Today we’re gonna highlight some of my favorite punk albums of the year so far. This is just a sampler, obviously lots of great stuff out there (and I’m sure we’ll talk about more in due time)!
Team Dresch – Furthermore
During my teenage years I stumbled upon a CD copy of Team Dresch’s Captain, My Captain in the bargain bin at Border’s Books. It soon became one of my favorite albums of all time; the album’s candid exploration of queerness and mental health resonated with me as a teen struggling with both. Although they may not be as celebrated as contemporaries like Sleater-Kinney (who released their early records on Donna Dresch’s Chainsaw Records), their slim discography stands up all these years later.
Furthermore is the band’s first album in thirty years. Is it a masterpiece on the same level of Captain My Captain or Personal Best? Probably not; it’s got high highs (see opener “One Song” and the rhythmic interplay of “Still Your Room”) but it’s the most uneven release in their impeccable catalog. That said, it doesn’t mean that it’s not an equally important record. Given the political hostility towards queer and trans people, hearing someone proudly belt out “our love offends you fuck you / our bodies are a threat to you … you can’t erase us / we are stars” is powerful and life affirming. If you already love this band, you’ll love this record; if you’re amongst the uninitiated, it’s a perfect place to jump in.
Prisonnier Du Temps – Prendre Le Pouvoir Par La Force
The greatest punk music isn’t just loud and aggressive; it’s angry, it’s visceral, it’s catchy. It will simultaneously pummel your eardrums and worm it’s way into your mind. Prendre Le Pouvoir Par La Force, the sophomore album from Jacky Cadiou’s Prisonnier Du Temps, is all those things and more. I don’t understand any of the lyrics (they’re all in French) yet I understand exactly what Cadiou is trying to convey: frustration and anger at the state of the world, bubbling out as twenty four minutes of pure catharsis.
Twisted Teens – Blame The Clown
I first discovered Twisted Teens last year via See-Saw, one of the best resources around to keep tabs on what’s happening in punk. I was instantly enamored with their ragged, countrified garage rock sound; it’s almost like a band was genetically engineered in a lab to appeal to me. The band has since blown up: they’ve gotten BNM on Pitchfork, signed to Sub Pop and are on track to release three excellent albums this year. February’s Blame The Clown is the best place to jump in. Originally only available on their 2025 EU tour, you get a little bit of everything: the blues stomp of “peakaboo hand”, garage rock ragers like “is it real?”, the countrified twang of “white hot coal”. It’s the perfect encapsulation of what makes this band so special.