I listen to a lot of music. No, really. If I’m not catching up on what my dudes recommend with The Indie Inspection, Ska Punk & Other Junk, and Coolest Stuff, or doing homework for the Crushed Monocle Podcast, I’ve got my ear to the ground for what’s next. There’s just so much music out there it’s hard to keep a cohesive list. While the podcast is a great way to discuss a few records each month, I feel as if I’m undercutting some of the other records that gotta repeated spins. The remedy? This column! The Showcase.
Even though Jon and I took this month off, here is a list of the killer albums, EPs, splits, and singles I listened to between episodes. While I’m at it, I might as well elaborate on a few of the most recent episode’s recommendations!
Welcome to The Showcase for June 2024!
Julie Christmas – Ridiculous And Full Of Blood
Somewhere between industrial pop and gothic metal, it’s hard to believe Ridiculous And Full Of Blood is only the second solo record by Julie Christmas. While there’s plenty of feral rage to be had, the album is surprisingly personal even at its bleakest moments. But make no mistake – Christmas isn’t here to serenade you with dainty lullabies. She’s here to put your head through the wall and stomp on your lifeless body.
Mourning Noise – Screams / Dreams
Long before the legendary Steve Zing was in Samhain and Danzig, he founded the punk outfit Mourning Noise. The band acted as somewhat of an unofficial little brother of the Misfits. After the Misfits disbanded in the early 80s, Mourning Noise felt like the only worthy contender to carry the torch of that particular breed of horror-themed punk. After a 40-year hiatus, Zing and the boys have risen from their patent leather crypt for another round of blood lust.
While there’s plenty of tongue-in-cheek shlock, Screams / Dreams isn’t only for B-movie yucks. There’s a surprising amount of fist-pounding energy and gothic atmosphere. Much of that energy comes from the group’s newly enlisted frontman, Robby Bloodshed: think Freddy Mercury meets Gerard Way. Mourning Noise has successfully bridged the past with the future for the most blood-curdling fun you’ll have this year!
Bnny – One Million Love Songs
Be it the instant gratification of likes and hearts on social media or the flowery spectacle of pop stars in arenas, love is all but an accessory in 2024. But not for Bnny. On their sophomore release, the group explores the heart-wrenching perplexity of the human condition. One Million Love Songs plays like a Mazzy Star-esque soundtrack through the whimsical, starry-eyed infatuation, the emotional engagement phase, and even the tragic finality of loss. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, you feel this record more than you hear it. A perfect release for The Showcase.
Tom Pappas Collection – Insides Out
From bands like Whip!, Hurts To Laugh, Flesh Vehicle, The Used (To Be), and of course Superdrag, Tom Pappas is somewhat of a fixture in the Nashville/Knoxville scene. Complete with his signature wiry hair and larger-than-life stage presence, there aren’t many to compete with the showmanship! Needless to say, The Senator’s aesthetic is in full form in his first pseudo-solo record in the better part of a decade.
Insides Out continues the lore, but there’s also a surprising amount of lyrical maturity in this round. Call it age or wisdom, but Pappas continues to celebrate punk, thrash, glam, and good ol’ fashioned greasy rock n’ roll in its truest form.
Kulk – It Gets Worse
My dude Kendon already featured It Gets Worse as his album of the week back in May. But I think a good record bears repeating, especially when it’s Lovecraftian post-punk. The record feels like a horror story unfolding before your eyes and ears. But as the world crumbles down around us in real life, maybe there’s comfort in familiarity? For me, Kulk feels like the best possible band picking up the torch from Sonic Youth, and if that’s the case, It Gets Worse is the new Goo.
Mark Velvet – “Mind’s Pleasures“
Operating in the same vein as Survive and Kavinsky, Mark Velvet takes ’80s-esque synth-pop to new heights with a harder rock edge. “Mind’s Pleasures” (and its equally as satisfying instrumental as the B-side) is the lead single released ahead of Velvet’s full-length album later this year. While not exactly full-on industrial or Nine Inch Nails flavored, I love how the organic elements elevate the track beyond the sometimes sterile world of synth. I’m definitely looking forward to the record!
Wizard Fan Club – Apollo at the End of Things
Hailing from an undisclosed location in Kansas, Wizard Fan Club is the one-man band of Jack Swearingen. While there’s no shortage of shimmery guitar-with-reverb-soaked-vocals indie projects in the world, there’s something indescribably wholesome about Wizard Fan Club. I’ve always cringed when hearing genres listed as “dream pop” or “bedroom pop,” but I might be coming around on those terms with Apollo at the End of Things. It’s sweet, endearing, and well, kinda dreamy. Most importantly, it’s clearly made with love.
MK Ultras – Secret Tape
Climbing out of the Cleveland punk scene (which is absolutely a thing) comes MK Ultras! On Secret Tape, the music is low on production values but high on energy. It just feels like a tape you’d get at a punk show where someone inevitably gets stabbed by the end of the night. There’s also nudity on the cover art for a few added points. That’s how I like my punk, and I think it’s obvious the dudes in MK Ultras do too.
Whippets – Whippets
I’ve been following Whippets frontman, Bobby Hussy, throughout his post-punk endeavors over the years. With this new record, I think he has perfected his craft. On one hand, Whippets is a record of bleak dead ends and mentally distraught. But don’t let that take away from the fun to be had! Who knew having a nervous breakdown could be so satisfying?
I know it might be a little cheap to have another crossover between The Showcase and Kendon’s Coolest Stuff Of The Week column, but hey, good music is good music. What are ya gonna do? Please check out his (more articulate) thoughts and then pick up Whippets as the soundtrack to our shared demise.
Almanac Man – Terrain
Dang. Ghost Is Clear Records. I can’t think of a more prolific indie label in the realm of progressive noise rock. So it wasn’t a surprise when Almanac Man’s latest record kicked my teeth in. Terrain features all the bizarre time signatures and abrasive riffs the trio is known for. However, things feel a bit more spacious and melodic this time around. It could be a little premature, but I think this just might be my favorite Almanac Man record. This will easily be one of my favorite albums this year!
Thanks for checking out The Showcase for June 2024! Check out previous installments of The Showcase here!