Reviews – Upstarter

Mega Infinity – Chaos Magick

Chaos Magick, the new EP from Mega Infinity is a pop-hook fueled, indie alternative rocker with four tracks of eclectic electric rock and roll. The lyrics are intimate and smart, revealing a scene that is all too often male-centric and misogynistic. While the title track offers up the positive aspects of artistic endeavors and the support of a strong community, Track two, “Dude Poisoning” launches a salvo against the pervasive negative aspects of the scene.

The EP provides four tracks in all, each with their own particular style and charm. The music is very vocally driven, with a range of instrumental support acting to reinforce a strong voice. Crunchy guitars and various electronica are laced throughout. A bonus is the bands take on the Alanis Morrisette track, “You Oughta Know”

Go ahead and diversify your collection and check it out. You can check out the video for Chaos Magick premiering today over on Punk News.

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
Chaos Magick
Dude Poisoning
Look Alive
You Oughta Know

For fans of: Sonic Boom Six, Rage Against the Machine, Just Friends, Don Broco, 100 Gecs, Flying Raccoon Suit, Nova Twins

Bio:
Mega Infinity are Michi (Turk) and Mike DiGiulio from Long Island NY. The two met while working in a grocery store, far from Michi’s home. They had a feeling that it would be the right move for them as a musician when they were transferred.

In 2014, Michi formed this band with Mike’s friend Andrew. In 2018, Mike stepped in as guitarist and a main songwriter. The band’s sound took a turn towards heavier riffs and the inclusion of more electronic elements fused in with rock.

Mike and Michi, living together, started writing more songs together and hosting a weekly livestream including other musicians. In 2021 Mike proposed to Michi on stream

The stream opened them to meeting bands from all over they wouldn’t have had the chance to meet including Flying Raccoon Suit, Eichlers, Tape Girl, and more who influenced them to take chances musically.

They were inspired to blend genres and styles that are unexpected, with elements of indie, emo, pop, hip-hop, ska, and progressive rock. They try to stay true to taking risks musically while having lyrics which tie together themes of perseverance, standing up for what you believe in and love for each other and their fans who they call the Megababes.

Their debut album Rainbow Heartache came out in December 2021. In 2023, they played for the first time in Texas for SPI Fest and went back into the studio soon after. Chaos Magick is produced by Nicholas Starrantino and Mike DiGiulio. They joined the Ska Punk International Family. Chaos Magick is releasing on Ska Punk International on October 10, 2023.

The Pretty Flowers – A Company Sleeve

I’m going to preface this review by outing myself as a massive fan of this band prior to even hearing this release. Ever since the reliable Tim PopKid turned me onto their debut record “Why Trains Crash” in 2018, I’ve had them on pretty regular rotation. It seems surprising to me that it’s been five years since their last full length because I still listen to it so often. Over time it’s become one of my favorite records of the last decade. In fact, when my copy of “A Company Sleeve” arrived in the mail the other day, it was none other than “Why Trains Crash” that I removed from my turntable to make room for it.

I had the pleasure of meeting these guys in person this Spring when they came through Portland. I’d interacted with Noah on Twitter a little bit, discussing J Church, and him turning me onto some great music (Church Girls and Creeper Lagoon, namely). It was such an excellent show, and they couldn’t have been nicer. Perhaps because we were both riding the euphoria of having just unexpectedly met Toody from Dead Moon moments earlier, but conversation flowed smoothly, and it was fun to talk music with someone who you enjoy their own output so much.

You might think all this enthusiasm would shatter any objectivity I have on a new record, but the flipside of that is the crushingly high expectations you have from a band whose most recent album you hold in such high esteem. The situation was ripe for a letdown. 25 seconds into it, when the lead off track “Young Gray Enemies” opens up and explodes into everything that makes The Pretty Flowers great, all concerns for a sophomore slump were alleviated.

