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Boy Harsher

Boy Harsher | GET MEAN | 3hive.com
Boy Harsher | GET MEAN | 3hive.com

When I first started listening to Boy Harsher’s latest record, GET MEAN I couldn’t ignore the themes and lyrics referencing love, connection, and the yearning that comes after a relationship ends. Members Jae Matthews and Augustus Muller were romantically involved until 2024 as I’ve found out but both committed to keeping the Boy Harsher project alive and GET MEAN is the outcome. 

Twelve tracks, covering thirty-nine minutes, is all Boy Harsher needs to explore the ending of their previous relationship amidst synth-heavy instrumentals, electronic drum machines and loops, and vocal effects that transport the listener into the band’s dark, synthwave universe. Tracks such as the album’s lead single, “Jeans,” speak about the pressure of being confined to a small town and wanting to leave to chase your dreams while the repeated chorus, “That’s life living in a small town / Gave it all up just to be free / That’s life living in a small town / Gave it all up just to sell jeans,” refers to giving up that struggle because their ambition is outweighed by the struggle, and they’re, “Trying to see green.” The track is upbeat, danceable, and damn catchy. And it’s not the only track that has huge sonic swings and highlights. Track four, “Tough Luck (When You Don’t Call),” immediately reminded me of Vengelis’ Blade Runner soundtrack before turning into a dance-floor frenzy, track seven “Hard Beat,” has an intro you’d hear in the background of The Iceberg Lounge while Robert Pattinson’s Batman cracks heads, and track twelve, “Bleed,” has heavier, bassier production that reminded me of a track from The Weeknd’s Trilogy era. 

On GET MEAN Boy Harsher shares an emotive, distinct and capable synthwave record that should keep fans and new listeners alike satiated with a more sinister, dark and soul-bearing style of songwriting and the breadth of production on display here.

Check out closing track “Bleed” (below) for a taste. GET MEAN is out now via Atlantic and Nude Club Records.

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Blood Cannery

Blood Cannery | VI.XXX | 3hive.com
Blood Cannery | VI.XXX | 3hive.com

Blood Cannery is the solo project of Idaho Falls’ Cole Foster. He also plays guitar with his partner in crime, Tabitha, in Zap Pack (a fantastic band everyone needs to experience live). Cole has been quite prolific with his output as Blood Cannery, releasing twenty-nine singles, EPs, and albums over the past six years. Blood Cannery’s latest release, VI.XXX is, in his words, “…an exercise in trying to use synth in different genres like: Krautrock, Punk, Techno, Dub and Garage Rock.” Which he pulls off. Masterfully.

VI.XXX may have been an exercise in Blood Cannery’s eyes, but to this listener and his many fans it is just another fine example of Cole’s talent and understanding of how to craft great music. Music that needs to be heard.

Check out the groove-filled, psych track “Uncanny In G Major” (below) and tell me it doesn’t remind you of some of Dwyer’s best work as Damaged Bug.

VI.XXX is out now via Blood Cannery’s Bandcamp page. Go get it.

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Dummy

Dummy | do you love the color of the sky | 3hive.com

L.A.’s Dummy just announced their new album “do you love the color of the sky?”, their third album and first with Polyvinyl, and shared their lead single “Full Spectrum Dominance,” a heavy, danceable track taking direct aim at AI with “…you wanna reap the seeds we sow gonna be no lawn left to mow…”

“do you love the color of the sky?” drops on October 16 via Polyvinyl, and based on this first single, this is Dummy’s best effort yet. 

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Heavenly

Heavenly | Highway to Heavenly | 3hive.com
Heavenly | Highway to Heavenly | 3hive.com

Heavenly made music together from 1989 until 1996, when Mathew Fletcher tragically passed away. It’s been 30 years since new Heavenly tunes have graced our shared existence, but they are back with their first album of original music in 30 years! That’s right, Amelia Fletcher, Rob Pursey, Cathy Rogers, and Peter Momtchiloff are back with eleven fabulous new tracks titled Highway to Heavenly.

Heavenly has delivered a practically flawless release of power, jangle, and twee pop mastery with Highway to Heavenly. All hail one of the pioneering groups of the genre!

