Mausoleum

On Bay Area band Provoker’s 2023 album *Demon Compass*, the trio consisting of Christian Crow Petty, Jonathon Lopez, and Wil Palacios found the lo-fi underbelly of post-punk’s romantic angst. On their first album since that release, 2025’s *Mausoleum*, they find a clearer presentation of this vision, turning in their most accessible work to date, a full-band effort that recontextualizes the group as a dynamic, evolving entity. “Tears in the Club” is a bass-heavy shuffle that features vocalist Petty lamenting the bad breaks of a relationship. As the drums, courtesy of producer Kenny Beats, bounce along, he sings: “I know it would be nice/If I could let you in/You never take my side/Instead of arguing.” Beneath the twinkling surface is something more dark and sinister, and this play between light and dark animates the entire record. Take “Another Boy,” which begins with an engaging dance-inspired drumbeat and Petty’s best impression of The Cure’s Robert Smith. The fun ends there, though, as Christian admits that he’s “just another boy.”