Uranium Club
Infants Under The Bulb
Anti Fade Records, Static Shock Records (2024)
Do you take your punk with saxophone? Do you like post-angular guitars and rhythmic, near-spoken vocals? If so, Uranium Club is probably right for you. Apparently they call this egg punk nowadays. I would have called it art-punk. It definitely runs in the left-of-the-dial, DIY punk world, but has that glasses-wearing, proud-of-your-weirdness element that makes it hard to pin down … Read more
Vacation
Rare Earth
Feel It Records (2024)
As a generalization I’d call vacation garage-punk, but the band has just as much grunge to their sound as those other styles -- and a whole lot more too. It’s raw ‘n’ straight-forward rock ‘n’ roll in a balance that pulls from the classic structures, balancing emotion and fuzz within melodic and building structures that ebb and flow for powerful … Read more
Various Artists
DCxPC Live Volume 22
DCxPC Live (2024)
Volume 22 of DCxPC Live, a live album vinyl record label for punk, hardcore, ska and metal bands, features Sticky Steve, Borrowed Sparks, Jacob Danielsen-Moore and Dougie Flesh and the Slashers. This iteration leans heavy into folk punk and psychobilly sensibilities. Think Laura Jane Grace if she was obsessed with Spirit Halloween and B-horror movies. The vinyl itself didn’t seem … Read more
Various Artists
Horrorpunk's Not Dead Volume 3
We Are Horror Records (2024)
We Are Horror Records are back, after a brief hiatus, and are better than ever. To celebrate this fact label founder, Dan Phillips, has truly outdone himself and put together the third bloody horror-fuelled instalment of the Horrorpunk's Not Dead compilations. These compilations are the finest collection of what's what and who's who from modern horrorpunk today. Volume 3 boasts … Read more
Various Artists
Middle-Aged Queers / The Raging Nathans - DCxPC Live Volume 20
DCxPC Live, Wave Mage Records (2024)
Beginning with the layout of their album covers and continuing with the live recording theme, DCxPC Live releases are inspired by V.M.L. Records from the mid-1990s. Like that label, it’s about the energy and what it’s like to be in person at a show. While of course everybody wants a nice sounding record, the goal is more about mood than … Read more
Vial
Burnout
Get Better Records (2024)
They’re calling Vial indie-punk on the press releases I’m seeing. That’s probably as fair a description as any, as the DIY punk band covers a lot of sonic ground. What’s impressive is that on burnout, their second record, that varied sound all feels unified. The 10 songs here go from indie rock to angry punk to grungy to bouncy but, … Read more
Vicious Dreams
Turn Off My Brain
Brassneck Records, Dirt Cult, GC Records, Swamp Cabbage Records (2024)
Poppy punk from Florida, Vicious Dreams is a dual vocal trio who recently released Turn Off My Brain. This record follows the tried and true garage to rock to punk evolution of 4/4 songs with catchy choruses. What makes the group stand out is the way the two vocalists split duties and songwriting. It’s very clear when the songwriter changes, … Read more
Viva Belgrado
Cancionero De Los Cielos
Fueled By Salmorejo (2024)
Somehow I never reviewed Viva Belgrado before, even though I have followed them since their debut album Flores, Carne. Somehow I was always a bit late to the show and thought: ok, this time I am too late, but next time I will catch this release on time! Well, the band just released their fourth full length and guess what? … Read more