For those of you who have been paying attention, The Pretty Flowers have been hinting at their progression as songwriters with new songs and unreleased tracks being added to their Bandcamp page. This band is also extraordinarily good at doing covers. Their version of “Doom Town” by The Wipers rips so hard, especially live. Also, although you might not think you need it, their take on Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” is one of the best covers of any song I’ve ever heard. Anyway, all the potential hinted at with the material released since “Why Trains Crash” has been realized on “A Company Sleeve”. I think I even like it better.

I hope this analogy doesn’t turn anyone off because I might be in the minority on this opinion, but the progression of The Pretty Flowers between these two albums reminds me of The Promise Ring between “Nothing Feels Good” and “Very Emergency”, the latter of which I consider to be their masterpiece. I remember how excited I was by “Very Emergency” when it came out in 1999. I loved it immediately, and remember calling my friends before I even got to the end of the first listen. That I’m able to access that same kind of evangelical excitement from a new album when I’m 44 years old with “A Company Sleeve” is pretty cool.

This record is really frontloaded with hits. Any song on side A I could see being the single. The aforementioned first track comes in at just under two minutes, but is the perfect opener. It goes from a distant muddled recording to a full blast banger, like when your headphone jack was partially unplugged and then you’d push it in all the way. It’s such a catchy tune, and that effect really puts it over the top. It’s followed up by “Another Way To Lose”, which is another absolute ripper, and just a perfect punk/power pop jam of the highest order. It briefly feels like we’re getting a break in the action with “Hit Nothing”, but the huge chorus and overall instrumentation make this another great example of what this band can do. “Baby Food” is next, which picks the tempo back up and provides the listener with not only another barn burner, but also some poignant commentary on the rental market in Los Angeles. “Bucket Beach” and “Agendaless” close out the first side, the former having rightfully been released as a single in 2021, and the latter being slower but also a definite album highlight.

Side B, much like their last record, has just as many hooks, but they tend to lay just below the surface and be a bit more subdued. “The Long Con” in particular, is maybe my current favorite song on the record. Sitting second to last, it has a nice dreamy/surfy vibe and is just unbelievably catchy. Including a few songs I haven’t mentioned by name yet, there are absolutely no skips to be found anywhere on this LP, and new things to appreciate with each passing listen.

All the other bands I’ve mentioned in this review (Promise Ring, Church Girls, Creeper Lagoon, and J Church) I can all see as worthwhile comparisons to The Pretty Flowers’ sound. I also really hear post-reunion Superchunk in the incredible layered quality of music and song structure. The songs are good, but so are all the people who are playing them. Everyone is doing something interesting, the lyrics are smart, and there’s so much special detail to every swirling hook and chorus. Their melody and sound reminds me a lot of Mrs. Magician as well, in that there’s an essence of Beach Boys, and again the songs are just so strong.

If anything you’ve read has sparked your interest, you really need to check out The Pretty Flowers. All of it, and especially this record. I give no recommendation higher than this one. Tell your friends, they’ll thank you. It makes absolutely no sense at all that these guys aren’t bigger.

–Zack Akenson

Billy Batts & the Made Men – My Empire Is Crumbling

I’m checking out a breakneck new release from Atlanta Georgia’s Billy Batts and The Made Men. Produced by Joe Queer of the legendary punk band The Queers, My Empire Is Crumbling dispenses snotty punk rock ala Queers, Screeching Weasel, or perhaps a Jon Cougar Concentration Camp. The straight ahead punk is interwoven with more hardcore elements on several tracks, all fused with the balls out speed of Bomb The Music Industry.

15 mostly brief tunes and one long-ass epic ballad. (Rent A Friend is only 4ish minutes long, but that’s like forever, right?) None of the songs disappoint. Vocals, as mentioned, are snotty. There is a nice call and response on “The Day I Became A Man.” Chugging guitars are complemented by a handful of not entirely untasteful solos. The bass glues everything together with the ratta-tat-tat drums in an able fashion.

