Adam Grundy
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Adam Grundy
An enthusiastic music blogger who lives in the Washington DC Metro area. My favorite bands are My Chemical Romance, Yellowcard, the 1975, and Paramore.
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FEATURES, BLOGS, & REVIEWS

Review: JR JR – Back To The Land

Adam Grundy

On the latest offering from indie pop rock band, JR JR, the band sets the tone early on “Domino” that opens with the all-too-relatable lyrics of, “The world is a commercial for things I shouldn’t buy / Some days I can’t tell what’s dead from what’s alive.” The depth the band goes into on Back To The Land only speaks to the true artistry that JR JR put into their music on a daily basis. For those unfamiliar with the band, they are comprised of the duo of Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein, and they used to be called Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (simplified to now JR JR). After their last LP, the sprawling 2019 double album called Invocations / Conversations, JR JR hone in on their songwriting with a concise ten-track effort on Back To The Land. Throughout the latest record, JR JR go through a lot of themes, topics, and thoughts that are brimming with great musicianship and insight.

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Review: Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful

Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful
Adam Grundy

When I first heard about Miley Cyrus’ plans for her ninth studio album to be loosely inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall, I was immediately excited about the premise. Something Beautiful is an ambitious take on experimental music, and was promoted with a complete visual companion to coincide with the record as well. While I was expecting a big rock record similar to the style Miley Cyrus went for on her excellent Plastic Hearts album, this album leans much closer into the pop realm with only splashes of bombastic rock. The set was co-produced by Cyrus and Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, The Killers), and this album has a nice sheen to it that plays out well from front to back, and still challenges listeners to take deeper dives on subsequent spins. Miley Cyrus sounds like a million bucks in her vocal approach on key singles like “End of the World,” while she ultimately comes up a little short in her ambitions for creating the next “classic.”

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Review: FRND CRCL – JRSY FRSH

Adam Grundy

The fourth studio album from pop-punk band, FRND CRCL, called JRSY FRSH is a solid mix of nostalgia paired with some creative takes on the genre to keep it from feeling like a retread. The South Jersey band pays tribute to the area that they’re from, while still expanding upon what made their previous record (Suburban Dictionary) so charming and infectious. With a fresh sounding mix of eight new pop-punk tunes that clock in just under the 30-minute mark, JRSY FRSH will likely be a consistent part of everyone’s summer music rotation.

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Bec Lauder and The Noise – “Give It” (Video Premiere)

Bec Lauder and The Noise
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to a new band called Bec Lauder and The Noise, a three-piece rock band born in the East Village of Manhattan. Front-woman Bec Lauder alternates between guitar and bass while delivering top notch vocals. She’s joined by lead guitarist Soph Shreds and on drums is Maggie Bishop. Their new single, “Give It” is a great mix of Riot Grrrl punk rock paired with great songwriting. Lauder shared, “‘Give It’ is a fantastically funky anthem to strut down the street to. This sultry tune lures the listener into a psychedelic funk pop dream world through sexy repetitive and rhythmic lyrics that you cannot resist dancing to. This song is paired with a flash dance style music video featuring me and a crew of dancers from the Brooklyn Nets dance team, even further emphasizing the idea of the ‘Give It’ fantasy; a world where you get what you want and you can shake it like nothing matters.” If you’re enjoying the new video, please consider pre-ordering the band’s debut LP, The Vessel here.

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Deep Thrills – “Climax” (Song Premiere)

Deep Thrills
Adam Grundy

Today is a great day to share the new single from Deep Thrills called “Climax.” Deep Thrills is the moniker of LA-based artist Matan KG and he channels his love of indie rock with an electro-style that needs to be heard to be believed. The song comes from Deep Thrills’ newly announced EP, How Deep Is Your Thrill?, that will be released everywhere you stream your music on July 11th. If you’re enjoying the video, please consider streaming the new single here.

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Review: Grace Gardner – After Knowing

Adam Grundy

When you attend a concert early, you open yourself up to new opportunities to discover artists that you may have not have ever come across otherwise. Such was the case this week when I attended a concert in DC for Eliza & The Delusionals and witnessed a charming opener by the name of Grace Gardner. Throughout her set, she captivated the audience with sultry vocals, great poise, and excellent stage presence with her bandmate Lonnie Davis. The setlist included several songs from her new record, After Knowing, as well as an on-point cover of Lady A’s “Need You Now.” Grace Gardner has a warm approach behind her vocals, and that comes through well live, as well as on her record that finds the artist in the same realm as Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers. After Knowing is a great introduction to this indie artist who has all the makings of a star.

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Interview: Gemma Laurence

Gemma Laurence
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to connect with Gemma Laurence, a rising talented indie artist based in Brooklyn, New York, about her great new single and video for “Hedonist.” In this interview, I asked Gemma about her songwriting process for not on only this single, but her forthcoming album (We Were Bodies Underwater) slated for a July release, and much more. If you’re enjoying the video and interview, you can stream “Hedonist” on your favorite platform here.

