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Featured Releases: March 18, 2024

Dente Canino: demo cassette (Roachleg Records) Roachleg Records offers no clues as to the whereabouts or membership of this new group on their demo release. Like almost everything on Roachleg, it has a raw and blown-out recording, but Dente Canino’s songs don’t fit easily in one lane. Some parts lean into a Wretched-esque chaotic delivery, which makes sense as the lyrics are in Italian, but the metallic yet subtly melodic riffing style also reminds me of Final Conflict. That’s a tough line to walk—making your songs sound chaotic and crazy, but coherent enough that the hooks shine through—but the fact that Dente Canino can unite those two poles gives them a unique sound. I also hear similarities to neo-Italian hardcore bands like Psico Galera and Idiota Civilizatto, and if you like those bands, this is a no-brainer.


Andy Place and The Coolheads: Feels Like A Dream 7" (Black Water Records) Black Water Records brings us a new three-song single from this Portland garage-punk band. While there’s plenty of poppy stuff in Black Water’s discography, the a-side here, “Just Like a Dream,” feels like a long way from the hardcore and crust the label is better known for. I mean, it’s loud and brash, but it’s also earnest and pretty, with a kind of mushroom-afterglow affect that is the audio equivalent to film shot in golden light. I don’t listen to much music in the Ty Segall / neo-garage mold, but I’d be surprised if much of it is better than this track. Following up that monster song, “Contrarian” is noisier and punkier, with guitars pulling ahead of the vocals for a Damned / Adverts-inspired sound, and “Black Water Commercial” is just what it says on the tin. In and out, pop banger with two short stabs to follow it up, classic punk single style.


Putrid Boys: Tape #1 cassette (self-released) Fast, dark, and psychedelic hardcore from this Richmond band on their first tape, whose seven tracks (in eight minutes) could probably pass as an unheard United Mutation recording. The vocals are similar—a proto-death metal throaty gurgle—as is the way the music darts in unexpected directions. Putrid Boys also remind me of creepy 80s Japanese hardcore like the Execute, Zouo, Mobs, etc. The recording is warm and live, lo-fi in a way that helps you imagine this is a lost 80s artifact. As those comparisons might lead you to believe, it’s killer. It’s very limited too, so don’t sleep.


The Follies: Permanent Present Tense 12” (Feel It Records) There are members of a bunch of New York City punk bands in this new group the Follies, but even a cursory listen would have told me that Evan Radigan from Vanity was at the helm. The guy is a great songwriter with an instantly identifiable voice, and the Follies carry forward Vanity’s sound (on their later records) while putting their own spin on Evan’s tunes. The Stones-y swagger carries over from Vanity, but the Follies also have these really incredible neoclassical lead guitars wailing all the time, which makes it sound like Television in places. The songs sound of a piece, but varied in tempo, groove, key, etc., the mark of songwriters and players with a strong sense of their own voice. There is also a co-vocalist who provides great backups throughout and takes the lead on “Bad Habits,” a country-tinged rocker that makes me feel like the Follies are going for a Fleetwood Mac dynamic. I imagine there were plenty of people in the 70s yelling about how the Flamin’ Groovies and the Nerves were a million times better than the Knack or the Romantics, and in 2024 those same people should be up in arms that the Follies starve while the Strokes lounge atop piles of cash.


Consensus Madness: 2023 demo cassette (Open Palm Tapes) New 6-song cassette, following up this Chicago band’s previous 7” on Iron Lung Records. If you didn’t catch the earlier EP (lucky for you it’s still in stock), Consensus Madness plays fast, jittery punk in the Dangerhouse school, not so much the Avengers’ Pistols-isms, but the slightly angular, punk-on-the-edge-of-hardcore vibe of the Dils, the Eyes, and the Bags. The drummer’s manic 16th notes keep you pogoing, and the songs are well written, with compelling riffs that build toward exciting climaxes. I love the way “Spooky” develops, for instance, milking its excellent main riff just long enough before segueing into a series of dramatic crescendos. The lyrics are excellent too, continuing the first EP’s M.O. of examining the absurdities and ironies of contemporary (middle-aged? middle-class?) American existence.


Die Öwan: Öwannibalism 12” (General Speech Records) Much like the Deef reissues General Speech released at the same time, these two LPs compile little-heard material from an obscure but vital-sounding early Japanese punk band. I encourage you to read General Speech’s blurb for its excellent contextualization, which is full of wow moments and connections. As for what I hear in the music, as Tom from General Speech writes, it’s “sonically punk at its core” in that it’s upbeat, hooky, and raw. There’s also a healthy experimental streak, with primitive drum machines pushed to their limits and the occasional dada-ist gesture like the ringing phone that interrupts the music periodically. There’s also an interesting attitude toward appropriation, with a handful of covers (or are they?) that loosely interpret classic tunes from the UK ’77 songbook. Öwannibalism reminds me of contemporary egg punk too… it’s homemade quality; an appreciation of Ralph Records-style absurdity; the jittery drum machine rhythms; big melodies delivered through a haze of distortion. My wife left the room when I was playing this the other night, telling me it was “obnoxious,” but this presses so many of my nerd buttons I can’t help but love it.


Featured Releases: March 4, 2024

Little Angels: Psycho Summer 7” (11PM Records) Debut vinyl from this band from Pittsburgh associated with the vibrant scene around bands like Speed Plans, Illiterates, and Necro Heads. While Little Angels’ sound on Psycho Summer is nastier and more blown out than any of those bands’ records, it’s still of a piece with them, particularly Illiterates, who like Little Angels have a noticeable straight edge influence to their raw and ragged hardcore. Psycho Summer opens with three sub-one-minute rippers that evoke the most raging parts of Urban Waste, but with nine tracks on this record, there’s space for Little Angels to shake things up. My favorite track is “Boyfriend Phone,” a mid-paced pit clearer whose open riffing gives more space to the vocals, which ride a hooky counter-rhythm in the chorus that makes me want to chant along, fist in the air. But the strongest thing about Psycho Summer is how energetic and full of life it feels… great hardcore should make it impossible to sit still, and this fits the bill.


Vaguess: Thanks//No Thanks 12” (Under the Gun Records) Under the Gun Records (USA) and Erste Theke Tonträger (Germany) team up to bring us this new full-length from California’s Vaguess, and while both labels are associated with the egg punk thing, Vaguess doesn’t fit that mold. While Thanks//No Thanks touches a bunch of styles across its 10 tracks, the era I’m most reminded of is 90s indie… I’m thinking of bands like Pavement, Guided by Voices, Dinosaur Jr, the Breeders… the sound before it calcified into “alternative rock” and was still shot through with a sense of experimentation inherited from the early Rough Trade Records bands. As far as modern comparisons, I’d put Vaguess in the same lane as the World and Powerplant, bands that indie rockers probably think of as punk, but punkers think of as indie rock. Like those bands, Vaguess isn’t afraid to make an immediate-sounding pop tune, but they aren’t about to pander to anyone either, and they’re committed to the idea that a big melody goes down best with a healthy side of bite. Great production here too, with rich tones and a sense of space to the mix rather than all the instruments being crowded together. A really enjoyable record.


Ready Armed System / Acaustix: Military Grade Vol. 1 12” (Roachleg Records) Roachleg Records kicks off a new series they’re calling Military Grade with a split 12” between two Texas hardcore bands. The same person recorded both sides, and both bands sound raw, fuzzy, and live, akin to the blown out recordings we’ve heard on records by their fellow Texans Nosferatu. Despite—or perhaps because of—the similar recordings, differences in the two bands’ styles really shine through on this split. Ready Armed System plays ultra-fast US-style hardcore, with tempos worthy of Koro (occasionally even pushing into Heresy territory) and a singer with a scruffy, Rollins-esque bark. Acaustix has more of a raw punk style with super blown out guitars and bashing d-beats, taking influence from Anti-Cimex and Framtid. Both bands totally rip, and while the recording lacks some detail (particularly the drums on R.A.S.’s side), the performances are bursting with the wild energy I want from an underground hardcore punk record. Another ripper from Roachleg.


Ivy Creep: demo cassette (11PM Records) 11PM brings us the debut from this Richmond band. Daniel, former guitarist and riff-master from Haircut, is the primary songsmith, and it totally sounds like it, as he has a distinctive way with a meaty-sounding riff that’s grounded in the No Way school of fast-and-intense hardcore punk. The presentation is grittier, though, with harsh vocals and a fuzzy, chaotic sound to the recording that keeps things dark and introverted. Among a bunch of comparatively mid-paced fist-pumpers, “I.F.S.” stands out as a faster track with a sprightly, agile riff. Another solid entry in Richmond’s long and storied hardcore tradition.


Deef: 脳 (Nou) 12” (General Speech Records) General Speech presents the entire recorded works of the obscure 80s Japanese hardcore band Deef, spread across two LPs. Never releasing vinyl during their original run and living in the isolated northern city of Sapporo, until these reissues, Deef’s name was known only to a handful of fanatical record collectors and hardcore archaeologists. Forming in 1979 when the members were 12 and 13 years old, Deef was among the earliest hardcore bands in Japan, and on the 1982 recordings collected on 脳 (Nou), it certainly sounds like it. Particularly on the tracks from the original 脳 (Nou) cassette, it sounds like Deef is inventing hardcore as they go, speeding up fairly standard-sounding punk songs to ever-faster tempos. There’s a sui generis quality to it that reminds me of the Neos, the sound of young minds doubling down on philosophical and aesthetic extremes. By the time they recorded the last 3 tracks on the a-side (labeled here as an “unreleased E.P.”), they were more deliberate, varying tempos and evoking a sinister, rather than playful, atmosphere. Had that EP come out on vinyl, I think Deef’s place in the history of Japanese hardcore would be very different; certainly an artifact like that would sell for a lot of money in today’s collector market if it existed. On the b-side of this LP, you get a well-recorded live tape featuring many of the songs (and a similar performance) as the 脳 (Nou) cassette, including a song that I’m not sure is a cover or or just a rip-off of Discharge’s “A Look at Tomorrow.” Some of you might prefer this earlier, formative version of Deef, while others will prefer the slightly more realized material collected on the second LP, Real Control, but if you’re a Japanese hardcore fanatic, you really need it all, particularly when you throw in General Speech’s informative and period-appropriate packaging.


