Mortal Prophets – “Me and The Devil” (Song Premiere)

Mortal Prophets

Today I’m excited to bring everyone an early listen to Mortal Prophets and their new single “Me and the Devil.” The album was produced by William Declan Lucey. Band leader, John Beckmann shared, “The songs on ‘Me and the Devil’ are especially poignant and timeless in so many ways. I had to get these songs out of my system because they touched me so much. The lyrics are a form of incantation.” If you’re enjoying the early listen, please consider purchasing the full album on December 9th.

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Review: The Wonder Years – The Hum Goes On Forever

Has there ever been a more emo opening on an album than on The Wonder Years “Doors I Painted Shut” as lead vocalist Dan Campbell croons, “I don’t wanna die / At least not without you / Alone here in the August heat / In the shadows of the afternoon”? The Wonder Years’ latest studio album, entitled The Hum Goes On Forever, may be their best record to date and features several unique callbacks to the sound they have perfected over their collective careers. The set was produced by Steve Evetts and veteran hit-maker Will Yip, and the album sounds like a million bucks. The Hum Goes On Forever also features two outside collaborators/writers on “Wyatt’s Song (Your Name)” (Mark Hoppus) and “Oldest Daughter” (Ace Enders), and showcases a band blossoming gracefully in the later stages of their career.

After the cautious opening song, the album explodes into “Wyatt’s Song (Your Name),” the third single released, and possibly one of my favorite songs that the band has ever crafted to date. I found the verse of “I found glass in the garden / Dug it up with my thumb / I won’t let you cut your feet / When you learn to run / But you learned to say, “Moon” / So, we waved from your room / He called to you like it might come to you,” to be particularly well-written since it reminded me a bit of the relationship I have with my kids and wanting to protect them from the worst situations.

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Interview: Caracara

Caracara

Recently I was able to catch up on the road with the ultra-talented band, Caracara, for an in-depth interview about the process they took while recording their latest record New Preoccupations. I asked the band about specific songs like “My Thousand Eyes,” “Colorglut” and more as well as what went into deciding the final tracklisting for the album. Be sure to catch Caracara on their current US tour with Sad Park and Heart To Gold.

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Review: Band of Silver – Something Stronger

I would like to introduce everyone to Band of Silver, an alternative rock band out of Nashville, Tennessee that has all the right tools working in their favor for sustained success in the music industry. The band, which is comprised of three siblings, worked under the direct tutelage of veteran producer Mike Green (Paramore, All Time Low) to helm the songs that would become Something Stronger. This frenetic mix of arena-ready anthems showcases the band’s ability to convey a wide range of emotions through their slick pop songs.

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Flarelight – “One More Night” (Song Premiere)

Flarelight

Today is a great day to share the latest single from Alternative rock duo Flarelight, called “One More Night.” This great-sounding rock track comes from the band’s forthcoming new LP The Light We Make and the tight production found on this song and others showcases the limitless possibilities of this artist. The band is comprised of Rachel Brandsness and band leader Tyler Warren, who shared some insight on the single by saying, “Do you really want to stay the night…Do you really want to say goodbye…a situation that most of us have been in, I’m sure. Wondering if that person you met tonight could be the one that heals your broken heart… or not. Either way, you’ll at least share this one moment together. I love this track, our guitar work, and its hopefulness, and it leaves you wanting more, just like the story itself.” If you’ve been searching for that next breakthrough artist, look no further than Flarelight.

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Review: Drowning Pool – Strike A Nerve

Hard rockers Drowning Pool have returned with their latest full-length effort entitled Strike A Nerve. The band stormed onto the metal scene with their single “Bodies” in 2001 from their now-legendary record Sinner, but the untimely passing of original vocalist Dave Williams left the band unsure of where to turn to next. The lead vocalist turnstile would continue over the band’s tenure, as current lead vocalist Jasen Moreno is the latest to carry the mantle. Strike A Nerve sounds like a band re-focused, and hungry to take back the airwaves on the coveted Hard Rock radio top spot.

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Review: Petal Crush – “Of Course Of Course” (Single Review)

Petal Crush comes from the talented mind of Andy Petrusky, who left behind a promising professional tennis career to devote his life to music. The latest single, called “Of Course Of Course” comes from the project’s new EP entitled Lucky Ever After, which will be released everywhere you stream your music on October 18th. This song channels a new wave-esque approach with its vibrant 80’s pop guitars that help frame the art around Petrusky’s vocals. The single unfolds nicely as it picks up momentum to a dream-pop chorus.

Petal Crush would fit in well for fans of The XX, Cold War Kids, and The Killers, and I came away fairly impressed with Petrusky’s approach to songwriting on this song that is fairly simple in its construction, yet has several earworms within it to be memorable. If this is the style that Petal Crush is going for, I’ll be very much looking forward to the rest of the material once Lucky Ever After drops later this month.

