Gary Marks – “Crossbeams” (Song Premiere)

Today is a great day to get reacquainted with singer/songwriter Gary Marks, who is releasing his latest single from his upcoming LP of Crossroads called “Crossbeams.” “Choose your memories very carefully, they’re the crossbeams of the world you’re living in,” Marks says of the track. “They frame and form who you’re bound to be.” With this guidance in mind, Marks has made a song worthy of the legacy he has crafted for himself. If you’re enjoying the new track, please consider streaming Crossroads or picking up the vinyl via Lantern Heights Records this Record Store Day (April 18th).

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

”I need something new,” sings Safari Room vocalist/songwriter Alec Koukol on “The Wheel”, the opening song on the project’s fourth studio album called How To Keep A Fire Burning. It’s a relatable feeling many of us are experiencing these days with the constant barrage of bad news and the hope for better days ahead. Koukol shared that the new album is “about burnout, survival, and the quiet decision to keep going despite the world around us telling us to quit.” Koukol’s vocals don’t waver at all, even if the lyrics dive headfirst into the emotions of burnout and being on the cusp of giving up. How To Keep A Fire Burning ultimately tells the listener to forge on, even when the odds appear to be stacked against us. Safari Room make a wonderful and complete artistic statement on this lush new record.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Today is a great day to share the latest single and music video from singer/songwriter CM Talkington called “Space Invaders.” On this cosmic and personal track, CM Talkington stretches his songwriting in new and interesting ways to remain a captivating force in the indie realm. If you’re enjoying the video, please consider supporting this songwriter here. I was also able to catch up with CM Talkington for a brief interview below.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the new single and music video from art-pop artist, Mixol, called “we jump, our carnival.” On this vibrant track, Mixol tackles an intense and passionate anthem on women empowerment. The song comes from Mixol’s forthcoming LP, The Fool, that will be out everywhere you stream your music on June 15th. I was also able to catch up with Mixol for a brief interview below.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The first new music from The Academy Is… in nearly 18 years has arrived today. Guitarist Mike Carden shared, “William and I made the first record at nineteen and walked away at twenty-eight. Almost There is really about everything that’s happened in the space between.” Almost There finds the band at a comfortable place in their lives, having lived a rich life, building families, and ultimately reconnecting the pieces that made this band so special in the first place. This record is a bit subdued, vibey, and more on the relaxed side as far as the general feel. Front-man William Beckett shared some additional context surrounding the similar title of the new album to their debut by saying, ““Almost Here was about leaving home. This album is about finding your way back. It’s the other end of the spectrum.” By looking inward at their past/youth while trying to understand it all, The Academy Is… have made another album worthy of the legacy they created.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The third studio album from Snail Mail, called Ricochet, is a stunning collection of 11 songs that reflect on Lindsey Jordan’s past few years, while having a focus on themes like mortality and the uncertainty of what happens to our souls in the afterlife. The set was produced by Momma bassist Aron Kobayashi Ritch, and this album has a similar feel to the latest effort from that band, while still staying authentic to the overall songwriting approach from Jordan. While her previous record (Valentine) dealt more with matters from their heart and relationships, Ricochet takes a more spiritual approach. “Misery feels safe to write about because I am good at it,” Jordan says, “but I’m not bathing in my own agony anymore.” By putting her most confident step forward in her artistic self-discovery to date, Ricochet is a strong contender for this year’s best album.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Coming hot off the re-recorded version of Chroma, Cartel have officially dropped the first taste of new music from their yet to be announced new album, with this single of “Oxy Moron.” The blast of pop-punk energy comes through the speakers in the early-going and rarely lets up. The first few verses find front-man Will Pugh at his most self-deprecating as he sings, “Maybe I’m a loser / Maybe not / Maybe I’m a loner / That hangs out a lot.” The combined, full-sounding guitars from Pugh and Joseph Pepper bounce off of the speakers warmly as Cartel get their sea legs back in the crowded and resurgent pop-punk scene.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Nearly a decade after their breakthrough single of “Atlantis”, which has since been streamed more than a billion times, Seafret are back with a great collection of tunes on Fear Of Emotion. Seafret is the duo of Jack Sedman and Harry Draper and they follow up their last record of Wonderland with laser-focused songwriting, soaring melodies, and great instrumentation found on this latest record. Seafret continue to expand upon their humble beginnings as a “mostly-acoustic” project with a full-sounding approach on Fear of Emotion that captivates the imagination of where they can take their sound. Sedman shared, “These last years have just made us more hungry for it again. We’ve put so much work into this new record – we’ve put the time in and we’ve not cut a single corner. It really feels like it’s a fresh new Seafret and we’re ready to go.” With slick production and a sound that strays somewhere between the adult pop of The Fray and X Ambassadors, Seafret have arrived on their vulnerable yet fully-realized vision on Fear of Emotion.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Today is a great day to share the latest single and music video from the ultra-talented NYC-based harpist/vocalist, Stephanie Babirak, called “Hey Cain.” Stephanie shared:

This song borrows the story of Cain and Abel to explore the difficulty of accepting a very specific kind of loss. It’s about the grief, sense of betrayal, and disbelief that comes from letting go of someone who is okay with losing you, and how strange it is to mourn someone who’s still alive…someone you still love very much. I was thinking a lot about the First Corinthians verse ‘Love is patient, love is kind’ when I wrote this song, and about how untrue that can be—love can be incredibly painful even when it’s real.

