I almost forgot about Mesh. Which is strange, because Company Jeep remains one of my favorite indie underground songs of the early 2020s. The catch? That song appeared on an EP five years ago, and only now does the Philadelphia band finally deliver its full-length debut.
The wait has been worth it. No Fun At All arrives via Feel It Records, always a reassuring stamp of quality, and features Sims Hardin, whose monthly Best Punk column at Bandcamp has introduced me to more than a few great records over the years. But those are just bonus points. The real reason to listen is the music.
Press play and you’ll hear a band that has kept the urgency of its early work while writing with noticeably more confidence and direction. I’ve seen curators like Tremendo Garaje and Mariana Timony point to Australia and New Zealand as touchstones, and I hear it too. There’s that same underground edge, where angular guitars and restless rhythms somehow glide instead of grind. It’s post-punk that never forgets the punk, and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.