MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 8/12/26
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @melodicnoisemedia
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Zoe Grigsby “What it Takes to Survive”
“What it Takes to Survive” is a sweet folk tune, structured as the live thoughts of Zoe Grigsby going for a walk through “manufactured suburbia,” “not by choice, but [she’s] learning to see the beauty in it.” An ode to loving other people while being mindful of how we are all just “doing what it takes to survive,” Grigsby’s songwritten journal entry-cum-appeal to our humanity is the wonderful result of earnest observation meeting empathy, set to a jaunty acoustic melody which retains playfulness throughout. This is track three of six on Grigsby’s A Piece of Me EP, released in July 2026.
Phase Meridian “In the Palm (Of the Dead Hand)”
Phase Meridian released “In the Palm (Of the Dead Hand)” as track two of seven on their new album, Egregore, in May 2026. This is a progressive metal tune that unfolds steadily over its seven minute runtime, giving the band (and its new contributors, two guest vocalists from the now disbanded Oak Pantheon) plenty of room to spread their wings and explore the variance of tone they can employ in their take on the genre. Mashing together frenetic energy with harmonious clean vocals with rough-throated shouts before peeling back a little to build things up again, the ongoing winding narrative is executed skillfully, with many moving parts coming together as a rich tapestry of emotive, heavy sound.
Runaway Ricochet “Gossip”
“Gossip” is track three of five on Runaway Ricochet’s Made From Recycled Materials, Vol. 2 EP, released in April 2026 as a companion record to 2020’s Vol. 1. Both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 serve as collections of re-releases/new mixes of previous works, this time including ska seasoned covers of songs by Sidney Gish (“Presumably Dead Arm”) and Pierce The Veil (“Bulls In The Bronx”). “Gossip” is the re-emergence of a song written and removed from their Diminishing Returns LP, which according to Runaway “was … one of the first few songs written for [it] circa 2018 or 2019 … the band shot it down for being too weird.” Suitably labeled Math Ska, “Gossip” boasts intricate instrumentation with a solid grooves; funky bass lines; time changes; a much needed brass section, and electric guitar solos. It does indeed get weird, but delightfully so, transforming over time to take the listener on a funky journey. While never saying it so crudely, “Gossip” is a “fuck you” to those who pry into others’ business, “play detective,” and unfairly judge that which they shouldn’t be privy to.
ShugE “She's Just A Kid”
“She’s Just A Kid” is the closing track on ShugE’s Songs For Hardy Coleman, an EP that serves as a tribute to its namesake. ShugE describes Hardy Coleman in eulogy as “a house-mate, a co-worker, & most importantly a good friend.” “She’s Just A Kid” is a folk punk tale of uncompromising change and the pursuit of adventure despite others’ expectations: “She refused to be like everyone wanted / Everyone thought that she would be stuck here working forever / Lonely and looking sad forever / Then she stole that car.” We learn that ShugE’s muse for this song was better off moving to a new city after the oppressive standards of her hometown and the baggage of her youth followed her around no matter what. This song is triumphant, an optimistic example of when a fresh start really works; it serves as a reminder that we can all take risks, skip town, and see what sticks.
Battery Eyes “Struggle”
Three piece post-hardcore band Battery Eyes bring us a punky, political thrash with “Struggle,” track eleven of thirteen on the LP Zero Three released in February 2026. Some of my favorite features of the genre are present here, where heavy handed drumming underscores and drives forward melodies that dive in and out of brighter grooves contrasting the weighty rhythm section. The chanted choruses which give way to changes of pace are satisfying. Returning to form, the verses have a Britpunk feel with their enunciation and emphasis.
Mother Coyote “Be the Light”
“Be the Light” is Mother Coyote’s newest single, released in March 2026. According to project runner Andriana Lehr, this song was actually written in 2016, “following the Pulse Nightclub shooting,” and will be featured on an upcoming LP. With the goal of transfiguring confusion, horror, and grief into a beacon of revolutionary optimism, Lehr implores us to “Be the Light” in the wake of tragedy to combat the fear mongering stoked by bad actors and news media: “Another attack was made / They’re showing a villain’s face / And telling us be afraid / But we must fight.”
