Anything On Your Mind?
Well, I received my first promo out of the blue. This comment is going to be confusing to some people, because I mentioned it to them when it happened. I’m writing about it the same day it happened, but this isn’t going to post for another month and a half. I’m writing far ahead into the future right now! Hello! From the past! I was trying to write far enough ahead to cover some planned vacation time, and I’ve just kept going. I probably shouldn’t get this far ahead, it makes “new releases” seem goofy. But oh well.
Anyway, I got emailed a single, and I think it’s charming, and I’m utterly baffled as to how they found me. I guess it’s at least possible they’re an email subscriber, there are two email addresses on there I don’t recognize. So, if that was you, thanks! I’m not sure what to do with promos here, I’ve only received one, and it’s flattering but I think I’m going to do just kind of do nothing. I’m sure being charmed would change if I end up with a zillion of them. I suppose it’s worth saying explicitly, though: I don’t want to create any kind of obligation for coverage here, this is just me writing about music, so if you send promos I’m just probably going to ignore them.
As the (blog) calendar moves into October, the musical calendar also turns over. I’ve said it before, but summer is for things with horns - punchy ska, breezy funk, soaring soul, that kind of thing. As the fall rolls in, the guitars move towards center stage. I’m on board with the winter being for metal of all kinds, but the fall? That’s for noise rock and similar stuff. Loud and noisy, that’s the vibe. And maybe some post-rock, post-metal, things of that nature. Do a little contemplation as well. So let’s have some noisy shit to ring in the fall.
What Are You Listening To, Josh?
A sampling of albums that I’m playing regularly, whether older ones or newer ones. Just the things that I think are worth highlighting, and maybe you’d enjoy.
Hypermagic Mountain, Lightning Bolt
Providence-based duo Lightning Bolt have made a lot of great racket over the years, but I mostly tend to come back to this album and 2003’s Wonderful Rainbow for my most frequent listens. The most recent two albums (2015’s Earthly Delights and 2019’s Sonic Citadel) are great records, but the changes in recording method make them sound like almost a different band. So it’s really kind of a competition between the lower-fi stuff from the first part of their career, and I don’t think you can really go too wrong. But this is the one I’m going with for now. Marvel anew at how this can be the result of two people playing.
Claim Dedications, Johnboy
Johnboy were an early 90s noise rock band out of Austin, Texas, who put out two albums on Trance Syndicate before disappearing. This is the second of those LPs, and is the stronger of the two, helped by a little stronger songs and a mighty recording job by Steve Albini. To my ears, this scans as a more aggressive Tar, which is just a delightful thing to contemplate. There’s a sharp, metallic edge to the bass tone here that I think really helps things come together. Southern Lord has helpfully put together a compilation of all their recorded work as one release, and it’s absolutely worth your time if you are a noise rock person. Person of noise rock.
Scattered, Smothered & Covered, Unsane
The lineup for Unsane experienced a lot of churn in the early years. Original drummer Charlie Ondras passed away from a heroin overdose after the first record and was replaced by Vinnie Signorelli (Foetus, Swans). Original bassist Pete Shore then left the band after the second album and was replaced by Dave Curran. That became the essential Unsane lineup, responsible the rest of their recorded material. That lineup’s first album was this one, their only record released on Amphetamine Reptile Records, even if they feel like there should be more. It’s a more focused, driving band than the earlier material, with the rhythm section being more aggressive than before. I do think their earlier albums are also worth a listen, but this is really where Unsane proper formed.
Let’s Talk New Releases
Records come out every week, and there’s no way to stay on top of them. This isn’t a comprehensive look at everything, just a few things that have caught my ears out of recent releases. Any impressions here are very early!
Quase, Fantasma
This is pushing the “new releases” thing, but I’ve said this was stuff within the past year, and this album released in November of 2025, so there! This is Brazilian post-punk via NYC, brought to us by the fine people of Drunken Sailor Records. Post-punk can be hit or miss for me, but as I gave this record a try, the second and third tracks (“Onde Eu Estou?”, “Eu Quero Você”) had me sold. The anxious pacing of the songs is what I find really appealing here. Fun record!
