Been a couple of weeks since I’ve done one of these. A lot has happened since then. Most of it I won’t go into because it is private matter stuff. I will talk about it more when the situation has been over a little longer.

The big thing is that I got the divorce decree sent to me by my lawyers. From what I understand the next step (since I have signed it) is that it goes to the judge to (hopefully) approve and when he or she signs the decree the divorce is final. So that’s good. I will be able to leave all of that behind and move on with my life. As I have said in the past, I will be leaving Oklahoma but it is not quite time to reveal when and where. I am CERTAIN I will talk more about that when the divorce is final and my plans are solidified.

I think all of the other life updates can be done via the following segments….

The new Needle Drop Friday came out…uh…on Friday. It was a short one but some good stuff came out. Go check that out here.

Speaking of new releases, a week or two ago, I discovered some Get Fired stuff that was recorded but never released. So, I released a 3-song single on Friday. Check it out and let me know what you think. At this point, it is only available on Bandcamp but I will eventually put it out on Apple/Spotify.

And since August is at an end, I figured I would list my favorite albums that were released this month. Here are my top 5…

1. Lost Weekend - Phoebe Bridgers

2. Weezer (Gold) - Weezer

3. Gotta Get Out - The Linda Lindas

4. There Near - Dinosaur Jr

5. Molotov Nights - Iron Roses

And for those of you that really care about this sort of thing, here are my most listened to artists for the month of August (according to Lastfm):

Most of these I am not surprised with but how the hell did The Offspring make it on there?!?

Unfortunately, the only thing I have been reading is Vol. 1 of Superior Spider-Man. I am re-reading that to prepare for an upcoming episode of Comic Den that I will be recording with Spencer.

The only thing I have seen in the theater is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. For the 4th time. I love this movie!

Nothing new or interesting on the food front but here’s a picture of me at the south Norman Dunkin.

JD and I recorded a new episode of Rebel Nerd Radio last week. We did an episode about the 1985 movie The Goonies.

Speaking of Brand New Day (from earlier), Spencer and I recorded a new episode of Comic Shenanigans where we talked about that movie.

Also, the latest episode of Kryptonian Chronicles has hit YouTube. Dave, JD, and I talked about the 2026 Supergirl movie.

Oh yeah. I have also decided to try and relaunch my music podcast, Radio Unfriendly. I have some ideas for some new episodes and some guests. And I threw together a new logo. Below is a link to the latest episode of that podcast I did. I was joined by Justin of Punk Lotto Pod to talk about the band Superchunk.

Nyx Division, post/punk band from Portland, Oregon released a new single this past Friday. I liked it.

And that is all I have for this time around. I will have more updates for you soon I’m sure. If you can’t wait for the next issue, check out my socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads and all of the random nonsense that goes on there.

If you are feeling generous, you can donate to my Kofi.

See you next time and remember to BE MORE KIND!

There really wasn’t a whole hell of a lot to jump up and down about this week so this week’s Needle Drop Friday is going to be short.

Here’s what I have…..

Okay, so this one is deeply self serving, selfish, and opportunistic but I don’t give a damn. Also, it is not an album, nor is it even an EP. It’s really just a 3-song single. But again, I don’t give a damn. This one is the latest from my band Get Fired. The main song is called “What Does It Take.” These songs were recorded in 2022 and for some reason we never bothered releasing them. I’m not sure why. But I discovered them while looking through song lyrics that I had never finished so I thought, hey, I need to release these. Anyway, give them a listen and let me know what you think.

This next one is the new release from Amherst, Massachusetts indie legends Dinosaur Jr. They put out There Near via Jagjaguwar. What can you say? It sounds like Dinosaur Jr. His voice is one of the most recognizable voices in indie rock in my opinion. Everything about this sounds like a Dinosaur Jr album and you can’t go wrong with that. This is the band’s 13th LP and their first full length LP since 2021s Sweep It Into Space. And with Lou Barlow back in the band, it properly feels like Dinosaur Jr.

And then there is the last full length album I have to feature here. This one is Gotta Get Out from LA-based punk band The Linda Lindas. This one was released on Reprise Records. It is the follow up to 2024’s No Obligation (which was an amazing album). This is NOT your typical punk rock Linda Lindas record - opening track which is the title track comes out of the gate screaming with new wave synth vibe that is marvelous - the 2nd track, “Burning Out,” was the first single released for the album and it tracks with your typical Linda Lindas sound. Another really interesting cut is “Closer.” On this track, they have teamed up with Paramore’s Hayley Williams. The album quite simply rocks.

The last thing I’m going to throw on here is a new single from Maryland-based stoner rock band Clutch. These guys haven’t released an album since Sunrise on Slaughter Beach in 2022. Unless you count the compilation album (Slow Hole to China) that they put out in 2024. I mean, it could kind of be considered new. It consisted of previously unreleased recordings. For the record, I do like the band Clutch but I actually prefer Neil’s side project The Company Band. Anywhere, here’s the single…

And that is it for this week. Maybe next week will bring up a lot more new music. The stuff that was put out this week was good. I just don’t feel like there was enough. That’s not really a bad thing though I guess. Anyway, see you next time. Remember to BE MORE KIND!

Sometimes in my “regular” weekly posts, well, when they WERE weekly, I would do a food related segment. I would talk about new places that I had eaten throughout that week and give some thoughts on them. I thought about doing it in the last post but decided that it was going to take up too much room because I had a lot to talk about in regards to this topic. I have a lot more than just a week to talk about though so strap in! Also, if you are hungry, I would suggest maybe going to get something to eat first and then come back and read this. Unless, of course, you want to read this to get an idea of what it is that you want to eat.

Okay, enough intro jibber jabber. Let’s eat!!!

THE GOOSE: www.goosedeli.com - 1210 N Hudson Ave, Oklahoma City

I found this one at random. To be completely accurate, my niece and I found this one at random. Completely by accident. We were looking for a different sandwich place and discovered that it had been closed. Our search recommended this place and I am glad they did. I forgot when we went into it for the first time. I want to say it has been about a month and half maybe? In any case, I have been there 3 times now. What I am wondering is, considering I have multiple foodie friends that do blogs and food themed content creation, why I had never heard of this place before! My friends know that I like sandwiches so what the hell?!? Anyway, this place is great. Their sandwiches are top notch. As I mentioned, I have been there 3 times. So far, I have tried 2 different sandwiches. The first time I went, I tried out their signature Goose. The Goose is an Italian with a few differences from what you would typically see in an Italian sub. First, instead of lettuce, they use lemon-tossed arugula. Good stuff. Also, typically, I would see provolone used in an Italian sub but their Goose uses asiago instead. An interested and delicious change. Another thing that I found different in this one from most Italian subs I have tried is that I could actually taste the capicola. That is, in other Italian subs, I knew the capicola was there but couldn’t really tell the difference between it and any normal ham. With this one, I could actually taste the capicola. The 2nd time I went I got The Uncle Philly. This one is, as the name suggests, their take on the Philly cheesesteak. It was good, the meat was delicious and I liked how the onions and peppers were incorporated into it. However, I’ve had better cheesesteaks elsewhere. Here’s a picture of it.

The 3rd time I went I had The Mother Goose. The Mother Goose is essentially the same thing as The Goose but with double the meat and also adds beefsteak tomatoes and a basil spread. Overall, good subs. Go check them out if you haven’t already.

GOLDEN PHOENIX: www.goldenphoenix-ok.com - 2728 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City

This one isn’t new to me at all. I have been there several times. But since I have been there recently (2 or 3 times actually) I thought I’d mention it. Golden Phoenix is, of course, an Asian restaurant. It’s not a buffet and it’s not a take out (although I’m sure they will fix your order to go). It’s more a family style place. I almost always get the kung pao chicken. It is their kung pao chicken that is in the photo above. In my opinion, Golden Phoenix is the best place for Chinese food in the metro.

