Review: AJR – What No One’s Thinking

Shortly after the release of their excellent fifth studio album, The Maybe Man, the three brothers that make up experimental pop band AJR were dealing with some writer’s block. It’s an understandable feeling for an artist that has quickly pumped out so many noteworthy radio hits over their career. What No One’s Thinking is the result of what came out of these sessions after the band wrapped up their comprehensive and ambitious arena tour in support of their previous LP, and is a nod to AJR’s third EP of What Everyone’s Thinking. The sound that comes through the speakers on this latest effort is a bit of a departure from the slick experimental pop that the band has been come to be known for. Thematically, the EP tackles the topics of loss, fractured relationships, and saying goodbye to those we never thought we’d have to. While it’s great that AJR are trying new things at this stage of their career, it’s hard to not feel like a key element of their brand of music is missing on this EP.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

This past month, I was able to schedule a Zoom call with DC-based punk rock band, American Television, to discuss their upcoming EP, You Are Not Alone. In this interview, I asked the band members about their writing process, what to make of DC’s current political situation, their past touring experience, and much more. The band is playing a record release show at Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia next month, and tickets are on sale here. Also, pre-orders are on-going for You Are Not Alone over at Smartpunk Records.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Recently I was able to connect with post-punk band, The Collect Pond, which is songwriter Danny Moffat (Vocals/Guitar), Chris Anthony (Drums), Roger Maranan (Keys/Bass), and Ben Bonadies (Guitar/Bass). The band is excited to release their new LP, Absence of Something, today via Candlepin Records.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today is a great day to introduce everyone to Henry J. Star, the solo project of musician, producer, and songwriter Devin Badgett. In his vibrant, introductory video for his single of “Petrichor,” Henry J. Star combines weighty lyrical material with modern politically-charged themes with ease. Henry J. Star shared, “In memory of Ahmaud Arbery. A story about running while black & the paradox of choice. This song was written in an attempt to underline how grandiose seemingly simple decisions can be for certain folks.” If you’re enjoying the new music video, please consider pre-saving the debut LP (out everywhere on October 17th) from this talented artist, called The Soft Apocalypse, here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with the lead vocalist of Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace, Raine Maida, for an in-depth discussion largely around the topic of mental health awareness. Our Lady Peace recently reissued and re-recorded a version of their fan-favorite song, “Whatever,” that was originally used as a theme song for a former WWE wrestler. In this interview, Raine and I chatted about how Our Lady Peace “reclaimed” this key song in their discography, and what’s coming down the road next for this legendary rock band. If you’re looking to stay connected with Our Lady Peace, please consider joining their Discord here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone an early watch to the new music video from punk rock band, The Jukebox Romantics, called “Honolulu Sun.” The band is from downstate New York, and is gearing up for the release of their next full-length record called This One Looks Cool on October 17th via Sell The Heart Records. The Jukebox Romantics just want a moment of your time, and are bringing their unique blend of sweaty punk rock energy to your city soon. If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider pre-ordering the vinyl of This One Looks Cool here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today I’m excited to bring everyone the latest single and video from Grace Inspace, called “Meteor,” that features artist Luna Li. The single is this artist’s debut release on TODO Records and it showcases Grace Inspace’s innate ability to convey a wide range of emotions through her dynamic music. Grace Inspace shared, “‘Meteor’ started as a mantra I would repeat to myself in moments when anxiety or pain felt endless–a reminder that whatever I was feeling was ephemeral and that I shouldn’t cower from it because it would soon subside. I took the skeleton of the song to Luna Li and we sat crosslegged on her bed and fleshed it out, before asking Josh Mehling and Mulherin to turn it into an anthem with their production.” If you’re enjoying the video, please consider streaming the single here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the latest single from the Atlanta-based anthemic punk band, The Carolyn, called “Routines.” The Carolyn is Andrew Patrick (Guitar & Vocals), Oliver Conlon (Bass & Vocals), and Dave Mulazzi (Drums) and they capture the spirit of melodic punk bands like The Gaslight Anthem and The Menzingers, but with a sound of their own. The band is gearing up for the release of their third LP, Pyramid Scheme of Grief, which releases everywhere music is sold on October 3rd via 59 X Records. The Carolyn shared, “’Routines’ is about realizing you’ve been the architect of your own burnout — and still not changing a thing.” If you’re enjoying the early listen, please consider pre-ordering the vinyl of Pyramid Scheme of Grief here.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