In The Raw, The Whitfield Brothers
This is absolutely not a new release, it’s from 2002 originally, was reissued in 2009, and listed on Bandcamp in 2023. This is an old release. But it’s new to me so I’m going to count it. My blog, my rules. If you don’t like it, start your own blog, I’ll subscribe to it. Seriously, I can always use more music recommendations. Start a blog! A newsletter! You’re almost certain to be better at this than I am! How do I know? I know what the random playlist is today, it’s a goddamn mess.
Anyway, this is raw German funk, played vigorously and with gusto. Crank it at a party and watch the heads nod.
Long Play I, Butter Sugar Toast
I think a very useful tip that you should all pay attention to is that you should befriend your local music critic. Because if you do, you’ll sometimes get sent records to listen to, like how my buddy Wolf Rambatz sent me this. And this record absolutely is dead center on my tastes. The band’s bio references Hoover and 90 Day Men, but I’m hearing a lot of various Amphetamine Reptile acts here as well. To be more specific, there’s a lot of the music here that sounds like early Tar. Not to be the Boss Baby guy except with Tar. Anyway, this rules! Love this record.
Five Random Songs
Yes, it’s the “classic” five random songs format. It’s been told before on this blog many times, but basically, on an old forum, people would post the last five songs their shuffle pulled up. I liked it, so I made it into a blog. And now, here we are.
“Ulysses”, David Hillyard and the Rocksteady 7
I’ve mentioned a bunch how all the various NYC ska guys just remix themselves into various bands, and here’s another exhibit. Dave Hillyard is best known for his work in the Slackers, and here he is with a couple other of his Slackers colleagues, Buford O’Sullivan of the Scofflaws, a guy who has been in the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, etc. Anyway, it’s NY ska, played straight, and I like it although it’s not really groundbreaking.
“Pray”, Clem Snide
After 2005’s End of Love, Clem Snide broke up, with Eef Barzelay recording under his own name for a couple albums. But after four years, Barzelay began recording again under the Clem Snide name, with 2009’s Hungry Bird being the first record from the reformed band. It’s an album that emphasizes Clem Snide’s quieter side, which has certainly always been present, but there’s not a lot of the more uptempo stuff on the album. It’s not my favorite Clem Snide album, and even among the post-reunion records, The Meat of Life is a stronger record. For that matter, the 2020 album Forever Just Beyond (a record that emerged after a lengthy hiatus that involved a lot of personal struggle for Barzelay) is also a stronger album. That said, Barzelay is a wonderful songwriter so even if this isn’t their best record, it’s still a good listen.
“Hormone’s Echo”, Artificial Brain
lol
Who had the dumb idea for this stupid-ass blog? Who wants this after a Clem Snide tune?
“The Form”, Krallice
2020’s Mass Cathexis ended up feeling like a little bit of a throwback for a band that has always been experimenting with their sound, especially starting with 2015’s Ygg Huur. That’s not to say that it sounds rote or simple or in any way uninventive. Instead, it sort of pulls together the threads of a lot of their previous records, sounding like a synthesis or all the things they’ve tried. The experimentation would certainly resume for them after this, but this record feels like a bit of a consolidation of ideas before embarking on new journeys. As always, Krallice is the most interesting band in metal.
“Insecta Incendium”, The Sanguinary Impetus
Sure, why not.
Josh, What Are You Doing Here?
I’m just writing about music. A structure like this blog helps me get my thoughts out, and it’s a way for me to explore my own music collection through various lenses. My sincere hope is that some folks out there find some new music they love. That’s all I’m up to. Sincere thanks to everybody who sends me feedback, with news that they’ve found a new favorite especially fun for me. There’s no monetization, no metrics, no ads, no promos, no nothing. Just some static web pages, some links, and my scribbling. If you want to support it, just shoot me a note! Thanks for reading.
Some Better Places To Learn About Music
Check these folks out, you’ll learn more for sure. In no particular order: To The Teeth, Wolf’s Week/Plague Rages, The Devil’s Mouth, Burning Ambulance, Lamniformes Cuneiform, Hex Records, See/Saw, Starkweather, Treble Magazine, The Quietus, Stereogum.