UMIYA SUSHI: umiyafrisco.com - 3141 Preston Road, Frisco, Texas

While this place is called Umiya Sushi, it is not JUST a sushi place. Although their sushi is fantastic. I first went to this place last year with JD and his girlfriend Julie while we were at Rebel Scum Con. We all really liked it and wound up going again when we were down there for Rebel Scum Con again. Rebel Scum Con, by the way, is a Star Wars fan convention. So what we really like about this place is that it is an all you can eat establishment. Not a buffet, however. They give you a menu and you order what you want from it. You keep the menu because when they come back around you can pick other items to try out. Really good stuff. Here are some items that we tried this last time we were there (along with photos).

This is the gyoza. A gyoza, if you don’t know, is a pan fried dumpling. Their gyoza is pretty standard but still delicious.

This is the tempura shrimp. Very good tempura shrimp! I think between JD and I, we probably ordered this dish half a dozen times that night.

This is one of the sushi items that JD and I shared. The ones at the top of the image are crab meat sushi. Very tasty. The other one (with the black seaweed wrapped around it) is a crispy chicken roll. Still very tasty but I did not go back for seconds on that one.

This is their chicken fried rice. Without a doubt, the very best fried rice I have EVER had IN MY LIFE! I think I had at least 4 bowls of this. JD had a couple himself.

Okay folks, this one was the star of the evening. I had so many of these. I had not had one before but I saw it on the menu and HAD to try it. It is called a sushi taco. First off, yes, that is an original Pringles potato chip serving as the “taco shell.” Inside the sushi taco was salmon, some other seafood (I can’t remember what it was), some guacamole, some wasabi, and some other special sauce that they put on it. Due to the amount of wasabi on this thing, it was pretty hot (spicy hot) but it was the most amazing sushi that I have ever had. It was so damn good! JD ordered multiple times as well. If anybody in the OKC area knows where I can find one of these, please tell me because I HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE!!!

Pretty standard sushi here. These are all their California rolls. Very tasty. Probably the best California rolls I have had but, to be honest, I haven’t had a lot of them in my life because up until recently, I was actually not that big a fan of sushi in general. I have only recently came to start liking it.

Anyway, that is it for the stuff we ate at Umiya.

SIMPLE SIMON’S PIZZA: simplesimonspizza.com - 10901 NW 23rd, Oklahoma City

Here is a pizza place that I have never tried. I was hungry and had a hankering for pizza. I remember passing this place quite a few times and figured I’d go ahead and give it a try. You can’t go wrong with pizza. It’s pretty hard to fuck up pizza. I mean, pizza is kind of like sex. When it is good, it is REALLY GREAT. But even when it’s bad, still pretty good and it’s still pizza. 

I ordered a supreme. Pretty simple toppings. Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and cheese.

So first off, this place had Pepsi products to drink. I’m not a fan. Strike one. Actually the only strike. The pizza was good. Good amount of toppings. They didn’t skimp out on then cheese (or any of the toppings for that matter). All around good pizza. The outer crust was a tiny bit oily but because of the rest of the pizza, I was able to overlook it. Good, solid choice for pizza. I would recommend it. However, I wouldn’t say that this is going to be my go to every time I want pizza. There are other places that I would rather go to. But it’s good. Don’t pass it up.

So that’s it. I might do another one these or I might just incorporate it back into my regular posts.

Let me know your thoughts? Should I make these separate or not?

Have a great weekend kids and remember to be more kind!

Yes, I did figure out how many of these I have done so I can start incorporating them into the titles. This one just happens to be the 40th of these Needle Drop Friday posts that I have done.

There wasn’t a whole lot in the way of new releases today but there are a few worth mentioning so let’s get to it!

First up I’ve got some post hardcore for you from the great state of Oregon. Portland, Oregon to be exact. This record, A Cheapened Crown, was released by HISS via Hex Records. HISS is a post hardcore/noise rock trio that is comprised of former members of Still/Form and Marriage + Cancer. There are bits of sludge embedded on this record and I hear some Bleach-era Nirvana-esque vibes on it too, especially on the song “Buried in Current.” There are some Fudge Tunnel sounding moments on here as well A Cheapened Crown is the band’s debut full length. Anthony Bartkewicz of Decibel magazine said in his review that the song “Followers, Following the Following” sounded like “…a robot’s butthole slamming shut.”

Next up is some more post hardcore. This time from Time Spent Driving. TSD is from Santa Cruz, California and they put out Lost Leaves with the help of Thirty Something Records. TPD got together in the late 90s but split up in 2005. They started a new journey in 2012, releasing Passed & Presence in 2015. They are post hardcore but there are emo elements on this record too. The album opens up with “Weak Arm,” a song about removing toxic influences in your life. That subject matter speaks volumes to me this year.

Snakeout is a hardcore band based out of a very familiar place to me, Muskegon, Michigan. When I was living up in Michigan in 2022, Muskegon was the town that I spent most of my time in. Anyway, these guys, with the help of Setterwind Records, released Honey Thief. This one is the debut full length from the band. There are some nice aggressive hardcore breakdowns in here along with a few melodic punk rock hooks along with a few hints of surf rock. If you like the band Angel Du$t, I think you’d like these guys.

Taking it down a notch, here’s a new one from California based singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe. She put out The Dark on Loma Vista Recordings. Her voice is really….I dunno….just pleasing to the ear. I like it. Kind of haunting but captivating. The music is kind of on the folk side. With an alternative twist. She has been doing the solo thing since 2006, releasing her debut album The Grime and the Glow in 2010. The Dark marks her 9th full length outing. Chelsea grew up with a country musician for a father. She has mentioned that she gets influences from folk music as well as black metal so that’s an interesting combination of musical influences. There is also a goth and darkwave aesthetic to these songs too.

The last album I am going to present to you today comes from one of my favorite band’s……Weezer. I’m ride or die! If you get that reference, we should be friends. Weezer is a band that, in my humble opinion, when they are on, they are fucking on and they are incredible. But when they are off, the can definitely release some turds. This latest one is another in a long line of colored self-titled albums. This one is called Gold and it was released by Reprise Records/Warner Brothers. This will be 7th colored self-titled album and the band’s 20th full length LP overall. It is their first full length album since 2021s Van Weezer. The album starts out pretty good with the song “Say Yes” and follows that one up with the lead off single “Shine Again” which was released back in April. So my verdict on this one (compared to the other colors) is that while it does not have the magic of the Blue and isn’t quite as good as Green or Red, it is certainly better (IMHO) than White, Black, and even the Teal (covers album).

If you are a fan of Weezer, you will most likely enjoy it. If you are not a fan of Weezer, or if you are one of “those” fans…..you will probably just bitch about this album.

And that is all I have for you today. I have probably missed quite a few releases but these are the ones that I knew were coming and caught my ear. If anything else new comes out that I didn’t catch and I wind up liking it, check my Threads because I will most likely mention it over there.

Until the next time….Be More Kind kids!

It has been a while since I’ve done one of these “regular” posts. What do I call these? Regular posts? Life updates? I dunno. The last one of these I did was back in June. In any case, here we are near the end of August and we are #175 with these. And life has been one big giant fucking mess. But there has been some good stuff too. This one might be a bit long because it’s been so long since I’ve done an update so let’s get started.

First, I went to Rebel Scum Con earlier this month. I would not have gone if it weren’t for my co-host JD paying for my ticket. He and I went last year and it was a lot of fun. For those that don’t know, Rebel Scum Con is a Star Wars fan convention that is held annually in the Dallas area. Met some cool people (some I met last year), ate some good food, got some cool memorabilia. All in all, it was a fun time.

In other good news, the White Sox are still in first place so that’s pretty cool. They are four games ahead of the Minnesota Twins.

In other news, the divorce is kind of progressing? She offered me a settlement and I accepted it so I’m just waiting on paperwork for this whole mess to be over. Hopefully soon. Once the divorce is finalized and I have the money from the settlement, I will be leaving the state of Oklahoma. I’m sure that I will provide more updates as I get them on that matter.

It has been a rough couple of weeks in general. I’m still dealing with the whole divorce thing of course but mentally and emotionally, I am over the marriage. So much in fact that I started dating. Well, I was dating one girl anyway. Unfortunately, that girl dumped me last week so that kind of sucked and pushed me further down the spiral. I have been feeling really unwanted and rejected lately. I mean, my wife of nearly 16 years decides that she wants a divorce back in April and then the first person that I try to enter a relationship with dumps me. Ugh. I’m still in therapy by the way.

