MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 2/11/2026
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @melodicnoisemedia
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Basketball Divorce Court "do it girl"
With the b-side “smoke weed and hate,” Basketball Divorce Court’s “do it girl” released in October 2025. There’s distinctive post-hardcore hypnotism at work where looping, swirling riffs give us something to get lost in as heavy drumming propels the action. The lyrics are in your face, a revolutionary imagining of retaliation against brutalizing officers breathed into life by the enthused, righteously passionate narrative singing that escalates to shouting as needed. “do it girl” has the perfect amount of weight and density to make it stick for me, leaving me wanting more as it surges in intensity.
Bathtub Cig "Pour Me"
Bathtub Cig have a certain whimsy to them; “Pour Me” is no exception to their delightful signature sound. Featured on the EP you can smoke if it's hospice, this song is for those of us who find ourselves at the after-afters, when the party might have fizzled out but we still aren’t ready to go home. This vulnerable “depression pop” track examines escapism in a way that is all too relatable for me. I hope you can take solace in it the way I have been able to, acknowledging why we end up in the places we do. “Cuz I don't wanna feel anything /And no one talks about the dead when they are high / Yeah I just wann’ float up past the clouds…” “I just wanna feel anything / But I am feeling numb / Yeah I just wanna feel something good.”
Beebe Gallini "Hey Honey"
From Beebe Gallini’s Begged, Borrowed, and Stealed album released in May 2025, “Hey Honey” is a cheeky, rockin’ love song. Catchy, repetitive lyrics prop up the very sing-alongable vocals, which beg you to at least join in on the choruses - “Hey, hey, hey / Honey hey! / You got me shook.” An actual shaker is doing some thematically heavy lifting here, but it doesn’t remain the only percussive element as the drumming beneath holds things down. Rock’n’roll vocals and surfy electric guitar come together to define the track’s vibe.
Blue Driver "Dedicated To You"
With a distinctive vocal style, Blue Driver lean into all the aspects on the Venn diagram of folk punk and pop punk traits, borrowing from each set and their overlap. The song charges up in a quick fuss with the line, “Every since you left me, my feelings / Have been kicking my ass,” then oscillating between the rapid-fire, spirited clamor of its choruses and slower storytelling in between. “Dedicated To You” re-released with new and improved recording and production on Again? in October 2025.
Once More, Autumn "Places"
On Foals, released in March 2025, “Places” is delicate without restraining itself from weaving in atmospheric instrumental layers that add complexity to the piece. That delicacy seems only improved, actually, by the inclusion of accenting trumpet, backing vocals, and space-filling synthesizer. The almost melancholic tone at work partners beautifully with the lyrics to suggest the song’s purpose is to reassure us - “there was a storm / there was a day / there was a way / but it's alright / it's all over now.” Once More, Autumn use every part of their band to build an affectionate glow.
MASSICKURTHADON100 "STILL GROWN ROSES"
“STILL GROWN ROSES” is a smooth rap track paying tribute to Minneapolis and MASSICKURTHADON100’s roots here, shouting out the city while promoting a hopeful message of elevating yourself and your community. Thanking God and reminding us how temporary everything is, this is optimistic existentialism in motion, encouraging us to assume responsibility for our growth — we too can bloom like roses. This song released on the EP I LIVE FOREVER in November 2025.
