Browsing Tag

Punk Rock

Pharsalia defied physics in their pop-punk revamp, Gravity Killer

Posted on 26 February 2023

Here to prove that emo was anything but a phase is the Delaware-hailing pop-punk revampers, Pharsalia, with their latest physics-defying single, Gravity Killer.

The catchy heart-in-throat choruses have kept their original form, and there’s plenty of punch in the dynamically bouncy guitar riffs, which keep you palpitatingly sweet in the lead up to the euphoric chaos in the pit-worthy choruses. The 5-piece has made a name for itself in the local scene and beyond with its fan-first lyrical relatability and approachability. This track is only going to take their renown to the next level.

If any single has what it takes to tear your attention away from the new album material from Fall Out Boy it is this scintillatingly scorned anthem for the disenfranchised that is super-charged with earworm-y energy.

Gravity Killer hit the airwaves with the force of a hadron collider on January 27th. Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The acrimony bells ring in Continental Lovers’ subversively sweet punk-rock ‘Wedding Song’

Posted on 23 February 2023

The UK’s trashiest punk-rock purveyors, Continental Lovers, dialled back on the scuzz in their latest subversively archetypal single, Wedding Song.

The change in direction has lost none of the impassioned volition that Continental Lovers have become renowned for since their relatively recent debut that has sent ricochets of raucous hype through the rock scene. Heartbreak never sounded so viscerally adoring. Nor has the recoil from love-hate whiplash resonated with such realism. Tom Petty would be proud.

The accordant ring of the guitars, contributed by Graham Jones (Haircut 100, Boys Wonder, Glen Matlock, is sweeter than any coil of silver or gold that can decorate your finger. Which is probably a good thing given the playfully machiavellian lyrical admission of theft of said symbolic token.

With producer Phil Booth (Sleaford Mods, Desperate Journalists, Hip Priests), elevating the single from the brashy punk-rock panache that Continental Lovers fans have been clamouring over since the fourpiece outfit started their ascent from the underground with euphonic organ tones, Wedding Song is the breakup song you never knew you needed.

Joe Maddox Said:

“Wedding Song is about quickly falling out of love with somebody and resenting their existence but still feeling that sense of loss and grief when a relationship ends. I guess we’ve all been there; it’s a cathartic process! I rarely write songs about real life, and this is no exception. I just wanted to write a bitter breakup song.”

Stream Wedding Song on Bandcamp & Spotify.

Follow Continental Lovers on Facebook & Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Urban Cafe Crew launched a riotous pop-rock attack on society’s most blindly entitled generation with ‘Hey There Boomer, It’s Not OK’

Posted on 19 January 2023

Australia’s wittiest pop-rock outfit Urban Cafe Crew launched a riotous attack on the generation that set every subsequent one up for failure with their latest single, Hey There Boomer, It’s Not OK.

Every millennial and Gen Z can derive vindicating catharsis from the playfully scathing track that finds an antagonistically hooky way of relaying every boomer sin that has left the earth scorched and financial security out of reach for the majority.

But hey, the boomers had it the worst, right? Their determination to make the world worse for their offspring is warranted, right? They have a right to see any signs of social progression and drag it back with their knuckles that have scarcely been lifted off the floor since 1989, right?

Hey There Boomer, It’s Not OK was officially released on January 14th; check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Knottie Boys released the ultimate punk-rock chagin soundtrack with ‘Sadsquatch’

Posted on 16 January 2023

Taken from their garagey punk-rock EP, A Face Fulla Dirt, the standout single, Sadsquatch, from The Knottie Boys is a melodically hook-rife exposition of reclaimed shame. By allowing the chagrin-deep lyrics to unravel as a series of confessions rooted in quirky indignity, Sadsquatch projects intimate disclosures in the same breath as lamenting about public knowledge of them.

It was an ingeniously bold move from the New York-hailing fourpiece, who have released two EPs and a studio album since forming in 2019. By pulling influence from CBGB headliners to folk-punk to the percussive fills of marching bands to the acts who made the 2007 Warped Tour infamous, the bitterly sweet powerhouse has carved out a niche and filled it to precision.

If Neutral Milk Hotel formed as a punk-rock outfit, they’d boast the same appeal as The Knottie Boys, who have exactly what it takes to be one of the premier NYC punk bands in 2023. Watch this space before they pour ennuitic resonance into it.

A Face Fulla Dirt is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK Trio The Horizons Brought in a New Wave of Punk with ‘Just Friends.’

Posted on 4 January 2023

The Plymouth UK indie punk-rock trio, The Horizons, single-handedly brought in a new wave of punk with their latest hit, Just Friends. The sweeping choruses are as animating as Reel Big Fish’s cover of Take On Me, while nuances of 90s pop-punk bite away in the same vein as The Offspring’s Hit That in the backbeat. The frenzied grungy instrumentals are dusted with a sugar-coated post-punk snarl that immediately arrests you in the intro before they bring in the silky pop harmonies. Some bands need an entire LP or discography to establish their dynamism, not The Horizons.

Once the fear subsided that this wasn’t an incel-y track bemoaning the friend zone, the euphoria in the upbeat indie punk hit quickly became infectious. The hit becomes infinitely sweeter when you register the self-awareness that allows them to traverse around commitment issues while pertaining to a roguishly modern brand of romanticism.

