Review
Wheezing Maniac
Shade Through The Night Door

Puto Jefe (2023) Christopher D

Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door cover artwork
Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door — Puto Jefe, 2023

Breathe In Breathe Out. Wheezing is often heard as a whistling sound primarily while breathing out but can also be heard when taking deep breaths. It is frequently attributed to the small Bronchial Tubes situated deep within the lungs. However, a maniac can often be seen as a derogatory term used in place of a lunatic, mad person, loony, wing nut, psycho, head case or screwball.

In this case, it can be determined that these fine gentlemen most likely have early signs of undiagnosed Asthma coupled with psychiatric issues.
These Wheezing Maniacs were like a meteor glowing in the night sky and burning into the atmosphere. They existed from 1987 to 1989 with a healthy exhausting output of three gigs and a handful of demos.

Wheezing Maniacs don’t wear flowerpots (domes) on their noggin but have that left-of-the-dial pulse much like when long hairs would want to beat the living cream corned shit out of the Punks often starting with “Hey Devo”. Short blasts of Minutemen with the good-humoured ice cream dripping down a loveable chubby brat's meat hooks and coming at ya with it like an Angry Samoan. Grrrrrrr. The Skating community picked up on these short blasts of punk/lo-fi/garage wonderful weirdness and laid down the decks skating around a Butthole like a Surfer but not too heavy on the ring toss.

Wheezing Maniac most likely did not want to be pigeonholed and only the great Kreskin could predict how they would have solidified over the sands of Dali dripping time. Putojefe has saved the day (put on subliminal shoulder-Hip Hip Hooray) and exposed a passage through the thick fog to another world.

Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door cover artwork
Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door — Puto Jefe, 2023

Recently-posted album reviews

Street Eaters

Opaque
Dirt Cult (2025)

Sometimes I'm surprised at how averse I am to change. Hearing that Street Eaters had expanded to a trio caused me more trepidation than I want to admit -- and, like most fear of change, it was all for naught. The band hasn't changed and they aren't spilling over with annoying guitar solos either. They just have a little more … Read more

Faulty Cognitions

They Promised Us Heaven
Dead Broke Records (2025)

On their debut, Somehow, We Are Here, Faulty Cognitions made their statement. This wasn't a garage-punk band in the style of the members' previous bands (Low Culture and Shang-A-Lang, among others). It's a guitar-first rock indie-punk band schooled by the college rock of the 1980s. This time around the transition has been so seamless that maybe the debut was a … Read more

The Penske File

Reprieve
Gunner Records, Stomp Records (2025)

I used to dislike punk music where people sing. And, well, I'm still not super fond of it but there is an exception to every rule. The Penske File are one of those exceptions and maybe it's because while they have a singer (as compared to a "vocalist"), it's still authentic and conveys that everyperson vibe I seek in the … Read more