The East Coast is currently flush with punk bands. We’re reliving the glory days of the early 2000s, at least sonically if not the full on lifestyle, fortunately we’ve swapped out Colt 45 for a tasteful collection of craft beer. Punk Rock may yet prove eternal, but we’re still hoping to improve ourselves with age. Here’s an introduction to the best punks of the East Coast.
We’re going to ease on into this. Punk is a spectrum and there’s no need to launch ear first into the deep end. For your listening pleasure, we will gently wade through some pop punk before reaching the full depths of crust punk (okay, maybe not that far).
Kids Losing Sleep
Kids Losing Sleep is on the safer edge of things. Possibly more pop than punk, the Halifax band was formed from the combined forces of award-winning Halifax bands Black Moor and Sleepshaker. So far they have only released their debut single “In Love No More” back in June, but we’re waiting on big things.
Little Cities
On of the busiest bands on the East Coast, Charlottetown’s Little Cities have been churning out a slew of music videos for their recently released debut album album Friends Floors. Though they’re usually trapped on Prince Edward Island, when they do manage to get out they put on a hell of a show.
CHIPS
CHIPS released their four-song EP Dingers in 2016, and paired with a great performance at Folly Fest they were the first band to tip us off to an east coast punk rock revival. While the Fredericton-based band draw inspirations from mainstream punk bands, it’s frontman Adam Guidry’s energy, dedication to showmanship, and obvious love affair for The National’s frontman Matt Berninger that impressed us. The band have just recently returned to the studio for a sophomore album.
Chebucto
Still on the poppier side of the spectrum are new-to-us Chebucto out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Drawing influences from Blink 182, Sum 41, Simple Plan, and maybe even Pulley if we’re not imagining things, we know next to nothing about this Chebucto, but no over ever said punk had to be complicated.
The Follow Ups
The Follow Ups are Moncton’s answer to “what were we doing between 2001 and 2004?” This is the stuff we got into once we’d finally graduated from Blink 182, Sum 41, and Good Charlotte. This is sophisticated stuff true connoisseurs of serious punk listen to, stuff like Chixdiggit, NoFX, or Rancid. Very serious stuff.
Partner
Sackville wasn’t punk enough for Partner, so they packed up their hot knives and left for Windsor, Ontario. At least we assume that’s the reason. In any case, In Search Of Lost Time is likely to remain one of our favourite albums for the foreseeable future. While technically labelling themselves as “alternative,” it’s their ethos that aligns more precisely with this category. Besides, it’s 2018. Who needs labels?
Outtacontroller
North End Halifax’s Outtacontroller describe themselves as wielding buzz saw guitars, which is less Halloween and more the full impact sound of noise pop. The four-piece fall along the lines of No Age, Titus Andronicus, or the evolutionary descendant of Dinosaur Jr..
Like A Motorcycle
These guys win all the awards, so they’re basically mainstream now right? Halifax’s Like A Motorcycle have taken home an ECMA (and then raffled it) and had their single “Punk One“ appear on Fox Television’s Gotham. The song’s video also featured guitarist Hot Dave eating an ice cream in reverse, which is as close to crust punk as we want to get.
Know anyone else that belongs on this least? Tell us in the comments!