punk this week: 1-800-mikey, corker, s.h.i.t., the dogs, high vis + 9 more

Welcome to Punk This Week, see/saw’s weekly column exploring the latest and greatest punk and rock’n’roll records. This week is a huge one for the form. The 1-800-MIKEY album is an absolute classic. The Dogs follow up their iconic track “We Are the Dogs” and cover the Velvet Underground. There’s new Corker, S.H.I.T., High Vis, and PYPY; Uranium Club and Sick Thoughts contributed to a new Palestine benefit comp. There are literally 25 additional records mentioned in this week’s installment. It’s a giant-sized column for insatiable among us.

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1-800-MIKEY: Digital Pet [Under the Gun/Erste Theke Tontraeger]

One time, allow yourself a safe space to turn on the album Digital Pet by 1-800-MIKEY at a significant volume. Stand up, offer yourself the slight inhibition to move around. Digital Pet is such expert power pop, such infectious and warm music where one track hits and it’s song of the year, and then the next track hits and nope, that’s song of the year. Album opener and lead single “Rental Girlfriend” is a top-to-bottom hit, the title track is earnestly uplifting, “Japan” is starry-eyed. There is not a bad song on this record. If you’ve ever been moved by the scuzz-pop prowess of Mike Krol, the grit-slathered swoon of the Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys, the pie-in-the-face immediacy of GEE TEE or Was Dead, you deserve a night on your feet with this very excellent record.