Review: Team Goldie – Trailblazer

The debut LP by Team Goldie, called Trailblazer, is a solid mix of pop-punk, emo, and overall nostalgia towards the scene of music most of us grew up on. Team Goldie comes from the mind of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Matt DiStefano, and the new album was produced by DiStefano and John Browne. What comes through the speakers is a blast of energetic pop-punk songs filled with passion and knowledge of this genre. On the name-dropping single of “One & Only,” DiStefano rhythmically sings, “She was standing there in mom jeans and a plain white tee / With confidence, yelled “what’s good, Charlotte?” / Sand in my hand and we got to talking / She said “What’s your sign, boy?” I’m all Aries no Taurus / Just an absolute punk jumping straight to the chorus like…” before jumping into a crowd-pleasing chorus. While Team Goldie may just be happy to be a part of this scene of music, Trailblazer plays out like a record that you’ll want to revisit during the care free days of summer.

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Review: Artless Jesus – “U HATE ME”

I’d like to introduce everyone to Artless Jesus, a new pop-punk band that features members of Record Heat (Spirit Animal), Cal Stamp (vocals) and Paul Michel (guitars). The lead single from The Assorted Grievances of Artless Jesus EP, “U HATE ME,” also has Pat Gerasia (Red Sun Rising) on drums, and features a nice combination of crunchy guitar riffs, shimmering pop-punk vocals from Cal Stamp, and a cool all-around vibe built for those summer drives to the beach. The band shared, “We shared the EP with some industry types and they hated it, so we posted their feedback on our website. After a decade-plus of kicking around the lower-middle class of the music business, we don’t really give a shit anymore. Fuck ’em.” With a sound that sounds similar to early New Found Glory paired with Four Year Strong, Artless Jesus may just be the next great discovery in the pop-punk genre.

Cal Stamp’s smooth vocals in the verses bleed well into the pre-chorus build-up, before admitting, “But you hate the way my voice sounds when I’m singing you to sleep / And you hate the way I stumble trying to sweep you off your feet / You hate the shape our bodies make at night between the sheets / But the only thing I’d change in you / Are all the countless ways that you hate me.” It’s a pretty solid introductory statement from some talented, and under-appreciated, musicians who are looking for a new avenue for their creativity.

Burr Oak – “No Time To Dream” (Video Premiere)

Burr Oak

Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the new single and video from indie rock band, Burr Oak, called “No Time To Dream.” This is the second single off the band’s EP, Annabelle, that will be released on September 20th via Easy Does It Records. Burr Oak explains, “This track outlines and emphasis how Annabelle spirals down into a deep, dark depression after she gives birth to her baby. Otherwise known as a serious postpartum depression. As the lyrics go, She has ‘no time to read, no time to sleep, and no time to dream.’ All of her time is taken up by taking care of her newborn without any help. She feels lost and hopeless. She contemplates what life would be like if she ended things. The only thing keeping her going is the will to survive for her baby.” If you’re enjoying the new video from Burr Oak, please consider supporting this artist here. I was also able to catch up with the band for a brief interview below.

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Vicious Dreams – “Too Tough” (Song Premiere)

Vicious Dreams

Today is a great day to share the new single from punk band, Vicious Dreams, called “Too Tough.” Vicious Dreams are a power-pop influenced punk trio from Orlando, FL. Heavily influenced by the likes of the Buzzcocks, Nasty Facts, and other fun 70s/80s rock n’ roll. They tune into the middle-ground between harmonic vocal melodies and hard-hitting, slightly melancholic, chord progressions and lyrics. Their newest full-length record (Turn Off My Brain aka T.O.M.B.) explores the daily struggles of dealing with ADHD and anxiety while trying to keep your head on straight in a world that often feels majorly bizarre. The songs aren’t searching for any answers, only trying to make light, with a little three-chord rock, of how weird it is to be here. Guitarist/vocalist Amanda Little shared, “‘Too Tough’ is about macho guys who think being rude and shitty make them cool. They try too hard, and their pseudo-toughness ends up making them look foolish. The antagonist of the song reminded us a lot of Johnny Bravo, which is why we picked that name for the character.” If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider pre-ordering Turn Off My Brain here.

