Recently I was able to connect with a band named Robot Monster to discuss their new single, called “Out.” The band is comprised of singer/guitarist Will Brennan and drummer Logan Sidle, with their sound drawing comparisons to rock bands like Fuel, Stone Temple Pilots and Rage Against the Machine. In this interview, I also asked the band about their core influences, as well as any dream collaborations that they would love to make happen one day.
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Today I’m excited to bring everyone a brand new holiday single and video from Seth Swirsky called “Christmas Eve.” Speaking on the material of the track Swirksy shared:
The origin of this song is funny: I met a lovely woman at a Christmas party in New York City awhile back named Eve. We hit it off but she told me she was leaving the next morning to go back to LA, where she lived. I said, ‘I guess I have to wait till next year to see you at this Christmas party again, huh?’ And, for the next 3 years, that is when I saw Eve: on Christmas Eve at that annual party. She was literally my ‘Christmas Eve!
If you’re ready to fall in love with Seth Swirsky and his swooning Christmas-themed single, you’ve come to the right place.
Read More “Seth Swirsky – “Christmas Eve” (Video Premiere)”
Today is a great day to share the latest single from R&B and rap artist, Tireek, called “Baby Boy.” On this song that fits somewhere between the styling of Frank Ocean and SABA, Tireek makes his unique stamp on the music scene. He shared, “I based this song off of my personal experiences as well as the experiences of those around me. Growing up where I’m from can be very traumatic because there’s a lot of negativity, violence, lawlessness and more. The song talks about how that environment plays a role in the way you view the world and others around you.” You may have just discovered the music game’s next big name.
Read More “Tireek – “Baby Boy” (Song Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest single from The Pinkerton Raid (solo project of singer-guitarist Jesse James DeConto), called “Blood In My Eyes.” The song, which comes from the upcoming album entitled The Highway Moves the World, tackles the theme of disintegrating friendships and not knowing where to turn to next when picking up the broken pieces. DeConto shared this about the new single:
”It’s a paradox—to tell a good story, you need all the messy details, but how do you do it without airing other people’s dirty laundry? ‘You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.’ Anne Lamott wrote that, though I don’t totally agree with her, so I won’t name names. I feel more protective of the people I care about, or once cared about, or that I just know have feelings of their own—even if they might have hurt me. Two wrongs don’t make a right, you know? My mom taught me that, and it’s at the core of “Blood in My Eyes.” It’s easy to name hurt, but it’s much harder to identify the causal chain that led to it, much less assign blame and start handing out punishment. One of the reasons I write songs is to express the pain in a healthy way. With this particular song, I was trying to capture something I think we all experience: We all feel hurt; we have a pretty good idea who hurt us; but we’re also pretty sure we share some of the blame; so we don’t trust our own experience of the situation—we’re blinded by our own pain. Deep down—more than vengeance or anger—what we really want is for things to go back to how they were before. And holding on to that hope is a lot more difficult than being mad about what went wrong. With “Blood in My Eyes,” I suppose I’m trying to manifest that kind of hope for you, me or anybody else who needs it. Forgiveness is good for its own sake, whether or not there’s any reconciliation with whoever it is that hurt us.
If you’re ready to take the next dramatic step with The Pinkerton Raid, they’re waiting for you to join the ride. You can also pre-save the track here.
Read More “The Pinkerton Raid – “Blood In My Eyes” (Song Premiere)”
Today is the perfect day to introduce everyone to a new, London-based band called MYNK. On their debut single, “Boundaries,” the band channel the best parts of brooding indie rock with pop sensibilities into an anthemic package. On this debut single, MYNK shared:
The track is about the boundaries we set in order to function in different situations/relationships; the crossing of sacrifice and habit meets somewhere in the middle to maintain a connection. It’s about the relatable internal questioning of ‘do I/don’t I?’ and where that takes you, and how you can lose yourself in it.
If you’re ready to be swallowed whole by this great-sounding single, you’ve come to the right place. I was also able to catch up with the band for a brief chat about their new music below.
Read More “MYNK – “Boundaries” (Video Premiere)”
When Zack de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine the band was at a crossroads of where to turn to next. Veteran producer Rick Rubin suggested the band reach out to Chris Cornell (of Soundgarden fame) to pursue an exploration of the two powerhouse bands together as a new one. Cornell originally was planning on writing some material for a solo project, but he found the opportunity to work with the rhythm section of Rage Against the Machine too tempting to pass up. Audioslave was born as Cornell took the opportunity to sing over some song structures the band had laid out for him to sing over. Guitarist Tom Morello recalls the first jam session in detail as he said, “”He stepped to the microphone and sang the song and I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t just sound good. It didn’t sound great. It sounded transcendent. And…when there is an irreplaceable chemistry from the first moment, you can’t deny it.” This unique combination of Rage and Soundgarden would lead to a self-titled debut album that would go on to sell over 3 million units in the U.S. alone and establish this band in the forefront of Alternative Rock radio for the better part of a decade.
