It’s been seven years since Chicago punks Counterpunch have graced us with new music. Thankfully, that drought has ended. On January 29th, the band is releasing a 7″ of their first new material since the release of Bruises.
Both tracks included on the 7″ are a scathing look into the world we live in today. Let’s just say that if you’ve been a fan of the last four years in America, you may not appreciate Counterpunch’s commentary. Their commentary totally hits the mark though. Musically, they have always had a sound that feels like they would fit right in with folks like Strung Out on Fat Wreck Chords.
If you like metal-infused skate punk, then Counterpunch is your new favorite band. Counterpunch will always have a special place in my heart because they played at the last show I saw live before the world shut down. I look back fondly on Black Christmas 2019 almost weekly these days. That’s another reason I’m happy to help spread the word about the new music.
Counterpunch – Handbook
To help celebrate the release of Counterpunch’s new 7″, their label is offering fun vinyl variants and merch bundles. Make sure to check out their record label, Thousand Islands Records. Lots of fun goodies to choose from.
Counterpunch guitar player Kyle Tilev took the time to let us know about his favorite, overrated, and underrated albums.
Favorite Album
“Torche – Admission. There are so many incredible albums out there, and since I suffer from option paralysis even when not picking 401K plans or sandwiches, all I can do is offer my current go-to. The newest from Torche is a masterclass in “less is more” riffage, and I’m pretty sure that if a neutron star were to produce sound in our audible range, it’s mating call would be a song by these dudes. This album is quite possibly the heaviest shit ever recorded, and the ethereal vocals and textured solos are awesome counterpunches to playful meters in the key of brown. Buy subs.”
Overrated Album
“Yanni, Live at the Acropolis. Although Yanni’s music was ill-suited to commercial pop radio and music television, he received international recognition by producing concerts at historic monuments and videos broadcast on public television. Live at the Acropolis, when experienced exclusively in album form, suffers heavily from utilizing only half of Yanni’s clever marketing strategy: By removing the much-loved, famous ruins–and making the listener experience the other ones.”
Underrated Album
“SONOIO’s RED. Alessandro Contini is an audio wizard and it’s obvious to see why this guy keeps getting hired by Trent Reznor. Pretty sure he uses only one synth in this project, which is even more impressive. RED is full of catchy pop sensibility, distorted drones, and digital landscapes that are definitely worth adding to any playlist.”
