Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone the latest single and video from Miss Velvet called “Zumirez.” Channeling the legends of classic rock with powerhouse vocals, impeccable leather style, and an elusive sense of danger that takes you by surprise, Miss Velvet has taken the rock n roll world by storm. I was also able to catch up with this talented artist for an interview below.
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Today I’m so excited to share with everyone an exclusive track-by-track feature by Welsh pop-punk band,Honeytalks, regarding their new EP titled There’s Hope in the Hopeless. Despite less than two years in existence, Welsh wunderkinds Honeytalks have already landed acclaim from BBC Introducing, as well as Kerrang Radio (finishing 2nd in the Marshall Records competition) and Bowling for Soup front-man Jaret Reddick. Upcoming sophomore EP, There’s Hope in Hopeless marries the best of the Drive-Thru Records era with a punchy and contemporary pop-punk grit. The record embodies struggle, positivity and triumph for those who feel marginalized and misunderstood. Mental health is at the thematic core of the new collection, but the overarching message is one of strength and hope, inspired by Honeytalks’ uplifting brand of melodic punk. This track-by-track was put together by Adam Scott, the lead vocalist and guitarist of Honeytalks, and the EP is available on all streaming services starting today.
Read More “Honeytalks – “There’s Hope in the Hopeless” (Track-by-Track)”
Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom interview with the lead vocalist of Silverstein, Shane Told, to discuss the band’s tour preparations for their anniversary tour of their sixth record, This Is How The Wind Shifts. In this interview, I asked Shane about what went into the writing process for they current album (Misery Made Me), the band’s thinking behind doing the REDUX album re-recordings, and some advice he has for young bands navigating the changing music business. Silverstein will be embarking on their This Is How The Wind Shifts tour starting November 23rd in Toronto, and tickets can be purchased here.
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Today I’m excited to share with everyone the latest single and video from rock band, Super City, called “Hang Up.” On this electric-charged new track, that is sure to make you think as much as it makes you want to dance, Super City channel their love for guitar-based dance grooves paired with slick hooks. The band shared:
The song is sung from the perspective of someone who doesn’t feel strong enough to leave a relationship that they shouldn’t have entered in the first place. The main character explains how they were promised love, but instead only receives criticism and gets berated on the phone. The little voice in their head tells them to hang up, but they’re too weak. At the climax of the song, the main character makes a last ditch effort to impress their sharp-tongued partner with an insane guitar riff. This is to no avail and the song ends with the highest notes that we could sing.
If you’re enjoying the early listen to the single, please consider pre-ordering their new LP In The Midnight Room.
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The latest single from NJ pop-punk band All Systems Go called “The Lowdown” revisits the glory days of the genre and makes for a memorable statement. Imagine the Drive-Thru Records-era bands being put into a blender with their various styles and voices, and you’d likely end up with something similar to All Systems Go. Produced by Gary Cioni (Hot Mulligan, Crime in Stereo) and mastered by Mike Kalajian (New Found Glory, Senses Fail), this professional-sounding track is sure to be the perfect addition to that end-of-summer playlist you’ve been crafting.
The song opens with some somber vocals that quickly accelerate over the great guitar riffs, before exploding into an anthemic chorus. It reminds me a bit of early-New Found Glory paired with the crunchy, start/stop riffing of Fenix TX. The chorus of, “And I just hate how I get it now / It doesn’t matter if we talk it out / You make me wary of everything / That might just seem like the right move / To bringing me down / And I get it now / And I’m still wishing that you’ll come around / And now there’s nothing left that I can do / You just have to get through to you,” is well-constructed and thought out fully, as it tackles the theme of navigating a troublesome relationship. All Systems Go are showing a lot of promise on songs like this one.
The music business is a very unforgiving place. The window of opportunity to make a mark in the music world appears to be getting slimmer by the day, so it’s of the utmost importance to deliver your best material as consistently as possible. Easier said than done, right? The new Baltimore punk band, STMNTS, are well up to the task of delivering the goods on their vibrant new EP called Tendencies. The slick five-song record is filled with anthemic moments, crisp guitar tones, and well-timed vocals/harmonies to make the EP remain memorable. With a sound that fits well within the realm of the crunchy guitar riffing of Four Year Strong, to the sensitive side of The Wonder Years, paired with the great emo production of Bayside, STMNTS are taking full advantage of their time. This band makes emo/punk music look effortless, and it’s quite a fun listening experience.
