playlist: the best punk songs of june 2024

A theme grew out of the work in June—what does it look like to be a creative person? So much of what see/saw published in the past month seemed to boil punk rock blogging down to its primordial goo. Shogun’s words about vulnerability and the music industry seemed to resonate broadly. Chris Landry’s discussion of his punk zine Rate of Decay got into that drive to create something tangible. I got a note from someone indicating they’re taking the Cincinnati punk community open forum as a potential guidepost for launching something similar in their own scene.

Ultimately this is why I always wanted to write about music. Figuring out what drives people to create things is kind of an impossible question, but it’s an especially important one in the world of punk and rock’n’roll. People lose jobs going on tour. Streaming services barely pay anything if they pay anything at all. Making things in this climate is a compulsion. What’s behind that? Why do it? Is the artist trying to outrun something? Is it an attempt to let the bats out? see/saw is at least partially about chasing those questions.

In addition to the aforementioned pieces, the “Punk This Week” recommendations column is still trucking, with new punk, garage rock, and hardcore blurbs for $4/month or barter. Here’s what else is going on:

• By the end of June, see/saw hit just shy of 900 total subscribers, which is unreal. My next goal is to reach 1,000, and the only way that happens is through word of mouth. I’m going to keep making goofy videos and handing out flyers to try to galvanize support, but consider hitting up some friends or loved ones and recommending see/saw.
• Very soon, some of the best rock writers in the world will contribute to see/saw. Everyone is getting paid for their work, and that money is coming from paid subscriptions. If you like what I do here and want to see it grow, please consider buying in.
• Interested in flyering for barter or to help support this operation? Here’s a PDF.
• The Eau Claire newspaper Volume One did a nice article about me and see/saw.
• I’ll have a table at the Eau Claire Makers Market on July 12 at Phoenix Park. Come say hey and grab a sticker or button!
• Endless Scroll welcomed me on the pod to discuss the punk to indie pop pipeline, hinged on Soup Activists and Silicone Prairie but also Angel Du$t Militarie Gun. A great hang! Tune in.
• Pick up the first issue of the new zine Portable Model; I’ve got a piece in there about collecting CD binders. I also wrote a piece about Mary Timony and mentorship for The New York Times.

It’s shaping up to be an exciting inaugural summer for see/saw. I’m having a massive amount of fun, and I can’t wait for y’all to see what’s next. Below, find the best songs from June 2024 (embedded in the browser, but also available here).

see/saw: the best punk songs of june 2024

Billiam: Maid Dress
Prison Affair: Apuñalamiento (pero Entre Colegas)
Autobahns: Ciapa Male
Electric Prawns 2: TV Screen
Shrudd: Skin
Fan Club: Hospital Beds
Shop Regulars: Off Season Walker
Rearranged Face: Serpentstone
Isotope Soap: From the Trees
Snooper: Company Car
Marcel Wave: Barrow Boys
Ménage Détroit: I’m a Fool
American Muscle: Best Band in Detroit
The Sheaves: Leisure Facts (Domestic Exp)
RONi: Highway Express
Workers Comp: Pressure Today
Geoduck Diodes: G.E.O. Dux
Five Bucks: H82W8
Lucta: Incubus
Osees: Cassius, Brutus & Judas
D.A.R.Y.L.: Get Out of My Way
Jacket Burner: Short Fuse
Dirt Sucker: Chili Dog Spit
Mitraille: Good Mornin’ Champ
PUST: Un des peu
Upright Forms: Heaven Knows
Bad Image: Waste Away
No Knock: Futureless Cycles
Total Hell: Killed By Evil
Class Tourists: Genocide
Mexican Coke: White Pantera
Program: Side By Side