It's a tight record with no filler, a true '90s throwback in how it eschews "vibes" or "aura" in favor of pure, unfiltered hooks, meant for radio.by Eli Schoop October 14, 2024
My Feature Pick for this week.by Jason October 11, 2024
...if Black Ends have greater ambitions than playing every DIY warehouse in America, well, they should.by Mariana Timony October 11, 2024
...it's just good organic songwriting pieced together from a century's worth of musical detritus: forgotten pain and pleasure gumming up the sewer pipes.by Rob Moura October 4, 2024
The Seattle band's debut album Psychotic Spew is set to arrive October 11 via Youth Riot Records.by Mike LeSuer September 27, 2024
...Black Ends still have a lot to show the rest of the world.by Martin Douglas September 6, 2024
Gnarled and full of hooky pop dissonance, the band tangle together Swims' triumphantly engaging vocals with an unpredictable rhythm and a sonic framework that sputters with disarming intention.by Dan Goldin August 9, 2024
Do yourself a favor and catch Black Ends while you can.by Allison Lynch March 31, 2023
Outspoken on and offstage, Swims writes off-kilter earworms about navigating mental health, queer relationships, racism, and more.by Sophie Prettyman-Beauchamp March 23, 2023
Their songs are sludgy and magical.by Jacob Uitti December 27, 2022
...the beloved Seattle band who describe their sound as "gunk-pop"...by Vincent Pierce May 20, 2022
"I feel like there should be more Black bands getting booked in general," she says. "I feel like there shouldn’t be all-white boy bands anymore, like the shows that are all white boy bands. That’s just over."by Alexa Peters August 27, 2021
The band's 30 minutes of distorted "gunk pop" elicited raucous applause after every song. The floor creaked as the crowd hopped, bobbed and danced...by Trevor Lenzmeier July 2, 2021
…it makes me so happy to be living in a world where music like this exists.by Everett True April 23, 2021
Swims' unique talent and ultra-creative style of guitar playing is on fierce display on last year's Stay Evil […] EP that manages to be both super listenable and super weird at the same time.by Mariana Timony February 5, 2021
7. Black Ends, "Stay Evil" EPby Michael Rietmulder December 26, 2020
Black Ends, 'Stay Evil'by Eva Walker December 12, 2020
...Black Ends produces a biting sound not often heard in today's scene.by Brittne Lunniss November 29, 2020
…They also really love listening to the Barney theme song on a loop for hours. Pretty disturbing honestly.by Konstantinos Pappis August 11, 2020
My favorite venue I've played is probably the Sunset [Tavern]—I just fucking love that place, it’s so welcoming.by Grace Madigan August 7, 2020
...it's supposed to be about finally accepting that fate- to release the thanatophobia we all feel at some point and just accepting that life ends and it's okay.by Janice Headley July 31, 2020
Stay Evil by Black Ends [...] On this EP wobbly post-punk elbows in...by Stefan Milne July 28, 2020
…what a band sounds like when it’s good but has something even more.by Wade Phillips July 21, 2020
Swims' vocal flexibility […] rides atop the band's thrusty dynamic gutter sprawl.by Ethan J. Barrons July 15, 2020
...Nicolle Swims, an artist with both a unique viewpoint and the ability to successfully express that uniqueness.by Rob Moura July 14, 2020
Being black in America feels like a death sentence but I refuse to stop fighting.by Martin Douglas June 17, 2020
…front person and principal songwriter, Nicolle Swims, has a voice like imagination incarnate.by Jacob Uitti May 11, 2020
This shit is hard, dude.by Okay Haunting April 15, 2020
If I’m going to use this weird piece of wood to tell my story, I’ll make it my priority to tell it damn well.by Hooligan Mag April 5, 2020
…a list of 50 albums, EPs and mixtapes from artists out of our part of the world that all deserve our attention.by Steven December 30, 2019
…one of Seattle’s best new rock bands, which impressed with a rambunctiously tousled set.by Michael Rietmulder December 18, 2019
Rank 1 – Black Endsby Eva Walker December 7, 2019
…this song feels very desperate / just being so engaged and trapped in the mundaneness of everyday living.by Martin Douglas September 5, 2019
The choices in compositions are incredible.by Matt Ashworth, Sean Jewell August 4, 2019
'Sellout' is one of the best songs to come out of Seattle in 2019.by Dave Segal July 5, 2019
…the recent sold-out Chop Suey show also felt like a coming-out party for this intriguing new band.by Michael Rietmulder May 1, 2019
Black Ends, 'Maybe When'by Dave Segal April 19, 2019
Nicolle Swims brings a fresh and raw sound to Seattle grunge as the front person of Black Ends. Bassist Ben Swanson provides a steady groove for Black Ends's grungy, experimental sound. Drummer Jonny Modes maintains a calm demeanor to contrast Black Ends's often loud and frenetic jams.by Dan's Tunes April 13, 2019
I feel like there’s a beautiful black wave that is hitting rock music and I’m glad to be a part of it.by Artist Home February 28, 2019
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