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INsiders Guide

INsider’s Guide: Guilhem, Scustin, Mugger, Whitehall, Joker’s Republic…

Montreal punk troubadour Guilhem returns with his most personal record yet. “A Good One” — mixed and mastered by Frank Turner — finds him spinning chaos into clarity, channeling late-night anxiety, awkward conversations, and the digital hum of modern life into sharp, hopeful songs.

“I didn’t sit down with the intention of writing a big, unified statement,” he said. “It started as songs I just needed to get out of me. But eventually, they all circled the same messy little galaxy of thoughts — the absurdity of being human right now.”

Best known both as a solo artist and frontman of Lost Love, Guilhem has played more than 700 shows across 23 countries, and that restless energy bleeds into every track. The result is a release that’s raw, funny, unfiltered, and determined to find meaning in the madness.

Stream “A Good One”: https://guilhem.fanlink.tv/agoodone

Dublin post-funk provocateurs Scustin return with a new single, “Drinking Cans In A Field With Matt Damon,” out September 5, ahead of their debut album “Confessions Of A Pub Talker” on 19th September via all major DSPs. The track — a wild blend of satire, storytelling, and infectious grooves — recounts a surreal, real-life brush with Hollywood’s Matt Damon, delivering funk-laced absurdity with Dublin wit.

Hot off festival appearances at Wilderness, Mutations, and Electric Picnic, the quartet have built a reputation for high-energy, immersive live shows where audience and performer blur into one chaotic, joyous community. 

Recorded with Richie Kennedy (The Murder Capital, RIDE, Interpol, Shame) at Black Mountain Studios, “Confessions Of A Pub Talker” tells the story of Larry, a barman navigating the trials of modern Irish life. With off-the-wall humor, chant-ready choruses, and a love for pub culture turned on its head, the album mixes heart, satire, and storytelling in equal measure.

“It’s a wild fusion of funk and folklore, a pandemic fever dream scored by Dublin wit and dirty basslines,” frontman Joe Hearns said. “Think Shane MacGowan fronting Funkadelic.”

Scustin will release the album alongside an official launch show at Phoenix Bar, Dalymount Park, on 20th September, followed by a UK headline tour in October and November.

Stream “Drinking Cans In A Field With Matt Damon”: https://found.ee/Drinking-Cans-in-a-Field-with-Matt-Damon

Buy tickets: https://linktr.ee/scustin

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The Austin, Texas hardcore punk band Mugger are back with “This Is Ours,” a blistering new single released via Bandcamp. The track arrives alongside preorders for their forthcoming one-sided 12” EP, “Want The World,” set to release October 24 via Quiet Panic.

Built on a foundation of ’77 punk rawness and unrelenting hardcore energy, “This Is Ours” channels nostalgia and defiance, reflecting vocalist Anna Troxell’s early love for the genre and its spirit of community, inclusion, and critical thinking. The song serves as a rallying cry, honoring the hardcore scene’s roots while staking a claim for its future.

Formed recently, Mugger has already established itself as an important voice in Austin’s music scene. Featuring members of Creepoid, Radioactivity, and The Well, the band has shared stages with Scowl, End It, Show Me the Body, Circle Jerks, and Gel. Their 2024 debut EP “Get a Clue” sold out quickly, earning praise for its urgent sound and incisive exploration of power and imbalance.

With “Want The World,” Mugger shares their message and sound, delivering four tracks of unflinching energy and punk ethos, ensuring the band continues to leave its mark on the contemporary hardcore landscape.

Stream “This Is Ours”: https://mugger-tx.bandcamp.com/album/want-the-world

The Brooklyn indie-rock four-piece Whitehall have returned with their album “National Finals Rodeo,” led by the emotionally charged single “Breakdowns.” The track captures the band’s signature sound — jangly guitars, raw emotion, and hooks that linger long after the song ends.

“‘Breakdowns’ is what comes from hitting the proverbial wall — it’s the feeling at 10pm when you’re grinding on a project that seems to never end,” the band shared. “This song came from a little humming after a long day like that when I was emotionally spent.”