Deef: Real Control 12” (General Speech Records) Real Control is the second (and last) in General Speech’s series of LPs collecting the recorded works of the obscure early 80s Japanese hardcore band Deef. While all of the first LP, 脳 (Nou), was recorded in 1982, Real Control captures the band in 1983, by which time they’ve matured considerably. Not that they’ve abandoned hardcore here; in fact, Real Control sounds even more hardcore, of a piece with the legendary Japanese hardcore recordings surfacing in 1983 like Kuro’s Fire, the Great Punk Hits compilation, etc. The Real Control tape, which appears as the a-side of this LP, finds Deef’s music exploding into technicolor, the band mastering a wider range of tempos and rhythms and their riffs becoming more creative, distinctive, and memorable. Even the singer sounds more dynamic, moving between growling, shouting, and screaming, and the recording is great, with a powerful drum sound right at the front of the mix. On the b-side, we get another strong live recording, capturing the band in similarly confident form. This time the mix focuses on the vocals, and the singer’s charisma is evident. You could sneak any of these songs onto the Outsider compilation and they’d fit just fine. As I said in my write-up for 脳 (Nou), I think both volumes of this Deef collection are essential, but Real Control I’d particularly recommend Real Control if you’re a fan of Kuro, LSD, the Execute, and the nastier end of 80s Japanese hardcore.


Featured Release Roundup: February 26, 2024

Mentalité 81: Génération SacrifIée 7” (Hellnation Records) I’m thankful to Italy’s Hellnation Records for immortalizing this French band’s ripping 3-song demo from last year on vinyl. Mentalité 81 is an offshoot of the French punk/oi! band Syndrome 81 (who, based on Sorry State’s data, has a lot of fans reading this right now), but with an 80s US hardcore-influenced approach. It’s not every day I hear a band with a really clear Minor Threat influence (the most recent one that comes to mind is Japan’s Milk), but I think that has to be what Mentalité 81 is going for, and they knock the ball out of the park. To me, Mentalité 81 actually sounds more like Uniform Choice than Minor Threat, but at the end of the day there isn’t all that much difference. The riffs are fast and precise, the guitar sound is relatively clean, the drummer is fast, and the songs are compact but full to bursting with dynamic stops, starts, and drop-outs. It’s so compact, actually, that these three songs only add up to about three minutes of music, and while it may seem like a waste to make a record with so little music, I’d rather have a little taste than none at all. Hopefully these three minutes aren’t the only thing we ever hear from Mentalité 81.


Nightfeeder: Disgustor 7” (self-released) The latest self-released record from this Seattle band has arrived, and it feels like a slight departure from their earlier records. This reference never occurred to me when I was listening incessantly to Nightfeeder’s previous releases, but I feel like the band must have modeled Disgustor on the Misfits’ classic singles. Obviously there’s the horror movie-inspired artwork, but there’s also the record’s format, a three-song single with an anthemic a-side and two b-side tracks that expand and extend the vibe, which makes me think of the Misfits’ 3 Hits from Hell Horror Business, and Night of the Living Dead. The title track even reminds me of “London Dungeon” with its creepy crawly tempo and big vocal hook in the chorus. It’s still hardcore as it’s heavy and intense, but rather than the song being built around riffs, the guitars lay down a distinctive chord progression and leave plenty of room for the vocalist to be the star of the show. The two tracks on the b-side are more straightforward hardcore, but they are similarly thick with vibes. I would have been perfectly happy if Nightfeeder had simply given us more of the same, but on Disgustor, they show us they’re still challenging themselves and their listeners.


Studs: Ice Pipe 7” (Under the Gun Records) Ice Pipe looks to be the sole release from this (presumably) long-distance project featuring Connor from Snooper and G.U.N. and someone from the Australian project Research Reactor Corp. I imagine many people will hate Studs right off the bat, as there’s a bratty sense of obnoxiousness at the core of these tracks. The drums (a mix of acoustic and electronic, I believe) are jittery and over-caffeinated, the vocals sound like a wild animal in pain, and the sounds are harsh and tinny. If you can listen past those things (or if you’re the kind of sicko who is drawn to them), you get a lot of great riffs (that’s where you can hear the G.U.N. connection) plus the dirge “Stud Fucker,” which steers the sound in a Flipper-esque hooky dirge direction. Like I said, this isn’t for everyone, but a handful of freaks are gonna love it.


AUS: Der Schöne Schein 7” (Static Age Musik) Our third three-song single in this week’s update is this new one from Germany’s AUS on Berlin’s Static Age Musik. In case you haven’t noticed, Static Age has been putting out some excellent records lately. One of my favorites from last year, Die Letzten Ecken’s Talisman LP, was on the label, and like that record, Static Age’s recent releases are steeped in Germany’s tradition of arty yet danceable underground music, one that extends back to pioneering electronic groups like Kraftwerk all the way through the Neue Deutsche Welle and beyond. You may have heard AUS’s previous two full-lengths, but if you haven’t, they sound a lot like Xmal Deutschland as well as that band’s clear inspiration, Siouxsie & the Banshees. Like the mid-period Banshees albums (say, Keleidoscope through Tinderbox), the vibe is often central, dark but upbeat, evoking dimly lit dance clubs full of textured black fabric, eyeliner, and big, dyed-black hair. It’s an ambiance heavily associated with Berlin, and it shows that it’s AUS’s home turf. I usually prefer goth music that has a strong pop backbone, but AUS’s dance-informed approach, where they ride strong grooves for extended periods, works great here too. Three tracks dense with mood and energy.


Phane: Police System 7” (Phobia Records) Phobia Records brings us a new 4-song EP from this Vancouver band. Phane has put out several records over the past few years, but Police System is the first time I’ve given them a close listen. While the artwork on Police System references UK82 tropes, to me there’s at least as much burly Discharge-style hardcore in Phane’s sound. They remind me of Bonecrusher-era Broken Bones, with UK82-style chanted choruses, simple but hooky riffs, and a guitarist with a capable chugging palm and a predilection for flashy lead overdubs. A good portion of Police System’s running time is given over to a cover of “Time Is Running Out” by their fellow Canadians Unruled, a choice whose ripping middle section plays to Phane’s strengths, but whose melodic, oi!-influenced intro and outro showcase their flexibility. A killer, classic-sounding 4-song hardcore punk EP.


Hope?: Your Perception Is Not My Reality 7” (Desolate Records) We carried an earlier demo from this Portland band, and now their debut vinyl finds a fitting home on Minneapolis’s Desolate Records. The label’s description mentions Hope?’s 90s influences, and one stands out to me: Nausea. There are two singers, one with a demonic-sounding rasp and another with a guttural bellow, and the riffs are mid-paced and metallic, with longer songs that move through multiple musical sections, many of them built around powerful chanted vocals. If you’ve been enjoying Flower’s recent recorded output, this is in a similar vein, though they don’t have that bouncy element that so many Flower tracks have. A strong recording and palpable political conviction help Hope?’s debut EP to hit extra hard.


Featured Releases: February 12, 2024

P.S.Y.W.A.R.: Defcon 7” (Iron Lung Records) Posthumous EP from this now-defunct hardcore band from Kansas City. I’m thankful Iron Lung Records still pressed up Defcon, as it’s a strong EP that deserves to be heard. P.S.Y.W.A.R. sound to me like the Cro-Mags meets G.I.S.M., the tinny, fried guitar sound, guttural vocals, and industrial overload production recalling contemporary G.I.S.M.-influenced hardcore like A.I.D.S. and Gizon Berria, while the galloping beats and reverb-drenched snare sound are definitely giving Age of Quarrel. It might sound like an odd mix, but it works really well… so many bands who come under G.I.S.M.’s spell put all their energy into sounding weird and fucked, but P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s strong, bottom-heavy groove keeps your fist pumping. Defcon is also well-sequenced, counting down from the first track, Defcon 5, to the last track, Defcon 1, the vibe growing bleaker and more jagged with each track. By the time they get to the last two tracks, squealing, feedback-drenched guitar leads and creepy samples have colonized P.S.Y.W.A.R.’s sound. Defcon offers exactly the well-choreographed bludgeoning we come to Iron Lung Records for.


Crawl Space: My God… What’ve I Done? 12” (Iron Lung Records) Seattle’s Crawl Space make the jump to their hometown institution of Iron Lung Records on their debut 12”. If you caught their recent 7”, Bullshit Unity, on Forever Never Ends Records, Crawl Space has refined their sound since that release, not changing styles but making everything sharper, clearer, and meaner. Song titles like “Lay on the Tracks” (an 11-second burst) and “No Funeral” show the negativity on display here, which adopts the desperate world view I associate with Youth Attack Records, and as with bands like Hoax and Vile Gash, there’s a seediness mixed in there, the negativity pointed inward as much as outward. Sonically, the LP is based on the stop/start dynamics of Victim in Pain-era Agnostic Front, and it keeps your blood pumping across its entire 10 minutes. Mean as fuck.


