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Review: The Lumineers – Automatic

The Lumineers
Adam Grundy

Few bands are as steadily consistent as The Lumineers. The band has returned on the cusp of their successful fourth studio album, 2022’s Brightside, with the fresh sound found on Automatic. The record ends up being some of their strongest work since their sophomore effort (Cleopatra) and hones in on the live elements of their sound that came through so nicely on their recently released live album, Live From Wrigley Field. The Lumineers know what they’re good at, and they accentuate those parts of their music into another strong showing here. Led by the core members of Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano) and Wesley Schultz (vocals, guitar), Automatic cuts to the heart of what it means to be a passionate band that makes meaningful songs for the masses. The Lumineers will be gearing up for supporting Automatic on a large-scale stadium tour this Summer to showcase what makes their band such a marquee act.

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Review: TopHouse – Practice

Adam Grundy

Coming hot of the heels of their last EP, Theory, that was released last May, Practice rounds out the approach that TopHouse were going for in their vision for their music. While Theory was filled a sense of optimism, Practice is a bit more grounded in the places around us and it contemplates our very existence in this crazy world. “We didn’t start out writing these songs with a two-part set of EPs in mind,” says lead vocalist Joe Larson. “But when they were written and we were looking at how to arrange them on an album, the clear delineation of themes became pretty apparent. The idealistic, hopeful worldview that we can all strive for in Theory, up against the hard reality that life doesn’t always work out the way we want in Practice.” With a indie folk sound that fits somewhere in the realm of early-Mumford & Sons, paired with the picturesque singer-songwriter vibes of Noah Kahan, all with polished musicianship like The Lumineers, TopHouse remain on top of their game here.

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Interview: Jesse Davis of TopHouse

TopHouse
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with guitarist/backing vocalist Jesse Davis of folk rock band, TopHouse, to discuss the band’s new EP that released on February 14th, called Practice. This EP comes hot on the heels of the band’s last EP, Theory, and showcases the band’s continued improvements in their songwriting. In addition to songwriter Jesse Davis, TopHouse is comprised of violinist William Cook, Joseph Larson (lead singer and guitar/banjo player,) and Andy LaFave (piano). I asked Jesse about the band’s upcoming headlining tour, what went into the writing/recording process of the tracks found on Practice, and much more. Practice is up on all streaming services here.

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The Ataris Recording “Summer of 69” Cover

The Ataris
Jason Tate

The Ataris are covering “Summer of 69” on their new album. Kris Roe writes:

”It’s funny how to this very day so many people still shout… Play “Summer of 69!” To which I always reply… “Uhh, that’s not the one we covered?!” Ha Well maybe aside from one drunken night at our late friend Rob’s bar in Talahasee, some person shouted for it and in a very “Replacements” fashion we drunkenly attempted it on the spot having never played a lick of that song before in our lives. Well as of today I can say that, that is no longer. This album has a ton of great new songs I wrote and one timeless rock and roll classic by the great Bryan Adams

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A Better Simple Streaming Music Sharing Page

Jason Tate

When I debuted the “share music page” in 2019, it was really just something I wanted for myself. I wanted a better way to be able to share music in my newsletter so that people could easily find the albums on their preferred streaming platform. But over the past few years I’ve heard from so many people that have used the page to share music with their friends and family as well. I see thousands of songs and albums in the database. To see a small personal project grow to be used by others is the biggest compliment.

As I wrote about last week, I’ve been working on improving my personal blog as a way to keep myself busy and away from doomscrolling. It’s been a fun nightly project to add some new features and start posting more photo and micro blogs when inspiration strikes. The first time I posted an update about something I was listening to I just knew I needed to find a way to combine my sharing project and my blog.

So I did.

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Review: Amber Pacific – All In

Amber Pacific - All In
Adam Grundy

Coming back to a place after a long time away can bring back a flood of memories when you finally arrive back to that same location. The same feeling can be adapted to when bands we love return after a lengthy hiatus and take us right back to that time when we felt like the music they were creating made us feel better about the world around us. Amber Pacific have returned with their first full-length record in eleven years, with All In. Guitarist/vocalist Will Nutter shared about the feeling of the new record by describing that, “It will captivate you as soon as you hit play and will keep you engaged as it takes you through each phase of the song, bringing unique sounds and intricate parts from start to finish. A throwback that’s made for the AP faithful but one that also aims to attract new fans to the world of Amber Pacific as we approach the release of our fifth full length album.” By making an album that feels simultaneously like a burst of nostalgia, paired with a sense of urgency to reclaim their spot in the crowded pop-punk scene, Amber Pacific put their most authentic selves forward on All In.

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Review: Zaq Baker – “Bri”

Zaq Baker - "Bri"
Adam Grundy

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Zaq Baker has returned with a nice ballad about falling head over heels in love, called “Bri.” The song is filled with some sweeping instrumentation, swooning synths, and cool atmospheric elements added into the mix to ensure it tugs on the right heartstrings. As Baker opens with, “I think I understand those love songs / At least the sensations they describe / I never thought I was above it all” you can tell that he is connecting deeply with the person that makes him feel most complete.

The track was produced by Hunter Sinclair Hawthorne and was mixed by Alec Ness. The latest single is perfect for fans of bands like Hellogoodbye, Owl City and MUNA, as Baker finds just the right vibe that sounds familiar, yet utterly unique to him.

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