Just Friends. was officially released on December 28th. Check it out on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Batten down the hatches, Below Bermuda is back with another rip-roaring slice of alt-rock, Wings

Posted on 2 January 2023

After a brief recording hiatus, the international alt-rock outfit, Below Bermuda turned up the temperature with the blazing hot funk-dripped riffs with their first release since 2018, Wings. If you’re sick of four-chord rock, dig right into the complex rhythmic patterns in this hit that will dizzy you into mesmerism. Although you might want to batten down the hatches first, Below Bermuda is about as unreckonable as the Bermuda Triangle itself.

The Rise Against vocal reminiscence and melodically hooky instrumentals in the choruses around the frenetic punk rock pacing in the verses create a track that keeps on giving. After one hit of Wings, I knew that Below Bermuda is a band well-worth catching live. Their animated energy that pulls it together just enough to create a tight AF performance will undoubtedly make for an unforgettable live experience.

It just so happens that before lockdown crimped their touring and recording plans, Below Bermuda rip roared through venues and festivals in the UK, earning themselves the accolade of one of the hottest live acts on the scene.

Wings is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

O Odious Ones put the riff-driven teeth back into American rock n roll with ‘Blues Waffle’

Posted on 12 November 2022

With their customised brand of regressive rock/trailer punk, O Odious Ones are putting the riff-driven teeth back into the bite of rock n roll. Their scuzzy single, Blues Waffle, interlays melodic grungy vocals with the raw-throated outcries of contempt directed at life’s protagonists who always make us regret misplacing trust, while the gnarled guitars put you in the headspace to sink a few warm beers with likeminded degenerates before going off into the night to fight a raccoon.

Just mind how you go searching for Blues Waffle; it could take you to some dark places. Don’t go alone; watch the live recording by Fallopium Films at the Flats Pub on YouTube, which is sure to fill you with envy for whoever got to taste Blues Waffle live. At least you can live the punch-drunk mayhem vicariously via their first official music video.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ryan Bowen and the Non-Player Characters got something, even if you’ve got nothing.

Posted on 12 November 2022

Ryan Bowen and the Non-Player Characters know how to forge a sound, taking elements of blues, punk-rock, and gritty classic sounds, there’s a lot happening here. Their newest track “You Got Nothing” is a two-fisted warning to the unwanted and annoying – it’s the kind of song we’d all sing to those individuals who deserve a punch in the face, but never receive one because of things like “social norms.”

Grungy distorted rhythm guitars start the song. I assume that Ryan Bowen is the lead singer (but the way band names are created, we never know), and his tone is fantastic – think David Bowe’s 70’s era style mixed with a mild folk/blues character, processed like singing through a megaphone and you sort of have the aural image of what it sounds like. The rhythm section is tight on the level of a sailor’s knot. I’d be remised if I didn’t mention the fantastic guitar solo; it’s melodic and sharp and breaks the character of the song somewhat in a way that ramps up the energy when the main themes return, making the track “You Got Nothing” the right kind of journey in a world full of cookie-cut pop-songs.

I was pleased to find out that these folks are somewhat local to me, they reside in Portland, Oregon, whereas I live in a small town about three hours south (I might have to make the trek north to check out a show). But upon reflection, I’m not that surprised. Portland is known for its artistic scene and this kind of refined yet against-the-grain sound is as native to Oregon as the Nike corporation and it’s good that Ryan Bowen and the NPCs are making us proud.

Check them out on IG and listen to the track on Spotify.

We Are Wasted has recently released a brand new track titled “Make It Out Alive”.

Posted on 7 November 2022

We Are Wasted is a punk rock band with a very energetic and one-of-a-kind sound. The group’s music burs the lines between modern punk and hardcore tones, while also incorporating elements of rock and roll and garage for an ultimate rush of energy. The band’s most recent single, “Make It Out Alive”, stands out as a perfect example of their creative vision. The track kicks off with a monolith guitar riff, and the vocals kick in soon after, matching the intensity and grit of the guitar with a very powerful performance. As soon as the rest of the band tags along, they’re able to create a big, yet somewhat groove-driven sound that is reminiscent of rock icons such as Stone Temple Pilots or Guns N Roses, while still retaining some punk attitude.

This track is highly recommended to fans of artists such as NOFX, Social Distortion, and Dead Rituals. Find out more about We Are Wasted, and check out “Make It Out Alive”.

Siggy are harbingers of future in their proto-punk comeback album, 25th Century

Posted on 2 November 2022

Featuring a cover of Echo and the Bunnymen’s Lips Like Sugar which contains all of the salacious murky atmosphere of the original, it is safe to say that Siggy’s comeback album, 25th Century, arrived with a proto-punk bang.

After making their debut in 1999 with the album, Harlow’s Girl, which carried a Crampsy sense of killer off-kilter volition, 25th Century had a lot to live up to, but the rhythmic pulse is strong across the 10 singles which traverse the themes of hope, fury, and the rank psychic pathology of the 21st century.

The gothy Echo and the Bunnymen vibes carry across more than just the cover, along with hints of Television and bites of Splitter-Esque punk. But for me, the highlight had to be the title single, which truly embraces the stifled with strange nature of the 21st century while throwing back to the time when guitarists knew how to lick right into your soul. “If there’s going to be a 25th century there has to be 21st century morality” is a lyric I will never forget.

25th Century is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast
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