A compelling punk-rock vigor is prevalent throughout the aptly titled Punk Not Dead EP. The release comes via Spike Polite & Sewage — comprising notable punk-rock artists Spike Polite (the vocal duo of Reagan Youth and Cheetah Chrome), Michelle Shocked, Antony Romero, and Beast. The release is available exclusively on vinyl at solidbassrecords.com or select retailers.
The project’s aesthetic takes inspiration from the Lower East Side street-punk scene in NYC specifically, rising from the Tompkins Square Park Riots in 1988. The actions against police brutality, rent hikes, and gentrification continue to have an enduring legacy, particularly in music, where punk-rock acts like Spike Polite & Sewage continue a hard-rocking ardency alongside themes that celebrate freedom, survival, and unity.
The EP presents a mixture of the past and present, from punk-rock’s historical spirit — such as recounting the closing of CBGB on “What Happened to the Punk Rock” — to musings on the modern day obsessions with society; tracks like “Facebook Makes Me Sick” and “Twitter Is A Death Machine” say as such in their titles alone, and further these sentiments with heavy guitar pulses and biting lyrical commentary. “Florida” (and its remix) are also highlights, with the “always sunny,” vocal punches traversing into crunchy guitars and an overall sense of invigoration. Punk Not Dead is a gripping, successful meshing of throwback and modern punk from this talented punk-rock supergroup. Check it out on vinyl today!
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“What Happened to the Punk Rock” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
