Necking – Cut Your Teeth (Mint)

Their minimal, shouty post-punk and grunge-tinted rock songs would fall flat if they weren’t performed with discernible gusto or infused with as much simmering rage or relatable sulk. Perhaps one of the reasons their emotions are so believable is that three of the four band members went through breakups while writing the album. That said, the four women that make up Necking—singer Hannah Karren, guitarist Nada Hayek, bassist Sonya R and drummer Melissa Kuipers—aren’t just howling about the usual suspects. They do so when necessary, but first and foremost, they embark on a quest to become functioning people or whatever they think qualifies as such. Leaving those who have wronged you in the dust is one thing, but cruising to self-improvement on your own is an entirely separate and equally important path.(Paste Magazine)