Frontman Justin Pierre discusses the different ideas Motion City Soundtrack pursued when writing Go, being obsessed with mortality, and how his dark past continues to play a role in his lyrics.
Interview: Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack
Review: Hawthorne Heights – Hope
If you would have told me in 2005 that Hawthorne Heights would be thriving in the DIY scene, I would have laughed hysterically right in your face. They had just debuted in the top 3 of the Billboard Charts with If Only You Were Lonely, selling hundreds of thousands of records, and selling out shows everywhere. But now they are becoming poster boys for the DIY scene, as they are set to release their second Cardboard Empire record, Hope – the sequel to 2011’s angry and despair-ridden Hate. It’s always a risky move to go the DIY route. Instead it has reinvigorated the band’s creativity and their career, as Hate relieved any doubt fans might have had about Camp HH going down the DIY road. The band’s previous popularity and their drive to create something meaningful for their selves and their fans have resulted in the band embracing the DIY scene as its most unlikely champions. After unleashing some pent-up aggression on Hate, the Ohio quartet turn to optimism on Hope, combining the intensity from Hate with the melodies that gained so many fans years ago.
Read More “Hawthorne Heights – Hope”Interview: Eli Maiman of Walk the Moon
Guitarist Eli Maiman chats about recording Walk the Moon’s major label debut, the success of “Anna Sun,” the magic of happy mistakes, and what it was like doing the band’s first record independently.
Interview: Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem
On May 5th, 2012, I had the chance to talk with Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem about the band’s album, Handwritten. We also touch on a variety of other topics as well.
Interview: Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou
Vocalist Aaron Weiss explains the unique concept behind Ten Stories, the influence of faith on his lyrics, letting go of the desire to control, and mewithoutYou’s past/future.
Exclusive: Yellowcard – “Always Summer” (Song Premiere)
Today we could not be happier to bring you the brand new single from Yellowcard. The new song is called “Always Summer” and comes from the band’s upcoming full-length album due out in just a few months. You can head to the replies to stream the new song and check out the single artwork — or it’s also on the band’s AP.net profile. The violin solo loudly declares it’s time for the weather to get warm … and time to turn up some Yellowcard. Enjoy!
Read More “Exclusive: Yellowcard – “Always Summer” (Song Premiere)”Interview: Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects
Guitarist Mike Kennerty chats about the different cohesion behind The All-American Rejects’ fourth record Kids in the Street, having to restart things with every release, and maintaining passion for music.
Interview: Joe Lester of Silversun Pickups
Keyboardist Joe Lester talks about the new direction Silversun Pickups took on Neck of the Woods, its psychological underpinnings, writing longer songs, and why there’s no bonus to being on a major label anymore.
Review: You Blew It! – Grow Up, Dude
“Ah, so you’re into that whole twinkle daddies thing.”
Huh?
“You know, this style of music that’s overtaking local basements and garages over the nation.”
Uh, come again?
This is a conversation I had with someone on Facebook after gushing about You Blew It!’s Topshelf debut Grow Up, Dude. Last.fm informs that it’s “Those emo-ish bands with the twinkly guitars and the hoarse vocals. Twinkle daddies.” Okay, I guess that makes sense. While I insist that the name for this genre of music is incredibly stupid, the music coming forth is definitely not. The genre has churned out some great under appreciated acts such as Grown Ups, Snowing, and The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die, but it’s the Orlando, Florida quartet who seem poised to break out in 2012.
Read More “You Blew It! – Grow Up, Dude”Interview: Greg Laswell
Greg Laswell discusses his latest album Landline, the desire to break away from writing sad songs, marriage with Ingrid Michelson, and not having a career backup plan.
Interview: Andrew Dost of fun.
Keyboardist Andrew Dost chats about the making of Some Nights, fun.’s recent shot to stardom, and maintaining a high degree of integrity in everything you do.
Review: The Used – Vulnerable
Despite playing a genre of music that seemingly died out years ago (as evidence of many of their peers from the early 2000’s emo-pop boom having gone the way of the dodo bird), The Used have found a way to remain relevant within the scene, as they possess some of the most die-hard fans I’ve ever encountered. It probably helps that their first two albums are revered by fans and non-fans, and, despite releasing a pair of duds since then, The Used are still able to stir up a lot of anticipation and debate whenever they’re about to release a new album.
But after releasing the poor Artwork in 2009, the band parted ways with Warner Bros. Vocalist Bert McCracken has gone on to say that Artwork is his least favorite album and directed some of the blame towards the band’s former label for meddling with it. Now three years since, their fifth studio album, Vulnerable, is the result of the band having 100% creative control for the first time in a long time, releasing the album collaboratively between their own label, Anger Music Group, and indie power Hopeless Records. McCracken stated that Vulnerable is a direct response to everything surrounding the band’s last release and is his favorite Used record ever. Those are pretty bold words and while I don’t agree with them (I’ll rep the self-titled release till I die), Vulnerable is definitely the band’s best and most versatile release since 2004’s In Love and Death.
Read More “The Used – Vulnerable”Review: Joyce Manor – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Joyce Manor are a very interesting band. That may seem like lazy reviewing, and it probably is, but after putting to e-paper my thoughts over 350 times (sad and lonely brag), saying something like, “Band X actually do something creative and memorable,” starts to take on quite a bit of weight. And that’s what I can’t help but think when singer Barry Johnson cuts through with his somehow apathetic yet forceful voice. It’s also what I think when an early 2000s-ish punk influenced pop-punk band records a searing and catchy cover of “Video Killed The Radio Star.” Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired is just completely enthralling.
Read More “Joyce Manor – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired”Review: Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear
You can always go back home, but nothing is exactly the same. Say Anything’s sixth studio album Anarchy, My Dear is the band’s first release on an indie since leader Max Bemis released the scene classic …Is A Real Boy in 2004. After achieving mild success with the two albums in between on RCA/Sony, Bemis and company find themselves back in the familiar company of a major indie label, this time being Equal Vision. They also enlisted the production services of Tim O’Heir, whom oversaw the IARB sessions, thus including a comfort level that may not have been present during 2009 self-titled release.
But just like when you return home after all those years at college, things are different. People change, environments shift, and you grow and mature as a person. This can be directly applied to Bemis, whom, since Is A Real Boy, has matured not only as a songwriter but as a person. He’s happily married to Sherri DuPree, drugs are out of his system, and his outlook on life has changed. Basically, everything doesn’t suck as much as it did when he was writing that life-changing album. After a while all the self-loathing can be quite the drag, and Bemis is more aware of this than ever.
Read More “Say Anything – Anarchy, My Dear”Review: Every Time I Die – Ex Lives
This is not the year of the party crasher.
If you were expecting Every Time I Die to supply you with this year’s latest batch of party jams, think again. Sure, Every Time I Die has never been one to write a bunch of “happy” songs, but don’t expect the likes of “We’rewolf” or “The New Black” to appear on their sixth studio album Ex Lives. Front man Keith Buckley was out of his comfort zone while penning the lyrics to Ex Lives. Stuck overseas touring with his side project The Damned Things, Buckley, disappointed and angry, wrote from the perspective of past lives (thus the inspiration behind the album’s title), wondering if he was an awful human being in a past life and it was karma that was kicking him in the ass.
Read More “Every Time I Die – Ex Lives”