Asbestos: Wishful Thinking 7” (11PM Records) 11PM brings us the debut from this dark and desperate-sounding hardcore band from Denver. As with the Crawl Space LP I also wrote about this week, Asbestos’s sound reminds me of Youth Attack’s 2010s output (which makes sense as a lot of those bands came from Denver): it’s fast and heavy, rooted in early 80s US hardcore, but with a loose, noisy delivery and a dark and depressing vibe, which comes through mostly in the strangled-sounding vocals. It’s straightforward hardcore punk, but there’s an arty edge to it I like, most apparent on the instrumental track “Interlude,” which applies Asbestos’s smudged textures to a pretty solo guitar figure. After that brief respite, though, it’s back into the pit for the last three songs.


Mother Nature: Can You Feel the Rhythm? cassette (Donor Records) Can You Feel the Rhythm? is the debut release from this new hardcore band from Leeds, England. Leeds has a long tradition of left-of-center hardcore bands that is reflected in Mother Nature’s members-of list, which includes Perspex Flesh, Mob Rules, Whipping Post, Beta Blockers, and the Flex (well, maybe the Flex aren’t so left-of-center, but they’re certainly hardcore). Mother Nature isn’t as out there as Beta Blockers’ synth-drenched noise or Mob Rules’ prog violence, but they sound more confident, the distinctiveness of their sound coming more from their voice as composers and players rather than their equipment and effects pedals or the way they reference their influences. The quirky moments often have the biggest hooks, or maybe it’s just that Mother Nature has a knack for highlighting their catchiest parts with the cool ping-pong chorus effect the guitarist turns on from time to time… the fact that it makes it sound even more like the Die Kreuzen LP is a bonus. Again, though, it’s not just the sound, but moments like the knotty rhythms in “Can You Feel the Rhythm?” that evoke the best of 80s outsider hardcore. The vocals and lyrics are thoughtful and distinctive (what I can make out of them… there’s no lyric insert), and the production is excellent, with a sound that feels alive and organic (with such complex music, a sterile and mechanical sound is a real danger). Can You Feel the Rhythm? is one of the most exciting demos I’ve heard in ages, and I’d be surprised if one of the several excellent labels in the UK didn’t snap them up for their next release. In the meantime, though, I think it’ll be many listens before I’ve fully absorbed all this tape has to offer.


Guimauve: Azovstal 7” (self-released) Self-released debut vinyl from this new hardcore band from Paris, France, who has released two cassettes over the past three years. I haven’t heard those early releases, but Azovstal sounds fully formed and powerful to me. The record starts with a glitchy, industrial-sounding intro that grows denser and more intense as the seconds pass, incorporating samples from Guimauve’s vocalist to set the stage for the rest of the EP. When “Cotard Tango” finally kicks in, it’s a hardcore stomp with a tinny, G.I.S.M.-y guitar sound, but as Guimauve segues into the breakdown, the guitarist switches on a chorus pedal and lays into some gnarly, black metal-style tremolo picking while the rhythm section drags you through the mud. Guimauve keeps the listener off-balance in this manner throughout Asovstal, adeptly shifting between jabs of strangeness and powerful blows of crunchy, straightforward hardcore. It’s a dense and powerful ten minutes that will satisfy anyone with a taste for boundary-pushing hardcore.


Warkrusher: Armistice 12” (Desolate Records) It looks like this Montreal band has been kicking around for at least five years, and the time Warkrusher spent honing their sound pays off with their debut LP, Armistice. Warkrusher’s logo and artwork are a clear nod to Bolt Thrower, and if you come to Armistice looking for Bolt Thrower-style epic, crusty death metal, you won’t be disappointed. Not being an expert on Bolt Thrower, I don’t feel qualified to get into the weeds about how Warkrusher matches up on a riff-by-riff basis, but they’re great at channeling that swampy groove that is the basis of so many of Bolt Thrower’s classic mid-paced parts (see “Apostate”). Ultimately, though, I don’t think you can dismiss Warkrusher as a “worship” band, as there’s plenty more going on. The title track, for instance, is built around a super catchy main riff with a sleazy vibe that wouldn’t be out of place on a Midnight record. “Shadows” pulls from a similar palette of influences as Hellshock… more the Amebix / Hellbastard / Axegrinder end of the crust spectrum. It’s not a million miles away from Bolt Thrower, but it’s not totally on the nose either. While Warkrusher’s references to their influences might be the nudge you need to check them out, Armistice is a well-produced, tightly composed LP that will keep any true crusty’s fist in the air.


Featured Releases: February 5, 2024

Alamoans: S/T 7” (Kill Enemy Records) Kill Enemy Records, the label that introduced us to Speed Plans and Illiterates, among many others, brings us another Pittsburgh gem with this debut vinyl from Alamoans. Alamoans’ sound is unique. They have parts that are straight up caveman hardcore, like the first part of the record’s first song, “Licking the Boot.” The beginning of that track has a dead simple riff and one of those mid-paced pogo beats that makes it sound like something crazy is about to happen, but over the course of the record, the guitarist increasingly goes off-script, employing screeching Keith Levine-isms across the top of the rhythm section’s violent stomp. While they don’t sound too similar, Hoax is a band who had a similar mix of brutish rhythms and guitar parts that could veer into arty territory. Really, though, I can’t think of another band that sounds like Alamoans, and with a sound that’s immediate, powerful, and original, I think this is a really strong EP.


Hacker: Psy-Wi-Fi 7” (Beach Impediment Records) We liked the previous 12” from this Australian hardcore band, and they’ve moved to Beach Impediment for the US pressing of their follow-up. Hacker is a great fit for Beach Impediment because, like other Beach Impediment bands such as Golpe, Warthog, and Long Knife, they’re a great hardcore band that oozes personality. Hacker has a great frontperson with a snotty, raspy voice, a thick Aussie accent, and the ability to land a big hook (see “Scammer”). The band is bruising too, and as with Golpe and Warthog, their mid-paced riffs sound like they probably inspire craziness in the pit. “Deliverator” is a highlight, bouncing between a big, groovy riff that wouldn’t have been out of place on Feel the Darkness and breakdowns that sound like straight up death metal. Great songs, great performance, great recording, great packaging… no weak spots here.


Violin: S/T 7” (Iron Lung Records) Iron Lung Records brings us the second record from this London hardcore project—their first was on La Vida Es Un Mus—and the label is a fitting home for Violin’s slightly left-of-center hardcore. Honestly, though, this record dials back the quirkier elements we heard on Violin’s previous record, leaning more toward straightforward hardcore. Violin’s particular take is burly and propulsive, reminding me of early 80s Boston bands like Negative FX and SS Decontrol. I love the term “violence tempo” that Iron Lung uses in their description, and it’s apt for the relentless propulsion on display here. We get a taste of the weird stuff, though, with some heavily effected guitar emphasizing the quirky lead riff in “Subservient” as well as a chaotic section where noisy synth squalls swoop into the mix. If there’s such a thing as thinking person’s dumb hardcore, this is it.


Dridge: Dying Out 12” (World Gone Mad) Second album from this long-running Philadelphia band whose work has been championed by World Gone Mad Records. I can see why WGM is so into them, because Dridge is an interesting, original band. A pithy description of what’s happening on Dying Out might be “Amebix meets Electric Wizard,” but that warrants some unpacking. Dridge resembles Electric Wizard in their glacially slow tempos and the vintage fuzz tones on the guitar and bass, but the vocals are snarling, legible, and very punk-sounding to me. Dying Out is also mixed like a hardcore record, with the drums and vocals way up front. The guitarist and bassist are also very spare in their playing, leaving lots of open space in the music and often lying back and just feeding back for bars at a time, sometimes even going completely silent for entire sections. With long stretches without vocals as well, this leaves Dridge’s emphasis squarely on the drums, and this is a drummer worth listening to. I know everyone makes fun of the phrase, “it’s about the notes you don’t play,” but it’s applicable here, as Dridge’s drummer is locked in a give-and-take with silence throughout these very long songs. This might be a deep reference for anyone outside Raleigh, but Dridge’s drum-forward doom reminds of the band Confessor, an underrated Earache Records band anchored by a similarly captivating, virtuosic drummer. I also have to mention the incredible moment in the title track when the singer shouts “let’s go!” and the already slow tempo drops in half, grinding to a sickly, dehydrated crawl. We’re not known for pushing slow music at Sorry State, but fuck… this rules.


Checkpoint: Drift 12” (Erste Theke Tonträger) Erste Theke Tonträger brings us yet another great new band from Australia. Like the Spllit LP I wrote about last week, Checkpoint’s debut LP, Drift, has some of the surface-level trappings of egg punk—namely the wobbly, underwater-sounding production—but lacks the tossed-off feeling I get from some similar-sounding bands. Checkpoint’s music is ambitious, their songs dense with ideas and meticulous in their composition and arrangement. Some parts are unexpected, like the tropical-sounding breakdown in “Friends” or the almost orchestral outro section of “Break.” The record’s crowning achievement, though, is the nearly twelve-minute “10th Dimension Advertisment Apocalypse.” You’d think a twelve-minute song would be full of long, droning sections or a lot of aimless fucking around, but it’s not like that at all. No part of “10th Dimension” feels like a throwaway or a time killer, and Checkpoint weaves through the song’s numerous twists and turns with confidence. It’s clear Checkpoint is aiming at something bigger than just another entry in the latest punk fad, which they emphasize with the lyrics for “Teachers pt. II,” which name-checks dozens of Checkpoint’s influences, locating the group in a long tradition of outsider music as diverse as Can, little-known Gong sideman David Wise, and the Oh Sees’ John Dwyer. If you liked that Spllit LP, or if your taste encompasses both underground punk and the mannered compositions of Sparks, Drift is well worth your attention.


