Top 5 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [October 2021]

Guest Room Status – Self Titled
(emo) (pop-punk)
Ottawa, ON 🇨🇦

Cerce – Cowboy Music
(hardcore) (powerviolence)
Boston, MA 🇺🇸

Gut Feeling – Desparia
(shoegaze) (emo)
Toledo, OH 🇺🇸

Soot Sprite – Poltergeists
(indie-rock) (shoegaze)
Exeter, UK 🇬🇧

Bananas – Garun Ta Eztarri
(hardcore) (post-hardcore)
San Sebastian, Spain 🇪🇸

Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la laa la la laa laaaa! That’s right people Halloween was yesterday so get a different credit card out and keep consuming! The spirit of Christmas is everywhere! Oh the bows of holly! Oh the mistletoe a’plenty! The smell of pine needles and cinnamon! Joy to the world! Buy buy buy!!!!

Remember that song “Oi To The World”? Who did it better, The Vandals or No Doubt? If your answer is No Doubt, I would like to invite you to get out of my blog.

Ok good, now it’s just the two of us.

Seriously though if you are going to buy something, why not one of these fine albums here. They’re all reasonably priced and the profits will go to some struggling musicians who need new equipment, instead of Jeff Bezos who’s probably just going to use it for a face transplant reversal or something. What, you’re telling me that’s his original face and not a botched surgery? Wow, you’re so naïve. Wait till you find out where Aaron Neville’s mole came from.

Hey, make sure you check out the SCRAP HEAP for a whole lot of other great releases from October. It was a good month. Jingle all the way my friends.

Top 5 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [September 2021]

The Violent Hearts – Everything And..
(power-pop) (new-wave)
Bristol, UK 🇬🇧

Dolmens – The Gospel Toughs
(noise-pop) (post-punk)
Bangor, Maine 🇺🇸

Getaman – Geri Don Ve Nefes
(melodic-hardcore) (Emo)
Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷

Kayak Weather – Blue
(dream-pop) (shoegaze)
Cookeville, Tennessee 🇺🇸

Grave Saddles – You Thought You Were..
(indie-rock) (bummer-punk)
Hemet, California 🇺🇸

Oh hi. It’s me. I’m back. Did you have a nice summer? I hope so. Mine was ok.

There were a lot of great releases this summer I’m sure. I wouldn’t know. I was too busy being cool and not obsessing over new music. I’ve proven to myself that I can step away from it and the world doesn’t fall apart. There is still this nagging itch somewhere within me though, that says “what if you missed out on a really great album?”. To that voice I would like to say, please leave me alone.

So yeah, it’s time to get back to work. I think I’m going to go back to doing top fives instead of tens. That way you’re really just getting the cream of the cream of the crop, and it’s less work for me which means I can spend more time on other projects. You can always rummage through the SCRAP HEAP if you’re hungry for more of the less creamy of the cream crop. Let me tell you this: If you’re growing a crop of something right? and what you’re ending up with is cream? You ain’t no fucking farmer bro. Cream is such a disgusting word. Why would you name a band that?

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [MAY 2021]

Press Color – Self Titled
(indie-punk) (new-wave)
Kansas City, MO 🇺🇸

Dim – To Realize It’s Own, The Earth
(post-hardcore) (emo)
Athens, GA 🇺🇸

The Mega Yeah – I Want To Believe
(pop-punk) (indie)
Nazareth , PA 🇺🇸

Real People – Give Guns To Hong Kong
(hardcore) (punk)
Hollywood, Florida 🇺🇸

Princess Of North Sudan – Состоящим..
(emo) (midwest-emo)
Moscow, Russia 🇷🇺

Grassbody – Ghosts..
(lo-fi) (indie-rock)
Sweden 🇸🇪

Courage Mother/Two Thumbs Down
(indie-punk) (emo)
Washington, DC 🇺🇸

Mini Skirt – Casino
(punk) (post-punk)
Byron Bay, Australia 🇦🇺

Roy Strong – Crestline
(indie-folk) (emo)
California 🇺🇸

Lubov – Eto Vlast
(post-punk) (new-wave)
St Petersburg, Russia 🇷🇺

Looks like we’ve got a couple repeat-offenders this month, to help us kick off summer (or winter if you live in the bottom-world). You may remember Dim from the best of 2018. Also The Mega Yeah are back. I have a feeling this won’t be the last we see of them, since they dropped a ridiculous THREE brand new releases in May! I suggest you go listen to all of them because none of it sucks. Former Doesn’t Suck all-stars Pencildive also put out a brand new album that didn’t quite make the Top Ten this time, but is definitely unsucky af. 

