Adam Grundy
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Adam Grundy
An enthusiastic music blogger who lives in the Washington DC Metro area. My favorite bands are My Chemical Romance, Yellowcard, the 1975, and Paramore.
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My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
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Vinnie Caruana
FEATURES, BLOGS, & REVIEWS

Interview: Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms

Brendan Kelly
Adam Grundy

This past week, I was able to get a hold of Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms before he embarks on a full US tour, including an expertly planned “troll job” of a gig on August 21st at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping venue with Laura Jane Grace. In this interview, we talked about the circumstances that led to this show, the things he admires most about Laura, his songwriting process, and how the pandemic delayed a lot of his creativity and motivation. Brendan’s “Here Goes Nothin'” tour begins on July 30th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will wrap up in Cleveland, Ohio on August 22nd. Merchandise for the Four Seasons Total Landscaping show is now on sale.

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Review: A Story Told – American Made

Adam Grundy

On the third full-length record from pop-rockers A Story Told, called American Made, they channel all of the best elements of their band and their past work into a refreshing mix of great tunes. The first single released, “I Don’t Mind (To Get A Little Hurt Sometimes)” does a nice job of re-introducing the band to their fans, and brings some new elements into the fold for those just getting to know A Story Told. This record of 12 songs clocking in at just over 36 minutes, are punchy, to the point, and a hell of a lot of fun for this summer season. With so much great momentum going in the band’s favor, it’s no wonder why there is significant buzz surrounding these rockers.

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Review: The Maine – XOXO: From Love and Anxiety In Real Time

Adam Grundy

Just when you think that The Maine are hitting a groove in their musical delivery, they decide to take it up just a notch further and better. XOXO: From Love and Anxiety In Real Time is the perfect soundtrack to this summer of getting back to some sense of normalcy after the dumpster fire of this past year and a half. The Maine are able to channel everything that I love about their band into a crowd-pleasing package of ten songs that clock in at just over 30 minutes. With so much great momentum being carried forth from their last two records (Lovely Little Lonely and You Are Ok), the band are able to do the near-impossible of following up those amazing albums with a record worthy of being caught in the same breath of them.

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Dim – ‘From Dark To Light We’ll See’ (Album Premiere)

Dim
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share that the band Dim (featuring previous band members of The Dangerous Summer and Woe Is Me) chose our site to premiere their new album called From Dark To Light We’ll See. The band’s direction on this latest album is the perfect soundtrack to this past year of darkness and the tumultuous experience of living through a pandemic. Dim is in the same landscape of other artists like The Spill Canvas, Saosin, and Bring Me The Horizon. Dim welcomes you into their world, a day earlier than anyone, else exclusively here!

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Interview: Joe Principe of Rise Against

Rise Against
Adam Grundy

This past week, I was able to chat with Joe Principe (bassist) of Rise Against before the band embarks on one of their most ambitious tours to date. In this interview we discussed where the title of their excellent new album Nowhere Generation came from, the songwriting process that the band went through during these sessions, what Rise Against plan to do with their bonus material, as well as how Joe stayed active in the causes he is passionate about during the pandemic. Rise Against will be starting their headlining tour with support from the Descendents and The Menzingers.

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Interview: M.A.G.S.

Adam Grundy

This past week, I was able to connect with Elliot Douglas, better known as the artist M.A.G.S. for a Zoom interview. In this enlightening interview, he discussed where the title of his new album Say Things That Matter (out everywhere on August 13th) originated from, his unique upbringing with a variety of musical styles, his connection to the emo and pop-punk scene, as well as how his upcoming tour preparations are going. I also asked M.A.G.S. about this new “wave” of artists who are creating their own trend, and how he sees himself fitting with the music landscape today.

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Review: Taking Back Sunday – Taking Back Sunday

Adam Grundy

Looking back at the abruptly quick 10 year anniversary of Taking Back Sunday’s self-titled record was an incredibly joyous task. At first, this record got lost in my listening shuffle of so many other great albums that came out in 2011, but I thought it would only be fair to write a retrospective in case others have made the same mistake I did and not come to fully appreciate this album. Taking Back Sunday is the fifth studio album of the band’s career, and having gone through a few lineup re-shuffling over the years, this record found John Nolan and Shaun Cooper returning into the fold after some time away from TBS. The band chemistry is absolutely majestic on these songs that sound even better than they did when I first heard them. With great singles like “Faith (When I Let You Down)” and “This Is All Now,” I’m kicking myself for not revisiting this legendary album sooner.

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Interview: Ali Tabatabaee and Adrian Estrella of Zebrahead

Zebrahead
Adam Grundy

A lot has changed in the world of Zebrahead since I last connected with Ali Tabatabaee. The band recently announced that longtime guitarist and front-man, Matty Lewis, had left the band, the pandemic rocked these road veterans touring plans, and the punk rockers were looking for a way to pick up the pieces in searching for their next lead singer of Zebrahead. Enter Adrian Estrella (front-man of Assuming We Survive) to take the coveted reins of the band as they begin their third chapter. In this interview, Ali and Adrian discuss the circumstances that led to Matty Lewis leaving Zebrahead, why the band chose Adrian to move forward with the recording of their new album and upcoming touring plans, as well as what they both think the future holds in store for this latest exciting version of the band.

