In The Red US 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: A high-energy Berlin-based band making soulful garage rock. Their debut album comes after the band have built a solid following off the back of incendiary live performances, with their frontwoman giving glam-soaked swagger that's invigorating to receive. The vintage guitar tones give off a 60/70s feel and thrive off the Ramones-esque punk drums. The LA-based label that's putting this out has a reputation for delivering some of the finest punk releases around with the likes of The Saints, Osees and Ty Segall on their roster. Bella and The Bizarre may be a lesser known name - so far - but it proves they've an ear for discovering truly exciting new groups with the potential to go the distance in the months and years to come.

Review: For nearly a decade, this unique band has been carving out a unique underground sound, and Tracing The Sand By The Pool finds them at their most focused yet. Recorded entirely by the band, this twelve-track album is a collection of sharp, direct hits with no room for filler. Kicking off with 'Within', a track that balances Kiwi brightness with moments of near-chaos, the album showcases Chris Gunn's intricate guitar work, both melodic and brash. The band’s cover of The Hangmen’s ‘I'm Gonna Love You’ turns menace into a hopeful ballad, while guest appearances from Miranda Soileau-Pratt (The Spatulas) and Shelby Jacobson (The Tube Alloys) add depth. 'Snail On The Map' brings a touch of flower power with its dreamy pop, and 'Speak To Us In Feathers' layers cascading guitars and ethereal breaks. Throughout, the album blends 60s psych and distorted noise, offering a thrilling, unpredictable journey with every track. Boundless and full of surprises, this is The Lavender Flu's most exciting release to date.

Review: Coinciding with the upcoming release of the new documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story, as well as a forthcoming memoir currently on the presses, California first wave punk/power pop legends Red Kross make their triumphant return with this new self-titled double LP. Red vinyl, red cover, with homage paid to another self-titled album, these 18 new cuts crunch and slap with the energy of songwriters a third of the median age of the McDonald brothers. Choosing no more ample time to return to the fold as punk and hardcore continue to receive their flowers in the sun, regardless of whether you're a lifer or newcomer, Redd Kross deserve your immediate attention, which is something few likely had on their 2024 punk bingo cards.

Review: Originally released in 1977 (the year of punk's simultaneous birth and more notably, death), (I'm) Stranded has gone on to become, not only one of the most vital pieces of OG Aussie punk, but commonly considered as one of the quintessential early blueprints for an entire generation of artists. Staying on course and not even wading into the creative differences that would soon loom large over each subsequent follow up, this box set arrives as a joint collaboration between L.A. garage rock label In The Red, Universal Music Australia and spearheaded by Feel Presents and The Saints founder Ed Kuepper (later Laughing Clowns), who collectively deliver the original LP remastered for the time in four decades, along with never-before-pressed-to-wax bonus discs of a five-song live performance from Paddington Town Hall in Sydney in 1977, the band's full set from the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival, London November 1977, all three tracks from the 1977 This Perfect Day 12" and all four tracks from 1977's 1-2-3-4 double 7" single, as well as the previously unreleased 1976 demo mix of the (I'm) Stranded LP. Also boasting a 28 page 12" x 12" photo essay of the band covering their origins from 1973 through the end of '77, authorised band history, an 8" x 10" 1976 promo photo, and sticker, this is fan service and an album celebratory box set done right.

Review: Fronted by Astrid McDonald, daughter of Go-Go's guitarist/songwriter Charlotte Caffey and Redd Kross singer/guitarist Jeff McDonald, the apple evidently doesn't fall too far from the punk tree when you take one spin of The Side Eyes. Delivering frenetic, breakneck-paced Californian hardcore that owes as much to the likes of Circle Jerks as it does to the more modern feral stylings of the scene, the aptly titled What's Your Problem doubles down on the bite and tenacity of their self-titled 2017 debut full-length, whilst coming across as more refined and dexterous. Few acts go harder and more succinct on their sophomore effort, but at twelve tracks amounting to less than a 20-minute runtime, that's precisely what's gone down here. Calling out phonies, sexists and posers one snarling banger after another, this is circle of life hardcore from kids raised on the right stuff.