I started writing some poetry. Not too far a stretch really from writing song lyrics which I am pretty familiar with. I have a couple of pieces. Here they are:

ON THE RECORD

I wrote up another Needle Drop Friday last week. You can view it here.

I also wrote an album review of the new Phoebe Bridgers album Lost Weekend. I don’t write many album reviews these days but this album hit me pretty hard so I had to. You can read that album review here.

The six month mark of 2026 has come and gone and I didn’t post a mid-year favorites list so I guess I can do that now. Here are my 5 favorite albums that were released between January and June of 2026. I think I have them listed in chronological order by date of release….

1. Enemy - KMFDM

2. The Beast Goes On - Starbenders

3. Cold War - The Flatliners

4. Born to Kill - Social Distortion

5. Probable Claws - Sincere Engineer

To finish up this music segment, here are my top XXX most listened to artists for the month of August so far. Not really too surprising.

• Bad Religion

• Phoebe Bridgers

• The Menzingers

• My Chemical Romance

• Social Distortion

SCREEN TIME

Here are the films that I’ve gone to the theater to watch since the last time I did one of these. Interesting enough, I have seen each of these twice.

OFF THE SHELF

I am still REALLY behind on my comic book reading but I’m going to try and get caught up. The first thing I am planning to read, however, is actually a re-read. I’m going to re-read Volume One of Dan Slott’s Superior Spider-Man run. There is a plan to record an episode of Comic Shenanigans with Spencer about this soon. After I’m done with that re-read, I have a bunch of single issue stuff that I need to get caught up on.

POD UPDATE

JD and I did not do a live stream this past week. I have been dealing with my issues and needed to take a week off. Last week, however, we did a live stream where we talked about our Rebel Scum Con experience.

Also on the Rebel Nerd Radio YouTube channel, I recently recorded a reaction video for the newest Avengers: Doomsday trailer.

Dave, JD, and I also finally got around to recording a new episode of Kryptonian Chronicles. We did a review of the Supergirl movie. Right now, it is still only available to patrons but eventually, I will get it put up on our YouTube channel. If you want to watch is not, you could always consider becoming a patron. It IS only $2/month.

You can watch it on Patreon here (and sign up to be a patron).

In other podcast updates, the guys from Let’s Play Ten put out a new episode on August 13th. I haven’t gotten around to listening to it yet but maybe I’ll do that later today. I am really behind on my podcast listening too.

To close things out, here is a TRACK OF THE WEEK for you. This one is by the band Starbenders. They released a new single last week. It is a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins song “Tonight, Tonight.” Enjoy!

And that is it for now kids. If you want to donate you can send me money on my Kofi. You can also donate to the ongoing divorce expenses.

If you want to keep updated with daily stuff I ramble on about, check out my socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. I have TikTok too but that platform is weird so I don’t get on there much. I also have Snapchat but that platform is even stranger than TikTok. If you feel like you want to follow me over there, just send me a message on my other socials and I can give you the links.

Until then, see you next time.

Phoebe Bridgers, one third of the indie rock supergroup Boygenius dropped her third solo album today and goddamn if it isn’t perfection. It is absolutely exquisite. Lost Weekend is pure fucking gold and the type of record that makes you want to listen again and again and again.

Lyrically speaking, there is a deliberate emotional arc that becomes apparent with each listen. The album legitimately made me cry the first couple of times that I listened to it. There is something to her music that is difficult to explain. The songs are quiet but not necessarily gentle. There is an incredible amount of emotional weight underneath the surface and the more closely you pay attention, the more you realize just how much is happening here.

Phoebe’s vocal delivery makes the emotional punch of these songs land so much harder. Her voice is truly hypnotic and has one of those voices that doesn’t demand your attention so much as quietly just takes it. There is a vulnerability I the way that she delivers these songs that makes even the quiet moments feel enormous.

The intimacy of these songs, dealing with themes of grief, complication relationships, loneliness, regret, emotional ambiguity, and all of the complicated bullshit that comes with being human is what makes this record nail it on every level. She has a way of taking something deeply personal and deliver it in a way that feels like she is just sitting down having a conversation with you. And somewhere along the way, you realize that you are completely and utterly emotionally fucked.

While the album doesn’t rely on bombastic production (although the production itself is pretty magnificently done) to make its point, the arrangements never have to scream at you for the message to come through. There is a restraint to the way these songs are constructed that make the moments when everything opens up and is so powerful that it kicks you in the nuts.

This album is absolutely a MUST LISTEN!

Album highlights: “Lost Boys,” “The Governor’s Waltz,” “The Outside,” “As Above,” “Haunted,” “Still Standing,” “I Can’t Wait,” and “Never Going Back.”

I was going to start renaming these posts to something along the lines of Needle Drop Friday #XXX….but I didn’t feel like figuring out how many of these I have done. I’ll do it another time when I’m feeling up to it. So for now it’s just the title and the date. Anyway, let’s get to some new music.

First up, is some punk rock from Lawrence, Kansas. This one comes from Sweeping Promises. They put out You Say I Romanticize via Sub Pop Records. This one has some Superchunk vibes to it. There are some other vibes in there that I can’t quite place but it is good stuff. More indie rock in some ways than punk but there is definitely a punk vibe on this album to it. Anyway, I like it and I think you should give it a listen.

The next one comes from alternative singer-songwriter Nina Winder-Lind. She is Swedish but based out of Brighton, UK. Wild Love is her debut solo album. It was released by Transgressive Records. Nina was in a band called The New Eves. There is a poetry to this album. This artist is someone to keep your eye on. Check out the song “Girls.” Well, check out the whole album of course.

This next one is actually just a single but I wanted to mention it anyway. I don’t typically mention single only releases but I really liked this one. It is from New York City based post-punk ghostbells. The song is called “Curses” and was released by Out of Line Music. This band released the EP Catacouture earlier this year (February) and I really enjoyed that one too. If you don’t go check this song out we can’t be friends. Just kidding. Or am I?

The next release is Confluence from Diveline. Diveline is a post-hardcore trio from Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was released via The Ghost is Clear Records. It is a mix of post-hardcore, punk, and noise rock and just flat out works. There is an aggressive intensity to it along with some ambient and atmospheric undertones. I get an early Helmet vibe at times during the listening of this album. I really like this album. It might wind up on my end of year favorites list.

I gotta admit that I’m really on the fence about this next one. The band is Radiator Hospital and the album is Distorting Time. The album was released by Lame-O Records. Radiator Hospital are kinda indie rock, kinda power pop, kinda….I don’t really know. Anyway, the band is from Philadelphia, PA. I’m only mentioning it on here because it is something that I think I could like after repeat listens but right now I guess I might just not be in the mood for this sort of thing. I think others will like it and, like I said, I might like it in time. We will see. There is a very slight Dinosaur Jr vibe with some of these songs I think.

Okay, this next one….you are always told to not judge a book by its cover but the album cover for this one is phenomenel. I was looking through the band’s previous releases and all of the album covers are vivid and incredible. If anyone knows who does the artwork for these records, let me know because I don’t feel like looking it up. Oh yeah! The band is called Mass of the Fermenting Dregs. They are an alternative rock band from Japan. The EP they released today is called Iwaou. The word Iwaou is a Japanese word that means Celebrate by the way. This band is a mix of shoegaze, indie rock, and punk. I have never heard of this band before but I am definitely going to check out the rest of their catalog because this one kicks ass. It doesn’t matter that I can’t understand a word that they are saying. LOL!

My final selection comes from an artist that I just recently started getting into. Well, not JUST but I’ve only been getting into her for about a year or so. Needless to say, I have been looking forward to this one. The album is Lost Weekend from LA-based indie rock singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Phoebe is one third of the indie rock supergroup Boygenius. Lost Weekend is Phoebe’s 3rd full length solo album and it is, not to wince words and not surprisingly, absolutely exquisite. Her voice is truly hypnotic. The album was released by Dead Oceans by the way. Actually, I think all of her solo work is through this label. Anyway, this album is just pure fucking gold. It hits me in a way, lyrically speaking, that I didn’t think I would realize until I started listening to it more closely but goddamn! So many emotions in these songs. Listening to this album legitimately is making me cry. This album is a MUST LISTEN! So fucking brilliant. This is 100% album of the year for me right now.