Consensus Madness: S/T 7” (Iron Lung Records) Debut vinyl from this new Chicago band. I recognize some of Consensus Madness’s members from their previous hardcore bands, but there’s more to Consensus Madness than just hardcore. They sound like they’d fit just as well on a hardcore bill—their music is certainly fast and tough enough—as they would on a garage-punk show. Songs like “Stop” and “Animosity” have a surf element to the riffing, which works perfectly with the fast but laid-back, beach punk-style rhythms. And there are some cool hooks, like the killer, Carbonas-esque guitar lead in the bridge section of “Behind.” A+ lyrics too, looking critically at the systems that both enable and inhibit us and reckoning with what it means to be a cog in those machines. I also love that while Consensus Madness has the hookiness of garage-punk, they gave us a hardcore-style 7-song EP rather than a teaser two-song single. Catchy, powerful, cool-ass art… great stuff.


Featured Releases: January 29, 2024

Stiletto: Only Death 7” (4490 Records) After a couple of tapes, Only Death is the debut vinyl from this hardcore band from Singapore. The label mentions Koro and Gauze as comparisons / influences, and I can hear that in how fast and intricately composed Stiletto’s songs are, with lots of quick accents breaking up the otherwise hard-charging rhythms. You have to listen closely to appreciate the subtlety of Stiletto’s playing, though, because the production is nasty, bathed in fuzz and reverb (particularly the vocals). The production reminds me of Fairytale because it feels like you’re in the middle of a hurricane, with riffs and rhythms flying around you like debris, disappearing into the morass as quickly as you notice them. An occasional breakdown pulls the sound together and pounds the listener like a tidal wave. I think Stiletto’s songs and playing are powerful enough that they would still sound great with a more straightforward, drier recording, but noise maniacs will appreciate the more chaotic approach they take on Only Death.


Svaveldioxid: Världselände 12” (Blown Out Media) Världselände is the latest full-length (the fourth, I believe, besides many EPs) from this prolific Swedish d-beat band. While we’ve carried Svaveldioxid’s records for years at Sorry State, I’m no expert on their music, but I have friends who are big fans and I heard this new album was particularly good, so I thought I’d check it out. Svaveldioxid sounds to me like prototypical Swedish käng, with that Disfear / Wolfpack-esque way of riding heavy grooves for a long time, rarely breaking songs up with tempo changes or rhythmic accents, but keeping the fists banging. The vocalist is compelling, with a perfectly shredded snarl that sounds even more intense next to the instrumentalists’ more deliberate delivery. When I dropped the needle on Världselände, I was taken aback by the heaviness of its production, which has considerably more bottom end than your typical d-beat recording. Turns out Världselände was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at Sunlight Studios, the man responsible for the sound of so much classic 90s Swedish death metal. The record sounds massive, and besides the sound, Svaveldioxid has some brief flirtations with metal in their songs, with the intro for “Massförintelse” using some spooky black metal chords and “Dödens Väntrum” ending the album with a long, wandering guitar solo. While Världselände lands on the more composed and refined end of the d-beat spectrum, Svaveldioxid’s sophistication sharpens rather than dulls their attack.


Model Workers: Cry 7” (Sealed Records) Sealed Records brings us an expanded reissue of this little-known 1981 single by Model Workers, a young punk-inspired band based in Gateshead in northeast England. When I re-read the label’s description of Cry just before sitting down to write this piece, I found they hit the nail on the head with their comparisons, naming the exact three bands I was planning on comparing Model Workers to: (early) Television Personalities, the Times, and the Jam. Any listener who carries an abiding love for the TVPs’ first few singles and album will flip immediately for Model Workers’ rough but clear production, heart-on-sleeve lead vocals, and strong, somewhat busy bass lines. The latter two qualities were also a big part of the Jam’s sound, and Model Workers sound a lot like a garage-band version of the Jam, and even if they don’t match the Jam’s (admittedly peerless) songwriting and musicianship, they clearly set the bar for themselves much higher than many similar bands did. Sealed Records’ reissue includes both songs from the original (highly collectible) Modern Workers single, adds two cuts from an early cassette demo with similar (perhaps slightly rougher) production, and expands the sleeve into a booklet with clippings from vintage local press coverage of the group. The two additional tracks are excellent, with “You’re So Special” following the Jam’s lead in experimenting with some Motown influences. Like the best UKDIY music, Cry both crackles with punk’s raw energy and delivers the timeless sensual thrills of pure pop.


Spllit: Infinite Hatch 12” (Feel It Records) Infinite Hatch is the second album from this New Orleans group on Feel It Records. Since the first album, Spllit has grown from a two-person recording project, adding a bass player and drummer. They’ve also progressed stylistically, augmenting the quirky post-punk influences they showcased on Spllit Sides with moments that are more ambitious, and often even stranger. The band that comes to mind most frequently when I listen to Infinite Hatch is Suburban Lawns, mostly because of the way strong melodies push through the skewed, David Lynch-like musical landscapes. Spllit also possesses Devo’s ability to craft rhythms that sound really stiff and unnatural, yet stick in your head like a simple pop tune. Spllit’s music is anything but simple, though. Some riffs and melodic lines are so long they sound like classical music, and when the band locks into those complex lines and plays them in unison, it can sound like prog rock, or even late-career Frank Zappa. Those influences are just a spice, though… the base is still underground pop, punk, and rock. Come to think of it, the balance of ingredients reminds me of Pavement’s Wowee Zowee, another record that pulls from vintage prog and late 70s / early 80s underground pop. Any way you slice it, Infinite Hatch is a wild ride, and I think adventurous-eared punks are gonna love it.


Phantasm: Conflict Reality 7” (Hardcore Victim Records) Hardcore Victim Records brings us the debut vinyl from Melbourne, Australia’s Phantasm. While there’s something unassuming about Conflict Reality, a close listen reveals a strong record that pulls from different corners of hardcore’s history, weaving those influences into a cohesive and powerful sound. The first track, “Conflict Reality,” reminds me of early Death Side with its grandiose-sounding riffing and charging, heavy d-beat, but it’s a bit of an outlier, with the next two tracks relying more on pogo beats and jagged, Negative Approach-like riffs and changes. Through these shifts in style, Phantasm’s vocalist belts out every line with maximum force, and there’s something about the way the vocal rhythms complement the guitar riffs that makes me think of Sacrilege. It’s all pretty straightforward and hardcore until the last track, “Life of This,” which ends the record with the bass and guitars pulling away from one another, creating an interesting groove Phantasm wisely settles into for a little longer. The tones of the recording are raw, but the mix (courtesy of Hardcore Victim head honcho / Enzyme guitarist Yeap) makes the most of it, knowing just when to pull back for a little extra clarity and when to slam the needle into the red. A gratifying slice of powerful, unpretentious hardcore punk.


Skrewball / Life Abuse: Split 7” (Crew Cuts Records) There was some water cooler talk around the Sorry State warehouse the other day about how split records are coming back into fashion. I’m not sure which side of that debate I’m on… while the internet has eroded the split record’s use as a promotional tool, a well-matched split record can still make for a cohesive release. Life Abuse and Skrewball seem like a logical pairing; while they come from different parts of the world, they have a lot in common musically, particularly the way each band combines elements of d-beat and New York hardcore. Richmond, Virginia’s Life Abuse features former members of Limp Wrist, Das Oath, Devoid of Faith, and many others, and their burly d-beat with touches of melodic lead guitar reminds me of Tragedy, but both their tracks here culminate in moshy breakdowns with crossover-influenced guitar leads that remind me of Leeway. As for the UK’s Skrewball, both of their songs also have breakdowns (the second, “Police Reality” also has an intro mosh part), but their NYHC influences feel more baked-in, with a youth crew edge to both the riffing and the vocals… think Bold with d-beats? As with any band whose sound transcends the imaginary lines between scenes, both Life Abuse and Skrewball are likely to ruffle the feathers of die-hards on either side of the aisle, but for every one of those conservative listeners, there’s an open-eared fan who’ll love the unexpected combination of influences.


Featured Releases: January 22, 2024

No Fucker: Tombs 7” (self-released) Tombs is the comeback record from this notorious New York (previously State, now City, I believe) d-beat band. No Fucker’s original run was in the early and mid-2000s, but they recently resumed gigging. No Fucker was under-appreciated during that original run, when what they were doing went over virtually everyone’s heads. While they were inactive, I feel like I had more than one conversation to the effect of, “if No Fucker was still around they’d be HUGE!” Well, No Fucker is back, and they sound exactly the same. It is as if time had not passed. Yet it seems like plenty of people still look at No Fucker and think, “I don’t get it.” Honestly, I feel like I get it even more today, and I think Tombs is a sick record. As with seeing them live, the guitar solos are a highlight. No Fucker’s guitarist has this really intuitive way of playing I just can’t get enough of. The solos sound ragged, almost improvised, yet they’re full of memorable licks and melodies (just like Bones’ most perfectly chaotic solos). It’s not just the solos, though… the band sounds so great together… it’s hard to put my finger on it, but they make this sound that sounds just like them. I mean, maybe it also sounds a lot like Disclose and Shitlickers, but it definitely sounds like No Fucker, too. And putting aside the philosophizing, there are moments like the part when the vocals push into the red on “Tombs” that make my spine tingle. Maybe you get it, maybe you don’t, but, like I said, I think Tombsis a sick hardcore punk record.