Highway to Heavenly is out now via Skep Wax. Check out “A Different Beat” below; if you don’t trust me,? then head to your local shop (like the 3hive Record Lounge) or Bandcamp and snag yourself a copy. Enjoy.

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Olympic Deth

Olympic Deth | Peace Album | 3hive.com
Olympic Deth | Peace Album | 3hive.com

I’m going to begin by addressing some biases that I have coming into this review: 

  1. As a Utah native, I’ll advocate for damn near anyone/anything coming out of the Beehive State (within reason, of course, because fuck Mike Lee),
  2. The sounds that this record reminded me of upon first listen have been some of my favorite tracks, records, and bands in recent times, and
  3. Anything that’s locally released that SOUNDS like it’s not locally released makes me unreasonably excited because Utah genuinely has a really diverse and talented music scene if you’re willing to look, participate and support it. And that’s what it’s all about y’all.

Now, with all of that said, let me tell you why Olympic Deth’s newest record Peace Album is not only one of my most anticipated local releases this year but one that I’m sure will stand among the best of what Utah offers this year, musically speaking. 

Peace Album clocks in at 36 minutes across 16 tracks and doesn’t waste any time grabbing listeners attention. The album’s opener “Rehab For Weed” is a vaporwave-esc opener with layered synths, looping electronics and water sounds? It’s a super diverse instrumental that’s engaging for the active listening experience while also being something that could be on in the background. The album transitions expertly from track to track, again making either the active or passive listening experience both rewarding and pleasant as you move through the track list. Standout songs such as lead single “Oklahoma PEACE”. Full of moody, looping electronics and strong guitars from the best slacker-rock or post-punk records you could name, this track is just one of many personal highlights for me that’ve found their way onto playlists of mine. I’ll shout out “Diamond Dozen”, “Ada County” and the album’s closing track “Trout Mask Replica on Accident” as well.

If you took the best parts of Geordie Greep’s solo debut“The New Sound”, King Krule’s 2017 record “The OOZ” and added Geese and some Death Grips – Olympic Deth is the emulsifier that combines all of it together into something new that I encourage damn near anyone to give a listen.

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Candy kisses

Candy kisses | Truth we avoided | 3hive.com
Candy kisses | Truth we avoided | 3hive.com

“Ahhhh, jangle pop. The balm for the soul.” That’s the first thought I had during the first 30 seconds of Candy kisses’ debut EP, Truth we avoided. There is not a lot of information available about the band, except the EP has been released on Indonesian label forfun.cookies. I suspect the band members are from Indonesia as well. There are four members: Dita (vocals), Wahyu (vocals/bass), Dimas (ucup lead?), and Tama (drums). That’s all the info I have.

Truth we avoided is 12-plus minutes of pure, jangle, twee, indie pop gold. It’s a promising start to 2026. I can’t wait for more.

Truth we avoided is out right now on forfun.cookies Bandcamp page, and I highly recommend it. Enjoy.

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Corbin

Corbin | Crisis Kid | 3hive.com
Corbin | Crisis Kid | 3hive.com

Known initially as Spooky Black, now Corbin, Corbin Smidzik has been making bleak, desolate lo-fi hip-hop that accumulated a cult following that’s only been growing since his break-out release Leaving in 2014. Now earlier this year Corbin released his latest record Crisis Kid and in my opinion – it’s debatedly his best yet.

The record opens with Cry Out In Pain, the track features a spacey almost vacant instrumental that carries a steady pace courtesy of strong guitar work as well as Corbin’s vocal delivery. Lyrics such as, “Die in our sleep, calling out for a hero / Watching us bleed, I’m counting the zeroes / Power and greed, more of attrition / Slaughter the sheep, more superstition / The dollar is weak, we’re close to ignition any day” speak to feelings of depression, hopelessness, and lacking the power, ability or means to change one’s own course are supported by the songs chorus, an echoed chant saying, “Cry out in pain / Climb out the window / Try to escape / What are we here for anyway?”

