Category: post hardcore

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Shudder To Think’s Punk Rock-like Take on Depeche Mode’s “Something To Do”

Back in 2024 Shudder To Think — currently Craig Wedren (vocals), Nathan Larson (guitar), Clint Walsh (guitar), Jherek Bischoff (bass) and Adam Wade (drums) — celebrated the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking 1994 effort, Pony Express Record, their Epic Records debut, which followed several releases on Dischord Records.

After the initial release of Pony Express Record, the band dove into the world of scoring films and creating music for soundtracks with the 1998 releases of Jesse Peretz’s First Love, Last Rites, Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art and Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine. Shudder to Think’s Wedren and Larson have gone to be prolific film and television with Wedren working on YELLOWJACKETS, Wet Hot American Summer, School of Rock, Laurel Canyon and more; and Larson working on Our Idiot Brother, The Skeleton Twins, Juliet, Naked, the High Fidelity TV series and a list of others.

Last year, the band made their first live performances in over a decade and released the “Thirst Walk”/”Playback” 7 inch, which drew on the band’s classic, beloved sound — melodic, unpredictable and unmistakably their own. The 7 inch vinyl sold out quickly and has been repressed and will be available for their upcoming live shows in Philadelphia, NYC, Los Angeles and at select record stories. As always, tour dates are below, y’all.

Along with the tour, Shudder to Think will be releasing the three-song Who Sent You EP on Friday through Dischord Records. The EP is the first new project from the band from in almost 30 years. The EP will include the previously released, fairly autobiographical EP title track “Who Sent You” and their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Something To Do” off 1984’s Some Great Reward.

The original version of “Something To Do” was built with plinking synths and early 1980s industrial clang and clatter beneath Dave Gahan’s youthfully earnest and yearning vocal expressing boredom, pent-up frustration, horniness from the perspective of a suburban teenager. The Shudder To Think Take digs deep into nostalgia and taps into that same boredom, frustration, horniness of their own youth and of their love of Depeche Mode while pairing it with a snarling punk rock arrangement. Their take adds a bit more danger while reminding the listener of what it felt like as a bored teenager trying to make your own fun — before the weight of consequences got too big.

The band says this about their cover: “For some of us, the album Some Great Reward by Depeche Mode represents the pinnacle of their brilliance and creativity,

“Not that they didn’t make insanely wonderful music – singles and albums both – after that, but SGR was the crescendo of their first phase, where indelible pop hooks collided with kid-in-candy-store synth experiments, and impossible yearning fumbled with the bra clasps of the blackest bedroom malaise. After that, their albums became more mature and refined, less messy.

“There’s a garish audacity to Some Great Reward that perfectly soundtracked a kind of suburban teenager, wild on the inside, about to burst, misunderstood, romantic as fuck. 

“The song ‘Something To Do’ kicks off the album, and it’s a semi-forgotten (relative to other DM singles), under-appreciated banger about being young, angsty, bored, and horny (“put your leather boots on”) in an old, run down industrial town. It’s about being miserable and making your own fun – dangerous and thrilling, but in that young way where consequences haven’t yet revealed themselves (those would come on later DM records). 

When we were making the new Shudder album, “Something To Do” came on the (satellite) radio and jogged Craig’s sense-memory back to sixteen, on a family trip to Israel, in love and hate with everyone and everything, candy-flipping the cassette in his Walkman from Some Great Reward to XTC’s English Settlement and the great Dukes Of Stratosphere.[SIC] A girl named Robin and a girl named Julie..

“Anyway, we HAD to cover it. 

So, minutes after finishing basic tracks for the final song on the album, we quickly learned its structure and let it rip, maybe three takes, no corrections. 

Our pal (and Craig’s brother-in-law), the great Thomas Lennon, happened to be visiting and stood in a circle with us while we threw it down. Tom’s a big Depeche Mode fan and a big Shudder To Think fan, so his energy and enthusiasm completed the circuit and gave us just the energy we needed. “

“Often at the end of a project there’s magic gunk left at the bottom of the fuel tank, like potent resin at the bottom of the bowl. This was that.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Shudder To Think Shares Angular and Anthemic “Who Sent You”

Back in 2024 Shudder To Think — currently Craig Wedren (vocals), Nathan Larson (guitar), Clint Walsh (guitar), Jherek Bischoff (bass) and Adam Wade (drums) — celebrated the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking 1994 effort, Pony Express Record, their Epic Records debut, which followed several releases on Dischord Records.

