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

Evan Boyer – “The Devil In Me” (Album Stream)

Evan Boyer
Adam Grundy

Today I’m so excited to share an early listen to the talented artist, Evan Boyer, and his first album The Devil In Me. The record was produced by Bradley Prakope and showcases Boyer’s attention to intricate details in his songwriting. When asked about the sprawling opening track called “Mockingbird and Monticello” Boyer shared:

What’s interesting about the first track is that I started writing the song when I was going through a breakup in 2014. But then we got back together so I stopped writing it after the first chorus, and I hadn’t even thought about it for years. So, fast-forward to 2022, we’re married now, and I’m writing my album, and my wife mentions that I should go back and try and finish that song. So, I ended up writing the second half of the song through a totally different perspective, and I think it’s just a unique song for me because it’s coming from two very different points in my life.

If you’re enjoying the early listen to The Devil In Me, please consider pre-ordering the vinyl here. I was also able to catch up with Evan Boyer for a brief interview below.

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Love Letter – “Meds and Taxes” (Song Premiere)

Love Letter
Adam Grundy

Today, New England’s Love Letter, formerly known as Death Of A Nation, which features Andrew Reitz (drums), Matthew Spence (guitar), Dave Alcan (bass), Quinn Murphy (vocals), and Jay Maas (guitars, backing vocals), are pleased to announce their debut album Everyone Wants Something Beautiful. Not to be outdone by the album announcement, they’re also sharing their latest single called “Meds and Taxes.” Lead vocalist Quinn Murphy shared:

With ‘Meds and Taxes,’ I wanted to address the trappings that the systemic curse of generational poverty causes to the majority of the world, the way being raised with a predetermined mountain to climb that distorts the body and sabotages mental health can leave us more susceptible to hardships and terrible choices. Being born comes with the overwhelming likelihood of individuals, families and communities getting stuck in a cyclical struggle to make ends meet. It’s a big ask to stay relatively healthy while trying to keep your sanity through the physical and mental stress and expectations of a sociopathic capitalist society ruled by apathy and greed. The foretold task at hand for us is beyond daunting and belligerently exploitative.

If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider pre-ordering Everyone Wants Something Beautiful (out on June 28th) here.

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Review: Twenty One Pilots – Clancy

Adam Grundy

The seventh studio album from Twenty One Pilots, called Clancy, brings closure to the near decade-long conceptual series that began with Trench. In many ways, Twenty One Pilots are challenging their audience to go on this ride with them as they navigate through the waters of rap, alternative, punk, and indie rock, while still looking for new and innovative ways to express the right emotions in their music. Clancy is the character that the band first introduced in Trench, and this record of the same name pulls out some additional thematic elements to bring rich context to the story. After some hard to hear radio chatter on the beginning of the opener, “Overcompensate,” a voice comes on to set the tone by stating emphatically, “Welcome back to Trench.” By taking a brief detour to where they’ve been, while still trying to advance the music forward in their repertoire, Twenty One Pilots have crafted an album worthy of multiple repeat spins and reward listeners willing to take deep dive into the world of Clancy.

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Fake News – “Time & Place” (Track-by-Track)

Fake News
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone an exclusive Track-by-Track by Queensland pop-punk band, Fake News, for their new EP Time & Place. With a fist-pumping blend of catchy hooks, punchy lyricism and exhilarating riffs, Fake News have honed an unabashed and expressive brand of modern punk rock. The Queensland outfit have cut their teeth supporting some of punk’s most iconic names, from Pennywise to Lagwagon, and debut LP Everyday Warrior garnered them a wave of support across Australia and beyond with its fresh but nostalgic delivery. Last month, the band dropped lead single “Moving On,” and have picked up international tastemaker press support from the likes of Idobi Radio and New Noise Magazine as they build towards Time & Place. You can also check out a stream of the record below.

