Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Ergs! / Grabass Charlestons
Split

No Idea (2007) Jason

The Ergs! / Grabass Charlestons – Split cover artwork
The Ergs! / Grabass Charlestons – Split — No Idea, 2007

The Ergs have suddenly become everyone’s favorite pop-punk and with good reason. They contribute two songs of fun catchy songs about girls that will no doubtingly be stuck in your head for weeks on end. Grabass Charlestons come to me as a bit of a surprise. I was expecting either some cowpunk or Hot Water Music inspired rock, but instead I got some fast spirited punk reminding me of the early days of Touch and Go or even Hüsker Dü. I even hear a little bit of Leatherface piped in from time to time. The vocals are gruff but not overbearing. I would love to see this band while kicking back rum and Cokes at the Triple Rock.

9.2 / 10Jason • November 18, 2012

The Ergs! / Grabass Charlestons – Split cover artwork
The Ergs! / Grabass Charlestons – Split — No Idea, 2007

Recently-posted album reviews

Lethal Limits

Elevate EP
GhettoBlaster Productions (2025)

As far as I can gather Jeff Corso has been playing in bands in the Bay Area for the past 20 years but seems like exclusively hardcore until now. Full disclosure: I’m only reviewing this because Aesop from Hickey plays drums. That said, I generally only review stuff I like, so go figure. This doesn’t sound like Hickey but since … Read more

Dealbreaker

New Sides
Late Again Records, Toll Free Records (2026)

Dealbreaker popped onto my radar as part of a package tour with Pro Wrestling, who cold called me with a Penske File namedrop. This story is a bit of a Canadian roundabout, but their methodology worked: I listened to their music and dug it enough to review it. And I'm mentioning it because, at times, Dealbreaker reminds me of The … Read more

The Library Is On Fire

Degeneration Elegies
The Abyss, Ltd. (2026)

There’s a certain kind of band that never quite fits the moment they arrive in. Sometimes too jagged for one scene, too melodic for another. The Library Is On Fire were one of those bands in the early 2000s, hovering somewhere between indie-punk urgency and power-pop instinct without fully settling into either. On Degeneration Elegies, their first full-length in over … Read more