After the initial release of Pony Express Record, the band dove into the world of scoring films and creating music for soundtracks with the 1998 releases of Jesse Peretz’s First Love, Last Rites, Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art and Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine. Shudder to Think’s Wedren and Larson have gone to be prolific film and television with Wedren working on YELLOWJACKETS, Wet Hot American Summer, School of Rock, Laurel Canyon and more; and Larson working on Our Idiot Brother, The Skeleton Twins, Juliet, Naked, the High Fidelity TV series and a list of others.

Last year, the band made their first live performances in over a decade and released the “Thirst Walk”/”Playback” 7 inch, which drew on the band’s classic, beloved sound — melodic, unpredictable and unmistakably their own. The 7 inch vinyl sold out quickly and has been repressed and will be available for their upcoming live shows in Philadelphia, NYC, Los Angeles and at select record stories. As always, tour dates are below, y’all.

Along with the tour, Shudder to Think will be releasing the three-song Who Sent You EP on September 11, 2026 through Dischord Records. The EP is the first new project from the band from in almost 30 years. The EP’s first single, EP title track “Who Sent You” is a track that’s a blend of slinky art punk, angular post punk and 120 Minutes-era indie rock that’s anchored in deeply introspective and lived-in lyricism and catchy hooks.

The song, which the band’s Craig Wedren says “unintentionally encompasses multiple eras of Shudder to Think” is “about my teenage years in Cleveland in the 1980s, just before I moved to D.C. with my outsized emotions – young, horny, bored, It’s both a collage of memories, refracted through the prism of time, and a message back to my younger self (‘sense your way home’). Above all, it’s a nocturnal THANK YOU to all of the girls, family, friends, music, and invisible hands that lit the path, angels and devils both. Who, indeed, sent you??” 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Austin’s French Film Shares Bruising “Rabbit Foot”

Formed back in 2013, Austin shoegazer quartet French Film — Ash Keenum (vocals, guitar), Drake Moreno (guitar), Colby Falkner James (bass) and Joshua Harpur (drums) — quickly established a sound that draws inspiration from Blonde Redhead, Sonic Youth, Autolux and Unwound.

The Austin-based quartet supported last year’s debut ep, Yours sharing stages with Drook, Courting, Unwed Sailor, We Are Scientists and a list of others, while developing a profile in their hometown’s underground shoegaze and post-hardcore scenes for a visceral and intense live show. And adding to a growing profile, they were a standout band at this year’s SXSW.

French Film signed to Los Angeles-based label Solid Brass Records, who will be releasing the compilation album, Yours + Five on August 21, 2026 digitally and on limited-edition Ruby Red and Opaque White vinyl. Recorded with Kevin Butler at Test Tube Audio, the ten song album is full of atmospheric melodies paired with abrasive and jarring tension. Thematically, the effort explores the juxtaposition of the horrors and hopes of modern society — and matters of the heart.

Yours + Five’s first single “Rabbit Foot” is a breakneck and bruising blend of shoegaze, post-hardcore and alt rock that showcases the band’s ability to craft rousingly anthemic hooks and choruses within a classic grunge song structure. The song captures a swooning and desperate longing for someone who has slipped out between the narrator’s fingers.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Rancho Cucamonga’s Cold Gawd Shares a Dreamy New Single

Through a handful of releases, the Rancho Cucamonga-based shoegaze/post hardcore outfit Cold Gawd have quickly established a unique and refined take on shoegaze and post hardcore that draws from early aughts nu-gaze and R&B melodies.

The Rancho Cucamonga-based outfit recently signed to Dais Records, who released their latest single, “Moving to California in March.” Centered around lush and swirling layers of guitars, the new single brings the painterly textures of A Storm in Heaven to mind. But just underneath the placid and dreamy surface is a an anxious and uncertain air.

“‘Moving…’ is a song about the anxious feeling that is making— what you think is— the biggest next step of your life,” the members of Cold Gawd explain in press notes. “‘Stay in Chicago?’  ‘Go home?’  You’ll always ask yourself, ‘was that the right move?’ but every day remember why you left.”

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Kansas City’s Shiner Releases a Trippy Visual for Grunge Rock-like “In The End”

Kansas City, MO-based post hardcore act Shiner — currently Jason Gerkin (drums), Paul Malinowski (bass) Allen Epley (guitar) and Josh Newton (guitar) — originally formed back in 1992. Shortly after their formation, the band signed to DeSoto Records, owned by Jawbox’s Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot, and had a prolific six year run that included handful of critically applauded albums of hook-driven, power chord heavy material, which ended with 2001’s The Egg.

