Loren

Remember Election Day 2024? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you've blocked it out. That's fair, but there was one pleasant surprise that day: a new EP from Wisconsin's Arms Aloft. It took a while to claw out of the darkness in November, then Year End 2024 coverage took over the Scene Point Blank editorial calendar but now we caught up with … Read more

There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we caught up with Chuck Ragan, known as the gruffest voice of Hot … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we chat with Kevin Purcell (guitar/vocals) of Retirement about running Portland bike shop … Read more

It's been a while since I put another playlist up. I actually had this 99% done a couple of months ago, but everything went haywire and the list went on hold. This edition of Search/Play/Repeat is a quick play, running about 30 minutes in total. Enjoy! Read more

Visual Learner, BlackDots, City Mouse, Couch Potato Massacre Cloudland Theater Minneapolis, MN May 7, 2025 I’m embarrassed that I haven’t covered any shows at Cloudland for SPB previously. It’s a relatively new addition to the Minneapolis scene and a welcome addition that feels as much like a community space as … Read more

Sometimes I get all introspective and ask myself why I do this. Not very often, but the answer is always because I like music. It's that simple. I like to discover new stuff and I like to share it. Every year, the staff at Scene Point Blank sink a ton … Read more

Vices, outlets, escapes... I'm not sure where things are at here in November of 2024. But as we battle our demons and look for meaning, or escape, music is a blessing. Here's a new playlist. Many of these artists have been covered at Scene Point Blank, mixed in with tracks … Read more

Baroness recently hit the US East Coast on a tour in celebration of the band's Red and Blue albums, playing the two records in their entirety on tour. Now, a second wave has been announced, playing along the western side of the North American continent. The tour kicks off in … Read more

Italian instrumental trio Talaqat has scheduled the release date for their debut album. The self-titled affair comes out on August 8. The lylic-free band draws from post-rock, post-metal, progressive, and new jazz, shaping its own identity -- you can listen to "Idra," from the upcoming album, below. The group formed … Read more

Guilhem, a singer-songwriter from Montreal, QC, has a new album, out on Sept. 5, made with Frank Turner mixing and mastering the final outcome. I didn’t really plan to write a cohesive album,” he says in a press release. “At first, it was just a bunch of songs I needed … Read more

Microcorps, the electronic project from Alexander Tucker, has a new album out in roughly two months. Clear Vortex Chamber comes out on Sept. 19 on Downwards Records, with the lead track shared today: "FEDBCK," featuring Justin K. Broadrick. Other artists to appear on the album include Phew, Regis (Sandwell District, … Read more