Hello, and welcome to the July, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan aka Screeching Bottlerocket, tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs and singles I enjoyed the most this month.
This is a collaborative effort with our friends at Punk Rock Radar, with whom I’ll be doing a video version of this Best Of wrap-up each month. If you like discovering awesome new bands as much as I do, be sure to follow Punk Rock Radar on Instagram and YouTube, and keep tabs on their Upcoming Release Calendar.
Here’s our video for July (let us know what your favorite releases of the month were in the YouTube comments):
DIESEL BOY
Gets Old
Comeback album of the year? Diesel Boy returns with their first new record in over 20 years! Gets Old is on brand with nothing but fun, sarcastic, melodic punk songs. Standout tracks include “Dirty Dishes”, “The Finnish Line”, and the closing track “Two Stones”, which is a beautiful tribute to the late Tony Sly.
BORDERLINES
Keep Pretending
Portland, Maine’s Borderlines release their debut album 10 years after the band started. Keep Pretending is a laid back pop-punk record for fans of The Methadones, The Copyrights, The Gamits, etc. It kinda reminds me of Warning era Green Day a bit, but less depressing. Good driving music.
PAPERBACK TRAGEDY
8!
Dying Scene Band Spotlight alumni / Baltimore melodic punks Paperback Tragedy return with their second new record in as many years. 8! continues where Threeshe! left off with another masterclass in Epifat style rapid-fire skate punk.
THE HAERMORRHOIDS
At the Earth’s Core
Listen up, Ramonescore fans! This is the subgenre’s best album of the year. Hamburg, Germany’s Haermorrhoids rip through 16 songs in 28 minutes. No frills, no bullshit, these guys aren’t fucking around. The whole record is killer but my favorite songs are “Time Warp Incest”, “Captain Isolation”, and the title track. For fans of Screeching Weasel, The Lillingtons, Chixdiggit, The Queers, etc.
BEAT THE SMART KIDS
Hot Death
Hailing from the windy city, Chicago ska-punks Beat the Smart Kids buck the genre’s recent trends and stick to their more traditional third wave sound. Check out their new record Hot Death if you like Mustard Plug, MU330, or Skankin’ Pickle. Standout tracks include “Twist the Knife”, “Counterfeit”, and “Into the Galaxy”.
WRONG LIFE / PAPER TIGERS
Last Words of an Optimist
Wrong Life is one of The Murderburgers’ frontman Fraser Murderburger’s current projects. The band just released a new record a few months ago, so I was surprised when I saw this split with fellow Edinburgh, Scotland residents Paper Rifles pop up on Spotify. The two new Wrong Life songs on here are great, and this is my first time hearing Paper Rifles – their songs are great, too – I’ll have to check out their back catalog.
DUCKBOY
tragic love songs to study to (vol. 5)
Duckboy is kinda mysterious, I can’t find anything about them song social media, and I think it’s probably a one man band. Anyway, there are seven tracks on their debut EP but most of them are these bullshit little interludes. The three that are actual songs are pretty fucking good. I’m not a fan of this kind of “Defend Pop-Punk” style pop-punk but this is really listenable. “XXL hadron collider” is a bad ass song.
Making Friends – “Heroes Die”
“Heroes Die” is the latest single from Brighton, UK skate punks Making Friends’ upcoming album Fine Dying. This is quintessential skate punk for fans of Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, NOFX, and all the other usual suspects.
7 Years Bad Luck – “Another Life”
Austrian punks 7 Years Bad Luck return with their first new album in six years! 2017’s Great, Big, Nothing is a hard act to follow but these guys are up to the task. “Another Life” is the second single from No Shame (that’s their new record – we’ll talk about it next month!). This song reminds me a lot of Pulley’s “Hooray for Me” – I dare you to listen to it and tell me you disagree.
MxPx – “Stay Up All Night”
MxPx is one of my favorite bands of all time, so even though the leadoff single from their upcoming album Find A Way Home is a bit lackluster, I’ve gotta include it on my best of July list. “Stay Up All Night” is a serviceable, radio ready song, which is why it’s kinda confusing they chose it as the first single. Regardless, I’m excited for the new record – I think the best is yet to come.
Mustard Plug – “Fall Apart”
Mustard Plug’s got a new record on the way, too! Where Did All My Friends Go? is due out September 8th on Bad Time Records. The lead single “Fall Apart” reminds me a lot of the band’s 2007 album In Black and White. I’m looking forward to hearing more!
Judo CHOP! – “Conquer”
Death, taxes, People of Punk Rock Records putting out killer melodic punk. Judo CHOP!’s new single “Conquer” is an absolute banger. Lookout for the Aussie melodic punks’ new record coming later this year on People of Punk Rock.
Swill – “Delicate Subject”
What’s that? You thought the People of Punk Rock fellating was done? Of course not! They also went and signed a band from my home state, Jacksonville, FL’s Swill. This is the lead single from their new record Delicate Subjects, which comes out on August 18th. These guys simply do not miss.
Marked Out – “Distance”
Bakersfield, CA’s Marked Out plays early 2000’s inspired pop-punk. “Distance” is the first single from their new EP Never Enough. Recommended if you like Allister, The Movielife, Slick Shoes, etc.
The Subjunctives – “Goodbye I Will Not Miss You, You Dicks”
The Subjunctives are an old school pop-punk band from Seattle, fronted by Ean Hernandez from Sicko. This is the lead single from their sophomore album Let’s Try This Again, which is due out on September 16th. For fans of 90’s pop-punk.
Anywho, that concludes the July installment of the column. Thanks for checking it out! Keep your eyes glued to Dying Scene for all things punk rock and follow our friends Punk Rock Radar on Instagram, YouTube, etc. Join us again next month!