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José Lobo – “Pajarita” (Video Premiere)

José Lobo

Today is a great day to share the latest music video from José Lobo called “Pajarita.” The track comes from Lobo’s debut album, In All Good Hope, that released this past May. “‘Pajarita’ is about a long distance relationship,” Lobo explains. “The lyrics are about the reality I imagined my partner at the time was living, how her mornings were, her walk to work everyday, a time during which I was asleep.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider purchasing In All Good Hope here.

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Interview: Johnny Stevens of Highly Suspect

Highly Suspect

Recently I was able to catch up with lead vocalist/guitarist of Highly Suspect, Johnny Stevens, to discuss the band’s great new album that released today, called As Above, So Below. In this interview, I asked Johnny about where the album title originated from, the lyrical inspiration behind key tracks, and the songs he feels will translate best to the live setting. Today, Highly Suspect has released a music video for “Plastic Boxes,” and the band will be on tour starting this September with tickets on sale here.

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Review: Eliza & The Delusionals – Make It Feel Like The Garden

The second studio album from Eliza & The Delusionals is a stunning collection of songs that play off of each other brilliantly and put emphasis on the songwriting improvements from the band. Make It Feel Like The Garden was produced by Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy, Amy Shark) and lead singer Eliza Klatt shared, “It was interesting to see how working in a different part of the world, outside of the comfort of our home studio and Australia in general, has influenced our writing and the process of demoing the songs. Recording the album with Oscar Dawson was an incredibly collaborative experience. He continued to push us out of our comfort zones which led us to feeling really free creatively. I think this also made us write in our most honest and genuine form.” The album is built around several different flowery interludes, including “Iris,” “Marigold,” “Dahlia,” “Arabella,” and lastly “Violet” that help set the stage for the music that comes flowing after. By creating an authentic record that plays into a sound similar to bands like The Aces, Wolf Alice, and The 1975, Eliza & The Delusionals prove that they are here to stay.

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Marlin’s Dreaming – “Lucky Star” (Video Premiere)

Marlin's Dreaming

Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest music video from indie pop band, Marlin’s Dreaming, called ”Lucky Star.” On this great-sounding and upbeat new single, the band channels their love for big hooks and power pop into a crowd-pleasing package. Lead vocalist Semis Maiai shared, “The album needed an upbeat, fast-paced track, and this one hit the mark. It might be the last song we wrote and tracked before wrapping up the album. But really, it’s just a love song about my partner and me, and the feeling that sometimes I can’t quite provide exactly what they want and need. Yet, somehow, we’ve been together for ages, and it’s worked. So, I guess I’m questioning it, accepting it, and reflecting on it all at once.” If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider pre-ordering their new EP, HIRL, that releases on August 16th here. I was also able to catch up with the band for a brief interview below.

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Review: AFI – Black Sails In The Sunset

AFI - Black Sails In The Sunset

When AFI began their fourth studio album, Black Sails In The Sunset, with the memorable gang vocals of “Through our bleeding, we are one!” they lit the match for one of the most explosive band trajectories ever witnessed in this scene. This would be the first LP with the now-classic lineup of Jade Puget, Adam Carson, Hunter Burgan, and Davey Havok, and featured a dramatic shift away from the punk rock sound they had explored on their earlier work in favor of a darker-tinged aesthetic. Black Sails In The Sunset is one of those gripping albums that grab the listener by the throat from the very first spin and beckons them to join in the fray. While AFI certainly weren’t the only punk band to explore a darker side to the sound, they did seem to do it a bit more flawlessly than the bands that would later emulate their career path.

This album has recently received a fresh vinyl reissue via Craft Recordings, that releases on July 19, 2024, and it includes several additional bonus tracks like “Midnight Sun,” “Who Knew?”, “Weight Of Words” and the previously vinyl-only song of “Lower It” has been added to the tail end of the tracklisting (rather than closing out Side A, as found on previous vinyl versions). AFI have re-captured our collective imaginations on this thrilling, comprehensive reissue that hits just as hard as it did back in the early summer of 1999.

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Review: Fenix TX – Fenix TX

The self-titled record from Fenix TX came with a number of firsts for the band. It was their first major label LP, the first record that they would release after re-branding from Riverfenix to Fenix TX, and their first real exposure to the mainstream of pop-punk that was beginning to blossom during the summer of 1999. Other pop-punk bands, like Blink-182, were getting major radio airplay and more audiences were being exposed to this genre of music. Fenix TX was produced by Jerry Finn, Ryan Greene, and Jim Barnes, and the band would continue to work with Finn on their equally successful Lechuza. This self-titled LP by the pop-punk band from Houston still sounds as charming, polished, and at moments a bit before its time. For every great track like “All My Fault” and “Flight 601 (All I Got Is Time),” there’s a goofy song like “Rooster Song” to show their audience that they were growing up and to not be taken too seriously. There’s plenty to love and enjoy on this LP that would provide plenty of clues of where Fenix TX would take their sound on subsequent releases.

