Search results for "loren"
All reviews by Loren
391 total results found
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Reviews
Lost Balloons – Hey Summer
Posted Sept. 4, 2017, 5:19 p.m.
By now it feels like hitting repeat, but for the uninitiated, Lost Balloons has to be introduced through the Marked Men timeline. The beloved Texas garage-punk band ... read more
Reviews
Rancid – Trouble Maker
Posted Aug. 21, 2017, 5:32 p.m.
It’s strange to me to realize that Rancid just released their ninth album. It’s a mark of age, not to mention that they haven’t been ... read more
Reviews
Whiskey & Co. – Ripped Together, Torn Apart
Posted Aug. 7, 2017, 5:47 p.m.
Whiskey & Co. are something of an outlier on the No Idea Records roster, but it’s still a cultural fit. Their boozy, swaying country may ... read more
Reviews
P.O.S. – Chill, Dummy
Posted July 24, 2017, 9:17 p.m.
A new kidney hasn’t made P.O.S soft and introspective. On his return to action album Chill, Dummy, he’s as angry and pointed as ever. The album ... read more
Reviews
Needles//Pins – Goodnight, Tomorrow
Posted July 17, 2017, 10:09 p.m.
Needles//Pins are one of those hard bands to pin down. They just sound like what rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be, you know? It’s ... read more
Reviews
Cayetana – New Kind Of Normal
Posted July 10, 2017, 5:08 p.m.
Normally when I hear obvious shades of the 1990s, my first thought is straight from an ad campaign of the era: been there, done that. ... read more
Reviews
Nothington – In the End
Posted July 4, 2017, 10:16 a.m.
Few things are stable in this topsy-turvy world. One constant has been Nothington. With the release of In the End, the San Francisco band’s fifth ... read more
Reviews
Naïve Sense – Self Titled EP (2017)
Posted June 19, 2017, 10:42 p.m.
“If I am unable to transform you into a Naïve Sense fan, then I have not done my job.”So begins “Win a Trip to Vegas: ... read more
Reviews
Caves – Always Why
Posted June 12, 2017, 6:31 p.m.
Generally speaking, I’ve spent a lot of time the past half-decade (or maybe decade) listening to two subsets of DIY punk: gruff melodic three-chord arrangements, ... read more
Reviews
MakeWar – Developing A Theory of Integrity
Posted June 5, 2017, 7:23 p.m.
One of the reasons I gravitate toward the pop-end of the punk spectrum is because it lacks pretention. The structures are straightforward and honest, often ... read more
Reviews
The Dopamines – Tales of Interest
Posted May 29, 2017, 6:13 p.m.
It’s been a while since Ohio’s The Dopamines released a new record –2012 by the looks of things, and I honestly missed that one, so ... read more
Reviews
STNNNG – Veterans of Pleasure
Posted May 22, 2017, 6:26 p.m.
STNNNG have slowed down their output but it doesn’t seem that age is catching up to them. If anything, their anger seems more pronounced than ... read more
Reviews
Great Cynics – Posi
Posted May 15, 2017, 6:17 p.m.
Calling their fourth record Posi is an interesting statement about Great Cynic’s vibe across the 11-song, half-hour record. From lyrics about being the clouds and ... read more
Reviews
Western Addiction – Tremulous
Posted May 8, 2017, 7:38 p.m.
Has it really been 12 years since Cognicide? Well, Western Addiction are back with another single word, make-you-think album title in Tremulous. They may have ... read more
Reviews
Jim and the French Vanilla – Afraid of the House
Posted May 1, 2017, 5:25 p.m.
Jim and the French Vanilla is the solo moniker for Jim Blaha, guitarist in The Blind Shake, a band with have several of their own ... read more
Reviews
The Tossers – Smash the Windows
Posted April 24, 2017, 7:11 p.m.
The term “Irish punk” sprung up in the late ‘90s around the time Flogging Molly jumped into the spotlight and in the waning days of ... read more
Reviews
Good Friend – Ride The Storm
Posted April 17, 2017, 5:36 p.m.
I’m a fan of a select little niche of pop punk. The cleaner the voices, the more I tend to dislike it or just not ... read more
Reviews
Mystery Date – Love Collector
Posted April 10, 2017, 6:14 p.m.
Mystery Date fit that classic mod-power pop sound, with an ear for well-tuned guitars, a hint of fuzz, and more focus on melody than “lead” ... read more
Reviews
Hellmouth – Oblivion
Posted April 3, 2017, 7:17 p.m.
When I heard my first Hellmouth record—which I’ve since learned was their second release (Gravestone Skylines, 2010)—it was more of a curiosity than something that ... read more
Reviews
Dead Bars – Dream Gig
Posted March 13, 2017, 7:32 p.m.
Reading that Dead Bars never meant to be a band explains a lot of things. They started as a one-off project to go on a ... read more
Reviews
Strange Relations – Going Out EP
Posted March 6, 2017, 6:12 p.m.
Admittedly, I’m a little leery of a press kit that features more band photos than songs. Then again, this is an EP, so it’s probably ... read more
Reviews
Career Suicide – Machine Response
Posted Feb. 20, 2017, 5:24 p.m.
Sometimes I love the predictable unpredictability of punk. You hear the name Career Suicide and think a certain sound and, well, they’re right in line ... read more
Reviews
Mind Spiders – Prosthesis
Posted Feb. 13, 2017, 5:34 p.m.
Mind Spiders continues to be a very accurate name as the sound evolves.The one-time “solo” Mark Ryan project was to be his creative space for ... read more
Reviews
Civil War Rust – Help Wanted
Posted Feb. 6, 2017, 9:36 p.m.
With Help Wanted, California’s Civil War Rust aren’t inventing any new sounds but they’re delivering heartfelt, direct punk rock in a familiar and comforting tone. ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Wonk Unit/Raging Nathans - split
Posted Jan. 30, 2017, 5:12 p.m.
This split 7” from a US band and a UK band carries a surprisingly unified sound over its four songs, two from each band. The ... read more
Reviews
Pears – Green Star
Posted Jan. 23, 2017, 7:09 p.m.
It’s been a while since I thought about the Fat Wreck effect, where a band signs to the San Francisco label and then releases a ... read more
Reviews
Bad Sports – Living with Secrets
Posted Jan. 16, 2017, 6 p.m.
Bad Sports are coming into their own. They’ve always been a solid Denton, TX hyphen-rock band but on their new EP, Dirtnap’s Living With Secrets, ... read more
Reviews
NOFX – First Ditch Effort
Posted Jan. 9, 2017, 5:49 p.m.
It’s probably been a decade (maybe two) since anyone reviewed a NOFX record without starting out by talking about “knowing what to expect.” The band ... read more
Reviews
Mark Sultan – BBQ
Posted Jan. 9, 2017, 5:34 p.m.
Mark Sultan has long gone by two stage names: his own, and BBQ (of King Khan & The BBQ Show). Most solo work has been ... read more
Reviews
Hannahband – Quitting Will Improve Your Health
Posted Jan. 2, 2017, 5:39 p.m.
If you asked me how I feel about two-piece bands, I’d say I’m not really a fan. But there’s some disconnect as I find myself ... read more
Reviews
Hakan – Hakan II
Posted Dec. 26, 2016, 8:29 p.m.
Hakan is an Italian garage-punk band in the vein of The Marked Men. Like, really in the vein of The Marked Men—MM’s Jeff Burke (also ... read more
Reviews
Real Numbers – Wordless Wonder
Posted Dec. 26, 2016, 8:17 p.m.
There are a lot of traps in music journalism. Some, like genre, are the same traps that artists fall into. Because of the constrained vocabulary ... read more
Reviews
Sex Stains – Sex Stains
Posted Dec. 19, 2016, 5:14 p.m.
Sex Stains put it all out front on the opening “Countdown to…” which is as much a confrontational statement of purpose as it is a ... read more
Reviews
Drakulas – Raw Wave
Posted Dec. 12, 2016, 7:10 p.m.
At this point Riverboat Gamblers have enough side projects that there’s almost an expectation of sound before listening, that unifying factor between all the different ... read more
Reviews
Attention – !Attention!
Posted Dec. 12, 2016, 6:58 p.m.
Do you like long song titles that are loosely related to the subject matter, along with gruff vocal singalong punk? If so, !Attention! is right ... read more
Reviews
Bullnettle – Bullnettle
Posted Dec. 5, 2016, 6:07 p.m.
I discovered This Is My Fist at the tail end of the band’s run, which was unfortunate in that I didn’t get to experience new ... read more
Reviews
Shallow Cuts – Empty Beach Town
Posted Dec. 5, 2016, 5:58 p.m.
Sometimes I want to add a lot of back story, my own perspective coming into a record. While that certainly shapes the experience, sometimes you ... read more
Reviews
Coathangers – Nosebleed Weekend
Posted Nov. 28, 2016, 11:17 p.m.
A lot of the bands I listen to have gotten older and slowed their productivity so it’s nice to realize that The Coathangers are already ... read more
Reviews
Arms Aloft – What a Time to Be Barely Alive
Posted Nov. 21, 2016, 7:22 p.m.
Midtempo punk sounds like such a boring idea.And sometimes it really is.But when it works, it’s hard to top. The chords are still powerful and ... read more
Reviews
The Blind Shake – Celebrate Your Worth
Posted Nov. 14, 2016, 8 p.m.
I’ve covered The Blind Shake for most of their career so far. Over that time it’s been a steady growth often focused on syncopated and ... read more
Reviews
Big Eyes – Stake My Claim
Posted Nov. 14, 2016, 7:50 p.m.
As much I knew I’d like this record after spending some time with Almost Famous and seeing the band live a few times, I was ... read more
Reviews
Pinned In Place – Ghostwritten By
Posted Nov. 7, 2016, 6:12 p.m.
One (of many) differences between indie rock and punk is generally the sense of humor as it relates to self-awareness. Considering that other reviews namedrop ... read more
Reviews
Toys That Kill – Sentimental Ward
Posted Nov. 7, 2016, 6:02 p.m.
It’s nice when your favorite bands surprise you. It took six years for Fambly 42), so I wasn’t ready for Sentimental Ward yet (though apparently ... read more
Reviews
Sims – More Than Ever
Posted Oct. 31, 2016, 5:23 p.m.
Sims is something of a firebrand on his early work, spitting political vitriol and pointing fingers outward and in on records like Lights Out Paris ... read more
Reviews
Dean Ween Group – The Deaner Record
Posted Oct. 24, 2016, 8:36 p.m.
I’ve never met Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, the two-headed songwriting duo of Ween, but I have my own speculation about who contributes what based ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Dead Bars/The Tim Version - split 7"
Posted Oct. 17, 2016, 5:45 p.m.
A limited edition split of two not-super-active bands that are Fest staples for this writer, this EP from No Idea Records combines Seattle’s Dead Bars ... read more
Reviews
Low Culture – Places To Hide
Posted Oct. 10, 2016, 10:03 p.m.
Screens, (2013) was damn near perfect. So what does Low Culture have in store with their second LP? It’s not disappointment, that’s for sure. Places ... read more
Reviews
The Hussy – The Volar EP
Posted Oct. 3, 2016, 7:43 p.m.
The Hussy keeps changing on me. That’s cool, though. Bands are like babies: they grow and change and…eventually abandon you in the old folks’ home. ... read more
Reviews
Spokenest – Gone, Gone, Gone
Posted Sept. 26, 2016, 5 p.m.
I have a type, and it’s short and fast. I’m partial to it and probably less picky. It fills a need that my constantly fidgeting ... read more
Reviews
Mikey Erg – Tentative Decisions
Posted Sept. 12, 2016, 5:07 p.m.
It took all of three seconds into Tentative Decisions, about 10 seconds before his unmistakable voice, to ID the record as being made by Mikey ... read more
Reviews
Crybaby – Drag Me Under
Posted Aug. 15, 2016, 9:17 p.m.
