Rec
đż
HĂźsker DĂź were in limbo in 1985. Their relationship with SST was starting to sour after the legendary Twin Cities bandâs release of New Day Rising, and by the end of the year they were in talks with major labels (Septemberâs Flip Your Wig stayed with Greg Ginnâs label, but Warner swept in soon after). Now, five live recordings from the top of 85, split between those aforementioned albums, were unearthed and freshened up by the archival titans at Numero Group, who also put out the groupâs 2017 box set Savage Young DĂź.
Donât expect a bootleg. The hometown show at Minneapolis venue First Avenue was recorded to 24-track tape for an intended release that never came to fruition. Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 1 highlights the bandâs brash, pop-pushing punk, proving that good things come in threes. Their raw presence surely silenced a few naysayers who, at the time, thought their melodic inclinations and genre bleed pointed towards a âcommercialâ sound. Some people donât know what theyâve got until itâs gone ⌠and then recovered by the label that introduced Duster to Gen Z. - Madeline Frino
Donât expect a bootleg. The hometown show at Minneapolis venue First Avenue was recorded to 24-track tape for an intended release that never came to fruition. Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 1 highlights the bandâs brash, pop-pushing punk, proving that good things come in threes. Their raw presence surely silenced a few naysayers who, at the time, thought their melodic inclinations and genre bleed pointed towards a âcommercialâ sound. Some people donât know what theyâve got until itâs gone ⌠and then recovered by the label that introduced Duster to Gen Z. - Madeline Frino
Jul 8, 2025
Related Recs
Rec
đ¸Obviously your mileage may vary based on your tolerance for hardcore punk, but if you're so inclined, this was their last show before going on hiatus for a few years. The raw energy in the room is unfathomable; skip to the last two minutes if you don't believe me.
That hiatus is when two side projects really started taking off, too. Justice (the vocalist) started pumping out Angel Du$t albums, and Brendan (the drummer) started to become much better-known for his band Turnstile... Astute viewers will notice Franz from Turnstile singing around 39 minutes into this set as well! This show, to me, feels like a big bang that sent those two bands hurtling towards the 2020s to redefine the genre.
That hiatus is when two side projects really started taking off, too. Justice (the vocalist) started pumping out Angel Du$t albums, and Brendan (the drummer) started to become much better-known for his band Turnstile... Astute viewers will notice Franz from Turnstile singing around 39 minutes into this set as well! This show, to me, feels like a big bang that sent those two bands hurtling towards the 2020s to redefine the genre.
Oct 15, 2024
Rec
đA lot of music I listen to is only available on youtube - Most of the bands were small DIY bands that just made tapes or a 7â that you canât find anywhere. So I'm thankful for the people that have ripped these to the internet for me and plenty of other people to discover. Bulldoze was a band from NY formed in the early 90âs that pioneered the âbeatdownâ style blahblahblah. Many have tried (and failed) to create a demo as good as this. Since itâs been available on streaming platforms I listen to it on my commute at least once a week. I love reading the comments from the last couple of generations talking about memories they have of the bands who got stabbed at what show and whatever. Greatest of all time shit for me.(1:53 for what really gets me going)
Dec 30, 2021
Rec
A documentary that was born all because someone once found a 7â single from an unknown Detroit band by the name of Death. Turns out the band of 3 brothers had essentially nailed the sound of punk music years before it had become a thing. As a result of the documentary the band reunited and began touring again, decades after breaking up.
Feb 12, 2024
Top Recs from @ninaprotocol
Rec
What if the entire Splice library was launched into the ether, prompting a Pokemon-esque scavenger hunt to catch âem all? This is what ear pulls off. And yet, the duoâs voices are the best instruments in the mix. Chopped notes and cheeky whispers and sharp breaths abound in their latest singles, âFetishâ and âValley Serpent.â A cut-and-sew craft project of a song, âFetishâ shows impressive restraint for as long as possible before mutating multiple times. Itâs not just a glazed ambient track, or bass-boosted electronic, or .5 speed breakcore. The disjointed lyrics are hypnotically aphasic, as if having a stroke could be a beautiful experience. âValley Serpentâ has the same structureless setup, shrouding a poignant piano ballad in blown-out artificial noise. For all they add, they know when to get minimal. The gentle recitation âfeels like a burdenâ is scripted to haunt. The most Lynchian release of the year!
- Madeline Frino
4d ago
Rec
On eleuâs new single âr u shy or smthn,â itâs hard not to think about Erika de Casier when the chorus hits. The hookâs blend of cute and catchy lingers in the brain. Itâs the artist's first song since her SOFT CUTE HARD EP, a heartfelt melding of hyperpop and R&B influences that eleu describes as being âunified by an aesthetic idea that each song stands on its own.â
Describing herself as a "mythical sorceress of play," eleu moves effortlessly between careful and confrontational, guided perhaps more by instinct than genre. Thereâs a quiet allure to her voice and songwriting. On this new track, the production takes a backseat, letting her melodic vocals take the lead. Itâs a delicate, confident little ballad, and I wouldnât be surprised if that de Casier-esque hook ends up looping in your head as you go about your day. - J.vienberg
Describing herself as a "mythical sorceress of play," eleu moves effortlessly between careful and confrontational, guided perhaps more by instinct than genre. Thereâs a quiet allure to her voice and songwriting. On this new track, the production takes a backseat, letting her melodic vocals take the lead. Itâs a delicate, confident little ballad, and I wouldnât be surprised if that de Casier-esque hook ends up looping in your head as you go about your day. - J.vienberg
Jul 11, 2025
Rec
Dan English is your favorite artistâs favorite artist. Who else could gather dozens of New York names to perform in an âacoustic guitar orchestra?â Sky Record is his first full-length in seven years, but that doesnât mean he hasnât been hard at work in the meantimeââAcross My Jawâ was written in 2019, and âBorrowâ even earlier. The list of credits seems overwhelming, but a massive camp is necessary to create something this expansive and haunting. It was a family affair, too. His cousin Melody English (General Director of the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra, with her own brilliant solo project) contributes vocals, and his dad Jon English broke out the harmonica. âNear to the Wild Heartâ is a timeless piece of chamber folk, and âNeedâ combines Anne Carson poetry with pedal steel and noisy riffs. The world that English has built is just as impressive. All of the medieval storybook-style cover art from the rollout was handpainted, and a pair of live videos (backed by a 42-piece ensemble) are nightmarish and dreamlike all at once. Through all the strings and synths and hushed singing, it still reads as a rock record. It's as if he invented his own wall of sound.
- Madeline Frino
Jul 4, 2025