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Chained Saint – “Animosity” (Video Premiere)

Chained Saint

Today I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to Chained Saint, a metal band from South Florida who channels their love for big riffs, 80’s thrash metal, and a modern flair to their sound not usually found in a band this young. Chained Saint is Ethan Kahn (guitar), Sebastian De Avila (bass), Cameron Cottrell (drums), and Sean Sterling (vocals), and their debut LP Blindside was produced by William DuVall of Alice In Chains. “Animosity” is the lead single from the record, and the music video showcases the band’s great chemistry and overall energy towards their music. If you’re enjoying “Animosity,” be on the lookout for Blindside that will be released in late August via Patriark Records.

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Alex Henry Foster – “Alchemical Connection” (Song Premiere)

Alex Henry Foster

Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone the latest single from Alex Henry Foster called “Alchemical Connection.” The newest song from this talented artist comes from the newly announced LP A Measure of Shapes and Sounds that will be released everywhere music is sold on September 20th. Alex Henry Foster shared, “‘Alchemical Connection’ is the contemplative portrait of a blooming dawn I had the mesmerizing privilege of witnessing in the dead cold of winter, through the Virginian mountain horizon where I live. I was fascinated by the slow awakening of colors growing into one another, evolving into a stream, and redefining impermanent beauties. It reminded me of the bright shining lights dancing over the ocean of crystal pieces covering the awakening morning in the middle of the desert, where silence murmurs about inner peace and where wind carries the nature of what it feels like to be truly alive. This song evokes those profound sensations.” If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider pre-ordering the new LP here. I was also able to catch up with this songwriter for a brief interview below.

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Interview: Ali Tabatabaee of Zebrahead

Zebrahead

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Ali Tabatabaee of Zebrahead to discuss the band’s new single, “I Have Mixed Drinks About Feelings,” and the final record in their trilogy of EPs called I. In this interview I asked Ali about the band’s touring plans, how he organizes the band’s setlists, as well as a chance to reflect on Zebrahead’s near 30 year existence. I will be released on November 13th.

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Highly Suspect – “The 8th Of October (To August 17th)” (Song Premiere)

Highly Suspect

Today is a great day to share the new single from Highly Suspect called “The 8th Of October (To August 17th).” The track comes from the band’s forthcoming LP As Above, So Below that will be released on July 19th. The band is about to embark on a sold out U.S. tour this summer, and is looking forward to testing out their new material. If you’re enjoying the early listen to the new single, please consider pre-saving As Above, So Below here. I was also able to catch up with Highly Suspect’s front-man, Johnny Stevens, for a brief interview below.

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Review: Hootie & The Blowfish – Cracked Rear View

Twenty-two million fans can’t be wrong, right? The 22x-platinum debut from Hootie & The Blowfish is a remarkable achievement of staying true to the band’s roots and being willing to be different from what was dominating the rock scene in the mid-90’s. Grunge rock was everywhere during this time period, so most major labels passed on the thought of signing a pop-rock band from South Carolina. Cracked Rear View opened to a modest charting of #127 on the Billboard 200, but it would quickly build momentum and become the best-selling album of 1995. The record was produced by Don Gehman (R.E.M., John Mellencamp) and would spawn five successful singles that still get radio airplay to this day. While Hootie & The Blowfish would have trouble replicating the magic found on their debut LP on their subsequent releases, these songs still stand the test of time and remain a key example of how writing authentic, heartfelt tracks can lead to success.

The record sets off on the right tone with “Hannah Jane,” a straight forward pop-rock track that quickly showcases the band’s great chemistry between each other, and lead singer Darius Rucker’s captivating vocal performance remains a key part of Hootie & The Blowfish’s success story. “Hold My Hand” was the first single to be released from the set and it’s a steadfast choice of a track to introduce the band to the world and continues to be a staple in the band’s live performances. The lead single is a key example of how the band understood what made their music accessible, catchy, and heartfelt simultaneously in an era when pop-rock wasn’t a major seller.

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