Review / 200 Words Or Less
Pestilent Endeavors
Adult Onset Death

Backwoods Butcher (2015) Nathan G. O'Brien

Pestilent Endeavors – Adult Onset Death cover artwork
Pestilent Endeavors – Adult Onset Death — Backwoods Butcher, 2015

This is a cool tape sent in by Mr. Food Fortunata, the fine gentleman behind the always enjoyable and reliable Saginaw, MI-based publication Ear of Corn fanzine. A lot of these tracks—and there are a whopping 21 of them, although mostly very short—remind me of early Mudhoney, something for which I am never disappointed. Some of the odder-sounding stuff on Flipper's Sex Bomb Baby! compilation comes to mind as well. There’s a fair amount of humor going on here. Take for example these lyrics from “A Cure For Everything”: “Alcohol is the cure for depression/Depression is the cure for herpes/Herpes cures nasal congestion/And congestion cures alcoholism.” There’s something really, ah, historical that resonates from this. Like it was made in the ‘80s. That, or by 40 year-old guys that decided to bang out the same kind of skuzzy punk that they listened to in junior high. That is not a rip, rather a compliment! A little-known band like Frantix is another good frame of reference I suppose. I’m not sure but Food might actually be in this band even though the players are identified as Patient Zero and Doctor X. (I lost the note the came with it.) I can tell you though with 100% certainty that he did the artwork, which is excellent and creepily engaging as always. The overall packaging is really nice. It’s a pro-printed 3x fold-out J-card that recalls the days when cassettes were the only medium (as opposed to the on-trend one they are now) so your stuff had to be on point visually if it was going to attract any attention.

Pestilent Endeavors – Adult Onset Death cover artwork
Pestilent Endeavors – Adult Onset Death — Backwoods Butcher, 2015

Recently-posted album reviews

Time Thieves

Come Home/If You Survive Extended Edition
Independent (2026)

Time Thieves, of Chicago, IL, bill themselves as power pop in the vein of The Rentals or Fountains of Wayn or Weezer in their bio and they double down on that with the smooth as silk, uplifting melody of "Cover Your Eyes," the first song on their Come Home/If You Survive Extended Edition LP that arrived on my doorstep, literally … Read more

The Mekons

Horror & Horrorble (The Mekons Vs. Tony Maimone In Dub Conference)
Fire Records (2026)

When Horror dropped last year, it was well worth the privileged price of entering the collected world of The Mekons. I was lucky enough to find their first LP—"The Quality Of Mercy Is Not Strnen"—in a thrift store many blood moons ago. This began my foray into the ever-changing world of The Mekons and their many ever-changing forays into the … Read more

Amy Bell

Want Me EP
Warren Records (2026)

Amy Bell is a singer songwriter from Yorkshire, England. A self-taught musician at 21 years old, she has begun to make a name for herself and often plays at charity events and local festivals. Known for her unusual voice, this indie artist released her second EP, titled Want Me, on June 26th, 2026 on Warren Records. This 4 song collection … Read more