Poke A Brain

On Love, Resentment & Mortality, Poke a Brain offer a scrappy, rough-edged take on rock that isn't afraid to spill over into stranger, more restless territories. The production leans lo-fi but suits the material: there’s a palpable live-wire energy that makes the album feel less like a studio project and more like a barely-contained performance. The songwriting is solid across the board, though a few moments manage to claw their way even closer to something great.

The album opens with “No More,” a standout that immediately tips its hat to the warped sensibilities of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. It’s a wiry, off-kilter track carried by a vocal performance that feels both smooth and commanding, with guitar fills that dart and shimmer around the beat like restless insects.

“Love Is Free” finds the band tapping into a more classic rock impulse, but there’s enough punk blood running through its veins to keep it from feeling like a throwback. The drums bounce and surge beneath a spirited vocal performance, and the explosive chorus hits with the kind of force that makes you want to shout along.

“Tender” slows things down without losing any emotional weight. It's a ballad that feels tethered to the past and present at once, evoking the haunted calm of Portishead while delivering something distinctly its own. The album’s heavier side resurfaces on “Unresolved Dreams,” which barrels forward with a swagger that wouldn’t feel out of place on a lost Led Zeppelin B-side. “Did It on My Own” doubles down on the grit, offering thick, muscular guitars and another dynamic vocal take.

Love, Resentment & Mortality is a raw, well-rounded album that finds Poke a Brain playing to their strengths without playing it safe. It's an unpolished gem worth digging into.

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