minimal instrumentation. But that also puts extra attention on the words and, to be polite, very few people are that good with words. To throw a little more fuel on the fire, the genre tends to feel selfish to me. It’s not universal, but the lyrics are almost always “me, I and you.” In that order. While, thankfully, Flourishing Apart doesn’t jump down the possessive rabbit hole (google Jessica … Read more
On their debut, Somehow, We Are Here, Faulty Cognitions made their statement. This wasn't a garage-punk band in the style of the members' previous bands (Low Culture and Shang-A-Lang, among others). It's a guitar-first rock indie-punk band schooled by the college rock of the 1980s. This time around the transition has been so seamless that maybe the debut was a … Read more
I used to dislike punk music where people sing. And, well, I'm still not super fond of it but there is an exception to every rule. The Penske File are one of those exceptions and maybe it's because while they have a singer (as compared to a "vocalist"), it's still authentic and conveys that everyperson vibe I seek in the … Read more
One of the most unique voices in extreme music, Menace Ruine stand out in their sonic evolution. The duo of Geneviève Beaulieu and Steve de la Moth started out in a raw, uncompromising fashion, merging black metal and industrial to create absolute havoc in Cult of Ruins and The Die is Cast. In the coming years, they would expand this … Read more
With a band name like Extortionist, you instantly know they aren’t messing around. I’ve watched enough true crime documentaries to know when you’re going to get tangled up with someone you shouldn’t. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, this band gives you exactly what you want and expect – raw, merciless and unforgiving music. Looking at the cover art and their … Read more
This is one of my "find" records of the year so far. I caught a few songs by The Carolyn at FEST 22 and that essentially put them on my radar, but a new record gets a band even more on my radar. But I've been struggling on how to describe The Carolyn. I'll start with "like The Lawrence Arms, … Read more
Slovenly calls this JAPANPUNK. My preliminary google search of this portmanteau didn’t come up with much but I already know Angel Face features Fink from noisey ’90s Japanese garage rockers Teengenerate. I also learned that some people consider them a supergroup as members also previously played in other bands like Fadeaways, Raydios, Ruler, Triple Junk and Firestarter, none of whom … Read more
Let’s get formally introduced to the underground and independent band Neutral Snap. They are an upcoming pop punk/emo band from New Orleans that have been around since 2018. Or maybe you’ve heard of them from their viral, first show where Shaquille O’Neal jumped on stage to sing with them. Either way, they have just offered up their latest EP, I … Read more
Coming from Australia, To The Grave bring their brutal vegan deathcore offering Still to fans worldwide. This EP punches you right in the gut with seven tracks of horror infused mayhem. These tracks were originally recorded during their sessions of making their previous full-length, Everyone’s A Murderer. However, the band thought they didn’t fit the overall feel of that record … Read more
Occasionally bands will surpass being musicians and become artists. La Dispute aren’t making music. They’re making art. The band returns after six years with their self-produced 14 track, full-length, No One Was Driving The Car. It was neat how they launched this album through songs grouped in “acts” via a staggered rollout of EPs before the full drop. The album … Read more
From their hardcore days to their newer, progressing sound on Flesh Stays Together, Dying Wish has been inching toward something sharper, more spectral, more personal. Not just lyrically, but also in sound. The band formed in Portland, Oregon in 2018 and haven’t stopped terrorizing the world alongside Spiritbox and Pain of Truth to name a few. Through nonstop touring, explosive … Read more
Art is subjective -- and sometimes it's curious what appeals to you. Hold You Hard is the latest from solo songwriter Sam Russo about travel, memory, and experience. There are stories of celebration throughout this record. Yet, for whatever reason, it's the somber, sadder songs that strike a chord with me as I listen to the album. "Gator Lodge" and … Read more
Spite House is a post-hardcore band based out of Montreal dropping their second record titled ”Desertion on Pure Noise Records. This is a follow up to their self-titled 2022 album released on New Morality Zine. The band drops these 29 minutes of traumatic punk inspired sounds with the urgency of modern hardcore. The tracks recall some greats from the ‘90s … Read more
If you haven’t heard of the Southern Californian band Bad Cop Bad Cop, then you are truly missing out on a top tier, female punk powerhouse. They sit at the crossroads of ‘90s skate punk and modern melodic punk. The band returns louder than ever with their fourth full-length and newest album titled Lighten Up. The album offers up 10 … Read more
I love almost all genres of music, but hardcore has always been towards the top for me. I love the intensity, the passion, and typically the message that is conveyed. I grew up listening to bands on such record labels as Revelation, Victory, Indecision, New Age and many more that were groundbreaking. Due to that influence in my younger years, … Read more
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