Unfortunate for us Yanks, this gem hasn’t dropped on our side of the pond. Post-punk on its second time around. It’s not necessarily evident from these tracks, but this band’s politics are as sharp as their grooves. Gang of Four float your boat? Start downloading…
The Briefs
Meet The Briefs, the punk rock band that kept me sane (and awake) during a recent 36-hour work marathon. Catchy as heck and dripping with snotty wit (promise me you’ll listen to “Silver Bullet”), The Briefs wear their influences — The Dickies, Undertones, Devo — like, well, tighty-whites pulled over their pants for all to enjoy. So, enjoy…
Against Me!
Opening with the same explosive chord as the Pixies’ Bossanova, riffing right into a Killing Joke-like hook, and finally settling into Billy Bragg at 78 rpm, this brand of punk rock revolution is, regrettably, rare.
Division of Laura Lee
Meet the Swedish offspring of Blur and the Stooges. (I meant that musically, you perv.)
!!! (chk chk chk)
Post-punk disco dub replete with bongos and sleigh bells. Nothing new about the concept, but the execution sure is fresh.
The Bronx
Full-disclosure: Matt, the singer, used to intern for me. Used to. That fact alone may get me ink in The Rock ‘n’ Roll History Book. The Bronx are that good.
Clorox Girls
Clorox Girls take it back to ’79 and reclaim the “pop-punk” genre just as it’s teetering on the brink of utter destruction.
Read Yellow
[Insert Fugazi comparison here.] But seriously…call it a perfect storm of blistering energy, precision angst, and angular hooks; call it just what I need to make it through the news these days.
Despistado
Elastic, eccentric punk-wave with some really rewindable lyrics. Plus they’re from Regina, which makes me giggle.
Fifth Hour Hero
Frenetic, hooky punk rock that lingers like a good sunburn.