Stephanie Babirak’s talent is on full display on the vibrant lead single from her sophomore album, Rotten Fruit, that will be released on all streaming services on June 12th.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

If you’re looking for a new band that reminds you of The Gaslight Anthem and The Menzingers, Red Arrow Highway are here to complete your search. Their sophomore album, Be Someone Better, tackles relatable themes of friendship, the ups and downs of living in a world filled with despair, while still looking for the silver lining in it all to keep ourselves afloat. Originally started as a two-piece band with founding members of Nate Johnivan and Justin Saurez, Red Arrow Highway have rounded out their musical attack with an additional four musicians to make for a full-sounding record. The West Michigan band remind us on Be Someone Better of the importance of keeping friendships top of mind while rocking out with some commendable tunes.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today is a great day to share the new music video from punk rock artist, Kit Major, for her latest single called “Punk Rock Boyfriend.” Known for her signature sound of grunge-punk bite, Major has drawn comparisons to Iggy Pop, Viagra Boys, Amyl & The Sniffers, but her new EP, Miss Ego, is less about lineage and more about liberation. The EP rips into issues of image, self-worth and expectation, and explores how much space a woman is allowed to take onstage, in relationships, in the rock scene and in the world. If you’re enjoying the music video, Kit Major’s new EP will be released on June 12th on all streaming services.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the latest single and video from art-rock band, Pastel Blank, for “Sweet Nic.” On this quirky new single that is reminiscent of bands like Foxy Shazam, Pastel Blank lean into their unique sound. Led by singer and songwriter Angus Watt, the indie rock outfit channels the ironic and quirky energy of the 2012’s with clever and sardonic lyricism, while drawing from the genre-bending psychedelia of ’80s new wave. If you’re enjoying the new video, please consider pre-ordering the band’s new LP, Unmade In Minutes, here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Not everyone is cut out for the “life of the hustle”, but Chris Wrenn certainly was. The founder and owner of Bridge Nine Records recalls his early days of hustling sales of stickers and buttons donned with the simple, but effective, slogan of “Yankees Suck!” to trigger the right emotions of the Boston Red Sox faithful. This tale of Wrenn’s unique way of creating entrepreneurial revenue through unique means, led to him funneling this cash into some of the earliest releases of what would become Bridge Nine Records, a respected indie label in the punk/hardcore scene. Wrenn’s author voice comes through the pages as genuine, warm, and authentic as he recalls the circumstances that led to him wanting to start his own record label. Fenway Punk is equal parts biography as much as it is a story of how fellow prospective business owners and/or record labels could learn key lessons from Wrenn’s experiences in their own endeavors.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

If Saves The Day were still pumping out tunes regularly with a vocalist this confident, paired with the musicianship of The Early November and Thrice, you’d find the sound of Kiss The Scientist. On their debut EP, called Better In My Head, the Los Angeles emo band showcase why they are already making waves in the revived emo/punk scene. The band is a four-piece unit comprised of Maxwell Tomack-Villalobos, Devin Rodriguez, Nick Anoci, and Kevin Middleton, and their great chemistry is on display over these slick six songs that make up their debut EP. With a classic pop-punk/emo sound rich in the lore of the AbsolutePunk days of old, Kiss The Scientist carry the torch for the next wave of emo bands today.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today is a great day to share the latest single and music video from Seattle pop-punk band, EEP-OOP, for their fun song called “Don’t Waste Away With Me.” EEP-OOP! is built for cheap beer, garage hang-outs, and full-throated singalongs. Hailing from Seattle, they’ve been marking their territory on regional stages for the last two years, converting fans with raucous live sets and earnest lyrics. This quintet sings about all the good stuff—anxiety, depression, and alcoholism—but does it with a catchy flair that puts them somewhere between the melancholy of Off With Their Heads and the sunny pop punk of Blink-182. These influences are on full display in their debut Sorry. Dirt-bag anthems soar with big melodies, pairing perfectly with a six-pack and a dozen of your sweatiest friends. The band shared, “Our 2nd single ‘Don’t Waste Away With Me’ now has a brand new music video that is a lot of fun! The song is about a relationship that’s on its last leg with borne people begging each other to walk away and it’s a lot of fun for such a sad subject!”

If you’re enjoying the video, please consider purchasing the band’s new album called Sorry here.

Gary Marks – “Crossbeams” (Song Premiere)

Review: Safari Room – How To Keep A Fire Burning

CM Talkington – “Space Invaders” (Video Premiere)

Mixol – “we jump, our carnival” (Video Premiere)

Review: The Academy Is… – Almost There

Review: Snail Mail – Ricochet

Review: Cartel – “Oxy Moron”

Review: Seafret – Fear Of Emotion

Stephanie Babirak – “Hey Cain” (Video Premiere)

Review: Red Arrow Highway – Be Someone Better

Kit Major – “Punk Rock Boyfriend” (Video Premiere)

Pastel Blank – “Sweet Nic” (Video Premiere)

Review: Fenway Punk – Chris Wrenn

Review: Kiss The Scientist – Better In My Head

EEP-OOP! – “Don’t Waste Away With Me” (Video Premiere)