Mrworms i took a 3-day writing class with lynda barry a long time ago and we'd sing "jimmy carter says yes" at the beginning of each class. it really stuck with me!

    Still checkin the MRR online reviews section and radio... but also reading:

    Keen to hear what else is out there too, really lost touch post-2020 and am pretty fed up by what Instagram has done to music networks and DIY communities at large, not that it's anything new, but the way that algorithm and posting habits favours media savvy image-focused bands who can be sold in ten words or less has really fucked with things imo!

    Fanzine hemmorrage is really cool, but hyper specific. MRR writing is not all great and has the usual trappings but Erika Elizabeth's reviews are always well written and great for discovering new bands and occasional obscurities from the past. I like Heathen Disco, it's sassy. YGR too. I rarely visit it, but Terminal Escape is still going strong and less about writing than just a strange archive of deep cuts/mp3s/diy tapes you likely won't encounter elsewhere and unshackled by timing/prescience.

      Also, No Idols, Tony Rettman's sporadic newsletter is worth a subscription. Lotsa hardcore, but occasional forays into unpredictable tentacles of obscure and underground stuff past and present.

      11th hour stubble what I’ll say about MRR is that, regardless of the quality of the reviews, it’s a pretty great resource for learning about a wide variety of punk releases, not just hyped ones. And folks aren’t afraid to write a negative review (even if they do it poorly or don’t have great taste), which I think is an important aspect of music criticism that appears in jeopardy of being slowly replaced with influencer-styled signal boosting. But, yeah, I second the recommendation to read Erika’s reviews—probably my favorite writer in punk!

      (Full disclosure I write for MRR and also sometimes wish the quality of our reviews was better, including my own. Still, I love what it is, even as messy as it is. Also, I’m going to try to work to bring non-review content back this year, so stay tuned!)

          it's true. All the writers seem to have strong points as well.

          sixbigboys Hey what up fellow MRR writer! Interested to see what you come up with for other content outside of reviews!

            I like Rosy Overdrive, good variety
            I always open some tabs when I visit MRR, which is a good sign, plus they did a nice review of my tape lol

            sixbigboys The quality and variety of the MRR reviewer roster is better than it has been since the late 90s (especially with it being decentralized). The reviews are longer and more thoughtful now.

                sixbigboys in recent years I've been going through MRR reviews to find new music. Even if the review is negative, I will check it out, if the comparisons jive with my taste. The Faster and Louder blog is another place a check out.

                    Allan the length thing bugs me a bit. Like, I wish I could just throw out a perfect three-sentence review and be done with it! Instead, I’ve gotta be all writererly! But, yeah, I think overall we benefit from not having to save page space. And I do appreciate the variety. I think my favorites these days are the youngsters that just earnestly describe the sound of the music. It’s such a nice break from reviews that verge on being obsessive about describing the very specific context that created the record (e.g., all of mine).

                      Red Menace this is good to hear. I would do the exact same thing. But that doesn’t normally stop me from worrying about folks not giving a record a fair shake just because I didn’t like it. Especially knowing that it’s way harder to make even the worst punk record than it is to have a clever opinion about it. Still, if I don’t have negative opinions, people don’t have anything to gauge my positive ones against.

                          sixbigboys i really enjoy the MRR reviews section! thanks to you and all those who dig thru the mines of this kinda stuff and acknowledge its existence... there's really not much around that makes the effort to acknowledge and discuss the kinda shit we're all interested in. definitely was guilty of being off MRR at the end of its print editions, but feel very embarrassed by that now, as i'd fucken KILL for a return of any central international DIY publication to show up at the local record store. i still think that this is possible in some shape or form, but like everything in this realm, who's gonna put their hand up and take on the labour and bullshit involved?

                              BARELY HUMAN I am afraid that the format of printed word itself has given way to internet. It sucks, but it's true. Sure a limited run printed zine, even though still a ton of work, is easier to distribute then something as massive as MRR, Flipside or Razorcake... I have a box or two of the rags from my youth. These days I generally welcome any platform that reviews new music which may be of interest to me. I don't have to agree with every review, I'm just curious what's out there.