Vakili Band – “Father’s Son” (Song Premiere)

Adam Grundy Jan 27, 2022

The latest single from the roots rock band Vakili Band, for “Father’s Son,” recaptures that spirit of the 70’s guitar rock era, and repackages it into a crowd-pleasing effort. The song comes from their new album, Walking Sideways, that hits the streets on February 25th, and you can pre-save it here. I was able to get a hold of lead vocalist, Lily Vakili, to provide some in-depth context on the new single. She mentions a strong Rage Against the Machine influence among many other insights. If you’re enjoying the new track, you can learn more about the band here.

Adam Grundy Jan 25, 2022

Recently I was able to get word of a new EP that was getting significant buzz in both the band’s hometown in Ontario, as well as a thriving following in the states. Last December’s Changes by Texas King is a brilliant mix of 90’s roots rock in the same realm as The Black Crowes, the pop sensibilities of Hootie & The Blowfish, with the modern polish of The Fray. Lead vocalist Jordan Macdonald truly shines on songs like “You,” “Strange Life,” and the album opener “Not Myself.” If you’ve been looking for a new band that reminds you of the 90’s Alt Rock scene with a steady heart towards the future, look no further than Texas King.

The record opens with a nice guitar groove found on “Not Myself,” and one of the first things that captivated my attention was Macdonald’s crisp vocal delivery. The band really rallies around each of his heartfelt lyrics, and they never overpower the direction of the vocals. The title track follows with a more up-tempo approach, but never loses its footing with the direction of the storytelling found in Texas King’s music. This song in particular focuses on the feeling of noticing that changes need to be made in your life, even if you have to hit rock bottom before picking up the pieces to put yourself back together.

Adam Grundy Jan 24, 2022

1997 was a huge year for the Alternative Rock genre, and music fans in general, due to the vast number of great releases coming out. Since I missed the opportunity to write about Clumsy by Our Lady Peace at the 20 year mark, I figured it was about time to revisit this Alt Rock classic for its 25th Anniversary. Sure, everyone knows the major hits on this record like “Superman’s Dead,” “Automatic Flowers,” “4 AM,” and the slow-building title track, but the depth that Mike Turner, Jeremy Taggart, and lead vocalist Raine Maida went to into crafting the songs that surround these huge singles speaks to Our Lady Peace’s ability to live on in Alt Rock-lore. Many people don’t realize that Clumsy was the sophomore album from Our Lady Peace, with their debut coming in the form of Naveed. The music landscape had changed significantly since their debut released in the United States in 1995, and it was only a matter of time before this talented Canadian band would strike the right chord of the heartstrings of music listeners everywhere. Clumsy was produced by Arnold Lanni, who also gets writing credits on the album, and he does a great job in getting the best performances out of these young rockers to create a legendary, Alternative staple.

Adam Grundy Jan 21, 2022

After releasing their debut in 2018, Consecutive Normal Songs, the Northeast Louisiana emo rock band Inside Voices have returned with their latest offering of new music on the EP titled Liminal Space. The four-piece band would be perfect for fans of the stylings of other emo bands like Title Fight, The Wonder Years, and especially American Football. By showcasing their growth on this collection of six well thought out songs, Inside Voices appear poised for the next big step in their musical evolution.

Adam Grundy Jan 19, 2022

Today I’m beyond thrilled to share the latest music video for a UK-based punk band called Weatherstate for their song “Headstone.” The song comes from their upcoming Rude Records set called Never Better, out everywhere on February 11th. The band shared this about the new single:

Probably the second softest song on the record, and not being as morbid as the name might suggest, ‘Headstone’ is about trying to make something out of ourselves in the time we have here. It’s okay to go through periods of life unhappy and that’s what makes the good bits all the better. ‘Catch me I don’t want to come down’ specifically relates to friends being around when you need a safety net, and how important it is to have the support network that can get you through those monotonous times. We’re only around here for so long, and that’s the way it is, we shouldn’t beat ourselves up too much, and it’s completely okay to sometimes just roll with the punches.

I also had a chance to catch up with lead vocalist, Harry Hoskins, before the release of Never Better. If you’re enjoying the singles that have hit the streets thus far, consider pre-ordering the record here.

Adam Grundy Jan 18, 2022

About a week ago, I was able to connect with former Yellowcard vocalist and established indie solo songwriter William Ryan Key via Zoom, and I asked him about the new EP Everything Except Desire, the legacy of Yellowcard, as well as what it means to him that so many fans still care about what he has to say in his music career. William Ryan Key has always been one of my favorite vocalists and songwriters in this scene, so I thoroughly enjoyed hearing his perspective on not only the new music, but the lessons he has learned over time. Everything Except Desire is available for pre-order from Equal Vision here.