There’s a song entitled Paul Belinni. I truly hope this song is about Paul Belinni from Kids in the Hall. Maybe it’s not, but I’m going to pretend it is. Furthermore, I’m going to pretend the band won the “Touch Paul Belinni” contest, all those years ago and got to touch Paul Belinni. It’s a kickass song either way.

The track “Change” gives me Leftover Crack vibes for some reason. I’m down with that.

Look, this is a damn fine album and if’n you like Punk Rock, which you do, check it out. Like it. Love it. Show some support and buy it.

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Gotta Leave 02:37
2. Dan Is Awesome 01:43
3. People Are Shit 00:46
4. Maniac 01:12
5. Andy Doesn’t Read Much Book 01:17
6. 9am 01:00
7. Over Again 01:43
8. Behind My Screen 01:43
9. Drowning 01:48
10. Weird Al Wrote Propaganda Songs 00:26
11. Paul Bellini 01:53
12. The Day I Became A Man 01:14
13. Change 02:07
14. Never Comes Easy 02:09
15. I Bleed 01:27
16. Rent A Friend 04:13

Band:
Brody – Guitars, Lead Vocals
Stag – Bass, Backup Vocals
Nub Nub – Drums, Backup Vocals
Additional backup vocals by Joe Queer

Lizard Brain Trust – The David Christ Memorial Indoctrination Fund for the Cure

Twitter can be a pretty dark place. The name itself lends most people an immediate visceral reaction of disgust, conjuring up an image of Elon Musk’s stupid head, and blue check mark American fascists hating on, and blatantly lying about, all that is good and decent in this world. Yuck. However, it’s not all bad, and there’s a reason a lot of us are still on there. Meeting interesting people from around the world to share music with is still pretty fun, it turns out. That’s how I wound up writing reviews here on Upstarter (thanks, Jerry). It’s where I met my main lasagna man, SST. Without Twitter I wouldn’t know a bunch of cool guys named Steve, a mysterious international man of leisure named Scotch Chalice, fellow China Drum and Leatherface enthusiast Dave, a guy with a hybrid Miami Dolphins/Strung Out tattoo, friggin’ Seaweed Pat, chef Dan in France, the real kings of New York Pedro and SJ, Mike, Green Corn, PhD, Alex, Kenosha Andrew, a bunch of cool people in Japan, Branch, 62 lb, Broken Locker Mike, the list goes on and on. A couple weeks ago, one of these Twitter acquaintances named Seth, whose band Lizard Brain Trust just released a new album, was nice enough to mail me a physical copy of their new CD. Not to be reviewed, but just because he’s a nice guy who wants to share his music. I’ve been listening to it so much in the past few weeks, I thought I should tell you about it.

Lizard Brain Trust are a punk band based out of Lawrence, Kansas, and this is their first full length. As its bizarre title might suggest, “The David Christ Memorial Indoctrination Fund for the Cure” is pretty weird, and falls into the Pere Ubu/Butthole Surfers side of punk. The CD has a mission statement of sorts underneath the clear plastic of the digipak that I think pretty accurately captures its vibe. It reads, “You can stockpile every option until it’s meaningless, trade it in for your own void. Does the world just spin out of orbit, throwing all of us, the shitty monkeys, back into space to freeze or fry, choking on our stupid plans? American exceptionalism, jingoistic propaganda pumped down our throats. Some is subtle and some is Lee Greenwood’s corn nightmares. We’ve tried to do something that speaks to our anxieties as humans living through this shit show, hoping for better things and pretty bummed out about how they are.”