Crybaby are one of those punk bands where you could fill a review with subgenre tags and namedrops and every review would pick a different ... read more
Reviews
The Falcon – Gather Up the Chaps
Posted April 26, 2016, 8:24 a.m.
The Falcon are a curious band: a collection of rogue Chicagoans (now with Dave Hause as well), lead vocalist Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms) seems ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Crab Legs/Not Half Bad - Dorks/Nerds
Posted March 28, 2016, 9:52 p.m.
Spanning the country’s geography north and south, this split from Fargo, ND’s Crab Legs and Fort Worth, TX’s Not Half Bad is a snippet of ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Radon/Worthwhile Way - split 7"
Posted March 14, 2016, 8:29 a.m.
Radon has never really done a lot for me. The melodies are nice but it really never strikes a chord one way or the other. ... read more
Reviews
Shadow in the Cracks – Shadow in the Cracks
Posted Feb. 29, 2016, 5:39 p.m.
What does it mean when a three-piece band has a spin-off two-piece? While the premonition is that drama is afoot for member number three, that’s ... read more
Reviews
The Hussy – Galore
Posted Feb. 1, 2016, 8:26 a.m.
Why have children when I can just listen to my music and watch the bands change and grow instead? First they learned to stumble, then ... read more
Reviews
Tymon Dogg – Made Of Light
Posted Jan. 4, 2016, 10:48 p.m.
Sometimes you follow a musician for years, only to learn something that should have stood out at the start. Today’s lesson is Tymon Dogg, related ... read more
Reviews
Loud Boyz – Tough Love, Hard Feelings
Posted Dec. 22, 2015, 8:47 a.m.
Before I get started I’m going to dish out a rare complement. Loud Boyz have a good, fitting name. Even the record title, Tough Love, ... read more
Reviews
Basement Benders – Lydiad
Posted Nov. 30, 2015, 10 p.m.
Side projects aren’t supposed to invite other band comparisons, they’re supposed to separate, to show artisticrange. Who are we kidding here? Basement Benders is a ... read more
Reviews
Night Birds – Mutiny at Muscle Beach
Posted Nov. 23, 2015, 8:08 a.m.
It’s getting tough to find new things to say about Night Birds. They’re as great as ever with third LP Mutiny at Muscle Beach, it’s ... read more
Reviews
The Blind Shake – Fly Right EP
Posted Nov. 2, 2015, 8:19 a.m.
The Blind Shake have honed their sound over the years, always identifiable yet always moving it forward and with a keen difference between records. It’s ... read more
Reviews
Worriers – Imaginary Life
Posted Oct. 19, 2015, 5:59 p.m.
I’ve reviewed a lot of records now from Lauren Denitzio’s bands. First, The Measure [SA], and then Cruel Optimist, her current band’s first release. Over ... read more
Reviews
Bangers – Bird
Posted Oct. 5, 2015, 11:44 p.m.
Bird is the Bangers record I wanted in 2013. Crazy Fucking Dreams is a good record, it was just a little less direct than I ... read more
Reviews
Tit – Tit
Posted Sept. 28, 2015, 8:30 a.m.
So I’m a fan of The Hussy. People who read this site have (hopefully) picked up on that. Well, TIT is a two piece with ... read more
Reviews
Radioactivity – Silent Kill
Posted Aug. 31, 2015, 10:54 p.m.
These guys know how to start off a record, with the rapid fire “Battered” pummeling with riffage for the first minute and then Jeff Burke’s ... read more
Reviews
Boilerman – Boilerman
Posted Aug. 17, 2015, 11:01 p.m.
It took me 8 minutes to listen, so it should 8 minutes to write it too. Or, something. Really that’s just a bad Futurama reference ... read more
Reviews
Great Cynics – I Feel Weird
Posted July 27, 2015, 7:46 p.m.
Naming a record I Feel Weird is a statement about the psyche of Great Cynics, and an applicable one at that (for the band, not ... read more
Reviews
The Splits – II
Posted July 13, 2015, 8:01 p.m.
I really like Dirtnap Records, but they can’t all be winners. The Splits start off II with a really positive vibe in “Rotten Me,” with ... read more
Reviews
Underground Railroad To Candyland – The People Are Home
Posted June 22, 2015, 6:48 p.m.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Underground Railroad to Candyland when I first saw them. They were a very new band, but the style ... read more
Reviews
Red Dons & TV Smith – A Vote For the Unknown
Posted June 15, 2015, 10:22 p.m.
Red Dons are a band I’ve meant to check out for some time. As a reviewer, perhaps I’m supposed to go check out the whole ... read more
Reviews
Birthday Suits – Adult Party: Spin the Bottle
Posted June 8, 2015, 5:50 p.m.
Birthday Suits always surprise me on record. Live, it’s fierce and reckless; sweaty mayhem and cathartic rock ‘n’ roll. On record, it’s more calculated, with ... read more
Reviews
Hannahband – Retirement
Posted June 1, 2015, 9:32 p.m.
Calling it folk-punk isn’t right, but I’m not sure I agree with the post-punk tag slapped on their onesheet either. Hannahband, from Sydney, Australia, have ... read more
Reviews
Timeshares – Already Dead
Posted May 25, 2015, 5:39 p.m.
This isn’t what I expected—there’s way more country punk twang than when I caught a short pre-Fest show from Timeshares last year. On Already Dead, ... read more
Reviews
Powernap – Oreosmith EP
Posted May 18, 2015, 8:07 a.m.
Oreosmith, whatever the hell that title means, is the first release from Powernap and it’s familiar and powerful, leaving curious signs of where the band ... read more
Reviews
The Lookouts – Spy Rock Road (And Other Stories)
Posted May 4, 2015, 8:08 a.m.
I was apprehensive about reviewing this record. When hear “music by teenagers,” it tends to mean preachy and rather one-sided political rants that are well ... read more
Reviews
Built To Spill – Untethered Moon
Posted April 27, 2015, 8:27 a.m.
Calling Untethered Moon guitar rock is somewhere to start. While the band takes their chops from the 1990s alternative boom, the defining moments of their ... read more
Reviews
Summer Cannibals – Show Us Your Mind
Posted April 20, 2015, 7:28 p.m.
I know I’d already read the band’s bio, but I think I would have guessed Pacific Northwest anyway. There’s just something dreary and with a ... read more
Reviews
Western Settings – Yes It Is
Posted April 13, 2015, 8:14 a.m.
When listening to a band you’ve never heard of, it’s a lot easier to make all those “sounds like” comments. Whether that’s why I think ... read more
Reviews
Pears – Go To Prison
Posted April 6, 2015, 5:50 p.m.
Naming an album is something of a branding concept. Yes, it’s also artistic, but occasionally those two worlds collide, even if we don’t want to ... read more
Reviews
Swingin' Utters – Fistful of Hollow
Posted April 6, 2015, 5:47 p.m.
If Fistful of Hollow seemed fast, well it is. Swingin’ Utters released Poorly Formed in 2013 and Here, Under Protest in 2011. With another one ... read more
Reviews
Swami John & The Blind Shake – Modern Surf Classics
Posted March 30, 2015, 8:11 p.m.
When it was announced that John Reis (Night Marchers, Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes) was collaborating with The Blind Shake, it was expected that ... read more
Reviews
Chokecherry – The Future Was a Long Time Ago
Posted March 23, 2015, 10:20 p.m.
Expect adjectives. Adjectives and hyphens. For, you see, Chokecherry are a punk band that doesn’t play punk songs. I guess folk-punk is the subgenre tag ... read more
Reviews
The Dwarves – Gentleman Blag
Posted March 16, 2015, 5:52 p.m.
I know what you’re thinking? Why has it already been five months without a new Dwarves release? Never fear, the long-running goodtime smutlovers are back, ... read more
Reviews
The Capitalist Kids – At A Loss
Posted March 9, 2015, 9:15 p.m.
The sound comparisons are undeniable when it comes to talking about The Capitalist Kids and their affinity for 1980s-era Lookout Records pop-punk. But the Austin, ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – GC Records 15 Year Anniversary Comp: A Snapshot of the 2014 Las Vegas Music Scene
Posted March 2, 2015, 10:59 p.m.
GC Records 15 Year Anniversary Comp: A Snapshot of the 2014 Las Vegas Music Scene is two things: it’s homage to 15 years of success ... read more
Reviews
Gang Of Four – What Happens Next
Posted Feb. 23, 2015, 6:52 p.m.
I haven’t listened to Gang of Four in a long time, and I tend to stick to the classic Entertainment!, released in 1979, when I ... read more
Reviews
Sergio Mendes – Magic
Posted Feb. 16, 2015, 8:36 a.m.
Sergio Mendes is a Brazilian legend. His name might not be a big draw here at Scene Point Blank, where the focus is on punk, ... read more
Reviews
Treasure Fleet – The Sun Machine
Posted Feb. 9, 2015, 8:33 a.m.
You can’t have your middle finger in the air all the time. As such, Isaac Thotz (The Arrivals) has stepped away from his punk-leaning project ... read more
Reviews
The Blind Shake – Breakfast of Failures
Posted Feb. 3, 2015, 12:51 a.m.
The Blind Shake have been consistently banging out juicy, syncopatic jams for the better part of a decade now. Breakfast of Failures is their fifth ... read more
Reviews
Rancid – Honor Is All We Know
Posted Jan. 26, 2015, 11:26 p.m.
For years I was the biggest Rancid fan. The first record I didn’t buy on its release date was B-Sides & C-Sides, and that’s because ... read more
Reviews
The Brokedowns – Life Is a Breeze
Posted Jan. 19, 2015, 5:42 p.m.
The Brokedowns have come a long way. That’s not to say they were torchbearers of suckitude earlier, but early reviews of the band were festivals ... read more
Reviews
The Dead Milkmen – Pretty Music for Pretty People
Posted Jan. 12, 2015, 9:50 p.m.
The Dead Milkmen were always an idea band. A band who sparkled or fizzled depending on that idea, with some songs brilliant and others that ... read more
Reviews
Eureka California – Crunch
Posted Jan. 6, 2015, 12:25 a.m.
When I hear the phrase “indie rock,” I think of about 4-5 things: Pavement, The Pixies, maybe Weezer, glasses, skinny guys, and bizarre instrumentation or ... read more
Reviews
The Murder City Devils – The White Ghost Has Blood on Its Hands Again
Posted Dec. 31, 2014, 9:52 a.m.
Reunited bands have a tendency to disappoint. Maybe their hearts aren’t in it the second time around, maybe they’ve changed as artists and individuals, or ... read more
Reviews
Rational Anthem – Emotionally Unavailable
Posted Dec. 22, 2014, 9:18 p.m.
I can’t figure out just who The Rational Anthem remind me of, but it’s poppy on the clean and crisp side, with a lot of ... read more
Reviews
The Smith Street Band – Throw Me in the River
Posted Dec. 8, 2014, 8:29 p.m.
Summarizing The Smith Street Band is a bit difficult. While I want to lump them in with folk-punk, that’s only true in song structure. There’s ... read more
Reviews
The Tim Version – Ordinary Life
Posted Nov. 24, 2014, 6:54 p.m.
The Tim Version’s set at Fest 12 was slower. The songs were drawn out—still loud, and angry—but they were a notch slower, going for expansive ... read more
Reviews
The Copyrights – Report
Posted Nov. 18, 2014, 1:53 a.m.
I like most of my music to have a pop bent. Yes, I like it rough around the edges and only mildly repetitive, which often ... read more
Reviews
Neighborhood Brats – Recovery
Posted Nov. 10, 2014, 9:18 p.m.
Reading Scene Point Blank can pay off. A year or so ago we streamed No Sun No Tan, which was the first I’d heard of ... read more
Reviews
Shallow Cuts – Storm Watch
Posted Nov. 3, 2014, 9:16 p.m.
Shallow Cuts are a group of friends. Oh, they’re a group of musicians too. Some people call that a band. They’re a three piece, with ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Low Culture-Needles//Pins - split 7"
Posted Nov. 3, 2014, 9:08 p.m.