Read More “Audioslave – Audioslave”
Today is a great day to share the latest single from indie rockers, Bridal Party, called “Pool.” On this track that fits somewhere between the quirky indie pop of Toro y Moi and the electric charged guitar bliss of Japanese Breakfast, Bridal Party make a significant step forward in their musical journey. The band is gearing up for the release of a new record, tentatively scheduled to be released sometime this winter.
Read More “Bridal Party – “Pool” (Song Premiere)”
Today I’m excited to share with everyone the new single and music video from electronic indie-pop artist Jordi Up Late, called “To Be Your Friend.” While Jordi continues to steadily release new singles, her plan is to eventually string some more recordings together for an EP or potentially a debut full-length LP. On this great sounding new single, Jordi Up Late shared:
”TBYF” is about experiencing the dichotomy of resentment and gratitude after falling for the ‘idea’ of someone and facing that your disappointment lies in your own expectations of a person who was incapable of loving you before meeting you. In the end I gave the benefit of the doubt by extending friendship only to feel my hand slapped away and taken for granted. Though I am resentful in the dark melodies of the synth, and at times in the lyrics, I remind myself of my own power in singing directly and unapologetically to this person. I speak plainly that loving one another was impossible considering his lack of confidence and that loving him was only worth it for the lessons learned.”
With a plethora of hooks and impressive songwriting chops, Jordi Up Late has crafted a single worthy of your next perfect playlist. I was also able to catch up with this artist for a brief interview.
Read More “Jordi Up Late – “To Be Your Friend” (Video Premiere)”
In the music realm, labels and terms get tossed around way too loosely in order to try and quantify what is happening in a movement. From the early 00’s showing a boom in emo, to the “The bands” arriving around that same time, music critics and journalists like to make their mark on trying to pigeonhole different waves of music momentum. The term “supergroup” started when established bands would venture into other projects and explore their creativity in other ways. L.S. Dunes have been coined as a supergroup since they feature members of Thursday, Circa Survive, Coheed & Cambria, plus the mighty My Chemical Romance, so it’s hard to argue against the moniker. Usually when a supergroup forms, one band member tends to have their footprint more on the sound than others, much like how Audioslave still sounded Rage Against the Machine with a different vocalist. However, on Past Lives, this particular supergroup seem like they’ve being playing music together their whole lives, since the songs are well-constructed, balanced, and each band member utilizes their talent to put their stamp on it. While the introduction for L.S. Dunes came in the raucous lead single of “Permanent Rebellion,” a near-perfect punk rock track, Past Lives explores the depths of each band members’ creative abilities.
The album opens with “2022,” as lead vocalist Anthony Green wails, “I’m not afraid to try,” as a rallying cry for L.S. Dunes to investigate just where their musical adventure would take them. The songs on Past Lives are cohesive, yet each song sounds slightly different in its variation and song structure to keep things interesting. For example, on “Antibodies,” L.S. Dunes are able to build out a song based on lead guitarist Travis Stever’s spiraling riffing in the verses and choruses to allow for Green to sing his passionate lyrics with veteran ease. “Grey Veins” utilizes a great bass line from Tim Payne, while Frank Iero and Stever’s guitar playing complements the pacing set by drummer Tucker Rule. The band is fully aware of each others collective strengths, and they hone in on each of these parts majestically throughout the record.
Read More “L.S. Dunes – Past Lives”
Today is the perfect time to share the latest single and music video from Donaher called “For Your Love.” The track comes from the band’s latest LP, Gravity and The Stars Above, which was released earlier this year via Jetsam-Flotsam. The song fits somewhere between the swooning best parts of early 00’s emo, paired with the backing in lyrical prowess of Dashboard Confessional. The band is comprised of Tristan Omand (Lead guitar / vocals), Adam Wood (Bass), Nick Lee (Drums), and Nick Lavallee (Lead vocals/guitar) shared this about the latest single:
“For Your Love” lyrically is timelessly lovelorn. Musically the song is a bridge between 90’s pop punk and early 00’s emo power pop. Inspired by a bad case of broken heart while trying to find true love again, the song’s influences are undeniably Chicago pop punk mainstays the Smoking Popes, early Green Day records, and (in the bridge particularly) a bit of Dashboard Confessional. In the video, Donaher is back in the garage and seem hopeful for what’s to come.
