CMJ: Summer Cannibals, The Big Moon, The Ghost Ease, Vomitface, Garden Of Elks, Dirty Frigs

Summer Cannibals aren't wasting any time. The punk-flecked four-piece from Portland hit the ground at full speed, their 2013 debut album No Makeup catching people completely off-guard in their hometown and beyond. In just a few short months, Summer Cannibals earned deserved props from some of their heroes—including a ringing endorsement from the Thermals—opened for international touring bands like Chvrches, and found themselves at #2 on the coveted "Best New Band" list in Willamette Week. Now they're back with their second full-length, the raw, to-the-point Show Us Your Mind. As before, Summer Cannibals come armed only with the things they need: fuzz pedals, razor-sharp riffs, and songs that get stuck in your head the first time you hear 'em.

The group formed around guitarist/vocalist Jessica Boudreaux and guitarist Marc Swart in 2012, their sound fueled by Boudreaux's songwriting chops and the band's full-volume fervor, which flows most fluidly during Summer Cannibals' head-turning live shows. To capture that live spark, the band recorded Show Us Your Mind at Portland's hallowed Jackpot Studios with Larry Crane (Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, Tape Op) behind the board. The group recorded and mixed to tape, working quickly to capture the momentum, and Show Us Your Mind is both a continuation of the straightforward statement-of-purpose on No Makeup, as well as an effective introduction to the band's ultimately catchy clang. These are pop songs played at air-raid volume, serving as a simple tonic for day-to-day frustrations.

"It's music that has been made for a long time. It's not like we've discovered some brand new thing," Boudreaux says. "But life is short. Why not play music that makes you feel free, and crazy, and like you can do whatever you want?"