MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 7/15/26
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @melodicnoisemedia
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Ber “Book Cover”
“Book Cover” is track six of twelve, the dead-on halfway point of Ber’s 2026 LP Good, Like it Should Be. Rummaging into the bottom of her folk-pop bag, Ber sings with some twang over acoustic guitar and a composition peppered with a slow and steady rock beat. Subtle synth pads swell up occasionally to punctuate melodic changes, replacing what could have been a more traditional choice with a pedal steel guitar section. This substitute prevents a full tilt towards country, keeping things a little more mixed-genre magical in an otherwise solemn song. Ber advocates for herself as a potential love interest - “Baby, I'm a good lover, hot summer / If you'd let me, I'd hold you like no other … I know I haven't got a book cover / Pretty like the ones you read / But baby, you should try me.”
Million.point.Million “Methic”
A punk-tinged, fresh take on sounds of the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Million.point.Million’s “Methic” leans into grimy riffs, industrial rock tricks and vocal production/flow that definitely keeps making me think of Reznor, though there’s a more carefree, slack-jawed bent to their delivery. The band doesn’t start and stop on NIN-esque sounds, expanding further and oscillating in and out of decidedly post-hardcore territory. “Methic” switches up the vibe a few times throughout, entering a new clearing of sound in more experimental territory by the song’s last minute, disarmingly beautiful with the overlap of shoegazey riffs soaring over fragmented, blasting electronic beats.
Bad Idea “The Rejected”
“The Rejected” summons the energy of 80s punk rock, reminiscent of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and The Descendents. Bad Idea bring us totally back to that era here, complete with a swinging beat worthy of a two-step and choppily shouted power vocals which cry out about being “The Rejected,” those who stay resilient in the face of social isolation and adversity.
Perry Project “Impoverished Shakedown”
The soft rock of “Impoverished Shakedown” stays mellow despite a driven and noteworthy spunky drum beat, the final product outfitting itself in more atmospheric, contemporary dream pop. Well-enunciated vocals quiver and emote over the shimmery soundscape which takes its time to rise, weaving in new sonic elements which come and go seamlessly. At just over a five minute runtime, this song explores the theme of us being kept down in our class position - “You might get a picture; you might get something worse / You might get a future; you might get something worse.” This is track five of ten on Perry Project’s heart-wrenchingly titled and deeply personal Animals That Trusted You LP, released in June 2026.
Spit Takes “God Bless (Holy Tits)”
From the May 2026 album Teeth, “God Bless (Holy Tits)” is dominated by its playful vocals talk-singing and eventually erupting into shouts about “titties!” in a punk rock reclamation of the body parts so often hypersexualized and, in expected negation, censored. Destroying that censor with flair, Spit Takes declare “My titties are holy!” over their rambunctious, fuzzed out snarls.
REIKI “TOGETHER”
REIKI’s latest single “Together” released in May 2026. Combining R’n’B vocals - romantic and smooth - with a poppy structure and a highly produced, multi-genre track that is unafraid to break into dubstep, this song worms its way into your heart with an unrelentingly optimistic, melodic trap build up. The beat drops avoid feeling corny as some callbacks to 2010s electronica tend to - REIKI has mastered authenticity and sweetness, forming something fresh out of referential reverence.
Also, a bit of promo for a fellow local music podcast, check out Beers with Bands Fest coming up at Pilllar Forum on July 18th!
