Review: MS MR – “Saturn Return”

Adam Grundy Sep 6, 2023

Goodbyes are hard to do. Whether it’s saying goodbye to a close friend moving to a different part of the country, or losing someone permanently due to death, it’s always a tough process to go through. MS MR have returned with their stunning final single, called “Saturn Return,” that is a fitting tribute to all of the work that vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow have accomplished over the tenure of this project. Having first stormed onto the indie rock scene with the fittingly titled “Hurricane” in 2012, MS MR captured lightning in a bottle with their first two albums Secondhand Rapture and How Does It Feel. This latest dual-sided single features the atmospheric “Saturn Return” and a beautiful cover of Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta.”

”Saturn Return” opens with a soft, keyboard-laced sound that eventually breaks the spacey feel to it with Plapinger’s breathy vocals to allow the single to reach its heavenly intentions. The chorus of, “Two souls / So close again / And again, and again,” marks the connection that Plapinger and Hershenow have with each other in this band in such a majestic way. The only flaw of the song is that I wish it would’ve been longer, as it wraps up just after the two-minute mark before it could fully take off. The cover of “Flagpole Sitta” is a worthy tribute to the Alt-Rock classic track, and fits well within the realm of MS MR’s discography. They really make the track their own, and leave a memorable final artistic statement with this final release. Saying goodbye to MS MR isn’t easy, but the music that they have left behind will stand the test of time.

Review: Yawn Mower – “Stagnant Lake”

Adam Grundy Sep 5, 2023

The latest single from NJ indie rock/punk band, Yawn Mower, is a tasty slab of guitar-heavy rock that showcases the band’s ability to mix in hip-hop elements, paired with crisp pop sensibilities to make themselves stand out from the pack. The band’s core lineup is comprised of Mike Chick and Biff Swenson, while they have some key contributions from others on their debut LP, called To Each Their Own Coat, and their unique style of fuzzy, doom pop plays off pretty well on songs like this. Yawn Mower will be performing at this year’s Sea.Hear.Now. festival in their hometown of Asbury Park, NJ with other marquee bands like Foo Fighters, The Killers, Weezer, and more.

The single, called “Stagnant Lake” features fuzzed-out guitars that embrace the hip-hop elements in the verses, while still leaving room for creativity in their musical delivery. The second verse of, “Ideas in the cannon for years / Got bullets that are ready to shoot / Went fishing in a stagnant lake / Found a tire, a bike and a boot,” explore lyrical wordplay to tie in to the track’s title. What the band does best on this particular single is to hone in on their musical chemistry while allowing the song to breathe a bit in the closing moments with an extended guitar solo. This is just a small taste of the possibilities Yawn Mower can take their music to in the future.

Review: The All-American Rejects – The All-American Rejects

Adam Grundy Sep 4, 2023

My first impressions of The All-American Rejects, and their pop-centered rock, were generally favorable. The band stormed onto the scene with their charming first single, “Swing, Swing,” that carefully swayed from swooning falsetto vocals, from frontman Tyson Ritter, to a more lush tenor sound with ease. The single seemed to be played everywhere from baseball games, to grocery stores, and it was undeniably catchy. Their self-titled LP was produced by Tim O’Heir (The Starting Line, Say Anything) and he does a nice job of accentuating the best parts of the band on this fairly straight-forward collection of songs. A little know fact about the debut is that when the album was recorded, Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler were the only two band members, and it was until the band would shoot their video for their debut single that they would add Mike Kennerty on rhythm guitar and Chris Gaylor on drums. This lineup is still intact to this day, and The All-American Rejects would see even greater success with their sophomore album, Move Along. The All-American Rejects would go on to sell a million copies in the United States, and solidify the band as a marquee name in the pop-rock realm for the foreseeable future. The album was recently reissued on a “Ghostly Green” vinyl that includes a bonus 7″ vinyl on “Coke Bottle Green” to further celebrate the 20+ years that have passed since this record came out.