Okay kids, that’s that all I have for you this week. It was a pretty decent week for new releases. Hopefully, next week will be good too. So go out and give these tunes and listen and improve your weekend.

Remember to Be More Kind!

I did not do one of these columns last week because there was only one album that came out last week that would have been worth mentioning (the new album by The Menzingers, Everything I Ever Saw). This week, there are more albums that caught my ear. So, without further introduction, let’s get to it!

First up, I’m going to drop some industrial metal for you from Norway. The band Combichrist released The Venom in the Mouth of God via Out of Line Music. There are sounds strongly reminiscent of Skinny Puppy, Rammstein, and KMFDM coming out of this one. So if you are a fan of those bands, I think you will really like this. The song “Desolation” really tears it up. This one was not on my radar but I got a press release email this morning about it and thought it was pretty good so here it is.

This next one is somewhat along the same lines. Slightly industrial but more along the lines of darkwave, somewhat like Dead Can Dance if you remember them. Hunter as a Horse is from South Africa. They released Paradise Lost via Metropolis Records. The vocal style of singer Mia van Wyk is velvety and haunting. This one, for those keeping track, was on my radar.

For something a little more mellow for you comes Shiverstruck from Ian Sweet. This one was released by Polyvinyl Record Company. Ian Sweet is the brainchild of Jilian Medford, an indie pop artists based out of Los Angeles. Her sound reminds me of Beach Bunny and Soccer Mommy. I haven’t fully absorbed the whole album yet but so far, the stand out track is “Criminal Kissing.”

I’m going to turn it up a few several notches with some post hardcore music from Massachusetts. New Forms came out with Nothing’s Sacred Anymore through Iodine Recordings. There are bits of screamo and maybe a little punk in here. I’m sure this band isn’t for everyone but for those that are into screamo I think it might be right up your alley.

If you are looking for something that isn’t as intense, here’s some indie pop for you. This one comes from Sydney, Australia based Body Type. Their album Tally was released by Poison City in Australia and p(doom) everywhere else. They sound at times like Sleater-Kinney and also at times like The Raincoats. There are some elements of garage rock and shoegaze on the album.

This next one is from Chicago based punk band Cel Rey. I discovered this one through a friend on Discord. Cel Rayzer was released by Exploding in Sound Records. They are a female fronted DIY garage punk/post-punk band that, musically, sounds like it gets its influences from The Minutemen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Devo, and The B-52s. Quirky and sharp. It’s something you should check out.

Speaking of post-punk, Philadelphia’s Mesh came out with No Fun At All through Feel It Records. They take influences from British post-punk bands. This is the band’s first release in five years and it is their full length debut. The first single from it, titled “Violent Peasant,” is a great example of what you are going to get with this album. The twin guitars on that song really shine and came out at you. The dual vocals from Sims Hardin and Allison Durham are pretty nifty too. You know I like the dual vocal dynamic.

And finally, the album that I was most looking forward to this week came from Springfield, Illinois-based indie rock band Attic Salt. This is their third release. I’ve been listening to these folks since their 2017 self-titled debut. This album, Stay in the Midwest, took a long time to get out. Their last album, Get Wise, was released back in 2020. I absolutely love this band and they have released another winner with Stay in the Midwest. They have been compared to bands like Joyce Manor, Jawbreaker, and Superchunk. I can understand the Superchunk comparisons but not so much the other bands. This album features their trademark pop and punk blend with dual vocals from Andy Harmon and Alyssa Currie. Catchy as hell. Memorable hooks. It’s Attic Salt. If you’ve never listened to them, here’s a great place to start. The song “Beyond OK” is a great place to start to get an idea of what you’re getting into. The whole album is amazing.

And that’s all I’ve got for this week kids. This should hold you for the weekend at least. So get these tunes spinning and let me know what you think of them.

See you again next time!

I wasn’t planning on doing one of these this week because I haven’t been listening to any new material this week. I haven’t been feeling up to it. But….in the middle of the afternoon today (Friday) I felt like I needed a distraction so here we go again.

The first spin comes from a London indie rock/goth band by the name of Mouth Ulcers. They released the Silent Pictures EP via LAB Records. Definitely some 80s post-punk vibes on this one. If you like The Jesus and Mary Chain or Echo & the Bunnymen (or any other bands in that sphere) you should check this out.

Here’s another indie rock EP for you. This one is the self-titled release by Twin Bloom, a band based out of Oakland, California. They have a mix of shoegaze and 80s new wave going on here. Maybe a touch reminescent of The Cure at times.

More indie rock on this one but this one is a little more on the melodic pop-punk side of things. Hew comes to us from Houston, Texas and has released Your Version via Tiny Engines. There is a dash of 90s emo with these folks. The vocals by Lindsay Minton remind me of something but I can’t quite place who right now. It’ll come to me eventually.

Changing things up a bit. I’ve got some doom rock for those of you that are into that sort of thing. Whether or not I like it depends on the band or song I think. The band Wailin Storms comes from North Carolina. Their new album, The Arsonist, was released via Season of Mist.

This next album is along the lines of dreampop or shoegaze or indiepop. The band is My Raining Stars and they come from France. They put out the album Toy Club via Shelflife in the US and Too Good To Be True in the EU. I’m not sure what other bands I would compare them to but they have a sound like 80 or 90s melancholic jangly pop.

This next one sounds like it could have come out of the 60s hippie movement. Sweet Thief is the newest one from Brooklyn-based duo Luluc. Sort of an indie folk thing. It was released by Community Group Music.

And that’s it for this week. It really was a weird week for new releases. At least to me it was. There were a lot of releases but very little really jumped out at me. Like I said earlier, I mostly just wrote one of these today as a distraction for my spiraling mental health.

See you again next time.

Yes, I know it’s not Friday. It’s Sunday. I’ve had a rough week folks and I really wasn’t feeling up to doing any writing on Friday so I’m giving this a shot today. There isn’t a whole lot of stuff to talk about like there was last week but there’s enough to mention.

I don’t have anything interesting to say to start things off so I’m just going to get into it. Here are the tunes that perked my ears up.

First up is a 5-piece from Los Angeles. Hot Load released Realized via Drunken Sailor Records. I’m not sure what this is genre-wise. Is it punk? Is it metal? Both? Give it a listen and let me know what you think. Whatever it is I think it’ll get your morning going.

This next one is some punk rock from Portland. The band is Smirk and the album is Speculative Fiction. It was put out by Smoking Room Records. I think they are from New York City but I am not certain. I couldn’t find a lot of information about these guys. To be honest, I didn’t try very hard. They play a sort of minimalist type of garage punk.

I’m going to slow things down a bit with this next on. It comes from Los Angeles-based indie pop band Mirrorball. It’s a self-titled EP. I could only find it on Spotify and Apple but not Bandcamp. They have been compared to Beach House and Stereolab. I just think it’s dreamy mellow indie music.

This next one is kind of mellow too but not as mellow as Mirrorball. Mary in the Junkyard is an indie rock band from London. Role Model Hermit is the 2nd release. It was put out by All My Friends Records. They are a mix of art rock, post-punk, and math-rock. I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what other bands they sound like. A couple of the songs gave me a dash of a Mazzy Star vibe.

This last entry comes to us from a band put together by members of Iron Chic and Broadcaster. Constant Action is the debut EP from Partials. My buddy Dave wrote a review of this EP. You can read that here. This is good stuff and definitely the highlight of this week’s Needle Drop.

So there you have it. Better late than never? Maybe not. Go check this stuff out….or not…Just go listen to some music.

This week is going to be a little on the longer side - a lot of stuff came out. So I’m just going to dive in.

First off, there is a 2-song single that was released by Girl and Girl. They are an alternative/punk/garage rock band from Queensland, Australia. The single “Hell / It’s Dead” was released yesterday (June 25) by Sub Pop. There is a cool 80s almost post-punk vibe here. Perhaps a little bit of a Talking Heads vibe.

