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Fastbacks – for WHAT reason!

The Fastbacks have survived virtually every era of punk, somehow managing to sound fresh, interesting, and unfashionable every step of the way. Forming in 1979 in Seattle, they played early gigs with bands like DOA and The Lewd, and also opened for bigger touring bands like the Ramones. Pre-Guns ‘N Roses Duff McKagen was even their drummer for a little while in the 80s, a decade in which they released a handful of classic EPs and a couple records on PopLlama. They signed to Sub Pop at the height of the label’s power in the early 90s, releasing three more seminal full lengths and slough of more 7″s. The band finally called it quits in the early 2000s after one more LP on spinART. After they split, guitar player/principal songwriter/sometimes drummer Kurt Bloch continued working with the Young Fresh Fellows, as well as his many other side projects. Bassist/singer Kim Warnick joined Visqueen, and then moved to Maine, quitting music altogether. 2011 and 2018 saw one-off reunion shows in Seattle, and the band’s label No Threes has been trickling out vinyl comps of their old EPs and B sides (most of which are still available from their Bandcamp page, and all of which are essential). Songs spanning their career like “In America”, “Gone to the Moon”, “On the Wall”, “Just Say”, “Goodbye Bird”, “Impatience”, “In the Winter”, and countless others are timeless bangers I’ve listened to hundreds of times. 

I’d been more familiar with their earlier records, but I recently listened to an interview with Tony Molina where he said not only were the Fastbacks his favorite band, but that his favorite album was 1999’s The Day That Didn’t Exist. I went back and listened to it again, and damned if he didn’t have a strong case. I also went and picked up a copy of 1996’s New Mansions in Sound and was equally blown away. Working my way backward through their catalog, I came to the conclusion that the Fastbacks just kept getting better with each release. This pattern arguably continues with their first new full length in 25 years, For What Reason!.

Reunion albums don’t have a great reputation, but the past 10-15 years have seen some truly remarkable success stories in bands putting out some of their best material post-reuniting. Dinosaur Jr, Superchunk, Quicksand, Hot Snakes, and Lifetime to name a few. The Fastbacks are definitely at the top of the list now as well. The original three of Kurt, Lulu, and Kim are all here, as well as who I consider to be the quintessential FB drummer (there have been many) Mike Musberger. Original line up reunions are the best. Kurt Bloch is possibly the best punk rock guitarist of all time. Nobody can rip a solo that doesn’t ruin a song like he can. It’s great to hear him plying his trade with his old bandmates again. 

for WHAT reason! opens with a classic Kurt Bloch lead on “The End of the Day”, and before long Kim and Lulu have you hooked in what is an instant Greatest Hits Fastbacks song. This is followed up by the Kim penned “Come On”, which has a bit of power pop feel to it, but equally catchy and also makes it onto the Greatest Hits. A cover of The Seekers 1966 “I’ll Never Find Another You” comes next. To know the Fastbacks is to know the true art of faithfully covering an obscure 60s classic, while also making it unmistakenly their own. Nobody does it better. Reading the comments on the Bandcamp page, this is mentioned as a lot of people’s favorite track on the album. 

This perfect run to start the record continues with my personal favorite “Nothing To Do”, which has everything that makes a proper Fastbacks banger so special. Hooks, harmonies, instantly memorable, but also a GREAT bridge. No one writes a better bridge than our man Kurt Bloch. He has such a musically prolific embarrassment of riches that he can afford to use up a perfect little riff or lead one time in the middle of a song, rather than taking that immense quality and framing an entirely new song out it. There are truly no bad tracks on here. Another notable favorite is the album closer, “The World Inside”, showcasing that the Fastbacks are capable of writing not only perfect two minute bangers, but also seven minute ballads of equal quality.  The initial run of these have sold out, but keep an eye on their Bandcamp page as they plan on repressing more. While you’re there, grab a copy of literally anything else that’s still available. There is no bad starting point if you’re just looking to begin your Fastbacks journey, including for WHAT reason!

–Zack Akenson

Three Fingers – Jam Packed

I’m currently rocking Jam Packed, the new release by Three Fingers, a self-described “power pop punk” band from Seattle. 

I think the description is apt. The 14 track album immediately hits with a decidedly 90s era 120 Minutes vibe. There’s a bit more Riot grrrl aggression as opposed to a lilting wallflower aesthetic, coupled with taut punk riffs, it makes for a solid mix. The songs are “pretty” but there is an underlying anxiety to them. Hard to not relate to anxiety these days.

The songs are compact and uptempo, relatively. Mostly running around the 2 minute mark. This is definitely in my wheelhouse. (I’m not sure how I listened to so many epic sweeping metal tracks back in the day without losing interest, but I digress.) Production is great. Not overdone, not underdone. Well balanced to fit the vocal forward tunes. 