No streaming link available, sorry!

Verdict: The Rat Race 12” (Phobia Records) We named this Swedish group’s first album, Time to Resign, Record of the Week back in 2022, and Verdict doesn’t lose a step on this follow-up. Featuring personnel from Dischange, Meanwhile, No Security, Disfear and many others, Verdict executes their take on mangel with surgical precision. The strengths they displayed on Time to Resign remain intact: the incredible riffing (they’re as strong with a manic tempo like “Demons” as they are with a groovier one like “R.A.G.E.”), the bruising rhythm section (check those ultra-tight punches on “Vulture’s Feast”), and the English-language lyrics (which still feel novel given so many Swedish bands in this style sing in their native language). One thing that stands out to me on The Rat Race, however, is the lead playing. These aren’t the rock’n’roll or metal-style leads you might expect… these leads are relatively simple, sit deeper in the mix, and often push the songs to crescendos that sound totally epic. I hate to use that adjective to describe a record like this because it might seem like I’m implying stadium crust vibes, but that isn’t the case at all… what I’m getting at is that the leads feel like they push the songs to this zone of extra intensity rather than simply breaking up or adding variety to the songs. Also, shout out to the bass intro for “Another Day in Paradise,” which is sick as fuck. Verdict are masters of the form, and anyone with a passion for Swedish mangel is gonna fucking love The Rat Race.


Chueko: Tools of Oppression 7” (Black Water Records) Debut 4-song EP from this Portland hardcore band. Jeff wrote about Tools of Oppression pretty extensively in his staff pick a while back and I’ll refer you there for deeper analysis, but I concur this is a slammin’ piece of US hardcore. Even before I re-read Jeff’s staff pick, I was thinking about how the songwriting really stands out on Tools of Oppression, with riffs that would be downright melodic if they weren’t delivered in such a nasty and furious way. The vocalist, however, doesn’t take the melodic route at all, with a hoarse bark that reminds me of Nico from G.U.N. As Jeff also noted, the bass is really prominent in the mix and feels like the lead instrument… a lot of UK82 records were mixed like that, and while Chueko mostly sticks to USHC-style ferocity, you really hear the UK82 influence come out on the bouncy final track, “Tools of Oppression,” which leans more in a Partisans / Savageheads direction. The nasty production perfectly balances out the tunefulness of the music, making Tools of Oppression one of those gnarly-sounding records that sticks to your ribs.


Gizon Berria: S/T 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Debut EP from this one-person project. The sound here is aggressively idiosyncratic, leaning on the strangest and creepiest aspects of cult underground punk like G.I.S.M., Zouo, and Rudimentary Peni. The label mentions Gizon Berria channels “the underwater orc side of GISM,” and that’s particularly true of the vocals, which take an inhumanly deep gurgle and run them through distortion and delay to make them sound even stranger (if you like the vocal effects on the Psico Galera records, Gizon Berria has a similar feel). While the vocals sound a lot like GISM, the music reminds me more of other 80s Japanese punk bands like G-Zet and Zouo that had more of a haunting, ominous feel. The hardcore songs here are cool, but the more abstract sections that begin and end the record might be even more interesting, evoking a dark, strange, and uncomfortable world that seems like the the natural habitat of whatever creature is blurting out those wild-ass vocals. Definitely one for the creepy crawlers and the true freaks.


Daydream: Reaching for Eternity 12” (Black Water Records) Reaching for Eternity is the third album from this Portland hardcore band, which finds them moving from one hometown label, Dirt Cult Records, to another, Black Water Records. I think Daydream’s first three albums having come out on three different labels (France’s Symphony of Destruction being the third) reflects the originality of their sound. They’re hard and fast enough that they make sense on hardcore labels like Symphony of Destruction and Black Water, but rather than jackhammering power chords, they build their songs around riffs that are more interesting and angular. The riffing style reminds me of Drive Like Jehu, and while that combination of angular riffing and a fast hardcore rhythm section might make you think of 90s hardcore, the production is much stronger and the playing more accomplished than, for instance, a lot of Gravity Records releases. Besides that angular riffing, Daydream’s guitarist also has a super loose playing style, which serves as a strong counterpoint to the locked-in rhythm section, with riffs frequently unspooling into feedback. This is smart hardcore that isn’t willing to compromise on energy and power in order to progress musically. An interesting and powerful record.


Hard Copy: 12 Shots of Nature 12” (Feel It Records) Feel It Records brings us the debut (I believe) from this Richmond, Virginia band. Rather than the hardcore punk most Sorry State readers probably associate with Richmond, Hard Copy plays arty post-punk. The official description for 12 Shots of Nature references the Fall, and I think that’s a good comparison as Hard Copy shares the Fall’s repetitive grooves, poetic lyrics, and way of fusing accessible and experimental sounds. Musique concrete-style pieces like “100,000 Negatives on Glass Plates” and “Slapstick” coexist next to Can-descended meditations like “Torpedo,” while “Caravaggio” and “Airlines” channel the Talking Heads’ skewed but approachable art-pop. Hard Copy’s sound coheres thanks to this slightly stoned-sounding nonchalance that carries through all the distinct sounds and styles Hard Copy undertakes on 12 Shots of Nature. Rather than trying to impress you or pull you in, Hard Copy makes you feel you’re eavesdropping on them as they make something up on the spot. I’m sure plenty of people will find that off-putting and pretentious, but those of us drawn to challenging music will get sucked right into Hard Copy’s world.


Featured Releases: January 15, 2024

The Stupids: Slow on the Uptake 12” (Violent Pest Records) Slow on the Uptake is the new album from long-running UK hardcore band the Stupids. Originally formed in 1984, the Stupids were unique among their 80s UK punk/hardcore peers in that their sound was highly influenced by US hardcore. You can really hear that on their blistering first EP, 1985’s Violent Nun (see my staff pick on that record from a while back), but the Stupids stuck around until the end of the 80s, bringing in influences from west coast US skate punk on their later records. They reappeared in 2009 with a comeback LP that widened the sound even further, moving toward the big-guitar UK melodic hardcore/punk I associate with the label Boss Tuneage Records (who had reissued the Stupids’ back catalog in the intervening years). I liked that comeback LP, but I think Slow on the Uptake is even stronger, taking the early US hardcore influences they leaned on early on and seasoning them with the sounds the Stupids have mastered in the decades since. The result is a potent, song-oriented take on hardcore with all the ferocity of the early Dischord catalog, but with a newfound delicacy in the playing and songwriting, making furious but melody-tinged tracks like “Walnut Pacific” and “Come Into My Ear” sound like true masterpieces that synthesize years of work honing their craft. There’s also a surprising lyrical maturity here, which is most striking on the track “Neil’s Funeral,” whose lyrics are a thank-you letter written to attendees of the speaker’s deceased spouse’s funeral. With 8 songs in a brief 12 minutes, it feels like an update on the classic 80s US hardcore EP, losing none of that form’s excitement but finding room in it for all the wisdom (LOL) the Stupids have accumulated in the decades since that inspiring time.


Money: Punk Demo 7” (Discos Enfermos) Spain’s Discos Enfermos brings us the debut vinyl from this Bristol, UK punk group who has been banging out digital releases for a couple of years. When I checked out Möney, my first reaction was that they sound a lot like London’s Powerplant, particularly their soupy, underwater-sounding production style. As with Powerplant, it was difficult for my ear to make sense of Punk Demo at first, but repeated listens allowed me to parse the chaotic (but legible) knot of sound. The lyrics are split between English and Spanish, and for whatever reason the two Spanish-language tracks, “El Este” and “La Culpa” are the standouts for me, perhaps because they embody the polarities of Money’s sound. “El Este” is Möney at their fastest and most furious, while “La Culpa” finds them at their slowest boil, recalling (as the label notes) 80s Spanish post-punk like Paralisis Permanente. Unique, compelling stuff that gives more back the more attention you give it.


Money: S/T 12” (Beach Impediment Records) Not to be confused with the similarly-named band from Bristol, UK we also wrote about in this issue of the newsletter, this Money hails from Austin, Texas and plays furious metallic hardcore. Like Bristol’s Möney, Texas’s Money reminds me of another band from their part of the world: the Impalers. I found a note saying the two bands (Money and Impalers) share members, and that’s not hard to believe… it’s also a huge compliment, as for me Impalers are one of the very best hardcore bands of the past several decades. While the rhythm section’s relentlessness and the blistering lead guitars bring Impalers to mind, Money doesn’t sound exactly like them, peppering the furious metallic d-beat with parts that sound to me like straight up thrash metal (raw, punky thrash, but thrash nonetheless). It’s raw as fuck (three of these tracks originally came out via the current Kings of Noise, Roachleg Records), but bottom-heavy and powerful. The lyrics and artwork are also really interesting, set in a seedy underworld of violence and (especially) drugs, but in a cinéma vérité kind of way rather than a cartoony way. It’s well-developed, powerful, and compelling in a way that we’ve come to expect from every release on Beach Impediment Records.


