Jesus Piece – ...So Unknown | Album Review

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Century Media Records

There’s a spotlight on hardcore these days that is undeniable. Even if you’re only passively following the genre, it’s hard to avoid the hype. What’s interesting about this broader attention is that, historically, heavier music has been a much more underground style and therefore hasn’t typically attracted as many open eyes and ears. Nowadays, mostly thanks to TikTok and other social media, people don’t have to try as hard to discover art that falls outside the usual commercial guidelines of what is consumable and proven to sell to the masses. The combination of the “Turnstile Effect” and social media algorithms means that people who never would’ve previously considered engaging with the scene now have a foot in the door. To top it all off, there’s a virtually endless stream of live footage exposing countless bands to new audiences, maybe even more than the albums those bands release. All of this feels considered, understood, and taken into account on Jesus Piece’s heavy and determined second LP …So Unknown.

From the second the record starts, there is no breathing room. “In Constraints” kicks things off with vocalist Aaron Heard roaring the opening lines by himself for a matter of seconds before the full band stampedes in behind him, and things don’t let up once from there. Track after track, we’re beaten, pummeled, battered, and bruised by crushing riffs, thunderous drums, harrowing growls, and screams spitting pissed-off anthems of exhaustion and fighting through malaise. In all honesty, the relentlessness of it all washed over me with little effect the first few times I sat with the album. It goes hard. It goes very hard, but it didn’t connect much deeper for me at first. However, I know myself well enough to know I can be a hard sell. I have a joke amongst my friends where I claim that I don’t like movies anymore due to how picky and over convention I am. I didn’t dislike this record by any means, but something felt a bit distant. It wasn’t until I threw the album on while working out that things began to click for me a bit more.

What is apparent on …So Unknown is that Jesus Piece have written a conscious and active album that speaks directly to the crowds they’re playing to and will be playing to in the future. These crowds will range from the TikTok kids who are there because they saw a wild video online and want to experience it for themselves to 30-somethings like me who’ve always had a foot in the scene. I’m not going to front and say I throwdown in the pit. I can’t lie and claim I have a history of doing so whatsoever. I’ve been going to heavy shows since I was 14, but even in my younger days, I always admired them at arm’s length. I like a rowdy audience and a good crowd surf as much as the next guy, but the inherent violence that comes with a proper pit isn’t something I’ve felt compelled to experience firsthand. I’m content as a present observer. These songs weren’t written for me. They’re first and foremost written for the band members to expel and push themselves to darker and heavier depths, but they’re also clearly written to pop the fuck off live. These songs were written to soundtrack bodies in motion.

“FTBS” may be the best example of this, with its driving pace and call to “fuck the bullshit” if you don’t like what you’re hearing. Or take a song like “Fear of Failure,” whose sinister opening riff moves effortlessly into the crushing, doom-paced breakdown of the ending. There’s not a complacent moment on the record. Jesus Piece see what’s in front of them and are attacking it head-on. Every song needs to hit, so every song hits. The only real instance of any kind of reprieve is found in “Silver Lining,” a track that finds Heard ruminating on the deep love he has for his child. Even so, it would still be the hardest track on a lesser band’s album. 

I truly feel that any song from …So Unknown could’ve been a single, and that feels by design. There are countless Finn McKenty-types who will wax poetic about how “the album” is dead and the algorithm is capital G God these days but as much as I hate to admit it, they have a point. As a musician myself, I understand the reality of releasing music in 2023. Singles are king, but albums still matter, and it’s comforting to see a band understand and appreciate this. …So Unknown offers a tight 28 minutes of hardcore, and while it can feel a bit one note at times, it really grew on me even in the short time I’ve spent with it, and I am glad I gave it the time and space to do so. Putting this record into the context of physical movement really amplified my experience and has made me eager to witness it the way it was intended - in a room surrounded by a few hundred people all climbing over each other and screaming, “FUCK THE BULLSHIT!”

Christian Perez is a member of the band Clot and is always trying his best to exist gently.

Kicksie – Slouch | Album Review

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Counter Intuitive Records

Kicksie’s previous full-length, All My Friends, was released in August 2020, a time when society was essentially folding into itself as we collectively came to terms with the fact that COVID was not just a couple-month-long endeavor. Much of the world was forced to shuffle indoors and find ways to occupy their time, unknowingly unearthing who they are without any external means of coping. I was no different, as I too found myself burnt out with work, mundane online college courses, and life in general. While I don’t exactly remember how Kicksie’s 13-track pandemic release came into my field of view, I was immediately taken aback by the effect it had on my life. The opening track, “Sleepyhead,” had me wanting to run through a wall, all without using down-tuned guitars, breakdowns, or aggressive pit calls. This is where Kicksie finds their niche-- hard-hitting lyrics that stick to your brain for weeks on end, all while sounding like the soundtrack to a blockbuster coming-of-age movie.

