David M Rangel / July 8, 2026 / Review
Jack Grisham is a historical figure in the world of hardcore punk, known to many as the singer and shaper of 80s band TSOL (True Sounds of Liberty). That band was a groundbreaker at the time, delving in conventional punk while making forays into darker themed death rock, horror-themed punk and other offshoots of punk and hard rock. Along with fellow Los Angeles-based bands like Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, The Germs and others, TSOL helped set the precedent for the rest of the country by establishing one of the most influential underground music movements in history.
Grisham is a renaissance man with both feet firmly established in music, filmmaking and writing, as the author of eight novels, including his philosophically-flavored autobiography, An American Demon: A Memoir.
A chance meeting at The Punk Rock Museum with Berlin-based musician Lars Triesch set off a songwriting collaboration via Zoom, between Berlin, Germany, and Grisham’s Huntington Beach, California homebase. After getting through the initial songwriting stages, having to fight the three second delay on Zoom between Huntington Beach and Germany, Grisham made the journey to Triesch Residence in Klienmachnow, Germany for the majority of the recording, before rounding out the record at Los Angeles’ Kitten Robot Studios.
Much of the subject matter of this record belies the sunny, rich pop sound that lies somewhere between 90s pop punk, Britpop and 60s California dream fodder. The first single, “Pieces of the Sun”, shows the protagonist experiencing some kind of existential crisis, perhaps the sense of mortality one gets with the passing of time. But the driving melodic dose of California happiness is catchy and nerve tingling enough to draw anybody out from out of the dumps, if only for 3 minutes and 25 seconds. The simple yet effective tried and true pop formula is familiar, yet Grisham and Triesch put their own spin of exuberance upon it.
“Pain Goes Around” gives off that certain sense of audio dopamine, making the listener unable to help but feel happy. There are limited songs in history that can truly accomplish this task and the song is par with other works such as The Beach Boys’ Smiley Smile record, another example of top-tier sonic warmth. Pop masterpieces such as this are often made at the hands of Swedish bands and Grisham gives them a true run for their money, often surpassing.
While much of this album contains energetic, pulsating teenage anthems (Including the rocket fueled track that is “Anthem”), the duo also bring a satisfying feeling of contentment, even to the slowed down or sadder tracks. “Angel Funeral” is a slow confessional, accompanied by, yes, you guessed it, an angelic, dreamlike background vocal. The tune gives off a pleasurable mixture of hope within the pain. And “John Says” gives off an interesting 70s feel that recalls the better pop nuggets of decade’s best AM radio songs.
There was a time in the 80s, when a number of punk bands began to incorporate a pop element, before the actual establishing of what would later be called “pop punk”. Husker Du’s 1985 record New Day Rising is a prime example of this and Grisham seems to almost subconsciously pay homage to that sound with “These Things” a track that seems to conjure up the ghost of Grant Hart. The song brings a vague feeling of another time when things were just all-around better. And the slow burn of the organ-infused “Phone Call” seems to be screaming to return to the best of 90s indie and alternative rock.
Jack Grisham and the Life Undone is an infectious grab bag of a record representing different times in punk, alternative and pop music. It’s another solid example of Grisham‘s ability to shine within different styles of music and other pop culture mediums. The recording is a great representation of a man who has lived enough life to make true art out of his experiences and put them into the listener’s ears in the catchiest way possible. It’s likely to be on many reviewer’s lists of the most notable and best records of 2026.
The album is out everywhere this Friday, July 10th on Lost in Berlin Records. Listen to “Pieces of the Sun” here.
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