Headcheese: Expired 12” (Neon Taste Records) We’ve loved every previous release from Headcheese, but I think Expired is these Canadians’ best one yet, amplifying everything I liked about their other records while honing and refining the most unique aspects of their voice. While it’s perfectly clear where Headcheese’s inspirations lie, they really sound like themselves on Expired, and it’s hard to imagine any other band delivering a track like “Special Forces,” for me the record’s standout track with its staccato rhythm and unforgettable vocal. The other tracks aren’t far behind, though, combining great songs with a loose, swaggering delivery that’s punk as fuck. While the rhythm section clearly appreciates the wild, lunging delivery of United Blood-era Agnostic front and early YDI, the guitarist’s riffs have a classic punk catchiness to them and the vocals drip with charisma, relying on an unlikely combination of off-the-beat wildness and a Dayglo Abortions-style way with a snotty, sinister melody. For me, Expired is one of the standout releases on one of current punk’s standout labels.


X-20 / Night Toy: Before the Green Flash cassette (self-released) This split cassette comes to us via the D4MT Labs camp, but it’s the furthest thing from hardcore punk I’ve heard from this crew, taking the 70s German influences we heard on Straw Man Army’s interlude tracks and their HMS cassette and going even further down the rabbit hole. Both X-20 and Night Toy remind me of the most out-there 70s German Kosmiche ("Cosmic”) music, including the early albums from Cluster, Klaus Schulze, and Tangerine Dream. It sounds like Night Toy relies solely on synthesizers, and rather than rhythmically-oriented, song-based music, their shifting soundscape approach and ability to wrench surprising textures from their instruments reminds me as much of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop as anything else. X-20 is a little more organic and earthy-sounding, with acoustic drums, field recordings, and horns evoking an alien landscape rather than the vastness of empty space that Night Toy brings to mind. With each group filling up a 20-minute side of the cassette, there’s a lot of music here, but it’s not really a zone-out type of thing because its always changing and moving in a way that holds your attention. Sonically, this tape is pretty far from Sorry State’s usual world, but it comes from our community and carries its spirit, and I doubt I’m the only punk who will really enjoy it.


Blue Dolphin: Robert’s Laffite 12” (Cleta-Patra Records) Robert’s Laffite compiles the recorded work of this mid-2010’s Texas punk group who released a handful of very limited cassettes while they were together. Sorry State carried a couple of those tapes, but they came and went before I could give them a close listen, so Robert’s Laffite feels new to me, as I’m sure it will to most of you. When I first sat down with Robert’s Laffite, I immediately felt like it evoked the pioneering early years of SST Records, not so much the Black Flag end of things as the Meat Puppets, Saccharine Trust, early Minutemen world. Some of that similarity is in the sound, as Blue Dolphin’s acid-fried country/rockabilly-type songs sound a bit like the Meat Puppets, and the singer’s sinister speak-sing style and cracked-up lyrical approach is a lot like Jack Brewer’s. More than just sonically, though, Blue Dolphin sounds like spiritual children of those SST bands, all three of whom seemed to be pushing fearlessly toward whatever artistic horizon lay ahead of them. However, while the SST groups generally worked at professional (if budget-priced) studios, Blue Dolphin’s production style is very lo-fi, evoking bedroom productions from the 80s UK DIY scene to the 90s US cassette underground and beyond. Like my favorite records from those eras, Blue Dolphin strikes a strong balance between traditional songcraft and more experimental approaches. In other words, if you have a record collection that includes groups like the Homosexuals, Desperate Bicycles, or even Sentridoh and Guided by Voices, you’re gonna be on board. Maybe I’m the rare case who has a deep appreciation for all that stuff, but I just love Robert’s Laffite, and if you share those frames of reference, I’m pretty sure you will too.


Featured Releases: December 25, 2023

Muro: Imperio En Ascenso 7” flexi (Autsajder Produckcija) Bogota, Colombia’s Muro returns with a new two-song flexi, their first new material since 2020. For my money, Muro is one of contemporary hardcore punk’s most exciting bands, and it doesn’t sound like they’ve lost a step in the few years since we last heard from them. As ever, their music oozes passion, conviction, and energy… it’s so explosive you can’t help but get caught up in it. The first track here, “Cultural Mercenaria,” is a dramatic song, reminding me of Burning Spirits style hardcore with its metal-style punches and slightly neoclassical-sounding guitar leads. “Imperio En Ascenso,” on the other hand, is a raw and ugly hardcore song, blistering fast with a simple riff delivered with buzzsaw speed and precision, its sense of abandon bringing Headcleaners to mind. While these two songs are very different, they’re tied together by Muro’s trademark raw production and the infectious energy they transmit in every note they play. Hopefully Muro’s planned US tour works out, because I hear they’re just as impressive live.


Cross: No Beginning, No End cassette (Roachleg Records) I’ve seen this cassette from New York’s Cross billed as a demo, but there’s so much music here (8 songs in 18 minutes) and the band’s sound is so fully formed that it feels more like a cassette album to me. Cross plays super fast, approaching Siege / Deep Wound speeds in places, but with fast-and-hooky riffing that reminds me of the more hardcore side of Government Warning. However, the harsh, cymbal-forward mix and the singer’s raspy bark instills Cross’s sound with distinct black metal vibes (albeit the punkier black metal of bands like Craft rather than the atmospheric stuff). Cross also reminds me of bands like Nosferatu or Reek Minds in many respects, but the other elements they bring in give them a very different vibe. It’s very cool… intense and powerful, but without sounding quite like anything I’ve heard before. Another great release from Roachleg Records.


Die in Vain: Savage New Times 7” (La Vida Es Us Mus) This Istanbul group’s demo tape came out on General Speech and now their debut vinyl is on La Vida Es Un Mus, an impressive pair of endorsements. Die in Vain plays on-the-nose UK82-style punk without much of the hardcore influence that dominates much of what I hear called UK82 these days. In other words, they lean more toward the Vice Squad / GBH / early Exploited end of the spectrum than the Partisans / Ultra Violent End, with steady, typically mid-paced drums that aren’t super heavy on fills and accents, shouted verses with gang vocals on the choruses, and simple but very catchy riffs. It may sound simple, but it’s also effective, the starkness of these songs’ production and delivery making them hit with considerable impact. If you’ve been digging the Australian band Thatcher’s Snatch, this is in a similar style and hits just as hard.


Laughing Corpse: Demented Thoughts Posed as Black Comedy cassette (self-released) 4-song, 5-minute demo from this new group out of Washington, DC. Connor from Innumerable Forms, Red Death, Genocide Pact, and many other projects is on drums, so you know right off the bat this is going to be killer. Connor is from North Carolina, and I dare say I hear his Raleigh roots coming through in Laughing Corpse. The riffs remind me a lot of the first Double Negative album... listen, for instance, to the first riff in “Demented Thoughts” and then check out the Double Negative song “The Jacket.” While I hear similarity in the riffing, there’s a lot more to Laughing Corpse’s sound. I love the black metal-ish intro to the first song, and the swampy, rocked-out breakdown in “Demented Thoughts” is killer; it’s straight out of the Eye for an Eye playbook, but the way the two guitar tracks diverge on the woozy-sounding lead part is unexpected and very cool. The recording is great too, clear and powerful, but plenty of grit. A killer demo.


Imploders: S/T 12” (Neon Taste Records) After a couple of EPs, Neon Taste Records brings us the first full-length record from Toronto’s Imploders. If you didn’t check out Imploders’ previous releases, I’d put them in that space between punk and hardcore occupied by bands like Career Suicide, Angry Samoans, Dayglo Abortions, Adrenalin OD, and even early Screeching Weasel. Like those bands, Imploders play at hardcore tempos and have snotty vocals, but their riffs have a sense of melody that comes more from song-oriented punk than pure hardcore aggro. Imploders are still pretty fucking aggro, though, even dropping in a handful of almost moshy mid-paced parts across the record. While they can sound pretty tough on these parts, on the other side of the spectrum is a song like “Beatin’ on the Brain,” which isn’t as pedal-to-the-metal tempo-wise and whose structure and arrangement are more punky. The variety is nice, particularly since the sequencing is tight, with each song leading straight into the next; rather than a breather between songs, the most you’ll get from Imploders is a slight letup in tempo. Tight, fast, catchy, and totally punk.


Corker: Falser Truths 12” (Feel It Records) Falser Truths is the first album from Cincinanti’s Corker, it’s on Feel It Records, and it’s the latest in a series of excellent records from that city. When I first listened to Falser Truths, Corker’s gloom and grit reminded me of Glaas and Diät, but Corker doesn’t feel as pop as those groups. Instead, they sound more in line with the tradition of artier post-punk bands whose music was informed by 70s German progressive music. Corker seems interested in interlocking patterns, layering riffs and rhythms on top of one another in ways that can sound jarring at first, but grow into earworms through repetition. Not that the band meanders… the songs on Falser Truths have a logic to them, and they’re full of memorable hooks, particularly the angular lead guitar parts. Fans of abrasive yet beautiful music like the Fall, Pere Ubu, and Magazine should find plenty to like in Falser Truths.


