Band photo by Greg Norton
I was definitely super excited when I got the chance to preview this album, especially as the bands that the musicians here have been associated with (Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum and Social Distortion among others) are integral parts of the sprawling soundtrack of my life. Outside of their work with those groups I have also followed and been a fan of their other projects and seeing them all together on this Ultrabomb release is basically epic in my opinion.
The lead-off track here (“Darwin Awards”) is a real powerhouse that comes in on blazing guitars and is soon joined by an energetic vocal. This one runs on full power all the way through to the end. The next song “Divert / Deflect” picks up on a nice, heavy drum line, something you can feel coming right through your speakers. A punchy guitar riff carries along with it from there and combines with a chanting vocal to give a protest anthem vibe. “Artificial Stars” is next (prior posted review here) and then you dive into an amazing wave of bass on “Zombie Zeroes.” That texture lays a great foundation for a spirited, run-around the stage kind of musical composition…I bet it plays great at a live show.
My favorite is up next (“No Cap”) and I have to say I had a whole flashback experience every time I played it. There are distinct parts to the song’s arrangement and for me they were a kind of perfect kaleidoscope of the sounds and energy of the 1980’s punk / alternative scene, especially in the Twin Cities area. I will just leave it at…this one is awesome.
The number six track on this album is “Sicko Rants” and it is a pop-punk rocker all the way through; from melodic guitar lines to jumpy drums and a sassy vocal performance. Following along after is “Checked Out” which starts on an urgent, demanding rhythm sound interlaced around a cascading guitar riff. While that driving force remains in place throughout the song, there is a nice counterpoint provided by a more mellow vocal track on the verses. There is also an excellent, multi-part bridge that runs from 1:45 – 2:33. “Looking Forward In Anger” (very cool bass in this one also) is followed by “BSS” which has a heavy groove and a conversational-style vocal until the chorus. At that point it switches into a brief but wild breakdown with all instruments at max power. This one is indeed about BS and it is not happy about it at all.
The final two selections are “Last Time” (a swinging punk tune and standby for the cool guitar solo at the 2:00 mark) and “Mosquito Crucifixion.” This last song comes out of the gate fast and loud with a tight, well-played instrument combo. It is nothing less than a triumphant sound explosion to cap off a very strong set of eleven tracks.
Overall The Bridges That We Burn is an excellent album from these accomplished musicians. They have an innate sense of how to craft powerful, interesting music that stays mostly in the punk lane but has some extra depth and a few nice side-steps along the way. Picking up a copy of this one is highly recommended! It is out May 1st via DC-Jam Records / Virgin Music Group.
Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list:
Musicians on this are: Greg Norton (bass, backing vocals), Derek O’Brien (drums, backing vocals) and Ryan Smith (lead vocals, guitar)
You can check out the “No Cap” video here:
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Prior review links
Just a few ideas if you have the time: purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂
jack mesenbourg 