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.
recommended
My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
Night Riots – New State of Mind
Four Year Strong – Brain Pain
Vinnie Caruana
SORTED BY: REVIEWS

Review: robbietheused – robbietheused

Adam Grundy

I’ve always felt that solo projects are a healthy form of artistic expression. Especially if the music that an artist chooses to make in the solo effort sound vastly different than anything their main band would go for. Robbietheused, the moniker of The Used’s frontman, storms onto the pop scene with a rewarding solo effort. The set was produced by longtime collaborator, John Feldmann, and he lends a trusted hand in helping Robbietheused make his pop dreams come true. When I asked the frontman about what he likes best about this genre, he quickly quipped, ”I have always loved pop music; I grew up on Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and that kind of thing. My favorite thing about pop is just a catchy melody that you can sing along to.” By using this background as a blueprint for his pop debut, Robbietheused crafts a synth-laden world of wonders.

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Review: 311 – Full Bloom

Adam Grundy

The fourteenth studio album from Alternative Rock legends, 311, is a strong collection of songs that longtime fans of the band are sure to enjoy, and there’s plenty of new vibes brought forth for casual fans to check out as well. Full Bloom was produced by Collin Brittain, with some additional producer credits from Scotch Ralston and Tim Pagnotta. The band described Full Bloom as “311 on steroids,” and it’s hard to not agree with this assessment. 311 goes bigger and better than they have in quite some time and delivers the right mix of nostalgia paired with artistic growth for a strong musical statement. The set was preceded with their highest charting single in 13 years, breaking into the Top 15 on Alternative radio, with lead single “You’re Gonna Get It.” The concise ten-track album features some of the band’s strongest material in years showcasing that the veteran rockers have plenty left in the tank.

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Review: Holy Pinto – “Death Is In The Air”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Aymen Saleh, better known as Holy Pinto, is bursting with raw emotion and painstaking detail in the songwriting process. Bartees Strange also contributes on “Death Is In The Air” by adding some well-placed guitars and synths to the mix. The track itself tackles the theme of searching for love, complete with all of the messy details that make this emotion so complex.

The song builds momentum as it sways from the cautious opening verse, to adding in more instruments in the chorus, while Saleh’s vocals remain consistently captivating in his delivery. The single takes the listener on an epic journey of lyrical twists and turns, all with a beating heart towards Holy Pinto’s self-discovery as an artist. The epic conclusion of the song features some well-placed hand claps and an Americana sound to keep interest high in this ultra-talented songwriter. Holy Pinto is back, and he is quickly re-cementing himself as a key artist to watch.

Review: Real Friends – Blue Hour

Real Friends - Blue Hour
Adam Grundy

”Here’s to new beginnings” is a popular toast at weddings, job promotion celebrations, and retirements, and yet most bands don’t get the opportunity to experience this feeling themselves when it comes to reinvention. Real Friends are back with a slick emo-tinged pop-punk sound on Blue Hour, their fourth full-length studio effort to date, and their first LP with vocalist Cody Muraro at the helm. The 13-song album is packed with raw emotion, songs about relationships, and in many cases the theme of starting anew is prevalent. The band, whom have been around since 2010, seem to lock into a new groove on Blue Hour with a sound leaning closer to The Wonder Years and The Menzingers, rather than pop-punk bands like The Starting Line and New Found Glory. Real Friends are making the most of their opportunity to reinvent themselves on this record that is filled with depth, rich lyrical imagery, and hard-hitting tracks that demand to be taken seriously.

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Review: Various Artists – Red Scare Industries: 20 Years of Dreaming and Scheming

Adam Grundy

Starting a record label isn’t for the faint of heart. So much can go wrong, really fast, if you’re not equipped with the right people around you to make it thrive. Luckily, Red Scare Industries isn’t in this category of failing labels, as they are now celebrating 20 Years of Dreaming and Scheming, the cool new compilation that features key artists like The Menzingers, Laura Jane Grace, Sludgeworth, Heart & Lung, No Trigger, and so many more great bands on this 17-track disc. Red Scare Industries has reliably introduced fans near and far to bands that they feel are worth their time, put on killer live shows, and have the musical chops to make you want to reach for that repeat button. While some various artists compilations are good for a spin or two to discover a new band every now and then, this particular collection of songs feels like a punk rock party that is sure to make you wonder just how Red Scare was able to pull this off.

