Lion Sized

In five short, slashing songs, Lion Sized has created a classic punk-rock release for people who hate punk rock — or hate what it’s become, anyway. It’s tempting to call it post-punk as a nod to its intelligence, but that’s just because we’ve (mostly) forgotten how fucking smart punk can actually be. This is the real deal — raw, emotional and visceral without ever dumbing itself down. Just try to deny either the greatness or intelligence of “Carmel” or “Hey Proletariat!” or, hell, any of it. It’s a throwback to a simpler time, when punk was seen as the last great hope for rock and roll. If that promise had come true, bands like Lion Sized would be the norm. Since it didn’t, cherish these guys all the more.