Lifeguard - Ripped and Torn (2025)
Lifeguard’s debut album Ripped and Torn bursts forth with youthful intensity and meticulously woven hooks, channeling the spirit of Chicago’s DIY art‑punk scene. Across its concise 30‑minute runtime, the trio—fronted by 20‑year‑old Kai Slater—harness frenetic post‑punk energy, dub‑inspired basslines, and atonal guitar shards balanced by pop sensibility, crafting tracks like “It Will Get Worse,” “France And,” and “Under Your Reach” that shift between tight groove and chaotic release. The band’s deep reverence for zine culture, punk history and diverse influences—from Wire, Gang of Four, This Heat, to dub and Krautrock—infuses the album not with cliché nostalgia but with razor‑sharp originality. Produced by Randy Randall of No Age, the record finds a raw yet cohesive sonic identity, with sonic shards deleted from noise but stitched together into propulsive, anthem‑like indie‑rock moments. Ripped and Torn is a thrilling, essential debut that stakes Lifeguard’s claim as passionate torch‑bearers of modern post‑punk.
Pitchfork – https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/lifeguard-ripped-and-torn/ mtreblezine.com
Post‑Trash – https://post-trash.com/news/2025/6/5/lifeguard-ripped-and-torn-album-review
Treble – https://www.treblezine.com/lifeguard-ripped-and-torn-review/
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripped_and_Torn
Genre: Post Punk
Country: US
Final Verdict: 58% (Forgettable Album)
Yearly Ranking: 390th / 436
Highlight: It Will Get Worse
Made me think of:
Bad Bad Not Good
Parquet Courts
Mission of Burma
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