features - PAGE 49

Scotchka – “Corinthians” (Song Premiere)

Scotchka
Adam Grundy

Today is a great day to share the latest single from pop-punk band Scotchka, who hail from Albany, NY, and are gearing up for the release of their full-length record this August. The new single is called “Corinthians” and reminds me a lot of Say Anything paired with Motion City Soundtrack. The band shared this about the latest track:

We’ve made a habit on this coming record to hyperinflate the ordinary and this song is one of the better examples. Corinthians is a culmination of life events, put into the most dramatic light possible. Trying to explore every facet of a relationship, processing a friend telling us they are considering suicide, always trying to find out where something went wrong and building from there.

If you’re enjoying the vibe of the latest single, be on the lookout for a pre-order notification on the band’s Bandcamp page here.

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Chris Garneau – “Ballard” (Song Premiere)

Chris Garneau
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to share the latest single from singer-songwriter Chris Garneau called “Ballard.” The track is the first song to be released from his upcoming EP, that will be released this Fall, and reminds me of a bit of the style of Rostam paired with the flamboyance of Adam Lambert. Garneau had this to say about the inspiration behind the new song:

I wrote this song after a vivid dream I had last summer where I met and fell in love with a vampire. We agreed he could drink the blood from my neck, turning me, but two days later he disappeared. I never saw him again, not in my dreams not in real life. Even though it all happened while I was sleeping it stuck with me for a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about it for months until I finally wrote the song to get it out. I felt like I was hallucinating sometimes, like that it really happened. It was bizarre. Sort of hot, kinda fun, but also felt fucked up. Ultimately I was relieved to let go of the feeling.

If you’re enjoying the direction that Garneau took on the first single from his upcoming EP, you can purchase the song starting tomorrow here.

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Aunt Kelly – ‘Remember’ (Album Premiere)

Aunt Kelly
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share the album stream of power pop/rock band Aunt Kelly called Remember. The band is comprised of vocalist/guitarist/pianist Kelly Hannemann, bassist Dan Gianaris and drummer Sarah Weddle, and their great musical chemistry is felt over the seven-song effort. With a sound that strays somewhere between Beach Bunny and The Aces, Aunt Kelly have crafted a great debut record that should dominate your summer rotation. Hannemann shared this about the new record:

Remember is made up of songs written over several years through periods of despair, euphoria, depression, and mania. The title-track is about the fear of losing memories. There is something really comforting to me about being able to live in the past whether it’s through good or bad memories. I thought it was fitting for that song to be the title-track since all these songs hold a very specific feeling and will always make me think of that moment in time.

By looking back on key memories and staying true to who they are as people and musicians, Aunt Kelly will make you remember their name. If you’re enjoying the early album stream, please consider pre-ordering Remember here.

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Liner Notes (June 5th, 2022)

Lights
Jason Tate

This week’s newsletter has early first impressions of the new The Dangerous Summer album, some thoughts on other music I listened to over the past week, and my usual rundown of entertainment commentary. There’s also a playlist of ten songs I enjoyed, 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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TWINS – “Something About Alice Coltrane” (Song Premiere)

Twins
Adam Grundy

Today is the perfect day to share Berlin-based Alternative Rock band, TWINS, and their latest B-side single, a jazz-infused song called “Something About Alice Coltrane.” The song comes from the mind of TWINS band leader, Miro Denck, and Miro shared, “This recording is my humble tribute to one of my greatest sources of artistic and spiritual inspiration, the sublime music of the great jazz mystic Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda. It would be presumptuous to think there’s even a way to get anywhere near the powerful talent unified on the original recording, ‘Something About John Coltrane’ of her 1971 album, Journey in Satchidananda, which includes Pharoah Sanders, Cecil McBee and Rashied Ali, let alone as a single musician. Rather than that, to me this is a very personal meditation on life, loss and the endless comfort I find in her music.”

If you’re enjoying this latest slab of experimental rock music from TWINS, their full-length record called The Human Jazz will be hitting music streaming services on June 29th via Earth Libraries. Additionally, I was able to catch up with Miro Denck for a brief interview about this new single.

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Bonsai Trees – “Not Better” (Song Premiere)

Bonsai Trees
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single from Bonsai Trees, led by the charismatic lead vocalist James MacPherson, “Not Better” is a song about finding ways to improve your outlook on healing. MacPherson shared:

”Not Better” is about healing at your own pace, healing from trauma is a non-linear rollercoaster of a process that requires support, love and understanding from the people around you. When the people in your life want to control you and create the idea of you that they want to see, they’ll lead you down the wrong path, tell you what’s good for you, when only YOU know what you need to heal. For me this song is about taking back my independence and becoming a more true version of myself in the face of a lot of adversity. Overcoming the control others think they have on you is crucial to your authenticity.

By preparing for healing while still maintaining their artistic credibility, Bonsai Trees may very well be on the cusp of self-discovery. If you’re enjoying the new single, please consider pre-ordering the band’s new EP called Mine here.

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State of the Secretary – “Astray” (Video Premiere)

State of the Secretary
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to share the latest music video from indie rock band State of the Secretary, for their single “Astray.” The band comes from the brain-trust of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Isaac Anderson, and he uses his fondness for music by The Cure and The Smiths to create songs that linger somewhere between the modern flair of The Killers and The National. Anderson shared this about the latest track from his upcoming full-length record:

“Astray” was a bit of a departure from my typical songwriting. It was written, recorded, and mixed in my bedroom, over the course of a few hours. I knew it had a feel that I loved, and it is one of my favorites on the album. The video is also very special to me. I collaborated with director Griffin Davis to create something that captured the song’s message/feel. I’m so excited for it to be out in the world!”

