Archive for the News Category
RIP Brent Hinds of Mastodon (and, for a Fleeting Moment, ‘Game of Thrones’
Posted in News with tags Brent Hinds, Game of Thrones, Mastodon on 08/20/2025 by Kurt OrzeckPoll: Can Punk-Rock Fans Back ICE Detentions?
Posted in News, Polls with tags authoritarianism, ICE, immigration, racism on 07/29/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
RIP Ozzy Osbourne, Voice of Heavy Metal, Prince of Darkness, Biter of Bat Heads, Cooker of Eggs
Posted in News, Videos with tags Ozzy Osbourne on 07/22/2025 by Kurt OrzeckThe Lion’s Daughter Go Out With a Roar, Donate Dough From Last Show to Animal Rescue
Posted in News with tags animal rescue, Lion's Daughter on 07/11/2025 by Kurt OrzeckSt. Louis’ progressive/blackened sludge metal band The Lion’s Daughter were adamant that their farewell performance would barely resemble the inescapably dire mood that characterizes most bands’ sayonara shows. Read my New Noise feature that reveals intimidating frontman Rick Giordano’s surprising soft spot for animal rescue.
Supergloom Shimmy Closer to Debut LP With New Single ‘Shimmer,’ Accompanying Video
Posted in Exclusives, News, Videos with tags supergloom on 07/01/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Private eyes are stereotyped for sticking close to, but not scaring off, their target until the person reaches their ultimate destination. Similarly, The Bad Penny continues to monitor the activity of supergloom as the shoegazing LA newcomers inch closer to realizing their first full-length record.
Earlier this year–on April Fools Day, to be precise–we introduced you to supergloom around the time they released “sideFX,” the first single from their still-untitled debut. The heady, cleverly named song exemplified what would become their maiden release. We touched base with supergloom toward the end of April, at which point they let The Bad Penny exclusively unveil a new song, “Kingfisher.”
Continue readingExclusive Album Premiere: Wipes’ ‘Wipes’
Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, News with tags Wipes on 05/21/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Wipes are declaring Don’t Tell My Parents with the new LP that the noise-punk band will issue through Hex Records on Friday. But The Bad Penny is telling everyone we know about the righteously rambunctious by exclusively presenting a stream of the entire album today.
Not to be confused with Wipers, the influential Portland post-punk band that both Nirvana and the Melvins covered, the rather similar-sounding Wipes are still in their toddler years and hail from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Wipes carry the heavily distorted torch previously held by Wipers but are even more committed to making exuberant, off-kilter noise.
The band released new cuts “Social Mask” and “Stone Eater” earlier this year. Now, check out Don’t Tell My Parents in its entirety:
Continue readingExclusive: Miracle Blood Are in for a Bloody Good Time With Epic Tour
Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, My City Rules, News with tags Caterwaul Fest, Miracle Blood on 05/19/2025 by Kurt OrzeckNoise punks Miracle Blood are ready to bring the ruckus with an ambitious tour starting July 11 in Buffalo, NY, running through August 2 in Washington DC.
The Beantown badasses are also on the docket for the fifth edition of the ultra-underground Caterwaul Fest in Minneapolis on May 26. In between Caterwaul and the onset of their summer trek, the band will hit up Portsmouth, New Hampshire (June 13); Troy, New York (June 24); and Boston (June 28).
Miracle Blood certainly aren’t allergic to playing live, and this new jaunt will be their most extensive one to date.
“Play new material in front of crowds to kind of see what’s landing right and what maybe needs a little bit more work,” cofounder/guitarist/vocalist Andrew Wong told The Bad Penny.
With so many upcoming engagements, it’s patently obvious that Miracle Blood–who tout themselves as “gnarly noise-punk for the weird at heart”–are on fi-yah. If noise-punk isn’t your jam, give Miracle Blood a shot nonetheless, as they meld their music with mathcore as well.
Expect scenes like this to unfold frequently during Miracle Blood’s upcoming gigs:
Exclusive Track Premiere: Supergloom’s ‘Kingfisher’
Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, News with tags supergloom on 04/22/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Supergloom and The Bad Penny are getting super wicked excited about the upcoming release of their debut album, due this fall, and today we have the good fortune to unveil a new song, “Kingfisher,” from what is shaping up to be a dizzyingly delicious record.
Soft Palms’ New Cut ‘Radio’ Dials Up Excitement for LP, Tour
Posted in Interviews, News with tags Julia Kugel, Scott Montoya, Soft Palms on 04/14/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
It seems like only a month ago when Julia Kugel of the garage-punk band Julia, Julia talked with yours truly about her three cats for an installment of Pet Sounds for New Noise. And it seems like only two months ago when this writer interviewed Kugel for a FLOOD feature about another one of her projects, the punk supergroup Julia & the Squeezettes. Well, that’s because it was.
So, it came as a surprise when Kugel dropped The Bad Penny a line over the weekend to say that she not only has a new single and upcoming album by another one of her projects, Soft Palms—but that she’s about to tour behind it too.
Soft Palms is an indie-pop band of the dreamy variety and also features Scott Montoya, formerly of the Growlers. On Friday, they released the succulent new single “Radio,” a jangly jingle that raises high hopes for Kugel and Montoya’s upcoming full-length, In Echo (Everloving). Check it our fer yerself right here:
Kugel—who is still perhaps best known for yet another one of her bands, the Coathangers—explained why the time was right for Soft Palms to roll out the catchy tune when they did.
“We just had to put out a song since it has been five years since the (self-titled) debut LP,” Kugel told The Bad Penny. “It was driving us crazy not to have new music out there. … ‘Radio’ was recorded and mixed here at our studio, and we also shot and edited the video here. We have no concrete release date (for the album) yet, but are working on it. And our goal is to win a Grammy, (so it will be well worth the wait).”
Montoya elaborated on their joint aspiration in a press statement.
“Julia and I have over 40 years combined experience in music. ‘Radio’ will be our combined 352nd track on our combined 46th release, but it’s the first time we’ve ever thought to submit our work to the Recording Academy for Grammy consideration,” said Montoya, who clearly has a knack for accounting. Our best bets are the categories of Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Alternative Music Album, Best Music Video and (since nothing released in 2020 counts) Best New Artist.”
In Echo is still awaiting a release date, but Soft Palms are so enthusiastic about their latest endeavor, they’re not wasting any time bringing at least some music from it to the people.
Here are Soft Palms’ upcoming performances:
4.18: Slo, CA – Libertine Brew
4.19: Visalia, CA – The Cellar Door
4.20: Reno, NV – Lo-Bar Social
4.22: Bend, OR – Silver Moon Brewing
4.24: Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
4.25: Eugene, OR – Sam Bond’s Garage
4.26: Portland, OR – Swan Dive
4.27: Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides
5.1: Hermosa Beach, CA – Saint Rocke
For more on Soft Palms, their music and upcoming tour, head to their website and Bandcamp page.
Photo courtesy of JJ.
Wipes Smear Noisy Punk Insanity Over Your Ears With ‘Social Mask’
Posted in News with tags Wipes on 04/02/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Go to FLOOD for the premiere of a new song by Wipes. The first offering from the noise-punks’ new album, Don’t Tell My Parents, is a red-hot mess they refuse to clean up.
The Bad Penny (beta) 