BRICKIE, SMUG LLC, Odonis Odonis, and Della Corva
BRICKIE - III
On their third EP, III, BRICKIE explores the juxtaposition of modern life. The Montreal-based quartet’s blend of punk rock and power pop strikes the perfect balance between hope and rage over the course of the four songs that make up the record. Their lyrics are visual and get right to the heart of the matter, whether they are talking about the disingenuousness of eco-capitalism, the beauty of nature and community, the ongoing genocide in Palestine, or the joys of non-hungover Sundays. Amid the brutality, III serves as a reminder that, as Samwise Gamgee once said, there is good in this world and that’s always worth fighting for.
SMUG LLC - PAID FOR PAIN
In 2025 Drew Thomson (Single Mothers, Drew Thomson Foundation, No Idea Head) debuted a new project called SMUG LLC, a self-described “laptop band” that grew out of necessity during the pandemic. SMUG LLC’s second EP PAID FOR PAIN builds on the experimental nature of his first EP New Exciting Doom. Thomson kicks out four tracks full of inventive uses of drum machines, loops, and synths that draw from punk and electronic to create a propulsive sound that reflects the stories told in the lyrics. Since its release last month, PAID FOR PAIN has quickly become one of my most listened to records of the year.
Odonis Odonis - Odonis Odonis
Listening to Odonis Odonis is like being wrapped up in a swirling vortex of sound and motion, something the Toronto-based duo does exceptionally well on their self-titled album. Throughout nine tracks, the band takes us through expansive soundscapes that draw from industrial, shoegaze, post-punk, synthpop, and goth for maximum emotional impact, embodying feelings of desperation, resistance, and hope. Odonis Odonis is an absolute triumph that proves the best music is, and will always be, created by humans, not AI.
Della Corva - In Roses
Della Corva have hit on something special on their debut album In Roses. The Vancouver-based band kick out eight tracks of new wave-y gothic post-punk goodness that more than lives up to their name, which means “of the crow” in Italian. The songs are dreamlike and ominous, stripping away the veil to welcome you into a dimension full of mystery, romance, and dance (especially on the New Order-esque “Sanctions”). Turn In Roses up loud and let the enchanting sounds of Della Corva wash over you.
