Review: The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High

Has there ever been a more reliably enjoyable punk rock band over the past three decades than The Bouncing Souls? The band has returned with their 12th full-length studio album, called Ten Stories High, and they sound as energetic and focused as ever. On the title track, lead vocalist Greg Attonito explained, “During the studio sessions we realized we wanted a song to summarize the process and tell the story of the project. One afternoon during the session we came up with the title ‘Ten Stories High’ and matched it up with a melody that Pete and Bryan had recorded earlier on their phones. We really liked how the title added imagery of ten people in a ten story building living out their own external and internal experiences. It was a perfect summary to the project. After a few hours of tinkering with the music and words we had our title track for the record!” The band will be embarking on a comprehensive US tour with Anti-Flag starting this April, and with a slick new record in their repertoire, it will be a show you don’t want to miss.

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Sid Seth – “Hopeless War” (Song Premiere)

Sid Seth

Today is a great day to share the latest single and lyric video from singer-songwriter Sid Seth called “Hopeless War.” With a sound that fits somewhere between the classic soul/pop of Stevie Wonder and the modern flair of Harry Styles, Sid Seth is really coming into his own on songs like this. I was also able to catch up with this artist for a brief interview below.

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Review: Fall Out Boy – So Much (For) Stardust

There’s something to be said for the ability to come full circle to where it all began. Fall Out Boy have returned with their eighth studio album, So Much (for) Stardust, on the label that started the entire hype train, Fueled By Ramen. From being the band that arguably got their biggest break from a “You Hear It First” MTV vignette that showcased the band’s raucous live shows and built up the anticipation for their Take This To Your Grave album. The rest was history, as the band would reach atmospheric success on their major label debut From Under The Cork Tree, which would go on to sell over two million copies in the U.S. alone. The funny thing about the “reinvention years,” or the post-hiatus albums that came after Folie à Deux, is that this new record is the perfect balance between the two “versions” of Fall Out Boy. It has the charm of the early albums, paired with the studio experimentation of the post-hiatus LPs, all honed into a crisp delivery courtesy of veteran producer Neal Avron. From the homage of getting their “elder-emo status” on the music video for “Love From The Other Side,” to the most recent single being the most logical progression from “This Ain’t A Scene…” to now. So Much (for) Stardust achieves the near-impossible: it satisfies both longtime fans and FOB-newbies into a crowd-pleasing package of songs that tug on the heartstrings of emo kids everywhere.

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Animal Sun – “Horror Show” (Video Premiere)

Animal Sun

Today is a great day to share the latest single and music video from Animal Sun called “Horror Show.” On this song that fits somewhere between the stylings of the early Killers paired with Payale Royale, Animal Sun make their mark on the Alternative Rock scene. Lead vocalist Steven Blake shared:

”Horror Show: describes the inner workings of our darkest thoughts that grow so deep they almost become like a toxic romantic partner. This ‘entity’ whispers perversions devisiously in our ears, warping reality and everything we once knew into nothing more than a living hell, a ‘Horror Show’ if you may. We deem it more appropriate to laugh through it all. There’s no fighting it anyway.

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Liner Notes (March 25th, 2023)

Stars

This week I write about turning forty and the new Fall Out Boy album. There are some other thoughts on new music I checked out this week as well, but it’s mostly about growing up with a band and how their music has punctuated some of the most important moments in my life. Yep, I like Fall Out Boy. Surprise. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.

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