Black Ends are a Seattle punk trio of vocalist-guitarist Nicolle Swims, bassist Ben Swanson, and drummer Billie Jessica Paine. In order to describe their idiosyncratic combination of scruffy bubblegum hooks, raw guitar wizardry, and unapologetic indie-rock weirdness, they coined the term “gunk pop,” which inclines plenty of folks (whether the band like it or not) to see them as heirs to the city’s famous indie-rock legacy, from the grunge days onward. Whatever they call themselves, though, Black Ends have carved out their own space in Seattle. In a 2024 profile for regional music site Wash Magazine, Rob Moura wrote, “The band manages, somehow, to bridge the gap between the oldheads who secretly pine for the city’s days of yore and the youths who—apart from the typical surface sentiment and simulacra—reject those days out of hand. They want something to call their own.” For an artist on the rise, that’s a pretty great place to be.
After releasing two EPs, a live album, some demos, and several singles, Black Ends dropped their debut full-length in October. Psychotic Stew (Youth Riot) showcases the band’s effervescent energy and bright-eyed, only slightly jaded vision by throwing all sorts of sounds at the wall and not even waiting to see what sticks: alt-rock, punk, proggy psych, noise pop, and more. They open the record with the one-two punch of alt-pop banger “She Speaks of Love” and gloriously discordant slacker-rock anthem “Bent.” Black Ends skew moodier on “Pour Me” and “Pretend 2 Be (Protect Me),” with Swims’s controlled, luscious vocals slinking around guitar frizz and fuzz. “Red Worry” feels made for mosh pits, with Paine returning to her first instrument to deliver a blistering guitar solo—and it also features a guest appearance from cellist Lori Goldston, a former member of Earth who’s probably best known for joining Nirvana on their famous MTV Unplugged set. Goldston appears on two other tracks, “Suppin’ on Strange” and “Bye-Bye!,” a psychedelic adventure that defies its title—it feels less like a farewell and more like a teaser for Black Ends’ next chapter.
Black Ends Bum Rush and Daundry open. Mon 4/14, 8 PM, Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, $15, 18+