The band broke up in 2002. But there was a vinyl re-release of The Egg to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its initial release — and the band reunited to play a short tun of shows to support it, which included stops in Los Angeles, Kansas City and Chicago. Interestingly enough, some of these shows were among the biggest shows of their careers.

In 2018, Shiner’s current lineup decided that the band wasn’t finished yet — and that they should continue the band’s story. After a handful of recording session over the subsequent 18 months at Paul Malinowski’s Shawnee, KS-based Massive Sound Studios, the band had completed their self-produced album Schadenfreude, which was released last May, “We’ve always been extremely hands-on, even when working with someone else technically ‘producing,’” the band’s Josh Newton said in press notes. “With The Egg we ended up remixing and adding things to almost half the record on our own. At this stage in our existence, we know what we should sound like.”

Schadenfreude found the band picking up where they left off, despite the lengthy hiatus — but while also standing on its own. “A lot of themes on the album are pretty dark but always with a silver lining around the edges,” the band’s Allen Epley says in press notes. “The title itself is a commentary on the most common human trait of enjoying your rivals’ demise. Or your apparent enemies.”

In the lead-up to the album’s release, I wrote about two of the album’s singles:

The enormous, Songs for the Deaf-era Queens of the Stone Age and One by One-era Foo Fighters-like dirge “Life As A Mannequin.”  “The song came together very quickly; we had the arrangement laid out literally the second time through the tune,” the band recalled. “The simple kind of Willy Wonka vocal melody on the verse belies the heaviness of the lyrics and the urge of pure elation of giving into your worst tendencies, like scratching under a cast you know you really shouldn’t but it feels so good. Or the recovering alcoholic having a hard day and just deciding to really turn on and say ‘fuck it, i’m getting drunk tonight.”

The Superunknown-era Soundgarden and Thrice-like “Paul P. Pogh,” an explosive track featuring enormous power chords, thunderous drumming, arena rock friendly hooks paired with plaintive vocals. But underneath the self-assured performances and studio polish is something far darker. “The name Paul P Pogh was a name I chose for my fake ID when I was in high school for buying beers at liquor stores in Louisville, which surprisingly worked,” the band’s Allen Epply explained in press notes. “It seemed appropriate for this song about ‘acting nets out to the liquor signs’ and a life spent chasing addiction.”

The Kansas City-based act announced a US tour, which will kick off in Grand Rapids, MI on December 7, 2021 and continues into 2022 with a stop at Elsewhere on March 3, 2022. As always, tour dates are below. Along with that they shared a video for the album’s 90s grunge-like anthem “In The End,” which is centered around an alternating quiet and explosively loud sections and an enormous, arena rock friendly sound.

Directed by Matt Dunehoo, the recently released video for “In The End,” follows the band’s Paul Malinowski as he goes with his conscience to help an unseen space traveler. The viewer follows Malinowski as he gets into his car, drives around a suburban development to find the traveler and help it return to the stars.

“Shiner, like every other band in the entire effing world, was beyond devastated when we couldn’t support our first record in 20 years, Schadenfreude last May,” Shiner’s Paul Epply says. “We barely even got it made and all of a sudden, whammy. That’s what makes these shows so much more special for us is the ability to play this record live for our fans.   When video director Matt Dunehoo described his vision of the video for ‘In The End,’ we were a little skeptical but the final product is delightful. We love that our bassist Paul Malinowski is the ‘actor’ following his conscience to save an unknown entity and return it to the stars! It’s a little bit of a whimsical fantasy that makes us all warm and fuzzy on the inside.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Shiner — currently, comprised of Jason Gerkin (drums), Paul Malinowski (bass) Allen Epley (guitar) and Josh Newton (guitar) — is a Kansas City, MO-based post hardcore act that initially formed back in 1992. Shortly, after their formation, the band signed to DeSoto Records, owned by Jawbox’s Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot, and had a prolific and busy six year run that included some relentless touring and a handful of well-received albums of hook-driven, power chord-based material that ended with 2001’s critically applauded The Egg.