Adam Grundy Aug 31, 2023

Pennsylvania rock band, Don’t Panic, have returned to the music scene with their third full-length record called Setting Up To Fail. The band is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Ted Felicetti, Keith Slader (bass), Anthony Paesano (drums) and AJ Larsen (guitar), and their sound is a vibrant mix of good vibes in the style of Bayside, Sugarcult and No Use For A Name. When speaking on the new album, Felicetti says, “We have been at it for four years now. Powered through a worldwide pandemic and wrote and released two albums in that time. But, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, this new record is this band finally stepping into its own. The songs are the most matured versions of our writing abilities and I have never been more proud to release something with my name on it. It’s the perfect mix of the rock and roll bands I grew up on like the Foo Fighters, and my punk rock roots listening to bands like Face to Face and No Use for a Name. “Newer” bands like Bayside and the Menzingers also played a major role in shaping the songwriting here, and I am more than happy to lean into that when the time calls for it– but all while shaping and creating our own sound and feel In our own lives we have never belonged, but with this record I finally feel like we have a place.” With this positive momentum going in the band’s favor, it’s no wonder why Setting Up To Fail is such a rewarding listening experience.

Adam Grundy Aug 28, 2023

On the fifth studio album by the charming indie-rock band, Ratboys, called The Window, the band expand up on the ideas that they tinkered with on the preceding record, Happy Birthday, Ratboy, with a matured sound. The band chose to work with Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie, Snarls) on The Window and it would mark the first time they would record directly onto tape. Ratboys had first met Walla on a tour stop in Montreal, and he agreed to produce the album in 2021, while they sent voice memos of early demos of the songs that would end up on this record. Through the advice that Walla gave the band, Ratboys would record these songs in Walla’s Seattle studio that really jump off the speakers with veteran ease. The stylistic choices on The Window range from straight-forward indie rock, punk, grunge, to a more alt-country sound that fit well within the vocal range and capabilities of lead vocalist/guitarist Julia Steiner. The band appears to be gaining confidence at just the right moment in their trajectory, which makes it a fun time to be a fan of Ratboys.

Adam Grundy Aug 21, 2023

The fourth studio album from metalcore band, Blessthefall, called Hollow Bodies was produced by Joey Sturgis (The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria) and showcased a band moving their sound closer to a blend between metal and electronica. Having listened to it again with fresh ears, albeit ten years later, the record still holds up. The sound is reminiscent of the electronica found on early Underoath albums, paired with the slick guitar hooks of Escape the Fate, and the metal-tinged leanings of Bullet For My Valentine. It all works out surprisingly well, and features the same lineup as their third album, Awakening, for the first time in consecutive records for the band. The set was released via Fearless Records and would spawn two singles, “You Wear A Crown But You’re No King” and “Deja Vu,” and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums charts. While Blessthefall wear their influences clearly on their sleeves, the product that comes out of it still feels unique and ambitious.

Adam Grundy Aug 10, 2023

The Richmond-based trio, Broadside, has returned with a great new single called “Bang” via SharpTone Records. The song features a great guest vocal appearance by Josh Roberts, and continues the sonic exploration of the sound that Broadside tinkered with on their last single (“Cruel”). The track opens with an eerie guitar riff paired with the vulnerable lyrics of, “Hang my head out the window / Watching the cars go / Hoping that one of them / Would change my life / They say it’s all that ego keeping your feet cold / I should listen to my daddy’s advice / I bite my tongue until the blood is running down my chest,” before exploding into a crowd-pleasing chorus. The electric new single was produced, mixed and mastered by Andrew Wade, and he gets a powerful performance out of the talented band.

Adam Grundy Aug 8, 2023

On the third studio album from M.A.G.S., called Destroyer, Elliott Douglas has destruction clearly on his mind. The majority of the record tackles the themes of self-destruction and personal growth, while also allowing room for some social commentary. Douglas shared his perspective on Destroyer by explaining, “I want my listeners to be immersed in the desolation and chaos of this world, I want them to come face to face with the ugly truth…the dark underbelly of their subconscious…all the internalized trauma and destruction. And I want them to be smiling as they face it, because they can see they are not being swallowed by their darkness but that they are, in fact, holding it in the palm of their hand.” From the artwork depicting an “end of days” scenario of tornadoes touching down on a field of flowers, everything clicks directly into place on this fully-realized record that is filled with experimentation and creativity. While his last album, Say Things That Matter, was a breezy, pop-oriented LP that found Douglas growing more comfortable in his singing voice, Destroyer embraces the chaos in the most thrilling way possible.

