True Sounds of Liberty, better know as T.S.O.L., have been active in the punk scene since 1978 and have never shied away from being political. They have now taken Louis Armstrong’s classic song “What A Wonderful World” and covered it, with a spin. It’s a parody version, that showcases some of the political horrors that are happening in the world right now. It’s an … Continue reading T.S.O.L. drop political parody of Louis Armstrong hit
In 2011, I Set My Friends on Fire released Astral Rejection – a sweet, grating fusion of crunkcore, extreme metal and emo-pop. It continued what the band pioneered on their 2008 debut to largely negative reviews. What’s not as well known is that there was an original version of Astral Rejection. Epitaph Records shelved it in 2010. But now, the label has decided to release … Continue reading I Set My Friends on Fire’s O.G. ‘Astral Rejection’ to Get Official Release
“The song ‘Bear Pit’ was inspired by 90’s US punk which I grew up listening to, and it’s about facing up to consequences and realising that your actions have an effect on others. Sooner or later you’ll have to face the ‘Bear Pit’.” – NIP NIP has spent a lot of time performing in different London punk bands. He has now decided to do a … Continue reading NIP Releases 90’s Inspired Punk Song “Bear Pit”
In Spirit’s ‘Asbury’ is crunchy, blaring pop punk from this New Jersey-based band. This crew definitely has a lot of cool stuff going on. Although their general framework sounds an awful lot like Joyce Manor or Remo Drive, these guys have an erratic, almost spastic vibe that gives them that extra grit and energy. The unrelenting, almost blown out rhythm section serves as a good … Continue reading In Spirit’s ‘Asbury’ Is Crunchy, Noisy Emo-Pop
‘Vulgar’ by Horns in some groovy, classic rock-inflected punk out of the Dominican Republic. These guys do a really good job of bringing a forward, crusty approach to punk without sacrificing clarity or compositional complexity. For a listener who grew up with classic rock, a lot of this track will sound eerily familiar. It seems like in certain regards these guys are reworking and remixing … Continue reading ‘Vulgar’ by Horns Is Groovy Punk with a Classic Rock-Style Approch
‘The Broken Satellite’ by Nights Like Thieves is some sad, spacey alternative rock with a clear, dreamy vibe. These guys say they “started out in October of 2016 in San Diego, California. We self record, mix and mastered our own recordings and film and edit our own music videos.” They describe their sound as moving between “an upbeat, intricate and melodic vibe to a slower, … Continue reading ‘The Broken Satellite’ by Nights Like Thieves Is Some Strong SoCal Emo
The Ten Year Program’s ‘Ambien Wet Dream’ is a dense, melodic take on post-hardcore. These guys describe themselves as, “a two-person collaboration, written, recorded and produced by Ian Richards,” who is responsible for music, arrangement, engineering and mastering, “and Jack McCracken” on vocals. Although the mix on here is a little rough, there’s a lot of cool stuff happening. The vocals are top-notch. They have … Continue reading The Ten Year Program’s ‘Ambien Wet Dream’ Is Dense, Melodic Alt Rock
‘What’s the Plan’ by The Flips is some glum, sparkly pop punk out of Chicago. “The themes of mental health appear often in my songwriting,” says frontman Nick Sintos. This track “literally refers to a getting on a treatment plan for depression and anxiety,” he says. These guys take a nice, expansive approach to the gritty, eclectic and brutally honest pop punk brought to the … Continue reading ‘What’s the Plan’ by The Flips Is Sad, Understated Chicago Pop Punk
Billy the Kid’s ‘Tercer Mundo’ is bruising Spanish-language hardcore out of Costa Rica with a decidedly political take. The band says this “is the new single off of Billy The Kid’s new album DESTROY BABYLON, to be released Spring 2019 worldwide through Blindsided Records.” These guys “have toured Europe and the US over 8 times and are gearing up for another worldwide tour,” they say. … Continue reading Billy the Kid’s ‘Tercer Mundo’ Is Exceptional Costa Rican Hardcore
Spirit of the Wildfire’s ‘No Allegiance’ is some heavily-charged, fast-paced punk out of Canada. These guys say their approach provides “listeners with a high energy, dynamic experience from an arsenal of unique styles and sounds. Combining a diverse array of influences from ska to hip-hop, with a hard hitting punk aggression, the group dubs their sound ‘funk punk.’” From the more pensive, ska-oriented bars of … Continue reading Spirit of the Wildfire’s ‘No Allegiance’ Is Well-Balanced, Quick Punk Rock