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Terry Jones ft. Dashius Clay – “Solo En Verano”

Terry Jones
Adam Grundy

Today is a great day to share the new Terry Jones single, featuring Dashius Clay, called “Solo En Verano.” On this rap and dance-infused track, Terry Jones makes the most of his moment on a song about overcoming betrayal. Dashius Clay and Terry Jones partnered up for this song, as well as for a full EP called The Bebop Summer EP, that is now on streaming services. When speaking on the collaboration, Terry Jones shared, “I had been a fan of Dashius for many years so when we worked together on “They Call Me El Guapo.” I had the idea of making a full summer pack EP with him. A triangle of what I feel are international sounds of summer music. Latin Rap, Afrobeats/Afro-Fusion and Dance/House type music. Xyber Beats sent us so much to work with. While I was in the studio a friend FRZY walked in, an Emmy winning Guinness World record holder. He heard what I was working on, he had some ideas for background vocals and arrangements with me. Once it was recorded we sent it to Dashius and he loved it and put down a phenomenal verse as always. I’m excited for people to experience this project as a whole.” I was also able to catch up with Terry Jones for a brief interview below.

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Best Case – “Heavy Seas” (Video Premiere)

Best Case
Adam Grundy

Today I’m so excited to introduce everyone to a new band, called Best Case, who are releasing their debut single and video for “Heavy Seas.” The band is Ben Cato (former drummer of The Dangerous Summer) and Michael Robbins, and their debut full-length record will be released this July. The band shared, ”Heavy Seas’ is a deeply personal song about the experience of loss and that immediate gut reaction. We wanted the song to have an energetic and uplifting tone to celebrate what once was while also being honest about the reality of losing someone. The music video really captures these emotions. As our first single, we think it’s a great introduction to Best Case and we can’t wait for people to hear the rest of the album in July.” If you’re enjoying the latest single and video, please consider supporting this band here.

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SOLAK – “Untitled Cowboy” (Video Premiere)

SOLAK
Adam Grundy

Today I’m so excited to introduce everyone to a new Indie Lo-Fi artist, SOLAK, who will be releasing his debut single called “Untitled Cowboy” to all streaming services tomorrow. On this heartfelt song and video that showcases the depth of SOLAK’s sound, that fits somewhere in the realm of artists like Elliott Smith and Jack Johnson, SOLAK quickly cements himself as a key artist to watch. When speaking on his ability to write everything himself, this artist shared, “I still write on my own, and I obviously set some boundaries. But within that framework, the musicians are given the freedom to add their own personality. I enjoy that myself when I’m playing for someone else.” If you’re enjoying the new track, please consider pre-ordering his debut LP, Atlas, here. I was also able to catch up with this new artist for a brief interview below.

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Review: Wallows – Model

Adam Grundy

While creating their new album, Model, Wallows vocalist/guitarists Braeden Lemasters, Dylan Minnette and drummer/guitarist Cole Preston reunited with the Nothing Happens producer, John Congleton (St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten), to craft what would be the songs for their third studio album. The band let the music flow right though them by allowing the songs to become the best version of themselves, while not forcing the direction. “Every song started with the three of us playing live in a room, keeping it very simple and sticking with our instincts as much as possible,” says Minnette. “We ended up leaving in a lot of the mistakes and flubs, so even though it’s the most slick we’ve ever sounded it’s also the most honest.” By sticking to their comfort zones, while still adding new elements to their sound, Wallows have made a memorable artistic statement on Model.

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Interview: AJ Perdomo of The Dangerous Summer

The Dangerous Summer
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with AJ Perdomo of The Dangerous Summer to discuss the band’s new record, called Gravity. In this interview, we chatted about the direction of the new LP, how AJ envisions balancing out his band’s setlists with so much new material, as well as the art that he is inspired by. Today, The Dangerous Summer released their latest single and video for “Pacific Ocean.” Gravity will be released via Rude Records on June 21st, and pre-orders are on-going here.

