When Civil Rats reached out to me about their new tape label, Dummest Records, I knew that anything they put out would likely be up my alley. Their last release, in fact, was Log Flume's Splash Hit!, one of my favorite albums of 2024. Next up from Dummest Records is the latest album from Philadelphia's Total Whine. Now Total Whine is a hard band to research online. No matter how many times I tell Google that yes, I meant Total Whine, not Total Wine, I still get stuff about wine. Luckily the music speaks for itself. Miss Mess, Ian Rubbish, and Eskimo play straight-up punk rock that's raw, catchy, and super fun. They put out their first demo back in 2018 and have amassed an impressive array of releases over the ensuing years. There is a shared spirit with Civil Rats in the respect that both bands' songs are chock full of attitude, humor, and relatable real-life observations.
There's something about Total Whine that reminds me of the thrill of discovering punk rock back in the '90s — especially from DIY demo tapes. Total Whine is obviously not a demo, but it has that feel of a band recording itself in the rawest, most stripped-down way as possible. I feel like if you saw Total Whine live, it would sound very much like this album. Miss Mess has tremendous charisma and spirit on lead vocals, and all these songs will have you tapping your toes and shouting along. Songs like "1234," "Corpo (Are You Talking to Me?)," and "My Room" (which is my new personal anthem) will get your heart racing if bratty yet tuneful punk is your thing. There are also tracks like "Taking It Home" and "Anywhere" that show a softer, more garage pop side of the band. All in all, this is a fantastic set of tunes. It's my first favorite punk rock album of 2025. Keep an eye on the Dummest Records Bandcamp page for information about a cassette release!
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