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Review: Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell – Deryck Whibley

Walking Disaster
Adam Grundy

Trauma can come in many forms. Whether it’s watching a loved one going through a tough time, or experiencing the difficulties in our own lives, this trauma is never easy to face head on. Deryck Whibley bravely comes forward in sharing his multiple instances of trauma on his gripping new memoir entitled Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell. Whibley is a gifted songwriter, and while most of us know him for his lifelong work in Sum 41, I was surprised to hear just how deeply involved he was as the primary songwriter for the band. He mentions several times in the book instances where he recalls many fans and critics alike crediting Dave “Brownsound” Baksh as the main writer of Sum 41’s material, when that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Whibley remains poised and positive as he weaves an epic tale of the rise of Sum 41, the backstage shenanigans, key relationships he made in his life, all with an overarching narrative of the alleged abuse of his band’s former manager Greig Nori. The memoir is told in chronological order, while Whibley hints at the future tales that led to his highest of highs (Heaven) and the most dramatic of lows (Hell). Much like a Ying and Yang, Whibley needed to experience both polar opposites in order to determine what he values most in his young life that is starting to regain momentum for the next steps in his blossoming career.

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Review: October Man – “Dandelion”

October Man - "Dandelion"
Adam Grundy

I’d like to introduce everyone to a cool new indie rock band called October Man. The band features Ethan Bodner (guitar), JD Leidersdorff (guitar/vocals), Ian Neill (bass), Anthony Abboud (keys/drums), and Joey Murphy (keys/drums). Most of the band has been playing together for nearly a decade, with Neill being a recent addition. Their latest single, called “Dandelion” is a catchy blast of indie rock that would be perfect for fans of The Strokes, Cold War Kids, and the guitar groove of Franz Ferdinand.

The song opens up with a steady beat courtesy of Anthony Abboud while the dual-guitar attack embraces the groove of the track with a poise not usually seen in a band this young. Vocalist JD Leidersdoff has a great croon throughout the song and he remains as captivating as possible. October Man have created the perfect launch pad to success in the indie rock genre with this song that is sure to be added to many playlists for the foreseeable future.

Review: Hippo Campus – Flood

Adam Grundy

Over the course of music history there have been several cases of a band not being happy with the material they are creating, and then in turn deciding to scrap that material in favor of a different direction. This exact situation happened to Hippo Campus. The band were sitting in the green room of a sold-out amphitheater show at the start of the Summer of 2023 when they realized their fourth LP simply wasn’t good enough. This realization led to them re-thinking their approach to what would be the sessions for Flood, their latest studio effort that comes pouring through the speakers with the most polished, professional, and ultimately most complete version of the band to date. Hippo Campus had reportedly penned over 100 songs during the five-year span between LP3 and Flood, with only the best material making the cut for the 13-track fourth studio album. What we’re left with is a completely realized vision for the band’s music that shimmers as much as it makes their audience think about what they’ve listened to. Flood is an appropriate title in that it took a complete brainstorm of ideas all at once to see what stuck and the aftermath is a brilliant collection of songs that play off of each other in a cohesive work of art.

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Review: Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue

Adam Grundy

Black Gives Way To Blue proved that grunge was still alive and well in 2009. Alice In Chains decided to reboot themselves after the tragic death of original lead singer Layne Staley (in 2002) by beginning to play shows again in 2005 and start crafting what would be the material found on the band’s fourth studio album. Now getting the 15th anniversary vinyl re-press treatment via Craft Recordings, Black Gives Way To Blue gets another fresh makeover as audiences new and old can rediscover what made this band so legendary. The record was the first one to feature co-vocalist/guitarist William DuVall and he does a nice job of complementing the lead vocals from founding member Jerry Cantrell. The set would spawn four singles, with two of them earning Grammy nominations for Best Hard Rock Performance. Picking up the pieces after losing a band member is sadly all-too-common in the music industry, but Alice In Chains were able to honor the legacy of Staley in this vivid collection of songs that still highlight their staying power to this day.

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Review: Sophia Dashing ft. Manda Malina – “Raindrops (On Your Pillow)”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Sophia Dashing featuring Manda Malina, called “Raindrops (On Your Pillow),” has that classic 90’s pop sound that is reminiscent of Destiny’s Child paired with TLC. The track was produced by Jason Quinones and co-written between Malina, Dashing and Quinones. The collaboration pulls off as each artist/writer shines on the track that is built for those heartfelt evenings of longing for a better relationship.

Sophia Dashing commands the song throughout her dynamic vocal performance while Manda Malina adds in some great vocal takes of her own. The song reminded me a bit of the style of TLC’s “No Scrubs” and hits its intended target more often than not. The final bars of music highlights the two vocalists trying to outshine each other through some great vocal highs that mesh well together for a crowd-pleasing pop single.