Although abstract and corn-nightmare-referencing at times, “The David Christ Memorial Indoctrination for the Cure” is quite topical and lyrically poignant. The album touches a lot on far right political toxicity in American culture, but more specifically on the human response of anxiety from living through this incredibly stupid timeline of history. I think it can sometimes be difficult to write songs about omnipresent current events without being vaguely cringey, but Lizard Brain Trust manage to do so in a manner that’s relatable and effective. On the song “Honest Liar” in a Travis Shettel from Piebald-style vocal, “If you really think you’re right, why are screaming?”. I also enjoyed the line from the third track on here, “Evangelical tiki torch burning in the lawn, traded your god for a gun.” There are other allusions to the politics of gun control on here as well. “Now close your eyes, just like your mind. Your thoughts and prayers have made you blind,” from This Place is Cursed says a lot about what’s going on here.

Not all of “David Christ” is so serious. There’s a short acoustic number where the only chorus is repeating the name of the principal from Saved by the Bell, and a mysterious Pixies meets Pere Ubu number called “Southern Bulgarian Milk”. “My Brain is Sick” is straight up 80s hardcore, but opts to only have electric guitar and vocals. It all works though, and despite the darkness of some of the content, there is a real levity to the songs. The pacing, variety, and style of the album reminds me a lot of a Tenement record, or even Zen Arcade. Some songs come across as just demoed fragments, but they’re all pieced together nicely along with the more polished gems and some cool horror/8 bit video game interludes. I hear a lot of Love Battery here too, which is definitely a good thing. “Beach Day” is probably my favorite track on the album, a super catchy upbeat number with a sweet bassline.

Even with all the oddities, there is really no significant dip in this album from front to back. Most of the time I put it on, I find myself listening to it all the way through. With repeated listens, this has come to also include singing along and dancing. There’s something about this album that’s just so enjoyable. What I can find of them on the internet seems to suggest that they live up to their self-described moniker of “weirdo rock band” when playing out too, adorned in religious robes and upside down crosses. They have some summer shows lined up in Kansas and Colorado that I would suggest you check out if you’re anywhere nearby. Otherwise, pick up a copy of the CD from Dumb Ghost Recording Enterprises (who also released the excellent Curious Things album this year) on Bandcamp, or give it a listen on any of the major streaming platforms. Highly recommended.

–Zack Akenson

The Neanderverbs – S/T

The front cover of this new EP from Virginia’s Neanderverbs has a hot rodding caveman on it. Without even listening to it, you might already have some assumptions as to what it sounds like. Anytime an angry cartoon is driving a vehicle on an album cover, it’s going to sound a little bit like Electric Frankenstein. Although that does reflect the general tone of this record, there are also several other components about this band that make them unique and worth your time.

First of all, there’s a cover of an L7 song from their 1997 album The Beauty Process. I wouldn’t have necessarily drawn the comparison had they not covered this song, but Neanderverbs definitely have an L7 attitude and style to them. Which is to say, they play angry rock and roll and have very sick riffs. The kind of riffs that get stuck in your head all by themselves. I’ve found myself humming a couple of them around the house today.

Musically overall they remind me of the surprisingly excellent Sonics reunion album that came out several years ago, along with some Deadbolt thrown in there too. Reverb-y huge riffs all day here. Actually, just for 16 and a half minutes. There are only six songs, including the L7 cover, and an instrumental song that has more than enough to it to hold your attention.

The vocal delivery and style are what I think make Neanderverbs a bit of a unique mutant. The singer sounds straight out of early 80s SoCal hardcore, which isn’t typical for the genre. He’s probably most similar to Henry Rollins, but I also hear some early Milo in there, or maybe the dude from Reagan Youth. Lyrical content reflects this as well. Here’s an example from the opening track:

“marketers are a bunch of liars
while the suckers are all us buyers
we’re the victims of subterfuge
in the end you know we’re gonna lose”.

Also, from the song “T. Wrecks”:

“I’m user friendly and vain
a slave to the mundane
feel like I’m living my life on a leash
there’s no way to appease”.

If you consider how effectively Neanderverbs transcend geography and time to bring together these disparate genres of punk, while distilling them down into 16.5 minutes for your listening pleasure, you’re actually saving time by checking them out. Recommended.

