Category: punk rock

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Miranda and the Beat Share Churning “Anxiety”

Formed back in 2018 here in NYC and now based in New Orleans, the rising rock outfit Miranda and the Beat — currently Miranda Zipse (vocals, guitar), Dylan Fernandez (Farfisa) and Alvin Jackson (bass) — have been renowned for their high-energy live shows and fearless punk approach. 

After extensive touring to support last year’s self-titled full-length debut, the rising rock outfit will be releasing their highly-anticipated sophomore album Can’t Take it on October 25, 2024 through Ernest Jenning Record Co./Khannibalism across North America and Wild Honey in Europe. 

Written and recorded in a five day burst at King Khan‘s Moon Studios Rock n Roll Vortex in a remote village on the German countryside, the album sees the band blending all the best flavors from pure punk anthems played at a eardrum shattering intensity, to grinding R&B, to hypnotic, edgy sci-fi alchemy and some heartbreaking balladry too. “If you need a soundtrack to an evening of Germs burns and mind-altering mayhem followed by warm heartfelt embraces and skid marks this is the band for you,” King Khan says. “The soundtrack to the real apocalypse has arrived and is waiting for you at your favorite record store. Real Rock n’ Roll is alive and well, the torches have been passed and the Molotov cocktails are being lit and thrown. Miranda and the Beat are the wild fire you have been waiting for to light under the collective asses to destroy patriarchies, topple kingdoms, smash colonies with a bold middle stink finger in place. Be forewarned…. And come find out what ‘Earthquake Water’ is, it may one day save your life.”

Last month, I wrote about “Manipulate Me,” a breakneck and bruising, mosh pit friendly ripper anchored around scorching riffs and Miranda Zipse’s take-no-shit delivery. It shouldn’t be surprising that the song brought back memories of sweaty, hardcore punk shows Coney Island High and The Continental.

“This song was probably the most fun to write for the album,” Miranda and the Beat’s Miranda Zipse says. “We were all in King Khan’s studio getting wine drunk and spitballing lines back and forth. We pretty much spent the whole time rolling on the floor dying of laughter, which ended up being very therapeutic and what we needed to do at the time. This song’s about some real shit and it felt really good to get it out of our system in the form of an absolute fuckin banger. Moral of the story: always be a weirdo but never be a manipulative creep.”

Can’t Take It‘s fourth and latest single “Anxiety” is a churning and chugging ripper that evokes the creeping dread, racing thoughts, racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, dry mouth and the lack of control of anxiety with an uncanny and seemingly lived in precision.

According to the band, these are the things that give them anxiety: 

1. People who wear sandals on the subway
2. The accidental text on purpose
3. When Alvin can’t find Backwoods
4. Losing a tooth

“This song legit causes anxiety. This goddamn song has got me so stumped,” the band’s Miranda Zipse adds. “I shot two different ideas for music videos and pulled two all-nighters this past week at work trying to get them together between working this job and nothing was looking good enough to put out.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Frankie and the Witch Fingers Share a Scuzzy Ripper

Since initially forming in Bloomington, IN over a decade ago, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based psych rock outfit and JOVM mainstays Frankie and the Witch Fingers — currently founding duo Dylan Sizemore (vocals, guitar) and Josh Menashe (lead guitar, […]

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Miranda and the Beat Shares Breakneck Ripper “Manipulate Me”

Formed back in 2018 here in NYC and now based in New Orleans, the rising rock outfit Miranda and the Beat — currently Miranda Zipse (vocals, guitar), Dylan Fernandez (Farfisa) and Alvin Jackson (bass) — have been renowned for their high-energy live shows and fearless punk approach.

After extensive touring to support last year’s self-titled full-length debut, the rising rock outfit will be releasing their highly-anticipated sophomore album Can’t Take it on October 25, 2024 through Ernest Jenning Record Co./Khannibalism across North America and Wild Honey in Europe.

Written and recorded in a five day burst at King Khan‘s Moon Studios Rock n Roll Vortex in a remote village on the German countryside, the album sees the band blending all the best flavors from pure punk anthems played at a eardrum shattering intensity, to grinding R&B, to hypnotic, edgy sci-fi alchemy and some heartbreaking balladry too. “If you need a soundtrack to an evening of Germs burns and mind-altering mayhem followed by warm heartfelt embraces and skid marks this is the band for you,” King Khan says. “The soundtrack to the real apocalypse has arrived and is waiting for you at your favorite record store. Real Rock n’ Roll is alive and well, the torches have been passed and the Molotov cocktails are being lit and thrown. Miranda and the Beat are the wild fire you have been waiting for to light under the collective asses to destroy patriarchies, topple kingdoms, smash colonies with a bold middle stink finger in place. Be forewarned…. And come find out what ‘Earthquake Water’ is, it may one day save your life.”

Can’t Take It’s third and latest single “Manipulate Me” is a breakneck and bruising, mosh pit friendly, punk rock ripper anchored around some scorching riffs. “Manipulate Me” brings back memories of sweaty, hardcore punk shows at Coney Island High and The Continental. So play as loud as humanly possible — and then open up that pit!

“This song was probably the most fun to write for the album,” Miranda and the Beat’s Miranda Zipse says. “We were all in King Khan’s studio getting wine drunk and spitballing lines back and forth. We pretty much spent the whole time rolling on the floor dying of laughter, which ended up being very therapeutic and what we needed to do at the time. This song’s about some real shit and it felt really good to get it out of our system in the form of an absolute fuckin banger. Moral of the story: always be a weirdo but never be a manipulative creep.”