Anyhow, put a little more power pop punk into your jukebox and checkout Jam Packed by Three Fingers. 

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Feels Weird
2. Love This Part
3. Moving On
4. Bummer
5. I’m Still Here
6. Glass Houses
7. S.O.S.
8. FAFO
9. Alone Time
10. This is Fine
11. Might Be
12. Blew It
13. Looking 4 Luv
14. Never Again

Bad Idea – Breakout

Got Breakout, an awesome looking EP by Bad Idea in the mail the other day, and by awesome looking, I mean that. The album art, by Brian Walsby is super rad.

Musically, the tracks are four on the floor, straight ahead, hard rocking punk. The band hails from Minneapolis, MN, but their driving riffs remind me of Zeke. Clearly also influenced by Black Sabbath as evidenced by the Electric Funeral intro to Track 2, Breakout, and a smidge of Misfits-style riffery on Track 6. Night of the Hunter.

It’s good, loud, relatively fast-paced punk. 6 tracks in about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Tracks:

  1. Bad Attitude 01:20
  2. Breakout 02:28
  3. My Last Nerve 01:10
  4. Too Good To Die 02:06
  5. Massacre 01:57
  6. Night of the Hunter 01:27

    -Jerry Actually

Mantarochen – In The Badgers Cave

I’ve been listening to “In The Badger’s Cave”, the new EP from Leipzig’s Mantarochen for a few days now, and honestly, I can’t get enough. I don’t know if it’s my particular frame of mind at the moment or my tastes shifting, but this is really hitting a sweet spot.

The sound is Post Punk / Cold Wave, blending genres handily. It’s as easy to draw Siouxsie comparisons, as it is Bauhaus and Berlin. There’s a decidedly 80s vibe to the entire thing and as much as I’m a sucker for nostalgia, this EP stands on its own in a new era. 

Industrial noise and low-fi synth oscillations and arpeggios punctuate underwater guitar and pulsing bass. Lilting dreamy vocals flit in and out between the ever-so-slightly dissonant melody. 

The new EP is out on May 31, 2024 on It’s Eleven Records. Please check it out.

While you wait for the EP, checkout this video for Grey:

Cheers!

Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1. Reflection
2. I’m Sand
3. Jaguar
4. Grey
5. Blue Heads
6. Still Black

Mantarochen:
Diana – Synth, Vocals
Sebi – Guitar
Tom – Bass

Gentlemen Rogues – Surface Noise

I received a copy of the new Gentlemen Rogues album, Surface Noise, in the mail the other day. I’ve got it on for a second spin right now. Well, ok, I’ve got it dialed up on their Bandcamp page. Nevertheless, damn! This album has some serious pop hooks. 

The new release from the Austin, TX quartet brings ten new tracks of uptempo rock and roll, filled with, as I mentioned, a whole lot of hooks. Vocal hooks, drum hooks, guitar hooks, bass hooks, yup. All hooks, all the time. 

I hear hints of Replacements, and Screaming Trees. Some of the guitar work has a Weezer vibe. Perhaps it’s just me, but the vocals sound a bit like Billy Jo Armstrong mixed with Rhett Miller. I don’t mean to be all “name drop”, but I think that gives you a sense of the sounds going on here. It’s basically a veritable amalgam of poppy punk-adjacent sounds across multiple decades. 

According to the one-sheet, “Surface Noise is a record full of well-turned guitar pop, complete with roaring chords and propulsive rhythms behind Dunlap’s clever and cultured lyrics” I can’t disagree with that statement..

Surface Noise is a co-release on both Double Helix Records and Shifting Sounds. 

If you like your rock kind of punk and a whole lot poppy, by all means check out Surface Noise by Gentlemen Rogues.

-Jerry Actually

States of Nature – Brighter Than Before

Let me tell you something about States of Nature. They are a really good band. This is some professional shit, and it’s precisely stuff like this that makes volunteering here at the Upstarter Foundation worthwhile. 

“Brighter Than Before” is the upcoming debut full length from the band, coming out on Sell The Heart Records (who are really building an impressive roster) later this month. If you send them money, they will mail one to your house. This information will be important later, because after you read this review and listen to it, you’re going to want a copy. 

Hailing from Oakland, California, their Bandcamp page describes them as “A danceable hybrid of Post-Hardcore and Rock N’Roll.,” which is accurate. It’s danceable, but not in an annoying kitchy way, and the riffs have some serious Reis/Froberg muscle to them. States of Nature are danceable in a DC sort of way, not in a band with exclamation marks in their name sort of way. I think it’s actually a very difficult thing to properly execute in punk and punk adjacent music. Being danceable without the appropriate amount of anger, or the absence of actually being able to write great songs, does not equate to enjoyable music. Good news is that State of Nature write great songs. Great songs you can dance to. You’ll want to mosh creatively to these ten tracks, or in my case, bob your head up and down on the Peloton while saying, “Oh hell yeah!” (the highest possible compliment, really). 