The sophomore album from Baltimore, Maryland-based R&B artist, Dijon, Baby feels like a force of nature. The record is equal parts a concept record, since it largely reflects on him becoming a first-time father, as much as it is an exploration of the power of soul/gospel, all put on blend in a stunning concoction. The LP was largely self-produced by Dijon, with a few collaborations from Andrew Sarlo, BJ Burton, and a frequent Dijon collaborator in Mk.gee. Dijon intricately weaves in old school hip-hop samples, stellar production, and a soulful, almost-gospel esque approach to his vocal performance that transcends genre lines along the way. Baby was released with no preceding singles, and is meant to be listened to from front to back to fully absorb what Dijon created here. Sophomore albums typically don’t blow away the competition as much as what Dijon has accomplished here, and the widespread critical acclaim of Baby is 100% justified. Dijon offers a mesmerizing combination of experimental hip-hop, rap, soul and R&B, in one of this year’s best albums to date.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

There’s something to be said when you can feel a beating heart behind a band’s music. That raw, emotional connection to the material is hard to come by these days, especially in the AI-era of music. Maryland’s own Have Mercy have returned with their most immediate material to date with The Loneliest Place I’ve Ever Been, that is packed with ultra-personal lyrics. “We’ve been waiting so long to show our fans what we’ve been working on. This feels like a new journey has started for our band. There’s no better way to kick start this album than releasing a song like ‘august 17’. It is an incredibly personal song that carries a lot of weight. It’s about loss and the continuing pain felt after someone is gone. It may hurt less over time, but it never stops hurting,” shared Brian Swindle, lead singer/guitarist of Have Mercy. By delving even deeper into stories of loss and trauma, Have Mercy simultaneously crafted their most personal, urgent, and best work to date on The Loneliest Place I’ve Ever Been.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

It’s easy to see why Pinkshift were so happy for their sophomore LP, Earthkeeper, to see the light of day. This record is brimming with hopeful messages, and is paired with an ambitious and dynamic take on what punk music is and can sound like today. An “Earthkeeper” is “a reflection of universal consciousness and a protector of existence,” and the spacey artwork showcases the band’s lofty ambitions on taking their music to the next level. While their Hopeless Records’ debut, that was called Love Me Forever, was a raucous punk rock romp of a good time, Earthkeeper is a direct reaction to the world around this young three-piece band that has a lot on their minds. Singles like the abrasive “Anita Ride” and the punk rock energy found on “Evil Eye” are wisely stacked back to back in the early-going of the album sequencing, while vocalist Ashrita Kumar finds lightning in a bottle in a dynamic vocal performance. Earthkeeper is absolutely packed with heavy political themes, while still remaining true and authentic the band’s core values and spiritual beliefs that there is a bigger power at play.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