Carbon Monoxide is my personal favorite from the record. It opens with a groovy and atmospheric beat with more smooth lead guitar that’s again elevated by Corbin’s capable and forward vocals. Vocal layering, and this steady drum beat that work to progress the track simultaneously heighten lyrics from the verses, “Counting up every sin again / Guilty as charged, I’m not innocent / Drowning in the memories, sink or swim / Every time you had to see me like this” as well as the tracks chorus, “You can see all the walls I put up caving in / Slowly creep in your lungs, you’re my carcinogen / Fall asleep to your carbon monoxide again.” Corbin speaks on the difficulty of opening up and being vulnerable, holding oneself accountable – maybe even overly so – all while in what might be or is a toxic environment.

The record’s closing track Another Day In Hell genuinely sounds like it could’ve been a B-Side from one of The Weeknd’s latest releases with the synth leads that start the track off before Corbin’s lyrics join, and these balanced drums again work to move the track forward as it progresses into this almost angelic instrumental that showcases the ethereal vocals Corbin delivers as the tracks final stanzas echo, growing progressively more distant as the album concludes.

On Crisis Kid, Corbin has continued pushing himself lyrically, sonically, and personally and the result is a cohesive, fulfilling and honest expression of where Smidzik has been, is now, and where he’s going.

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Wednesday

Wednesday | Bleeds | 3hive.com
Wednesday | Bleeds | 3hive.com

Wednesday was originally formed as a solo project of lead singer Karly Hartzman, blending shoegaze inspired fuzzy guitars and country-twanged vocals that touched on the struggles and traumas of small-town Southern living. This year the now five-piece released what I firmly believe to be the groups best work with their latest record Bleeds.

Bleeds opens with the one, two punch of Reality TV Argument Bleeds and Townies – Reality TV Argument Bleeds acts almost like a sonic black hole, bringing everything around into the mix, creating an all consuming, attention demanding, and layered soundscape before Hartzman’s vocals break through with the first of many Southern-twinged expressions of stories and the people they involve. The track has personal lyrical highlights of, “When I don’t feel like bein’ comforted / Melting outward like a movie burning from the screen / You and your broke dick sincerity.” 

The stories continue on Townies, a track that explores the dramas of small town life where word travels fast. The opening lyrics are literally, “Catchin’ up with the townies / Some have gone but most are still around / The ghosts of them surround me / They hang on tight until they drown.” Hartzman’s spins a harsh and emotive tale of marijuana, shared nudes, death, and leaf blowers in the best and most unexpected way.

The last track I’ll highlight here is my personal favorite from the record, track 7 The Way Love Goes. As I understand it, it’s an expression of some of the feelings after the end of the long term relationship between members Karly Hartzman and MJ Lenderman. It’s short, heart wrenching, and a perfect example of how less is more. It serves as a sort of break in the record with its slower, acoustic sound that’s light on the effects and it truly shows how strong of a performer Hartzman is. The track closing with a self reference saying, “I know it’s not been easy / And I know it can’t always be / and that’s the way love goes.” I mean, c’mon – tearing my heart out and stomping on it would probably cause me less pain than feeling the relatability of those lyrics.

This album to me is almost like a play where each of the albums 12 tracks functions like acts; each containing its own setting, characters and story while the thing connecting them all together, thus creating the play, is Hartzman’s perspective and the way that she and the rest of Wednesday have laid these stories to tape. Not very many records from bands I’ve heard have successfully turned me from a listener into a fan, but Bleeds accomplished exactly that. And I couldn’t be more excited to see what’s next.

You can get Bleeds from us here or via Wednesday’s Bandcamp page.

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DE LA SOUL

De La Soul | Cabin In The Sky | 3hive.com
De La Soul | Cabin In The Sky | 3hive.com

Cabin In The Sky – A fitting love letter to Dave (Trugoy the Dove)

De La Soul releasing their first album in nine years would be newsworthy by itself, but Cabin In The Sky arrives under an even heavier weight: it is their first project since the tragic 2023 loss of founding member David Jolicoeur, AKA Trugoy the Dove. It is also their first new release since settling the decades long dispute that kept much of their discography off streaming platforms, a victory Dave unfortunately never got to witness. Trying to combine a decade of built-up creative energy with the grief of losing a musical brother is a tall order. In short, they pulled it off.