The single follows a string of well-received releases including “Malibu #2,” “Come Visit,” “Baby Steps,” and “Fires in Canada.”

“National Finals Rodeo” is Whitehall’s most vulnerable record yet, showcasing a Brooklyn-based band steadily making a name for themselves in the modern rock scene. Frontman Paddy McKiernan (vocals, guitar) is joined by Avery Greeson (guitar), Brennan Clark (bass), and Davis Rowe (drums) in delivering music that balances confessional lyrics with energetic performances.

Over the past years, Whitehall has amassed millions of streams, earned praise from NPR, Alternative Press, and American Songwriter, and shared stages with acts including Goo Goo Dolls, Arlie, and Carver Commodore. “National Finals Rodeo” solidifies the band’s reputation for creating intimate, cathartic rock with universal appeal.

Stream “Breakdowns”: https://onerpm.link/NationalFinalsRodeo

New Jersey ska-punk trio Joker’s Republic have unveiled “Dead Inside,” the third single from their forthcoming album “The Hand You’ve Been Dealt,” due October 10, 2025. The track mixes high-energy ska with a hardcore edge, exploring how constant pressures — personal, social, and global — can leave people feeling numb. The music video leans into a darkly comic horror aesthetic inspired by “The Twilight Zone” and George A. Romero.

“‘Dead Inside’ is an examination of the real-world zombie,” drummer Pat Elwood said. “To exist in today’s sociopolitical climate is to have your motivation and goodwill challenged at every opportunity. A person can only suffer the slings and arrows of life for so long, until all that remains is a shell of who they once were. All we can do is our best not to give in.”

Produced by Roger Lima (Less Than Jake/Rehasher) and mixed/mastered by Grammy-nominated Eric Taft, the 12-track album tackles themes of identity, mental health, and social observation, all delivered with Joker’s Republic’s signature blend of catchy hooks and chaotic energy.

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Since forming, the group has toured across the U.S. and beyond, released their second album “Necessary Evil,” and played festivals including Punk Rock Saves Lives Fest and Ska Punk International Fest. 

Stream “Dead Inside”: https://ffm.to/jokersrepublic_deadinside

Durham post-hardcore group Treasure Pains and Portland noise-rock band Spares are joining forces for a split EP, set for release September 26 via Wiretap / Council Records. The 12” is available for pre-order here.

Treasure Pains’ contribution, “Left to Give,” channels the frustration and exhaustion of watching society move backward while so many remain indifferent. The group brings their signature mix of melancholy and aggression, honed since the band’s formation through collaborative writing sessions. Their 2024 debut album, “Charming,” established them as a force in post-hardcore, blending emotionally charged lyrics with tireless, driving energy.

Spares open the split with “New Indignities,” a litany of complaints about the frustrations of contemporary life, delivered with their trademark guitar-driven chaos. Vocalist Gabriel Mathews explains: 

“When we recorded our EP, we had two finished songs that didn’t quite make sense in the context of that record,” vocalist Gabriel Mathews said. “We’re excited to share these outliers on this split. ‘New Indignities’ is a ripper, a litany of complaints about the lameness of contemporary life laced with the recognition that so many others have it so much worse.” 

Formed in 2022 from members of North Lincoln, Youth League, Lock and Key, and others, Spares’ debut EP earned praise from Razorcake for its jagged, immersive sound. Drawing on ’90s Dischord, early Touch & Go noise, and San Diego-style angular post-hardcore, the Portland quintet balances beauty with grit, crafting music for the musically restless.

Both bands bring underground experience to this split — Treasure Pains with their melancholic yet punchy post-hardcore, and Spares with their noisy, angular energy — making it a must-hear for fans of the modern DIY scene.

Pre-order The Split EP: https://council-records.bandcamp.com/album/split

Stream “Left to Give”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/treasurepains/left-to-give

Stream “New Indignities”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/spares/new-indignities

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