With NYC’s powerful punk group Pinocchio, the mission seems to be providing an intentional chasm of disorder alongside its almost instantaneous withdrawal. Fuzzy guitars thrashing across booming kicks and tom hits yield to surprising seconds of silence; it is these contrasts that prove their meticulous and thoughtful musicianship.
“14 Days” oozes with the hazy aura of nostalgia, as it features the perfect kind of shimmery guitar tones and punchy rhythms that’ll naturally induce fond memories of warm summer nights. It’s a fickle kind of reminiscing, though, as while these sonic elements may trigger memories of happy times, the perspective is delivered from a place of heartache.
The trio are set to release their sophomore album, Feral Coast, at some point in the coming future (these being as uncertain times as they come and all). While we wait, Scrunchies are sharing the record’s first single “No Home Planet” with a video, directed by William Hoben and featuring choreographer Taja Will.
True to the nature of self-titled albums, Ringo Deathstarr condenses everything special about the shoegaze purveyors into one complete package, but it also feels like a self-conscious look back at where they’ve come since. It may not bear the visceral punch of their earlier material, but it feels more esoteric, more open to other influences.
Blending subtle vocal melodies with droning guitar static, and upping the songwriting by creating wholly-complete though still intoxicatingly-short ballads, the band’s latest full-length LP Gifts of Consciousness displays Sorespot’s growth and illuminates the potential for the four-piece to become a mantel in the hallowed walls of indie rock.
With dread and despair all around, “Vis-A-Vis,” the album’s opener takes a lighter approach and gives us the post-punk anthem we can all dance around our homes to. With a tightly coiled rhythm section and guitars that pay homage to Gang of Four’s early years, SAVAK have created a song bursting with subdued energy
Now on his fourth album, Embarrassed Landscape, Edwin Stevens is using tension and release as his plaything on an LP that flits between murky angst and heart-wrenching sensitivity. The Welsh-born Glasgow-residing musician has taken the diverse range of ideas from his previous work and raised the bar for the lo-fi psych-rock genre.
Grizzlor breathe new life into their single with a new music video directed by John Mohr. The intensity of the song is captured in a live performance, caught in a claustrophobic garage like practice space. The walls aren’t exactly closing in, but the strobe effect and multi-colored lighting certainly make it feel like something alien is occurring.
Pith is the third full length from Chicago-based noise punk quartet Melkbelly, a barrage of hook filled knottiness with a bit more development and breadth. There is a sort of cautious sweetness on Pith to temper the causticism without stripping it entirely, as the production allows the songs to fully blossom and reach maximum impact.
The talented three-piece based out of Brooklyn, NY released Everything Rots That Is Rotten in June via Corpse Flower Records. The EP fits nicely into their macabre discography. The project, available digitally, is only about seventeen minutes long but chock full of introspective lyrics and avant-garde rock instrumentation.
Set for release on various formats, the lead single, “Irma,” is short and sweet, a lo-fi post-punk track that sounds nasty and immediate. With shattering cymbal crashes and a noisy din, the fifty second track is takes rawness to heart, with a recorded din and sonic pallet that most would never attempt, but then again, most are not Dog Park.
PITH, Melkbelly’s sophomore full length is out now via Wax Nine / Carpark Records and we had the chance to catch up with the entire band - James Wetzel (drums), Miranda Winters (guitar/vocals), Bart Winters (guitar), and Liam Winters (bass) - to discuss the new record, touring, a new baby, and uncertainty in these pandemic times.
Nap Eyes have been releasing under the radar masterpieces for the past half a decade. Starting in 2014, they’ve been steadily growing their following in the indie world with each new release. Snapshot of a Beginner, the first album where they’ve worked with guitarist extraordinaire James Elkington, is poised to be their biggest album yet.
Enter a world of sordid noise rock, where jazz meets grindcore, prog blends with no-wave, and absolutely nothing is subtle. It’s all by design on Fred Cracklin’a sophomore album, Anxiety Kinship. The duo of Adam Bosse (guitar) and Max Goldstein (drums), have thrown caution to the wind and they’re getting into the sweet spot of experimental freak-out noise punk with intelligence at its core.
Spanning four tracks, Surfbort delivers on their stripped yet robust-rock sound for a jumpy EP dedicated to anxiety, romance and of course, pointed animosity towards one #45 president. Billy is exciting and driving and with every word you can think of being at a DIY show covered in cheap beer with your best friends.
Polvo is great for fans or newcomers alike - anyone who wants to see where one of the most influential bands of the 1990's honed their craft. Fans of their classic albums will enjoy these versions of songs they know and love, while new fans will still enjoy an incredible find striving to develop their signature sound.
London synth punk band Es has arrived with Less of Everything, a bold statement in our age of constant overexposure. Regardless if the title deals with minimalism within our reality or within their skeletal punk songs, there’s no distractions within their debut, just primal focused post-punk that’s tense and eager to disrupt any sense of complacency.
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