I’ve probably said this before for those 3 people who read all of my reviews, but I feel that the 7” is one of the ... read more
Reviews
Quintron and Miss Pussycat – Spellcaster II: Death in Space
Posted Oct. 27, 2014, 10:38 p.m.
Quintron and Miss Pussycat have never been known as a vocal group, but Spellcaster II: Death in Space takes that to a new level, waiting ... read more
Reviews
Total Control – Typical System
Posted Oct. 27, 2014, 10:27 p.m.
Sometimes you get stuck on a review. Sure, I meant to delve outside my comfort zone a bit in grabbing this record, but I’ve been ... read more
Reviews
Shitty Weekend – Shit Week
Posted Oct. 20, 2014, 8:03 p.m.
This thing is all over the map, from freak-out jazz-punk one minute (“Geneva”) to a track of haunting old man ghost noises laid atop a ... read more
Reviews
Needles//Pins – Shamebirds
Posted Oct. 13, 2014, 8:59 p.m.
Needles//Pins are something different in the punk rock realm. Well, that’s not true. They’re entirely familiar and warm, yet they have that pizzazz—that’s what the ... read more
Reviews
Devo – The Complete Truth About De-Evolution
Posted Oct. 6, 2014, 8:52 p.m.
I’ve long felt there are fewer lesser art forms than the music video. It turns out I was wrong—or, at least pre-1990 it was another ... read more
Reviews
Steve Adamyk Band – Dial Tone
Posted Sept. 29, 2014, 10:19 p.m.
This is Dirtnap Records.Not to pigeonhole anybody, but man does Steve Adamyk Band hit on that pop structure, garage chaos element that defines the label.Dial ... read more
Reviews
Flagpolers – Arse Ways EP
Posted Sept. 22, 2014, 2:56 p.m.
Sometimes the RIYL doesn’t lie. When Vancouver punks Flagpolers list Tiltwheel as an influence, it comes across clearly on the four song EP Arse Ways. ... read more
Reviews
The Dwarves – Invented Rock & Roll
Posted Sept. 15, 2014, 11:49 a.m.
I won’t say anything as hyperbolic as that the Dwarves invented rock ‘n’ roll, but I’ll still give them another borderline statement that fits on ... read more
Reviews
Joyce Manor – Never Hungover Again
Posted Sept. 8, 2014, 11:20 p.m.
This one took a while to stand out, which I didn’t expect given the accolades Joyce Manor has been ringing up with their three releases. ... read more
Reviews
Ex Friends – Rules for Making Up Words
Posted Sept. 1, 2014, 10:54 p.m.
Ex Friends are a group of Philly area punks, recognized from their work in other bands. The band features Joel Tannenbaum (Plow United), JP Flexner ... read more
Reviews
The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams
Posted Aug. 25, 2014, 9:44 p.m.
The Hold Steady has been on quite a ride. They went from “New York bar band” to critical and indie darlings to, now, wavering somewhere ... read more
Reviews
Astpai – Burden Calls
Posted Aug. 18, 2014, 8:45 p.m.
I’m not sure what this says about me, but I like Astpai’s Burden Calls just fine but it takes until they pull a sample from Teenage Mutant Ninja ... read more
Reviews
The Sands – Hotel & Casino
Posted Aug. 11, 2014, 7:32 p.m.
Say what you will about the old “don’t judge a book by its cover” metaphor, but it’s got some credence in the music world too. ... read more
Reviews
Low Forms – Low Forms EP
Posted July 28, 2014, 7:35 p.m.
Low Forms self-titled 7” is a six minute blast of power-pop defined by clean guitars, rhythmic chops, and traditional format rock ’n’ roll. While it’s ... read more
Reviews
Versus You – Moving On
Posted July 22, 2014, 1:04 a.m.
Despite a confrontational name, Versus You are every bit positive punx with songs praising friendship, relationships, and the like. It’s not that they play bubbly ... read more
Reviews
Pujol – Kludge
Posted July 15, 2014, 12:11 a.m.
Daniel Pujol is prolific and ever changing. The leader of Pujol continues to release records at a rapid pace, successfully switching up his backing sounds ... read more
Reviews
Pixies – Indie Cindy
Posted July 8, 2014, 12:55 a.m.
Indie Cindy is the first new Pixies full-length since 1991 (Trompe le Monde). After the band reunited a few years back for the tour circuit the ... read more
Reviews
Rabbit Holes – Rabbit Holes EP
Posted July 1, 2014, 1 a.m.
Big Action Records doesn’t pump out a ton of releases and, when they do, they run the geographical gamut. The label is based in St. ... read more
Reviews
Street Eaters – Blood::Muscles::Bones
Posted June 23, 2014, 10:44 p.m.
Bands are seemingly judged differently on their sophomore outings: where does it change, does it meet expectation, does it show growth, and the like. Well, ... read more
Reviews
White Lung – Deep Fantasy
Posted June 16, 2014, 10:10 p.m.
Deep Fantasy is pissed off, but it could still use a good angry howl every so often.The record, the third from Vancouver’s White Lung, is their ... read more
Reviews
Off! – Wasted Years
Posted June 9, 2014, 8:33 p.m.
I generally hate punctuation in a band name, but it’s uncommonly fitting with Off!. Sure, they only included it to keep the pesticide theme going, ... read more
Reviews
Chuck Ragan – Till Midnight
Posted June 2, 2014, 6:46 p.m.
It’s almost at the point where Chuck Ragan has reinvented himself. Sure, he’s always had the voice and he’s done the countrified thing in the ... read more
Reviews
Moonlit Sailor – We Come From Exploding Stars
Posted May 26, 2014, 6:07 p.m.
A post-rock review is always a challenge. If you think it’s tough to capture the attention of an audience and carry them on your journey, ... read more
Reviews
Tweens – Tweens
Posted May 19, 2014, 8:40 p.m.
I heard about Tweens as a Vacation side project. Well, they’ve dwarfed that band’s popularity already, so it’s the last I’ll use that term. The Cincinnati three-piece ... read more
Reviews
Banner Pilot – Souvenir
Posted May 12, 2014, 8:24 p.m.
Often when a critic writes of a band not changing its sound it’s meant in the negative light: art should be about exploring new boundaries ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Crybaby/Casual - Split EP
Posted May 5, 2014, 10:11 p.m.
I hate to simplify the role of the split 7”—they’re about way more than this, in truth—but one of the greatest purposes the split 7” ... read more
Reviews
Signals Midwest – Light On The Lake
Posted April 28, 2014, 9:39 p.m.
I’ve sat on this review for a while, waiting for that easy-to-describe-it moment to hit me. With Signals Midwest, I don’t know if that’s going ... read more
Reviews
Tiny Empires – Weird Headspace
Posted April 21, 2014, 11 p.m.
Tiny Empires seek to build something new; something powerful, significant, and memorable, just as the name suggests. With their debut record Weird Headspace they’re doing just that. ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Capitalist Kids/Tight Bros. - split 7"
Posted April 14, 2014, 8:49 p.m.
If sweet and easy pop punk is your thing, this is the split for you. Capitalist Kids take Side A, fresh after releasing Lessons on Love, ... read more
Reviews
Brain F? – Empty Set
Posted April 7, 2014, 8:45 p.m.
Apparently this band is called “Brain Flannel.” I don’t know what that means, but as somebody capable of reading the English language, I’m pretty sure ... read more
Reviews
Epic Problem – Lines
Posted March 31, 2014, 7:58 p.m.
You’ve heard it before a hundred times. You’ve thought it yourself.Punk rock is a safe genre.While I generally hate on talk like this, promoting genre ... read more
Reviews
Coathangers – Suck My Shirt
Posted March 24, 2014, 11:19 p.m.
This Atlanta trio caught my attention with Larceny & Old Lace a couple of years ago, and Suck My Shirt is a continuation of that sound. It shifts into ... read more
Reviews
Bad Sports – Bras
Posted March 18, 2014, 12:44 a.m.
Bad Sports want you to turn it up. They play loud rock, rooted in the elements, but not tied to rollicking times or anti-authority volume, ... read more
Reviews
Tim Timebomb & Friends – Mixtape
Posted March 10, 2014, 7:55 p.m.
Tim Armstrong (Rancid) has spent over a year releasing a song a day on YouTube under the moniker Tim Timebomb. While astute fans can pull his work ... read more
Reviews
Dead Mechanical – OK Night
Posted March 3, 2014, 10:06 p.m.
Dead Mechanical is one of those mid-tempo punk bands, built on life’s grimy surfaces and reflecting that tone of rough-and-tumble, down-and-out luck. The music fits ... read more
Reviews
The Lawrence Arms – Metropole
Posted Feb. 24, 2014, 8:40 p.m.
When The Lawrence Arms released Oh Calcutta! back in 2006, it was billed by the band as a collection of songs utilizing the back-and-forth, high octane punk ... read more
Reviews
The Obits – Bed & Bugs
Posted Feb. 24, 2014, 8:24 p.m.
Obits don’t offer many surprises on Bed & Bugs, but that’s never really been the expectation. In a long lineage of bands, Rick Froberg has defined ... read more
Reviews
Pretty Boy Thorson & the Falling Angels – An Uneasy Peace
Posted Feb. 17, 2014, 8:45 p.m.
Have things finally turned around for Jesse Thorson, making the country-punk band sing a new song of joy and celebration? Of course not.Previously, the band didn’t ... read more
Reviews
Audacity – Butter Knife
Posted Feb. 10, 2014, 8:17 p.m.
It didn’t take long for Mellow Cruisers to appeal. Butter Knives, the follow-up from California’s Audacity, though, seems to be more of a grower.A band quick-summed-up as power-pop ... read more
Reviews
Moistboyz – V
Posted Feb. 3, 2014, 9:16 p.m.
Moistboyz aren’t a particularly active group. The band, based around the duo of vocalist Guy Heller and multi-instrumentalist Mickey Melchiondo (aka Dean Ween), has only released ... read more
Reviews
The Dwarves – Younger & Even Better Looking
Posted Jan. 28, 2014, 12:31 a.m.
Age makes fools of us all. First it was In Utero releasing all of my hard-found rarities on a single disc, and now comes The Dwarves Are Younger ... read more
Reviews
King Khan & the Shrines – Idle No More
Posted Jan. 20, 2014, 8 p.m.
In King Khan & the Shrines, King Khan goes big band. Not in the jazz sense, but in a horn-laden variety a la Memphis rock ... read more
Reviews
Mind Spiders – Inhumanistic
Posted Jan. 13, 2014, 8:51 p.m.
Maybe Minnesota is just a long way from Texas, but it seems that Mind Spiders are more of a studio band, releasing a record a ... read more
Reviews
Direct Hit! – Brainless God
Posted Jan. 6, 2014, 7:03 p.m.
Direct Hit! get filed in the Midwest pop-punk scene and, while they deviate throughout the course of Brainless God, that’s definitely a fair starting point. While ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Brokedowns / Vacation Bible School split
Posted Dec. 30, 2013, 6:52 p.m.
Taking Side A on the Elgin, IL focused 7” are The Brokedowns, who last released Species Bender in 2010. After a slew of splits in their career ... read more
Reviews
Iron Chic – The Constant One
Posted Dec. 24, 2013, 1:17 a.m.
If ever a band was created for an epic singalong, it was Iron Chic. There’s that big feeling at the core of their soaring melodies ... read more
Reviews
The Julie Ruin – Run Fast
Posted Dec. 16, 2013, 10:19 p.m.
The onesheet drops the term “subversive pop.” While the term may apply lyrically, musically The Julie Ruin is more ‘80s pop in sound. Keyboards lead ... read more
Reviews
Kitten Forever – Pressure
Posted Dec. 9, 2013, 10:49 p.m.
Pressure is a party. The three-piece band Kitten Forever trade off vocals constantly throughout, and even swap instruments while they’re at it. It starts off with ... read more
Reviews
Caves – Betterment
Posted Dec. 2, 2013, 10:35 p.m.
