Month: August 2022

Review: PONY – “Peach”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from indie pop rocker PONY is a blast of fuzzy guitars and vibrant vocals, called “Peach.” Singer/guitarist, Sam, mentioned this about “Peach,” “”I think Peach is probably the most vulnerable song I have ever written. After all, what’s more vulnerable than a Peach? Some years ago I found myself in a relationship with someone who initially treated me like I was so special. But little by little the love seemed more and more conditional. With every bit they tried to control what I wore, who I talked to, and what I did – I lost a part of myself. It took me years to realize I was completely gone and I mistook abuse and manipulation for love. ‘Peach’ is about realizing that someone who wants to have control over you is not someone who loves you.” Out of this vulnerability comes a great self-empowering anthem of overcoming the lowest of lows. With a sound that drifts somewhere between Bully, paired with the pop sensibilities of Olivia Rodrigo and Phoebe Bridgers, PONY is well on their way to becoming your next great musical discovery.

The song starts off with some soft vocals from Sam before breaking away into some grunge-pop power chords that speak to the conflict brought forth in the lyrics. At the surface, it feels like a nice, summery pop anthem that would be perfect for those long summer drives. The reality is PONY have created such rich conflict in the lyrics about losing a part of oneself along the way to discovering what makes us tick, that it’s really hard to distance yourself from these personal issues the artist is experiencing. Overall, PONY have created a worthy single that continues to keep the interest high in this incredibly talented artist.

Mark Hoppus Talks with People.com

Mark Hoppus
Jason Tate

Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 sat down with People.com:

”Today I’m doing good. The recovery is taking a lot longer than I had hoped, but I am in a much better place,” says Hoppus. “I feel like I have a second shot at life.”

Adds Skye, also 50: “He’s a rock. He rose above and got through it…The last couple years threw a lot of wrenches in our system, but we’re on the other side of it even stronger.”

Since doctors gave him the all-clear, Hoppus has been getting back to work. He’s writing a book, launched the record company Verswire and is hosting his radio show on Apple Music.

A Farewell to mewithoutYou

mewithoutYou
Garrett Lemons

About eight years ago, I was sitting at a picnic table looking out at the lake near my house. I was listening to Catch For Us the Foxes, not a record for a sunny day, feeling the wood grain under my fingertips, in search of a little hope. It had rained so vehemently the night before that the level of the lake was up over ten feet. The sun shone so bright and the earth was so freshly washed that the greens of the trees and the blues of the water were the most vibrant I’d ever seen at this park. The water flowing through the dam was roaring loud enough to be heard over my music. The temperature was perfect in only the way a day after rain breaks the weather pattern can be.

“Tie me up! Untie me! All this wishing I was dead is getting old. It’s getting old! It goes on, but it’s old.”

I’ve written about my experiences with depression before and the albums that have helped along the way. But I’ve never written about mewithoutYou, or Aaron Weiss in particular, and how important they’ve been in that same journey. They were never a band I could easily talk about or explain; for me, they always had to be experienced to be understood. In large part, I think I’m having trouble finding the words because, quite frankly, I’m not saying goodbye. I’ll be listening to these records for the rest of my life. So I guess I’m saying thank you.

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Love Hounds – “The Furious Noise” (Song Premiere)

Lovehounds
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from punk rock band, Love Hounds, called “The Furious Noise.” The band consists of David Keith on drums, Eric Ralls on lead guitar, Josh Emmons on bass, and CB Brooks on lead vocals for a sound that sways somewhere between the hard-nosed rock of The Toadies paired with the punk rock spirit of Dead Kennedys. On this track, the band shared, “The original working title of this song was actually ‘Bolshevik Boogie.’ If you look at history, you can see there are patterns that repeat themselves, especially when it comes to the tensions between the working and ruling classes. It generally does not end well for the ruling class. I don’t see why this time should be any different.” If you’ve been looking for that next great punk track that checks all of the boxes, look no further than “The Furious Noise” by Love Hounds.

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Tom DeLonge Announces New Adult Comedy

Tom Delonge
Jason Tate

Variety:

Described as a parody of mobster dramas, combining elements of Yogi Bear with “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bear” follows the escapades of three bear siblings who decide they have to start selling drugs in order to raise money and save their home after gas companies start fracking next to their cave. The bears soon enlist other forest animals in a scheme that will pit them against oil companies, the Russian mafia, local Hell’s Angels and polar bears who hate anything that isn’t white.