Review: Anberlin – Silverline

Adam Grundy Aug 1, 2022

It feels great to have Anberlin back in the music fold. The band seemed very comfortable walking away from the music scene after the release of their last (and at the time, final) album called Lowborn and an accompanying farewell tour, yet fast forwarding to the band’s reconciliation in 2018, where Anberlin would perform several concerts and then in May of 2020, the band announced they would be working on some new music once again. Add in a few livestream concerts during the pandemic, and Anberlin regained their band chemistry and appear to be re-invigorated in the path that lies before them. This passion was felt first-hand in lead vocalist Stephen Christian when I interviewed him about Silverline. Hearing Christian’s take on how these songs came together with producers Tim McTague (Underoath), Chad Carouthers, and JJ Revell only brings further context to the rich tunes that came together on this EP.

Adam Grundy Aug 1, 2022

Every now and then you come across a band or a song that makes you feel fortunate to be a music writer. This feeling come in strongly with Between The Echoes and their new single entitled “Phantom Limb.” The track even features some guest vocals from Anberlin’s Stephen Christian towards the end of the song to add to the layers of complexity and conflict within the song’s lyrics. The band is comprised of Chad William, Katie Jean, Marvin Albert, and their unique band chemistry pays off majorly with a crisp pop-punk delivery. With a sound that drifts somewhere between the darkest parts of Finch, paired with the pop sensibilities of Broadside, Between The Echoes are well on their way to making the best use of their moment.

Adam Grundy Jul 28, 2022

Today is the perfect time to hit play on the single from Beach Bums called “WAR.” This LA-based experimental rock band crushes out this synth-heavy, electronica-infused song with professional poise. On this latest track, Beach Bums shared, “This single, ‘WAR,’ is a candle provided by god to help light the way through the dark, secretive, and extremely personal journeys that we continue to face (and/or may later face) in our lives. I hope this song leads you to the ashes of all your wars.” If you’re ready to take the next dramatic step forward in your musical journey, Beach Bums will accept all who follow.

Adam Grundy Jul 26, 2022

Recently I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of Anberlin, Stephen Christian, for an in-depth interview about the band’s new EP entitled Silverline. We chatted about the legacy of Anberlin, the memories Stephen has from visiting each city as they go on tour, as well as what the band learned about their storied discography through each of their livestreams during the pandemic. Silverline will be released July 29th via Equal Vision Records.

Adam Grundy Jul 25, 2022

Recently I was able to catch up with a talented alternative rock band called Oh Lonesome Ana right after they released a new record. This band would be perfect for fans of Jets to Brazil, The Weakerthans, and Pedro the Lion, while still adding a unique twist to their own music. In this interview, I asked the band about their core influences, what continues to keep them motivated as artists and musicians, as well as how their songwriting has continued to evolve.

Adam Grundy Jul 25, 2022

Today I’m excited to share the latest music video from Trick Gum (comprised of Justin Raisen and Jordan Benik) for their new single called “Tim Dillon.” The song takes its inspiration from comedian Tim Dillon, and as Raisen shared, “As far as the ‘Tim Dillon’ video goes, besides being the one of the funniest comedians on the planet, we also wanted to see him look like Jagger.” I was also able to get more insight from Trick Gum in a short interview below.

Adam Grundy Jul 22, 2022

On the third full-length record from Albany, New York’s alternative rock band called Coupons, they hone in on their songwriting and use the full power of their four band members to contribute to a record entitled Wasted Intimacy. With a sound that tows the line somewhere between Oso Oso, The Format, and Foxing, Coupons appear to be hitting the right groove in their collective approach to their music on this album. From the steady beat found on the opening track called “Mardi Gras” to the spacey closer of “Japanese Whiskey,” Coupons could be just the right band for this strange moment in our lives.

Adam Grundy Jul 21, 2022

All truth be told, I wasn’t an immediate fan of this little New Jersey band called My Chemical Romance that came storming onto the emo scene with I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. If I remember right, the first song that I ever came across from MCR was an MP3 of “Vampires Will Never Hurt You,” which coincidentally was the first single to be released from the set. Whether the song caught me in a bad mood, or the fact that the emo/screamo/punk rock scene was exploding with more bands and content than my ears or brain could handle at that time, My Chemical Romance never really got its due justice in my regular music rotation. That all changed quickly when I went to Washington, DC’s legendary 9:30 Club in the summer of 2002 to check out The Used. Luckily for me, I made the wise decision to get there early and see if the openers had anything worth checking out. The very first band to take the stage had bad haircuts, fresh faces, and a lead singer rocking a studded belt while donning a leather jacket. Little did I know, I would be watching my future favorite front-man in Gerard Way, and my future all-time favorite band in My Chemical Romance grab the audience by the throat and never let go in the the short 30-minute set that featured songs from Bullets.