I hope this summer is a good one. Many parts of the world are slowly starting to resemble normal again. And by normal, I mean a completely disgraceful mess of disgusting human behavior but with indoor dining! 

Here in Vancouver things are progressing slowly. I’ve only had my first vaccination but I’m still looking forward to enjoying the summer and getting out and into the wilderness far more than last summer. I really feel like I missed an important recharge because of the lockdown last year. I can’t spend these precious months indoors with headphones on, which leads me to..

AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Doesn’t Suck Top Ten is going on vacation. That’s right I’m taking the summer off. I know all three of you are disappointed but you’ll get over it. The next Top Ten will be for September. Until then, I’ll be kicking around on twitter and the DS Facebook Group, and I may do some kind of random sporadic posting here on the blog should I feel so inspired. 

Hope you all have a good summer/winter.

Tah tah muthafuckaaaaas!

SCRAP HEAP

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [APRIL 2021]

Skullcrusher – Storm In Summer
(emo) (indie-folk)
Los Angeles, CA

Her New Knife – Destroza
(shoegaze) (noise-rock)
Tallahassee, FL

Foreign Bronze – The Far Arena
(post-hardcore) (screamo)
Los Angeles, CA

Evan Greer – Spotify Is Surveillance
(indie-punk) (queer-punk)
Boston, MA

Buckets – Self Titled
(indie-punk) (garage)
Los Angeles, CA

The Shivvies – Self Titled
(ramones-core) (pop-punk)
Rotterdam, Netherlands

Learners – Thousands Of Hours
(post-punk) (sci-fi)
Brooklyn, NY

Core Bee – Sit And Drink
(folk-punk) (pop-punk)
Barrie, Ontario

Crimen – C.R.I.M.E.N.
(punk) (hardcore)
Duitama, Columbia

Rata Negra – Una Vida Vulgar
(punk) (garage-punk)
Madrid, Spain

The top ten is kinda late this month. I’ve been a bit busy ok. It doesn’t seem to matter how much is going on though, or how tired I am.. I always seem to make time to search for new music. I can’t stop. It’s an addiction. I don’t get high off it though. Nope, not even chasing the dragon anymore. I’m at the point now where I do this just to keep from shaking.

Happy Anniversary The Doesn’t Suck! You’re officially four years old! You have a lot of music in you. I put it there. Yeah I put it in you. You’re so full of music dood. When I first met you you were all “Hey I’m a big empty website! Gosh I wish I had some music in me, wah wah wah”. Then I came along and I’m like “Hey I found a whole bunch of music, uhh can I keep it here?” and you’re like “Sure!” then I’m like “Here you go!” and you’re like “Ohhh, it’s this type of music” and I just shrugged my shoulders. Ohhh how we laughed! Hahahahaha

Anyway here we are, still crazy after all these years. I’m not the kind of man who tends to socialize. I seem to lean on old familiar ways, and I ain’t no fool for love songs that whisper in my ears. Still crazy after all these years.

Ohhhhh!

Still crazy after all yeez thears!

Check out the SCRAP HEAP for a ton more rad albums from April.

Bye.

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [MARCH 2021]

Closer – Within One Stem
(hardcore) (post-hardcore)
New York City 🇺🇸

Courtesy Drop – Argonaut
(indie-rock) (indie-punk)
Nashville, TN 🇺🇸

Kill Scott Herron – The Revolution..
(hardcore) (rap)
Newark, NJ 🇺🇸

Twin Crystals – Palace Obscured
(hardwave) (punk)
Vancouver, BC 🇨🇦

The Drin – Engines Sing..
(coldwave) (post-punk)
Cincinnati, OH 🇺🇸

Home Is Where – I Became Birds
(emo) (indie-rock)
Palm Coast, FL 🇺🇸

Nanny – Can’t Remember Can’t Forget
(indie-punk) (powerpop)
Northampton, MA 🇺🇸

Clever Girls – Constellations
(indie-rock) (grunge)
Burlington, VT 🇺🇸

Angry Silence – Les Prives D’amour..
(post-punk) (indie)
Le Vieux Marché, France 🇫🇷

Elsewhere – Первый
(emo) (midwest emo)
Moscow, Russia 🇷🇺

If you listen to the music, if you let it just break you up into bits and pieces. If you don’t for a moment look away from the ever bleeding heart. If you sneak away to the dark end of the street. If You wait till it freezes. If you wait till it thaws! If you think about it. I mean if you really think about it. If you get in your car and drive to the nearest island. If you get in the water and sink. If you try to write down how it feels. If you ask your friends and they tell you you’re ok. If you believe it. If you think about it. I mean! If you really think about it! Are you awake? Are you even awake anymore? Do you hear it winding down? I know you’re awake yeah, but if you really think! If you really think about it. If the sky was a lie. If you breathe. If you let yourself breathe. If, whatever this is, enters your lungs. If you get used to it, so it doesn’t make you choke anymore. If you’re not alone. If you slip! If you’re really not alone. Who is there with you when the tide goes out? I mean all the way out. I mean if you’re standing on the seaweed fool! I mean if life is really that movie. That movie! You know the one with the guy.. The guy with the nose! The music! You think you’re the only one who hears it like that? That ever bleeding heart? You are right. You are looking back. You’re letting it play. The sun was shining. Of course it was. Wasn’t it always? You should know, if you really think about it! There were days when it rained. Days when the sky lied. Those were the days you had that idea. You were awake! If you really think about it! I mean if you really think about it! I mean, if you really listen to the music! You were there. Letting it play.

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [FEBRUARY 2021]

KEEKs – Heal
(post-punk) (emo) (indiemath?)
Claremont, CA 🇺🇸

The Lowtones – Lights Out
(new-wave) (post-punk)
Norwich, UK 🇬🇧

Pillow Dog – Happy Heart Attack v1
(lo-fi) (bedroom)
Bielefeld, Germany 🇩🇪

Dad Weight/Prahnas – Split
(lo-fi-emo) (garage-punk)
Arizona/Arkansas 🇺🇸

Rotura – Estamos Fracasando
(anarcho) (punk rock)
Barcelona, Spain 🇪🇸

Golden Seams – Sublimons les Blessures
(emo) (pop-punk)
France 🇫🇷

Supercorp – Lissajous I
(indie-punk) (emo)
Chicago, IL 🇺🇸

The Gubs – Diasy Cutter Genocide
(pop-punk) (ramonescore)
Maine 🇺🇸

Unwell – Self Titled
(indie-rock) (shoegaze)
Balikpapan, Indonesia 🇮🇩

Lhoste – Self Titled
(pop-punk) (emo)
Cologne, Germany 🇩🇪

I’ve been listening to a lot of Slint lately. I read the 33.3 about Spiderland and it kind of blew me away. I was way late getting into them. I think the first time I listened to that album was less than ten years ago. It got me thinking, how cool must you feel if you were one of the people who got to see them live back in the day? If I had seen Slint play back then I would rub it in everyone’s face at every available opportunity. I would feel way holier than thou! I would be cutting in front of people at the grocery store like “Did you see Slint in ’89?!? Huh??? Didn’t think so! *spits at their feet”

It happens to me all the time; I meet people who were there at the beginning of (insert massively legendary band here). I don’t have that. I don’t even think I’ve ever bought an album by an important band when they were just starting out. Maybe that’s why I do what I do now. I want to get in on the ground floor of something big! Who knows, maybe one of the bands in this top ten will end up being super important someday. Then I can gloat “I was there first! I said they were great in the beginning! What? Fuck me? No fuck you! What? You saw Slint? FUCK!”

Yeah. Anyways, check out the SCRAP HEAP and send me an email about how you were into a really important band before everyone else was.

Bye.

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [JANUARY 2021]

States We’re In – Self Titled
(indie-punk) (emo)
Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪

The Sunks – Wedding Season
(indie-rock) (garage-rock)
Omaha, NE 🇺🇸

Пекинский Велосипед – Разминка
(emo) (indie-punk)
Yekaterinburg, Russia 🇷🇺

Frat Mouse – Plywood
(emo) (indie-rock)
Los Angeles, CA 🇺🇸

Petite League – Joyrider
(indie-rock) (powerpop)
New York City, NY 🇺🇸

Farewell Horizontal – An Argument..
(indie-rock) (lo-fi)
Melbourne, AUS 🇦🇺

Sekunderna – Hjärtat
(pop-punk) (punk rock)
Umeå, Sweden 🇸🇪

Breathe & Repeat – Cuts & Bruises
(post-hardcore) (shoegaze)
Minneapolis, MN 🇺🇸

Sunday Boxing – Hot Box
(punk) (garage-punk)
Charlotte, NC 🇺🇸

Futurat – Incinerat
(punk rock) (fuzz)
St. Petersburg, Russia 🇷🇺

Woof, it smells funny in here!

Hello loyal reader. Funny running into you here. Have you just been hanging around this place waiting for me all month? I’m sorry I took so long. You don’t look too hot. Why don’t you have any shoes on? Hello? Can you talk? What’s that? I don’t understand these gestures you’re making. Are you pretending to peel a banana? I don’t get it. Oh! You’re hungry! I’m sorry, I don’t have any food, but I do have a nice selection of new music for you. No? Why are you shaking your head? Come on! Oh the banana thing again.. I gotta say that’s getting old fast. Why don’t you relax. Hey! I said relax! I swear to god, one more time with this banana thing, I dare you. Yeah go ahead, see what happens.. Hm? Hm!? Yeah that’s what I thought. Okeedokee well I gotta be going. Here’s the music and.. Dude! Let go of my shirt! Damn, you’re weak. Alright well I gotta be outsy. Don’t forget to check the SCRAP HEAP! ttyl bye!

door closes

darkness befalls

chain

padlock

joyful whistling fades into the distance

amazing music begins to play

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [OCTOBER 2020]

Cabeza de Juárez – Furry Transpilled
(lo-fi) (indie-punk)
Mexico 🇲🇽

Petrov – Flower Bed
(indie-punk) (indie-rock)
Charlotte, NC 🇺🇸

LK Ultra! – You’re Not Gonna Like This
(pop-punk) (emo)
Lawrence, KS 🇺🇸

Jungle Boys – Barred
(post-punk) (punk)
Manchester, UK 🇬🇧

Культодиночества – Истлеть
(coldwave) (darkwave)
Russia 🇷🇺

Loft & Lillow – Love Songs For Lucy
(emo) (folk-punk)
Los Angeles, CA 🇺🇸

ZiDima – Del Nostro..
(post-hardcore) (noise)
Catania, Italy 🇮🇹

Dumb Luck – Made To Rust
(pop-punk) (indie)
Corvallis, OR 🇺🇸

Ночная Игротека – Nochnaya..
(coldwave) (post-punk)
Russia 🇷🇺

Crescent Ridge – Self Titled
(punk) (grunge)
Stoughton, MA 🇺🇸

I was in the 9th grade when the internet became a household luxury. Not in my house apparently. They had a couple computers in the library at school that were Online though. Usually they were occupied by someone bigger than you wearing a Fubu shirt. They were those nice computers with the CD-ROM thingy. You could entertain yourself for 15 minutes just making the little CD tray go in and out.

There used to be Internet lessons in the library, but only like 10 students at a time because our school was budget and there were only 5 computers (2 people per). The man teaching the lessons doubled as the librarian and he was old enough to have a patchy grey beard. In hindsight this leads me to wonder, how on earth did Mr Whathisface’s old ass know so much about the many wonders of Netscape Navigator? His first lesson was How to Use The Yahoo Search Engine.

There wasn’t much on the internet those days, but most of the websites were rad ass colours like purple with yellow text. Extra chunky pixels too – just how I like ‘em. Seriously. it’s my dream to someday make The Doesn’t Suck feel like a trip back in time to the internet of the late 90’s.

The first thing I searched was “The Screeching Weasel Story“, which I’m sure you can still find online or in the liner notes of Kill The Musicians. It was actually the first time the concept of writing seemed cool to me, and the first time the internet had something to offer. I still had mixed feelings though, because Enema Fanzine had an editorial about how unpunk it was to use a computer.

Today every punk and their mom is online, and 20-something years after logging on to Netscape that day, I think it’s fair to say, the internet is well on it’s way to destroying us completely. We’ve created this disgusting monster and only The Doesn’t Suck can save us! Well no.. that’s not true. We’re all fucked. Nothing can save us, but if you want to listen to some cool tunes.. umm you can listen to these ones or whatever.

Yeah bye.

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [SEPTEMBER 2020]

Laverne – Lack Of Vocation
(post-punk) (garage)
Vancouver, BC 🇨🇦

Mixed Signals – So Far Gone
(pop-punk) (melodic)
Chattanooga, TN 🇺🇸

Last Quokka – Unconscious Drivers
(post-punk) (aussie-attitude)
Perth, Australia 🇦🇺

SBDC – The Feeling Of Winning
(riot grrrl) (pop-punk)
Vancouver, BC 🇨🇦

Metayouth – Ronald
(shoegaze) (emo)
Gadsden, AL 🇺🇸

Cunj – Smooth Grind
(indie-rock) (indie-punk)
Palatine, Illinois 🇺🇸

Open House – Gator
(emo) (indie-punk)
Woodsfield, Ohio 🇺🇸

Mutombo – Dreadfully Yours
(indie-rock) (indie-punk)
Jakarta, Indonesia 🇮🇩

Moonkisser – Summers Fleeting Ma..
(post-hardcore) (hardcore)
Portland, Oregon 🇺🇸

MikeTeeeVeee – Magic Words
(lo-fi) (indie-rock)
Marquette, MI 🇺🇸

Hello, and thank you for coming. Why don’t you shake that load off and stay a while? Have a look around. There’s lots to discover! This includes but is most certainly not limited to this months top ten albums that do not suck. Come onnnn, let me take your coat.. No? Ok no problem. Keep it on. Whatever. Hey where are you going? Don’t leave. Trust me, there’s nothing out there for you. The world is absolute shit. Why not kick back and forget about it for a wile. Listen to these bands. Just do it! Hey! Don’t you trust me? Hey feck yew!

A scuffle ensues..

Ok great. I’m glad we worked that out. Please don’t struggle, you’ll only give yourself rope-burn. Ok! So! Where was I?.. ah yes..

This list contains a new release from one of my favourite local bands, Laverne. It’s been a highly anticipated album for me and it did not disappoint. Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint you either. If it does, that’s ok; It just means you have a bad attitude and you’re not very good at listening to music. Good thing you’re currently in the worlds greatest music-listening training facility. Get your ass in the SCRAP HEAP and give me 50 soldier!

Somebody seriously needs to take the internet away from me.

Yeah bye,

PS: I think that Mixed Signals album may feature some of the same members as a very obscure and mysterious band you may recall I was obsessed with a few years ago (and still am) called Briscoe. If anyone can confirm this and offer any more information, please get in touch.

Top 10 Albums/EP’s That DON’T Suck [AUGUST 2020]

Alright – I’m Doing This To Myself
(indie-punk) (fuzz)
Charlotte, North Carolina 🇺🇸

Heckdang – Fine Just Thinking
(emo) (indie-punk)
Charlotte, North Carolina 🇺🇸

Glue Horse – Self Inflicted
(shoegaze) (grunge)
Massachusetts 🇺🇸

Chimes Of Bayonets – Archiver
(punk rock) (math)
Ithica, New York 🇺🇸

Cabeza De Juárez – CDJ
(lofi) (indie)
Mexico 🇲🇽

Help – 2053
(noise) (hardcore)
United States 🇺🇸

Tuning – Defining The Purpose
(hardcore) (emocore)
Oakland, California 🇺🇸

Catsick/Conflicted – Split
(punk) (hardcore)
New Zealand & Russia 🇳🇿🇷🇺

Narrow Head – 12th House Rock
(shoegaze) (grunge)
Houston, Texas 🇺🇸

Feels Fine – Grip
(emo) (indie)
Toronto, Ontario 🇨🇦

Borders are scary. You make a border and the people on the other side become “others”. Even within my country I feel an innate degree of estrangement from the people in the province next to mine. There are 195 countries on planet earth (and counting) but even if we did away with all the borders, we would still have the imaginary ones in our minds because we’re disgusting. Tribalism is at the core of our nature and, until we un-do it, we’ll always be the joke of the galaxy.

In other news: I really half-assed the top ten this month. You’ll notice the SCRAP HEAP is a little light compared to other months. Life has just been a tad chaotic for me lately but I still managed to scrounge together ten killer releases from August for your enjoyment motherfuckers.

Pardon my language.

In more other news: I have been suspended from Facebook. Those of you who are members of the Doesn’t Suck Facebook group may have noticed the lack of my presence. Apparently Facebook insists that all it’s members use their real identity on the site and they don’t believe that Steve Doesnt is my real name. They wanted me to send a photo of my ID to prove it, so I sent them a picture of a hamburger. I’m still waiting to hear back from them, but for now my account is suspended indefinitely. I’m the only administrator of the group too, so it’s a fuckin free-for-all now isn’t it. Fuck it! Carte blanche for chaos! Have fun you guys. If they don’t re-activate my account I may start a new one but who knows if I’ll ever feel like doing that. For now you should follow me on twitter and join in the conversations there.

Yeah bye.