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Underground Rock Music Reviews

Category: Post Punk

New and Recent Post-Punk Releases

  • SCREEN STAR – “DEMOS”

    Released May 24, 2024. Available on Spotify.

    Screen Star is the solo project of Matthew Campbell, an ex-member of Snooper, based in Nashville, Tennessee. This project is quite new, and this is their first EP/Demo release.

    Screen Star has busted out into the music scene with something truly great – the mix of grit, grime, coolness, and buzz blend together to make this 4-song EP an absolute unit in terms of sonic impact. The only drawback is that this release is so brief, at just over nine minutes, but as a demo, it does what it needs to do. This definitely leaves the listener hoping for a full album to be released in the near future.

    With a blend of punk, post-punk, and garage influences evident in their sound, Screen Star manages to make something completely fresh and new – creating some really memorable tracks.

    The first three songs are originals, and the final song is a cover of “Dead Moon Night” by Dead Moon. It is really hard to choose a favorite track – “Eyes Wide Shut” is definitely a solid choice though, as evident that they chose to release that as a single first. Still, this whole EP deserves a serious listen and maybe a few more.

    This is one hell of a first release – give a listen to “DEMOS” by Screen Star as soon as possible.

  • Why Bother? – “You Are Part of the Experiment”

    Released April 18, 2025. Available on Bandcamp.

    Why Bother? is a band from Mason City, Iowa. You Are Part of the Experiment is their most recent release with a runtime of just under fourteen minutes.

    Like their previous releases, Why Bother? seems to pull a lot of influence from classic punk of the 70’s and 80’s while remaining relevant to the modern era in a way that feels authentic. There is often an element of joyous misery in their music that cuts through at their best moments – sardonically reveling in the wrongs of the world.

    You Are Part of the Experiment is a short release with only five songs. The first three are a bit more traditional, but the fourth song is an instrumental, and the final song is more of an experimental sound collage than a song. It feels like they had three songs but decided to have fun and pad it out with an extended two-part outro, which isn’t a bad thing.

    Favorite picks from this album are “Listen” and “Speck’s Lament”. There are no bad tracks here, though – they all do their job well as part of the experiment.

    It’s always good to hear another quality release from a band like Why Bother?, although it may be a brief one. Anyone who wants to keep up with the best of modern punk needs to take a listen to You Are Part of the Experiment.

  • Teo Wise – Fermo O Sparo

    Released April 10, 2025. Available on Bandcamp.

    Teo Wise is an Italian songwriter based in Leipzig, Germany. Teo’s latest release, Fermo O Sparo, is definitely an album worth many listens. With a runtime of just over 30 minutes, this album is packed with great songs that span the rock soundscape.

    Fermo O Sparo has a wide variety of sounds, but it seems one persistent theme is the influence of Italian spaghetti western styles within. This is truly a unique and fun album – lots of experimentation, while still keeping it grounded. This album really knows how to be different while also cultivating a rich and very listenable sensibility.

    Despite being based in Germany, most of the album is in Italian, with some songs in English or with some English thrown in the mix. The instrumentation is tight and cohesive, and the songs are packed with sincere energy and crafted well.

    Favorite track choices for this album would be “Confusionale”, “M’ama non M’ama”, “Non Importa”, and “Resta Calmo”. This entire album is a great time, so it’s hard to pick.

    This album was obviously made with a lot of love and hard work. Teo Wise really made something special with Fermo O Sparo. It is highly recommended to listen to it immediately.

  • Hoist – Shallow Underground

    Released May 1, 2024. Available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music

    Hoist is a self-described “One man punk band from Oslo, Norway.” Shallow Underground, is their second release – seven high-energy songs packed in just under thirteen minutes.

    This album could almost be called powerpop or pop punk, but it definitely veers on the side of pure punk or even garage punk. There is an organ in the mix in this album, and it works really well along with the guitar.

    The arrangements in general are really tightly wound. Most of the instrumentation is deceptively simple, but there are lots of changes and flourishes throughout many of the songs that betray the fact that there is some real talent at work in there.

    The best track picks on this album would be “I Know It’s Raining”, “Just Walk Straight,” and “Fucking North Pole”. This whole album is a great listen, and goes by way too fast.

    Hoist has clearly done something great in Shallow Underground. Not everyone can cram so much energy in such a short amount of a runtime, but this album manages to do it.

  • Anytime Cowboy – Voice In The Clouds

    Released March 21, 2025. Available on Bandcamp.

    Anytime Cowboy is a band from California, USA. They specialize in rock and roll with some punk/post punk mixed with country that makes you want to drive down a long desert road in a rusty old pickup truck.

    Their latest release is called “Voice In The Clouds”, and it further refines their signature sound. The singer’s deep and somewhat droning voice goes well over the twangy treble of the guitars and tight rhythm section.

    There isn’t much new sonically versus their previous releases, but in a world of change, it’s good to see something being consistent. More of a good thing is usually good in itself, and Anytime Cowboy appears to have nailed down their niche nicely.

    Favorite track picks from this album are the titular track, “Voice In The Clouds”, “Image In My Head”, and “Prehistoric Thoughts”. The whole album itself is quite solid, and there are no bad tracks.

    Anytime Cowboy is a consistent releaser of quality music in a genre they seem to have carved out for themselves, and this new album, “Voice In The Clouds”, is no exception.

  • Enjoy – The Sound of Deceit

    Released March 28, 2025. Available on Spotify.

    Enjoy is the solo project of Wyatt Shears of The Garden fame – based in Orange County, California. This album features a lot of similar moves and vibes from the punk and rock spectrum of The Garden and Enjoy’s signature ‘Vada Vada’ sound.

    The album itself is well-produced and polished in execution. The instrumentation is tight and well-arranged but never too overwhelming and quite balanced. There is an inherent bounciness mixed with melancholy that is an interesting combination in this album – almost like a playful sadness.

    There isn’t really anything broadly new as far as sound or style in this album relative to other Enjoy or The Garden music, but sometimes that is a good thing. Instead, it seems like a refinement of a specific part of their sound they really wanted to hone in on, and they do it well.

    Standout tracks from this album are “Slip of the Memory”, “My Garelli”, and “Vulture”, but there are also no songs on this album that drag. It’s a pretty smooth ride throughout the album, with nothing any fan would really want to skip. It’s really hard to pick the best when all the songs are good.

    For fans of Enjoy and The Garden, or anyone who likes well-made and catchy punk/rock/alternative music, you will not want to miss this release.