I’d call Caves frantic punk rock, if not for the title track on Betterment actually being a casual acoustic affair. Other than that song, though, the eleven ... read more
Reviews
Future Virgins – Late Republic
Posted Nov. 26, 2013, 12:14 a.m.
After how hard Western Problems hit, it would be hard for Future Virgins to deliver another punch-out of similar quality. Or would it? With a new record, Late ... read more
Reviews
Worriers – Cruel Optimist
Posted Nov. 25, 2013, 11:56 p.m.
Worriers are yet another Brooklyn band to note, made up of former members of some higher profile DIY punk bands from the area. Most noteworthy ... read more
Reviews
Radioactivity – Radioactivity
Posted Nov. 20, 2013, 8:08 a.m.
Each time I write the phrase “garage-punk” I like it less and less. Still, how else to describe a band that blends pop-punk and garage ... read more
Reviews
Steve Adamyk Band – Third
Posted Nov. 19, 2013, 10:59 p.m.
Sometimes calling something the “[insert record label]” sound is meant in a derisive way. Before the clichés came home, however, it was also used to ... read more
Reviews
Bangers – Crazy Fucking Dreams
Posted Nov. 11, 2013, 7:33 p.m.
Bangers are a punk band from Cornwall, but they don’t play to expectations in their second full-length Crazy Fucking Dreams. Instead, the record starts with the ... read more
Reviews
Nirvana – In Utero (20th Anniversary Reissue)
Posted Oct. 29, 2013, 2:16 a.m.
It’s easy to read a posthumous reissue as a mining of a band’s demos and outtakes. Nirvana saw the deluxe treatment of Nevermind a few years back ... read more
Reviews
Rations – Martyrs and Prisoners
Posted Oct. 21, 2013, 6:32 p.m.
Released on 86’d Records, I came to Rations with a blank slate. Thirty seconds of research tells me the band is a four-piece from Long ... read more
Reviews
Galactic Cannibal – We're Fucked
Posted Oct. 15, 2013, 12:44 a.m.
Goddamn, these are some brutally hoarse vocals. Like the kind that makes my voice hurt just thinking about singing along, and I mean that in ... read more
Reviews
The Octopus Project – Fever Forms
Posted Sept. 16, 2013, 11:20 p.m.
When did the Octopus Project add vocals? Well, it’s not exactly a lead singer—think more along the lines of Black Moth Super Rainbow (with whom they released ... read more
Reviews
The Wild – Dreams Are Maps
Posted Sept. 16, 2013, 11:12 p.m.
Maybe Defiance, Ohio are the height I hold the folk-punk genre to, maybe it’s just that they’re the first such band to really click with me. Regardless, ... read more
Reviews
The Blind Shake – Key to a False Door
Posted Sept. 16, 2013, 11:03 p.m.
It’s no secret to long-time site readers that I’m a fan of The Blind Shake. The Minneapolis trio has released a run of albums now, ... read more
Reviews
Eddie Spaghetti – The Value of Nothing
Posted Sept. 2, 2013, 11:22 p.m.
For Eddie Spaghetti’s third solo LP, he’s taken a moment to quiet it down and get introspective while seeking answers to life’s big questions: meaty ... read more
Reviews
Rumspringer – Stay Afloat
Posted Aug. 26, 2013, 11:30 p.m.
Every so often bands live up to their buzz. Rumspringer popped onto my radar through the defunct Dangerous Intersections series of 4-way splits from Traffic Street Records. I ... read more
Reviews
The Transplants – In A Warzone
Posted Aug. 26, 2013, 11:11 p.m.
I grew up on Rancid and they introduced me, eventually, to a much wider world of punk rock than what I caught on late night Headbangers Ball and 120 Minutes episodes. ... read more
Reviews
What-A-Nights – Self Titled
Posted Aug. 26, 2013, 10:45 p.m.
What-A-Nights are a Japanese four-piece punk group, mostly falling on the pop-punk side of the spectrum, with some tight Buzzcocks sensibility seeping in. Their self-titled full-length, first ... read more
Reviews
Vacation – Candy Waves
Posted Aug. 19, 2013, 10:56 p.m.
Here at Scene Point Blank we don’t give titles to our work. If I titled my Vacation review, though, it would be named after track ... read more
Reviews
Frozen Teens – Oakland Footsteps
Posted Aug. 12, 2013, 10:57 p.m.
Frozen Teens are tough sound to pin down exactly. It’s not because it’s 100% out there, it’s because it subtly pulls from different arenas, coming ... read more
Reviews
Mixtapes – Ordinary Silence
Posted Aug. 5, 2013, 9:24 p.m.
It’s still a bit hard to grasp what grabs me about Even on the Worst Nights. It finally clicked, though, as I drove through rural Minnesota ... read more
Reviews
Sundowners – The Larger Half of Wisdom
Posted Aug. 5, 2013, 9:18 p.m.
It’s been a couple years of seeing Sundowners’ name pop up on show listings around town. Still, I’ve missed them every time. Well, the band ... read more
Reviews
Pissed Jeans – Honeys
Posted July 29, 2013, 11:09 p.m.
I enjoyed King of Jeans. It wasn’t great and it didn’t break much ground, but it was a solid play that I still throw on from ... read more
Reviews
Civil War Rust – The Fun and the Lonely
Posted July 29, 2013, 11:06 p.m.
In case you’re missing the old Alkaline Trio, the East Bay’s Civil War Rust is calling your name. Not to say the band is strictly derivative ... read more
Reviews
Epic Problem – All Broken
Posted July 23, 2013, 12:24 a.m.
I wasn’t expecting this one to hit like it does. It’s raw, forceful, and honest; personal but socially conscious, and it blends street punk energy ... read more
Reviews
Night Birds – Born To Die In Suburbia
Posted July 22, 2013, 11:55 p.m.
Releasing the 7” teaser Maimed for the Masses certainly helped introduce the increasingly prominent surf guitar in Night Birds. Still, the opener “Escape from New York” is ... read more
Reviews
Night Birds – Maimed for the Masses
Posted July 15, 2013, 8:53 p.m.
For how active a band Night Birds is, they still only have one studio full-length to their name. Instead of releasing the long-players, the band ... read more
Reviews
Elway – Leavetaking
Posted July 15, 2013, 8:51 p.m.
Listening to Elway’s debut Delusions there was a lot of promise. It’s a solid record, nice songwriting, big hooks and memorable choruses. It’s modern Midwestern punk but ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Toys That Kill/Future Virgins - split
Posted July 1, 2013, 9:18 p.m.
Pairing Toys That Kill and Future Virgins in a single record, this Drunker Sailor 7” teams up bands that have released some of my favorite ... read more
Reviews
Plow United – Marching Band
Posted June 24, 2013, 10:51 p.m.
After a run from 1992-1998, Plow United reformed in 2011 and they return with new material in the form of Marching Band (Jump Start Records). Plow United ... read more
Reviews
Shell Shag – Forever
Posted June 24, 2013, 10:31 p.m.
Shell Shag put it all on the line in opener “Face to Face.” It’s an autobiographical song, about the two-piece band, their y-shaped microphone, and ... read more
Reviews
The Replacements – Color Me Obsessed
Posted June 17, 2013, 7:19 p.m.
There are really only a couple of formulas that music documentaries take: the overdone Behind the Music drama style and the self-serving rehashing-our-glory-days/let’s-sell-some-soundtracks docs. Director/producer Gorman Bechard ... read more
Reviews
Spokenest – We Move
Posted June 11, 2013, 1:13 a.m.
Two piece bands seem to be gaining in popularity again, and it’s easy to see why from a musician’s perspective. The fewer people involved, the ... read more
Reviews
Gateway District – Old Wild Hearts
Posted June 4, 2013, 12:39 a.m.
“We’re going to break you down this Saturday night,” sings The Gateway District in “Break You Down,” off their new LP, Old Wild Hearts. It’s as ... read more
Reviews
Street Eaters – Self Titled
Posted May 28, 2013, 5:36 p.m.
There are a few formats I almost go out of my way to avoid, namely cassettes and digital EPs. However, I’ll make an exception for ... read more
Reviews
LVMRKS – Pale Fairytale
Posted May 27, 2013, 11:01 p.m.
For a band whose onesheet opens with the pointed “[includes former] member of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead during that band’s peak,” ... read more
Reviews
Big Eyes – Almost Famous
Posted May 20, 2013, 9:52 p.m.
Seattle is made out to be such a dreary place. Big Eyes released a largely positive-sounding debut in Hard Life and the reviews basically talked about the ... read more
Reviews
Off With Their Heads – Home
Posted May 20, 2013, 9:37 p.m.
Maybe it’s because I caught Off With Their Heads live recently and maybe it’s because on Home, their third official full-length, the theme is something that ... read more
Reviews
Worthwhile Way – Love Is All
Posted May 14, 2013, 12:59 a.m.
Worthwhile Way play positive punk. No bones about it, the title Love Is All isn’t some ironic statement, the band brings an upbeat, happy sound that’s typically ... read more
Reviews
They Might Be Giants – Nanobots
Posted May 6, 2013, 11:47 p.m.
When I first heard these guys in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s, there wasn’t really a name for this. Now, I guess it would ... read more
Reviews
The Tossers – The Emerald City
Posted April 30, 2013, 12:46 a.m.
The Tossers top out my list of Celtic punk bands. Dropkick Murphys turned into cartoons long ago and I’ve just never been that big a fan of ... read more
Reviews
The Spits – V
Posted April 22, 2013, 10:43 p.m.
Dirty, spacey punk rawk—in a nutshell, that’s what The Spits are bringing. We could talk costumes, we could talks subgenres, and we could talk recording quality (and ... read more
Reviews
Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin
Posted April 15, 2013, 11:56 p.m.
As a critic there are certain things I’m supposed to keep up with. Fact of the matter is that’s not always possible and, once you ... read more
Reviews
Restorations – LP2
Posted April 9, 2013, 12:48 a.m.
Is classic rock punk now a genre? I don’t have a whole lot of background with Restorations, other than catching half a set at Fest ... read more
Reviews
Low Culture – Evil
Posted April 9, 2013, 12:37 a.m.
This EP runs all of 4:59, featuring two new cuts from Low Culture. The band just released a full-length earlier this year on Dirtnap Records, Screens, ... read more
Reviews
Swingin' Utters – Poorly Formed
Posted April 1, 2013, 11:43 p.m.
First things first, Poorly Formed packs some nice verbiage. With word drops like “crumb bums” and “rigmarole” the Swingin’ Utters have incorporated some lively language into their ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – So Cow/Squarehead - Out of Season
Posted March 25, 2013, 11:28 p.m.
Out of Season is a two-band split 12” from Inflated Records that presents two Irish Groups, So Cow on Side A and Squarehead on Side B. ... read more
Reviews
The Capitalist Kids – Lessons on Love, Sharing, and Hygiene
Posted March 25, 2013, 11:19 p.m.
Holy Lookout Records! The Capitalist Kids’ Lessons on Love, Sharing, and Hygiene bears some stark similarities to the output of seminal 1980s-1990s East Bay pop-punk label. With ... read more
Reviews
Low Culture – Screens
Posted March 12, 2013, 1:45 a.m.
Low Culture packs a punch. Not an angry punch, but one that, upon hearing it, your foot taps and your head bobs. The band, bringing ... read more
Reviews
Wayne Hancock – Ride
Posted March 4, 2013, 11:25 p.m.
Wayne “The Train” Hancock doesn’t play music to pump you up for a Saturday night on the town. Instead, Hancock’s old-school flavored country is more ... read more
Reviews
STNNNG – Empire Inward
Posted Feb. 26, 2013, 12:31 a.m.
When frontman Chris Besinger laments, “I’m howling/ Can you hear me?” at the start of “Ballad of the Drunken Word,” it all comes home. Empire Inward is ... read more
Reviews
The Night Marchers – Allez Allez
Posted Feb. 4, 2013, 11:44 p.m.
