Review / 200 Words Or Less
S.H.I.T.
i EP

La Vida Es Un Mus Discos Punk (2017) Nathan G. O'Brien

S.H.I.T. – i EP cover artwork
S.H.I.T. – i EP — La Vida Es Un Mus Discos Punk, 2017

After making some waves around ye olden DIY hardcore scene circa 2014, these Toronto-ians took a little hiatus from recorded output (sans a couple live tapes). But now they’re back to kick of 2017 with this quick, four-song ripper. The titles of which all start with the letter I – “Insidiation”, "Incorporation”, “Information”, and “Individuation.”

The aura of leather jacket-clad arrogance that I’ve always appreciated is still intact, but they’ve evolved a bit. I mean, inasmuch as punk will allow while still being, you know, punk. They’ve integrated longer instrumental parts and scaled back on the snot-infused vocalization in favor of a smidgeon of decipherability. On the subject of the vocals, they’re kind of buried in the mix, giving off that demo tape vibe that this particular reviewer is quite fond of. Musicality-wise, it’s still that buzzing, noisy crux that we go gaga for but with a little wiggle room for each player to flex their chops.

While I’m of the belief that punk is best served via shorter releases, I’d really like to see where these guys will take things if they ever decide to go the seven-to-10 song 12” route. If the small flourishes of arty improvisation here are any indication, it would be what we in the business call, “killer.”

S.H.I.T. – i EP cover artwork
S.H.I.T. – i EP — La Vida Es Un Mus Discos Punk, 2017

Recently-posted album reviews

Nocturnal Prose

Western Interests
Total Agency (2026)

I’ve been reading Cory Doctorow’s latest book “The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI” a scathing review of the current state of artificial intelligence wherein he seeks to pop the AI bubble. In the book’s central metaphor Doctorow identifies the centaur as someone whose work is improved upon by technology vs the reverse centaurs who are competing with and/or … Read more

Kyle Burnett

Glory Days
Syrup Moose Records (2026)

There’s a form of folk punk that treats every song like a drunken campfire confession with all its ragged shouting and romanticized self-destruction. Then there’s the version that feels mature and more reflective. It’s less interested in glorifying collapse and more concerned with figuring out what comes after it. Kyle Burnett’s Glory Days firmly belongs to the latter category. Best … Read more

Rufio

From The Outside
Double Felix Records, Double Helix Records (2026)

“Rufio?! Like from back in the day Rufio?” Those were the words out of my mouth while claiming my next review. I wore out Perhaps, I Suppose as a teenager and my curiosity piqued. It has been 25 years since that album was released and 16 years since we have heard from Rufio at all. Regardless of these facts, we … Read more