The band broke upon 2002 but the The Egg was re-released on vinyl for the 10th anniversary of its release, and the band reunited to play a handful of sold-out shows to support it, including stops in Los Angeles, Kansas City and Chicago, which were some of the biggest shows of their careers. Interestingly, in 2018 the members of the band’s current lineup decided that the act wasn’t finished yet — and that their story should be continued onwards. After a handful of recording sessions over the next 18 months at Paul Malinowski’s Shawnee, KS-based Massive Sound Studios, the band emerged with their self-produced, forthcoming album Schadenfreude, which is slated for a May 8, 2020 release. “We’ve always been extremely hands-on, even when working with someone else technically ‘producing,’” the band’s Josh Newton says. “With The Egg we ended up remixing and adding things to almost half the record on our own. At this stage in our existence, we know what we should sound like.”

Reportedly, the album not only finds the band not missing a beat despite the lengthy hiatus, the album’s material manages to stand on their own. “A lot of themes on the album are pretty dark but always with a silver lining around the edges,” the band’s Allen Epley says in press notes. “The title itself is a commentary on the most common human trait of enjoying your rivals’ demise. Or your apparent enemies.”

Last month, I wrote about “Life As A Mannequin” Schadenfreude‘s first single, Songs for the Deaf-era Queens of the Stone Age and One by One-era Foo Fighters-like dirge, which featured some arena rock friendly hooks. “The song came together very quickly; we had the arrangement laid out literally the second time through the tune,” the band says. “The simple kind of Willy Wonka vocal melody on the verse belies the heaviness of the lyrics and the urge of pure elation of giving into your worst tendencies, like scratching under a cast you know you really shouldn’t but it feels so good. Or the recovering alcoholic having a hard day and just deciding to really turn on and say ‘fuck it, i’m getting drunk tonight.’” Schadenfreude‘s second and latest single “Paul P Pogh” is an explosive track centered around enormous power chords, thunderous and angular drumming, arena rock hooks and plaintive hooks that sonically sounds like a sick synthesis of Superunknown-era Soundgarden and Thrice. But underneath the studio polish and self-assured performances, is something much darker.

“The name Paul P Pogh was a name I chose for my fake ID when I was in high school for buying beers at liquor stores in Louisville, which surprisingly worked,” the band’s Allen Epply explains in press notes. “It seemed appropriate for this song about ‘acting nets out to the liquor signs’ and a life spent chasing addiction.”

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Kansas City, MO-based post hardcore act Shiner — currently, comprised of Jason Gerkin (drums), Paul Malinowski (bass) Allen Epley (guitar) and Josh Newton (guitar) — can trace their origins back to their formation back in 1992. Shortly, after their formation, the band signed to DeSoto Records, owned by Jawbox’s Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot, and had a prolific and busy six year run that included some relentless touring and a handful of well-received albums of hook-driven, power chord-based material that ended with 2001’s critically applauded The Egg.

Shiner broke up in 2002 but in 2012, The Egg was re-released on vinyl, and the band reunited to play sold-out shows in New York, Los Angeles, Kansas City and Chicago, which were some of the biggest shows of their careers. In 2018, the current members of the Kansas City-based post hardcore act decided that the band wasn’t quite finished — and that their story should be continued into the future. After a handful of recording sessions over the next 18 months at Paul Malinowski’s Shawnee, KS-based Massive Sound Studios, the band emerged with their self-produced, forthcoming album Schadenfreude. “We’ve always been extremely hands-on, even when working with someone else technically ‘producing,’” the band’s Josh Newton says. “With The Egg we ended up remixing and adding things to almost half the record on our own. At this stage in our existence, we know what we should sound like.”

Reportedly, the album not only finds the band not missing a beat despite the lengthy hiatus, the album’s material manages to stand on their own. “A lot of themes on the album are pretty dark but always with a silver lining around the edges,” the band’s Allen Epley says in press notes. “The title itself is a commentary on the most common human trait of enjoying your rivals’ demise. Or your apparent enemies.”

“Life As A Mannequin” Schadenfreude‘s first single is a slow-burning, hook-driven, power chord-based arena rock friendly dirge that sonically — to my ears, at least — recalls Songs for the Deaf-era Queens of the Stone Age, One by One-era Foo Fighters and 90s grunge. “The song came together very quickly; we had the arrangement laid out literally the second time through the tune,” the band says. “The simple kind of Willy Wonka vocal melody on the verse belies the heaviness of the lyrics and the urge of pure elation of giving into your worst tendencies, like scratching under a cast you know you really shouldn’t but it feels so good. Or the recovering alcoholic having a hard day and just deciding to really turn on and say ‘fuck it, i’m getting drunk tonight.'”

The band will be touring to support their forthcoming album with a North American tour. Be on the lookout for tour dates.