Category: Sub Pop

Album Review: Downtown Boys – Public Luxury

Rating: 7/10

It’s been 9 years since the last “Downtown Boys” album Cost of Living was released, and 11 years since the band released their groundbreaking debut Full Communism, an album that made waves in the Punk scene and rallied against capitalism, sexism, homophobia, and exploitative labor conditions. That’s right, they’re as Punk as Punk gets, and 11 years later these things are still being fought by those who are tired of oppression, so a new “Downtown Boys” album is completely necessary. Their new album is titled Public Luxury, and according to the band, the title means “everything for everyone,” reminding us that we as the people have the power, and in a time where things seem hopeless for many of us, it’s important for artists to provide a sense of beauty and hope to prevent us from falling down the rabbit hole of nihilism. Musically this album is business as usual, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. Lead singer Victoria Marie’s raucous bilingual vocals that jump from Spanish to English are as sharp as ever and bring to mind Punk legends like Poly Styrene or Kathleen Hanna, the music still features frantic guitars and saxophone lines, but this is the most polished the band have sounded, without sacrificing the band’s signature rawness. However, there are some tracks on this album that depart from their usual sound a bit, and these tracks are where the band sound truly rejuvenated. “Yellow Sun” is a New Wave-tinged vibraphone-filled track that has a bit of a Post-Punk Revival sound, “You’re a Ghost” is a hard-hitting Industrial track that speaks out against ICE, and the album’s closing title track features a dreamy mix of synths and piano, creating ethereal atmospherics that reflect the optimistic theme of the lyrics. Though the band have solidified their status as Punk’s most relevant and exciting acts, I hope they continue to experiment like this in the future, because I feel like this is a natural progression for the band. A lot of us identify with the band and their anger toward all the things that keep us oppressed, but it’s hard to stay optimistic in these dire times, but the band’s message of hope is refreshing and we need more protest music like this that has a perfect balance of pointing out corruption and hopeful optimism. 

Written By: Steven Sandoval


METZ Share New Song “Blind Youth Industrial Park”

We’re getting closer to the release of the new “METZ” album Atlas Vending on October 9th, and the band have released yet another new track off the upcoming album titled “Blind Youth Industrial Park.” The track further explores the melodic but still grungy side of the band that was present on their previous singles, and there’s also another fantastic music video to accompany it. You can watch the music video for “Blind Youth Industrial Park” below:

METZ Share New Song “Hail Taxi”

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“METZ” are set to release their upcoming fourth album Atlas Vending on October 9th via “Sub Pop Records,” and today the band have shared the album’s second single “Hail Taxi,” which features that sludgy grunginess we’ve come to expect from the band, but also features the more melodic side of them that was revealed on their previous single “A Boat to Drown In.” About the track, the band have stated “It’s about looking back, coming to terms with who you were and who you’ve become.” The band have also shared a beautifully directed music video by A.F. Cortes to accompany it. You can watch the music video for “Hail Taxi” below: