The Loved Ones are a five-piece punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 2003. The band was started by vocalist/guitarist Dave Hause, who was still a member of hardcore band Paint It Black at the time. He was joined by members of Kid Dyanmite and Trial By Fire. Unsurprisingly, they hit the ground running with a solid debut EP and fantastic LP via Fat Wreck Chords just a few years later. Keep Your Heart is an album I don't return to nearly as much as I should, as it's an incredibly solid collection of songs with pounding instrumentals and heartland lyricism. If you're into bands like The Bouncing Souls, Hot Water Music, or The Lawrence Arms, this will be right up your alley if you're already familiar with them. They dropped a second full-length and EP in the late 2000's, and have been relatively inactive since then. They still play sporadic shows, though its members have moved on to other projects. Hause in particular has been very active as a solo artist, alongside being a member of The All Brights and The Falcon in recent years. Enjoy.
Captain Jazz are a screamo/emo band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that have been active since late 2022 (as far as I can tell, at least). This year alone they've put out two albums, the latest one of which is particularly attention-grabbing due to the band name and artwork (scroll down, you'll see what I mean). It immediately peaked my curiosity when I came across it, and was pleasantly surprised to find a genuinely solid lo-fi screamo album with enough quirks to really set this record apart. For one, perhaps unsurprisingly the lyrics are incredibly meta, being very self-referential alongside pop culture nods and a borderline emo band roll call with the amount of nods and mentions on here. There is a slight chronically online sensibility to it (if that's even the right way to describe it). I understand that may not appeal to everyone, but I find the music itself to be earnest enough that it balances out. They're also not afraid to pull something completely different from the expected (though excellent) chaotic catharsis out, including ambient song closers, field recordings, and a straight-up rap complete with electronic beats. It's an interesting record to say the least, and one hell of a way to close out the year. I'm personally really into it, so I do suggest checking out. Enjoy.
Get Fucked were a short-lived five-piece hardcore/screamo project based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They only released one album, a self-titled record in 2004 via Level Plane Records. This project comprised of members from a ton of other notable bands, including Welcome The Plague Year, Neil Perry, Lickgoldensky, Tornado Of Knives, and more. Sonically, this is insanely noisy, dissonant hardcore played at an assaulting volume. It's a solid yet overlooked entry in the Level Plane roster, and is definitely worth giving a shot, particularly if you're a fan of Das Oath or pg.99, as a loose point of reference. Enjoy.
Cayetana were a three-piece indie/pop punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 2011 and have been on hiatus since 2019. They put out two full-lengths, three EP's, and a split with Camp Cope in their time together. This is one of many bands that have been criminally absent for being posted on here for years, so now is as good a time as any to share them. If you're not familiar with them, they played a lyrical and energetic brand of power pop, with prominent, melodic bass lines influenced by Joy Division and New Order and raw guitar chords, leaving the emphasis on some incredible songwriting. Enjoy.