There’s a comforting feeling behind Ellie Rowsell’s vocals. The front-woman of British rock band, Wolf Alice, captivates and charms all over the band’s fourth studio album, called The Clearing. The album itself was produced by veteran hit-maker Greg Kurstin (Foo Fighters, Jonas Brothers), and The Clearing has a bit of that classic rock feeling to it as you play it from front to back. From the upbeat piano found on the lead single of “Bloom Baby Bloom” that gave Wolf Alice fans a sense of the direction found on the band’s latest effort, to the stylistic choices made by the three other band members to connect things together, The Clearing wasn’t exactly the album I thought would follow after 2021’s Blue Weekend. Instead, the album plays out like a 70’s rock n’ roll romp, much like what Fleetwood Mac cut their teeth to during that decade, with mostly positive results. The LP’s strengths are found in the shimmering sheen and musical polish of “Just Two Girls” and the album closing single of “The Sofa,” while I initially had trouble connecting with the style of “Bloom Baby Bloom” when it released in mid-May. Wolf Alice are trying to develop their sound by looking towards the past for tried and true influences, and they can only hope that their fans are still with them on the latest detour in their trajectory.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest single and visualizer video from Frightful Places, the solo project of Kevin Tiernan, called “Spirits Are Up!” Kevin shared, “Picture this: You’re on the beach in July, the sun warm on your skin, daydreaming about autumn leaves and the crisp October breeze. Sitting beside the one you love, you’re torn between soaking in the last days of summer and eagerly awaiting Halloween. ‘Spirits Are Up!’ is an optimistic anthem that blends the dreamy essence of shoegaze with the vibrant energy of The Cure and Turnover. Produced by Chris Teti (The World Is A Beautiful Place…), this track will make you feel sun-soaked, even as you start to crave fall.” If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider streaming more Frightful Places music here.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Today I’m proud to introduce everyone to a great new band from Atlanta, Georgia named abandcalledlove. Their latest single, “A Liar!” is brimming with big indie pop rock hooks, rich textural instrumental sections, all paired with infectious melodies and harmonies. abandcalledlove is Ryan Chandler Love (lead vocals), Ian Joshua Riley (producer/guitarist), Blake Aldridge (guitar), Brooks Roberts (bass), and Austin Yagle (drums), and their band chemistry showcases why they routinely sell out venues they are booked to play at. Band member, Ian Joshua Riley shared:

If the opening track of the EP is a ‘mission statement’ of sorts denoting what love is, and the second track of the EP is an extrapolation of those ideas, then ‘A Liar!’, being track three, is intended to be an antithetical, bastardized representation of ‘love’ experienced while intentionally and genuinely pursuing it. The dialogue-style approach to the lyrics combined with the narrator’s internal monologue in the chorus is meant to represent a hypothetical, but universally relatable narrative of the seemingly never-ending chaotic cycle of miscommunication, unmet expectations, confusion, hurt, and misunderstanding that come with the pursuit of genuine relationship when goals are fundamentally unaligned. We also wanted the push-and-pull nature of the production and composition to reflect that tension as much as possible, so we spent a lot of time in the studio balancing the more traditional dynamic rock elements with the more subtle electronics and ambient, atmospheric moments to really emphasize the overall dynamics of the track, especially leading up to the song’s climax.

If you’re enjoying the early listen to “A Liar!”, please consider pre-saving the band’s debut EP, Thriving Season (that releases on September 26th) here.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Jason Vena (vocals) and Garrett Lunceford (drums) of Acceptance to discuss the importance of their debut LP, Phantoms, turning 20 years old this year. The band is currently supporting the anniversary of their landmark record with a fall tour and a great re-record of the album that features several incredible guest artists on it. Pre-orders for the Phantoms 20 vinyl are on-going here via Equal Vision Records.

Review: AJR – What No One’s Thinking

Interview: American Television

Interview: The Collect Pond

Henry J. Star – “Petrichor” (Video Premiere)

Interview: Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace

The Jukebox Romantics – “Honolulu Sun” (Video Premiere)

Grace Inspace ft. Luna Li – “Meteor” (Video Premiere)

The Carolyn – “Routines” (Song Premiere)

Review: Dijon – Baby

Review: Have Mercy – The Loneliest Place I’ve Ever Been

Review: Pinkshift – Earthkeeper

Review: Wolf Alice – The Clearing

Frightful Places – “Spirits Are Up!” (Song Premiere)

abandcalledlove – “A Liar!” (Song Premiere)

Interview: Jason Vena and Garrett Lunceford of Acceptance