Punk Rock Saturday!
Hola. Three bands, three very different ways of tearing things open. Let your weekend get louder with Deleter, Left Stranded, and UGHH.
Deleter – “Pitchfork”
If you're on the hunt for music that satiates your hunger for chaos while pushing beyond the typical three-power-chord arrangements, then you really need to get Deleter’s "Pitchfork" into your earholes. This Manchester-based post-punk five-piece first captured our interest with the dynamic appeal of their hooky riffs, but once we heard the Jello Biafra-ness of the vocals, we were fans for life. "Pitchfork" is doing something really fucking brilliant here: the DIY production is diverse enough to gain traction across most subgenres of straight-up rock 'n' roll; the vocal performance will satisfy anyone nostalgic for the San Francisco-bred snarl of Dead Kennedys; and the lyrical content hammers home the "political paralysis gripping the silent majority." "Pitchfork" is the soundtrack to a society tearing itself apart, which is precisely why punk rock exists in the first place. Connect with Deleter: Spotify | Instagram
Left Stranded – What Could Have Been
After the demise of a previous project, pop-punk mastermind AJ Brown revisited a handful of songs he wasn't ready to leave behind, shaping them into What Could Have Been, the new EP from LA-based Left Stranded. And it’s a very good thing he did, especially if you happen to be a fan of the sugar-rushed, anthemic, late-2010s pop-punk sound. Left Stranded isn’t simply trying to revive a scene once dominated by The Wonder Years and A Day To Remember; instead, AJ drags the era back to life, drenched in a blaze of nostalgia, dynamic arrangements, and melodic vocals built for Riot Fest. The opener, “Choose Your Character,” digs into the disappointments of adulthood, while the closer, “Dear Bootlickers,” takes aim at ideological division, serving as perfect bookends to an EP filled to its brim with towering hooks and crispy-crunchy breakdowns. If you've been starving for the golden era of emotionally charged pop-punk with a post-hardcore bite, Left Stranded deserves multiple spots on your playlist. Connect with Left Stranded: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Photo by Babe Ruthless
UGHH – “Cruel Master”
We were only gonna feature two bands this week, then we caught an earful of “Cruel Master,” the latest from Los Angeles stoner-punk-garage rockers UGHH. This two-minute stick of unapologetic dynamite is fast and raw, abandoning all signs of commercial polish for a dirt-floor, carpet-on-the-walls DIY recording that bleeds authentic fury. “Cruel Master” ticks a lot of the boxes that earn a spot on our page, including fuzzy riffs, analogue curb appeal, and vocals that are refreshingly reminiscent of late-90s acts like Snapcase. If you’re in the mood for some dirty, pedal-to-the-metal rock ’n’ roll, smash the hell out of that play button. Connect with UGHH: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Bye. Same time next week—louder, messier, and probably more curse words.
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-O.Meaney