Review: Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

The world around us is quite brutal and ugly currently, so who couldn’t use a little optimism that things can and will get better? Dua Lipa has returned to the music world with a shimmering album titled Radical Optimism. With songwriting and producer credits from Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, plus other seasoned veterans like Danny Harle, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa comes well-armed for success. The album plays out quickly over the 11-song, 37-minute play time that is filled with thrilling moments, great vocal performances from Dua Lipa, as well as plenty new tricks to her arsenal. Radical Optimism is a heat-seeking missile to the eardrums and is bound to make even the most negative person feel a little bit better about their day after spending some time with it. While the current pop scene seems to lean towards darker elements (much like the brooding pop Billie Eilish), Dua Lipa cuts through the negativity with a surgeon-like precision on this instant pop classic.

Adam Grundy 4 days ago

When the time came for Snarls to begin work on the material that would become their sophomore LP, they knew they wanted to work with producer Chris Walla again. The only issue was that Walla’s U.S. based Seattle studio wasn’t an option at that time period. When Chris Walla pitched the idea of the Ohio indie rock band to come to his actual home in Norway, the offer was simply too good for the band (whom had never been overseas) to pass up. With Love gets a lot of its charm from this other-worldly opportunity for the band to hunker down and pen some of their most meaningful songs to date, albeit in another part of the globe. Indie rock’s best kept secret shines all over their second full-length record that is urgent, thoughtful, impactful, and immediately gratifying. Snarls continue to show their steady growth as musicians, and Walla can only sit back and gleefully admire this journey the young band is taking with him at the producer helm. The shimmering first chorus on the title track sets the table nicely with its lyrics of, “‘Cause I’ll always love you / I’m in your corner, too / Carry you in my heart everyday / With love.” Much like the album artwork that carefully pens the words “With Love,” in the locket, Snarls keep their music accessible, yet utterly passionate.

Adam Grundy 1 week ago

The Irish sibling duo of Steph and Paul O’Sullivan, better known as Greywind, released their debut full-length record in 2017 and have come full circle now with a renewed focus and energy on Antidote. With creative control firmly in the band’s corner, Antidote is a strong collection of songs that complement the energy that Paul (guitars) and Steph (vocals) have with each other as musicians. The set was produced by Sam Guaiana (Silverstein, Neck Deep), and showcases the band’s continued growth. With a slick-sounding mix between emo and pop-punk, Greywind sound like a blend between Paramore and The Wonder Years.

Adam Grundy 1 week ago

The third major label studio album from Maggie Rogers, called Don’t Forget Me, showcases the singer-songwriter’s continued growth in more ways than one. While I originally saw Rogers in the same realm of pop artists like Kacey Musgraves, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker, it turns out she may just be this generation’s Joni Mitchell. With crisp production that Rogers and Ian Fitchuk co-produce on this outstanding record, Maggie Rogers quickly cements herself as one of the marquee pop acts in the world. Having recently announced a comprehensive arena tour, that is selling extremely well, Rogers takes full advantage of her time in the spotlight on this breezy collection of ten songs that blend pop, country, and captivating storytelling in her most fully-realized album to date. The artist that once had a starry-eyed vision of headlining the places she grew up attending, has come full circle and seeing her hard work come to fruition.

Adam Grundy 2 weeks ago

There’s a magic feeling when a band you’ve been following for some time puts all the pieces together and delivers an incredible work of art. Smallpools have done just that on Ghost Town Road (East), an electric-charged EP that encapsulates everything that made me fall in love with this band’s style in the first place. This three-piece pop rock band makes all the right moves on this record that has a very 80’s new wave feel to it, while still maintaining a modern flair to it to ensure it connects with new audiences.

Adam Grundy 4 weeks ago

The sophomore album from Chicago’s Motel Breakfast, called I Promise I’m Having Fun was produced by R. Andrew Humphrey (Twin Peaks) and captures an indie rock spirit in the same vein of bands like Cold War Kids, Dr. Dog and The Menzingers. These emo-tinged songs were written by all five band members, and showcase a band starting to come into their own identity. Motel Breakfast is Conor Brennan, Drue deVente, Jimmy Drenovsky, Mick O’Donnell, and Jesse Nasadowski, and their band chemistry pays off on I Promise I’m Having Fun.