Featured Releases: December 18, 2023

Abism: S/T 12” (Toxic State Records) Much like the Fairytale album Toxic State released earlier this year, a hater could give this debut from New York’s Abism a cursory listen and dismiss it as just another d-beat record. Those of us who really love this stuff, though, will hear Abism’s originally and appreciate that they’ve made a singular record. I saw Abism play last summer, before they’d released any recordings, and at that gig I was struck by how original they sounded, how they sidestepped the hardcore arms race toward ever-greater density and ever-faster tempos without losing any of their power. The rhythm section is never in a hurry to get anywhere… listen to how “No Veo El Sol” rumbles along, resisting the urge to fill its space with more beats and notes. The space is even more striking on “Lonquén,” which exchanges the d-beat for an even more wide-open, almost drunken-sounding pogo. By leaving this space open, the rhythm section creates room for the riffs to shine, which they definitely do. Eugene from Crazy Spirit plays guitar for Abism, and his knack for writing straightforward but very catchy riffs is not diminished in the least. With the instruments lying back and the riffs relatively sparse in terms of movement, the vocalist is the source of much of Abism’s intensity, their raspy snarl reminding me of Eddie from Vaaska. It’s amazing to me that, working with essentially the same sonic palette as other, broadly similar bands, Abism has arrived at something so cool and original. Another jewel in Toxic State’s heavy crown.


Citric Dummies: Zen and the Arcade of Beating Your Ass 12” (Feel It Records) Minneapolis’s Citric Dummies returns with a new album, their fourth, on a new record label, also their fourth, Feel It Records. Despite hopping between labels, Citric Dummies has remained sonically consistent across their discography. They live in that Dillinger Four-esque space between melodic punk and hardcore, their music fast, hard, and loud, but with hooks and pop song structures lurking beneath the mayhem. For me, though, the main attraction with Citric Dummies has always been the lyrics. The album title—Zen and the Arcade of Beating Your Ass—gives you an indication of where they come from lyrically… it’s like they’ve binged on punk and pop culture for years only to barf it up and dance around in the slop. Choice song titles include “I’m Gonna Punch Larry Bird” and “Doing Dope at Chucky Cheese,” but it’s not just silliness… “Tubing Down a River of Anxiety” and “My True Love Is Depression” hint at deeper themes, albeit viewed through the same wise-ass lens. Citric Dummies’s unique sound makes easy comparisons impossible (they have a song on one of their previous albums called “We Don’t Care Who We Sound Like”), but anyone with an ear for music that’s dense, catchy, powerful, and whip-smart should give ‘em a try.


Alien Nosejob: The Derivative Sounds of... or... A Dog Always Returns To Its Vomit 12” (Goner Records) It’s wise to drop the needle on any new Alien Nosejob record with zero expectations, as mastermind Jake Robertson has a habit of reworking the project’s sound for every record. Here at Sorry State, we’re partial to the two hardcore records ANJ released on Iron Lung Records, but I’ve enjoyed every Alien Nosejob record I’ve heard. Robertson seems like one of those consummate musician types for whom songwriting is second nature, and even if he’s experimenting with his music’s window dressing, the core of it will always be well-written and interesting. This new LP was inspired by a reformation of Jake’s old 60s garage-style band the Frowning Clouds, with many of these songs, riffs, and ideas upcycled from that bands’ 2006-2012 run. While these songs reflect Robertson’s ever-sharpening songwriting chops, he hews closely to the 60s garage / psych template, though the production and the punkiness of the performances reminds me more of the 80s Paisley Underground bands than the 60s originals. One thing I really like about this style is that songs tend to feature both strong instrumental hooks and strong vocal / lyrical hooks… often a song will start with a big instrumental hook, then build tension through one or more verses and release it in the chorus and/or the middle eight. When it works well, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts, and that’s the case with many of these tracks.


Flash: Eztek Ber Besteik cassette (La Vida Es Un Mus) La Vida Es Un Mus released Flash’s debut LP last year, and they follow it up with this new 3-song promo cassette released in conjunction with their recent west coast US tour. I liked Flash’s debut LP, but it felt schizophrenic to me, with elements of 80s-influenced hardcore mixed with melodic punk and jittery rhythms that gave me an egg punk vibe… when I wrote about that record I said they sounded like “Negazione mashed up with the Coneheads.” While Eztek Ber Besteik keeps both the hardcore intensity and strong melodies, it sounds more coherent to me. With the brisk tempos and melodic songwriting, Flash reminds me of 80s bands who straddled the line between punk and hardcore… I’m thinking of a band like Toxic Reasons who took the big hooks of ’77 UK punk and made it intense enough for the hardcore crowd. The big choruses also remind me of 80s Spanish punk, particularly Eskorbuto, and that influence combined with the lead guitar acrobatics brings to mind Peligro Social and Ruleta Rusa. Even better, it’s all wrapped up in gritty, vintage-sounding production that has that essential petina of 80s cool.


Problem: Anti-You 7” (Under the Gun Records) This LA-era band delivers a rock-solid 7-song wallop for their debut EP. While Problem plays straightforward hardcore punk, I love that they aren’t too on the nose stylistically. The singer’s gruff style is definitely rooted in oi! (there are even a few shouts of “oi! oi!” here), but there’s plenty of USHC in the mix too, particularly bands like Fang, the Fuck-Ups, and Sick Pleasure, whose nihilistic and ugly bent is reflected here. Flashes of catchy lead guitar show the band’s SoCal roots and further flesh out the sound. While it’s undeniably meat-and-potatoes, those subtle touches keep it sounding fresh while still channeling the classics. And I love that they crammed 7 tracks on here, as it feels like a full helping rather than just a taste. The European pressing of Anti-You is on Mendeku Diskak (Sorry State has the US pressing on Under the Gun Records), and while Anti-You will appeal to people who follow that label, I think plenty of people whose tastes skew more toward 80s US punk will love it too.


The Serfs: Half Eaten by Dogs 12” (Trouble In Mind Records) Half Eaten by Dogs is the third full-length from this Cincinnati, Ohio group, and their first for the indie label Trouble In Mind Records. Cincinnati seems like a hotbed of creativity at the moment, with the Drin, Corker, Crime of Passing, and the Serfs all making music that draws on post-punk and DIY traditions, but with an eye toward creating something new and contemporary rather than rehashing the past. The way the Serfs use noisy, minimalistic electronics brings to mind early Caberet Voltaire (particularly their Rough Trade singles), but I also hear the steady rhythms of dance music, the clatter of industrial, and the challenging textures of noise music feeding into their sound. And while there’s always a lot going on sonically, Half Eaten by Dogs also sounds wide open, invoking the big vistas of dub and ambient too. I feel like I’m reaching all over the place for references, but that’s not because the Serfs sound like an incoherent mish-mash; rather, it’s because they sound so original, weaving these references into a sound all their own. And while it’s distinctive, it’s also eclectic. Each of Half Eaten by Dogs’ ten tracks sounds different from the rest, and when you listen to it in full there’s a sense of development, rather than simply iterations of the same core idea. To put it succinctly, Half Eaten by Dogs is an excellent album from an excellent band from an exciting, noteworthy scene.


Featured Releases: October 2, 2023

Evil Tree: Moon Maniac 12” (Neon Taste Records) Evil Tree is a metal project from Drew Owen of the punk band Sick Thoughts. As anyone who has heard the latest Sick Thoughts album knows, Drew is fucking good at music, and Evil Tree proves he’s just as good with a sleazy metal tune as he is with a middle-fingered drug punk anthem. The label’s description mentions early Midnight, and the vocals here are similar, but rather than Midnight’s Motorhead-isms, this pulls more from the darker corners of metal. Hellhammer is clearly an influence, and a track like “Moon Maniac” is a lot like Darkthrone’s punkier material, right down to the hollow-sounding production. Whereas a band from the metal scene would probably fill out these songs with a lot of boring shit and make it 40 minutes long, Moon Maniac is six songs in 13 minutes, in and out before you can even think about getting bored. If your tastes are wide enough to encompass dirty modern metal and Sick Thoughts, this is a no-brainer, and it’s so action-packed that even those coming from it just from the Drew Owen angle will almost certainly like it too.


Optic Sink: Glass Blocks 12” (Feel It Records) Glass Blocks is the second album from this synthy Memphis project featuring Natalie Hoffmann from Nots. I haven’t checked in with Natalie’s music for a few years, and while in some respects Glass Blocks’ icy, synthetic textures are a far cry from Nots’ rawer, more exuberant vibe, I hear enough continuity that it’s easy to imagine people following the entire ride. The cool analog synth tones and detached-sounding vocals on Glass Blocks bring Kraftwerk to mind, especially since the the title and chorus of the first track, “Modelesque,” makes me think of Kraftwerk’s “The Model.” Optic Sink does evoke the The Man Machine / Computer World era of Kraftwerk, though, particularly the way much of it lives in this space that’s between dance music and something a little too arty for the clubs… like music that only cool people could dance to. The songs’ arrangements contribute to that vibe too, with dynamics that shift slowly and subtly rather than quickly and dramatically. That lack of big gestures means Glass Blocks might not bowl you over on the first listen, but its subtle sense of cool means the more you listen to it, the more you’ll like it.


Colisión: S/T 7” (Crew Cuts Records) The UK’s Crew Cuts Records brings us the debut record from this Spanish band who proudly identifies as LGBT. One might think that has no bearing on the sound, but this record is primal, explosive, and dripping in gravitas that must come from having a mission statement broader than just “make a cool punk record.” I wonder, too, if focusing on the band members’ identities opens Colisión’s music to a wider sphere of influences. While they sound like the kind of raw, nasty DIY punk band that might put out a record on Iron Lung or La Vida Es Un Mus, there are moments like the huge breakdown in “La Guardia Alta” that seem to come from somewhere else. However, no one is going to accuse Colisión of being a “tough guy” band because they’re clearly about so much more than bashing heads. Same for the cool discordant, Fugazi-esque riffing in “Bla, Bla, Bla…” it’s unexpected, but works perfectly within the record’s context. For me, punk is always more powerful when it’s fueled by politics and philosophy, and Colisión’s fiery debut supports that argument.