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Today is a great day to share the new video from Rustbelt called “You Got Nowhere to Go But You’re Going There Tonight.” Previously going by the moniker of Juiceboxxx, the newly named Rustbelt (the solo project of John Chiaverina) has also announced his next EP, You Got Nowhere to Go But You’re Going There Tonight, out everywhere music is sold on January 19th via Dangerbird Records. He shared, “With Rustbelt, I’m trying to give myself room to move outside of my narrative a tiny bit. These songs are like alternate timelines for myself.” With a sound that’s fully entrenched in American-styled pop music, Rustbelt is an artist to watch as this year unfolds. I was also able to catch up with this talented artist for a brief interview below.
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Today I’m so excited to share with everyone the latest single from singer-songwriter, Adam Lytle, called “Seeds of Joy.” On this third single from his upcoming LP, This is the Fire, out everywhere music is sold on October 20th, Lytle channels the best parts of darker pop with a voice as powerful as Leonard Cohen and Brian Fallon. When discussing the origins of the latest song, Lytle shared:
In the fall of 2021, my friend Eva (Nighttime) had asked me to record some piano on her song “Keeper is The Heart.” While working out my part for that song, I stumbled on the melody that would become the centerpiece of “Seeds of Joy. I worked on the song for a year after. Filling notebooks with free-written lyrics. Extracting a line here and a word there; combining seemingly disconnected fragments into a mosaic that felt reflective of life’s complexity. The recording features an “ocean of strings” arranged by Trey Pollard that offers a gorgeous perspective on the lyrics while Ryan Jewell’s drums give the song wings. Jonathan Schenke brought it all together in the mix; making additional arrangement decisions that emphasize the surrealistic journey.
If you’re enjoying the early listen to the track, please consider pre-ordering This is the Fire here.
Read More “Adam Lytle – “Seeds of Joy” (Song Premiere)”
Does the world really need another politically-charged punk band? When the tunes that come through the speakers are as slick, fine-tuned, and as hard-hitting as what DC-punk band American Television put forth on Scars, the answer is a resounding “yes!” American Television is comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Steve Rovery, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Jerred Lazar, bassist Edwin Wikfors, and drummer Bryan Flowers, and their band chemistry continues to improve on their sophomore record here. Having shared stages with veteran punk bands like Spanish Love Songs, The Copyrights, and Piebald, American Television are armed with a packed repertoire of feel-good anthems about fighting the status quo. At a time when democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of collapse, this band have added their powerful voices to the good fight.
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Today I’m excited to introduce everyone to Gert Taberner, an ultra-talented singer-songwriter who is releasing his new single and video for “Tourist.” Gert showcases relatable vulnerability and has the ability to connect people to his music in both an authentic and comforting fashion. On this latest single, Taberner shared, “I wrote ‘Tourist’ about my journey providing end-of-life care for my mother when she passed away after a long bout with a terminal illness. The process of providing care to the person who raised you really messes with your head. It feels like any decision you make comes with a life-or-death asterisk, something that I definitely wasn’t prepared to deal with. You’re constantly getting things wrong, and even when you’re getting them right, it doesn’t feel much better, and frankly, any form of joy in that time felt like a bittersweet act of defiance with regard to the clearly pre-defined outcome that a diagnosis like hers entailed. Getting this one right while writing felt like an exercise in holding space for both sides, the morbid and the joyful, and where they intersect.” If you’re enjoying the early listen, more music will be coming soon from Gert Taberner when he releases his new EP If We Kept On Trying later on this year.
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Today is a great day to share the latest single from dark pop band, Decant, called “Passing.” The single is a captivating and emotionally-charged track that delves into the intricate interplay between love’s turmoil and the struggles arising from substance use. With its hauntingly beautiful intro, dark electronic beat, and elevating chorus, the song encapsulates heavy emotions within its melodies and lyrics. Lead vocalist Freddie Bytheway shared, “The name speaks to the passing of life, but also the feeling of passing for what you are not. It is about how existence is contradiction. I remember as a kid often hearing the expression, a blessing in disguise, I was fascinated by the relationship between what we experience and how we interpret it. For me this song is about addiction and how love can be as addictive as any drug.” The band also collectively dedicated the single to, “the life and legacy of Corey Budke, and all of those we have lost too soon.” If you’re enjoying the early listen to this incredibly moving new track, you can pre-save it here.