Review: Neon Trees – Sink Your Teeth

Adam Grundy

Consistency is hard to come by in the music industry. Times change, sounds change, and stylistic choices over time can evolve into something completely different than what was popular a decade ago. The great thing about music, however, is that if you can write good songs you can find sustainable success in the music business, regardless of genre. Neon Trees have been one of the most consistent pop rock bands since they debuted in 2010 with Habits, and found early success in singles like “Animal” and the karaoke favorite of “Everybody Talks.” Having now released their fifth studio album, called Sink Your Teeth, Neon Trees’ sound still feels as refreshing as ever as they return to the music scene. The band released the first taste of the new record back in June of 2023 with lead single “Favorite Daze.” As great as Neon Trees are at writing a catchy chorus, this particular single features some of the best verses of their career to date. The rest of the material that surrounds the track feels like a sonic evolution of the band that continues to showcase their staying power in the pop rock scene.

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Review: Smallpools – Ghost Town Road

Adam Grundy

There comes a time in all band’s musical trajectory when they realize when things were lacking a bit of the magic they found early on in their career. That feeling of being “locked in” when the band is firing on all creative cylinders can provide the spark they need to carry on. Smallpools found early success with their debut self-titled EP that had a legendary single called “Dreaming” that was as infectious as it was refreshing. “I feel like our debut EP was a definitive body of work…we were dialed in,” vocalist Sean Scanlon muses. “With this project <Ghost Town Road>, we’re dialed back in.” Guitarist Michael Kamerman views it less like a sequel and more like a franchise reboot as he mentioned, “The other music exists and you’re free to revisit it. But we’re back and we mean it.” Ghost Town Road was preceded by an EP <Ghost Town Road (East)> and while the original songs that were released from the EP are still here, and remain strong material, the other tracks that round out the vision that Smallpools were going for define a band completely locked in creatively. The band appear re-energized and poised for the next big leap in their musical career.

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Review: Taylor Acorn – Survival In Motion

Adam Grundy

Every now and then in our lives we will discover an artist that checks all of the boxes of our music interests. This happened to me this past Friday when I hit play on Survival In Motion, the debut album from Taylor Acorn. The powerhouse vocals, crisp songwriting, and the overall feeling of good vibes coming through the speakers washed over me from the opening notes all the way to the dramatic conclusion of the album. Taylor Acorn shared, “I feel like I’ve been waiting a lifetime to be able to say ‘I’m putting out a debut album’, but in all honesty I’m so glad I waited for as long as I have, I feel like I’ve finally found my sound — I’ve fallen in love with every single song in it’s own right, the writing process was truly something I’ll never forget — and to top it off I got to share the experience with my best friends and some of the most amazing and talented people I know. I’m not sure what will come next, but this chapter is something that I am so unbelievably proud of and I can’t wait to share it with everyone. I hope you love it and I hope you find peace in knowing that no matter what we go through, we are all walking representation of survival in motion and life is a gift no matter how crazy it can be.” Taylor Acorn has a voice that fits somewhere between the emotive vocals of Hayley Williams, the range of Kelly Clarkson, and the punk brashness of Charlotte Sands, while her warm delivery still feels refreshing and new.

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Review: Senses Fail – Let It Enfold You

Senses Fail - Let it Enfold You
Adam Grundy

I’m sure many of us have a memory or two surrounding Let It Enfold You, the debut full-length record from the emo band Senses Fail. The memories we tie to music releases can get a little hazy over time, much less after 20 years. My best recollection of the release of Let It Enfold You was a combination of confusion, a whole lot of scene hype, and plenty of coverage in Alternative Press magazine. The confusion came in the form of Let It Enfold You being in record label limbo for quite some time, after Geffen Records (whom had absorbed Drive-Thru) lost interest in putting out the album, and Senses Fail deciding to leak the record after the trouble of finding a home for it. Vagrant Records eventually stepped up to the plate, and the hype behind this emo band steamrolled them to selling over 600,000 copies in the U.S. The album was frequently in the “Reader’s List” of top trending albums on Alt Press, while the band still was getting mixed reviews from most outlets unsure of where to best place the music that Senses Fail had created here. Let It Enfold You achieved commercial success, mostly by word of mouth, as Vagrant would only officially release two singles from the set in “Buried A Lie” and “Rum Is For Drinking, Not For Burning.” Senses Fail would cement their status as screamo heavyweights on their subsequent releases and showcase their staying power in the genre.

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Review: Atreyu – The Curse

Adam Grundy

The sophomore album from metalcore band, Atreyu, took advantage of the momentum the band built on their debut (Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses), and saw them adding in more melodic elements to connect with larger audiences. The Curse was produced by veteran producer GGGarth (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine) and the set would go on to achieve RIAA Gold status with over 500,000 copies sold in the U.S. With a rockin’ trio of singles released during the promotion cycle that included “Right Side of the Bed,” “Bleeding Mascara,” and “The Crimson,” Atreyu were gaining fans at a speedy rate, and were able to back up the music found on the record effortlessly live. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary with a slew of vinyl re-presses via Craft Recordings, The Curse deserves another moment of reflection.

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