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

David J

Tracks From the Attic Revisited
Independent Project Records (2026)

Sometimes musical circles take decades to close. Just ask Fleur De Lys and their catchy cover of The Who’s '60s freakbeat rarity, "Circles." For those of us digging through dusty crates at the margins of post-punk, a first introduction to mid-century mystic Eden Ahbez didn't come from a Nat King Cole hit. It came straight from the liner notes of … Read more

Physicalist

Self Titled
Dirt Cult (2026)

F.Y.P is one of the rare bands that I'd say nobody sounds like -- but in the past two months I've caught myself making that comparison twice. First while listening to the new Dumpies LP (spoiler alert: they cover F.Y.P on that same record) and now as I listen to the Physicalist debut EP. The interesting thing here isn't the … Read more

Dylan Thomas

Todo se desvanece
Burnt Toast Vinyl (2026)

When bands spend months slowly piecing together an album with cheap gear, limited time, and apparently an alarming amount of terrible beer, it’s kind of romantic. Not romantic in the polished indie film sense. More romantic in the sense that you can actually hear people chasing a feeling before life pulls them in different directions. That tension sits at the … Read more