Shakin by Upchuck
Through their notoriously raucous live shows, Upchuck established themselves as a force to be reckoned with before the release of their self-titled debut EP. Upchuck doesn’t quite capture the raw energy of their live performance—nothing could. The record does, however, serve as a perfectly suitable substitute until we can see them perform again, and even informs the more subtle parts of the punk quintet’s songwriting that aren’t as noticeable on stage. High-speed opening track “Shakin’’ feels like it all happens in one breath. With a frenetic immediacy, Upchuck never stops the momentum on “Shakin,” allowing the track to wind and spiral until it finally gives out. — Autumn James
Yeah Shadows by Sarah Swillum
What attracts us to noise pop? Between the Xiu Xius and the Deerhoofs of the world, something speaks to us about the most primal of all pop structures. “Yeah Shadows” is something of a dance-punk track by way of morning chants, somehow meditative yet debaucherous. It’s easy for Swillum’s music to remind you of some of the mid aughts’ lost sounds — at one point in time, major artists like Santigold and Roisin Murphy rode a similar electro wave. It makes me miss when pop music could be consciously messy, reveling in all its crunch and feedback. — Austin Jones