Adam Grundy Aug 1, 2023

The ninth studio album by The Maine is a self-titled effor that was produced by Colby Wedgeworth (the same producer who oversaw four other The Maine albums), and it’s easy to see why the band considers him a “sixth band member.” Having produced landmark records like Lovely Little Lonely and XOXO: From Love and Anxiety In Real Time, this self-titled album seems like the logical sequel to Lovely Little Lonely, so it’s only fitting for Wedgeworth to be at the helm. The new album also bears extra significance with the “8.1.23” street date, and showcases the band’s continued growth as songwriters. The first taste of The Maine came with the lead single, “Blame,” that even got the attention and adoration of The Jonas Brothers on Instagram. The pacing on the new record is electric and frenetic, while still allowing a few songs to brood in the darkness to fit the overall mood and aesthetic of the black & white album artwork. Having released two other singles leading up to today’s release date, “How To Exit A Room” and “Dose No. 2,” The Maine have a bulletproof record on their hands that is filled with a plethora of single-worthy songs that only prove the point of the band being on the top of their game, and quite possibly the world.

Adam Grundy Jul 21, 2023

Much like seeing an old friend that you thought you’d never run into again, reunions bring back a flood of memories that make you realize just how important these people are in your life. When Yellowcard announced that they would be playing a show at Chicago’s Riot Fest in 2022, the band realized that there was still a lot of positive energy that happens when they get together. When I last chatted with lead vocalist, Ryan Key, he mentioned that there was a feeling within the Yellowcard camp that their last two albums, Lift a Sail and their self-titled, were made “more for them” in the band and that this latest EP, Childhood Eyes, would have the potential of getting longtime fans of the band excited in the direction they’re taking. Key mentioned in a different interview, “We knew we were writing an EP which meant we only got five songs, so we had to really make them special. And I think there was an immediate sense of bringing it back to Paper Walls—the idea that we need to make something that we’re proud of, but also something that gets Yellowcard fans excited about what we’re doing. So at that point, we picked up the guitars and started demoing and, honestly, I think these five songs could have just been on that record in 2007. And I love that.” By getting that familiar, yet glorious feeling of reinvigorating their passion for playing music together again, Yellowcard have made a dramatic collection of songs that not only lives up to the legacy they built, but hints at the possibility of more music in the future.

Adam Grundy Jul 20, 2023

The meteoric rise of Greta Van Fleet has not been over-exaggerated. Most bands would give their right arms for the attention that they garnered since they stormed onto the music scene in April of 2017, having introduced themselves with the Black Smoke Rising EP. The Led Zeppelin comparisons, the snarky takes on the band’s style choices, all coincided with the band’s ability to take it all in stride, and their perseverance led to them delivering their most cohesive and best album to date with Starcatcher. While I felt that The Battle At Garden’s Gate was a bit of a mixed bag of quality tunes and bloated song structures, the 2023 version of this band has my undivided attention. The latest LP was produced by veteran hitmaker and Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell), and he does a tremendous job of accentuating the best parts of this artist. Through Cobb’s attention to detail, he gets the best performance out of each musician on these ten songs brimming with purpose and reigniting the fire in this ultra-talented young band. Guitarist Jake Kiszka shared, “We didn’t really have to force or be intense about writing, because everything that happened was very instinctual. If anything, the record is our perspective, and sums up where we are as a group and individually as musicians.” Through this process of sticking to their musical instincts and getting back to the basics of early days of the band, Greta Van Fleet are creating their own lane and driving themselves down the highway of rock & roll immortality.

Adam Grundy Jul 18, 2023

Coming off of the rocket-fueled success of 2020’s bulletproof album, Use Me, PVRIS (the solo project of Lynn Gunn) returns with her latest effort, Evergreen. On her fourth studio album, Gunn again collaborated with co-producer JT Daly, as well as introduced some new blood, with Carrie Karpinen. Gunn described Evergreen as “a reclamation of control in our post-pandemic culture, posing a complex discussion on fame, technology, spectacle, and female autonomy,” and her laser-focused approach to her songwriting pays off in eleven songs dripping in purpose. The set has already spawned five singles, with the lead one being the dual-attack of “Animal / Anywhere But Here,” that was released last October. With the majority of the tracks clocking in under the three-minute mark, PVRIS delivers an accessible, albeit condensed version of her songwriting prowess. Having teased these songs that became Evergreen for so long, it must feel refreshing for this artist to finally unleash the full picture onto the world now.

