Punk tends to be on the downward spiral as of late. With bands like Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, and other glossed-over shit passing as punk now for America's teenieboppers, the genre has gotten a stake driven through its barely-breathing heart. But there might be some hope in all of this. There were two DIY punk records I listened to repeatedly last year. One was The Exploding Hearts' Guitar Romantic. The other was by a band from Wisconsin called Modern Machines. Their album, beautifully titled Thwap!, was sent to me by the gracious folks at New Disorder Records.
See, the thing with DIY punk bands is this... most of them suck. They really do. I mean, I love the rawness and energy. But sometimes talent is missing from these bands. Modern Machines, however, blew me away with their raw and catchy tunes, showcasing their talent for proper songwriting. This is a band that ultimately claims they are the last hope for punk rock. You know what? I think they have every right to that title.
Making me miss the days of Husker Dü and early Fugazi, Modern Machines should be one of the biggest punk bands out there. But alas, with shitty bands claiming the mantle of punk right now, there's no room for a band with talent like Modern Machines'. There's a glimmering hope coming from Wisconsin people, and it's these guys.
Go to their website and buy everything from them. Shirts, CDs, other compilations. I command all of my minions to do so. If not, you're missing out on one of the great unnoticed punk rock albums of the year... wait, of the past 10 years actually. Yes, I said it! I give it 9.5 three chord progressions out of 10. Don't just buy this album. Obsess over it.