Directed by Nazar Khamis and the band, the accompanying video was filmed by the band’s Dylan Fernandez and Nazar Khamis, and edited by the band’s Miranda Zipse and Dylan Fernandez. The video begins with the band hopping the turnstiles at the Morgan Avenue L train station, and following them being badasses around Bushwick.

singer/songwriters by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 70th Birthday, Elvis Costello!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Elvis Costello’s 70th birthday.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Two New Tracks from Aussie JOVM Mainstays RVG

Acclaimed and rising Aussie outfit and JOVM mainstays  RVG — currently Romy Vager (vocals, guitar), Gregor’s and Hearing’s Reuben Bloxham (guitar), Rayon Moon‘s Marc Nolte (drums), and Isabelle Wallace (bass) — have released three critically applauded albums:

  • 2017’s A Quality of Mercy, which was recorded live off the floor at Melbourne’s iconic rock ‘n’ roll pub, The Tote Hotel. Initially released to little fanfare, the album, much to their surprise received critical acclaim both nationally and internationally, landing on a number of end-of-year Best of Lists. 

  • 2020’s Victor Van Vugt-produced Feral was released by Fire Records globally, excluding Australia and New Zealand, where it was released by Our Golden Friend. The album received breathless praise nationally and internationally, with Rolling Stone Australia calling the album “the record of a lifetime.”

  • Last year’s  Brain Worms, which won the Soundmerch Australian Music Prize and the AIR Awards Independent Album of the Year.

Since the release of Brain Worms the band has been busy: they’ve made the rounds of the global festival circuit with stops at SXSW, The Great Escape, Golden Plains, Rising Festival, Dark Mofo and Splendour in the Grass. The album received applause from Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Uncut, NME, Clash Magazine, MOJO and The Fader. The album also airplay from KEXP, Apple Music 1 and countless other outlets across the globe.

Just before the Aussie JOVM mainstays are about to embark on a headlining UK and European Union tour, they shared a double A-side single “Don’t Take It Badly”/”Pet Sematary.” Recorded at Soundpark Studios with Andrew “Idge” Hehir and mixed by James Trevascus, “Don’t Take It Badly,” is a slow-burning bit of jangle pop anchored around the band’s uncanny knack for rousingly anthemic hooks paired with Vager’s heartbreakingly earnest delivery and lived-in lyrics. “Don’t Take It Badly is a song about how change isn’t always a romantic thing and can sometimes feel pretty ugly. It’s a winter song that I wrote in the summer,” Romy Vager explains.

The other A-side single is a jangling and breakneck, yet fairly straightforward cover of the Ramones’ “Pet Sematary.” “We all love the Ramones” Romy states “And started playing this in rehearsal and it instantly clicked. The lyrics are such an underrated part of Ramones’ songs, there’s a lot of imagery in this song that I love dearly.”

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 72nd Birthday, Joe Strummer!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 72nd anniversary of the birth of The Clash frontman Joe Strummer.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy Belated 66th Birthday, Belinda Carlisle!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates Belinda Carlisle’s 66th birthday.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy Belated 26th Birthday, Genesis Owusu!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms belatedly celebrates Genesis Owusu’s 26th birthday.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 60th Birthday, MCA!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 60th anniversary of MCA, a.k.a Adam Yauch’s birth.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: DVTR Shares Breakneck and Punchy “Les Olympiques”

Deriving their name as an acronym for the French phrase “D’où vient ton riz?” (Where does your rice come from?), Montréal-based duo and JOVM mainstays DVTR is a collaborative project featuring two of the city’s most highly accomplished […]

women who kick ass by William Ruben Helms
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Live Concert Photography: Silversun Pickups with Hello Mary at Brooklyn Steel 6/27/24

Live concert photography of SIlversun Pickups and Hello Mary at Brooklyn Steel last month.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Paris’ Pythies Return with Furious “Toy”

Emerging Paris-based punk outfit Pythies — founding member Lise L. (vocals) with Thérèse La Garce (guitar) and Anna B. Void (drums) — was formed by Lise L. in late 2022 with the intent of starting an all-woman band, inspired and informed by riot grrl and grunge bands like L7, 7 Year Bitch, Babes in Toyland, Hole and her interest in witchcraft. In early 2023, Lise L. met Thérèse La Garce and Anna B. Void through social media. The trio felt a very strong simpatico, rooted in the meshing of three distinct and strong personalities, and from that point on, the band’s lineup was solidified. 

Their work frequently references Delphi oracles and resistance against the patriarchy while sonically being indebted to riot grrl grunge and punk.

Now if you were frequenting this site earlier this year, you might remember that I wrote about the French punks third single “Eclipse,” a swaggering, remarkably self-assured and polished ripper with rousingly anthemic choruses and hooks. The result sonically feels like a slick and very modern take on a familiar and beloved sound. Written around the lunar eclipse last October, “Eclipse” reveals a young band that already possesses an uncanny knack for catchy hooks.

The French trio’s fourth single “Toy” is also the first single off their forthcoming EP Disillusion, which is slated for a September release. “Toy” sees the band further cementing a sound and approach inspired and indebted to riot grrl punk and grunge, anchored around fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming, enormous hooks and choruses placed in the classic, alternating quiet, loud, quiet grunge song structure.

Written by the band’s Lise L, “Toy” ix about a friendship that has been ruined by constant objectification and sexualization — typically by a male friend. And fittingly, the song is written from the perspective of frustration, disgust and confusion.

Written, directed and edited by Éric Parois, the accompanying video for “Toy” is a Reservoir Dogs-era Tarantino-inspired visual that sees the trio, drugging and kidnapping a man they met at a pool.