Review / 200 Words Or Less
The Reed Sea
No Help

Independent (2009) — Michael

The Reed Sea – No Help cover artwork
The Reed Sea – No Help — Independent, 2009

Hailing from Oregon, this four-piece outfit has brought forth a four-song EP titled No Help. The title of the EP is fitting as the band has recorded and packaged the entire release themselves. Granted, it's limited to screen printed cardboard sleeves, but that's still cool. I appreciate the DIY effort.

"Holy Pigs" is the lead song and immediately you're greeted with a relaxed melodic punk sound mixed with toned down indie rock. I got a vibe of The Get Up Kids meets Radiohead meets Built to Spill. "King" is a bit more upbeat, the drums help the case there. The sound is still rooted in playful post-punk, indie rock style. "Other" and "Swan of Geese" stick to a similar path of style, which is probably the downfall I find most about the songs. They all kind of sound the same. I think a bit more experimentation and stylistic shifts - like the end of "Swan of Geese" - could help create more adventurous and identifiable characteristics in the group's music.

If any of this excites you, then you should probably head to the band's website and download this EP. It is free, which is pretty stellar of them to do.

6.5 / 10 — Michael • June 30, 2009

The Reed Sea – No Help cover artwork
The Reed Sea – No Help — Independent, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Heather The Jerk

Scroll If You Love The Devil
Mpls Ltd. (2026)

On Scroll If You Love The Devil, Heather The Jerk is back with more curmudgeoncore. This vinyl is an upgrade -- I suppose the marketing team would call it the deluxe -- adding four new songs to a full album that was previously released on cassette this year.I've covered a lot of Heather Sawyer's music, beginning with The Hussy and … Read more

Skeptic?

Graphic Details
Independent (2026)

One of the things I love about reviewing music is stumbling across bands that have somehow managed to fly under my radar for years. Sometimes it's a new band just getting started, and other times it's a group that's been kicking around the underground for decades without me ever crossing paths with them. Birmingham, Alabama's Skeptic? falls firmly into the … Read more

​Pressure Set

​Pressure Set
Dr Strange Records (2026)

Punk rock has never needed complexity to make an impact. Sometimes, all it takes is a handful of riffs, a relentless rhythm section, and enough attitude to make the whole thing stick. Pressure Set understands that formula, but rather than simply recycling it, the band coats it in layers of filthy fuzz, garage-rock swagger, and an unexpectedly sharp melodic sensibility. … Read more