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Month: October 2023

Mara Bloom – “They Who Invite” (Track-by-Track)

Mara Bloom
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to share with everyone the news that Hawaii post-hardcore band, Mara Bloom, have returned with their debut LP called They Who Invite. Along with a deeply evolved conceptual storytelling style, the new record also transcends the sonic bounds of the genre. Increasingly progressive elements are introduced with unusual song structures and winding referential lyrics. Influences of Japanese city pop and progressive metal riffs are abundant and tangible, creating an attention grabbing brand of modern hardcore. And while frenetic, the young quintet have crafted an astute songwriting, that glazes the top of a gripping rookie collection. The band breaks down the full album in an exclusive track-by-track below.

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Discogs’ Vibrant Vinyl Community Is Shattering

The Verge
Jason Tate

Natalie Weiner, writing at The Verge:

Discogs attributed the need to raise fees to its “significant investments in recent years to ensure compliance with various regulatory programs, including tax support and privacy protection.” The company said the change would allow it to “continue to devote resources to maintaining the Discogs Marketplace and develop better tools for collecting, selling, and enjoying music.” 

Many sellers who spoke with The Verge speculated, in line with the viral thread, that the company was trying to pump up its valuation for a potential sale. All of them, though, had the sense that Discogs was trying to increase its profit margins without necessarily offering any improvements to its product in retur

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Review: Coheed and Cambria – In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3

Adam Grundy

How exactly does a prog-emo band like Coheed and Cambria satisfy their rabid fan-base that was steadily growing by the day after the release of their debut, 2002’s The Second Stage Turbine Blade? The answer would be found by going even bigger and more grandiose. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 was released 20 years ago via Equal Vision Records, and the expectations that fans, critics, and quote-unquote “gatekeepers of the scene” would all be blown into oblivion on Coheed’s sophomore LP. While Coheed and Cambria may have never fit the mold of the Warped Tour band-label back in the early 00’s, the scene was rapidly changing at just the right moment in time for this ultra-talented group. At the creative surface, this album was continuation of The Armory Wars trilogy, that came from the brilliant mind of front-man/guitarist/lyricist Claudio Sanchez, yet there’s so many layers to the complex storytelling found on this record that plays out in its own type of music multiverse. The album was produced by Michael Birnbaum and Chris Bittner, and their crisp production allows for the record to shimmer much like the cosmos above us that inspire science fiction stories far and wide. While their debut full-length record invited fans into the world of Coheed and Cambria, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 blew the doors off the hinges into a cosmic exploration of what creative music can be.

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Interview: Emo Orchestra and Hawthorne Heights

Emo Orchestra
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom interview with the leader of Emo Orchestra, Ben Mench-Thurlow, as well as the bassist from Hawthorne Heights, Matt Ridenour, to discuss the on-going tour. I asked both of them about what challenges this unique concert experience brings to the table, how the setlist came together, as well as what they each love about Emo music. This tour of Emo Orchestra wraps up on November 12th in Anaheim, California.

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Matt Costa – “The Golden Ghost” (Song Premiere)

Matt Costa
Adam Grundy

Today is a great day to share the latest single from indie singer-songwriter, Matt Costa, called “The Golden Ghost.” On this textured, western folk song, Costa channels rich musical landscapes similar to Bon Iver and The Decemberists. Speaking on the track, Costa said, “Golden Ghost is a song that I wrote after meeting a long lost relative. I started writing it in the morning, took an eight hour drive through the mojave desert, and came home late that same night to complete the song. I felt strange that an Imagined reality can be more powerful than an actual one. I recorded it in the golden state of California.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider supporting this artist here. I was also able to catch up with Matt for a brief interview below.

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