Adam Grundy Jan 17, 2022

Coming off their perplexing third studio album, the aptly titled III, The Lumineers have returned with a more radio-ready sound on Brightside. On this record that feels almost like an EP, since it clocks in at just over 30 minutes over a nine-track span, the indie folk rockers relocate some of that early magic they captured on their debut record and Cleopatra, as well. This set of songs was recorded in Sun Mountain Studios by producer David Baron, with some additional producer credits by Simone Felice. What the band does best on Brightside is coming to terms with who they are as musicians and songwriters for one of their most accessible albums to date. Led by the trio of singles including the title track, “A.M. Radio,” and “Big Shot,” The Lumineers feel like they’re ready to take the next steps forward.

Adam Grundy Jan 14, 2022

Today I’m excited to share the latest single for indie folk songwriter Ben Auld for the song, “O Athena!” The track comes from his upcoming debut LP Lemongrass, that hits the streets on February 15th. Auld shared this about the song:

This is possibly the oldest song on the album and it stuck around because I could imagine an audience singing along to it. Sufjan’s Illinois is one of my favorite albums ever and I wanted to create something that had a similar feeling of exultation. I can’t remember where the chorus lyrics came from, I guess I felt they fit this theme of praising or elevating people. Making a new friend or founding a new relationship can make people so elated and joyous. This song tries to express that period of time before things settle back to normality. The recording process for each song is slightly different and with this I wanted it to feel like it had depth without it being drenched in reverbs. So I recorded the bass, drums and rhythm guitars to cassette and then used an 8 track to layer the keys and picked guitars. Then I bounced that all to another 4 track and recorded the vocals. Each time a layer was bounced it got pushed down in the mix and so you have this sort of stratification effect.

Your next indie singer-songwriter obsession has arrived.

Adam Grundy Jan 11, 2022

Fresh off a well-received fourth album in After Hours, paired with a brilliant performance at last year’s Super Bowl halftime show, The Weeknd has returned with his next thrilling opus called Dawn FM. The set of 16 songs, interspersed with dialogue and various interludes, plays out like a futuristic radio show meant for the dance floor. The album features a litany of producers, that includes The Weeknd, Max Martin, and Calvin Harris among many others, yet this record never strays from its utmost purpose of being a beacon of light towards its theme of being a metaphor for purgatory. In a recent interview with Billboard, The Weeknd expanded on this concept by explaining, “Picture the album being like the listener is dead. And they’re stuck in this purgatory state, which I always imagined would be like being stuck in traffic waiting to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. And while you’re stuck in traffic, they got a radio station playing in the car, with a radio host guiding you to the light and helping you transition to the other side. So it could feel celebratory, could feel bleak, however, you want to make it feel, but that’s what ‘The Dawn’ is for me.” The styles of new wave, to dance pop, all the way to funk and EDM thrown into the mix, make for an ultra-refreshing listening experience. The first major release of 2022 has arrived in a big way.

Adam Grundy Jan 7, 2022

Today I’m thrilled to share the exclusive premiere of the new single by San Diego, California’s pop-punk band Summer Years, called “Small World.” The latest single comes from their brand new EP, You Can’t Live There Forever, which was released today via Enci Records. Band member Noah Rabe shared this quote about the first ballad they have written in their discography:

Small World is the first ballad from Summer Years. Nick wrote the lyrics about his home town and the desire to keep the things you love sacred and the same, but knowing that things always change is the best way to value what you have. If it doesn’t last forever, when ‘it’ is happening, that’s the time to enjoy it. As for the video we got to enjoy a couple hot August summer days near Joshua Tree filming. We loved the cast and crew we worked with. Everyone was motivated to put together something special, and I think we did just that.

If you’re enjoying the single as much as I am, you can purchase the recently released EP here.

Adam Grundy Jan 5, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Jan 3, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Dec 23, 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.

Adam Grundy Dec 20, 2021

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.

Adam Grundy Dec 10, 2021

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.

Vakili Band – “Father’s Son” (Song Premiere)

Review: Texas King – Changes

Review: Our Lady Peace – Clumsy

Review: Inside Voices – Liminal Space

Weatherstate – “Headstone” (Video Premiere)

Interview: William Ryan Key

Review: The Lumineers – Brightside

Ben Auld – “O Athena!” (Music Premiere)

Review: The Weeknd – Dawn FM

Summer Years – “Small World” (Video Premiere)

Interview: Kitten

Adam Grundy’s Top Albums of 2021

Review: Sarah and the Safe Word – “Solstice”

Review: Nathan Gray – Rebel Songs

Interview: Aeon Station (Kevin Whelan)