If It's Too Loud...

It took me a while to hop aboard the Rebuilder bandwagon, but now that I'm fully on I'm thrilled to bring you their latest song. "Hold On" is filled with that intense energy that is a hallmark of a Rebuilder song. It's upbeat and bouncy pop punk that is in stark contrast to the lyrical subject matter. It's a fast paced and heavy pop punk anthem about how terrible the world is and not knowing what to do about it. It's definitely not your typical pop punk subject, but Rebuilder isn't (but is?) your typical pop punk band. "Hold On" is perfect for live show sing-a-longs by being one of the most contagiously catchy songs around right now. Even if you typically turn your nose at pop punk, you owe it to yourself to give Rebuilder a chance. You'll thank me for this one some day. You can watch the video for "Hold On" below. The song is available via A-F Records. For more on Rebuilder, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram .

Atlanta based alt-punks New Junk City first came to our attention with "Rosey" which was described as a cross between The Lemonheads and Gin Blossoms. They're back with a new single which leans much more into the punk side of their sound. "High Contrast" is pretty much straight up pop punk and maybe even emo. This one sounds like a cross between The Get Up Kids and Rebuilder. It's a slick, high energy song with duo vocals on the choruses. Not quite gang vocals, but heading that way. It's a positive sounding song, which makes sense considering it's about focusing on the positive things in life. You can listen to "High Contrast" below. New Junk City will be releasing an album in on October 21 via A-F Records. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on New Junk City, check them out on Facebook and Twitter .

Our new favorite D.C. area politically charged punks are back with a new single. Celebration Summer have released "Patience in Presence," and if you have a special place in your heart for Dischord punk, you're going to love this one. The song fits the definition of melodic punk. It has too much of an edge to it to quite be pop punk, but it's also too melodic to truly be hardcore. This one is reminding me of Rites of Spring if they reeled it in a bit and tried to get some radio play but not quite making it to that level of mainstream. "Patience in Presence" is just a killer melodic punk song with gang vocals and is just begging to be pogoed to. You can watch the video for "Patience in Presence" below. Patience in Presence , the album, is due out in late 2022. The album will be released in the US on A-F Records and Shield in Europe. You can find the pre-order here . For more on Celebration Summer, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram .

Celebration Summer, your new favorite D.C. area politically charged punk band, just released a new single. If you have an affection for D.C. area punk, you kind of already know what to expect from "Fraud." It's a song that takes aim at NRA, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, etc. As angry as it is, the song is kind of fun in that way the best angry punk is. It's fast and political with great shout a long gang choruses, but it's oddly melodic at the same time. To keep the classic D.C. punk theme going, "Fraud" sounds like if Rites of Spring attempted to write a straightforward hit for the modern rock charts. You can watch the video for "Fraud" below. Patience in Presence will be out on A-F Records in the US and Shield Recordings in Europe in late September. The album can be pre-ordered here . For more on Celebration Summer, check out the band's Facebook and Bandcamp .

According to the press release, the new song from New Junk City "... would fit perfectly between The Lemonheads and Gin Blossoms." That press release is basically written for just for us, and "Rosey" would have been right at home on your favorite alt-rock station back in 1994. The Atlanta band have crafted a song that epitomizes that post grunge sound as alt-rock started to get a little more poppy but had just enough of an edge to it to still be considered alternative. It's slacker lead vocals over buzzing guitars and catchy background vocals that are what is going to truly suck you in. The song even ends with droning feedback, and how much more 1994 can you possibly get? You can listen to "Rosey" below. The single is out now via A-F Records with Beg a Promise due in the Fall. For more on New Junk City, check out the band on Facebook and  Twitter .

Celebration Summer are the latest in a long line of Washington D.C. area politically charged punk bands. Hailing from Northern Virginia, they've just released "Disconnected." This new song sounds and feels a lot like your Dischord favorites. It's a song that is as fast and loud as it is heartfelt. If anything, it might be a little rougher and more fuzzy than what you typically associate with D.C. punk. I'm hearing an interesting hybrid of Rites of Spring and Jawbreaker in this one. Punk is a genre that follows a very specific series of narrow rules. Celebration Summer are pulling off making music within those rules while breaking out with their own sound. You can watch the video for "Disconnected" below. Patience in Presence will be out later this year on A-F Records in the US and Shield Recordings in Europe. For more on Celebration Summer, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram .

Ska-punk might be the most maligned genre in existence. It's something we're supposed to listen to as teenagers and then abandon completely, embarrassed and hoping no one ever brings it up. Devon Kay & the Solutions might change that. Their latest single, "Oh Glorious Nothing," is bouncy ska-punk. Like, ridiculously bouncy. It has all the fun from ska that we enjoyed in high school and college, but with a more grown up, adult sound. I mean, sure... anything that is ska or punk is going to make you feel a little silly when you're in your 30's and 40's, but "Oh Glorious Nothing" is the closest we're going to get to ska-punk made for adults.  You can watch the video for "Oh Glorious Nothing" below. The song is available now on A-F Records via Bandcamp . For more on Devon Kay & the Solutions, be sure to check out their website .

Society has told us time and time again that pop punk and ska are both terrible forms of music and that any self respecting music fan hates them both. And, for the most part, I agree. But then something like the latest single from Devon Kay & the Solutions slips through my music snob defenses and I end up loving it. "252 Brighton Avenue" is an impossibly bouncy ska punk jam that is an ode to Boston, despite the band being based in Chicago. It's possible that it's my love of Boston and how much I miss this area of Allston that is home to Brighton Music Hall, The Paradise (kinda), and the dearly departed Great Scott, but "252 Brighton Avenue" is just a fun song. The song also marks Devon Kay & the Solutions's expansion from a three piece to a six piece with a horn section. It also showcases the band's ability to record despite its members living on opposite coasts. You can watch the video for "252 Brighton Avenue" below. The singl...