Where's 1 LOCAL

Micah Brown’s Pick: “Fireflies in July”

“Fireflies in July’s one-note guitar leads and driving-but-not-getting-there-too-quick rhythm makes it  a perfect track to go for a burn somewhere remote but familiar after the sun’s set. It’s broken up by a fun spoken “1-2-3-4” in the room and hangs well in the realm of melancholy and nostalgia. The sounds of transitioning into fall.”

Chad Pelley’s Pick: “Pterodactyl Blues”

I’m with Micah, but I thought “Pterodactyl Blues” is a close second (and might be the best local song title of the summer), so I’ll call “Pterodactyl Blues” and “Fireflies in July” the two best songs on the album, because they’re the ones that have the best cohesion and chemistry from the band — perfectly suited drumming, chugging bass, and catchy lead licks take these songs up a notch. They come out like moodier, broodier punk songs slowed by, and filtered through the yearning sound of nostalgia or introspection, with a well-suited Riot Grrl throwback to boot.

Brad Pretty’s Pick: “Falling Asleep”

“Falling Asleep just has an edge to it. This is a St. John’s slacker anthem, one shrouded in a sinister synth line and a glorious noise solo. There’s just not enough good noise solos these days, y’know? It sounds like Daria and The Pixies had a donor ­dad love child with a case of Dominion Ale.”

Where's Non

Micah Brown’s Pick: “Newness Again”

“I think I secretly just wanted to listen to black flag when I heard this record, because Newness Again was my pick. The entire record is a venture into all styles and offshoots of 80’s punk and noise. For those who lack exposure to that stuff, Deaf Wish aren’t here to hold your hand and let you dip your toe in the pool, they’re giving you a DDT into the deep end.”

Chad Pelley’s Pick: “They’ll Know”

Micah and Brad stole my picks, but that’s fine, because They Know is just as good of a song anyway. It doesn’t have the attention-demanding and perfect punk bravado of Newness Again, or the accessibility and catchiness of On, but it meets them in the middle. And that’s what stands out ocks about this album: it’s a crash tour through punk in all its forms — and the band basically nail every subgenre they meddle in. Some serious versatility that puts most bands’ sameness from track to track, to shame.

Brad Pretty’s Pick: “On”

“There’s a certain psych­rock thread maintained throughout the array of disparate sounds that make up the album. It’s one of the few things that each wrangled jam has in common, with innovation and experimentation at the molten core of this spaced­-out entity. From the frenetic jaunts that start the album to Queens of the Stone Age-esque hooks, each piece has its own, very distinct, character. “On” is probably the most accessible song on the album, but it’s a great symbol of how the band can harness the sheer energy that precedes this track into something more refined. That’s not to say the song lacks a visceral element; it descends into runs of subtle chaos numerous times, yet remains locked within its driving beat. The whole album gets a recommendation if you’re into bands that can switch on a whim from sandpaper medleys to lush noise pieces.