Adam Grundy Jul 21, 2022

Starting your day off on the right foot, an art-rock/experimental band called Up Is The Down The are sharing their latest single called “Memento.” The four-piece band is from Boise, Idaho and take their influences on established artists like Andrew Bird and Them Yorke to a new level with this great-sounding track. The latest single comes from their LP entitled Pulling the Wool, which will be fully released on August 12th via Earth Libraries. I was also able to catch up with the band for a short interview about this single that takes its inspiration from the Christopher Nolan film of the same name.

Adam Grundy Jul 21, 2022

Today is the perfect time to share the new single from melodic punk band Greyed Out called “Broken Like An Arrow.” The band features four former members of This Time Next Year, and this new unit will be releasing the two-sided single starting this Friday, July 22nd via Negative Progression Records. On this latest single, vocalist Pete Dowdalls shared, “There is solace in solitude. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Isolation builds character and there is nothing more important in this world.” With a sound that strays somewhere between Social Distortion and Four Year Strong, Greyed Out are ready to be added to that perfect punk rock summer playlist.

Adam Grundy Jul 20, 2022

On the latest effort from singer/songwriter John Moreland, called Birds in the Ceiling, he remains at his most captivating version of himself as he sings in-depth poetic verses over a vast landscape of sound. The nine-track set was produced by Matt Pence (Jason Isbell, The Breeders), whom he also collaborated on the great LP5 album. Moreland sounds like a man who’s coming fully engulfed into the sound that he has carefully crafted over the course of his musical career, and he continues to win audiences over with his transcendent vocals and brilliant guitar playing. Much like LP5, Moreland is open to musical experimentation with ambient sounds and electronic beats in the background to bring further texture to the picture he paints on Birds in the Ceiling.

Adam Grundy Jul 20, 2022

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from San Fermin called “Someone You Call Baby,” a heartfelt, yet rare ballad taken from their upcoming EP entitled Your Ghost, out September 9th via Better Company Records. San Fermin took a very collaborative approach on this song, as well as their upcoming record, with several key outside contributors paired with vocalist Allen Tate’s work at the helm as producer. The band leader, Ellis Ludwig-Leone, shared:

Since Allen took over producing, my writing process has really changed. I wrote this one at the piano and it came out almost like a ballad, which I never usually write. The song had three distinct sections we really liked, but we couldn’t figure out how to piece it all together, til we finally landed on a version where the first half of the song is a relaxed acoustic guitar groove, which sets up this big cathartic build at the end. Allen and I argued about this one a lot, but often those end up being the best songs.

With a larger than life sound paired with heartfelt lyrics, San Fermin are ready for their next big artistic step forward.

Adam Grundy Jul 19, 2022

Today is the perfect day to share the new performance video from indie singer/songwriter, MuMu, called “Wrapped Up.” The songwriter is from Harlem, New York and tackles the difficult theme of unexpected pregnancies, given the recent news breaking all around women nationwide. The artist shared:

When I was a little girl, I didn’t fully understand the term ‘pro-choice’ I thought that meant I would be ok with having an abortion if the time came. One of my older sisters delicately explained to me that pro-choice isn’t about personal choice, it’s about acknowledging that everyone has the right to choose for themselves. A simple shift in perspective made all the difference. As I got older, I realized that not everyone has a wise family member or friend to help them gain perspective. It’s difficult to determine what’s fair or just when we’re inundated with misinformation and skewed personal agendas. But it’s not my place to tell you that you’re wrong. I just tell stories – real stories about living, breathing women who have been overlooked and under-heard.

I also got a chance to catch up with the band for an exclusive interview about this live performance video.

Adam Grundy Jul 19, 2022

Today I’m excited to share the latest single from the ultra-talented singer/songwriter, Nick Leng, called “Easy.” The song comes from his vibrant second LP entitled Spirals, out everywhere July 22nd via SOTA Records, and is a good reflection of Leng’s use of color imagery to describe a vast range of emotions. With so much anticipation building towards his sophomore effort, it’s about time we all engulf ourselves in Leng’s musical odyssey.

Adam Grundy Jul 18, 2022

Recently I was able to connect with vocalist Joe Reo, of Hidden In Plain View, to discuss the recent singles his band has released. We also reminisced over the great Life In Dreaming record and the memories that surrounded those sessions, as well as the new touring plans for the band. I was able to get Joe to drop a few notes about the culmination of what these new singles are leading to, as well as some unique merch packages that will be announced shortly. You can check out the recently released music on your favorite streaming service, including Amazon Music here.

Review: Anberlin – Silverline

Review: Between The Echoes – “Phantom Limb”

Beach Bums – “WAR” (Song Premiere)

Interview: Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Interview: Oh Lonesome Ana

Trick Gum – “Tim Dillon” (Video Premiere)

Review: Coupons – Wasted Intimacy

Review: My Chemical Romance – I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love

Up Is The Down The – “Memento” (Song Premiere)

Greyed Out – “Broken Like An Arrow” (Song Premiere)

Review: John Moreland – Birds In The Ceiling

San Fermin – “Someone You Call Baby” (Song Premiere)

MuMu – “Wrapped Up” (Video Premiere)

Nick Leng – “Easy” (Song Premiere)

Interview: Hidden In Plain View