With his sets sight on creating music that makes the audience feel something, State of the Secretary are one of those bands to keep a keen eye as the year unfolds.

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Interview: Yours Truly

Yours Truly
Adam Grundy

A couple of days ago, I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of alternative rock band, Yours Truly, to discuss everything that went into the writing of their upcoming EP. Mikaila and I also chatted about her and the band’s core influences, their touring plans, as well as the message the band hopes will resonate with their fans both new and old.

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Bahjat – “I’m Here” (Video Premiere)

Bahjat
Adam Grundy

Today is an excellent day to share electronic pop star Bahjat’s new single and music video for his comeback single, “I’m Here.” Bahjat had this to say about the new song that’s a blend between a K-Pop sound paired with a modern flair seen in the most popular music today:

I wrote ‘I’m Here’ during quarantine in 2020. Not only was it such an uncertain time in our lives in general, but I was also getting a lot of pushback from people in the industry who were questioning my vision and my decision to mix Arabic & English lyrics. It’s kind of my ‘comeback’ song in a way, because it captures the moment I got fed up with all the criticism and decided to carve my path on my own terms. Sonically, I wanted to pay tribute to the K-Pop community and the sound of the artists’ debut songs, because I feel like I’m debuting all over again with my new take on global Arabic music, which I’ve been calling ‘A-pop.’

With his sets sight purely on global domination, don’t blame me if you find yourself dancing through to the weekend, courtesy of Bahjat.

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Endearments – “Too Late” (Song Premiere)

Endearments
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest slice of music from Brooklyn’s own synth-pop powerhouse band, Endearments, for their single “Too Late.” The song feels like a blend of 80’s new wave paired with the sonic brilliance of modern rock bands like Foster the People and Car Seat Headrest. Self-produced by band leader Kevin Marksson at his home studio, he shared this about the new song, “I think breakups have these turning points where you realize things can no longer be fixed. ‘Too Late’ is about those moments—recognizing when you’re being taken for granted, and saying enough is enough.” Endearments have found the right balance between being at their breaking point while still remaining true to who they are as artists.

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Living Room – “Flood” (Video Premiere)

Living Room
Adam Grundy

Today I’m thrilled to share the latest single and music video from Brooklyn, NY’s own Living Room for the song “Flood.” The track is the third single to be released from their upcoming record New Years that will be released everywhere music is sold on June 10th via Fear Icon Records. Living Room reminds me of the emo spirit of Thursday, paired with the great hooks of LA Dispute, and they wear their influences so fervently on their sleeves while adding something new to the scene. Guitarist/vocalist John Nicholls had this to say about “Flood:”

In March of 2020 my ex-girlfriend and I were still living together, riding out the lease. I had turned our office/music room into my new dwelling where I spent almost all of my time. Covid had just hit and I was ‘sheltering in place’ and unemployed. When I wasn’t sleeping, drinking, or doing other things to distract myself from the strange and unpleasant reality I was in, I was left to actually think about it. ‘Flood’ is about this time in my life. It’s about the ways we can deceive ourselves when we try to escape or hide from our reality. It’s about the things I’d done and not done that led me to that situation. And it’s about how I was still spending a lot of energy to uphold a fiction that I would wake up in the life I wanted if I kept going this way.

If you’re enjoying this latest taste of music from Living Room, there is still time to pre-order New Years here.

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TheWorst – “This House Didn’t Build Itself” (Song Premiere)

the worst
Adam Grundy

Today I’m pumped to share the latest single from indie punk trio, TheWorst, for their song “This House Didn’t Build Itself.” The track comes from the band’s upcoming sophomore record, Yes Regrets, that will be released in full on June 3rd. For those unfamiliar with the band, they sound like a combination of the best parts of the early 00’s New Jersey emo scene, paired with the punk rock spirit of Joan Jett. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Brooke Binion, had this to share about the latest single and the overall direction of Yes Regrets, “It’s exhausting living this way where you’re constantly punishing yourself. I’ve been through a lot, and most of it was self-inflicted, but this record is just about that pain you can cause yourself and those regrets that wear you down.”

If you’re enjoying this song as much as I think most of you will, please consider pre-ordering the new album here.

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Taxes – “Last Call” (Video Premiere)

Taxes
Adam Grundy

The latest single from Taxes has arrived, called “Last Call,” and it showcases the breadth of growth from the band’s primary songwriter Robby Cronholm. The band does a great job of capturing the emo spirit on this latest song and it’s filled with great hooks, brilliant instrumentation, and crisp vocals. Cronholm had this to say about “Last Call,”

Sometimes you have no idea what a song is about, not really, until it has been recorded, mixed, mastered and the world is about to hear it. ‘Last Call’ is like that, in the sense that I had no idea how a song which started as a silly, small, poppy number about the bartender’s dreaded shout at 1:30 became such a personal song. In much the same vein, I knew the record needed to be titled Retirement Home, but of course without the slightest idea why it needed that name. They both started as a throw-away joke about my age: I’m 46 and rock and roll is a young person’s game. Now? It isn’t a joke. Now the song and the record make perfect sense. I have always been obsessed with mortality. My obsession has softened with age but it still haunts me in almost every quiet moment. I set out to make this record because I felt the need to stave off those compulsive thoughts. So, I set off to write a song that didn’t take itself too seriously as a reminder to not do the same with myself. I think it worked. It’s raucous and joyous. It’s silly and a little sad. For Christ’s sake, it features my singer Aishlin and I, nearly dead and buried, still screaming against the final curtain call and Jerry Harrison flossing his teeth. It’s a good reminder to not take oneself too seriously, to hold the ones you love close and to not go gentle into that good night. Speakers up.

”Last Call” will be ready for addition to your playlists when it releases on May 20th.

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