Loren

Remember Election Day 2024? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you've blocked it out. That's fair, but there was one pleasant surprise that day: a new EP from Wisconsin's Arms Aloft. It took a while to claw out of the darkness in November, then Year End 2024 coverage took over the Scene Point Blank editorial calendar but now we caught up with … Read more

There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we caught up with Chuck Ragan, known as the gruffest voice of Hot … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we chat with Kevin Purcell (guitar/vocals) of Retirement about running Portland bike shop … Read more

It's been a while since I put another playlist up. I actually had this 99% done a couple of months ago, but everything went haywire and the list went on hold. This edition of Search/Play/Repeat is a quick play, running about 30 minutes in total. Enjoy! Read more

Visual Learner, BlackDots, City Mouse, Couch Potato Massacre Cloudland Theater Minneapolis, MN May 7, 2025 I’m embarrassed that I haven’t covered any shows at Cloudland for SPB previously. It’s a relatively new addition to the Minneapolis scene and a welcome addition that feels as much like a community space as … Read more

Sometimes I get all introspective and ask myself why I do this. Not very often, but the answer is always because I like music. It's that simple. I like to discover new stuff and I like to share it. Every year, the staff at Scene Point Blank sink a ton … Read more

Vices, outlets, escapes... I'm not sure where things are at here in November of 2024. But as we battle our demons and look for meaning, or escape, music is a blessing. Here's a new playlist. Many of these artists have been covered at Scene Point Blank, mixed in with tracks … Read more

Vancouver melodic punk band Die Job has a 5-song EP out next month. Titled Hazards of Occupation it comes out on August 8 via Kinda Rool Records, produced, mixed, and mastered by Shafer Carson. The group just released the second single from the EP, embedded below. Read more Read more

The Carolyn is about to follow-up their 3-song Harmful History EP with a new full-length collection of heart-on-sleeve punk rock. The trio from Atlanta, GA shared two new singles in late June, both of which will be on the upcoming Pyramid Scheme of Grief, a new 11-song collection. Both new … Read more

The Albert Square, a project from songwriter Sim Castro (Kitty Kat Fan Club, Ogikubo Station, Teens in Trouble), has announced Swallow You Whole, a new EP out August 1 on Sneak Dog Records. It's the first release under The Albert Square moniker in nearly a decade, beginning with lead single … Read more

Milwaukee, WI author Sahan Jayasuriya has a new book coming out next month, Don't Say Please: The Oral History of Die Kreuzen. It will be available on August 5 through Feral House and collects interviews, including Thurston Moore, Steve Albini, Neko Case, Butch Vig, and Lou Barlow, as well as … Read more