Read More “Decant – “Passing” (Song Premiere)”
This past week I was able to connect with Canadian rapper/artist, Powfu, to discuss his newly announced LP Gathered By The Lantern. I also asked him about his breakthrough single, “Deathbed (Coffee for your head)” that featured Beabadoobee, his upcoming touring plans and what keeps him motivated as an artist. Powfu will be embarking on a European tour soon.
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So much has been written and talked about in regards to Olivia Rodrigo, from her pop prowess in her songwriting style, to the music discourse around what artists she sounds similar to, it’s all gotten a bit…tired. The last time I sat down to write about Rodrigo’s debut, SOUR, it was to evaluate what makes this artist so endearing, talented, and remarkable. GUTS picks right up where she left off on her bulletproof debut record that captivated fans near and wide, and moves the needle that much further up in her atmospheric trajectory towards superstardom. From the opening bars of the lead single, “Vampire,” to the post-teenage brashness of current single “Bad Idea Right?” Rodrigo has created a monster on her sophomore record that has already garnered tons of critical praise. While SOUR introduced the world to Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS is a beautifully messy coming-of-age album that highlights the bets parts of a pop artist willing to take the right steps in her musical journey.
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On the latest single from Safari Room, called “Broken Things,” he tackles the difficult theme of navigating through a relationship on the brink of collapse. Songwriter Alec Koukol shared, “Quite plainly, ‘Broken Things’ is about the declination of a relationship. The song is an amalgamation of relationships I’ve had crumble over the last few years. This song is a catharsis and outburst of emotions kept in for too long. It’s a whole journey of self-discovery through loss of a relationship, confined in one tune.” The song is brimming with vibrant guitar riffs, soothing vocals, all paired with vivid storytelling from Koukol. The sound of Safari Room is similar to the style of The National, The War on Drugs, and Mae.
The song opens with the verse of “This is the end, no longer lovers/ “Maybe we can be friends” / What a lie / Emphatically sad ‘cause the good has been undone” as Koukol paints the picture of a once fruitful relationship turning sour. The song gradually picks up tempo and features a great bass line before building to the crescendo of, “You’re out of my mind /You’re out of my mind (Get out of my mind) / You’re out of my mind / Get out of my mind /You’re out of my mind (Get out of my mind) / You’re out of mind / You don’t live here anymore (You don’t live there anymore),” that provides a glimpse of the conflict going on within the songwriter’s headspace. Safari Room have reignited the flame of purpose on this electric single that is hauntingly beautiful.
Goodbyes are hard to do. Whether it’s saying goodbye to a close friend moving to a different part of the country, or losing someone permanently due to death, it’s always a tough process to go through. MS MR have returned with their stunning final single, called “Saturn Return,” that is a fitting tribute to all of the work that vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow have accomplished over the tenure of this project. Having first stormed onto the indie rock scene with the fittingly titled “Hurricane” in 2012, MS MR captured lightning in a bottle with their first two albums Secondhand Rapture and How Does It Feel. This latest dual-sided single features the atmospheric “Saturn Return” and a beautiful cover of Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta.”
”Saturn Return” opens with a soft, keyboard-laced sound that eventually breaks the spacey feel to it with Plapinger’s breathy vocals to allow the single to reach its heavenly intentions. The chorus of, “Two souls / So close again / And again, and again,” marks the connection that Plapinger and Hershenow have with each other in this band in such a majestic way. The only flaw of the song is that I wish it would’ve been longer, as it wraps up just after the two-minute mark before it could fully take off. The cover of “Flagpole Sitta” is a worthy tribute to the Alt-Rock classic track, and fits well within the realm of MS MR’s discography. They really make the track their own, and leave a memorable final artistic statement with this final release. Saying goodbye to MS MR isn’t easy, but the music that they have left behind will stand the test of time.