Adam Grundy 1 month ago

There’s something to be said about going out on your own terms. Over time there have been plenty of athletes, actors, artists, and bands who have hung on too long to try and recapture that early spirit found in their careers, with mixed results. Sum 41 announced that Heaven :x: Hell, their eighth studio album, would be their final record in their career, and what a hell of a way to “call your own shot” by leaving behind a bulletproof discography. This double album plays out like a greatest hits compilation in the way that they touch on various stages of their career. The early songs, found on the Heaven side, lean closer to their pop-punk roots, while the back half (Hell) relies on heavy riffing and metal-tinged elements. By delivering what I consider to be their finest and most complete work of art to date, Sum 41 can look fondly back upon their legacy.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The third studio album from Barely Civil, called I’d Say I’m Not Fine, takes a dramatic leap in their artistic growth and highlights the young band’s ability to fully realize their vision for their music. When I last caught up with the band to discuss the new record, they explained that the title of the record, and the song titles themselves, complete the statement of “I’d say I’m…” This creative approach to each of the tracks connects the LP in a way that is sure to keep longtime fans of the band engaged, and for new fans to discover one of the best albums to be released this year. I’d Say I’m Not Fine is a gripping listening experience, it takes listeners on a thrilling ride, and still leaves plenty of room for people to make their own interpretations on these songs. While Barely Civil did an outstanding job of paying homage to the artists they were influenced by on their sophomore record, I’ll Figure This Out, this album blows away all expectations from this talented band and cements them as one of the marquee acts in the emo scene.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The latest single from pop singer Zaq Baker, called “Treadmill,” is a stripped down pop song that features the artist Corzine and is a piano-laced ballad in the style of artists like Ben Folds, Billie Eilish, and Clairo. Baker’s harmonies with Corzine are well-constructed and shimmer off the speakers with ease. Zaq Baker shared, “In just one madcap year, my catalogue has enjoyed many wardrobe changes — piano rock, pop-punk, synthpop, musical theatre, a piano-and-strings album, even a McCartney send-up — made possible by dozens of incredible collaborators. “Treadmill” reflects the fact that now it’s time for something new. Hayley [Corzine] makes all the words sparkle.’” The single brings in some other instruments, like the cello and some programmed drums, to provide a landscape for the introspective lyrics. While a treadmill may not take us anywhere, Zaq Baker is well on his way to making his mark in the crowded music scene.

Review: Tokyo Police Club – Forcefield

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Have you ever felt like an album compelled you to buy it? That strange, out of body experience that lures you towards the record in hopes that you’ll take a chance on listening to it? Funny enough, that seemed to happen to me in the case of Tokyo Police Club and their third studio album, Forcefield. I was browsing the record bins at my local shop when I saw behind the counter a white-covered LP that simply said “Tokyo Police Club – Forcefield” in a faded-stylized stamp. Having heard of the band through my friend at work, there was something in the world that told me I needed to have that record. What I wasn’t expecting when I first let the needle hit the vinyl was for Tokyo Police Club to quickly become one of my favorite bands in the world. Forcefield takes your breath away, from the early opus of “Argentina” to the cautious closing of “Feel The Effect,” the 9-song LP hits all the intended targets and still left room for future growth on subsequent releases. I would later backtrack through the band’s catalog of their debut EP, A Lesson In Crime, their first full-length of Elephant Shell, and the brilliance found on their breakthrough record, Champ. Forcefield still holds its own to this day, albeit ten years down the road from its release, and I’m just as drawn in to its magic.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The atmospheric rise of Jack Antonoff continues on the latest full-length record by Bleachers. The same man that kicked his career off with Steel Train, showcased his songwriting prowess with fun., re-established himself as a solo artist with Bleachers, and along the way became a Grammy winning producer, Antonoff is certainly no stranger to the bright lights. The pressure seemed to be on this ultra-talented artist on Bleachers (his first album on Dirty Hit), and yet Antonoff delivers in more ways than one in his most fully realized record to date. With a sound that feels like a modern take on Bruce Springsteen, paired with the atmospheric elements found in the brooding synths of The 1975 and The Midnight, Bleachers does the near-impossible task of paying homage to where he came from while simultaneously moving the needle forward in his artistic growth. Jack Antonoff is a man of many talents, and they are all on full display on the fourth studio album from Bleachers.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