Palamino – “I Really Want To Leave” (Video Premiere)

Palamino

Today is the perfect time to share the latest single and music video from emo band Palamino, for their great sounding new song “I Really Want To Leave.” This New Jersey-based band does their best to reignite interest in the emo genre, and they have taken a dramatic leap forward in their songwriting from their earlier material. If you’re enjoying the latest single, you can check out some ordering/streaming options here.

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Review: Catbite – Nice One

There’s nothing more rewarding than going to a concert and discovering a new band that re-captures your love for a certain genre of music. I attended a concert in DC over the weekend for Anti-Flag, and the supporting band, Catbite, really blew me away with their live performance and overall showmanship in winning over the crowd. Catbite’s sophomore effort called Nice One is a thrilling listen from start to finish, and re-captures my love for ska, especially when it’s this well done. The Philadelphia-based band formed in 2018 and is comprised of lead vocalist Brittany Luna, guitarist Tim Hildebrand, bassist Ben Parry, and drummer Chris Pires. Their ska/punk sound strays somewhere between early No Doubt, paired with Less Than Jake, while mixing in some well-placed organs similar to Motion City Soundtrack. Nice One certainly lives up to its name.

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Tearing Up – “Highway Bandits” (Video Premiere)

Tearing Up

Today is a great day to share the latest single and music video from Tearing Up called “Highway Bandits.” Tearing Up comes from the mind of Graham Caldwell and his creative energy that he puts into this new project is felt far and wide. On the name of the band, Caldwell shared, “Growing up, I loved punk bands that sneered in the face of authority, demanding their voice be heard. They made me feel like I was stronger than I was. I was the kind of person who avoided conflict since I’d lose every fight I’d end up in, but there’s still a part of me that itches to get its hands dirty, hence the name: Tearing Up. The single comes from the recently announced debut EP called Billy Is Dead, out everywhere music is sold on October 14th.

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Review: Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

The legendary record, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, by Dead Kennedys has recently been remastered by Chris Lord-Alge, and has officially been re-issued as of last Friday. Given this recent exciting news, I figured I would take a walk back through the band’s debut studio album to see how it sounds through some fresh ears. Lord-Alge shared, ““Revisiting Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables was such an inside peek at a band packing so much excitement onto tape for every song. The style and playing has such drive and spirit. The big challenge for me was keeping it honest to its original sound and not letting it become modern but improving the separation and clarity. A major chapter in history for Dead Kennedys.” With such steadfast dedication to making each and every song come alive again, Dead Kennedys can look back fondly on this reissued set that packs a nice new shiny punch to it.

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TVOD – “Alien” (Song Premiere)

TVOD

Today I’m ecstatic to share the latest single from the talented Brooklyn-based band TVOD (Television Overdose). The new track is called “Alien” and features a great mix of sounds that blend together in a crowd-pleasing package. The band’s vocalist, Tyler Wright shared, “This was a song I came up with while sitting on the floor of my practice space feeling sorry for myself. I was having a lot of feelings of self doubt and jealousy at the time and for some reason I could not stop painting this mental image that there was a little envious martian man slowly eating my brain and trying to take over my life. It’s amazing what some painful emotions and a couple catchy guitar riffs can become.” If you’ve been looking for that next exciting band that makes you feel a little less alone, TVOD have come to your rescue.

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Kelsey Magnuson – “Anna’s Song” (Song Premiere)

Kelsey Magnuson

Today is a great day to share the latest single from talented singer-songwriter Kelsey Magnuson for “Anna’s Song.” On this track, Magnuson channels heartfelt lyrics and upper echelon songwriting. She shared, “I was so drawn to her range of sound, from plucky guitar songs to heavier riffs, and how it flowed so well through one album. But I’d also be a phony if I didn’t mention my real life inspo-from-idea-man-confidant-and total lyrical genius, Anna McClellan.” If you’re ready to discover quite possibly your next favorite artist, look no further than Kelsey Magnuson.

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All Things Go Festival Creator Summit: Interview With Bartees Strange

Bartees All Things Go Feature

Over the weekend, I was in attendance for the All Things Go Festival and specifically the “Creator Summit” that featured several key interviews of All Things Go artists like Bartees Strange, and Empress Of. I was able to record the full interview session of NPR’s Marissa Lorusso’s “Fireside Chat” with Bartees Strange, where he shared his unique story that led to his critical acclaim and commercial success. The event took place in the heart of Washington D.C., at the Eaton Hotel’s Beverly Snow Room.

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Review: Good Charlotte – The Young and the Hopeless

The sophomore effort from Good Charlotte was by far their most successful record, selling over 3.5 million copies in the United States alone. The Young and the Hopeless features plenty of crisp pop-punk production, courtesy of veteran hit-maker Eric Valentine, and the band spent nearly three months crafting the recordings. While many critics panned the new material, fans of pop-punk and fans of their earlier material were able to find plenty to enjoy on the album. The record rips into a introductory track called “A New Beginning” and the hard-nosed guitar parts in the instrumental song signaled a cosmic shift in the direction Good Charlotte were taking their sound. The leaning towards darker material in their songs showed that the band were not comfortable with simply re-hashing the same sound on every album or song, and it would open them up to several new artistic opportunities.

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