Barely There
Indie Rock, Death Metal, Art Punk, D-Beat, Dream Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Progressive Rock, Neo-Canterbury and More!
Afternoon to y’all out there.
Before I get to the reviews, here’s some interesting things that I’ve been up to recently and/or enjoyed:
Got to see New Bomb Turks in Toronto this past week and they kicked a ton of ass, ages ever-increasing and hip replacements be damned, they have still got it in spades.
There’s a playlist going around that purports to include every music video ever aired on MTV’s 120 Minutes over on YouTube.
If you are particularly interested in digging through the history of music videos played on the seminal program (as I am) you can also check out the 120 Minutes Archive which organizes it all by air-date and Host/VJ, among other useful data points.
Enjoy my capsule reviews, and let me know if anything here tickles your fancy, yeah?
Emoji legend:
⛏️ denotes picks of the week, my favs.
🌱 seedling denotes albums like a lot and expect could grow on me over the year.
✨ albums I would recommend to fans of the genre (i.e. it might not convert new listeners, but you should check it out.)
✂ denotes favourite tracks from a given record.
As always, feel free to reach out over on BlueSky or join the Rosy Overdrive Discord server where I can be found now and again.
You can also find me in the corners of Rate Your Music scrounging for obscure emo, hardcore, indie rock and pop punk.
Don’t forget: if you’re reading this in your email it will be cut off.
Read on the web for the full list of reviews!
⛏️ Malformed - Confinement of Flesh (2025)
Genres: Death Metal
Immediately upon pressing play, this sounds exactly my speed. Maybe my only worry within the first minute or two of the opening track "Within the Flesh" is the production on the drums, which had me wondering if this was one of those bands with no drummer where they program everything digitally. Doesn't seem to be the case based on the album credits, though.
But what struck me about their sound is how specifically it seems to be fusing together their influences from Finnish death metal with distinctly old school American classics. Sure, not exactly the most novel approach, but appreciated. Definitely a good amount of classic thrash influences on some of the riffing here, to my excitement.
This (to my admittedly not-very-trained ear anyway) is really well balanced in terms of technicality. Lots of great pummeling death metal riffs, alternating with great mid-tempo nicely technical thrashiness (without getting all egghead about it.) They toss in some melodic leads ("Confinement of Terror") that also seem yoinked straight out of some late-90s thrash albums.
Probably suffers from being slightly same-y throughout the 33 minute running time, but it benefits by sitting right in the pocket of my specific tastes, so I don't really care. Could see this being a repeat-listen throughout the rest of the year because it's just so riff-heavy in the best possible way.
⛏️ Visual Learner - Greg (2025)
Genres: Indie Rock, Pop Punk
Another one of those bands aping that very specific moment in 90s poppy punk where scrappy college radio indie rock and regional alt rock all melted down to spawn a bunch of The Replacements-worshipping acts.
This feels right on that dividing line, it's not so power pop that the focus is entirely on mining for hooks, and it's not so punk in foundation that it's all energy and attitude either (though it's there on songs like "Cure-All"). I could imagine reviews name-checking Hüsker Dü too, but that's not as simple a reference point either—though their spiky lead lines do recall SST Records in moments.
Basically, this is ramshackle indie rock guitar music that dips into poppy punk energy ("Barely There") and that drunken storyteller kinda alternative rock ("THEMCHARMINGHAMMS") whenever the moment calls for it. I really enjoyed this, though it lands perfectly in my wheelhouse so I'm not surprised at all.
⛏️ Editrix - The Big E (2025)
Genres: Art Punk, Experimental Rock, Post-Punk, Noise Rock, Math RockP
I like this band a lot, as far as skewed art-y rock music goes.
They're part noise rock part post-punk and sometimes have that anti-melody thing going on with their wirey clashing guitar and bass riffs, but they also lock into a heavy groove and wiggle in enough melodies to keep you intrigued throughout. They're a little tough to nail down because if you came to this expecting melodic rock music you'll be disappointed but I also might be over-stating the ways in which they aren't melodic? Like the foundation of this is also pretty solidly melodic?