–Zack Akenson

The Melders – S/T

The debut self-titled EP from Portland’s The Melders throws down five tracks (17 minutes) of guitar-driven, punk informed, heavy rock and roll. The tunes are uptempo with a lot of snarl and attitude. The rhythm section is solid, and the guitar work is rife with hooks and changes.

According to the band bio, The Melders is a punk rock-n-roll band from Portland, OR. The band formed in June of 2021 with Luke Valley on vocals and guitar, Guil Halstead on guitar, Marcus Irland on bass and Matt Danger on drums.

When COVID hit, it led to the demise of Luke and Guil’s 16 year project My New Vice but they weren’t ready to hang it up. They contacted long time friends and fellow musicians Marc and Matt. They knew it’d be a great fit; you know who you’re working with, what you’re going to get and that everyone can get along.

I struggle to offer comparisons sometimes, and sometimes comparisons aren’t really fair. They can, however, provide a loose relatability for an unfamiliar artist. With that in mind, The Melders make me think if Stone Temple Pilots would have been a punk band, or perhaps a more melodic Welch Boys. Do with that what you will.

Aptness of comparisons notwithstanding, I dig it and am looking forward to hearing more from The Melders. The debut EP is available now on all your favorite streaming services, and probably some streaming services you’ve never even heard of. Go on, give The Melders a whirl. You’ll dig it.

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Oil The Snake
2. Codswalloped
3. Stitched Apart
4. The Empty
5. Moons Die Here

Members:
Luke Valley – vocals, guitar
Guil Halstead – guitar
Marcus Irland- bass
Matt Danger – drums

Toronto’s Debt Cemetary Unveil New Single ‘Let’s Murderlize ‘Em!’

Debt Cemetary strikes again with the aggressive new single “Let’s Murderlize ‘Em!”. This hard-hitting release explodes with huge vocal harmonies and ripping guitar riffs that soar throughout the track.
Inspired by the height of the civil rights movements that spanned across the globe in 2020, the song reflects the thoughts and feelings of guitarist/vocalist Eddie Knowlton. Mixed and mastered by Matt Gauthier, this latest release from Debt Cemetary shows a new side to the band while keeping true to their original and unique brand of fast punk.

This latest single is further proof that Debt Cemetary is on the rise to bigger and better things.

Straightline – “Keep Your Cool”

“Oh no, is this a straight edge band?” I thought to myself like an asshole after receiving this link for the new album by Straightline. A quick google image search revealed a guy in Suicidal Tendencies hat and RKL shirt. Phew. No way that dude’s sober, unless temporarily ordered by the court. Sobriety, by the way, is cool as hell (I mean, not for me, but for lots of other people). The straight edge trope of hardcore just has too much baggage and endless unintentional buffoonery for me to get into a new band with that schtick. Which Straightline DO NOT have, to be clear. Lots of great classic straight edge hardcore out there that I’m glad exists, some of which is ironically great drinking music. Try putting on Turning Point or Chain of Strength next time you knock a few back and you can thank me later, if you remember. It’s for the best that culture didn’t mix those two things though, punch dancing would be absolute mayhem if everyone was hammered.

Straightline are from Munich, Germany and have been together in one iteration or another since the late 90s. They definitely borrow their sound from metallic skate punk of that decade, but also bring in elements of crossover thrash and screamo. The album starts out very strong with massive pounding drums (the entire production on this record is HUGE) and chugga-chugga guitars on “Global Frustration”, which is perhaps called that because of how hard it is to remember how to play. Straightline songs have LOTS of parts. The second song “Virus” is even better, and reminds me of when metal guys on YouTube cover old Nintendo songs. If you’re a nerd of a certain age, you know these are some of the greatest songs ever created, so I mean it as a compliment. Seriously, maybe no song in the history of music has consistently delivered me goosebumps on each listen more than the moon theme from Duck Tales for the NES. Late 80s Japanese video game music composition is the fourth genre of music that Straightline master here.

