A couple of weeks ago, I was able to connect with Chloe Chaidez and Parker Silzer IV of the band Kitten before they released their latest album called Personal Hotspots. In this interview, I asked the band about what this recording process unique, their core musical influences, as well as a fun question about other artists they admire in today’s music scene. Personal Hotspots is available now wherever you stream your music.
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This year was overwhelming in a lot of ways, right? Overwhelming with the possibility of another full year of dealing with a never-ending pandemic, and the overwhelming amount of content (in all mediums) that came out this year that helped us get through another crazy year. The music was fantastic, the TV shows that were being released were equally thrilling on various streaming platforms (as the networks quickly caught on to everyone “cutting the cord” of cable), the movies coming out were being simultaneously released at home as they were hitting theaters while they re-captured our imaginations, as well as several great books were released rekindling my love for the glory days of our scene. This year really had a lot of everything to it, and since this year was so unique, I expanded my year-end blog this year to cover a lot of those mediums that I don’t usually have enough time to talk about (besides a quick plug in the Chorus.FM forums).
On top of my favorite 30 albums from this year, I’ve also dedicated key sections of this blog to an “honorable mention” category, my Top 10 EPs, my Top 10 Interviews I conducted, as well as my Top 5 Books, TV Shows, and Movies I really enjoyed during this year. Thanks again for all of the kind words you have shared about my writing, and I hope I have helped you discover new bands, and/or revisit records from a past life, as it makes contributing to this site such a labor of love. I wish everyone a very Happy New Year as we look ahead to more great content ahead.
Read More “Adam Grundy’s Top Albums of 2021”
You have to love a band that maps out their content just perfectly. On the first day of the winter solstice, Sarah and the Safe Word have returned once again with an expansive and heavy single called “Solstice.” From the opening lines of, “A little crow, he came to me / And asked what to do with the snow / We tried and tried to sweep it clean, but the cold / It continued to blow,” the band immediately transports the listener to the world created by them, and it matches the cover art nicely. It also ends up being one of the longer songs in Sarah and the Safe Word’s discography, and yet it makes for a thrilling listen for every single beat.
Read More “Sarah and the Safe Word – “Solstice””
Just when you thought all the great releases were done for the year, Nathan Gray (of BoySetsFire) is back with a great-sounding collection of punk rock tracks ready for your ears. Nathan Gray and The Iron Roses have released Rebel Songs today, and it features some pulsating songs filled with marksmanship passion and poise. The title track features Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath, and there really is so much great material to be found on Rebel Songs. When asked about the direction he went with on this record, Gray mentioned, “Well for one, it is wildly more vulnerable and nerve wracking to sing these lyrics as opposed to screaming them. There’s no place to hide the words. It’s no longer range induced. It is a very exposed feeling, but it is exactly what I needed, and what my music needed – to be stripped back down to its core, and put a focus on the message itself. In my own journey through healing, I started to understand that no one can influence change in the world without turning that inward to heal themselves first. As such, what we do in our own lives influences our political leanings and world view.” His improved songwriting pays major dividends as Gray has released yet another career-defining album in his discography.
Read More “Nathan Gray – Rebel Songs”
This past week I had a great conversation with Kevin Whelan (of The Wrens) who has created a solo album, entitled Observatory, under the moniker of Aeon Station. In this in-depth conversation, we chatted about his inspiration for the new album, how he stayed busy as well as creative during the pandemic, and we had some fun discussing the legacy of Sub Pop Records, too. Observatory is available now on all streaming services, or you can purchase the physical version here.
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I’d like to introduce you to a great pop, rock and rap-based band out of L.A. called Tempoh Slow. The band, who reminds me the emo-tinged rap/rock of Twenty One Pilots and the atmospheric feel of The Neighbourhood, are onto some great things on “Villains In Love.” The performance-based music video features vocals from LUNA AURA, and the band rallies around the catchy chorus to make for a memorable single.
Read More “Tempoh Slow – “Villains In Love””
Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from Los Angeles’ own Broken Field Runner, for “Save You.” In this great sounding track, that sounds like a blend between Jimmy Eat World and Hey Mercedes, the band explodes out of the speakers with an emotive force not usually seen with this much urgency. Vocalist/guitarist Tony Bucci shared this about the new single:
‘Save You’ is one of the best songs I’ve ever written. Every so often I write a song and every song I write after it I’ll ask myself, ‘When am I going to write another <fill in the blank>?’ ‘Save You’ is an example of that. It’s one of the only songs in the trilogy of releases that we were able to play live before the pandemic hit, and it has an urgency and energy to it in the live setting. I wrote it for two good friends of mine who experienced a devastating loss and when I shared the demo with them it brought them to tears. In fact, when I sent initial mixes of the song to Dane at Jetsam-Flotsam he replied, ‘If the rest of Runner sounds like this, I’m going to lose my shit.’ It also includes some of my favorite recent lyrics at the end of the song: ‘You are the sun in my horizon / the moon is a lighthouse watching over the cliff / there’s a shore / in the distance a few miles more / called acceptance.'”
If you’re digging this song as much as I think you will, consider pre-ordering the trilogy here.
Read More “Broken Field Runner – “Save You” (Video Premiere)”
Recently I was able to chat with a band from Annapolis, Maryland called Again In May, whose new EP Feels Like Home came across my inbox and I was immediately hooked. The band consists of vocalist Liam King, guitarist Daniel Contreras, bassist Sean Anderson, and drummer Noah Doney, and their sound is similar to a mix between Saosin and the pop sensibilities of The Format. In this interview, I asked the band about their goals for their music, what other artists they look to for inspiration, and the rapid, grassroots feel of winning their audiences over one show at a time. Feels Like Home is available now on your favorite streaming service.