Almost three years later, Kicksie, otherwise known as 22-year-old Giuliana Mormile, still never seems to lapse in consistency when it comes to creating captivating hooks and charismatic lyrics. The indie bedroom pop-emo project carries on its impressive run of self-recorded releases, this time around backed by scene anchor Counter Intuitive Records. One might find it daunting to release an album alongside labelmates with as much experience under their belts as Origami Angel, Oso Oso, and Mom Jeans; however, Mormile holds their own and then some on every track throughout their fifth full-length album, Slouch.

The record goes on an absolute tear in the first five tracks, which include the album's two singles, “You’re On” and “Sinking In.” Mormile tiptoes a fine line between confrontational, almost boastful lyricism on some tracks while being entirely introspective on others. She leans on this strength throughout the release, finding an immaculate balance between making the listener feel on top of the world, then at their lowest point, all within the span of a few minutes.

The first three tracks all portray Mormile at their feistiest. It’s in these tracks where crumbling relationships are confronted, including one song about having a complete lack of sympathy for straight-up stealing someone’s girlfriend. Track four, “Arcade,” is where the earnestness and lack of certainty begin to spill out. It is a spectacular love song about being unsure who someone really is in comparison to your expectations. Starting the track with melancholic chords, Mormile shows off her keen ability to pair lyrics with an exquisite vocal melody.

Tracks like “You’re On,” “Sinking In,” and “Go-Getter” all display Mormile’s pop-rock abilities at their finest, striking the listener with loud, memorable choruses. Although this is not all the album has to offer, she does a hell of a job writing slower, pensive tracks like my favorite, “Wish I Was (Anyone Else).”  The album offers a satisfying spread of upbeat, energetic pop-rock tracks alongside emo-tinged slow burners.

Many bands get away with writing 10 or 12 okay-ish tracks on a new album and calling it a day. It’s clear that Kicksie put their all into each and every song–not a single cut on Slouch lacks emotion or musicianship. While the two singles chosen for this release represent the album well, literally any other song could’ve done the same. 

Although it may seem obvious to some, I had to take a step back when listening to this album and appreciate how much these songs simply make me feel. Kicksie does a phenomenal job of crafting high-quality music, all while connecting with the listener on a personal level. Given the level of production and musicianship on display, it’s hardly accurate to call this a “bedroom” project anymore. Slouch launches Kicksie into a realm that longtime fans always knew the band would reach. 

Brandon Cortez is a writer/musician residing in El Paso, Texas. When not playing in shitty local emo pop punk bands, he can be found grinding Elden Ring on his second cup of cold brew. Find him on Twitter @numetalrev.

Flycatcher – Stunt | EP Review

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MEMORY MUSIC

Flycatcher’s newest release, Stunt, shows an emo band that’s comfortable playing with fire (i.e., melodic pop-punk) while exploring sounds and emotions still distinctly theirs. Their explosive, sharp drums provide a canvas for the band to explore nostalgia, yearning, and real feelings without ever swerving into cheeseball territory. This is a pop-punk band for 2023.

With Stunt, Flycatcher summons the ghosts of a dozen early-2000s rock predecessors and holds court with them in a modern context. For a brief second in the chorus of “Always Selfish,” I caught a whiff of the Foo Fighters’ classic “Everlong” in frontman Greg Pease’s vocal down-turn over piecey guitars. But more often, his melodic singing makes me wistful for anthemic pop-punk acts like The Starting Line or even 2010s British indie like The Kooks. Regardless, there’s something roundly nostalgic about his singing that’s both welcome and well-executed. That’s not to say Flycatcher are stuck in the past: they experiment with a variety of guitar tones that feel mostly contemporary. 

The opening track, “Games,” introduces Stunt with choppy strums that open up by the time the choruses roll around. On “Rust,” the EP’s loudest song, prominent bass carves a path for the chorus’ grungy power chords. But on the final track, “Quitter,” the band’s lead guitar acquiesces to full-on nostalgia. They kick the song off with hazy, plucked guitar notes that feel like they’re straight from the early 2000s but remain grounded in pounding drums that feel like they’re straight from the present-day East Coast scene. 