The opening track “Brighter Than Before” comes out blazing like something off the first Hot Snakes record, and immediately got my attention. Huge chorus, and also kind of has the vibe and energy of something off “In/Casino/Out” by ATDI. This power and bounce continue with track 2, “Wicked World”, this time perhaps leaning a bit into (International) Noise Conspiracy as well. This is followed by “Papered News” and “Tides”, where we get a chance to catch our breath for second, but still full of hooks. There’s a video for the former, so check it out below. “Undone” is the most Fugazi sounding jam on here, which always seems like a lazy comparison for anything considered post-punk, but States of Nature are worthy company for such a tag. “New Foundations”, “God With A Gun”, and “American Drone” follow, comprising my favorite 3 song run on the album. These songs have everything. The dark rage of Mission of Burma, the attitude and delivery of Ian Svenonius, a bit of spacey Mind Spiders weirdness, and the aforementioned massive riffs of Hot Snakes. The record tapers off with the rather upbeat “The Return” and the perfect slow closer “Oh The Light”, which is also one of my personal favorites. 

So there it is, a bunch of “sounds-like” comparisons that hopefully convince you to invest in joy and purchase this record. I’m a music fan, not a journalist. At least I didn’t say “angular”. This is my favorite new album I’ve heard so far this year,  and it will definitely see repeated listens from me for the foreseeable future. Rumor has it they will be swinging up the West Coast this Spring, and I’m going to make a serious middle-aged effort to go see them. 

–Zack Akenson

Urgent Care – Fast Medicine

Are you in need of a new primary rock and roll provider? Look no further than Cleveland’s own Urgent Care. They are the nation’s preeminent Healthcore band, and are out to get you the help you need. 

Coming in at the tail end of 2023, “Fast Medicine” is a 14 track back alley lobotomy of snarling, snotty, punk rock and roll. The songs are firmly rooted in rock, with a lot of fuzz and growl. Lyrically things are tongue depressor in cheek, with songs about various medical issues and minor ailments. Songs of Frostbite and Allergens abound. 

All in all, it’s a fun release and reminiscent of bands such as Boris the Sprinkler and  Quincy Punx. There’s some DK influence and some more obvious Ramones-core lineage as well. 

So trip and fall your way over to Urgent Care’s Bandcamp page, and get patched up with some Punk Rock. If you’re lucky, your insurance will pick up the tab. 

Cheers!
Jerry Actually

Barefoot Engineering – Left to Wander

I liked “Left to Wander“, the first full length by Barefoot Engineering, almost immediately after putting it on. Sometimes you can tell right away whether something is your kind of music. After reading their bio, which describes the band as a trio of childhood friends-turned-40-year-old-dads from a large Midwestern city, who are influenced by Seaweed, Knapsack, and Jawbox, I knew I was in for a real treat. If I had to honestly describe what type of band would most likely appeal to me, it would probably be something very close to that. 

The core of this band has been playing music together in various iterations around Indianapolis for almost 25 years. A couple of those bands include The Brokenhearted, and Project Bottlecap, the latter of which also included the original guitar player for The Ataris. With some breaks in there while people started families, this current lineup put out their first EP under the Barefoot Engineering moniker in 2017, and recorded this full length in 2021, the physical release of which was put out on Radio Cake Records earlier this year. 

Although they definitely have their own thing cooking, there is an instant nostalgic familiarity to this band that’s super appealing to me (also a Midwestern born dad in his 40s who likes Seaweed, Knapsack, and Jawbox). “Left to Wander” sounds like something I’d mail cash in an envelope to Doghouse Records in 1998 for. I don’t really know enough about actual “music” or “words” to properly describe this style of music without resorting to comparing them to other bands with whom they share similarities, so let’s just do that for a minute. We already mentioned Knapsack, Jawbox, and Seaweed, all of which are reasonable comparisons. Sort of a cross between the last Jawbox record and Knapsack, but with the bounce of Seaweed. 90s guitar heavy Midwestern emo like Braid and “Purity and Control” era Giants Chair weigh in as well. 

The vocals are clean, and have a nice range, being able to emote aggression without screaming (an underrated strength, imo). It’s vocally reminiscent of Rob from Bum/The Suitesixteen in tone, but laid over something like Silent Majority. I listen to this music and picture myself at their show, surrounded by bobbing heads in rolled up beanies with poorly dyed black hair curling out of the bottom. It smells like cigarettes and I’m 20 years old, it’s glorious. 

No stinkers on this one, but my favorites so far are “Out of the Darkness”, “Book of Faces”, “Meaning”, and the excellent closer “Dancing in the Stairwell”. I love that there are still old friends out there making music like this. It’s very well done, and highly recommended. 

–Zack Akenson

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