Interview: Geoff Rickly of No Devotion

No Devotion

Recently I was able to connect with lead vocalist Geoff Rickly, of No Devotion and Thursday, to discuss No Devotion’s upcoming record called No Oblivion. The new record is set to hit streaming services on September 16th via Velocity Records, and I also asked Geoff about the process for getting No Devotion’s incredible debut album, Permanence, back on streaming services. In this in-depth interview, Geoff opened up about his personal struggles, the departure of some members of No Devotion, his memories of producing My Chemical Romance’s debut LP, the difference in writing for Thursday compared to No Devotion, as well as his future goals for each musical project.

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Bahjat – “Aladdin” (Song Premiere)

Bahjat

Today I’m excited to share the latest single from experimental pop artist, Bahjat, and his single called “Aladdin.” In this new lyric video for the single, Bahjat showcases what makes him one of the more interesting international artists to watch in the pop genre. Bahjat shared:

“Aladdin” is the second single from my upcoming EP, A-POP. The EP is a snapshot of my experience as an artist finding their own path in the music industry. As an Arab with global ambitions, I’ve always received pushback for being ‘too ambitious for my reality.’ If no one had ‘made it from Libya, why would I ever stand a chance? Why would a refugee with no connections succeed as an artist? Why ‘waste’ the time?”

To begin answering these questions and more, press play and get swallowed whole in the world this artist has created.

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Karaboudjan – “Scatter” (Song Premiere)

Karaboudjan

Today is the perfect day to share the latest single from psych-rock solo artist, Karaboudjan, called “Scatter.” The track, which is the first single to be released from his forthcoming EP, focuses on the journey of self-discovery that comes with seeing all of the different parts of the world. The artist shared, “Like most artists, I tried to hunker down and write as much music as I could during the start of the pandemic. I’m already a bit of a homebody, so I embraced the beginning of lockdown with open arms. I wrote enough tracks to create a few different projects aside from Karaboudjan, which tends to be a recurring creative issue of mine. I even contemplated releasing a new project/EP instead of these singles, but I really felt that the concept of Karaboudjan wasn’t finished quite yet. It’s like I’m still figuring it out as I go.” If you’re ready to come along for the ride, this artist is accepting new passengers.

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Reckling – “Spitter” (Song Premiere)

Reckling

Today I’m excited to share the new single from garage/punk rock band, Reckling, for their latest single called “Spitter.” The song will be the final track to be released as single from their four-track EP Human Nature, and showcases the great band chemistry these four musicians have together. Led by Kelsey Reckling, this band also includes drummer Max Keuhn (FIDLAR), guitarist Erik Jimenez (Together Pangea), and bassist Joey Mullen (Paramore/HalfNoise). Kelsey mentioned this about the final single:

Each song on the EP encompasses a different feeling that I think everyone can relate to or identify with…it’s human nature. ‘Spitter’ is literally about a girl spitting on me because she didn’t like me, but more generally, it’s about persevering through the difficult things in life. The song sorts through my own angry feelings that were brought on by somebody else’s misdirected emotions. The underlying themes in this EP move through feelings of indecision, guilt, and regret…but writing and playing the songs are a way of finding resolution, forgiveness, and surrender.

If you’re enjoying the direction the band took, you can purchase the EP and the accompanying vinyl here.

I was also able to catch up with the band for a quick interview about their EP and what comes next.

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Jason Moules – “The Art Of Pulling Pork” (Song Premiere)

Jason Moules

Today is a great day to share the latest single called “The Art of Pulling Pork” from Jason Moules and his debut solo album. Moules is also a member of the band allusinlove/allusondrugs, although his solo work speaks directly to his core influences from The Mars Volta, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Lenny Kravitz. On the latest track, Moules shared, “This song came about after eating at an Italian burger restaurant on my birthday…the restaurant claimed to have crafted the ‘art of pulled pork.’ Made me laugh. It’s not specific. Funny title, not specific. Most of my songs are about imagery. Close you eyes and think about what ever you want…burgers or something else.” If you’re ready to take a bite of Jason Moules’ latest musical journey, look no further than this latest single. I also caught up with Moules for a quick chat about his music.

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Strategies – “Outages” (Song Premiere)

Strategies

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from indie punk band, Strategies, called “Outages.” The band includes Brian Moss (The Ghost/Hanalei/Great Apes), Paul Lask (The Ghost), and Neil Hennessey (Lawrence Arms/Joyce Manor), and their previous band experience pays off widely in this catchy, and driving punk rock song. Formed remotely in 2020, Strategies is a long-distance collaboration between old friends from the early 2000s Chicago punk and indie rock scenes. The band shared this about the latest single, “‘Outages’ is a narratively-structured song about feeling nostalgic. A guy walks into his backyard and remembers a night he fell in love many years earlier. He replays events from that night, wonders what she’s up to now, and tries coming to terms with the reality of his present life.” If you’re enjoying this song as much as I am, please consider pre-ordering Strategies’ self-titled EP here that hits the streets on August 26th.