Their introspective lyrics touch on self-reflection without overindulging. EP standout “Sodas in the Freezer” precedes the first chorus with the lyrics “So I’ll keep leaving sodas in the freezer / Hanging clothes out in the rain,” admitting the futility of self-pity. It’s not easy to address real emotions in a way that’s both sincere and salient, but on Stunt, Flycatcher—just like the best of their pop-punk predecessors—have accomplished it.

Katie Wojciechowski is a music writer and karaoke superstar in Austin, Texas. She is from there, but between 2010 and now, also lived in Lubbock, TX, Portland, OR, and a camper. Her life is a movie in which her bearded dragon Pancake is the star. You can check out her Substack here and some of her other writing here. She’s writing a book about growing up alongside her favorite band, Paramore.

Mystic 100's – On a Micro Diet | Album Review

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SELF-RELEASED

How do you know when an artist has rebranded or simply taken a step that is a natural evolution in their journey? It can be hard to tell. When Vampire Weekend put out Father of the Bride, they rebranded their image and, somewhat unsuccessfully, their sound. It was their first album to not feature founding member Rostam Batmanglij, and the group decided to shift from their Ivy League coolness to a looser, crunchier, and dare I say, vibier outlook that was expressed in both their sonic and visual presentations. Good on them for trying something different, but the results were underwhelming because their new direction seemed so calculated and forced.

This is not the case for Mystic 100’s, the Olympia, Washington band formerly known as Milk Music. While they have undergone a name change, the band’s new (or should I say debut?) album, On a Micro Diet, feels like a natural next step for the group. Both Milk Music and Mystic 100’s worship the guitar, but the ways they practice their devotion are different. Milk Music’s sound was hard-charging riffs and rapid solos in the vein of Dinosaur Jr, while Mystic 100’s take on a much more exploratory sound that is elongated, jammy, and improvised at times. To put it in the dumbest way I can think, Milk Music is the bouillon cube, condensed and pungent, and Mystic 100’s are the broth, expansive and warm.

On a Micro Diet is a long album, spanning seventy-five minutes over nine songs, but it never feels like it overstays its welcome. I’ve listened to the album on walks with my dog, while I was cleaning the kitchen, chilling in the hot tub, and even at the gym, never once feeling as though the durations of the songs were testing my willpower. In fact, it was the loose and almost unstructured feel of the music that kept pulling me back. When I wasn’t listening, I often found myself humming bits of melodies as I went about my daily tasks. These timestamps grounded me each time I returned for another listen, allowing me to find new details in the band’s wanderings.

Mystic 100’s do an excellent job of mixing things up, something that is not always guaranteed in this realm of music. “Message from Lonnie” is a mid-tempo expression of love that grooves like waves lapping against the beach at sunset and perfectly showcases Alex Coxen’s melodic soloing. The nearly twenty-minute centerpiece “Have You Ever Chased a Lightbeam?” is just begging to be played at this year’s Desert Daze festival. The song requires patience as it shifts back and forth from a “Cortez the Killer”-style seance limbo state of guitar feedback, but is rewarding if you are willing to trust the band. Amidst all of the sunburnt daydreaming, you can still see traces of their former selves in “Windowpane,” a straight-ahead strummer that acts as a moment of clarity before descending further into madness.

This is who Mystic 100’s was born to be. By shedding their Milk Music skin, they have given themselves the freedom to explore their interests fearlessly. If you are willing to let go of your inhibitions, you will find something to enjoy in On a Micro Diet. 

Connor lives in Emeryville with his partner and their cat and dog, Toni and Hachi. Connor is a student at San Francisco State University and is working toward becoming a community college professor. When he isn’t listening to music or writing about killer riffs, Connor is obsessing over coffee and sandwiches.

The New Pornographers – Continue As A Guest | Album Review

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It’s been 23 years since The New Pornographers’ breakout debut Mass Romantic in 2000. Since then, the band has earned their right to be called one of indie rock’s greatest supergroups… “Supergroup,” in this case, means a group of multiple knockout singer-songwriters who have years of output, either on their own or as a part of side projects, but still get together every few years to collaborate. Think of Sleater-Kinney (Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker) or Sonic Youth (Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo). The influential and iconic sounds of these bands would not have been possible without the creative input of each songwriter.

Spearheaded by A.C. Newman and Neko Case, The New Pornographers have achieved indie rock canon across all eight of their albums up to this point. Their most notable tenure was released on the legendary Matador Records before moving to Anti- in 2017. That year’s Whiteout Conditions was their first without founding member and the trifecta-completing Dan Bejar, who is most well known for leading the band Destroyer. Despite his absence, the band proved they could still release one of their best albums yet under a new permutation. That formula was shown to be inconsistent with the 2019 follow-up In The Morse Code Of Brakelights, their weakest crop of tunes all around. Apart from the outlier hit “Falling Down The Stairs Of Your Smile,” the album featured a general lack of energy and immediacy that was a hallmark of their previous albums.

