In the Spotlight: 50 Bands You Need to Hear in 2017 (Part One)

Jason Tate May 2, 2017

Back on AbsolutePunk.net we would run a feature each year called the “Absolute 100.” The basic idea was to put together a list of bands and artists that we thought needed to get a little more attention. This would range from unsigned, to under-the-radar, to underrated acts that we wanted to highlight. Over the years it ended up being one of my favorite features we compiled (I personally discovered quite a few new bands from it). And, I’ve heard from a lot for readers that you loved it as well.

Today I’m excited to bring this feature back under a new name. We’re calling it “In the Spotlight” and we’ve got the same goal: highlight a bunch of artists we think you should check out. This year we’ve got 50 for you. Over the past month our contributors have been putting together blurbs and pulling out song recommendations, and today we’ve got the first group of 25. We’ll be releasing the next set tomorrow.

A Decade of ‘Anhedonia’ (Encore Episode 147)

Jason Tate Apr 28, 2017

The Graduate’s Anhedonia turned ten this week and former lead singer, Corey Warning, joins Encore to talk all about it. We discuss the early stages of the band, recording the album, the stories behind some of the songs, and check in on what Corey has been up to the past few years. We dive into why a reunion probably isn’t in the cards and spend some time waxing nostalgic about the music scene from 10 years ago. If you were a fan of this band and album, I think you’re going to love this one. If you’ve never heard this album before, you should probably get on that, but this episode also has a bunch of great industry insights, tips, and tales that make it worth your while. It’s a fun one.

Note: We recorded this episode live, in person, so the quality is a little different than you may be used to. However, I think that the back and forth of being in person gives it a really fun vibe that’s totally worth it.

Interview: Angelica Garcia (Video)

Jackie Cular Apr 25, 2017

Angelica Garcia has a voice wise beyond her years. The twenty-two year old was uprooted from her Los Angeles home when her family moved to Accomac, Virginia. The Garcia’s moved into a two hundred year old gothic brick home, whose spirits clearly had an affect on the burgeoning singer-songwriter.

Angelica Garcia embraces the solitude to write and record demos for what would become her debut album Medicine for Birds. The album delicately meshes Americana and blues though tales of bad dating (“Orange Flower”), growing up (“Little Bird”), and dealing with otherworldly spirits (“The Devil Can Get In”). Garcia’s demos featured shoebox drums, harmonica improv, and creaking doors. Her next album will focus more on the singer’s Latin roots.

I had the chance to talk with Angelica for a new video interview.

Interview: Mike Einziger on 26 Years of Incubus and How ‘8’ Reenergized the Band

Jonathan Bautts Apr 20, 2017

Incubus guitarist, Mike Einziger, details the inside challenges making the band’s new album 8, why working with Skrillex proved instrumental in sparking the band, his career-long curiosity with creativity, and how advances in technology have impacted modern music.

Lucky Boys Confusion – ‘Stormchasers’ (Album Premiere)

Jason Tate Apr 13, 2017

I bought Lucky Boys Confusion’s Throwing the Game on a whim because an online friend told me it had a unique pop-punk meets reggae sound with hooks all over the place. It was my senior year of high-school and that was more than enough to get me to spend my lunch money on an album. I loved it. Now, some 16 years later the band are releasing their first new album in over 10 years and we’ve got an exclusive stream for you to check out. Lead singer, Kaustubh Pandav, describes the album as a concept album that was discovered only after its recording:

Sometimes you just have to reflect back on your art to see what your subconscious mind has been trying to create. It wasn’t until we got to take breath and were able to listen back to this record that we realized that we had just created a concept record. A story of how tragedy and loss lead to strength and courage in hopes to find a little peace of mind. We hope everyone can relate at least to a part of our story.

The album comes out on April 14th and you can pick it up on the band’s webstore. And, if you’re in the Chicago area, the band’s record release show is this Saturday at House of Blues.