Here is some new punk rock for you. In the Hands of an Angry Mob is the debut full length from Triple Lutz. They are based out of Portland, Oregon. The album was released on SBAM Records (or Dirt Cult Records if you want it on cassette). The band has a male/female singer dynamic that is pretty cool. It is worth checking out.

This next one is from an indie band based out of Munich, Germany. supberiosa was released on Spaceship Denmark Records and comes from the band John Galaxy I think there is a bit of a folk thing going on too. If you like Andrew Jackson Jihad, this might be up your alley but I’m not 100% sure about that.

This next one is a little different. The band is Spacemoth and the album is Inward Eye. Spacemoth is one of the recording projects for songwriter Maryam Qudus. This is what can only be defined as space rock, or maybe just simply electronic. She is from Oakland, CA and the album was released on Greenway Records.

This next punk release is a 3-song EP by Boston’s Fiddlehead. Baby I’ll Change was put out by Run For Cover Records. The name of this band sounds familiar but I can’t remember whether or not I’ve ever listened to them. This EP was recommended to me by Justin of Punk Lotto Pod. There are elements of punk as well as some indie rock and some 90s post-hardcore to this band. They have been around since 2014 and have released 3 full length albums plus (including this one) 3 EPs. The title track on this one is its highlight in my opinion. This might be good for fans of Sugarcult or Drug Church…..maybe even some Jawbreaker.

This next indie rock gem comes from Chicago’s own Sincere Engineer. Probable Claws was released by Hopeless Records and is the band’s 4th full length. It is the follow up to 2023s Cheap Grills. If you have never heard of this band, first off, what the hell is wrong with you. But seriously, you can get vibes from bands such as The Lawrence Arms (a little bit) and Future Teens. I think I might like this one more than the previous album.

So Denver, Colorado’s Dead Pioneers put out a new album without telling me. I would like to have a word with you guys! Wagon Burner, the follow up to last years Po$t American, was released on Hassle Records. If you aren’t familiar they mix punk with some elements of spoken word poetry. Not surprisingly, this one is another album full of socially conscious lyrics. You shouldn’t have it any other way from these guys. If you like Dead Kennedys, this is certainly something you should check out.

There is almost always some good stuff to hear that comes out of the Chicago area. Consensus Madness comes at us with Endeavors, released by Iron Lung. This one was recommended by a friend. Some hardcore elements, along with some garage rock and post-punk vibes. If you are looking for other bands that they sound like for a comparison….maybe Amyl and Sniffers?

We are going to bring it down a bit. This one is a more mellow. It is some indie rock/indie folks that comes to us from New York City’s Tasha. You Are Spring! was released by Bayonet Records.

Change Life released a self-titled album via Meritorio Records. This is the project of Portland, OR-based indie rock multi-instrumentalist Lawton Browning. I’m kind of getting a bit of a Talking Heads groove on this one too. To be fair, I’m not sure if some of you will like this but you never know.

Speaking, again, of the Talking Heads. There is a heavy Talking Heads vibe on this one. CS Cleaners, a Brooklyn-based art rock outfit released What’s This? via Wharf Cat Records. This is the band’s debut full length. 11 tracks of abrasive guitars, post-punk manic energy.

If politically charged punk rock is your thing and the new Dead Pioneers was not enough to scratch that itch, check out Downtown Boys. This band started in Rhode Island in 2011 but are now based out of New York City (although I could be wrong about that). Sub Pop Records released their new album, Public Luxury. The politics on this one are front and center and is as ferocious as the music itself. This album is their 3rd. Musically, there are some Fugazi elements on here. Vocally, Victoria Marie comes across to me with an X-Ray Spex vibe….actually, as I listen to more of this album there is a huge similarity (at least in my opinion to) Exene Cervenka.

This next one is an EP (sort of?) put out by Falls Church, Virginia based indie/emo/punk Samuel SC. I say sort of because if you go to Spotify or Apple, you will find the EP, titled I Need a Moment. However, if you go to their Bandcamp page, you will only be able to find the 6 songs individually as singles. I can honestly say that I don’t remember ever hearing this band but I’m glad that I got the press release for this one because I am really enjoying it. I am really digging the vocals of Vanessa Downing. Like a lot. She has a quality in her voice and delivery that reminds me of someone but I can’t quite place it. Also, I did some digging and apparently this is a collection of a monthly single series they have been doing the past few months. The EP was released by Art Monk Construction but the individual singles were released by Sweet Cheetah and Expert Work Records. Why haven’t I heard of this band before?!?!?

And finally…….New Jersey punk veterans The Bouncing Souls released their 13th full length album Born to Be. 10 new tracks of familiarity. Energetic guitars, sing along melodic hooks. Everything you’d expect from these guys. Enjoy it!

And there you have it. The latest edition of Needle Drop Friday! I told you that it would be a long one. And still, I probably missed some stuff. In any case, these are the tunes that caught my ear this week and I wanted to share them with you all.

Thanks for reading. I hope you like these things.

So here we are again and there will be still be a missing segment.

To start, the divorce is happening of course. It is happening slowly but surely. The donations for my attorney fees are still coming in. If you’re interested in helping me out there, hit the link below. I’m not sure where we are at in the process right now. I really need to talk to my lawyers. I emailed them but I haven’t heard back. I just need to call them tomorrow.

Other than the divorce mess, I’m still in therapy. That is probably going to be a lifelong thing. In addition to the regular therapy stuff, the therapist is going to do an informal evaluation to see if I am autistic. 2 of my 3 kids are autistic so it’s probably a safe bet that I am. We’re just going to find out for sure. If the therapist determines that there is a good chance that I am based on her evaluation, she is going to schedule me for a more formal evaluation. Now, how this is going to help me in the long run I have no idea.

Speaking of the divorce again….I guess I wasn’t done…well, this isn’t really about the divorce itself but…..once the divorce is finalized, I will be leaving the state of Oklahoma. I’m not sure when that is going to happen. It depends on when the divorce gets finalized and whether or not it will go from UNcontested to contested. If it changes to contested, I might be here a while. In any case, at some point I’m not go relocate and get a fresh start and some distance from her.

On another note, in my continuing search for what life looks like after this, I’ve been thinking about getting into some sort of artwork. I’m not sure what kind. Will it be drawing? Will it be painting? Will it be photography? I dunno but since I’m not playing in the band anymore I need another creative outlet.

Here is a link to the last Needle Drop Friday.

And here is what I’ve been listening to this week. This is the top 10 most listened to artists. Wow! Bad Religion has dropped to #4?!? Crazy!

I went to the theater twice this week. One movie was incredible. The other one not so much.

First, on Friday I went to see the new Steven Spielberg movie, Disclosure Day. That movie was great! It might be movie of the year so far….maybe…I dunno. It was really good IMHO.

Saturday, I went to the theater to watch a movie called The Death of Robin Hood. Let’s just say that, for the first time in a really long time, I walked out of the theater before the movie was finished. I think I made it about 45 minutes into the movie and couldn’t take the boredom anymore. Mr. Jackman, you need to slap the person that cast you in this movie. Have you seen it? Did you like it?

Next week, the movie that I am MOST looking forward to for the year is coming out! I’ve got my ticket for Thursday evening. I’m so freaking excited!!!!

Rebel Nerd Radio did another episode last week. We covered the TV show Maul: Shadow Lord. It was kind of a mess overall. We were all over the place (in normal fashion of course). We did cover the show but not without a BUNCH of detours along the way.

Next time I do one of these rants I think I’ll try to include other podcasts that caught my eye like I used to.

I haven’t done one of these in a while. What the heck, why not.

Los Angeles based punk band The Linda Lindas dropped a new single this past Friday and it’s a pretty damn good song. Go check it out if you haven’t already.

So there you have it. This is the second week in a row that I have done one of these. Hope you enjoyed it. And if not, I really don’t care anyway. LOL!

If you want to keep updated with daily stuff I ramble on about, check out my socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. I have TikTok too but that platform is weird so I don’t get on there much.

