When you run a music blog alongside a day job and personal life, you start relying on certain heuristics to spot wantlist-worthy releases. Maybe it’s a label whose taste consistently aligns with yours. Or a musician whose name in the liner notes guarantees something worthwhile. Mike Abbate is one of those musicians. He played bass in Screaming Females, co-founded New Jersey’s State Champion Records, and recently put out a killer record as KMES. Last year, he returned with another project—Dauber—alongside Jenna Fairey (also from KMES) and Quinn Murphy (Love Letter, ex-Death of Nation, Verse).

Dauber’s full-length debut Falling Down features the two excellent teaser tracks from last year’s single—the all-thrills title track and the punchy No Use For A Pig—plus a whole lot more. Dauber might be a trio, but they make a glorious racket. This isn’t music chasing perfection; it’s music chasing feeling—and it nails it. These 13 songs are scrappy, dynamic, and radiating punk rock joy. The guitar work in particular is a standout: from the first track on, licks and riffs come flying at you. It’s infectious and, frankly, exhilarating.

Dauber are carving out a gritty little niche for themselves—part ’80s American underground, part hyperactive basement show energy—with just the right mix of melody and menace. Here’s hoping they’re here to stay.

Falling Down is out now on CD, TAPE and LP respectively at Dromedary Records, State Champion Records, and Recess Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Dromedary || Recess || State Champion