Narrow Head are a five-piece alternative rock band from Houston, Texas that formed in 2013. They've put out three full-lengths and a slew of other releases, with their most recent stuff all being put out by Run For Cover since joining their roster in 2020. Admittedly I have not done much of a deep dive on this band, even though they've been requested a ton and their latest LP, Moments Of Clarity gained a good amount of traction last year. The band's sound consists of big, heavy, shoegazy guitars and alt rock riffs juxtaposed against very melodic vocals. That's not a very good summation, but ..read more

"Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating". Once again, we descend into the depths of despair once a year, same time same place, on February 14th. As everything becomes lonelier, we pick one band to invest our woes in, and this year is a solid one. If you want more sad orchestras, all previously installments are listed at the end. Toru Okada were a six-piece screamo band from Austin, Texas that were active from 2003 to 2006. They put out a self-titled full-length, two splits and a few demos. These early demos are what compromised 8 Songs, a compilation initially released in 2004 b ..read more

Closure were a five-piece screamo/emo band from Rockville Center, New York that were active sometime in late 90's, most likely 1996-1997. Unsurprisingly, their output is very limited, consisting of one compilation track, a split (with the fantastic Breakwater), and a sole LP, their essential release. They masterfully use loud/quiet dynamics, with wiry and angular guitar leads cutting through hard-hitting chords and pounding rhythms, with a scathing vocal delivery. If you're into bands like Portraits Of Past or Four Hundred Years, this underrated gem will be of massive appeal to you. If you ne ..read more

Here's the delayed post that was meant to close out 2023. This is one of one of the most consistent and influential acts in underground rock, with a legacy that often feels understated. Of course it's none other than the one and only Shellac. They came together in 1992, with members all already established in their native Chicago scene. This included vocalist/guitarist Steve Albini, who previously helmed the foundational post-hardcore/noise rock outfit Big Black. He's also widely known for his production work with the likes of Nirvana, The Pixies, PJ Harvey, The Jesus Lizard, Godspeed You! B ..read more

As we wrap up 2023, here are 50 of the albums that made this year definitive to me. As always, keep in mind this is based purely on personal enjoyment and rankings are fairly arbitrary (within proximity to each other). No download links are provided to avoid copyright issues, though many of them can be found in the "2023 in Review..." link round-up. There are two Spotify playlists at the end, one containing all albums listed here and the other containing a representative song from each. Please let me know your favourites of the year, I'm always interested to hear what you guys have been listen ..read more

Parannoul (파란노을) is a post-rock/shoegaze/emo project from Seoul, South Korea. Any other information about them is unknown as they operate completely anonymously, though it does seem to be just one person. They first began releasing music online in 2017 using the moniker laststar, which became Parannoul in 2020. He's also used the name  Mydreamfever. Parannoul is a name I've seen pop up for the last few years now, and admittedly never took the time to delve into. Even when After The Magic a Topshelf release garnering positive acclaim, I still didn't get around to listening to it. I fully ..read more

Here's one that's been overdue for as long as this blog has existed. This was one of the first hardcore bands I ever heard, and my introduction to them among others quite literally changed my life. I revisited their early albums for the first time in a while and they are just as raw and unrefined as ever, and it's awesome. As a quick summary, the Circle Jerks are from Hermosa Beach, California and formed in 1979. Its two founding members were vocalist Keith Morris and guitarist Greg Hetson, who have been the band's sole constants throughout their duration. The former had left Black Flag, thou ..read more

By A Thread are a four-piece emo/post-hardcore band from Vancouver, British Columbia that formed in 1996 by former members of the hardcore band Strain. Their debut EP came out in 1998, which was followed by a full-length in 1999. Last Of The Daydreams came out via Revelation Records, and is probably their definitive release. It captures the band's sound best, which was a balance between the thick, heavy and angular guitars of Quicksand mixed with the melodic vocals and personal lyrics of something like Sunny Day Real Estate. It's a solid if not mind-blowing sound, and worth checking out as it ..read more

Dystopia were a three-piece crust punk/sludge metal band from Orange County, California that were active from 1991 to 2008. They released three full-lengths, a demo, an EP, and a handful of splits, most of which came out in the 90's. Their first (and in my opinion most essential) album is the aptly titled Human = Garbage. It's as wonderfully misanthropic as you'd expect, with lyrics illustrating a decaying world as a result of humanity's hand. It's a series of tense, heavy riffs, noisy interludes, and sample exercepts, all with some insanely tortured vocals at the forefront. If you're looking ..read more

The Loved Ones are a five-piece punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 2003. The band was started by vocalist/guitarist Dave Hause, who was still a member of hardcore band Paint It Black at the time. He was joined by members of Kid Dyanmite and Trial By Fire. Unsurprisingly, they hit the ground running with a solid debut EP and fantastic LP via Fat Wreck Chords just a few years later. Keep Your Heart is an album I don't return to nearly as much as I should, as it's an incredibly solid collection of songs with pounding instrumentals and heartland lyricism. If you're into band ..read more