Strategies – “Outages” (Song Premiere)

Adam Grundy Aug 10, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Aug 9, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Aug 8, 2022

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.

Jason Tate Aug 6, 2022

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.

Drew Beringer Aug 5, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Aug 5, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Aug 4, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Aug 3, 2022

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.

Jason Tate Jul 30, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Jul 28, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Jul 26, 2022

Recently I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of Anberlin, Stephen Christian, for an in-depth interview about the band’s new EP entitled Silverline. We chatted about the legacy of Anberlin, the memories Stephen has from visiting each city as they go on tour, as well as what the band learned about their storied discography through each of their livestreams during the pandemic. Silverline will be released July 29th via Equal Vision Records.

Adam Grundy Jul 25, 2022

Recently I was able to catch up with a talented alternative rock band called Oh Lonesome Ana right after they released a new record. This band would be perfect for fans of Jets to Brazil, The Weakerthans, and Pedro the Lion, while still adding a unique twist to their own music. In this interview, I asked the band about their core influences, what continues to keep them motivated as artists and musicians, as well as how their songwriting has continued to evolve.

Adam Grundy Jul 25, 2022

Today I’m excited to share the latest music video from Trick Gum (comprised of Justin Raisen and Jordan Benik) for their new single called “Tim Dillon.” The song takes its inspiration from comedian Tim Dillon, and as Raisen shared, “As far as the ‘Tim Dillon’ video goes, besides being the one of the funniest comedians on the planet, we also wanted to see him look like Jagger.” I was also able to get more insight from Trick Gum in a short interview below.

Jason Tate Jul 22, 2022

We’re now a little over halfway through the year, but some staff commitments (and a COVID infection) ended up delaying the publication of our mid-year lists. Below, you will find both our combined staff top 30, as well as individual lists from our contributors and moderators. We hope you find something new to love.

Note: You can share your own list in our music forum.

Adam Grundy Jul 21, 2022

Starting your day off on the right foot, an art-rock/experimental band called Up Is The Down The are sharing their latest single called “Memento.” The four-piece band is from Boise, Idaho and take their influences on established artists like Andrew Bird and Them Yorke to a new level with this great-sounding track. The latest single comes from their LP entitled Pulling the Wool, which will be fully released on August 12th via Earth Libraries. I was also able to catch up with the band for a short interview about this single that takes its inspiration from the Christopher Nolan film of the same name.

Strategies – “Outages” (Song Premiere)

Interview: Ollie Baxxter of Broadside

Interview: Greyed Out

Liner Notes (August 6th, 2022)

Interview: Ben Jorgensen of Armor For Sleep

Interview: John Feldmann of Goldfinger

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

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

Liner Notes (July 30th, 2022)

Beach Bums – “WAR” (Song Premiere)

Interview: Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Interview: Oh Lonesome Ana

Trick Gum – “Tim Dillon” (Video Premiere)

The Best of Albums of 2022 (So Far)

Up Is The Down The – “Memento” (Song Premiere)