Over three albums they've done that thing where they haven't quite evolved out of their core sound, but they've made some tweaks to it. "No" is downright normal for them, as far as dreamy but heavy noise rock tunes go. There's moments of twee influence as well, and maybe some progressive rock influences in particular on this album.
So far, I'm still on board with what they're putting down and they remain one of those bands that I'm consistently interested in hearing what they do next.
🌱 Forth Wanderers - The Longer This Goes On (2025)
Genres: Indie Rock, Slacker Rock, Dream Pop, Grunge, Jangle Pop
Really enjoyed both Forth Wanderers and the Slop EP, so their first album in seven years was a real surprise to see on the release calendar for me.
If you already know the band, then their brand of melancholic slackery indie rock with slight emo tinges won't be a surprise. The band have always had a real knack at crafting very subtle but wildly catchy earworms ("Nevermine", "Slop") and here that is a little dulled, with no single song really standing out in my mind after a first listen.
This feels more like a consistent return to their sound than a band turning a new corner, or one-upping their previous material. In that way, it's one of those "this is exactly as good as I expected/wanted" kind of albums, which has potential to be a sleeper/grower.
🌱 Goon - Dream 3 (2025)
Genres: Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Shoegaze, Dream Pop
This fits snugly in the current genres of light psych and indie rock that includes a slight twang and some acoustic strumminess in their sound. Just look at the other review on RYM mentioning Alex G, Big Thief and SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE and you're on your way. They take some interesting turns into louder moments like early on "Patsy's Twin" where they threaten to turn into a noisy hardcore band for a few moments, while pulling back to slackery indie rock between their outbursts.
Ultimately, this is really nice stuff. Worst thing I'd say here (beyond it being 50 minutes) is that they have "something for everyone" but end up sounding a little calculated, even with their unexpected turns. I like it though, and while this sound is likely on its way to being played out for a lot of people, I have some time for it when it's well executed like this.
🌱 Cigarette Camp - Slowpoke (2025)
Genres: Pop Punk
When NintendoWiiner commented on my RYM page about the existence of this, I didn't realize it was already out and not just something that had been announced. Then dewtaylo hits me with the 4-star review and I realize it's available for me to listen to right now.
Cigarette Camp are definitely still out here being the best band doing sloppy poppy punk rock a la Dillinger Four. I think I gotta give Chalk E.P. a bit of a lead in the score department though as I feel like the songs on there were stronger in general, and had a bit more meat on the bone in the songwriting department. They still kick lots of ass though.
Probably wishful thinking, but this feels almost like some stuff they had kicking around to tide people over before a full length. Here's hoping.
🌱 Condumb - Condumb (2025)
Came to this because I caught Dark Thoughts this weekend (playing with Dillinger Four!!!! bucket list show) and saw it listed in the band's instagram bio as well as a pending update to the Dark Thoughts RYM page. Amy sings (well, screams) and although it's pretty standard crusty hardcore punk stuff, it also kicks some ass and is only 10 minutes long. Other members come from Philly acts like Bad Side, Poison Ruïn, Christopher Walking and more.
I think what works here for me as opposed to other also-ran crusty hardcore punk (or as StrawberryDeluxe says in their review, "spiritually d-beat") stuff is that there's a sneaky, subtle use of melody ("B.L.A.H.", the opening of "Coward", etc.). It's not Dark Thoughts level, but it's blended in just right for me. You've heard this kind of thing before, and it might not land for you, but I dug it.
🌱 Melvic Centre - Trawler (2025)
On their self-titled Melvic Centre, this was a one-man band and they seemed to have a bit more of a foundation in noisy, power-poppy pop-punk. Here, they've turned a bit away from that punk foundation, recruited a full-band, and dialed up the power pop and alt rock elements of their sound (to my ears.)