Until then, see you next time.

So it’s Friday and that means it is time to refresh those playlists! If you need some guidance, this place is as good a start as any. One of the best parts about being a music fan is that there's always something new waiting to be discovered.Every Friday you never know if your new favorite album is going to drop. Here's what caught my attention this week.

First up is an album that I was not aware of but was told about by my friend Justin from Punk Lotto Pod. Thanks Justin!

This one comes from Long Island punk outfit Adult Magic. This is a band that includes Mike from Iron Chic and Jesse from Broadcaster. Are You Even Happy Now? was put out by Mike’s Dead Broke Rekerds. There is a strong Iron Chic vibe to the music on this album and that is absolutely my jam. This album freaking rocks! This one might end up on my end of year favorites list.

I’ve never heard of that band that put this next one out. They showed up on a list because I get stuff from the label quite often. The label is Iodine Recordings. The band is Quiet Fear. They are a post hardcore band from Los Angeles. The album is La Tierra Arriba / El Abismo. There are elements of screamo on this album and the band sings mostly in Spanish so that adds a cool element to the music. This is their 2nd full length album, coming on the heels of the 2024 LP Cuatro Vientos // Cinco Soles.

So here is what I’ve definitely been looking forward to. The mighty Chicago punk band Sludgeworth has released Second Time Around through Red Scare Industries. If you’re not familiar with Sludgeworth, they are a “side” project (sort of) from Dan Schafer (aka Dan Vapid), the singer/guitarist of The Methadones and Noise By Numbers (also the former bass player for Screeching Weasel from back when they were a good band). This album is freaking great. This will probably make my end of year favorites list too.

This next one is another artist that I wasn’t aware of. Somebody on a music server I am a member of on Discord was talking about it. It came out yesterday (June 18). This one comes from Canadian acoustic folk artist BA Johnston. First off, this album title is really freaking long! What was this guy thinking? The album is called I Don't Know Who Needs to Hear This Right Now But They Are Never Coming Back and You Will Die Alone. There are some cool song titles on here. For instance “Let’s Blow Shit Up,” “In The Bath With Hank Williams Again,” “Going to See the Mothman,” and “The Girl With the Souls of Mischief Tattoo.” Musically speaking, I’m really not sure what to say about this. It’s interesting. It’s good don’t get me wrong. I like it. I am really get some early Violent Femmes vibes from this album. If that is your thing, I think you will probalby like it.

What’s next? I’ve got some indie rock for you from Brooklyn, New York. Onesie put out Way Thousand Bump to the Sky via Sell the Heart Records. I get some slight Dinosaur Jr vibes here. I’m also getting some Matthew Sweet vibes.

Canadian punk rock band Belvedere released a new one. Seven Years of Bad Luck was put out by Thousand Island Records. These guys play a blend of skate punk and melodic hardcore. I can’t remember the last time I heard this band. I do enjoy me some good skate punk but I have to admit that this band is not my favorite of the genre. It’s a decent album though that I think a lot of folks might get into. This one is for fans of Strung Out, 88 Fingers Louie, Sum 41, and (maybe a bit) Propagandhi.

That is all of the full length albums that I have for today but I did want to mention a 2-song single that came out today too. It is from Basht, an indie rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The songs are “Keira Knightley” and “Perfume.” It was released by LAB Records. These guys will be releasing their debut full length later this year. It will be called Poor Advice. I’m looking forward to it. They mix elements of grunge and post-punk to present a cool, dynamic sound that fans of UK indie music will enjoy.

So that’s all I’ve got this week. I hope you enjoy these tunes. Let me know what you think of them. I’ll be here all week. LOL! See again, next time.

I haven’t written one of these things since my world turned to absolute shit back in April. My last one was The Rules Are Made Up and None of This Matters.

I did, however, write a little….let’s call it a journal piece about what has been going on in my life. That one was called Chronicles of a Broken Heart.

So the short version is that my wife wants a divorce. It sucks. I don’t want a divorce. I had a mental episode when she told me that she didn’t want me anymore. It’s been a nasty year.

Anyway, I’m in therapy and on medication major depressive disorder. Once the divorce is final (not sure how long that will be) I am going to relocate.

This time around is going to be slightly different. Well, sort of. A few segments that I usually do will be nonexistent. Namely, the comic book reading one that I usually do on these things to let you know what I’ve been reading. Well, I have not read any comic books since this whole ordeal started. I just haven’t been in the mood. I will get there I’m sure. But not now. So that segment will be missing.

Oh wait! It’s not part of my normal segment process but I did want to mention that the White Sox (although they started out the season as absolute shit as usual) are actually in first place in the American League Central! Go Sox!

music stuff

After the mental hospital, I have not been listening to music nearly as much as I usually do. Weird right? But lately, I’ve been listening a lot more again. I’m almost back to my normal self in that respect.

I wrote a new Needle Drop Friday this past Friday with some new releases that were worth mentioning. You can read that here.

Here is a list of what I’ve been listening to the most in June so far (according to Last.fm).

I have REALLY been listening to My Chemical Romance way too much lately.

watching stuff

Since I have been out of the hospital, I haven’t been to the theater nearly as much as I used to go. Lack of motivation to get out of the house I think. However, I did go to the theater this past Saturday evening. I went with a friend to watch Masters of the Universe. It was fun. Kind of silly but that was part of its charm. I recommend it.

There is some other stuff coming out over the next couple of months so I think it’ll be a good productive use of my time this summer.

podcast stuff

After getting out of the hospital, we weren’t doing the Rebel Nerd Radio livestream. We started it back up a couple of weeks ago. I kind of eased myself into it. However, we didn’t do a livestream last week because there was bad weather in Kansas and JD has to work. Maybe tomorrow night? I dunno. The weather caused a lot of damage up there so we’re not sure. In any case, here’s a link to the last episode we did. We talked about the movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.

I really don’t have much else to talk about to be honest. I’m hoping to try and get back into these things. We will see. If I have something to say, I will write something. If not…who knows.

If you want to keep updated with daily stuff I ramble on about, check out my socials: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. I have TikTok too but that platform is weird so I don’t get on there much.

Until then, see you next time.

Not a bad amount of new releases for this week. I’m sure there is something in here that you’ll like….hopefully. Let’s get this thing started.

First up, this EP called Grief Hospital from Supermilk. This one actually came out on Tuesday for some reason. Bands and labels need to pick a fucking day to release new music. It’s either gotta be Tuesday or it’s gotta be Friday. Pick on damnit. Anyway, Supermilk is an indie rock band from London. I couldn’t remember where I had heard of this band from before but I think it was from when the guys over at Punk Lotto Pod talked about their most recent previous release High Precision Ghosts that came out in 2024. This one was released by Specialist Subject.

Next up is New Self by The Bobby Lees. The Bobby Lees are an indie rock/garage rock band from Woodstock, New York. New Self is the band’s 4th full length album. There are some sounds reminiscent of Amyl and the Sniffers on here. Definitely worth checking out. This album was put out by Epitaph Records.

The next release is an EP called Swallowtail from Minneapolis-based shoegaze/indie rock band She’s Green. This one was released on Wednesday the 10th by Photo Finish Records. Apparently another label/band that can’t pick the right day to release music. Ugh. It’s still good. The music is airy and atmospheric. Kind of calming. I get hints of Mazzy Star on this record. This is the band’s 3rd EP.

Hissy Fit of Destruction is another indie rock release (there is a lot of indie rock this week, be warned). It comes from Nashville, Tennessee’s Upset Boys and the Queens. Kind of gritty and garage rock-ish. I think if you like The Strokes, you will probably like this band.

Piebald is, you guessed it, an indie rock band. They are from Andover, Massachusetts. They were originally a hardcore/post-hardcore band. They’ve been around since the mid-90s. They signed with Iodine Recordings in 2024. The new album is Tales for the Rages. To me, they sound somewhat similar to a lot of other bands. They have been compared to acts such as Saves the Day, Jimmy Eats World, and The Get Up Kids (among others) but within the scope of all of those bands I think I prefer them over the others.