Continue As A Guest is the band’s ninth LP and their debut for Merge Records. This label feels like a natural home for The New Pornographers; Merge has shared many artists with Matador over the years and boasts just as iconic of a back catalog. Newman and Case also dug into the archives and have worked in some unreleased Bejar material, which appears as the lead single and album opener “Really Really Light.” The track feels like a New Pornographers family reunion, containing fragments that date back to the Brill Bruisers days and very well could have sat comfortably in its tracklist. On the whole, Continue As A Guest is a notable improvement on its predecessor but still exists in a more low-key presentation, leaving behind the up-tempo power-pop that defined their most celebrated works.

In exchange, the band locks into some surprisingly groovy cuts, like “Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies,” where Newman and Case share vocals on one of the most unique lyrical subjects for a Pornos tune in a long while. “Now you’re clearing the room just like Pontius Pilate when he showed all his home movies. All of his friends yelling, ‘Pilate, too soon!’” It’s sort of the band’s exploration of oblivious ego like Ben Folds Five’s “Steven’s Last Night In Town” or Ted Leo’s “The Little Smug Supper Club.”

Just as danceable, the song “Angelcover” is a borderline disco biscuit. The New Pornographers are no strangers to electronic elements– they’ve been incorporating strong keyboard lines into their songs on every album –but this might be the danciest they’ve ever gotten. The band muses, “Melody ain’t got nothing on the delivery,” but luckily, on this track, they’ve got a large dosage of both. Additionally, the title track, “Continue As A Guest,” is backed with a tasteful horn section that blissfully sways into the album’s second half.

While A.C. Newman is the primary vocalist, Neko Case compliments him as she always does on his tunes, but she also continues the tradition of leading a few of her own. Case’s “Crash Years” from 2009’s Together is my all-time favorite song in the band’s discography. Unfortunately, this time around, Case’s contributions are the weakest moments across the tracklist. The batch starts with “Cat and Mouse With the Light,” an underwhelming ballad that may have been better suited for a solo album. Case, who generally is an extremely bright lyricist and vocalist, completely misses in both categories on “Marie and the Undersea” in the second half of the album. “Marie, as the undersea calls out your name. Next thing you know, you’re flicking your cigarette out the window.” This song doesn’t strongly evoke the character, who’s presented in the middle of a crop of mermaidian clichés. It feels like she’s oddly playing below her strengths, and these moments only slow down the pace of the album.

For longtime fans, there’s still a handful of moments like “Really Really Light” that unmistakably fall into the band’s classic sound. “Bottle Episodes” could have come right out of the Challengers album with its focus on acoustic-based chamber-pop, with every member of the band clearly audible in the group vocals and strong instrumental performance. Newman warns, “when you’re dancing with the Devil, you don’t get to pick the song they play.” The album’s closer, “Wish Automatic Suite,” employs the same compositional techniques, with a melancholic tone shift at the end that’s expertly transitioned into from the strong refrains before it.

Both “Last and Beautiful” and “Firework In The Falling Snow” are the second to last songs in their respective halves of the album, which coincidentally seem to be Continue As A Guest’s dead zones. The two most forgettable songs here with nothing standout to latch onto, but also nothing too troubling to criticize. This effect is truly the Achilles heel of …Brakelights, but thankfully only carries over in a small way across the runtime of Guest.

I don’t necessarily think The New Pornographers’ best days are behind them, especially since the highlights of this album, like “Pontius Pilate…” or the title track, are genuinely great songs. Newman and Case are songwriting veterans, and it would be foolish to assume their muses are totally fading. Continue As A Guest just happens to be a bit of a mixed bag. The moments where they’re stepping outside their musical comfort zone, to mostly pleasurable results, sound a little inconsistent paired with the more typical sounding tracks. The album advert describes it as “10 new, explosive, genre-defying earworms.” While I can’t dispute the descriptor that these songs are new, not everything is explosive, and in those less powerful moments, the earworms are not always to be found. At the very least, it makes it more interesting in some respects than their last effort. With Continue As A Guest, I’ll still continue as a fan.

Logan Archer Mounts once almost got kicked out of Warped Tour for doing the Disturbed scream during a band’s acoustic set. He currently lives in Rolling Meadows, IL, but tells everyone he lives in Palatine.