Personality Cult, UV-TV, De()t, Cochonne, Stevie

After fronting Last Year’s Men and Natural Causes, Personality Cult leader Ben Carr has a reputation for infusing wild-eyed garage rock and punk with unshakeable power-pop hooks. Now a full band supergroup of the area scene, new LP New Arrows finds Carr and company blasting through seemingly simple romps riddled with infectious refrains, concealing sudden shifts and other unexpected treats. The slate of likeminded openers includes UV-TV’s noise pop, De()t’s sneering sprints, Cochonne’s femme post-punk, and Stevie’s bittersweet jangles. —Spencer Griffith