Sophomore records tend to bring a unique level of apprehension: has the artist changed; can s/he maintain the momentum from the first release; etc. Night ... read more
Reviews
Anchors – Lost At The Bottom Of The World
Posted Jan. 21, 2013, 3:43 p.m.
Anchors are a five piece from Melbourne, Australia who play melodic hardcore in the vein of Strike Anywhere. While a few more comparisons might pop ... read more
Reviews
Mixtapes – Even On The Worst Nights
Posted Jan. 21, 2013, 3:36 p.m.
Even on the Worst Nights beams with positivity. Sure, a closer listen will reveal a lot of sarcasm in the sugar-pop sound, but the first ... read more
Reviews
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – Lost Songs
Posted Jan. 14, 2013, 9:37 p.m.
The past decade has been an artistic whirlwind for the Austin, TX …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. After hitting a ... read more
Reviews
The Magnificent – Bad Lucky
Posted Jan. 7, 2013, 3:23 p.m.
As I’ve gotten older, there are punk scenes I shy away from. Among those topping the list is street punk—not to totally write off the ... read more
Reviews
Brother Ali – Mourning In America And Dreaming In Color
Posted Jan. 7, 2013, 3:20 p.m.
Brother Ali is one of RhymeSayers’ and Minneapolis’ premiere rappers, and his career trajectory has been on the up-and-up with each release. Still, for whatever ... read more
Reviews
Ty Segall – Twins
Posted Dec. 10, 2012, 3:25 p.m.
Ty Segall is in constant motion. This year alone, he’s released a collection LP, a collaboration with White Fence, and now a solo record—all while ... read more
Reviews
Dan Padilla – Sports Fans
Posted Dec. 10, 2012, 3:21 p.m.
Considering the amount of time it took for Dan Padilla to drop their second full-length, last year’s As the Ox Plows, it’s surprising they’re back ... read more
Reviews
Arms Aloft – Sawdust City
Posted Dec. 3, 2012, 6:47 p.m.
When I speak of a “Kiss of Death” sound, I don’t mean it derisively. What I do mean is poppy song structures with powerfully belted ... read more
Reviews
Audacity – Mellow Cruisers
Posted Nov. 26, 2012, 3:40 p.m.
It’s not very often I’ll say a song belongs on the radio and mean that in a good way. With the whispered beginnings to “Garza” ... read more
Reviews
Grabass Charlestons – Dale & the Careeners
Posted Nov. 19, 2012, 3:53 p.m.
Is this the same band that released Ask Mark Twain? Well, kind of. Dale & the Careeners is the first Grabass Charlestons full-length since 2005, ... read more
Reviews
Future of the Left – The Plot Against Common Sense
Posted Nov. 5, 2012, 12:47 p.m.
The Future of the Left may have released their third full-length in The Plot Against Common Sense but little has changed in terms of band ... read more
Reviews
Legendary Wings – Making Paper Roses
Posted Oct. 29, 2012, 2:02 p.m.
Dirtnap Records picked up Kalamazoo, MI’s Legendary Wings based on an unsolicited demo. Seeing that the label gave them a blind shot, why not try ... read more
Reviews
NOFX – Self Entitled
Posted Oct. 29, 2012, 1:45 p.m.
NOFX haven’t mixed it up a whole lot over the years. In twelve albums they’ve remained consistently inconsistent, with a few records that have risen ... read more
Reviews
God Equals Genocide – Rattled Minds
Posted Oct. 22, 2012, 11:45 a.m.
I’ve listened to a pretty solid variety of new records this year, but it’s always nice to come back to something from the DIY punk ... read more
Reviews
Luther – Let's Get You Somewhere Else
Posted Oct. 22, 2012, 11:39 a.m.
Philadelphia’s Luther have been quick to grab attention. The band, formed just two years ago, has played on some high profile tours and just signed ... read more
Reviews
Cadette – Flesh Without Hunting
Posted Oct. 1, 2012, 2:36 p.m.
If first impressions are what make or break an artist, Cadette is a whole bunch of angry. The Minneapolis, MN trio’s debut release Flesh Without ... read more
Reviews
Ace High Cutthroats – Black Fire
Posted Sept. 24, 2012, 3:20 p.m.
With a name like Ace High Cutthroats, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to determine what the band is about. On their debut Black ... read more
Reviews
Plastic Cross – Grayscale Rainbows
Posted Sept. 16, 2012, 9:48 p.m.
Hub City Hardcore may not be on par with Greek mythology in terms of their incestuous relations, but with the debut of Plastic Cross, the ... read more
Reviews
Two Gallants – The Bloom And The Blight
Posted Sept. 10, 2012, 2:44 p.m.
2012 sees Two Gallants coming back from a 5-year hiatus with their new release The Bloom and the Blight. How have the ensuing years treated ... read more
Reviews
Young Guv & the Scuzz – A Love Too Strong
Posted Sept. 3, 2012, 1:05 p.m.
Young Guv, aka Ben Cook, has been keeping himself busy. Besides his full-time gig with the mammoth hardcore band Fucked Up, he’s released 11 singles ... read more
Reviews
The Riverboat Gamblers – The Wolf You Feed
Posted Sept. 3, 2012, 1:04 p.m.
The Riverboat Gamblers are an established band. So much so that it surprised me to see that The Wolf You Feed is just their fifth ... read more
Reviews
Aesop Rock – Skelethon
Posted Aug. 27, 2012, 1:25 p.m.
The big complaint since Aesop Rock’s breakthrough, Labor Days, seems to be that he hasn’t had the memorable singles. At this point, it should be ... read more
Reviews
New Bruises – Chock Full of Misery
Posted Aug. 27, 2012, 1:16 p.m.
Chock Full of Misery as a title sets a bleak tone for a group best labeled as pop-punk. Yet, New Bruises don’t let the downer ... read more
Reviews
Teenage Bottlerocket – Freak Out!
Posted Aug. 20, 2012, 1:07 p.m.
I’ve been hearing about the new wave of pop-punk for a while—how bands like Menzingers and Teenage Bottlerocket are reshaping the genre, building off predecessors ... read more
Reviews
Adam Widener – Cola Kids Hanging Out in the Bubble Dome
Posted Aug. 17, 2012, 12:12 a.m.
There are a few red flags that make me avoid records or, if you will, to judge a book by its cover. First, solo records ... read more
Reviews
Aaron Freeman – Marvelous Clouds
Posted Aug. 6, 2012, 1:38 p.m.
Rolling Stone didn’t do Aaron Freeman any favors in running their interview that announces the end of Ween before I got my hands on this ... read more
Reviews
Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth
Posted July 30, 2012, 3:54 p.m.
It’s always curious to see a veteran musician team up with their junior. Last year Jimmy Cliff joined with producer Tim Armstrong (Rancid) for the ... read more
Reviews
Cadence Weapon – Hope In Dirt City
Posted July 23, 2012, 1:53 p.m.
Hope in Dirt City is the third release from Edmonton, Alberta’s Cadence Weapon. With a smooth flow and an ear for wordplay, Cadence Weapon creates ... read more
Reviews
Royal Headache – Self Titled
Posted July 23, 2012, 1:49 p.m.
Royal Headache has been gathering some hype lately. Their self-titled record is a twelve track piece of high energy garage-punk, blazing past in twenty-six minutes. ... read more
Reviews
Bird Sounds – New
Posted July 19, 2012, 9:06 a.m.
This is the first physical release from Bird Sounds and the four years it took them to put together a 7” has given them time ... read more
Reviews
Sick Sick Birds – Gates Of Home
Posted July 2, 2012, 4:19 p.m.
A lot of bands are waving their 90s flags these days. And I don’t blame them. A) they grew up with the stuff and, B) ... read more
Reviews
Pujol – United States Of Being
Posted June 18, 2012, 3:12 p.m.
Pujol seemed like an odd pairing with Saddle Creek when I first heard of the signing last year. In 2011, the band released X File ... read more
Reviews
Craig Finn – Clear Heart/Full Eyes
Posted June 11, 2012, 2:39 p.m.
Clear Heart Full Eyes starts off curiously. Sure, “Apollo Bay” establishes that Finn’s solo debut is a separate project compared with The Hold Steady, but ... read more
Reviews
Toys That Kill – Fambly 42
Posted June 4, 2012, 5:07 p.m.
It may have been six years since Toys That Kill put out a full-length, but Fambly 42 sounds like it could have been released immediately ... read more
Reviews
Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
Posted May 21, 2012, noon
I’m not going to lie. I’m reaching a bit out of my comfort zone on reviewing this one. And, yes, the rating system is a ... read more
Reviews
Off! – Self Titled
Posted May 17, 2012, 9:45 a.m.
This record is way too long. Nah, with 16 songs in 17 minutes, it’s shorter than a heart attack. And, hopefully, that will be my ... read more
Reviews
Vacation – Self Titled
Posted May 14, 2012, 2:31 p.m.
First off, forgive me if at some point I wander off and say something about Summer Vacation or Vacation Bible School, and I keep mixing ... read more
Reviews
Brendan Kelly & The Wandering Birds – I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever
Posted April 30, 2012, 12:22 p.m.
I’ve never thought of Brendan Kelly as much of a singer. Sure, I’ve followed his career—hell, Slapstick played at the first real DIY show I ... read more
Reviews
L'Assassins – 7 PM Go!!!
Posted April 23, 2012, 9:48 a.m.
Big Action Records’ latest release, 7pm Go!!! from L’Assassins is definitely in line with their recent catalog. Instead of throwback garage, however, L’Assassins have a ... read more
Reviews
Tenement – Blind Wink
Posted April 9, 2012, 2:14 p.m.
Appleton, WI’s Tenement are a busy beast. The two-plus-piece band (featuring numerous guest musicians) released Napalm Dream in 2011, which I gave a heavy Replacements ... read more
Reviews
The Hussy – Weed Seizure
Posted April 9, 2012, 2:12 p.m.
Just a year ago I was writing about Cement Tomb Mind Control. Here we are in 2012, and the Madison, WI two-piece is already dropping ... read more
Reviews
John K. Samson – Provincial
Posted April 2, 2012, 10:33 a.m.
It’s already been four plus years since the last Weakerthans record. If I weren’t aging quickly myself, that would feel like a long time. While ... read more
Reviews
The Blank Fight – House Band Feud (Re-Issue)
Posted March 19, 2012, 1:48 p.m.
Aaron Cometbus, Rymodee of This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb, bikes, guitars…that seems a fitting intro for the reissue of The Blank Fight’s one and ... read more
Reviews
The Measure [SA] – My Heart And The Real World
Posted March 12, 2012, 1:28 p.m.
![The Measure [SA] – My Heart And The Real World](https://www.scenepointblank.com/assets/img/covers/med_zmeasure_myheart.jpg)
From the getgo, the transitions on My Heart and the Real World could be smoother—but that’s no surprise on a collections record. The Measure [SA] ... read more
Reviews
Future of the Left – Polymers Are Forever EP
Posted March 12, 2012, 1:08 p.m.
From what I gather, I’m supposed to love Andy Falkous and his body of work. For a man who talks so much shit, he sure ... read more
Reviews
Spoonboy – The Papas
Posted March 5, 2012, 1:40 p.m.
Do you like songs about gender issues, white male privilege, masculinity, and society in general? If not, you may want to quit reading here. Spoonboy, ... read more
Reviews
Shell Shag – Fuck Society
Posted Feb. 27, 2012, 9:36 p.m.
What if you could have all the great hits of the early 90s on one record: Liz Phair, INXS, Archers of Loaf all on one ... read more
Reviews
Lasting Impression – 301.9
Posted Feb. 27, 2012, 11:12 a.m.
Hardcore really isn’t my thing. Still, every once and a while I like to break out of my comfort zone with something different. Lasting Impression, ... read more
Reviews
Mind Spiders – Meltdown
Posted Feb. 20, 2012, 11:30 a.m.