Residue is the next album I submit for your interest. It was released by Dandy Boys Records and is the newest release from Yea-Ming and the Rumours. I have never heard of this band before but this isn’t their first outing. They are based out of Oakland, California and is another indie rock band to throw on today’s pile. They have a kind of 60s folk pop sound with hints of jangle pop along with a strong indie rock influence. At times, there are hints of Yo La Tengo and maybe some Belle & Sebastian. I can’t think about Belle & Sebastian without being reminded of the reference to them in the movie High Fidelity. “…go ahead - put on your old sad bastard music…”

This next one is a release that I was not aware of. I only found out about it because my friend Justin from Punk Lotto Pod mentioned it. It is a new EP titled Honeydew from Grumpster. I like Grumpster. They are a punk band from Oakland, California. This EP was released by Asian Man Records. I don’t know why but some of this reminds me of The Rentals. They have also been compared to The Breeders, Joyce Manor, and Green Day. I can see the Breeders reference but not Green Day.

Oddfellows is the self-titled album from this Denton, Texas based band. They are a garage rock band that also throws in some new wave and power pop sounds.

Here’s one that I knew nothing about for some reason. And I’m kind of a little irritated that I was not aware of it. Tim Barry put out a new album called Clear Blocks Ahead. First off, if you don’t know who Tim Barry is, he was the singer for the Richmond, Virginia based punk band Avail. If you have never heard his solo stuff, you need to get your head out of the sand and listen to it. Anyway, I haven’t completely absorbed this new album but what I have heard from it from listening to it today, I am liking it. This one was released by Chunksaah Records. Go give it a listen.

Finally, we have the new album from Canadian songwriter Matt Goud, aka Northcote. His latest offering is To Cherish. Reminiscent of other artists/bands such as Chuck Ragan, Dave Hause, and The Gaslight Anthem, Matt’s grizzly voice once again shines on this release. It is intimate sounding yet still well produced. If you are a fan of Bruce Springsteen or other Americana acts that blend folk and a punk aesthetic with heartland rock, you should enjoy this. This is probably my favorite release by him so far. Go check it out.

Okay that’s it for this week. Not a bad batch of tunes to get you through your weekend. Go check them out and let me know what you think. Or go check them out and don’t tell me what you think. Or don’t go check them out at all. It’s a free country. Do what you want to do.

See you next time!

I’m not doing these in any particular order. Just in the order of whatever the fuck. So here are my 6 favorite album releases of May….

First is an album from post-hardcore outfit If It Kills You. This band is from Bakersfield, California. The album is called Arrow Eye and it was released by Noise Real. Prior to this album I have not listened to this band. I’m not even sure how it ended up on my list. Probably from some random press release. Anyway, I have been listening to more post hardcore type stuff this year for some reason. The album was recorded with the late Steve Albini (R.I.P.) at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago. I enjoy the atmospheric sound that seems to draw from the sounds of Dischord Records bands. There are influences of Fugazi and early Hot Water Music present here.

Next is an indie rock band from London called Felicette. This release is called Plasticine Heart and was put out by Everything Sucks Music. This one is a cool sounding album that reminds me at times of The Breeders and Throwing Muses.

Next up is probably the most “mainstream” release of my list. That would be the Social Distortion album Born to Kill. Social Distortion is a favorite band of mine. This is their first release in 15 years. Their last album was 2011s Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. Overall, I was not a fan of that album and think their last best album was 2004s Sex, Love and Rock n Roll. Born to Kill, however is a great album in my opinion. It starts off with the awesome title track and never slows down. I won’t necessarily say that I like it more than the 2004 album but it’s a pretty good album. I really like their cover of “Wicked Game.”

Next up is a short 3-song EP from The Sonder Bombs. They are an indie rock band based out of Cleveland, Ohio. I’m sure that I have heard of and have heard this band previously but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was of theirs that I’ve heard of before. Quick and Painless are three tracks of riot grrrl inspired high energy tunes. Only 9 minutes long but there is some good stuff on here.

Number five on my list is from another indie rock band based out of England. Goo is based out of Keighley, UK. The album is called Oh Wow, Oh Well. This is the band’s debut album. I like the 90s alternative inspired sound of this band that mixes influences of punk and grunge.

The last album on my favorite releases of May is the second of two albums on this list that I had actually been eagerly anticipating (the first one was the Social Distortion album). This one is from Toronto, Canada punk band The Flatliners. Cold World is easily my #1 favorite release of May and absolutely a contender to be on this year’s end of year favorite albums. The opening track “Stolen Valour” is a great way to kick things off. The first time I heard this band, I was hooked. I absolutely love this album. My friend Dave wrote a review of this album on his website. Go read it.

So there are my favorite releases of May 2026. Enjoy. Or don’t. I don’t care.

Yeah I know it’s Saturday! I wanted to do this yesterday but then when Friday came, I just wasn’t feeling it.

Anyway, life happens and I haven’t done one of these in a while. If you are curious what has been going on read Chronicles of a Broken Heart Vol. 1 here.

Anyway, here we go. There wasn’t a whole lot that really stood out to me and I’m also still trying to ease myself back into writing this thing so be gentle with me.

First up, I’ve got some indie pop for you from London. This is a drop from Rosa Walton called Tell Me It’s a Dream. The one was released by Transgressive Records. Rosa is part of the British pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma. This album is her debut solo outing.

The next one comes to us from Toulouse, France. The band is Slift. They are a doom metal/psychedelic outfit. The album, which is called Fantasia, was released by Sub Pop Records. They have a garage like energy and they are often compared to the band Osees.

This next one is from Shooting Daggers. They are a feminist punk/post-hardcore act from London. The album is The Real Life Thing and it was released by New Heavy Sounds. At times they remind me a bit of the bands Gel and Gouge Away. Maybe some Turnstile a bit too although I’m not entirely sold on that comparison.

Coming from Seattle, Washington is punk rock band Mr. Dinkles. Their offering is called R.I.P.T. It was released by Futureless. They are a mix of 90s alternative, skate punk and riot grrrl punk. They have been compared to Bikini Kill by some and I sort of see it but I think the comparison relies more on the riot grrrl aspect than it does their actual sound.

If hardcore is your thing, Converge put out another new album. These guys from Boston put out Hum of Hurt through Epitaph Records. They also put out Love Is Not Enough back in February.

So that’s all I’ve got for this week. I probably missed a bunch of stuff but I have unfortunately not been as active in listening to new stuff since the whole divorce ordeal started. I have a severe lack of motivation. I did kind of force myself to do this though. Anyway, I hope to try and do this again next week so see you then.

I’ve got some stuff that I need to get off my chest. Some of you may already know all of this but some of you may not.

It has been one hell of a shitty year. I can honestly say, without hesitation, that 2026 has been the ABSOLUTE WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE!

I have already been having a few bad years because of the unemployment situation. So I’ve been depressed (although for some reason, I was not fully aware of that).

On April 14th, my wife announced to me that she wanted a divorce. It came as a shock to me. I mean, I knew we had some problems but I figured we would find a way to work them out. I guess not. I was initially kind of numb to the announcement. Like, well, this isn’t great but mostly just kind of in shock.

Fast forward a few days. April 18th. It was a Saturday. I asked to talk to her. At this point, the numbness was gone and it was more scared of the idea of losing her. This is a woman that I’ve been married to for almost 16 years. I still love(d) her. I didn’t want a divorce. I basically tried to appeal to her to give me another chance and let us work things out. She was not interested. She said that she was done with me and did not want to be with me anymore. I did not take that news well. I told her that I did not want to live anymore. Her response to that was to leave the house. She did not want to deal with me in the emotional state that I was in. After she left, I went to the bedroom closet and got our handgun. I thought about it for a little while and then went into the living room. I covered the couch in trash bags. I loaded the gun with one bullet (that’s all I needed). I sat down on the couch. I stared at the gun for a little while. I thought about it more. Yes, this is what I wanted. I did not want to live without her. I was ready to die. I put the gun to my head. I hesitated. I looked at the gun again to make sure that the safety was off. Again, pointed at my head. It was at this point that the police knocked on the door and then entered the house. I froze. This gave them the opportunity to get the gun out of my hands. My walked me out of the house in handcuffs and took me to a mental hospital. I spent some time in a couple of different facilities. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD).

