Review
Twenty Inch Burial
How Long Will We Laugh and Smile?

Immigrant Sun (2005) Kevin Fitzpatrick

Twenty Inch Burial – How Long Will We Laugh and Smile? cover artwork
Twenty Inch Burial – How Long Will We Laugh and Smile? — Immigrant Sun, 2005

Like all of you, when i think of Portugal, I think of three things: the architect Miguel von Hafe P'rez, tungsten mines, and metal. I know what you're thinking - I'm biased. Sure, we're all familiar with bands like Holocausto Canibal, Acromaniacos and Bizarra Locomotiva - all of which are named after famous Portuguese papal candidates. But no, be strong! Just because they're Portuguese, they're not necessarily the automatic "shizz".

Twenty Inch Burial's How Much Will We Laugh and Smile? is a pretty decent listen when there's nothing good on the Circulodefogo show. Their second full-length release, not including 2 EP's and the split release with New Jersey's With Resistance, How Much Will We Laugh and Smile? - hence fore to be known as Smile, because I'm just too goddamn lazy - shows a band not afraid to kick our respective pricks into the course red dust of Portugal with openers like "Five Forward" and "Letters of Discontempt.' It's enough to make me wish I was a young matador again - happily running through the streets of Lisbon with ripe tomatoes purchased at the local Safewayos.

Rui Miguel Br's knows how to belt 'em out with the best of 'em, and along with....ok, just admit it...if I told you the guitarists were Ricardo da Rocha Correia and Jo'o Pedro Fulg'ncio, are you really going to remember? I didn't think so, you racist scum. Just remember they're better than the guitarist from [insert your favorite not-very-good-band here], so the sooner you accept it, the better off you'll be.

I could go into more detail, but why? You already know you'll buy Smile. And why? Because they're from Portugal. And they'll kick your mama's dead ass.

Twenty Inch Burial – How Long Will We Laugh and Smile? cover artwork
Twenty Inch Burial – How Long Will We Laugh and Smile? — Immigrant Sun, 2005

Recently-posted album reviews

Elway

Nobody’s Going To Heaven
Red Scare (2025)

There’s a specific kind of punk record that doesn’t try to inspire you, doesn’t bother offering solutions, and doesn’t pretend things are going to work out in the end. Nobody’s Going To Heaven is firmly planted in that tradition. Elway returns sounding less interested in rallying cries and more invested in documenting collapse as it happens. They cover every collapse … Read more

Heather The Jerk

Very Motorcycle EP
Goodbye Boozy (2025)

Heather The Jerk is a project from Madison, WI musician Heather Sawyer -- a scrappy punk band with garage and pop influences running rampant through the peppy, raw sound. This 4-song EP is called Very Motorcycle, released about a year after the Not Very Motorcycle tape. I have no idea what the phrase means, yet it sets a distinct mood. … Read more

Toys That Kill

Triple Sabotage
Recess (2026)

If you were lucky enough to catch Toys That Kill live last year, you were maybe treated to a set that included classic F.Y.P bangers like “Come Home Smelly” and “Jerkoff”. I made the trip down to Seattle to see them with Off With Their Heads specifically for this reason and was in no way disappointed. I had somehow managed … Read more