Essentially a solo vehicle for singer/songwriter/guitarist Ben Barnett, the Seattle-based Blunt Mechanic formed around 2008. Barnett had previously helmed the similarly inclined Kind of Like Spitting from 1996 to 2006, when the band broke up. Featuring Barnett's knack for noisy indie rock, '70s-influenced power pop, and punk, Blunt Mechanic released its debut album, World Record, on Barsuk Records in 2010. ~ Matt Collar