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Review: Twenty One Pilots – MTV Unplugged

Adam Grundy

At some point you just have to acknowledge true artists and musical geniuses for what they are. Twenty One Pilots have always been ones to break the mold of blurring genre lines by tinkering with emo, pop-punk, rap, and synth-based rock to make a sound that is ultimately unique to them. Their MTV Unplugged performance is another example of what Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are capable of creating on the fly, as they invited the audience to participate in the creation of these songs. To quote Joseph on his closing line from the show, “We are Twenty One Pilots, and so are you.” By incorporating audience participation into the final recordings from the show, this statement has never been more accurate.

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Crozet – “My Racing Heart” (Song Premiere)

Crozet
Adam Grundy

Today I couldn’t be happier to share the latest single from the synth-rock band from Philadelphia, named Crozet, for their great new song called “My Racing Heart.” The track comes from their upcoming full-length record, Suburbia, which will be self-released on July 1st. This band reminds me of the dripping nighttime synths of M83 paired with the pop sensibilities and quirkiness of Toro y Moi, but really they’re well on their way to having a unique sound that is simply Crozet. The band shared this about “My Racing Heart:”

During the height of the pandemic I dealt with the worst anxiety I’ve ever experienced in my life. I never expected to be living in the city again with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no one to see. I know I wasn’t alone in feeling that way. I was in fact fortunate enough to have the creative outlet of Crozet to allow me and Sean to continue collaborating on music remotely. During that time period I was listening to a lot of music produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in an attempt to keep my spirits up. Producing a track in this style was definitely a new experience for Sean and I. We tried to keep the sounds of the synths, guitars, bass and drums true to the style of a Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis track. Lyrically this was one of those songs that kind of wrote itself once I started getting into it. I hope people can relate to the feelings the lyrics speak of.

If you’re enjoying the direction that Crozet went with here, please consider pre-ordering Suburbia here.

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Interview: Dominick Fox of Bad Luck.

Bad Luck
Adam Grundy

Recently I had the chance to catch up with the frontman of NY-based pop-punk band Bad Luck. As Dominick Fox and I chatted about the upcoming new music from his band, it became apparent that his confidence level in what his band is cooking up could take a lot of people by surprise. We discussed everything that went into the recording of the band’s last album, Summer of Pain, their difficulties with touring in a pandemic, as well as what the future holds for the direction of the band’s music.

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Pine Barons – “In The Air” (Song Premiere)

Pine Barons
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to share the latest single from Philadelphia’s own Pine Barons, called “In The Air.” The song is a cover of The Fishmans’, a Japanese pop group that stormed their scene in the 80’s and 90’s. The song reminds me of lush dream pop meshed with psychedelic rock. Imagine if Beach House and Phish ever collaborated on a song; it might sound a lot like this. Lead vocalist Keith Abrams had this to say about the cover:

”In The Air” has such a haunting quality to it, both in the lyrics and the way it moves, and I get such a strong emotional response when I listen to it, like I can feel my heart breaking. The first version I had heard was the live performance off Otokotachi no Wakare. From this sort of cosmic meditative intro, like leaving the earth behind as you enter the upper atmosphere, and out comes this creeping hypnotic pulse with the bass and drums. The progression, as simplistic as it is, feels somehow ahead of its time, and it blew me away. As the last Fishmans single to be released in 1998, it was an important one to include on this album. I wanted to marry the essence of the live version with the studio version, with a slight deviation from the structure. When it feels like it might come to an end, it sort of blasts off into this other realm where you might forget you’re listening to the same song.

By putting a new spin on a classic, Pine Barons are off and running towards being your next key musical discovery.

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