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Review: Beabadoobee – Our Extended Play

Adam Grundy

The latest record from the now 21-year old artist known as Beabadoobee, is her fifth overall EP, and follows the massive success she experienced on her debut LP Fake It Flowers. A lot of this record, called Our Extended Play, was co-written with members of The 1975, including front-man Matty Healy and George Daniel. Her collaboration with the veteran hit-makers pays major dividends as she has released four of her most immediately gripping and urgent songs to date.

Our Extended Play opens on the right foot with the brilliantly constructed “Last Day on Earth” that features some faint backing vocals from Healy to bring depth to Beabadoobee’s tender voice. The song is largely constructed around a looped electric guitar riff that doesn’t stray too far from its original composition. She sings passionately on the second verse, “You made it along / You got a problem with Peter, you got a problem with John / You can’t go on / All this follow me shit / I want to get fucked up at home / Be naked alone / And turn up my phone / Because this song I wrote is just so fucking sick, it goes…” The song has a lot of the same vibes of The 1975’s “Me and You Together Song,” but Beabadoobee’s trademark vocal delivery allows the song to really feel fresh.

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Review: Summer Salt – Sequoia Moon

Adam Grundy

There’s something about summer that changes the way we process things. Could it be the heat signaling to our brains that carefree days are ahead? Or, does it signal the promise of starting anew and discovering ourselves all over again? Summer Salt investigates both of these questions on Sequoia Moon, produced by Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Fleet Foxes). What the band does well on this record is to channel the carefree days of sitting by the ocean and letting all the other worries melt away. For newcomers to the band, the vibes felt on this album are similar to Vacationer, Two Door Cinema Club, and JR JR. Look no further for the album that could very well be your soundtrack to this summer.

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Review: Quiet Like A Thief – Through The Looking Glass

Quiet Like A Thief - Through The Looking Glass
Adam Grundy

On the Boston pop-punk band Quiet Like A Thief’s debut EP, Through the Looking Glass, the band has the charm of the golden era of pop-punk, with a few unique twists to modernize their sound for the next generation of this genre’s fans. Led by vocalist Alex Kouvaris, his vocal delivery on this breezy set of songs feels like putting on that favorite t-shirt that you’ve always adored and still brings the same comfort. Quiet Like a Thief is rounded out by bassist Ryan Sweeney, the dual-guitar attack of Nick Lopardo and Mike Marziliano, and drummer Dan Marchelewski. This debut is a nice love letter to the bands who inspired their charming pop-punk sound, while still staying true to what made them the people they are today. The EP was produced by Four Year Strong’s Alan Day, and he’s able to bring out the best in this band that comes shining through the speakers.

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Review: Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack

Adam Grundy

The concept behind the Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack was fairly unique. The soundtrack was produced by Tyler Bates (Watchmen, Guardians of the Galaxy) and he organized key artist contributors that were already well-versed in the lore of DC Comics cannon. Bates also entrusted several musicians from our scene to lend their voice-over talents to the animated show called “Sonic Metalverse,” which included key parts from Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides) as Batman, Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra) as Lex Luthor, just to name a few. Based on this experience, Tyler Bates asked several bands to use this experience to channel their artistic energy into this soundtrack of songs premised on how these characters’ would have interpreted these events through their lens of their bands’ music. The Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack is the perfect love letter to the complex past surrounding the unique character arcs of each of the legendary DC Comics characters, and features brand new songs from Chelsea Wolfe, Manchester Orchestra, Grey Daze, and Soccer Mommy, among many other talented artists.

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Review: AFI – Bodies

Adam Grundy

The rollout of singles from the eleventh studio album from AFI was interesting, to say the least. With a trio of dual singles releases beginning in January, and the subsequent ones to follow in February and April, there was plenty of new material for fans to dissect before the full-length album would be fully released this month. Davey Havok and Jade Puget had been extremely busy having released their latest Blaqk Audio project’s album in August of 2020, and they would later turn their focus towards the sessions that would make up the record known as Bodies. In a livestream event in April 2020, Jade Puget mentioned this latest album had been fully completed, but like so many other albums, the release date was being pushed back due to the pandemic. The material that comprised Bodies is a mixture of the sound AFI went for on The Missing Man EP, with a slight throwback to some stylistic choices found on Crash Love and the darker-toned Burials. The best part of AFI’s music is their ability to make songs that immediately sound like something they would create, yet sound unique enough to cover plenty of new ground along the way.

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Review: Talk Show Host – Mid-Century Modern

Talk Show Host - Mid-Century Modern
Adam Grundy

On the debut album from Toronto punk rockers Talk Show Host, they channel all of the best parts of melodic punk rock into a package worthy of taking immediate notice. The three-piece band is comprised of Chris Veinot (vocals/guitar), Fabien Rivenet (bass) and Sean Woolven (drums/backing vocals), and their early band chemistry is undeniable. The punk rockers have put out a few EPs early on to hone in the sound that comes into its truest form on Mid-Century Modern. The record was produced by John Dinsmore (PUP, Single Mothers) and their trust in the hitmaker pays full dividends as he gets the best performance out of every track. With so much early momentum going in Talk Show Host’s favor, its no wonder why some are touting them as the “next big thing” in the melodic punk scene.

The album blasts off on the right foot with the guitar bliss of “You Asshole!” where lead vocalist Chris Veinot snarls over the backing instruments impressively. The comparisons to bands like The Bouncing Souls, Anti-Flag, and Bad Religion get felt early on with the solid slabs of punk rock found on this opener.

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