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HUMMUSVACUUM TURN MIDWEST MELTDOWNS INTO ‘THE ART OF A FAKE LAUGH’

byAce Hartmann
From the restless corners of Columbus, Ohio comes HummusVacuum, a band determined to prove that humor and heartbreak can occupy the very same stage. Equal parts self-deprecating punk chaos and emotionally unguarded confession, the group’s upcoming record, The Art of A Fake Laugh, arrives May 22 through Smartpunk Records, delivering eleven tracks of anxious catharsis wrapped in breakneck riffs, singalong hooks, and tongue-in-cheek absurdity. At a time when modern emo often leans heavily toward introspection and polished melancholy, HummusVacuum crash through the door with something far messier — and far more human. Their songs bounce between emotional collapse and comedic relief with the speed of a panic attack, capturing the strange emotional whiplash of modern adulthood. Titles such as “Whoops! (I Think I Ruined My Life),” “Lexapro Skater,” and “The Claw Is Rigged Anyway” suggest a band fully aware of the absurdity surrounding them, yet unwilling to hide behind irony alone. The Columbus outfit describe themselves as a bridge between punk rock and humorous sensibilities, but beneath the jokes lies a deeply earnest core. Their sound fuses the emotional urgency of Midwest emo with the speed and immediacy of skate punk, resulting in songs that feel equally suited for basement…
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WESTERN ADDICTION RETURN WITH “PSYCHEDELIC MUNITIONS” ON FAT/HOPELESS RECORDS

byAce Hartmann
Western Addiction have occupied a singular place within the American punk underground — a band forged not merely in the scene, but directly inside one of punk rock’s most revered institutions. Emerging from the halls of San Francisco’s legendary Fat Wreck Chords, the group built a reputation for marrying breakneck hardcore with sharp lyrical observation, channeling frustration, empathy, and social commentary into compact bursts of sonic violence. Now, after years of relative silence, the Bay Area veterans have returned with their first new music since 2020. The new single, “Let’s Keep the Circle Small,” arrived as both a statement of intent and a warning shot announcing the forthcoming release of ‘Psychedelic Munitions‘, the band’s long-awaited fourth full-length record, available May 22nd on Fat Wreck Chords/Hopeless Records. The track wastes little time reminding listeners why Western Addiction have remained one of punk’s most respected cult acts. Furious yet melodic, the song lashes forward with jagged riffs, desperate urgency, and the kind of precision that only comes from years spent refining a sound rather than chasing trends. There is anger here, certainly — but also purpose. Western Addiction have never been a band interested in empty rebellion. Their songs have long explored…
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BRIAN FALLON RELEASES TWO NEW SONGS & A HANDFUL OF LIVE SHOWS

byAce Hartmann
There are few voices in modern American rock that carry the same weathered sincerity as Brian Fallon. Whether fronting The Gaslight Anthem or standing alone beneath dim stage lights with only a guitar and a story to tell, Fallon has long built his reputation on songs that feel lived-in—equal parts heartland poetry, punk urgency, and late-night confession. Now, the New Jersey songwriter has returned with not one but two new singles: “Better Before” and “Not Bad for New Jersey,” a pair of tracks released simultaneously in characteristic Fallon fashion—with equal doses of sincerity and self-deprecating humor. Announcing the songs directly to fans through social media, Fallon joked, “All these other artists release one song for you all, but not ya main man BF! I got TWO new babies for you because I love you MORE THAN THEY DO.” The message, overflowing with enthusiasm and exaggerated bravado, perfectly captured the spirit that has made Fallon such a beloved figure among punk and Americana audiences alike. The songs themselves continue Fallon’s ongoing evolution as a songwriter. “Not Bad for New Jersey” leans into the blue-collar romanticism and hometown mythology that have defined much of his career, sounding like a love letter to…
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POKEY LAFARGE ANNOUNCES ‘RENT MONEY’ AND ROAD TOUR

byAce Hartmann
The restless American troubadour known as Pokey LaFarge has once again packed his suitcase, tuned his guitar, and set his sights on the open highway. This week, the celebrated singer-songwriter officially announced his forthcoming full-length record Rent Money, due September 11, 2026 through Boxer Boy Records, accompanied by the release of its title track and a brand-new motion picture now spinning across YouTube and streaming services nationwide. For over a decade, Pokey LaFarge has occupied a singular lane within American music—equal parts riverboat storyteller, swing revivalist, folk rambler, and rock ’n’ roll preservationist. Yet with Rent Money, the musician appears poised not simply to revisit the sounds of the past, but to confront the realities of the present. The album’s lead single, “Rent Money,” captures that balance perfectly. Equal parts buoyant and weary, the tune swings with the loose confidence of vintage rhythm & blues while carrying the unmistakable anxiety of modern survival. Beneath its infectious groove lies a familiar working-class dilemma: trying to hold onto dignity, joy, and community while the bills continue piling up. Written and composed collaboratively by LaFarge alongside Hamilton Addie and producer Elliot Bergman, the record reflects an artist still deeply committed to the craft…
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JEN POP SET TO RELEASE ‘BORROWED & BLUE’ JUNE 5TH VIA STUPID RAD

byAce Hartmann
Jen Razavi—better known to punk audiences as Jen Pop—has stood at the front of stages with The Bombpops, delivering sharp hooks and restless energy from the heart of Southern California’s punk underground. But now, with the unveiling of her forthcoming acoustic collection Borrowed & Blue, the songwriter is stepping into quieter territory—one built not on distortion pedals and speed, but on intimacy, memory, and reflection. Set for release June 5th, Borrowed & Blue is less a reinvention than a peeling back of layers. Recorded in her bedroom without a click track, the collection captures the immediacy and imperfections of songs played not for spectacle, but for survival. Across its seven tracks—and one digital bonus cut—Jen Pop reimagines material from throughout her musical life, weaving together new originals, deeply personal covers, and stripped-down reinterpretations of songs from The Bombpops and her 2023 solo album East Side of Eden. The first single, a haunting rendition of The Mountain Goats’ “Dilaudid,” serves as an ideal introduction to the project’s emotional terrain. Sparse yet emotionally heavy, the recording trades punk urgency for raw vulnerability, allowing the song’s aching weight to fully settle in. Jen herself described the track as one she had long carried…
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THE MENZINGERS RELEASES NEW SINGLE AND ALBUM DETAILS FOR ‘EVERYTHING I EVER SAW’

byAce Hartmann
In the ever-turning wheel of American punk rock, few outfits have charted the passage of time with as much honesty and conviction as The Menzingers. Now, two decades into their storied run, the Pennsylvania quartet returns with news of their latest long-playing record, Everything I Ever Saw, due to arrive July 17, 2026 via Epitaph Records—a work shaped by change, endurance, and the quiet revelations that come with both. To herald the album’s arrival, the band has unveiled its second single, “Chance Encounters,” a reflective yet driving number that captures the essence of a group still very much in motion. Accompanied by a moving picture directed by Britain Weyant alongside the band themselves, the song serves as both introduction and thesis—an entry point into a record steeped in lived experience. Frontman Tom May describes the album as the product of a transformative period, one marked by marriage, separation, loss, and growth. Yet rather than retreat into cynicism, The Menzingers have chosen to confront it all head-on. The result is a collection of songs that balance hard-won wisdom with an undercurrent of hope—an increasingly rare commodity in uncertain times. Recorded with longtime collaborator and noted producer Will Yip at his newly…
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