As it turns out, Freegal is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to unearthing interesting new songs—punk or otherwise. The previous list of punk rock hidden gems was only the tip of the iceberg, though, so we’ve compiled 8 more artists that are sure to get you pumping your fists.
For more great music, make sure to check out the offerings of your local branch and Freegal.
Ladies, Women, and Girls by Bratmobile
When it comes to first wave riot grrl bands of the early ‘90s, Bikini Kill tends to get most of the credit. Which makes sense—they’re amazing. And Kathleen Hannah continues to be amazing to this day. However, there were other bands within that scene that brought their own brand of feminist, anti-establishment rage. With Bratmobile, you can hear the garage rock influences, you can hear the surf rock and the pop, but above all, you have fast, in-your-face punk rock. And we could all use a little more of that.
No Touch Red by Bodyjar
So, what were you doing in 2001? Why, you were playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 of course, and a little song called “Not the Same” by Bodyjar was your favorite track on the soundtrack. Well, maybe that was just me. Regardless, Bodyjar is one of the great underrated pop punk/skate punk bands of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s and they deserve your attention even when you aren’t popping ollies on your TV screen. If you like No Touch Red, make sure to check out the equally stellar (if not superior) How It Works.
Official Live Bootleg by Any Trouble
While never as popular as contemporaries like Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, or The Jam, Any Trouble has crafted quite a few brilliantly bouncy, mod-punk tracks. Formed in Crewe, England in 1975, Any Trouble’s early influences included Bob Dylan and The Band, but the rise of punk and new wave pushed their sound into a totally different direction. If you miss the days of skinny ties and catchy power chord riffs, then Any Trouble might be the band you’ve been waiting for.
Billy by Samiam
Unfortunately, Samiam (pronounced “Sam I Am”) tends to get lost in the shuffle when discussing the emo renaissance of the early 1990s. While they likely didn’t influence as many people as Jawbreaker or Sunny Day Real Estate, Samiam managed to create an impressive body of work that bridges the gap between the so-called “emotive hardcore” of the late ‘80s and the melodic pop punk and emo at the turn of the century. They would go on to have a rather respectable resume, having toured with Blink-182, Green Day, and No Doubt, and even scoring a minor hit with the song, “Capsized.”
Li’l Debbie by Lunachicks
Forming a few years before fellow riot grrl bands Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, Lunachicks would have a pretty stellar career. Formed in 1987 while the members were still in high school, they would gain more visibility a couple years later when Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth heard them perform and sent a demo tape to the record label, Blast First. If you like this single, check out the album, Binge & Purge.
Family Portrait by Joana Gruesome
Joanna Gruesome (a play on “Joanna Newsom,”, an American singer-songwriter) somehow missed the boat on early ‘90s riot grrl and early ‘00s pop punk, but that doesn’t take away from their songs that perfectly reconcile catchy melodies and noisey guitars. Hailing from Cardiff, Wales (the same city that gave us the equally underrated Future of the Left), Joanna Gruesome fits somewhere between Paramore and Bikini Kill on the Female-Fronted-Punk-Band Continuum (that’s a thing that exists, right?), and it turns out that’s a really great place to be. If you like this album, make sure to check out their debut record, the brilliant Weird Sister—especially the song “Sugarcrush.” If you like that, dig even deeper with “The Captured Crusader” off the split EP, Astonishing Adventures!
Live at Winterland 1978 by The Avengers
Not to be confused with the superhero team of the same name, The Avengers were one of the great underrated bands of the punk explosion in the late 1970s. Fronted by the electrifying Penelope Houston, The Avengers brought the kind of political rage and call to action you’d expect from a punk band of that era, particularly in their songs that satirized cult leaders. If the emo, power pop, and riot grrl on this list aren’t doing it for you, check out the straight-ahead, fist-pumping music of The Avengers—after all, they opened for The Sex Pistols and Steve Jones produced their final EP.
One Day When We Are Young by Mineral
In the grand discussion of ‘90s emo (not to mention ‘90s punk and emo in general), Mineral, much like Samiam, should really garner the same respect as Sunny Day Real Estate—well, at least close to it. Chris Simpson bellows cryptic messages over guitars that range from delicate to aggressive, without shying away from big, dramatic hooks. While this single is one of their newer efforts, be sure to try out their debut album, The Power of Failing–”Gloria” and “Parking Lot” should be on every self-respecting emo playlist. If you want to go down the Mineral rabbit hole, Simpson would also go on to form the similarly-underrated band, The Gloria Record, that’s also worth a listen.