Lethal: Lethal’s Hardcore Hit Parade 7” (11PM Records) 11PM Records continues their hot streak with the vinyl debut from New York’s Lethal. This is real meat and potatoes stuff with no unexpected wrinkles, but Lethal executes it with power and precision. The sound is big and clear without being slick, the playing is locked in, and the riffs and songs sound classic. Lethal’s songs are grounded in the 80s hardcore tradition—fast, straightforward riffs, no leads, driving drumming with the perfect amount of groove—but don’t sound like they’re trying to imitate anything, just tapping hardcore’s limitless well of inspiration. With nothing gratuitous or flashy to pull your attention, the focus remains on Lethal’s desperate but powerful sound. It sounds like true hardcore punk to me, the kind that never goes out of style.


Musta Paraati: Peilitalossa 12” (Svart Records) Svart Records brings us another top-notch reissue of an 80s Finnish gem. This time it’s the 1983 debut album from punky goth band / dark punk band Musta Paraati. If you’re looking for reference points, I’d put Musta Paraati in the same bucket as bands like Poland’s Siekiera and Spain’s Paralisis Permanente. Like those bands, it sounds like Musta Paraati takes a lot from the first couple Siouxsie and the Banshees and Killing Joke albums, but also (much as the Pistols influenced the Banshees), they get shaped by the original punk scenes in their respective parts of the world, all of which were a distinct and interesting. (As well as, of course, the folk and pop music traditions in those countries). If you like Siekiera’s Nowa Aleksandria, this scratches a similar itch, though Musta Paraati’s synths also make them sound a little like early New Order or Human League in places, too. While there’s enough of a pop element to keep the songs interesting, the songs seem subservient to the vibe in a way that also makes me think of Bauhaus. Fans of the aforementioned records should check this out, and those of us with a taste for Finnish punk and hardcore (BTW, the drummer on this album was also in Nolla Nolla Nolla!) will be particularly susceptible to its charms.


Мир: Mindecision 12” (Beach Impediment Records) Beach Impediment returns with another archival release from their home state of Virginia with this first-ever vinyl release of the 1985 cassette from Roanoke’s Мир (the Russian word for peace). This doesn’t mean much to someone who isn’t from our part of the world, but it’s wild to me that there were hardcore bands in Roanoke, which is a small city near Virginia’s beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. They definitely had a scene there, though, with a handful of local bands and national bands like Corrosion of Conformity and Battalion of Saints rolling through town. As for Мир, if they had put this recording on vinyl back in the day, I think they would be remembered just as well as strong regional hardcore bands like Mecht Mensch, Rebel Truth, and a lot of the other bands on comps like Peace? and Party or Go Home. Worse, Мир’s cassette only circulated online in low-quality rips, so even most 80s hardcore deep heads aren’t familiar with it. (Beach Impediment mastered their reissue from the original tapes, revealing a raw but clear and powerful recording that is pretty much perfect for this kind of band.) Мир’s music is killer… it’s fast hardcore punk that’s just a little progressive, particularly the catchy and inventive guitar riffs. Fans of bands like Mecht Mensch, Articles of Faith, Double O, and others who have a twinge of dark melody to their raging hardcore are going to be particularly excited about this. As we’ve come to expect from Beach Impediment, this version also features a full-color insert with lyrics, flyers, newspaper clippings, and other ephemera. Anyone who loves 80s hardcore punk will consider this a real gem.


Featured Releases: September 25, 2023

Bato: Bato’s Factory: 2023 Promo cassette (Not for the Weak Records) Not for the Weak Records has been releasing these promo cassettes before some of their LP releases, and rather than truncated previews that become obsolete once the full release comes out, they’re cool little snapshots that preview the record while offering a special treat for fans. The recent Consec promo tape featured songs from their LP, but from a different, live-in-the-studio session. Now this new one from Bato previews one track from their upcoming album alongside a few other treats. You get that new track, re-recordings of two older tracks, and two covers: Corrosion of Conformity’s “Minds Are Controlled” and CCR’s “Up Around the Bend.” All the Not for the Weak-affiliated bands have different styles, and Bato to me sounds like a pure USHC band… the kind of group that could have been on an old Mystic compilation (though they play a fuck of a lot better than most of those bands). Nowhere is that more apparent than on the CCR cover, which sounds so much like the half-joking, half-serious classic rock covers that appeared on so many 80s hardcore records… when they try and hit those high notes, I just lose it. I’m looking forward to Bato’s upcoming album, but I won’t get rid of this promo once it’s out.


Death Index: Civilized by a Lie 12” (2 Mondi Collective) Death Index is a 2-person project featuring Carson Cox from Merchandise and Marco Rapidsarda from Smart Cops, La Piovra, and Psico Galera. They released a 12” on Deathwish Records back in 2016 and did a US tour, and now seven years later they’re back with a new record and a fairly new sound. If you liked that first record, the core elements are still here—drum machines and hardcore punk—but they’re subsumed into a much richer, more varied sound. “No Cure for Madness” and “Human / Machinery” have the big pop hooks of the best Merchandise songs, while “Spirit” has the tense, “where is this going?” feeling of Throbbing Gristle’s early records. “D.O.G. II” has the closest sound to the digitalized hardcore of Death Index’s first record, and many tracks incorporate the raw, heavy dance music vibes of the 90s Wax Trax scene. It all sounds very three-dimensional and very free, especially against the background of an underground punk scene in which so many bands seem hemmed in by their self-imposed aesthetic boundaries. Civilized by a Lie may be a little harder to get a handle on because of its heterogeneity, but I think that wideness of scope is also one of its biggest strengths.


Fuerza Bruta: Contra 12” (Warthog Speak Records) It’s been seven years since Fuerza Bruta’s previous full-length, and if Contra has been in the works that long, it shows… it’s a compact, action-packed oi! album that goes from hit to hit without ever feeling redundant or generic. As the label’s description notes, it sounds like there’s as much classic Spanish and South American punk in Fuerza Bruta’s sound as oi!… many bands from those parts of the world take a lot from the Clash and the Pistols, and I hear the anthemic choruses of the former and the latter’s beefy riffs all over Contra. Fuerza Bruta can do straightforward, punky oi! with the best of them—see the upbeat “Librepensador”—but the whole of Contra is shot through with subtlety and craftsmanship that is relatively rare in the oi! scene, which tends to value things that are more straightforward and direct. I imagine fans of Mexico’s Mess would like Contra; while Fuerza Bruta doesn’t sound exactly like them (they aren’t so reminiscent of Blitz), there’s a similar elegance and power to the songwriting. And much of Contra transcends oi! entirely, with moments like the scorching yet melancholic guitar solo in “Regreso del Verdugo” edging into Leatherface territory. A succinct, powerful, and highly re-playable record.


The Dweebs: Goes Without Saying 7” (Crew Cuts Records) This debut from the UK’s the Dweebs is a total scorcher. Even though the Dweebs dabble in styles that rarely do much for me, their energy, speed, and power win me over. To me, the Dweebs have a lot of Can I Say-era Dag Nasty in their sound, but they’re way faster and punkier… imagine if Dag Nasty started early enough to have tracks on Flex Your Head and they might have sounded something like this. The drums are right up front and blaring in your face just like on those early Dischord recordings. There’s also some youth crew in the mix; while there’s only one breakdown, something about the vocalist’s clean shout makes me think of bands like Turning Point. The songs, though, are so short and punchy and delivered with so much speed and dexterity that a Career Suicide comparison wouldn’t be out of line. I also love that, while the Dweebs’ sound has so many reference points, their visual aesthetic doesn’t rely on cliches. Like I said, this might be slightly outside Sorry State’s wheelhouse, but it’s so ripping I can’t help loving it.


The Hazmats: Skewed View 7” (Static Shock Records) The Hazmats bring us their second single of vintage-sounding UK jangle on Static Shock, and consider my appetite whetted… I want to hear more from this band! The Hazmats sound so timeless, like they could have come out at any time between the 60s and today with their hypnotic jangly guitars and gentle vocals. It’s pyschedelia viewed through the punk prism, and it makes me think of staying up until the wee hours of Monday morning to catch the latest new sounds from the UK on 120 Minutes. Both songs are excellent, but as on the first Hazmats single, it’s the guitar hooks that push this band into the stratosphere… just check out the b-side, “Wondered,” whose nimble, Johnny Marr-inspired riffing serves as the song’s main hook. Just like the first Hazmats single, this is great, but leaves me thirsting for more.


Private Lives: Hit Record 12” (Feel It Records) Hit Record is the boldly named debut full-length from this Quebecois band. While it’s up to the world to decide if the title is ironic or not, I can confirm that Hit Record is, if nothing else, an excellent underground pop album. Feel It Records has been staking out this lane of hooky underground rock music, punk-inspired but not punk in the mohawks and leather sense, and Private Lives are a perfect fit. Their songs are brash and energetic, played with grit, but with big hooks you can’t ignore and a vocalist you just want to sing along with. They remind me of so many bands who live in that space between punk and pure pop… the Busy Signals, early Midnite Snaxxx (which reminds me, there’s some 60s girl group in Private Lives’ sound too) the Exploding Hearts, the Real Kids… I hear parts of Private Lives that remind me of all those bands, but the through-line is a take on rootsy power-pop that doesn’t lean on nostalgia, but places the emphasis the pure pleasure of a great hook.