Portland, Oregon’s Swiss Army Wife deliver particular take on emo that’s heavy on the math riffs, extremely gruff vocally, and fun as hell–might seem quaint in 2022/3, a time when most bands are finding ways to distance themselves as much as possible from the hallmarks of the genre. But the band’s debut full-length, Medium Gnarly, is refreshing in its back to basics approach, charming in a way that recalls the scrappy early work of now-iconic groups like You Blew It! or Free Throw. Their single Halloween is a perfect encapsulation of Swiss Army Wife‘s ethos, a two-minute rager at a breakneck pace stuffed with noodly riffs and hyper-specific, half-sarcastic lyricism. The record’s heavier moments, like closer Aight, I’mma Head Out and the first half of No More Drugs,...