So here I am now, several weeks later. In the midst of near crippling depression and still getting a divorce. The divorce papers have been filed. She had her file the divorce papers on our wedding anniversary so that was a crushing blow.

This whole thing really hurts. I have more bad days than good days. I do have a psychiatrist to figure out the medication side of treating my MDD and I now have a therapist to talk through everything. Nothing is helping yet though. It still hurts. I still miss her terribly. I still love her.

I FEEL LIKE I’M IN A BAD DREAM THAT I CAN’T WAKE UP FROM.

I know divorce happens. I hear about it all the time. I never thought it would happen to me. My first wife passed away so I didn’t have any control over losing her. I mean, I don’t really have any control at this point in losing my current wife so you know what I mean. I wish I could turn back time and fix what I did or didn’t do to make my wife unhappy. Maybe it wasn’t anything that I did or didn’t do. Maybe it’s all her. Maybe she just fell out of love with me. But there is still a part of me that blames myself. I go through what if scenarios all the time in my head. What if I had done this differently. What if I had seen how bad things really were. What if…what if…what if…..

But I have to face it. I’m getting a divorce. I don’t want it but it is happening. I have lost my wife. But I didn’t just lose my wife. I lost my happiness, my passions, my peace of mind, my safe place, my heart, my soul, my future, my everything….and myself. I no longer feel like myself. I used to be all about the punk rock and the Star Wars and the comic books and coffee and movies etc etc… I no longer find joy in these things. Nothing seems to make a dent. MY WHOLE IDENTITY IS ONE OF NEAR CRIPPLING DEPRESSION AND LONELINESS. I hate my life.

I don’t know if I will ever get to a place where I will be able to write on this thing regularly again. Like I said, I find no joy in it. There is no joy in my life. Most days it is a real struggle to just get out of bed.

I wish there was something I could do or say that would convince her to give me another chance. I wish this pain would go away. I wish this WAS all a bad dream and I will at some point wake up from it. Losing her HURTS SO FUCKING BAD!

I’m not sure what else to say at this point so I’ll end things here. If you read all of this, I’m sorry for the dismal post.

Oh yeah, I’m still trying to raise money for my attorney fees so that I don’t get screwed in this divorce. I’m trying to raise money because I’m still unemployed and I’m broke. So, if you can find it in your heart to donate a little, I would certainly appreciate it. Every little bit helps.

So that’s it for now. I might write some more another time. I might not. Just depends on my mood I guess. Thanks for listening/reading.

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That’s right! It’s another edition of the one…the only…Needle Drop Friday, presented by Otter Shenanigans! If you’re new here, every Friday I drop some new tunes that have been released this week for your enjoyment. So if you are looking for new tunes to spin, this is as good a place as any to get started.

So let’s get this thing going. I’m going to be up front with you. I’m not going to have much in the way of commentary on this week’s releases because I’m really just not feeling this and half considered not even bothering to write one this week. It’s been a shit week.

First up is an EP from Cleveland, Ohio’s Closedown. The Doldrum Sound was released earlier this week (Monday). This one has a pretty heavy post-punk sound to it. If that’s your thing, make sure you check it out.

Next, we have a new album from New York’s weirdos They Might Be Giants! The World Is To Dig was released on Tuesday (the day that new released used to be released on) via Idlewild Recordings. It is their first full length album since 2021’s Book. These guys also released an EP earlier this year (January) titled Eyeball EP. None of the songs from that EP appear on this LP so you’re getting a whole new batch of stuff from the guys. I would also suggest that you check out that EP though.

The next one comes to us from a punk band based out of Kyoto, Japan. Otoboke Beaver have released a 3 song EP, humorously titled (well, I think it’s humorous) Is The New Album Out Yet? Other than a couple of live albums, these girls haven’t released anything since 2022’s Super Champon. It’s a fun batch of tunes. I think you’ll have fun listening to it.

Next up is Payload by The Arrivals. This is the first album by the Chicago based alternative band since 2010. It was released by Recess Records.

Here’s some punk rock for you from Liverpool, England. Down & Outs released their 10th LP, Disconnect on Brassneck Records. I get some Swingin Utter vibes from this band. And maybe a little Stiff Little Fingers here and there.

And to close things out I’ve got some indie rock for you. This one is from Chroma, a band based out of Pontypridd, Wales. The album 25 Forever was released by Alcopop! Records.

So that’s all I found for this week. Go spin some tunes and stuff.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I did one of this so I guess it’s catch up time. The last couple of weeks have been rough, mentally. I’m not going to go into specifics though. I’m just going to get into the meat of this thing.

music stuff

Here’s a link to the latest Needle Drop Friday post.

I also wrote a new opening act post. I did this one on the debut album of Weezer. Here’s the link.

I didn’t go to any concerts since The Menzingers. I’m not even sure who is coming soon but the Norman Music Festival is about to happen later this month so I’m hoping to hit some shows during that.

And here are the 10 most listened to artists for me so far in the month of April.

reading stuff

Last week’s pull list included 4 books. Nice round number….or something….

• Absolute Green Lantern #13

• Shadow of Maul #2

• Fury of Firestorm #1

• Web of Venom #1

I have been doing a lot of comic book reading over the last week. A lot. Well, for me anyway.

First, I got involved in this Marvel Reading Club thing. This month…well, I think there is a specific theme every month. I dunno, I’m still new to it. Anyway, for April the “assignment” was a list of “iconic” Spider-Man issues. The issues involved are Amazing Fantasy #15 (first appearance), Amazing Spider-Man #33, Amazing Spider-Man #50, Amazing Spider-Man #121, Amazing Spider-Man #122, Amazing Spider-Man #258, and Amazing Spider-Man #300.

On top of that, here is a list of what I’ve read over the past week.

• The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man by Joe Kelly and Justina Ireland (finally got that one finished)

• Vol. 1, 2, and 3 of the Greg Rucka run of The Punisher

• The first 5 issues of the current Black Cat series by G. Willow Wilson

• Vol. 1 and 2 of the current run of Amazing Spider-Man by Joe Kelly

• Welcome Back Frank by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

• Vol. 1 and 2 of the Becky Cloonan run of The Punisher

• Issues #529-521 of the J. Michael Straczynski (these were the Road to Civil War issues)

watching stuff

I went to the theater and watched The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on Sunday the 5th.

On the small screen, aside from watching the new episodes of Maul: Shadow Lord and S2 of Daredevil: Born Again, I’ve been re-watching the 2nd season of The Punisher.

podcast stuff

On Rebel Nerd Radio, we talked about the first 2 episodes of the new Star Wars animated series Maul: Shadow Lord. There were some technical issues because I had been trying out some new streaming software (that I don’t think is going to work for us at the time) in order to cut some costs. I kept the video up on the YouTube channel but I’d suggest probably just listening to the audio over at Apple or Spotify because the video is kind of glitchy.

I recorded a video comic review of Daredevil #1 last week. I did this one by myself.

I recorded another episode of Comic Shenanigans with Spencer where we talked about the 2000 Ennis/Dillon Punisher comic Welcome Back Frank.

Speaking of Comic Shenanigans, I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on here before but if I have then I am repeating myself. With the exception of The Kryptonian Chronicles and The Batcave, all of the comic book related series that I’ve been doing on Rebel Nerd Radio (Mutant Chronicles, Devil’s Den, etc…) are being absorbed into a general series called…you guessed it….Comic Shenanigans. I figured it would be easier to just have a more general comic book series so that I could use it to talk about whatever comic book stuff I feel like talking about the time. With that being said, you’ll probably be seeing Comic Shenanigan updates on here more often.

The boys at Punk Lotto Pod did an episode about the debut album from DC-based punk trio Slant 6!

So that’s it for this time around. I’m really hoping that I will have better news for you all, at least on the employment front anyway. But I’m not going to hold my breath.

Be sure and check all my other gibberish throughout the week on my social media accounts over at Facebook, Threads, and Instagram.

See you again next time and remember to be more kind!