This feels like they are now primarily pulling inspiration from those 90s bands that got labeled as "pop punk" but were actually just alternative rock bands with members who may have been punk-adjacent but were fully doing chunky, riff-y power pop with a slight jangle. They've also incorporated a bit more of that modern "hardcore band members in a side-project doing jangly alt-grunge" sound on songs like "Subterranean Queenie."
I like them best when they keep the traces of their last album in their sound, like on the more aggressive "Snake Oil" which splits the difference between grit and melody well. Or when they sound like they're doing a Joyce Manor impression on something like "Ill Will." Speaking of, I think that might be a key to unlocking their sound, since a fair chunk of this sounds a bit like that late-career, indie/poppy turn that JC took.
Fine by me, I have time for this kind of stuff and these songs are satisfying in the moment. Main problem would probably be that 14 songs makes this feel a little long in the tooth, even at a sub-40 minute running time. Maybe a little in-one-ear-out-the-other, but it does do the trick. Repeat listens will define whether this sinks in well, or dissipates in the summer heat.
✨ Clairvoyance - Chasm of Immurement (2025)
Genres: Death Metal, Death Doom Metal
I hate overusing it, but this is meat and potatoes mid-tempo death metal in just the way that I like it. High quality riffs, enough jumps in tempo to get the pulse going, and while it can all sound a litttttttle faceless it doesn't really matter because I kinda always have time for this type of thing when it's done well. Will this cut through the noise of 2025's death metal releases? Maybe? Maybe not? Will I listen to this a bunch because it's comfortable and well done and just scratches that particular itch really well? Probably!
✨ Matty Grace - Cheap Shame (2025)
Have listened to this about 2 times now, and both times I've landed in the realm of admiration but haven't quite made it to the point where these songs get stuck in my head. As far as foundationally indie rock music that incorporates elements of power pop and poppy punk, this is good. I just think for my personal tastes, I wish the hooks were dialed in a tiny bit more. Might need to spend some more time with it and allow it to grow on me, but worth a look if you like the genre.
✨ Kontusion - Insatiable Lust for Death (2025)
Genres: Death Metal, D-Beat
Very evil sounding and cavernous death metal from members of Repulsion, Iron Reagan, Mammoth Grinder and more. Definitely has that d-beat thing going on in- and around the pummeling death metal stretches. This is exactly the kind of band that can be incredibly in-one-ear-out-the-other for me personally.
A lot of this blends together in my head. I sampled a little bit of their EP while spinning this, and it seems like they have a relatively cleaner sound here while still retaining their cave-dwelling tendencies. I think I like them the most when they really bounce off their faster material straight into hardcore adjacent slow-n-heavy chugfests.
I think it's possible I'm just not so used to the subtleties of what makes this kind of cavernous echo-y death metal work quite yet that a lot of it reads as similar to my ears. Generally I think this was good, but I'm not quite sure how good yet until I spend some more time with it. It's heavy and well executed and I enjoyed my 26 minutes with it though.
⛏️ No. 2 - No Memory (1999)
Genres: Indie Rock, Power Pop
Big fan of Heatmiser's Cop and Speeder, as I feel like it's the best version of the band's riffy indie-rock without splintering into what would ultimately sound like Elliott Smith solo tracks elbowing for room on a more full-band album.
After Heatmiser broke up and Smith was fully focusing on solo releases, Neil Gust continued on as No. 2. A few years later (after some demo recording in Smith's LA studio) they released this record (which also featured Smith doing backing vocals and contributing to the mixing.)
Ultimately, it's hard not to view this record through the lens of the Heatmiser break-up and Smith's on-the-rise successful solo career. This basically sounds exactly like what a post-Mic City Sons Heatmiser album sans-Smith would have to sound like. Whether it's consciously or not, Gust seems to be leaning on remnants of how Heatmiser worked and maybe trying to play the part of both themselves and Smith ("Pop in C" in particular sounds like a Smith-esque later-career Heatmiser song.)
That said, I think there's a consistency here in tone that makes it for more of an "album Album" compared to Mic City Sons. I probably sound like I hate that album or something, but I do think that it's the sound of a band breaking up and though it's fascinating and has a ton of amazing songs, it just doesn't flow front-to-back in a way I find satisfying.