The debut EP from Luke Middleton, a rising Alternative singer-songwriter, tackles heavy themes such as depression and mental health, while still navigating towards the light. nothing ever after was produced by Nathan Darmody (Allstar Weekend), and rocks along with great pacing and memorable moments. This EP, in particular, draws from Middleton’s time as an infantryman in the US Army and tackles some pretty heavy topics ranging from the process of him readjusting to life post-service, the emotional trauma and mental health challenges that he’s faced and has been working to overcome. With a sound that ranges somewhere between the brooding rock of Stabbing Westward paired with the vocals of Post Malone, Luke Middleton’s future looks incredibly bright.

Adam Grundy 2 months ago

Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has never been afraid to push the envelope in her music and artistic growth. Hole In My Head gets its title from Grace taking it upon herself to tattoo the last remaining part of her body she had yet to ink up, and that was her head. The artwork showcases an explosion of colors and images from Grace’s scalp, and it’s fitting, since she paints with wide and vivid colors on her latest LP. The topics found on Hole In My Head range from her mental health, to the early days of her music career, all the way to coming to terms with her gender identity. Grace’s ability to tell vivid stories over an acoustic (or electric) guitar, and remain captivating, is a remarkable talent not to be taken lightly in a songwriter. It’s a gift that keeps on giving to her fans both old and new, and Hole In My Head ends up being Grace’s finest work since the instant classic of Transgender Dysphoria Blues.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

The latest album by Danny Kiranos (aka Amigo The Devil) called Yours Until The War Is Over is a great exploration of what it means to live through the hardest of times. While Amigo The Devil is known for its “murderous folk rock,” given the violent nature of the lyrical material, what shouldn’t be lost in the message is the powerful songwriting being brought forth. This album tackles a tragic fight between good and evil and all of the casualties that can get in the way of the bloodshed of war. Kiranos is a top-notch storyteller, and each song plays out like a chapter in a book meant for a bigger purpose than itself. These tracks are sequenced together majestically, purposefully, and sound like a mix between the epic storytelling of Coheed & Cambria, paired with the obscure folk rock of Modest Mouse, and set on blend with the lyrical wit of The Decemberists. Amigo The Devil is showcasing his brilliance in more ways than one on Yours Until The War Is Over.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

The latest single from LA-based singer-songwriter, Talker, the project from the mind of Celeste Tauchar, called “Easygoing” is a brilliant mix of pop-guitar chords paired with intricate songwriting. The single was co-written with Jake Finch and Collin Pastore (boygenius, Lucy Dacus, illuminati hotties, Katie Pruitt), and showcases the continued improvements by this artist on a lofty ballad. Talker shared, “This is my personal favorite song I’ve ever written, and one of the scariest to release. I tried for so long to fit myself into the comfort zones of other people, to make dynamics work that maybe just weren’t for me. People pleasing and not asking for what I needed. I wish I could say this song was written from a place of ‘I don’t care what you think of me’ but in reality it came from a really insecure place, where I felt like because I actually, you know, have needs, I was destined to push people away and be too much.” It’s a stunning admission from this artist, and the single is only that much more powerful given the place that it came from.

Review: Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

Review: Snarls – With Love

Review: Greywind – Antidote

Review: Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me

Review: Smallpools – Ghost Town Road (East)

Review: Motel Breakfast – I Promise I’m Having Fun

Review: Sum 41 – Heaven :x: Hell

Review: Barely Civil – I’d Say I’m Not Fine

Review: Zaq Baker – “Treadmill”

Review: Tokyo Police Club – Forcefield

Review: Bleachers – Bleachers

Review: Luke Middleton – nothing ever after

Review: Laura Jane Grace – Hole In My Head

Review: Amigo The Devil – Yours Until The War Is Over

Review: Talker – “Easygoing”