Mark Ryan may not tour all that often, but you can’t fault the man’s productivity. Meltdown marks the second release from solo project Mind Spiders ... read more
Reviews
Classics Of Love – Self Titled
Posted Feb. 13, 2012, 11:45 a.m.
Classics of Love have a hill to climb. Considering that leader Jesse Michaels has been in bands like Common Rider, Big Rig and, oh, let’s ... read more
Reviews
Buildings – Melt, Cry, Sleep
Posted Jan. 31, 2012, 12:35 p.m.
Buildings. Two syllables. Direct and immovable. It seems a fitting name for this Minneapolis three-piece and their second album Melt, Cry, Sleep. Their sound is ... read more
Reviews
Future Virgins – Western Problems
Posted Jan. 16, 2012, 11:46 a.m.
2011 saw me getting deeper into garage bands. What better way to close out my year than with Future Virgins, who blend garage brevity and ... read more
Reviews
The Slow Death – Born Ugly, Got Worse
Posted Dec. 26, 2011, 1:07 p.m.
When The Soviettes’ Annie Sparrows voice starts Born Ugly, Got Worse devoid of instrumentation, it’s a crisp and honest delivery that complements leader Jesse Thorson’s ... read more
Reviews
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake – Period
Posted Dec. 26, 2011, 1:04 p.m.
Michael Yonkers has a fascinating story: getting dropped by the majors, personal injury, and being rediscovered a generation later. That story has already been told ... read more
Reviews
Gateway District – Perfect's Gonna Fail
Posted Dec. 26, 2011, 12:08 a.m.
The Gateway District’s debut, Some Days You Get the Thunder hooked me immediately yet, to this day, I can’t single out a standout track or ... read more
Reviews
Doomtree – No Kings
Posted Dec. 19, 2011, 2:26 p.m.
It’s not hard to find something to say about Doomtree. The 7-headed monster has enough disparate characters that I could fill the proverbial pages here ... read more
Reviews
Jimmy Cliff – Sacred Fire EP
Posted Dec. 19, 2011, 2:19 p.m.
Jimmy Cliff sounds pretty spry for a 63 year-old. The reggae legend is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer (whatever that means) and holds ... read more
Reviews
Tommy Stinson – One Man Mutiny
Posted Dec. 12, 2011, 12:57 p.m.
In the long-honored tradition of solo records from Guns N’ Roses members, Tommy Stinson delivers One Man Mutiny. Of course, Stinson has an intriguing back ... read more
Reviews
Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific
Posted Dec. 5, 2011, 7:48 a.m.
I’ll be honest. I was kind of hoping somebody else would review this record. I like Banner Pilot. A lot. The reason I didn’t want ... read more
Reviews
Street Eaters – Rusty Eyes and Hydrocarbons
Posted Nov. 22, 2011, 10:47 a.m.
There’s a level of familiarity in Street Eaters that I can’t put my finger on. That said, I’ll do my best to in reviewing their ... read more
Reviews
Nothington – Borrowed Time
Posted Nov. 21, 2011, 9:13 a.m.
I’ll be honest, I missed Roads Bridges & Ruins, even after guitarist Chris Matulich said it would be quite a transition from All In. While ... read more
Reviews
Andrew Jackson Jihad – Knife Man
Posted Nov. 14, 2011, 2:48 p.m.
Andrew Jackson Jihad runs the folk-punk gamut—they’ve put out a split with Ghost Mice, play The Fest more or less annually, and they’re a two-piece ... read more
Reviews
Pujol – X File On Main St.
Posted Nov. 14, 2011, 2:42 p.m.
There’s no wasting time on X File on Main St. Within the first few lines, singer Daniel Pujol has taken his stance on careers, art, ... read more
Reviews
Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground
Posted Nov. 7, 2011, 12:29 p.m.
With guest spots from Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem), Chris Phillips (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Frank Turner, Audra Mae, Rick Steff and Todd Neene (Lucero), and Christopher ... read more
Reviews
Noise By Numbers – Over Leavitt
Posted Oct. 24, 2011, 12:35 p.m.
Noise By Numbers are a group of Chicago punk veterans, and Over Leavitt gives a nice first impression. The sepia-tinged sunset photo of an industrial ... read more
Reviews
Polar Bear Club – Clash Battle Guilt Pride
Posted Oct. 24, 2011, 12:14 p.m.
Clash Battle Guilt Pride is Polar Bear Club’s third release and second on Bridge Nine. The veteran band sets their tone early with “Pawner,” a ... read more
Reviews
Leatherface – Viva La Arthouse: Live In Melbourne
Posted Oct. 19, 2011, 9:39 p.m.
On the Stormy Petrel World Tour in 2010 bassist Graeme Philliskirk made an arrangement with The Arthouse in Melbourne, Australia to record Leatherface’s set, unbeknownst ... read more
Reviews
The Blind Shake – Seriousness
Posted Oct. 17, 2011, 9:24 a.m.
It’s Seriousness indeed for The Blind Shake. The Minneapolis three-piece plays concise, to the point garage rock. From their matching trek suits to drummer Dave ... read more
Reviews
Tenement – Napalm Dream
Posted Oct. 10, 2011, 7:31 a.m.
Wow, this isn’t at all what I was expecting. With a one word name and the title Napalm Dream, I had images of guttural-voice hardcore ... read more
Reviews
Sleeping in the Aviary – You And Me, Ghost
Posted Oct. 3, 2011, 7:56 a.m.
It was just six months ago that I reviewed Great Vacation. Sure, I was a few months behind the trolley on that one, but the ... read more
Reviews
Bad Sports – Kings Of The Weekend
Posted Sept. 26, 2011, 10:36 a.m.
Bad Sports made a smart sequencing decision by opening Kings of the Weekend with “Off Switch.” The punk burner has a lot of garage noise ... read more
Reviews
Bangers – Small Pleasures
Posted Sept. 19, 2011, 5:52 a.m.
Small Pleasures is the first proper full-length from Cornwall, England trio Bangers. To shortcut straight to the point, it’s fitting that this record is released ... read more
Reviews
Night Birds – The Other Side Of Darkness
Posted Sept. 12, 2011, 4:35 a.m.
The hype had been building for Night Birds’ debut. They’ve released three 7”s and the band, feature ex-members of The Ergs!, Hunchback, and Psyched to ... read more
Reviews
Voytek – Self Titled
Posted Sept. 5, 2011, 3 a.m.
Voytek are a Minneapolis punk band currently taking things to the next level. Whether that level is up or down is in the eye of ... read more
Reviews
William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs
Posted Sept. 5, 2011, 2:50 a.m.
William Elliott Whitmore’s Anti debut, Animals in the Dark, was something of an outlier in his discography—the bigger label release introduced more instrumentation and a ... read more
Reviews
Witches – Forever
Posted Aug. 29, 2011, 12:32 p.m.
Witches are a tough band to break down. The vocals from Cara Beth Satalino are far and away the driving force on their debut, Forever. ... read more
Reviews
Coathangers – Larceny & Old Lace
Posted Aug. 22, 2011, 6:12 a.m.
For a city its size, I know next to nothing about the Atlanta, GA scene. For some reason I think of Nashville Pussy-styled sleaze rock, ... read more
Reviews
Emily's Army – Don't Be A Dick
Posted Aug. 15, 2011, 9:26 a.m.
It would be hard for Emily’s Army to disassociate from their bloodlines: Don’t Be a Dick is produced by Billie Joe Armstrong, shares a similarity ... read more
Reviews
Bandname – Breakfast
Posted Aug. 8, 2011, 9:42 p.m.
Flippant is a word that popped up on the of Bandname's press sheet. Take their moniker into account and add the heavy slackerism that permeates ... read more
Reviews
Something Fierce – Don't Be So Cruel
Posted July 25, 2011, 9:55 a.m.
Chalk up another one for the misleading band name file—Something Fierce makes me think violent and brutal, which definitely isn’t what this Houston group is ... read more
Reviews
Various Artists – Spraynard & Sundials - Split
Posted July 17, 2011, 4:05 p.m.
Spraynard hail from Pennsylvania and they play a style of punk that blends the varied melodic subgenres of punk rock (East Bay, beard punk, pop ... read more
Reviews
Elway – Delusions
Posted July 11, 2011, 9:14 a.m.
Pop structures with gruff vocals? Check.Group singalongs at the chorus?Check.A lyrical focus on being lost in the world while simultaneously abusing alcohol semi-therapeutically?Check.There’s definitely a ... read more
Reviews
Amateur Party – Truncheons in the Manor
Posted July 4, 2011, 7:19 a.m.
There are a lot of names that could be dropped when talking about Amateur Party—in fact, I did so when I reviewed their EP back ... read more
Reviews
Amateur Party – Public Utility Complaint
Posted June 15, 2011, 7:52 a.m.
Man, what a nice looking record. The sleeve includes an actual photograph for the cover, with a dozen or so variations that you can get, ... read more
Reviews
The Dwarves – Born Again
Posted June 13, 2011, 8:58 a.m.
Back in the pre-internet era I came across a blurb in some metal magazine I read in my adolescent years—I’m guessing it was Rip. In ... read more
Reviews
Dan Padilla – As The Ox Plows
Posted June 6, 2011, 11:02 a.m.
It’s been almost a year since As the Ox Plows popped up on the interwebs. Back then it boasted itself as a free digital version ... read more
Reviews
High Tension Wires – Welcome New Machine
Posted June 6, 2011, 10:46 a.m.
Namedropping in reviews is an easy thing to do, and I’m not averse to it myself. The obvious ones for High Tension Wires come via ... read more
Reviews
The Hussy – Cement Tomb Mind Control
Posted May 30, 2011, 5:36 a.m.
The Hussy have been banging away in clubs, bars, and basements since 2008. In that time, they’ve pumped out 3 vinyl singles and a split ... read more
Reviews
Ninja Gun – Roman Nose
Posted May 23, 2011, 5:06 a.m.
Ninja Gun draws from a lot of sources, playing in the Suburban Home-style market of alt country derived from obtuse punk influences. They tend to ... read more
Reviews
Swingin' Utters – Here, Under Protest
Posted May 16, 2011, 6:27 a.m.
You can’t accuse Swingin’ Utters of phoning it in. Here, Under Protest is the band’s first studio record in eight years and, unlike some of ... read more
Reviews
Underground Railroad To Candyland – Knows Your Sins
Posted April 25, 2011, 4:11 a.m.
Considering that Underground Railroad to Candyland was formed, in large part, to be a party band, and combining that with the So. Cal. sun that’s ... read more
Reviews
Lucinda Williams – Blessed
Posted April 18, 2011, 1:12 p.m.
Over twenty-two years and ten studio albums Lucinda Williams has made a name for herself. She has a number of career achievements, but this isn’t ... read more
Reviews
Trent Fox & The Tenants – Mess Around
Posted March 21, 2011, 6:58 a.m.
There’s a garage-pop movement afoot in Wisconsin and Trent Fox & the Tenants are just one of the torchbearers. Their five song debut EP, Mess ... read more
Reviews
Old Man Markley – Guts N' Teeth
Posted March 21, 2011, 6:51 a.m.
Fat hasn’t been releasing many new bands lately. Thus, when they do expand the roster for a debut, it draws some attention. Guts n’Teeth comes ... read more
Reviews
Sims – Bad Time Zoo
Posted March 14, 2011, 9:34 a.m.
Six years is a long time between a freshman and sophomore release. Granted, that length isn’t entirely accurate—Sims has been involved in a number of ... read more
Reviews
Broken Gold – Recovery Journal
Posted March 7, 2011, 4:33 a.m.
When a band names their record Recovery Journal it should come as no surprise that the dominant impression is one of earnestness. Broken Gold is ... read more
Reviews
Sleeping in the Aviary – Great Vacation!
Posted Feb. 21, 2011, 1:11 a.m.
Sleeping in the Aviary begin Great Vacation! with a sparse, plodding guitar line that builds into the skeletal indie-folk of “Y.M.C.A. (No, Not That One)”. ... read more
Reviews
Mind Spiders – Self Titled LP
Posted Feb. 14, 2011, 9:55 a.m.
