Posts by Ryan Dillon

As dry, humid days transform into brisk, rainy mornings, it seems that even the weather cannot find a sense of consistency. With the summer holiday season slowly approaching and the corporate world beginning to enter vacation mode, it is the time of year when it feels like the world drops its shoulders, unclenches its jaw, […]

There are many recognizable logos throughout the history of rock. The Rolling Stones’ tongue and lips, Nirvana’s yellow face, and Pink Floyd’s rainbow prism design can be seen plastered across posters and t-shirts at your local surf shop. Yet, they represent historic bands that created lasting legacies and unwavering fan bases. Punk has plenty of […]

On a surface level, Cincinnati rockers Smut have nothing but an open road in front of them. The DIY hopefuls were plucked from their local scene and signed to Bayonet Records, who issued the band’s breakthrough 2022 LP, How The Light Felt, introducing the band’s lush pop sensibilities to the world. Their Bayonet debut was, […]

late night drive home (yes, spelled all lower-case), is the kind of band you’ve always wanted to see succeed. The young three-piece creates empathetic, enduring music that carries itself with an air of youthful poetics, quickly separating the El Paso-bred rockers from the rest of the burgeoning scene. What started as an earnest effort to […]

It is reaching a blistering heat here at the Ye Ol’ Caustic Saloon, and we are welcoming everyone in for a tall, cold glass of fresh new releases. As we enter what feels like an apocalyptic heatwave, with torrential storms erupting out of the bright blue summer sky, the outside world pushes and pulls us […]

When it comes to pushing the boundaries of punk and truly dismantling the genre to make something fresh, The Cramps are one of the earliest examples of the artistic freedom associated with the genre. From their eccentric stage names, the founding members, Poison Ivy and Lux Interior, to their undeniably, palpably weird yet incredibly immersive […]

Australian genre-benders and punk manipulators Tropical Fuck Storm have never been the band to pigeonhole, and it would be a fool’s errand to try. Even in its rawest form, their refreshing power ballads warp the mind and melt the face while maintaining a welcoming humbleness that makes their off-kilter rock music so accessible. Born out […]

The heat of Summer is crashing through our windows with the fury of an intruder, and the humidity of a bustling kitchen. The sun beats down strongly on this New Music Friday, and what a cacophony of fresh releases we have for you this week. Think of this Caustic as a bouquet of roses. When […]

It is miraculous, and some could argue criminal, that it took this long to feature this band on a Golden Age Thursday. The early British punk days were marked by bands competing to be the first to achieve success abroad and secure a place in the U.S. punk pantheon. The Damned and The Sex Pistols […]

Throughout their short yet prolific career, The Bug Club has undergone many changes. What started as a blues-rock revivalist group has evolved into an artsy indie rock outfit, centered around cheeky songwriting and subtle experimentation. In 2024, it was announced that The Bug Club had signed with the prestigious Sub Pop Records, marking yet another […]

It is miraculous how, even after 15 years and 26 albums into their career, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard still maintain an element of surprise. The Australian genre-morphing outfit has proven to be far more than the jam bands they were once compared to, compiling a colorful catalog that never ceases to sonically shift […]

Here we are on a jaw-droppingly beautiful Friday morning, and for every blinding, joyous ray of sun that is shining through your window, there is a piece of new music to accompany it. The wheels keep on turning on the old Caustic Express as we make a beeline for summer with a slew of new […]

The story of California punk rockers Agent Orange isn’t too far off from those of their contemporaries, but the music is a far cry. The band, founded by guitarist/vocalist Mike Palm, bassist Steve Soto, and drummer Scott Miller, unabashedly implemented the influence of their sun-drenched hometown into hardcore’s blazing tempos and throat-scratching vocals. While the […]

A new era of Hip-hop is starting to rise from the ashes of the blog era. With Hip-hop’s current stars selling out football stadiums and landing number one hits, a new crop of young lane-pavers is emerging from around the world. These new artists are a far cry from their predecessors; a new level of […]

The best part of a short workweek, besides having an extra day to unwind, is that the days seem to fly by. Just as you were dreading returning to work on Tuesday, you realize that you’re now one day closer to New Music Friday, and we have a gangbusters list of new releases for the […]

Putting together a respectable cover song is tough, and listening to a bad cover is even tougher. The idea of a song being butchered for the sake of a YouTube video or a dimly lit acoustic open mic is enough to break a music fan’s heart, leaving pieces of love and unauthorized use in its […]

Aesop Rock is the type of artist who has held a veteran presence in Hip-hop since his debut record. Over the past few decades, the emcee/producer has crafted a discography that plays like a series of novels, each one capturing a chapter in Rock’s life as he navigates success and modern trappings. His consistently conceptual […]

The prolific and consistently evolving Ty Segall is emerging from a period of experimentation. Not that the artist hasn’t built his career on shifting sonic landscapes, but 2024 proved to be a particularly daring year for the young psych-rock veteran. After releasing the distorted psychedelia of Three Bells, Segall dove headfirst into percussion-driven spiritual jazz […]

Summer signifies many things for many different people. For families, the excitement of long weekends spent lounging on the beach is sparked. For students, the freedom of no school opens up a world of possibilities, and ice cream shops prepare for their busiest season. The blaring sun and warm breezes stir up a rainbow of […]

It is time for the first extended weekend of Summer, and the relaxed energy is palpable as soon as you step outside. As the treacherous storms that rolled through the States slowly dissolve into the past, we here at the Caustic team look to the future, and it is looking bright. As we enter the […]