Pet Sounds #79: NORMANS Mastermind Insists ‘You Will Be a Better Person’ for Rescuing a Pooch

Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags , , , on 02/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck


Matthew Reid handles vocals and plays guitar and bass for his noise-rock band NORMANS. But as much as he loves music, we’re pretty sure he prefers playing with his two gorgeous dogs. The L.A. band consists of former members of FEELS, Prissy Whip and Blonde Summer and released their self-titled debut through Solid Brass in January 2024. Fans of the Jesus Lizard, Metz and IDLES will appreciate and get hooked on NORMANS’s penchant for creating cacophonies.

A press statement said NORMANS tap into the “terrified animal caged within us all.” But Reid’s limitless love for his dogs ensures they rarely get terrified, if at all – and he’s not the type of dog owner who would coop up his pooches in cages. For this edition of Pet Sounds, Reid answered our questions via email, resulting in the most superb writing of any installment in the series thus far. It’s hard to decide which is more breathtaking, Reid’s superbly poetic writing or the photos he provided. Either way, enjoy this consummately beautiful entry in Pet Sounds.

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On Tyranny: Fuck Money Drummer Tells ICE and Billionaires to Fuck Off

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

There are three types of artists in this world. A small minority refuse to talk about current events, politics and social matters altogether. Another set acknowledges crises and problems happening in their immediate vicinity and/or in other countries. And then there are those who speak out vociferously and take action against clear injustices, especially when they’re occurring locally.

Take a wild guess as to which bracket Austin, Texas’ extreme, iconoclastic, loud-as-hell, 10-on-the-Richter scale band Fuck Money falls into. The four-piece band formed in October 2021, less than a year after Trump’s thugs committed insurrection against our country, and immediately declared their opposition to oppression, fascism and capitalism. For that reason alone, Three One G artists Fuck Money should be lauded at time when American musicians are more cowardly than ever to speak out against the atrocities that the federal government is committing against even its own citizens. After all, taking a position could alienate some of their fans and hurt sales of their concert tickets, records and merch, right?

Fuck Money don’t give a fuck about that shit and are ardent fighters in the resistance. For proof, watch the above interview that The Bad Penny conducted with Fuck Money drummer Alton Jenkins on Monday.

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New Releases 2.6.26: Ratboys, Silversun Pickups, Puscifer, Unsane, Hermano, Puma Blue

Posted in New Releases with tags , , , , , , on 02/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Grace Annabella Anderson – Art, Baby

Big Big Train – Woodcut (InsideOut)

Blossoms Fall – La Alma EP (Eclipse)

Oliver Coates – Pillion OST physical edition (A24)

John Craigie – I Swam Here (Zabriskie Point)

Cyclone – Known Unto God EP (M-Theory)

Robert Deeble – Space Between Us (Mind Bomb Publishing)
• On Tyranny: Singer/Songwriter Robert Deeble Claims ‘Faith-Based Social Justice Work Has Been Lost,’ Creating Power Vacuum for Autocrats

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On Tyranny: Jesus Christ Taxi Driver Say Humor Is the Greatest Threat to Trump and MAGA’s Authoritarian Coup

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , on 02/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Denver’s Jesus Christ Taxi Driver isn’t just a band with one of the best monikers in the music universe – they’re also dead serious about resisting the Trump administration and MAGA’s destruction of American values, the federal government and even the country itself. But as The Bad Penny learned in an interview conducted just two days ago, the punk-rock band believes humor might the best response to America’s transformation into a fascist country.

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Two Cent Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s ‘Howl [20th Anniversary Edition]’

Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags on 02/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Garage-psych trio Black Rebel Motorcycle club are honored with a glorious reissue of their under-appreciated third album. Howl gets a second wind with a three-LP set featuring a photo album, handwritten lyrics and more goodies from the era. Read my review of the 20th anniversary reissue of Howl on FLOOD.

Best New Music Videos (January 2026): Crippled Black Phoenix, Gaerea, Crooked Fingers, Puscifer, More

Posted in Lists, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , , on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

We hear ya here at The Bad Penny: We cover too much metal, not enough metal, etc. One common denominator across all genres is that artists are capable of creating captivating, innovative, original, hilarious and harrowing music videos regardless of genre. With that in mind, here are the clips we enjoyed the most in the month of January, two thousand whatever.

1. Taroug’s “Cicada”

2. Crippled Black Phoenix’sRavenettes

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Fucked Up’s ‘Year of the Dog’ vs. ‘Grass Can Move Stones Part One: Year of the Goat’: An Analysis

Posted in Album Reviews, Essays, Reviews with tags on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Even though Canadian hardcore-punk band Fucked Up had proven its punk prowess, capability and credibility by releasing two demo tapes, nearly 20 7-inches — yes, you read that right — and an EP in the five ensuing years since they formed in 2001, their ambitious plan for a long series of releases inspired by the Chinese Zodiac was still met with the typical, cynical guffawing. Was the criticism justified? Read my take in an essay published by The Line of Best Fit, to which I am now proudly contributing.

Two Cent Review: Sleaford Mods’ ‘The Demise of Planet X’

Posted in Album Reviews, Reviews with tags on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

In an era during which anger seems to be the most commonly felt emotion, Sleaford Mods are finally at the right place at the right time. Read my review of the band’s new record, The Demise of Planet X, on Treble.

Pet Sounds #78: Ponte del Diavolo’s ‘Mascot’ Dog Passes Out at Metal Shows, Pees on Pillows

Posted in Features, Interviews, Pet Sounds with tags , , , on 02/05/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Doom/black metal band Ponte del Diavolo are about to gift the world with their second full-length, De Venom Natura, a week from tomorrow. But perhaps even more meaningful to the Italian crew is their beloved English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Spettro. As a spokesperson for the band who is part of the Season of Mist family, Spettro’s hobbies include sleeping in bed with his human parents, running in the mountains, shaking his butt, eating cat food, Harry Potter, cooking and supervising Ponte del Diavolo’s load-ins at venues.

We caught up with Krhura Abro, one of the band’s bassists, to discuss the big bugger.

How did Ponte del Diavolo cross paths with Spettro?

Spettro (translated “Ghost”) came into our lives about 10 years ago. He belonged to a guitarist friend of ours (who currently plays with the metal band Strega) and is part of a litter of six. He was adopted by our singer Erba del diavolo, who I was living with at the time. After almost five years, when I moved into another flat, he came to live with me. Shortly after, we formed the band and from the very beginning Spettro became our rightful mascot.

Given Spettro’s human-esque hobbies and preoccupations, does he pay rent?

Absolutely yes, payment in kisses.

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On Tyranny: South American Post-Punks Pilgrims Worried About Touring US Amid ICE Atrocities

Posted in Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags on 02/03/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Imagine emigrating with your partner from Chile to Boston, only to witness fascist horrors unfolding in the U.S. similar to those implemented by Augusto Pinochet, the dictator who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. In the latest installment of The Bad Penny’s ongoing series On Tyranny, we talk with the impossibly kind and commendably upbeat Juls Garat and Claudio Marcio of post-punk band Pilgrims (formerly Pilgrims of Yearning) about why they’re unsure touring the States would be safe for them, their new album Gemini (due Feb. 13) and getting a thumbs-up from Robert Smith of The Cure.

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