Full disclosure: De La Soul is my favorite group of all time. Discovering 3 Feet High and Rising as a teenager changed my life. I studied every skit, every joke, every tangent. They were the smartest and funniest things I had ever heard on a record. (I still quote “I wanna win all the money, see ya!) De La has always been an industry enigma, never fitting neatly into any single lane. Their best albums work both as laid-back party records and as sharp social commentary if you choose to listen closely. Cabin In The Sky lives up to that tradition while offering a generous amount of fan service and, most of all, a beautiful love letter to Dave.

The album announces its thesis right away. The opening track revives the classic De La roll call skit, this time delivered by actor Giancarlo Esposito (Buggin’ Out from Do the Right Thing). He announces each featured artist, including Nas, Killer Mike, DJ Premier, Common, Black Thought, and others, and each replies that they are present. He then calls out the members of De La one by one. When he gets to Dave, the lack of response looms large. Dave’s presence and absence echo through the album in a mix of grief, melancholy, and celebration. His memory and influence also serve as an engine, pushing the group forward. “If y’all stop, then Dave stops,” as declared on YUHDONTSTOP.

Cabin In The Sky is dense at more than 70 minutes. It is not perfect. A critic could say it rambles at times. But it is a perfect De La album. It captures everything they have always been: generous, funny, thoughtful, warm, and unafraid to challenge listeners while still making them feel welcome. Their albums have always been works of art in their entirety, and this one is no exception. The production is strong, and Posdnuos and Maseo each bare their souls with their usual effortless wordplay and intricately layered beats.

If you are already a fan, you will likely love it. If you are new to the De La universe, this album is full of enough love and nostalgia to pull you in if you give it a chance. De La has always brought art, humor, intelligence, and heart. They have also quietly remained some of the most important voices in music for more than three decades. I am grateful they still have things to say. And like the rest of the De La family, I am still missing Dave too.

Notable tracks: YUHDONTSTOP, Sunny Storms, and the very affecting Different World featuring spoken word by poet Gina Loring.

You can pre-order all variations of Cabin In The Sky from the 3hive Record Lounge here.



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Shallowater

It’s not often that I listen to a shoegaze record, save it to my library, and then proceed to stream it again and again; offering whatever additional focus I can muster into subsequent listens trying to glean as much as I possibly can. I’d even go so far to say that this may have never happened before with shoegaze but I’m grateful to have undergone this experience – all credit goes to the Texas based ‘dirtgaze’ group Shallowater and their sophomore record God’s Gonna Give You a Million Dollars.

 Shallowater is a three-piece band of Blake Skipper, Ryan Faulkenberry, and Tristan Kelly who originally hail from West Texas but find themselves now based out of Houston. I hadn’t heard of the group before having God’s Gonna Give You a Millions Dollars recommended to me by a few friends earlier this year, but since giving it a listen I’ve become a fan not just of its deep and emotive performances, the simple but meaningful writing, or the fact that no track ever felt as long as they are but the reality that this album contains all of the above and more in spades and is such a rewarding listen.

The title track and subsequent “Sadie” begin and continue to tell a story of grief, loss, and the long and unique process of adapting to life without someone. From Sadie, lyrics such as “I’ve been writing down / Every word / You said to me / ‘Cause I like the way they look” touch on how unique loss is as well as how hard letting go can be.

A personal highlight of the album follows up “Sadie” in “Untitled Cowboy”. The almost 8 and a half minute long epic that I feel touches on regret, complacency and cycles that can haunt a person and their endeavors, relationships, etc. Lyrics like “Don’t you know I feel like / All that time we wasted / Sittin’ with each other / Would’ve been a whole lot better spent alone?” Lead singer Blake Skipper’s delivery, and the supporting ensemble create a sonic palette that hits like a truck and leaves you as the victim of a hit & run.

In summary, Shallowater has created a harmonious, precise, and rare project with God’s Gonna Give You a Million Dollars that feels to me like equal parts Chat Pile’s debut record God’s County and MJ Lenderman’s incredible 2024 record Manning Fireworks while also representing itself well and staying original.