If you’ve been searching for your next musical obsession, look no further than Donaher.
Read More “Donaher – “For Your Love” (Video Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to A New Violet, a brand spankin’ new pop-punk band from Orlando, Florida. The band is comprised of vocalist Beth Vandal (Summer Day Rescue, That I Am), Sean Manvell (guitar/vocals), Abner Jara (drums) and Ryan Ledbetter (bass), A New Violet have signed with Manic Kat Records and are ready for pop-punk domination. With influences that they wear proudly on their sleeves ranging from NOFX to Animals as Leaders, this new band has all the right assets to make a mark in the scene. On signing with the legendary indie label, Vandal shared:
It was unexpected for Manic Kat Records to reach out to me with the offer to sign to their awesome indie label. Being able to receive support for my music and band is something every hard working artist dreams about. I am excited to be working with like-minded punk rock music lovers and to reach a worldwide audience by being a part of the Manic Kat Records Fam.
Step right up and hit play on “Runaway.”
Read More “A New Violet – “Runaway” (Song Premiere)”
Today is a great day to share the new album from Youth In A Roman Field, called Get Caught Trying. Youth In A Roman Field is led by Claire Wellin, the violinist and vocalist of Brooklyn’s indie rock band, San Fermin. On her latest offering, entitled Get Caught Trying, Wellin channels sweeping instrumentation backed with breathtaking vocals in crowd-pleasing arrangements. Wellin shared:
“I’ve struggled with depression and anger my entire life (grappling with it led to our band name) but it’s been really difficult to identify what anger is mine and what does not belong to me. It became necessary to figure that out over the last six years, and create a path for living with instead of against it. What began as an exercise in self-soothing culminated in my exploring generational patterns and trauma, and the anger that accompanies it, as a thread between myself and the women who came before me. Get Caught Trying is an attempt to make sense of that, while opening up time & space for enjoyment, humor, and healing in the process.”
If you’ve been looking for the next great artist to put on your radar, look no further than Youth In A Roman Field.
Read More “Youth In A Roman Field – ‘Get Caught Trying’ (Album Stream)”
Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the debut single from an artist named Jin Woo, called “Don’t Be Late For the End of the World.” On this great-sounding track, Woo is making it his mission to “save the kids” and be a beacon of hope for all who check out his unique brand of music. If you’re enjoying the early listen, don’t forget to purchase the single when it releases on November 11th. I was also able to catch up with Jin Woo for a brief chat about the new single:
Read More “Jin Woo – “Don’t Be Late For the End of the World” (Song Premiere)”
Music is a powerful tool, and sometimes you can pinpoint the exact moment when a band is poised for big things. I found out about Baltimore punk band, Pinkshift, in a similar way as most of us who visit this site on a frequent basis: by an insightful recommendation. Jason wrote about Pinkshift in a Liner Notes newsletter, and it piqued my interest in this band. Pinkshift does a really great job of combining anthemic punk rock with hardcore elements, paired with the pop sensibilities to add in flavorful hooks into the mix to keep the listener engaged and wanting to hear more from this sonically interesting artist whose music appears to spreading like a wildfire in the music community. Comprised of vocalist Ashrita Kumar, guitarist Paul Vallejo, drummer Myron Houngbedji, and bassist Erich Weinroth, Pinkshift are able to catch lightning in a bottle with the aggressive Love Me Forever that has the same potential for breakout success much like the early days of My Chemical Romance.
Read More “Pinkshift – Love Me Forever”
Today is a great day to introduce everyone to Kit Major, a great pop artist in the same vein as Poppy and Avril Lavigne, who has graciously agreed to share her new EP Vampire Saturday early with our audience. This debut EP will be released everywhere music is sold on November 9th. Kit Major shared:
Vampire Saturday is the first EP project I’ve put out. I wanted to wait until I had a story to tell. This is the story of my twenty-something experience. Through love, heartbreak, and self reflection comes rock ‘n roll. This EP is self-reflective, like most of my music. It’s intimate, edgy, rowdy, and angsty. It’s also nostalgic for my own young days, my late teens, earliest 20s. That time in your life when you’re desperate to finish growing up and become the person you are destined to be.
If you’ve been looking for that next great artist that checks all of the boxes of awesomeness, look no further than Kit Major.
Read More “Kit Major – Vampire Saturday (Album Stream)”