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Interview: Ollie Baxxter of Broadside

Broadside

A couple of weeks ago I connected with the lead vocalist of Broadside, Ollie Baxxter, to discuss the band’s latest single called ”One Last Time,” the lessons the band has learned from the previous records (including the great, and anthemic Into The Raging Sea), as well as some of Baxxter’s unique musical influences that he brings into Broadside. The band are currently signed to Sharptone Records and will continue to be releasing new music in the near future with the label.

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Interview: Greyed Out

Greyed Out

Recently I was able to catch up with the bassist from Greyed Out for an interview about the band’s new music, their recent live show appearances, as well as what the future holds for the band. Greyed Out is comprised of past members of This Time Next Year and recently released a great two-track single called ”Broken Like an Arrow” and “No Dice.” Greyed Out are planning to release a lot of new music in the next few months to come, and are signed to Negative Progression Records.

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Liner Notes (August 6th, 2022)

Jukebox

This week’s newsletter looks at those Blink-182 rumors and what I’ve heard through the grapevine. Plus, some early impressions of the new albums from Armor for Sleep and The Early November, and some thoughts on other new music out this week I’ve been enjoying. There’s also a playlist of ten songs I liked, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.

If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.

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Interview: Ben Jorgensen of Armor For Sleep

Armor for Sleep

Even though it’s been 15 years since Armor For Sleep released a new full-length, Ben Jorgensen never buried the idea of another record from the New Jersey emo-adjacent legends. After a handful of successful 15 16-year anniversary shows for their second record What To Do When You Are Dead, Armor For Sleep reunited with Equal Vision Records to release the band’s fourth album The Rain Museum, a 12-track collection that pushes the signature AFS sound to new boundaries. I recently sat down with Jorgensen to discuss the origin of the record, working with Equal Vision again, the emo revival, and the lasting legacy of What To Do When You Are Dead.

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Interview: John Feldmann of Goldfinger

Goldfinger

This past week I was able to catch up with the ultra-busy leader of Goldfinger, John Feldmann, to discuss the band’s recent re-release of Never Look Back (Deluxe). In this in-depth interview, John and I discussed the legacy of Goldfinger, as well as what lessons he has learned over the years of being a veteran producer. Never Look Back (Deluxe) features great re-worked versions of Goldfinger classics like “Superman” ft. Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro) and “Here In Your Bedroom” ft. Avril Lavigne, among many other great tracks in the 19-song set. Never Look Back (Deluxe) is available everywhere music is sold/streamed today.

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Beverly Crusher – “Gimmie The Power” (Song Premiere)

Beverly Crusher

Today I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to Beverly Crusher, a new anthemic alternative rock band that tugs on your heartstrings of classic rock nostalgia. On the song, “Gimmie The Power,” the three musicians channel the best parts of the genre into a crowd-pleasing package. The band is comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Cozell Wilson, bassist Max Stiles, and drummer Sam Stiles, and their sound strays somewhere between college rock and club-ready bands like The Struts and Incubus. On the latest single, Beverly Crusher shared, “‘Gimmie the Power’ is an anthem that takes many forms. Sometimes it’s a chant for revolution, sometimes it’s a call to the after world asking for for unworldy help, but always, it’s about Cozell’s irrational fear and obsession with Chucky (the doll from Child’s Play).” If you’re ready to drift into the murky waters of this new rock band, Beverly Crusher are happy to supply the soundtrack.

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Coma Girls – “Keep All Of Your Happiness” (Song Premiere)

Coma Girls

Today is the perfect day to introduce everyone to Coma Girls, a shoegaze/indie folk artist that appear poised for your playlists. On their latest single, entitled “Keep All Of Your Happiness,” Coma Girls channel the best parts of synth-heavy rock with pleasing results. The track comes from Coma Girls’ album No Umbrella For Star Flower, which will be released on September 2nd via Baby Robot Records. The creative driver for Coma Girls, Chris Spino, shared this about the upcoming album, “This record was my one escape, the one thing that kept me from going off the rails. It’s a pandemic record, a relapse record, a break-up record, and a recovery record. This was the thing that was keeping me sane.” If you’re ready to join in the world of Coma Girls, look no further than this single.

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Liner Notes (July 30th, 2022)

Palm Trees

We are back!

This week’s newsletter is filled all the way up with thoughts on music from the past few weeks, including some Butch Walker first impressions, commentary on life with COVID, and all the stuff I’ve listened to and watched since we last talked. There’s also a playlist of ten songs worth your time, and this week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.

If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.

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Beach Bums – “WAR” (Song Premiere)

Beach Bums

Today is the perfect time to hit play on the single from Beach Bums called “WAR.” This LA-based experimental rock band crushes out this synth-heavy, electronica-infused song with professional poise. On this latest track, Beach Bums shared, “This single, ‘WAR,’ is a candle provided by god to help light the way through the dark, secretive, and extremely personal journeys that we continue to face (and/or may later face) in our lives. I hope this song leads you to the ashes of all your wars.” If you’re ready to take the next dramatic step forward in your musical journey, Beach Bums will accept all who follow.

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