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Review: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft

Adam Grundy

Billie Eilish has had quite the run of fortune recently. Having picked up major accolades, including her second Oscar for Best Original Song for her contribution to the Barbie movie for the heart-wrenching “What Was I Made For?”, to multiple Grammy awards for her continued collaboration with her brother, Finneas, Eilish seemed poised to deliver an album that felt like the truest form of her identity. Hit Me Hard And Soft is an album that feels like the more logical successor of Eilish’s breakthrough, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and she shines all over the record. While the “knock” on Billie Eilish has been that she “doesn’t sing, she whispers,” that all gets put to bed once in for all on this third studio album that has some of the best vocal moments in the young artist’s career to date. Having chosen to not release any singles prior to the album launch, Billie Eilish was daring her fans to embrace the album format and listen to it, traditionally, from front to back. She accomplishes that goal in more ways than one, by creating her most cohesive and daring work of art to date on Hit Me Hard And Soft.

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Review: New Found Glory – Catalyst

Adam Grundy

Flash back to the year 2004 for a bit. Several pop-punk, emo and hardcore bands have been signed to major label deals, CDs are still selling in waves, and it’s an ultra-exciting time for this scene of music. New Found Glory came in riding a major high after their most successful record, Sticks and Stones, blanketed the pop-punk scene with great singles like “My Friends Over You” and “Head On Collision” getting some airplay on MTV’s popular Total Request Live (TRL). Enter Catalyst. The record was set up for success as well with a bulletproof lead single of “All Downhill From Here” that wasn’t going to do anything to dissuade longtime fans of NFG from liking the new material. Catalyst had a harder edge to it, starting with the hardcore-esque gang vocals of “Intro” that bled into the lead single, while the guitars just felt heavier in general throughout the LP. While this album had a mix of styles and sounds that were brought forth, and musically it’s a bit all over the place, it’s hard to not admit that this is still one of the band’s strongest albums to date.

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Liily – “More” (Video Premiere)

Liily
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest single and video from LA-based rock band, Liily, called “More.” On this raucous track, Liily quickly showcase why they are one of the more interesting bands to take the scene by storm. Singer Dylan Nash shared,” ‘More’ is a pretty loud track and when the boys made the instrumental, I felt as though I needed to be intentional with the lyrics. I wanted it to represent the struggle we’ve had seeing all of our peers consistently put out music while we sit back lifeless sinking further into obscurity.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider supporting this band here.

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Alice Wallace – “Imposter” (Video Premiere)

Alice Wallace
Adam Grundy

Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, Alice Wallace has delivered an empowering video for her latest single, called “Imposter.” The song, that comes from Wallace’s new album, Here I Am (out June 28 via Mule Kick Records), is an important song about imposter syndrome and finds Wallace wondering if she’s made the right moves in her career path. Alice Wallace shared, “Even though I have been writing and performing music since I was a teenager, I still find myself questioning whether I am qualified to stand on a stage and sing for an audience or record in a room with GRAMMY-winning musicians. It’s a feeling I’ve always struggled with, but it reached a fever pitch for me when I was preparing this album. I wrote this song to help me feel less alone in the battle against my own mind, but the fact is, it’s such a common feeling, especially among women. It’s time to embrace our inner imposters.” If you’re enjoying the latest single from Alice Wallace, please consider pre-ordering Here I Am here.

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Review: Cold Years – A Different Life

Adam Grundy

The third studio album from the Aberdeen punk band, Cold Years, called A Different Life takes a hard look at life around the band, while still maintaining a worldly view of growing up in this era. Much like their breakthrough sophomore LP, Goodbye To Misery, this album features a great blend of a sound similar to Green Day, The Gaslight Anthem, and Social Distortion. As lead singer Ross Gordon shouts along with his bandmates on “Roll With It,” “I’m dead, ’cause I want a different life!,” it’s hard to not rally around his words of wanting change. Recorded at The Barber Shop Studios in New Jersey by producer Brett Romnes (Hot Mulligan, Boston Manor, The Movielife), the mindset of capitalizing on the best/most emphatic sections of their last record, mixed with a steady eye towards the future, leads to Cold Years continuing their momentum here on A Different Life.

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