Adam Grundy Jul 17, 2023

The second full-length studio album by The Japanese House, called In The End It Always Does, is a rich display of emotion from Amber Bain who continues to explore the depth of her music. The set was produced by Bain, The 1975’s George Daniel, and Chloe Kraemer, with each of the talented artists leaving behind their musical blueprint on it. Having not released any music since the 2020 EP, Chewing Cotton Wool, The Japanese House could have gone in a number of directions with the proper follow-up to 2019’s Good At Falling. The latest studio effort relies less on atmospheric elements and sounds, and instead highlights Bain’s musical development with a more indie rock feel to the song structures and sonically it breathes new life into the allure of what makes this artist so special.

Adam Grundy Jul 17, 2023

Typically when most bands decide to make an acoustic record, it’s to re-record some of their old hits or re-imagine the possibilities of where they could take their songs in their discography. Out of Service is not like most bands. When the time came for lead vocalist Mike Capuano and guitarist Teebs Williams to begin thinking about their fourth album, they were unsure if the songs that they were writing would be best suited for this project. The tracks they were cooking up were largely based in the acoustic style, and yet through their picturesque storytelling and song structures, they all seemed to fit the continued narrative of the band. By the time that bassist Brian McGovern and drummer Ken Bond had heard what would become the bones of Reflections & Refractions: Volume One, they were convinced that these songs belonged under the umbrella of Out of Service. With everyone on board, the band spent nearly three months carving out these songs and recording them Perkins Center for the Arts, a nearly 100-year old building. The recording process was done in the living room that had wooden boards that helped accentuate the reflective and refractive sound of these songs. While the acoustic side of some bands feels a little forced and lacking of theatrics, Out of Service embrace this challenge head on and continue to explore the limitless possibilities of their music.

Adam Grundy Jul 14, 2023

When Queen first took a break in the early part of 1983, Brian May decided to use this extra time in his hands to get some of his closest rock band friends for what would become the Star Fleet Project. This mini-album features Edward Van Halen (guitar), Alan Gratzer (drums), Phil Chen (bass) and Fred Mandel (keyboards), with May taking the reins of lead vocals and guitar for a crowd-pleasing set of three songs that have been reissued on a remastered vinyl collection released today. In addition to the vinyl single, the box set includes a thrilling 23-track CD filled with previously unreleased material. Brian May shared, “It’s all here. ALL of it. Every note we played on those two days is right here, on show for the first time. I will take you behind the scenes into that studio with us for two unforgettably exhilarating days.” This dedication to the project that took place on April 21-22, 1983 is remastered in pain-staking detail and care, and pulls back the curtain on one of the most beloved classic rock recordings of all time.

The record launches off with “Star Fleet,” that has a sound somewhere between the classic rock sheen of Boston, paired with the memorable guitar riffing from May. Brian May’s vocals sound as brilliant as they’ve ever been on this remastered mix and it really makes the music shine out of the gate. The other song on the A-side, called “Let Me Out,” is a bluesy rock song that is sure to make even the most skeptical music fan a believer in the chemistry May had with these legendary musicians. Not to be outdone by their early work, the back half features a gargantuan, 13-minute blues rock song on the aptly titled “Blues Breaker,” that further highlights the impressive back and forth wailing between Van Halen and May. Even without any vocals on the instrumental closing song, it remains a captivating listening experience that was meant to be played on a turntable in all its glory. The Star Fleet Sessions is getting another worthy moment in the sun, and I think we’re all better off because of this.

Review: MS MR – “Saturn Return”

Review: Yawn Mower – “Stagnant Lake”

Review: The All-American Rejects – The All-American Rejects

Review: Don’t Panic – Setting Up To Fail

Review: Ratboys – The Window

Review: Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies

Review: Broadside – “Bang”

Review: M.A.G.S. – Destroyer

Review: The Maine – The Maine

Review: Yellowcard – Childhood Eyes

Review: Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher

Review: PVRIS – Evergreen

Review: The Japanese House – In The End It Always Does

Review: Out Of Service – Reflections and Refractions: Volume One

Review: Brian May + Friends – Star Fleet Project