The Marked Men were the best band you’ve never heard. Well, one of them anyway. The beloved-by-some, under-the-radar-of-most band from Denton, TX may have taken ... read more
Reviews
Buffalo Moon – Black Magic/Low Tide Moon
Posted Feb. 7, 2011, 4:37 a.m.
At their heart, Buffalo Moon plays whimsical indie pop with a playfulness that is grounded by moments of straight-faced seriousness. Of course, “whimsical indie pop” ... read more
Reviews
Devil's Brigade – Self Titled
Posted Feb. 5, 2011, 1:56 a.m.
Back in 2002 a song appeared on a Give ‘em the Boot comp. from a band named Devil’s Brigade. The band was a psychobilly project ... read more
Reviews
Sticks N Stones – Is It You?
Posted Jan. 24, 2011, 9:43 a.m.
Trouble in Mind is getting to the point with their cover art. The point is: let the music stand for itself. Or maybe it’s just ... read more
Reviews
The Bombay Sweets – Doin' the Jerk at Dawn
Posted Jan. 17, 2011, 9:02 a.m.
Bombay Sweets is a Minneapolis band consisting of Nathan Grumdahl (Selby Tigers, Dynamiters) and drummer Jeff Brown (His Mischief). Although the project has expanded beyond ... read more
Reviews
Whiskey & Co. – Rust Colors
Posted Jan. 10, 2011, 11:19 a.m.
Whiskey & Co.’s sound hasn’t changed, even if a couple members have. On their third record, the Gainesville band continues their old-school flavored country that ... read more
Reviews
The Arrivals – Volatile Molotov
Posted Jan. 5, 2011, 4:23 a.m.
When it comes to overlooked bands, Chicago’s Arrivals should be right near the top. The band has never been overly prolific, releasing only four records ... read more
Reviews
M.I.A. – /\/\ /\ Y /\ (MAYA)
Posted Dec. 27, 2010, 11 a.m.
The hipsterati and the New York Times may have set their sights on MIA but, frankly, I don’t have the time to care what she ... read more
Reviews
STNNNG – The Smoke of My Will
Posted Dec. 20, 2010, 2:10 p.m.
It’s been four long years since the last STNNNG album. In that time, though, the band hasn’t wavered from their dynamic and aggressive style of ... read more
Reviews
The Measure [SA] – Notes
Posted Dec. 13, 2010, 1:02 p.m.
![The Measure [SA] – Notes](https://www.scenepointblank.com/assets/img/covers/med_measure_notes.jpg)
A recent SPB interview with Lauren Measure found that the band has released 18 pieces of wax so far in their career—yet Notes is only ... read more
Reviews
Defiance, Ohio – Midwestern Minutes
Posted Dec. 6, 2010, 12:35 p.m.
Midwestern Minutes is the fourth full-length from Defiance, Ohio. The band has crafted a sound that draws from Americana and Plan-It-X-style DIY pop punk. The ... read more
Reviews
The Sass Dragons – New Kids On The Bong
Posted Nov. 22, 2010, 11:28 a.m.
It would be hard to take the Sass Dragons seriously, were it not for the quality of their recorded material. On stage, the fuck-all Chicago ... read more
Reviews
The Dopamines – Expect The Worst
Posted Nov. 22, 2010, 11:21 a.m.
The Dopamines first caught my attention when they released a 7” that pays homage to the Big Black Songs About Fucking cover. Sure, they sound ... read more
Reviews
Pissed Jeans – King Of Jeans
Posted Nov. 3, 2010, 7:11 a.m.
Ugly and violent. Pissed Jeans dont mess around, starting 2009s King of Jeans with False Jesii, Part Two, and never letting up on the noisepunk ... read more
Reviews
The Riot Before – Rebellion
Posted Nov. 3, 2010, 7:08 a.m.
Early releases from The Riot Before have had an undeniable feeling that the band was primarily Brett Adams’ project. Although they have a handful of ... read more
Reviews
Sugar Stems – The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems
Posted Nov. 3, 2010, 7:04 a.m.
The Sugar Stems know what sound they’re after, and that’s pretty clear from their name alone. The Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems immediately hits on ... read more
Reviews
The Brokedowns – Species Bender
Posted Oct. 25, 2010, 1:12 p.m.
Three long years after New Brains for Everyone rallied cynical drunks everywhere, the Brokedowns have returned with another full-length, this time for Chicago’s Red Scare ... read more
Reviews
Tiltwheel – The Hiatus AKA The High Hate Us
Posted Oct. 6, 2010, 7:05 a.m.
Tiltwheel have firmly established themselves as one of the least prolific bands out there. Formed in 1991, the band had released only two proper full-lengths ... read more
Reviews
Sundowner – We Chase the Waves
Posted Sept. 13, 2010, 9:46 a.m.
We Chase the Waves is the second release from Lawrence Arms singer/guitarist Chris McCaughan. While technically his second solo release, this one is truly an ... read more
Reviews
Averkiou – Wasted and High
Posted Sept. 1, 2010, 4 p.m.
The title track on this 7 is a fitting sound, given its title. Wasted and High has a pop structure run through the wash, and ... read more
Reviews
Sims – False Hopes XIV
Posted Sept. 1, 2010, 3:51 p.m.
Lights Out Paris was one of my favorite releases of 2005, but as the Doomtree crew only has so much time and money on their ... read more
Reviews
Call Me Lightning – When I Am Gone My Blood Will Be Free
Posted Sept. 1, 2010, 3:39 p.m.
Is this the band that released Soft Skeletons? Its been 3 years, and clearly the band has opted to go in a different direction. While ... read more
Reviews
Mayflower – Second Best Sunsets
Posted Aug. 26, 2010, 12:09 p.m.
After a brief intro track (whats the point of intros, anyway?), Mayflower kicks things off with the energetic I Never , an Off With Their ... read more
Reviews
The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
Posted June 16, 2010, 7:30 a.m.
Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, wants to sound like Bob Dylan. Who doesnt? Well, I can name a few bands, but I ... read more
Reviews
The Morning After Girls – Alone
Posted June 9, 2010, 3:52 a.m.
The Morning After Girls are a band from New York by way of Melbourne. I have to assume their name is more a reference to ... read more
Reviews
Okie Dokie – Okie Dokie
Posted May 16, 2010, 10:36 p.m.
The band is named Okie Dokie. The artwork is simple and to the point. In other words, Okie Dokie doesnt hide the fact that theyre ... read more
Reviews
Love Collector – My Baby Goes Waaah!
Posted April 11, 2010, 10:50 p.m.
What you get with Love Collector is pretty straightforward. Only a few seconds into My Baby Goes Waaah!, the titular track on this 7, its ... read more
Reviews
The Bouncing Souls – Ghosts on the Boardwalk
Posted March 1, 2010, 8:33 a.m.
As life continually changes, sometimes constancy is important. Putting in Ghosts on the Boardwalk, the twenty-year anniversary release from The Bouncing Souls, reminds me of ... read more
Reviews
Felt – Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Posted March 1, 2010, 8:22 a.m.
Its refreshing to put in a hip-hop disc and not have it bogged down with guest spots featured on every track. In fact, none of ... read more
Reviews
Young Livers / Army of Ponch – Live at The Atlantic: Volume 1
Posted Feb. 16, 2010, 11:42 p.m.
What strikes in a live show doesnt always show evenly on the studio reproduction. My first thoughts on Sound Studys Live at the Atlantic: Volume ... read more
Reviews
Mouthbreather / Enviornmental Youth Crunch – Split
Posted Feb. 1, 2010, 3:08 a.m.
Theres a lot to say about this split. First, it features one great name (Mouthbreather) and one lesser one (Environmental Youth Crunch). What strikes me ... read more
Reviews
Drunkdriver – Fire Sale
Posted Jan. 16, 2010, 11:30 p.m.
I like to consider myself pretty versed in rock - I listen to a lot of stuff and a good amount of variety. But, every ... read more
Reviews
The Bomb – Speed is Everything
Posted Jan. 12, 2010, 12:28 a.m.
Considering how much Ive heard about the Naked Raygun reunion, youd think there would be more buzz regarding The Bomb. Speed is Everything is the ... read more
Reviews
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake – Cold Town/Soft Zodiac
Posted Jan. 6, 2010, 10:10 p.m.
The Blind Shake are a power-garage trio from Minneapolis. They play highly synchronized, precision rock with guitar, tenor guitar, and drums. Michael Yonkers is a ... read more
Reviews
Sick Sick Birds – Heavy Manners
Posted Dec. 29, 2009, 10:33 p.m.
Sometimes life gets in the way of good music. When the Thumbs disbanded in 2003, Mike Hall and Bobby Borte needed a new outlet. They ... read more
Reviews
King Khan & The BBQ Show – Invisible Girl
Posted Dec. 23, 2009, 1:36 a.m.
In his two-piece with Mark BBQ Sultan, King Khan & The BBQ Show brings garage rock as its meant to be played: layered with harmonies ... read more
Reviews
Myles Deck and the Fuzz – Police Cops
Posted Dec. 1, 2009, 3:36 p.m.
I guess Myles Deck and the Fuzz deliver what they promise on Police Cops. With a name referencing fuzz and a title copped from The ... read more
Reviews
Yesterday's Ring – Diamonds in the Ditch
Posted Nov. 24, 2009, 11:28 p.m.
Some folks they tell me: "You just cant play country / Youre a stupid young punk and youre from Montreal / But Ill still make ... read more
Reviews
Austin Lucas – The Common Cold (Reissue)
Posted Nov. 12, 2009, 11:55 p.m.
In a time of ex-punkers going the acoustic, solo route, Austin Lucas offers something that differs from his Revival Tour circuit peers. Where artists like ... read more
Reviews
Korova – Another Happy Customer
Posted Nov. 10, 2009, 12:05 a.m.
Korova are a DIY hardcore band from Alabama. They wear their influences on their sleeve, with latter-day Black Flag being the predominant one throughout Another ... read more
Reviews
Gonzales – Checkmate
Posted Oct. 20, 2009, 2:37 p.m.
It shouldnt take a Johnny Cash song to make a record take off. With Checkmate, from Gonzales, thats exactly the problem. The first hook to ... read more
Reviews
The Creeps – These Walls
Posted Oct. 14, 2009, 1:53 p.m.
What much can I really say? This style has been done numerous times. The Creeps play infectious, upbeat punk, born of the Ramones and sculpted ... read more
Reviews
Deep Sleep – Three Things at Once
Posted Sept. 8, 2009, 3:48 p.m.
Deep Sleep sound like 1980's LA hardcore. A good example is the dual vocals of Alone with You, but with twenty-one songs in twenty-five minutes, ... read more
Reviews
Detournement – Screaming Response
Posted Sept. 7, 2009, 1:12 a.m.
Detournement are an Eastcoast band with members from a host of familiar bands. Rather than focus on who they are, though, their music should speak ... read more
Reviews
The Tanks – Keep Breaking Down
Posted Aug. 19, 2009, 11:53 p.m.
With only two studio albums thus far, Im not really comfortable referring to The Future of the Left has an influential band, but only a ... read more
Reviews
Brainworms – II: Swear to Me
Posted Aug. 12, 2009, 11:47 p.m.
There is a caustic, angry, and somewhat aimless feel permeating Swear to Me that convinces me that Brainworms is a good name for the band. ... read more
Reviews
Drag the River – Bad at Breaking Up
Posted July 28, 2009, 9:34 p.m.
I know Im not the easiest lover, Drag the River admits in Jeff Black Song. That honest and simple line over a minimal acoustic track ... read more
Reviews
Only Thieves – Greeting from Levy Park, T.L.H.
Posted July 16, 2009, 3:48 p.m.
Only Thieves pay homage to the Boss with their cover to Greeting from Levy Park, T.L.H., but the tribute doesnt stop at the artwork. From ... read more
Reviews
The Paper Chase – Someday This Could All Be Yours (Part 1)
Posted July 8, 2009, 4:41 p.m.