Interview: Scott Ayotte of Born Without Bones

Zac Djamoos Apr 11, 2017

Born Without Bones will release their new album, Young at the Bend, on May 12th. I recently sat down with vocalist Scott Ayotte about the difficulties of writing music, starting his own label, and what it means to be young at the bend.

Interview: Touché Amoré (Video)

Jackie Cular Apr 10, 2017

In the fall of 2016, Touché Amoré released their fourth album, Stage Four, on Epitaph Records to critical and fan acclaim. In January of 2017, the band released a video for the song “Benediction,” further detailing the loss lead singer Jeremy Bolm experienced when his mother passed away from cancer.

I had the chance to talk with the band before their recent show at The Fillmore in Philadelphia.

Let’s Do It Live (Encore Episode 146)

Jason Tate Mar 31, 2017

Thomas Nassiff returns to the show to talk about live albums and when and where we think they work. We talk about our favorites, live bootlegs, and wonder why more bands don’t release more live material. We also talk about March Madness, having birthdays, the other Encore podcast, the other Chorus logo, home automation, books about tech companies, and all our usual stuff.

Pine – “Viable” (Song Premiere)

Drew Beringer Mar 24, 2017

Pine have signed with No Sleep Records and will be releasing their new EP, Pillow Talk, on June 9th. In the meantime, we’re premiering a new song off the EP titled “Viable.” The track and the band’s upcoming tour dates are below, and if you like what you hear, pre-orders are now up.

Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’ Is Ok, but Never Great

Deanna Chapman Mar 22, 2017

After watching the first six episodes a lot of critics were out on Netflix’s new series Iron Fist. The reviews haven’t been kind. While it’s hard to judge a whole show on just shy of half of its episodes, it’s important for a show to grab the audience from the start. Iron Fist doesn’t quite do that. While I made it through the whole thing, the start of the show was slow. The latter half is definitely better, but many people could find themselves giving up on the show before that happens.

Benchmarks – “Our Undivided Attention” (Album Premiere)

Zac Djamoos Mar 22, 2017

Benchmarks will release their new album, Our Undivided Attention, on March 24th via SofaBurn Records. Today we’re premiering the full thing for your listening pleasure. Fans of The Menzingers or The Weakerthans won’t want to miss it. If you like the album, you can pre-order it through SofaBurn’s webstore.

Hiding Music From Our Parents (Encore Episode 145)

Jason Tate Mar 17, 2017

On this week’s episode of Encore I am joined by special guest Ryan Gardner. Ryan joins the show to talk about growing up in this music scene and the bands that we first fell in love with. Then we talk a little about starting young with writing online, the lessons learned and why we think it’s important to just try, and how to maybe parlay that into some kind of career in the future. Freelancing, journalism, and how this alternative music scene has changed over the years rounds out the episode.

Thanks for listening!

Secret Space – “Butterfly” (Video Premiere)

Zac Djamoos Mar 7, 2017

Secret Space recently announced The Window Room Part 2: Lost in a Dream, a reimagining of their debut The Window Room with a few extra surprises thrown in. Today we’re excited to premiere one of those surprises: the first song the band ever recorded, a cover of Weezer’s “Butterfly.” If you like their take, be on the lookout for The Window Room Part 2 when it drops for free on their BandCamp on March 17th.

Write Better Songs (Encore Episode 144)

Jason Tate Mar 3, 2017

On this week’s episode of Encore I am joined by special guest Jesse Cannon. Jesse has credits on albums from The Menzingers, to Man Overboard, to The Cure. He has managed bands, produced bands, and has written multiple books about the music industry and navigating the current realities of being a musician and a songwriter in the internet era. He joins the show to talk about everything from authentic creativity when writing songs, to originality in music, to the biggest mistakes bands make when recording. We talk about sophomore slumps, how being emotionally aware leads to better music, and the entire idea behind bands writing albums for themselves versus for the fans. There’s a lot here, but it’s a fun one.