Read More “Again In May”
A few weeks back, I had the chance to chat with a band called The Maguas, who recently premiered their single “Release Me” with us. The band is comprised of Erik Miller (Vocals), Luke Prusinski (Bass), Matthew “Jenks” Jenkins (Lead Guitar), Daulton Rissinger (Rhythm Guitar), and Brandon Ossont (Drums). In this conversation, I asked about the band’s songwriting process for the new single, the music influences they bring into their group, as well as the lessons they have learned from being best friends making music together. In this interview we also discussed the band’s goals for the future and where they see themselves in this music landscape.
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The changing of lead vocalists almost never works for a band. Lucky for us, Zebrahead are all too familiar with shuffling this key cog in the band machine, and sound as re-energized as ever with their third lead vocalist, Adrian Estrella (formerly of Assuming We Survive), who has this beloved band back on the right track. When I last chatted with Adrian and Ali, you could tell that they were sitting on a great collection of music that they have since aptly branded III to mark the third chapter in their storied history. With such a refreshing take on their sound, it’s no wonder why it’s easy to get excited for what the future holds for Zebrahead.
Read More “Zebrahead – III”
In a music landscape filled with some odd band names, Hoobastank may have taken the prize for strangest moniker. On their self-titled major label debut, the band came roaring out of the gate with a strong debut single in “Crawling in the Dark” that rose as high as the top three on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart. One thing that many people don’t know about the band is that this record is actually their second full-length record with the independently released They Sure Don’t Make Basketball Shorts Like They Used To, that featured a horn section and not too much material within the same realm as Hoobastank. I discovered this band in a similar way as others, by seeing their first music video on MTV2 and then promptly buying my first concert ticket to see them at the 9:30 Club. Their live show was filled with pulse-pounding drums (courtesy of Chris Hesse), the brilliant riffing from guitarist Dan Estrin, and anthemic vocals from Doug Robb. During this concert, they played two tracks from their independent debut, “Earthsick” and the song closest to the sound they would go for on their Island Records’ debut on “Stuck Without a Voice.” This concert made me a life-long fan of the band, and they would go on to achieve remarkable success on their subsequent record called The Reason, where the title track made them a household name. This meteoric rise made the radio ready rock band Hoobastank something that ironically everyone would know exactly what you’re talking about.
Read More “Hoobastank – Hoobastank”
Recently I was able to chat with EJ Olson of the band 09 (pronounced “oh-nine”) to discuss his band’s great collaborative record called Lost Years. The new album features 12 songs with 12 different vocalists ranging from marquee names like Kellin Quinn and Marty Mullins to lesser known names looking to take advantage of the spotlight. In this interview, I asked EJ how the album came together with his bandmate, Chancelor Reeder, as well as the key artists 09 looks to for inspiration in their music. Lost Years is a record that should not be missed and I’d highly recommend everyone checking it out sooner rather than later.
Read More “09”
Those kids grow up fast, don’t they? Snarls have knocked all of the expectations for their band out of the park on their great new EP called, What About Flowers? On this Chris Walla-produced effort, this young band have absolutely floored me with their growth as songwriters, musicians, and people in general. When I last spoke with the band, they could hardly contain their excitement in discussing their new EP that comes shimmering through the speakers on its first listen. While their debut, Burst, found the band exploring what would “stick” best in their sound, What About Flowers? finds Snarls at their most focused and driven.
The first single released from this effort is the almost out of place song, “Fixed Gear,” that has a different guitar tone than the rest of the material that follows. In retrospect, it may have made more sense for this song to be a stand-alone single rather than kick-off this collection of songs, but it’s still a song I’m glad Snarls have birthed into this world. It features a great, driving beat, and is rounded out by complex guitar parts and beautifully harmonized and layered vocals. While the band was worried about more fans clinging to this sound of this track, rather than the rest of more synchronous material that follows, it’s still very much a song Snarls should be proud of creating.
Read More “Snarls – What About Flowers?”
Today I’m excited to share the latest single, called “Wild Heart” from Philly’s Riot Grrl band, Full Bush. In this blazing single, the band is able to grasp the spirit of early Riot Grrl bands and put their unique stamp on it for today’s audiences. Kate shared this about “Wild Heart:”
Learning to embrace what sets you apart and how you can embody those parts of yourself that perhaps you were told weren’t socially acceptable for one reason or another is what ‘Wild Heart’ is all about. I wrote it at a time when I was struggling to find answers to why I was stuck repeating habits that weren’t serving me, and beginning to do inner child and shadow work helped make sense of the cognitive dissonance I’d been experiencing. The culmination of the song’s message is to stop fighting the lies you tell yourself and instead listen to and feed the pieces of yourself that are screaming to break free and embrace the wildness of who you are without fear.
If you’re still rocking out to this song, their new EP is out on December 3rd, and pre-orders are available here.
Read More “Full Bush – “Wild Heart” (Song Premiere)”
Recently I was able to chat with the band Snarls before they embarked on a comprehensive US tour supporting The Happy Fits and their label mates M.A.G.S. In this interview, we discussed what it was like recording their new EP What About Flowers? with producer Chris Walla, their direct influences in their sound, and what makes the direction they took on their new EP so exciting. What About Flowers? will be hitting all streaming services on November 12th, and different vinyl options are still available at their Bandcamp store here.
Read More “Snarls”