The first thing thats going to strike you about The Paper Chase is that theyre a quirky indie band. What you get in the first ... read more
Reviews
Foundation – Chimborazo
Posted June 24, 2009, 1:11 a.m.
I like to refer to Foundations self-titled record as campfire punk. It takes basic punk songs (often from the Ann Beretta catalog) and strips them ... read more
Reviews
Rancid – Let the Dominoes Fall
Posted June 15, 2009, 1:01 a.m.
I could write a thousand words on Rancid here if I wanted. I spent the better part of the 90's defending them amongst the punx, ... read more
Reviews
Valina – A Tempo! A Tempo!
Posted June 10, 2009, 11:32 p.m.
For a band whose hyperbolic press sheet claims theyve played 75,854 shows in their eleven year history (thats only 18.88 per day by my count) ... read more
Reviews
Gatorface – Sick and Stupid
Posted June 9, 2009, 12:55 a.m.
The name had me thinking hardcore, and the inclusion of ex-New Mexican Disaster Squad only solidified that thought, but Gatorface plays pretty much straight-up pop ... read more
Reviews
La Crisi – II - Tutti a Pezzi
Posted June 3, 2009, 2:35 p.m.
Is there any better imagery than broken teeth? La Crisi dont seem to think so. Given the ferocity on II - Tutti a Pezzi I ... read more
Reviews
The Shaking Hands – The Shaking Hands
Posted May 14, 2009, 9:14 p.m.
In my recent Kiss of Death reviews theres been a steady diet of pop-influenced beard punk. Expecting more of the same, Gainesvilles The Shaking Hands ... read more
Reviews
The Measure [SA] – Songs About People... and Fruit N' Shit
Posted May 13, 2009, 12:02 a.m.
![The Measure [SA] – Songs About People... and Fruit N' Shit](https://www.scenepointblank.com/assets/img/covers/med_02423.jpg)
Its another vinyl-only release from The Measure [SA]. As a reviewer, I get an mp3 disc with a handwritten label instead of the art. Ill ... read more
Reviews
Austin Lucas – Somebody Loves You
Posted May 5, 2009, 8:58 a.m.
When O Brother, Where Art Thou sold over seven million copies, you knew that people were listening and that the soundtrack would have an influence ... read more
Reviews
O Pioneers!!! – Neon Creeps
Posted April 27, 2009, 9:55 a.m.
With their Asian Man debut, Neon Creeps, O Pioneers!!! is trying to make a name for themselves while upping the ante on stupid punctuation in ... read more
Reviews
The Ergs! – That's It...Bye
Posted April 21, 2009, 12:50 a.m.
Bands break up all the time. Sometimes they blow up on stage, storm off from a tour, grow apart, and on occasion they cordially agree ... read more
Reviews
Maniqui Lazer – I Learn Everything on TV
Posted April 13, 2009, 8:20 p.m.
I dont know much about music along the US-Mexico border, and the name Maniqui Lazer and the cartoonish sketches on the cover only intrigue me ... read more
Reviews
P.O.S. – Never Better
Posted April 2, 2009, 1:12 a.m.
The unique style of P.O.S. continues to come together - from the disjointed and experimental Ipecac Neat that caught Rhymesayers attention, and the slightly more ... read more
Reviews
Anchor Arms – Cold Blooded
Posted March 30, 2009, 2:49 p.m.
These days everything reminds me of The Fest. Todays memory comes from release FSR001 by Anchor Arms, reminding me that I missed the Fail Safe ... read more
Reviews
RevCo – Sexo Olympico
Posted March 23, 2009, 1:49 a.m.
Whos your favorite Cock? Hopefully you answered either Al Buck Satan or Luc, Luc Van Acker, seeing as theyre the only returning members. I missed ... read more
Reviews
Child Bite – Fantastic Gusts of Blood
Posted March 12, 2009, 4:29 p.m.
There are different kinds of eccentric bands - the parody and weird bands like Ween or Beck or They Might Be Giants, and there are ... read more
Reviews
Virgins – Miscarriage
Posted Feb. 25, 2009, 11:36 p.m.
Orlandos Virgins play hook orientated, chorus heavy punk with scratchy throat vocals. The three-piece formed from the ashes of New Mexican Disaster Squad and their ... read more
Reviews
Maps of Norway – Die Off Songbird
Posted Feb. 23, 2009, 12:15 a.m.
Its refreshing to hear bands showing their influences without becoming a fiftieth-wave hybrid, a la The ePoxies. Maps of Norway obviously love 1980's new-wave. However, ... read more
Reviews
Monikers – Wake Up
Posted Feb. 12, 2009, 9:07 p.m.
2008 was a year I kept hearing Monikers' name without knowing a thing about them. They turned up on split releases, message boards, and year ... read more
Reviews
Swingin' Utters – Hatest Grits: B-Sides and Bullshit
Posted Feb. 8, 2009, 11:50 p.m.
If the name isnt clear enough for you, the Swingin Utters new record, Hatest Grits: B-Sides and Bullshit, does not contain new material. It also ... read more
Reviews
Deathcycle – Prelude to Tyranny
Posted Jan. 20, 2009, 7:29 a.m.
Deathcycle brings hardcore laden with throwback influence and metal finishes. Theyre young, angry lads who have, within the past month, announced their breakup before I ... read more
Reviews
Constantines – Kensington Heights
Posted Jan. 18, 2009, 11:02 p.m.
Kensington Heights is the fourth album from Ontarios Constantines and their first since 2005. The group, best known for a powerful live show, has yet ... read more
Reviews
An Albatross – An Albatross Family Album
Posted Jan. 11, 2009, 11:59 p.m.
With their first release since 2006, An Albatross decided to get serious: they spent five weeks in the studio with a team of ex-members, new ... read more
Reviews
Star Fucking Hipsters – Until We're Dead
Posted Dec. 21, 2008, 2:38 p.m.
Lets face it: a lot of punk rock comes across through the singers voice, and that voice often isnt pretty: Johnny Rottens snottiness, Tim Armstrongs ... read more
Reviews
Roll the Tanks – Suffer City
Posted Dec. 18, 2008, 8:19 p.m.
Something about Roll the Tanks sounds familiar. I cant put my finger on who they remind me of, but they have a light, bouncy Brit-pop ... read more
Reviews
The Measure [SA] – One Chapter in the Book: A Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements
Posted Nov. 25, 2008, 8:56 p.m.
![The Measure [SA] – One Chapter in the Book: A Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements](https://www.scenepointblank.com/assets/img/covers/med_02215.jpg)
New Brunswick, NJ seems to be bringing the rock lately. The Measure [SA] is one of the towns hard working bands with a slew of ... read more
Reviews
Banner Pilot – Resignation Day
Posted Nov. 20, 2008, 12:10 a.m.
With a pedigree including Rivethead and Off With Their Heads there are certain expectations behind Banner Pilot's debut full length. In addition to their resume, ... read more
Reviews
The Riot Before – Fists Buried in Pockets
Posted Oct. 16, 2008, 8:49 p.m.
The Riot Before hail from Richmond but look and sound like a Gainesville band. Musically, I'd lump them in with American Steel and old Against ... read more
Reviews
Racebannon – Acid or Blood
Posted Sept. 25, 2008, 10:55 p.m.
My first thought when I look at Racebannon's Myspace profile is that their vocalist, Mike Anderson, has a bit of the curly-haired Ween look to ... read more
Reviews
Baby Guts – The Kissing Disease
Posted Sept. 19, 2008, 2:55 a.m.
I have to wonder what rock critics would've done without L7 and Babes in Toyland, as it seems every writer feels compelled to make comparisons ... read more
Reviews
Real McKenzies – Off the Leash
Posted Sept. 14, 2008, 3:13 p.m.
What the world needs is more Dropkick Murphys, or perhaps something just different enough to spawn a new sub-subgenre. Unlike Dropkick Murphys, The Real McKenzies ... read more
Reviews
You May Die in the Desert – Bears in the Yukon
Posted Sept. 2, 2008, 11:55 p.m.
You May Die in the Desert is a three-piece, self-described as an "uplifting jazzy trio [that] combines chaotic guitar riffs with atmospheric layover techniques." With ... read more
Reviews
The Architects – Vice
Posted Aug. 18, 2008, 3:48 p.m.
You know that Less Than Jake song, "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads?" Well, just keep that in mind for a minute. On The Architects ... read more
Reviews
You May Die in the Desert / Gifts from Enola – Harmonic Motion: Volume 1
Posted Aug. 7, 2008, 2:17 a.m.
Harmonic Motion: Volume 1 is the start of a Differential Records series aiming to bring together like-sounding instrumental groups. The record starts off with "The ... read more
Reviews
The National Rifle – Wage Life
Posted July 29, 2008, 8:48 p.m.
What if Elvis Costello was still churning out upbeat, poppy numbers like his early work? What if you took away some of the crackle and ... read more
Reviews
The Reds – Fugitives from the Laughing House
Posted July 14, 2008, 11:33 p.m.
Fugitives from the Laughing House comes twenty years after The Reds released their first single. Despite such a history, the band is not a household ... read more
Reviews
A Caesar Holiday – A Caesar Holiday
Posted July 1, 2008, 8:36 p.m.
The five-piece A Caesar Holiday offer up six tracks totaling forty-five minutes on their self-titled debut release. Featuring the combined instrumentation of violin, dual guitars, ... read more
Reviews
Tournament – Swordswallower
Posted June 10, 2008, 2:57 p.m.
With silkscreen cover art and a handwritten inventory number on Swordswallower, the Brooklyn-based Tournament (ex-Paragraph) have released an impressive debut. The press sheet is informative ... read more
Reviews
Prizzy Prizzy Please – Prizzy Prizzy Please
Posted June 3, 2008, 8:07 p.m.
The band is named Prizzy Prizzy Please. They have bright colors and octopus tentacles on their cover. Instruments included: keyboards, bass, drums, and sax. The ... read more
Reviews
The Tim Version – Decline of the Southern Gentleman
Posted May 20, 2008, 8:57 p.m.
At The Fest last fall I saw a lot of bands, most of which I had a previous idea of what they were about beforehand. ... read more
Reviews
Ween – La Cucaracha
Posted April 23, 2008, 8:24 p.m.
If you don't know Ween at this point, it's difficult to sum them up in a few words. Eclectic, genre hopping, and parody come to ... read more
Reviews
The Black Hollies – Casting Shadows
Posted April 13, 2008, 8:18 p.m.
The Black Hollies feature three-fifths of Jersey City's Rye Coalition, but don't expect Casting Shadows, the trippy-covered Ernest Jenning release to match Rye Coalition's dirty ... read more
Reviews
The Seven Mile Journey – The Metamorphosis Project
Posted March 31, 2008, 11:20 p.m.
Operating under the post-rock banner, The Seven Mile Journey's The Metamorphosis Project offers an hour of sparse and atmospheric soundscapes. It is the group's second ... read more
Reviews
The Tossers – Agony
Posted March 16, 2008, 9:45 p.m.
A handful of records on multiple labels, a World Series game, a Jimmy Kimmel appearance, a solo record...not bad for a band of Southside Chicagoans ... read more
Reviews
Pyongyang Metro – Tower of White Tigers
Posted Feb. 27, 2008, 11:37 p.m.
Pyongyang Metro is a tough band to separate from their other projects. The band shares members with Off With Their Heads, Rivethead, and Banner Pilot ... read more
Reviews
NOFX – They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
Posted Feb. 11, 2008, 12:39 a.m.
"Ever done something you regret while drunk like...recorded a live album?" the press sheet states. As NOFX open the CD and Fat Mike announces, "Oh, ... read more
Reviews
The Dauntless Elite – Graft
Posted Feb. 7, 2008, 1:57 p.m.
The Dauntless Elite hail from Leeds and hold the honor of being the first international Plan-it-X band. With Graft, their first full-length, they deliver pop ... read more
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