MCLUSKY – I SURE AM GETTING SICK OF THIS BOWLING ALLEY

There have been a few stops and starts for England’s Mclusky, the post-hardcore act that seemed to call it quits a couple of times but the band has returned with its I Sure Am Getting Sick Of This Bowling Alley (Ipecac Recordings), the band’s 6-song mini-album. The band is still noisy, unrelenting, and catchy AF. It’ll grab your attention with the opening “I Know Computer” all on its own. The dissonant guitar notes offset by the unrelenting rhythm section rages with Andrew Falkous’ voice tying it all together. Yeah, it’s good to see the band back after last year’s The World Is Still Here And So Are We.

AMITURE MUSIC – S/T

Where do we go from here? I dunno, but we’re going somewhere. Sitting here listening to the new Amiture Music (Dots Per Inch Music), a band out of Brooklyn. Since 2021, the group has released an assortment of albums, Eps, and singles, now working as a full-fledged band. The group’s self-titled release is an assortment of sound, if that sound dropped back in the 90s, culling styles from math rock, post-punk, & pop, with a slight hint of experimentalism. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but vocalist/guitarist Jack Whitescarver has a voice that sounds remarkably like Jamie Stewart and I can’t seem to get that out of my head. The intonation, the quivering, it’s pretty similar but that’s where it ends. Amiture Music does a good job with its repeated phrases on “Droplet” and “Edging” takes a different approach with its dissonant guitar interplay meshed with the rhythm. This is the track I actually love because there’s a sense of nostalgia. It’s weird though because then you’ll hear a song like “Mountain” and it’s rock/pop number thrown in the mix, which doesn’t seem to flow with the rest of the album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good song but strays from the experimental aspect of the band. Yeah, easily an album to dig into though.

GLADIE – NO NEED TO BE LONELY

What drives you? It’s an honest question – one that I’ve asked several people – and often I receive a convoluted response. When your days are filled with the mundane and repetition gets the best of you, how do you break the cycle? I try with music, and for the most part, it seems to work for me. There are moments, though, when it doesn’t; no alleviation, and standing still momentarily, is just going to have to wait until the bubble bursts.

This leads us all to Gladie, that indie rock 5-piece band out of Philadelphia. The group has been recording & touring since 2019 – or 2020, depending on who you ask – releasing a couple of albums since. You may have heard the name before, you may not, but one thing’s for sure: hate them or love them, you’ll remember the band once you hear it. While the group has gone through a few lineup changes throughout the past few years, Augusta Koch and Matt Schimelfenig remain at the group’s core. The band just released its third long-player, No Need To Be Lonely (Get Better Records), and while the band’s aesthetic remains staunchly indie rock, it has a strong pop sensibility. Gladie leads things off with “Push Me Down,” where it plays with obligatory dynamic shifts, and for the first 30 seconds, Koch sings along with a distorted yet muted guitar playing in the distance. Here she’s trying to find her place, trying to keep her head above water figuratively, and has no reservations about who she is or what others think of her. That’s pretty real, as the band plays in unison, erupting with a candy-coated melody. From the start, though, we have to address the elephant in the room, and that’s Koch’s voice. Some may find it off-putting because her slightly gruff delivery seems to pause and never extends any notes where one might expect them, but she makes it work, allowing the song’s appeal in its entirety to bridge that gap.

One thing though, the band isn’t anything if it’s not versatile. We know that it can carry power throughout its songs like the aforementioned “Push Me Down,” but Gladie can capture a moment with a steady rhythm on the much more subdued “Talk Past Each Other.” The calm melody rides that tempo while Koch laments a relationship that may be coming to an eventual conclusion. It’s all meshed perfectly together as the music takes a slight crescendo within its last 30 seconds to get its point across. This(!) is beautifully done. There’s no getting around the group’s explosive nature though, which becomes evident with “I Want That For You” which barely pauses to take a breath. Instruments blur around one another and you can hear the dissonant guitars buried underneath it all, and even with the quick solo, those dissonant notes are pretty sweet. There’s a moment here where Koch and the rest of the band remind me of – here comes the obligatory comparison – Pete Krebs. It’s just the way the song is structured is reminiscent of his solo work. That’s not to say Gladie doesn’t do things that I’ve never heard done before.

I keep going back to “Fix Her,” which is possibly my favorite track off the album. It’s a slower burn where Koch seems to lament something – or someone – she’s losing. Keyboards accompany and bass & drums creep in, as do the eventual guitar notes for the assist, and when you think the song is riding that wave until the end, surprise! It completely shifts gears utilizing those same dynamic changes, revving up the melody. You might think “2 songs in 1” but no, it’s the same song, same melody but delivered differently. It’s the group’s versatility that will keep you enthralled and engaged. Gladie’s pop sensibilities flourish on the bouncy “Poison,” with its punk enthusiasm, and the Americana-tinged “I Will If You Will,” has you giving the band the side-eye because you didn’t expect it. The closing mid-tempo of “Unfolding” seems to have the same effect as “Talk Past…” where it moves unassumingly, but has a melody that’s captivating. The changes are sleight of hand, and keeps you focused on what the band is doing. One thing is certain though, there’s no lack of fresh ideas from beginning to end.

If you haven’t guessed by now, No Need To Be Lonely is my new favorite album of 2026. Gladie is a breath of fresh air and the recording, oh we haven’t mentioned the recording which was handled with punk connoisseur Jeff Rosenstock. Does it get any better than that? Not often, and here, not really. He did help bring out the best of Gladie.

BLACK BEACH – MAIL THIEF

While it’s never the fault of someone to not be familiar with a group or someone’s identifiable markers, they do occasionally pop up on the radar after years of releasing material. This doesn’t happen often but when it does, I welcome the opportunity to delve right into it. This time around, it’s Boston’s Black Beach who just released its third album Mail Thief (Best Brother Records) and it seems the trio – Steve Instasi (vocals, synth, samples), Ben Semeta (bass, synth, samples), and Ryan Nicholson (drums, synths, samples) – wear their influences directly on their proverbial sleeves.

The dark post-punk outfit pulls from a variety of sources but it doesn’t make the group a carbon copy of anyone, or anything, else. There’s so much to like about Black Beach, and at the same time, the band’s appeal may also be limited because the band does things some may not understand. Take for instance “Secret World,” an atmospheric song with winding guitars and an enticing melody that’s liberating. With Instasi’s distant sung-spoken vocals capturing, or rather matching, the energy. There’s repetition without being repetitious, noise wrapped in a soulfulness, a storm brewing that’s bound to eliminate everything in its path. It’s the same with the opening “Something Sinister,” with its post-punk dance energy where guitar notes and chords flow seamlessly across the bed of percussion & bass. It’s literally the perfect storm.

Black Beach can get much darker though as “Parking Garage” can attest. The deep bass notes, offset with the sparse reverberating guitars and thundering percussion allows this one to move within the shadows, stalking listeners into submission. While “New Buildings” moves within those same murky surroundings, the rhythm hypnotizes while guitars ring out all around. The title track of the album splurges a bit further though as the volume seemingly rises in increments but still remains the same, if that makes sense. Cymbals crash around momentarily as the band reverts back to the original format. And then crashes again. This goes on for some time, but it’s never exhausting and there’s a sense the band finds comfort in reprising itself again and again.

I take back what I initially stated, how Black Beach might be off putting to some. Mail Thief is a wonder at times and understanding the group doesn’t have to go anywhere you’re expecting it to go, well, it’s the band’s decision. So fuck you if you’re not happy where the band is heading. It’s a forward motion and the band is ascending.