Maybe this is the album Gust needed to get out of their system after Mic City Sons. Put "Heatmiser" on the cover of this album and imagine it being released after Cop and Speeder, and suddenly it makes a LOT of sense.
This feels underrated to me, though understandably. If you like power-poppy, jangly indie guitar rock though, there's a lot here to dig into.
⛏️ Kenso - Kenso III (1985)
Genres: Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock, Neo-Canterbury, Jazz Fusion, Symphonic Prog
This is so perfectly in my wheelhouse, the exact overlapping of jazz fusion and progressive rock, big cheesy 80s synths sprouting up where the two genres meet. Love it! Japanese fusion is obviously amazing and this is just another great example.
⛏️ RVIVR - RVIVR (2010)
Genres: Pop Punk, Punk Rock, Emo
Had to revisit this one after reading dewtaylo's review.
Pretty sure I came across this in the early 2010s thanks to someone like Mitch Clem or maybe some punk blogspot accounts maybe. Sometimes with my favourite movies, I will revisit them and be thankful that I didn't re-watch them into the ground in my youth because they still have the power to surprise and engage.
This album is kind of like that for me. When I first heard it, it hit so hard and felt so important. Feel like in certain circles it was an instant masterpiece. Revisiting it, I'm happy I haven't taken it for granted because songs like "Edge of Living" are still deeply affecting. When "Change on Me" reprises "Rain Down"? Jesus christ, the fucking chills it sends through my entire body! Phenomenal stuff.
I never got to see RVIVR play live, but have to imagine a sweaty, moshing crowd of people screaming "OLD FRIEND, HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!" together would be a transcendent experience.
🌱 Frenzal Rhomb - Shut Your Mouth (2001)
Genres: Pop Punk, Skate Punk
This seems to be one of Frenzal Rhomb's lesser releases based on how people talk about it (and the average RYM rating.) Not sure why I often end up starting with the weird releases in a band's catalogue but sometimes it works out.
Honestly, here I don't mind this as far as the Fat brand of poppy skate punk goes. Definitely not going to be the band someone reaches for first over all the seminal acts. This feels like the quintessential turn that Fat bands often made towards a slightly less punk sound, peppering more mid-tempo power-pop songs into their track lists ("Coming Home", "Rats in the Walls"). See also: Bracket, No Use For A Name, etc.
Luckily, I like this stuff when the melodies are strong and here they aren't bad at all! Even stuff that diverts pretty far from punk ("Home Made Video", "The Best Guy", "Local Resident Failure" etc.) doesn't bother me because the melodies aren't too bad. They even try their hand at sounding a little like New Bomb Turks on "Dance-Ecution" to some success.
Anyway, I'm sure for die-hard fans there are better Rhomb albums, but this one did the trick for me, even if it's a bit long in the tooth at 40 minutes.
🌱 Tilt - 'Til It Kills (1995)
Genres: Punk Rock, Pop Punk, Skate Punk
Feel like TILT always snuck under the radar, as far as 90s bands on Fat Wreck (and previously Lookout!) went. I guess Cinder Block's approach to punk vocals was one that people could take or leave, since they are soaring and often lacking grit, but they're a hell of a vocalist and I've always admired them for singing this way in a genre not known for it.
There's definitely a little bit of filler on here, not every song hits as hard as stuff like "Libel" or "Unravel". But like the band, this is a consistent album and has some of their career highlight songs.
Maybe they're a playlist band at heart, but their albums are consistent too. They never released a real dud, but the best songs across all their albums lined up in a row is also a great way to spend 45 minutes.
✨ The Cardinal Sin - Hurry Up and Wait (2006)
Got unreasonably excited when I realized that members of Cadillac Blindside went on to form a band that Punknews seemed to heap a lot of praise upon for sounding like a modern-emo-pop take on Alkaline Trio, The Lawrence Arms and Jawbreaker.
