The Linda Lindas Are Earnestly Edgy on ‘No Obligation’
The Linda Lindas voice the trials inherent to growing up in a society that devalues perspectives of the young, the feminine, and the ‘different’.
punk
Drug Church Critique Hypocrisy and Retain Their Edge on ‘PRUDE’
Drug Church’s PRUDE takes its place alongside Gouge Away’s Deep Sage as a highlight of the year in hardcore that could reach outside the flock.
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Jawbox Discuss ‘For Your Own Special Sweetheart’ at 30
Jawbox’s major label debut is their most beloved album, a perfect marriage of songwriting and production that sounds as thrilling today as it did 30 years ago.
Fucked Up Create Anthems in Minutes on ‘Another Day’
Canadian hardcore legends Fucked Up channel 1970s riffage and wear a hard-won optimism well on Another Day. It’s among their best albums.
GEL’s Restlessness Is Thrilling on ‘Persona’
Hardcore punk band GEL’s ability to weave new influences into their sound while remaining instantly identifiable sets them apart. They’re a breath of fresh air.
Emo’s Ogbert the Nerd Deliver ‘What You Want’ on New LP
Ogbert the Nerd sound exuberant. There is a beating heart and pathos under the hooks, and they have much to offer listeners outside of emo’s ardent fans.
Bad Brains Reissue the Timeless ‘I Against I’
Canonical DC hardcore act Bad Brains remain as vital as ever. Almost 40 years after I Against I’s initial release, it’s remarkable how timeless it sounds.
Tim O’Brien of Blood Is a Multi-Dimensional Man
It’s raucous, it’s queer, and it’s uncompromising. Blood’s Tim O’Brien is sticking to his guns. “I won’t change the [band] name for the sake of search engines.”
Detroit’s Big Life Channel Punk’s Revolution Summer
For those who like their hardcore punk with hooks and intelligent, witty lyrics, Big Life deliver big time on two EPs. They are music lovers first and foremost.
Hüsker Dü’s ‘Zen Arcade’ at 40: Do You Remember?
In the early 1980s, Hüsker Dü paved the way for alternative rock, adding the power, anger, and pain of hardcore punk to a mix of 1960s and 1970s pop-rock styles.
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ Is a Timeless Snapshot of Fading Youth
Joyce Manor’s ‘Never Hungover Again’ still sounds urgent and endlessly replayable cranked up loud with the windows down, and it will stay that way.
2 Tone: Race, Music, and Pop Culture in Thatcher’s UK
2 Tone found a sweet spot between punk anger and pop sensibility that mirrored the myriad poles they were trying to bridge in their band members and audiences.