The album takes an interesting turn on the third track with “Undone”, which is a massively catchy tune that could hang with the best stuff on Leche Con Carne by NUFAN. It’s my favorite song on the album, and the one I go back to the most. Straightline just absolutely crush each of these genres so well that these poppier songs really help to break up the record effectively, rather than sound as if they were awkwardly tacked on. A couple other album highlights are “Shame on You”, and the straight up thrash of “Stood for Something Else”. It’s pretty impressive to have both “Undone” and “Stood for Something Else” on the same record, because they’re both such great and incredibly different songs.

Straightline have toured as an opening act for Ten Foot Pole, Big Wig, and Satanic Surfers, which makes sense stylistically. Honestly though, they’re better than all of those bands. They also remind me a little bit of label mates One Hidden Frame, especially in song structure and technical ability. Even though I’m not personally a fan of screamo or metal solos, Straightline use and master them well here. I saw some live footage, and they were all wearing shorts on stage (which I am definitely PRO) and jumping in unison. My rule of thumb with bands that scream is that they must be wearing shorts, otherwise it’s lame. Black pants with loops and extra belts and shit? Forget about it, no screaming for you. They also appear to be politically sound, from at least an environmental standpoint, with song titles like “Global Citizens” and “Earth Defenders”, which is cool. Protecting the Earth rules. The other planets fucking suck, from what we know of them.

If any of this has piqued your musical interest, I should mention that Straightline offer their LP on its own, or as a merch bundle with a skateboard deck.

–Zack Akenson

Dead End Drive In – A Worthwhile Endeavor

2022 has been, in my opinion, one of the best years for new music since the turn of the century. Especially the last few months, I feel like I keep coming across a new album that just blows me away and I put it on every chance I get. No more NPR and podcasts on the drive across town, too much excellent new music. I’m overwhelmed by it at the moment. I’m a busy man, I have a family. I don’t have time for it. You can imagine my annoyance when I was tasked with reviewing this new Dead End Drive In, put it on, and it just absolutely fucking rips end to end. Goddamn it.

I’m embarrassed to write this review because I like this album so much. It will require some restraint on my part to not make it read like a bad puff piece. I swear I don’t know anyone in this band, nor do I owe them any favors. I keep listening to it trying to find something critical to say that doesn’t make me sound like an idiot, but whatever, I can’t. It’s great. Let me get this over with and tell you why I think so.

The only thing I know about Dead End Drive In lies within the descriptor on their Bandcamp page, which reads as follows: “Punk band from Vancouver, BC. You know. That one with three guitar players. Gotta shred with existential dread.” This last line describes their sound appropriately. It appears to be their second full length, having also released a CD/digital album in 2018, and an EP in 2016. They don’t seem to have a presence on Discogs, which suggests they’re still a fairly humble outfit. However, their name is also comprised of a bunch of words from other band names, so it’s possible I just overlooked it. Their level of notoriety will change drastically if this record gets into enough ears out there.

The opening track has a sort of Frontier Trust sounding cowpunk vibe to it, and clocks in at 6:23. Pretty fucking bold for a punk band you’ve never heard of. It didn’t catch me first time around, but as I became more familiar with the rest of the album, I’ve really come around to liking it. Just don’t give up on these guys if you aren’t blown away halfway through track one. It isn’t called “A Worthwhile Endeavor” because it’s a waste of your time. All these songs, many of which double or triple in length from your standard punk fare, are all part of a larger thing. I hate to use the term “concept album”, but this product is best consumed whole. Fast forwarding through the seemingly unremarkable parts would detract from your overall appreciation of the whole thing. Stick with it and you will be rewarded.