The comparison points make sense (maybe less-so Jawbreaker, on this album anyway) and the album is never less than pretty good, but it also doesn't hit the high-highs you want this stuff to. I thought this was pleasant, enjoyed listening to it, but not sure it will stick around in my brain at all.
✨ The Cardinal Sin - Oil and Water (2005)
Compared to Hurry Up and Wait, this feels a lot more dedicated to channeling the mopey depressive poppy punk of Alkaline Trio ("Woke Up in Pain" in particular is successful at this.) A little less surprising to see this called the best Alkaline Trio album of the year by Punknews, considering it's more concise and sits in memory a bit more than the full length. Coming in the wake of Cadillac Blindside as well, this EP makes more sense to me than the full length. Almost tempted to bump this up to 3.5 but it's only narrowly more memorable than the LP so I can't, but if you do like Cadillac Blindside this is worth a peek to see what they got up to.
✨ Kenso - ή Σπάρτη (1989)
Genres: Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Neo-Prog
More slick, synth-heavy Japanese progressive fusion. A little more subdued at times, but still very out-there and super entertaining to listen to. Their previous album nudges this one out though just for having that perfect mix of 80s digitally sterile synth sounds paired with really organic and unpredictable fusion. Both are good, though!
✨ Gilgamesh - Gilgamesh (1975)
Genres: Canterbury Scene, Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock
This is really agreeable stuff. I got excited with the synth tones on the opening track, but for most of the running time this is expected Canterbury Scene style instrumentation. Definitely a lot of nice little synth moments woven throughout, but this does have that kind of 'jaunty' progressive vibe to its tone. Nice stuff, worth a spin if you're into the genre. A lot of people on RYM describe it as airy or wispy and that makes sense, though moments like "Island of Rhodes / Paper Boat / As if Your Eyes Were Open" where they get the most floaty were some of my favourite stuff.
Zoinks! - Bad Move Space Cadet (1995)
I have listened to the first half of this album a LOT over the years in my attempts to hear more music from Dr. Strange Records. I would peruse issues of Punk Planet on Archive.org and of course they were always extoling the virtues of labels—like the aforementioned, or Mutant Pop Records—I was unaware of in my teens due to geographic reasons.
I'm still not totally sure why I keep bouncing off of this album by the halfway mark, but after a cover of the "Greatest American Hero" theme, by the time we get to "Sapsucker Sluggo" I'm starting to lose interest. I wonder if part of it stems from the fact that this singer sounds a lot like the Eve 6 singer once in a while?
I dunno, when this is short, snappy and catchy it has a lot going for it but every time this tires me out two-thirds of the way through.
Man Dingo - Macho Grande (1996)
I've bounced off this band's work in the past, possibly just because of their name and album art being super questionable. Here, they've really cranked their speediness and melodic tendencies up. I believe their previous album was still one of those snotty poppy punk rock albums, but here as Serch has mentioned, they've leaned further into playing as fast and poppily as possible (to their credit.) They have a little of that Dirtnap Records garage-pop-punk thing in their sound, but not so much that they drop out of the EpiFat poppy skate punk genre into that power-pop aping thing.
Not my favourite pop punk album in the world, but a solid one that I'm glad I finally checked in on. I'm always up and down on Dr. Strange Records stuff, but this makes me want to do a deeper dive (again.)
That’s it, that’s all. Be excellent to one other.
I really liked Editrix. Very neat. I've always been a a fan of trios, and they are full of interesting angles. The gal from Tilt can Sing! I was wondering if you've ever heard of a band named Cry Baby Cry from DC in the early 2000's. They had an album called 'Jesus Loves Stacy' that remains awesome. I can't find an online presence from them (there are other bands with the name), but I have the CD. I saw them at the Union in Athens Ohio in about 2001, and they restored my faith in rock and roll. I think that you would like that album very much.
I was in the same Columbus music scene with the New Bomb Turks, back in 1990-91. I'm always pleased to see them still chugging along. Good work you do here. Thank you.