The Witzard

Jenna Pup is the frontperson and found of The HIRS Collective (somtimes, known simply as HIRS or +HIRS+) who describe themselves on Facebook as "a collective of freaks, faggots, friends, lovers, and favorites that will never stop existing. [infinite]." HIRS' Discogs page further ellaborates, "The HIRS Collective exist to fight for, defend, and celebrate the survival of trans, queer, P.O.C., black, women, and any and all other folks who have to constantly face violence, marginalization, and oppression. We are a collective of freaks, faggots, friends, lovers, and favorites that will never stop existing. infinite and never ending. No one is going to kill us; we are going to live forever." HIRS' last proper album, Friends. Lovers. Favorites, was released on Get Better Records in 2018 and featured guest appearances from the likes of Shirley Manson (Garbage,) Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers,) Martin Crudo (Limp Wrist,...

CREDIT: Scott Troyan's "Baseball Cards" DARK THOUGHTS are a true D.I.Y. snotty, Ramones -style Punk/Hardcore band hailing from Philly. We recently wrote about their latest 2-track 7-inch single, "DO YOU DREAM?" B/W "IT'S TOO LATE" issued by Peterwalkee Records within our new column, Punk/Hardcore On Wax . Now, DARK THOUGHTS have returned with their third—seemingly self-released—full-length album, MUST BE NICE currently available digitally exclusively on Bandcamp. MUST BE NICE is DARK THOUGHTS' third full-length released in four years and features their core line-up of Jim "Jam" Shomo, Amy "Opssnick" Opsasnick & Daniel "Danny" Cox . Collectively, DARK THOUGHTS' members are, also, part of Bad Side , Loose Nukes, Machine Gun , The Holidays, F*ck SS , Aseptic, No Qualms , and Pollen. MUST BE NICE was recorded, mix, mastered, and produced by DARK THOUGHTS & Kyle Gilbride (Bad Banana, Swearin'...

Since we last featured Philly-based D.I.Y. Pop-Punks DARK THOUGHTS , they've self-released a self-titled 2016 album and its 2018 follow-up, DARK THOUGHTS AT WORK . Now, it appears as though Daniel Cox, Amy Opsasnick & Jim Shomo have joined forces with Peterwalkee Records , Stupid Bag Records , and Drunken Sailor Records for the roll-out and eventual release of their third full-length album, MUST BE NICE . Ahead of MUST BE NICE , which will tentatively drop January 2020, DARK THOUGHTS have let loose their new single from the album, "DO YOU DREAM?" on both pink and black 7-inch, as well as digitally on Bandcamp. Side B of said 7-inch/digital single features a non-album track entitled "IT'S TOO LATE." It first became available on Halloween on 100 pink and 400 black vinyl 7-inches, but it appears as though, now, the pink vinyl has completely sold out. However, Peterwalkee Records still have a mass (yet limited) number of black 7-inches available to pu...

DARK THOUGHTS HALLOWEEN TAPE by DARK THOUGHTS It really makes complete and total sense for a band entitled "Dark Thoughts" to make a spook-tacular Halloween -themed mixtape just in time for All Hallows' Eve . I'm actually, a bit surprised they haven't done it sooner; considering Dark Thoughts are a self-described Pop-Punk -minded band "dressing up" as their beloved The Ramones nearly each and every day. Dark Thoughts have already opened up for fellow Philly Punks Blank Spell , Pissed Jeans, and SHEER MAG and are currently working on the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed self-titled 2016 debut. HALLOWEEN TAPE showcases four rough demos currently slated to appear within Album #2: "NO GOOD," "DON'T WANNA," "HATE THIS SONG," and "LITTLE THING," all of which collectively clock in right around the 5-minutes mark. Then, the remaining nine or so minutes housed on Dark Thoughts' HALLOWEEN TAPE con...