livefreediyhard.com

Tag: Punk

  • Harper Kill by Harper Kill

    Harper Kill by Harper Kill

    Artist: Harper Kill 

    Album: Harper Kill 

    Release: April 10, 2026; Tiny Lighter Records 

    I am going to be real with y’all, I don’t know much about the musical history of Michigan other than the fact that Eminem vomited his mom’s spaghetti onto a sweater there once, and a guy named Andy likes to party really hard there. Well, those 2 things, and the fact that one of the most interesting  punk bands I have heard in recent times call Grand Rapids, Michigan home. Harper Kill roughly 2 years ago served up a tiny taste of what they had to offer when they released their first EP “A Taste of Harper Kill”. I was absolutely enamored by it. So it is an understatement to say that I am stoked to just now be dished out a full helping of Harper Kill. 

    First, I want to point out the the songs from the EP are also included on this album. It kind of amuses me that they literally said they were giving us a taste of “Harper Kill” their full length album. I adore the pun. Seriously! For real I am only bringing this up because I had assumed my favorite song on the album would be “Death and Taxes” from the EP. I wrote about how much I loved it [here]. Boy was I wrong. While that song is still at the top “The Sun Will Do You Good” instantly won me over as my favorite from this release. It starts out with almost cartoonishly bright guitar. Then, the first words drift in sounding up beat and well meaning “We think its time to go outside, the sun will do you good”. Yes, the stereotypical advice delivered to individuals dealing with depression. Well intentioned, but realistically never a fix all. It is a great way to start a song that is about struggling with mental health and dealing with people who do not really understand, but try to help anyway. The line that really hits for me is the line from the chorus “I’ve got swagger like I’m Anthony Bourdain”. First off, of all the pop culture celebrities, he is probably the most punk and definitely has massive amounts of swagger. More importantly, however, is that he was an individual who battled with mental health even though he wasn’t very candid about it while he was alive. So, in a sense, this line has a double meaning. Its saying I am a cool guy while also saying—secretly, I am struggling y’all. This combined with the contrast of bright positive sound of the music and the grim reality of the lyrics make the song something really special. 

    “B.L.O.A.T.” is the sleeper hit to come over from the EP. It is such a great song and the opening guitar and bass are just super engaging and the guitar solo towards the end is the pure cherry on top. I must confess that the opening verse really sent me into a mini existential crisis. It straight up got me wondering if I am the B.L.O.A.T. I am constantly complaining about the government, about how things need to be run differently and I often do it with little regard for appropriate timing. Ultimately, the song is about the struggle of cutting a longterm friend out of your life after you have clearly grown past them. However, for me at least it is a nice reminder to maybe be a little more chill and self aware in regards to how I interact with my friends.  

    I am sure that I have said this a few times in the past, but I am mostly a lyrics and meaning kind of guy. The music is often secondary for me as a way to help convey and enhance the way the song is supposed to make you feel. “Antidote” makes me crumble up that belief and throw it in the bin. The guitars in this song are so swanky so cool that I just want to sit there and listen to them all day. The PA bit and bell that periodically rings through out the song adds this additional richness to the song that I love. The vocal performance becomes secondary in the song. Dylan Perkins has an exceptional voice especial for a punk band and here in this song it punctuates the music in a fantastic way. The lyrics become somewhat tertiary in my total enjoyment of this particular song.  The lyrics are about the souring of a relationship and I find myself wondering if it is the same relationship featured in “B.L.O.A.T.”. “Antidote” is the point in the relationship where the realization is made that it is toxic. And “B.L.O.A.T.” is the actual end. This is my head canon, anyhow. 

    Harper Kill, the album, is a great full length initial offering that has somehow exceeded the high expectations I had for it after the release of the 2024 EP. Every song on the album is a banger. Harper Kill, the band, manages to capture a sound that is high reminiscent for early 2000’s pop-punk while having their finger firmly on the pulse of modern culture and issues. Their willingness to engage with those issues is admirable and very befitting a modern punk band. I honestly feel that Harper Kill is going to go places. If I were you, I would definitely invest early in Harper Kill—as the kids say—because there are gains to be had.  

  • In Case You Missed It Vol. 3

    In Case You Missed It Vol. 3

    Folks, it has been 6 months since the last volume of In Case You Missed It. I thought I would take this time to talk about some singles that have recently dropped or otherwise caught my eye. If this is your first installment of, In Case You Missed It, this is the general vibe of this series. I hope you like it.  

    “Free Dom” by Bad Operation; March 06, 2026: This song has everything I think a perfect song should contain. It is politically engaged. The overall message of the song is fantastic and most importantly, for me anyways, the chorus has a solid call to action. On top of all that, the music is just so good. The bass line that opens the song is peak. There is something about organ driven ska that just gets me fired up. Honestly, if I went all mad scientist and sat out to distill the new tone ska movement into its pure essence, I am almost positive that something close to this song is what would come out that mad science. Free Dom was the first single off of Bad Operation’s upcoming album releasing on April 24, 2026. If this and the other single are any indication, this is going to be a must have album.

    ‘Peachy‘ By Chromarama; March 19, 2026: Chromarama is a hardcore punk band from Indianapolis, Indiana. Peachy is their newest single. If hardcore is your thing,, this single is definitely worth a listen. As expected, the music is intense and goes hard. The vocals are screamy with just a hint of anger. A perfect pairing for a song that is about the ceaseless onslaught of life, and how we (humans) are wired for better or worse to keep grinding along relentlessly in spite of all the hardship inherent in life. This song is a battle anthem that I can see myself fire up the next time I decide to go to war with life.

    ‘Liar’ by Omnigone; March 28, 2026: I have since I started this blog missed several opportunities to cover Omnigone; much to my chagrin. They are a band out of California with strong Ska and hardcore influences and this song is no different. It’s got the must have ska guitar licks punctuated by a pretty gnarly guitar solo at the end. The song is about how liars use hate and deception to stoke division and bigotry. Based on my parasocial understanding of the type of person Adam Davis is, I am going to venture a guess that the song, while vague, is aimed at a particular type of modern political actor. I like it. I like it quite a lot, and I think that y’all should definitely give it a listen.     

    Panorama by Mike Honcho; May 21, 2024: Mike Honcho is an electronic music artist based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Panorama is shining bit of instrumental electronica. The thing I find most intriguing about this track is the click rhythm line that flows through the piece. The synthesized whir gives an almost alien feel to the composition. Combine this with the rest of the multilayered sounds and they coalesce to bring together an otherworldly contraption of electronic music that offers seemingly endless opportunities to find something new every re-listen. Panorama can be found on Mike Honcho’s up coming album, “Day to Day” releasing May 01, 2026. Pre-orders are currently available on Bandcamp.