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Interview: Holy Pinto

Holy Pinto
Adam Grundy

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Aymen Saleh, better known as Holy Pinto. In this interview, I asked Aymen about what went into his forthcoming new album that features some collaborations with Bartees Strange, among others. We also chatted about the key inclusion of voice memos in this record that helped shape the narrative between songs, as well as much more. Today, Holy Pinto has released the piano version of “NOLY” here.

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Peter Salett – “Suddenly The Leaves” (Song Premiere)

Peter Salett
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to introduce everyone to Peter Salett, the talented singer-songwriter and composer from Brooklyn, NY who has a steady hand in mapping out picturesque moments in his songs. “Suddenly The Leaves” is the latest single from Salett that tackles the concept of the changing of seasons and the emotions that come with this feeling. The single comes from the new record, Dance of the Yellow Leaf, that will be released on July 11th. If you’re enjoying the early listen, please consider pre-saving the new record here.

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Review: Alkaline Trio – Crimson

Alkaline Trio - Crimson
Adam Grundy

Crimson had all the makings of a big rock record. It had great production (courtesy of Jerry Finn), larger than life art and imagery in the music videos and record packaging, a great narrative throughout the album, and improved songwriting from Alkaline Trio. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that this classic record didn’t get certified as gold by the RIAA. Crimson was the fifth studio album from Alkaline Trio, and would be the last time that the band would work with Jerry Finn before he passed away in 2008. The set would spawn three singles in “Time To Waste”, “Burn”, and “Mercy Me” and the album is still adored by many Alkaline Trio fans and even casual fans who got wind of the music through compilations and more. The album was recorded at Conway Studios in Los Angeles, California and even had an early album title of Church and Destroy. The band would continue to gain a loyal following of fans in key support tours with My Chemical Romance, Rise Against and others during the promotional period of Crimson. The LP still holds up to this day with its slick songwriting, big hooks, and a stellar vocal performance from Matt Skiba.

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Underlined Passages – “erydy” (Video Premiere)

Underlined Passages
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest single and music video from Baltimore’s Underlined Passages, called “erydy.” This hard-working band has shared stages with Explosions in the Sky, The Stills, and many more, and their unique brand of indie rock is truly captivating. Landfill Indie is their latest full-length record and it plays out like a late-90s/early 2000’s emo mixtape of sorts. When asked about the video for the new single, the band shared:

Our music video for ‘erydy,’ the fifth track from our new album Landfill Indie, was directed by Rick Barnwell. The video brings a sense of clarity and warmth to a song about finding meaning in a digitally disconnected world. ‘erydy’ highlights our signature blend of shoegazy guitars and nostalgic, Americana-tilted tones, offering a hopeful voice in a time when many feel lost in the digital noise. With Landfill Indie, we continue to carve out space for authentic connection with fans who are drawn to songs that feel real, not perfect. The video reminds us we’re not alone in this journey.

If you’re enjoying the new video, please consider supporting this talented band here.

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Review: Arrows In Action – I Think I’ve Been Here Before (Side A)

Adam Grundy

The first part of the new Arrows In Action record, called I Think I’ve Been Here Before (Side A), is a slick collection of six songs that highlight the new direction that the band took during these sessions. The band consists of Victor Viramontes-Pattison (Vocals, Guitar), Matthew Fowler (Guitar), and Jesse Frimmel (Drums), and their great chemistry of playing music together continues from their great 2023 full-length debut, Built To Last. The themes on the first part of their new album range from anxiety, to blissful romances, all the way to feelings of familiar places to help tie everything together. Arrows In Action will be supporting the new record with several new tours, including Download Festival, the resurgence of the Vans Warped Tour, and the Summer School Tour with Taylor Acorn. With tons of positive momentum going in their favor, 2025 is poised to be a big year for Arrows In Action.

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Interview: Kristopher Roe of The Ataris

The Ataris
Adam Grundy

This past week I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Kristopher Roe of The Ataris to discuss the band’s great returning single, “Car Song.” The song is from the band’s forthcoming LP that is tentatively scheduled for a March 2026 release. In this interview, Kristopher shared key insights behind how the new album is shaping up, his life experiences that led to several of the key songs on the new record, as well as his planned release of a cover of “Summer of ’69”. The Ataris will be releasing several new singles and 7″ records leading up to the band’s new album.

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Review: Arm’s Length – There’s A Whole World Out There

Adam Grundy

There’s A Whole World Out There is the sophomore effort from Ontario’s own Arm’s Length and it takes the listener on a thrilling journey of self-discovery, while still honing in on relatable themes like self-doubt, anxiety, and more. Anton DeLost is once again at the helm as the band’s producer, and he lets the band expand upon what made them so charming on their earlier releases. After having extensive touring experience under their belts from their solid debut, Never Before Seen, Never Again Found, Arm’s Length continue to impress with a unique repertoire here of slick hooks, improved musicianship, and a knack for descriptive songwriting.

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A.M. Boys – “Space Times Six” (Song Premiere)

A.M. Boys
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to bring everyone the latest single and visualizer video from New York City-based post-punk/experimental rock band A.M. Boys called “Space Times Six.” The song comes from their sophomore record, Present Phase, that just released in full today. Band member Chris Moore said, “The first album was more focused on in-studio jams and songs written for live performance, but this time we decided to stretch out more and explore adding additional layers.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider streaming Present Phase here.

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