By track two things start to open up a little into more of a straightforward punk sound, but there are just so many cool parts, leads, and instrumentation to each song that it’s somewhat misleading to suggest it’s anything less than pleasantly surprising. Overall, I would say they sound like if Jon Kastner (Doughboys) and Tad Kuebler (The Hold Steady) were in Teenage Halloween. I also hear some Darius Koski Swingin Utters. I even have D. Boon written down in my notes here. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but I stand by this reference. This band can really play their instruments, and the more complicated parts positively contribute to the composition rather than coming across as cumbersome and indulgent. The quality of songwriting is just stellar.

It’s hard to pick favorite songs on complete records like this one, but if pressed I’d say I prefer the back half of the album. Namely, “Dying Breed”, “Before I Start Noticing”, and “God Forbid You Go off Script”. Nothing on here sounds redundant, and even at 10 tracks in 45 minutes it doesn’t feel overly long. On a couple of occasions I’ve even restarted it from the beginning and listened to it twice all the way through.

I know people can get lazy buying new music for themselves around the holidays, but don’t sleep on this one. Who cares if it disrupts your album of the year rankings that only 12 people will read? It’s going to disrupt mine, and I’m grateful for it. I need a physical copy of this one, in case any of you haven’t got me a Christmas present yet.

–Zack Akenson

Bar Tape – S/T

If forced to make a wild guess about where and when this album was recorded after a blind listen, you might say somewhere in the Twin Cities around 1995. As it turns out, Bar Tape are currently a band from Dublin, Ireland, but consist entirely of ex-pats from the US. Perhaps because they don’t sound Irish at all, or because my raging ADHD didn’t allow me to digest the final 25% of their Bandcamp header “Bar Tape: Dublin, Ireland”, I assumed they were from Dublin, Ohio. I like to treat every review as a geographical learning opportunity, so I started reading up on the Columbus suburb while listening to these songs. It’s no longer relevant, but that’s where Wendy’s has its headquarters. The depths of Dublin, Ireland’s history is far too heavy to be trivialized by the opening paragraph in an online punk review, so we’ll leave that one alone too.

I’d be doing Bar Tape a disservice if I didn’t first talk about how excellent the band members’ punk names are. On vocals/guitar we have Cory Hotline, which is a reference to a golden age Simpsons episode that they also sample before one of the songs. On guitar we have Barry Tape. Classic. On drums/vocals we have Colin Sick, which has to be one of the greatest punk names of all time. Lastly, on bass/vocals we have Juvenile Delinquent, which strikes me as funny because there’s no effort in word play whatsoever.

I’d like to think there’s a fun story here as to why an American punk band moved to Ireland, but the only thing I could find about them aside from the music was a one question interview from Scene Point Blank. In it Cory Hotline says, “I figure if we were around 20 years ago, we’d be more popular. We’re still delighted with the reaction we’ve received from Irish punks/hardcore kids and rockers, despite the lack of local press.” It’s funny to think of this sound as retro now, but I guess it is, and I guess we’re all old. I read somewhere (there will be no footnotes, so please don’t look for them) once where Paddy from D4 talked about how his Ramones were Naked Raygun. That’s the type of pop punk we’re talking about here.

Any one of Sara Kirsch’s early 90s projects mixed together with Dillinger Four seems like a fair comparison, or maybe Sludgeworth meets Shang-A-Lang. Another old Minneapolis band Man Afraid also comes to mind. Like all those bands, Bar Tape makes sing along punk songs full of hooks that also manage to sound hard. The production is raw, but in a special way an old Ebullition 7″ with a photocopied sleeve is. I wouldn’t say anyone in the band knows how to sing, but nobody is over-fabricating a contrived punk voice to make up for it. The vocalists sound like Sarah Kirsch on those early Pinhead Gunpowder and Fuel records, which I love. Mix that together with the awesome rawness of Shang-A-Lang, the leads of Sludgeworth, and the power of Man Afraid, and you have yourself a record you should probably get your hands on.

–Zack Akenson

Pre-order here: https://distrotable.com/products/bar-tape-s-t-lp