Mr. P. Reviews Dope Music
Shark Punch Releases New Single: “Adderall”
I ain’t gonna lie, I’m loving this ska revival with releases from Bad Time Records and the ska state at The Fest year after year. This new (to me) ska band, Shark Punch, from East Bay bring that 1990s ska that reminds me of The Aquabats, Reel Big Fish, and just a touch of Less Than Jake.
Outer Control Release New Single: “Revolution”!
Outer Control are back with another slice of 1990’s skate punk a la Fat Wreckchords. I just did a review for their last release “Apocalyptic Calamity”, and their new single “Revolution” leans more heavily into their metal influences akin to Strung Out with a lot of rapid fire guitar leads and a sick ass solo.
Luminatrix Release New Single: “China Again”!
Luminatrix is one of those bands that defies an exact category. I’m sure they’d be called garage rock or indie rock, but that has as much meaning as alternative did in the 1990s when I was a teen. It could mean a band like Jane’s Addiction or it could mean a band like Mudhoney or The Minutemen or Violent Femmes none of which sound remotely similar.
Ben Senses Releases New Song: “El Cerrito”
Ben Senses new single, “El Cerrito”, give us that emo inspired folk punk with undertones of pop punk. It sounds to me like Spoonboy (a la Max Levine Ensemble") mixed with Dashboard Confessional.
I love ska, and I love it more when its mixed with other eclectic styles like when I recently reviewed and did a podcast for Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra’s new ska album.
Mega Infinity’s new EP, Chaos Magick, fits that bill. It blends ska, metal, punk, electronic, hip-hop, prog rock and more!
Mil-Spec Release New Single: “Too Long At the Fair”
Mil-Spec has escaped by notice, and no, it’s not cause the size of a millionth of a spec or that they are Canadian. As far as I can tell they have no social media presence, despite being around for 7 years other than Bandcamp. Well if not wasting time on social media leads to fucking solid ass melodic hardcore songs that make me want to pull my hoodie up and dance my face off while raising my fist in the air to sing/scream along to song lyrics that I only 60% understand, then fucking A, stay off social media.
Boss Rush Release New Single: “Catalogue of Shame”!
Boss Rush is a husband and wife duo embracing their love of the DIY, political punk bands a la Propagandhi and the aesthetic of post punk embraced by Dischord records work together to create some damn fine music in their Alabama basement.
Coma Beach Release New Single: “Another Song”!
So after having reviewed “Jesus Tears” off the same album, The Scapegoat’s Agony, as this song a few months back, I thought I knew exactly how this would sound. Instead this song brings that a totally different style in that instead of fuzzed out guitars, the guitars are all clean and give that feeling of a song I’d hear on a Stiff Little Fingers or Dropkick Murphy’s album. The singer still remind me of the Beltones, but the second vocalist has more of that classic 70’s British punk snotty sound.
Ghoul Talk Releaes New Single: “I Just Like to Watch”!
Ghoul Talk from Seattle new song, “I Just Like To Watch” mixes punk, grunge and garage rock in a way that reminds of me bands like Year of the Fist and The Used.
Storm Boy Releases New Single: “Steam in the Room”!
First the disclosure, I loved this song the moment I heard it. It was days later that I realized that an old DC area friend that I’ve known for decades was in the band. So with or without knowing anyone in the band, this song fucking rocks.
The Leatherbound Books’ New Single: “FVKING boring” is anything but!!
I’m not sure what I love more about this band, their super catchy indie pop melodies with slightly distorted guitars or the message in this song that being talented and appreciated for your talent has no value if you don’t fucking love what you’re doing.
Hidden Horizons Release New Single: “The Dark Crushing on Me”
Hidden Horizons is a “pop punk” and “skate punk” band from VA and VT. Their new single, “The Dark Crushing on Me” has some of that gothicy punk sound of AFI as well as old school Offspring — like the stuff they did when they were still on Nitro or Epitaph.
I’ll Get By Releases New Single: “Left Behind”
I’ll Get By brings some brutal hardcore punk with a catchy chorus and the breakdown that will have you throwin’ down in the pit. This song is over 4 minutes long which is like twice as long as my attention span can usually handle, but I was locked in on this like a fucking laser.
Calling Hours Release New Single: “Curtain Call”
Calling Hours first new single, “Curtain Call”, off their forthcoming vinyl release with Revelation Records is a great mix of 90’s Gainesville style punk a la Hot Water Music with some more modern sounds that could fit on a Turnstile set list.
The Snorts Release New Single: “Message on the Machine”
It’s pretty rare that I review a song by a band when I just reviewed a different song a month or so ago, but this song was so catchy, I had to give it some love. Super melodic pop punk without being too saccharine.
Shelf Lives Release New Single: “All Grown Up”
Post punk as, Shelf Life, describes themselves is a really amorphous and almost meaningless in terms of musical style, but it does hint at the soul of an artist. So I didn’t know what music I would get, but I was hoping to receive something that spoke to the spirit of punk and what followed, and that’s indeed what I got.
Sweden’s Pressure Release New EP: Heroes Will Fall
Epic fucking metal with melodic and powerful female vocals on an EP told from the point of view of a demon.
Arcane Arcade’s Release New EP: Strange Departures!
As someone who was already familiar with the rad Florida pop punk band, Arcane Arcade, their new album, Strange Departure’s, opening track, Prepare for Departure is aptly named. By which I mean the instrumental opening immediately evokes emotional discordance and lets me know that this was not going to be nearly as light hearted sounding as their first release.
Bradley Palermo and The Shadow Queens Release New Single: “The Devils Finds a Way”!
If “The Devil Finds a Way” is representative of what Bradley Palermo x The Shadow Queens produce on the regular, I’m a fan for sure.
Latch Releases New Song: “Oath Breaker”!
“Oath Breaker” by Latch is my kind of hardcore song—short, fast, in your face which just that right sprinkling of a breakdown.