Review: Yellowcard / Hammock – A Hopeful Sign

Remix albums can be a bit of a mixed bag. They exist sometimes to fulfill a contractual agreement between an artist and a label, to give new takes or perspectives on songs, or in the best case scenarios, to re-imagine songs in a way that makes it feel like you’re hearing the tracks for the first time all over again. Yellowcard have paired up with the ambient music duo of Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson, better known as Hammock, to re-imagine some of their classic hits, as well as some noteworthy deep cuts, for a compilation affectionately titled A Hopeful Sign. Given the fact that Yellowcard’s latest EP, Childhood Eyes, featured several key collaborations, it makes perfect sense for them to continue down this path in their musical journey. Ryan Key shared, “Yellowcard is in a new place where we are collaborating with other artists more than ever before. I have found Hammock in my top three most played artists every year for nearly a decade now. Hammock are one of the defining and most pioneering artists in the post rock and ambient space. We have taken so much inspiration from their work over the years so first becoming friends, and then unexpectedly getting to work together on new music were dreams come true.” By taking a brave step forward in their partnership with Hammock, Yellowcard remain “top of mind” in these re-imagined tracks that breathe a new and fruitful life into some of their most beloved songs.

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Madeline Rhodes – “Bailing On Your Birthday” (Song Premiere)

Madeline Rhodes

Today I’m excited to share with everyone the latest single from pop singer, Madeline Rhodes, called “Bailing on Your Birthday.” On the first single from her upcoming LP, The Brothel, Rhodes channels slick pop hooks paired with a great vocal performance.

It was my best friend’s birthday and I was having a terrible depressive episode,” Rhodes recalled on the track’s origins. “I called her after the party had already started and told her I wasn’t coming. She was pissed and I was like ‘it’s not always about you!!!’…on her birthday. Rude. But also kinda true? I wrote this song as an explanation for my absence at her party. I hope that when she hears it, she forgives me.

I was also able to catch up with this talented songwriter for a brief interview below.

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Rachel Ana Dobken – “Bed You Made” (Song Premiere)

Rachel Ana Dobken

Today I’m so excited to share with everyone the latest single from indie rock artist, Rachel Ana Dobken, called “Bed You Made.” Dobken collaborated with Blind Melon guitarist, Rogers Stevens, and the single is taken from the forthcoming LP, Acceptance, that will be released later on this year. Dobken says in regards to Stevens’ guitar parts, “for the verses he came up with this crazy line that fit so perfectly with the vocals. Whenever you listen to his playing on any of the Blind Melon records, it’s like, ‘Who would write this?’ This is so unique.’ And he brought that same energy to ‘Bed You Made.’” If you’re enjoying the early listen, you can pre-save the single here.

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Amy Shark Talks (Almost) New Found Glory

Amy Shark

Amy Shark talked with Mary Varvaris of The Music, and dropped this little tidbit about almost touring in New Found Glory:

Another moment where Shark nearly lost her mind was when she nearly became the touring guitarist for the pop-punk band New Found Glory. Shark has contacts in the pop-punk scene, nabbing blink-182’s Mark Hoppus for her Love Monster track Psycho and developing friendships with other bands. Shark’s come a long way from the days of being a “sweaty little emo”.

The story goes: “I surprisingly talk to a lot of them [pop-punk bands] now. Like, I’ve spoken to Deryck [Whibley] from Sum 41 and I’ve spoken to New Found Glory. I nearly went on tour with New Found Glory, playing in their band,” Shark says. “That’s something I haven’t said out loud! But I had Australian Idol, and that was coming about the same time we were working out if I was going to do Idol or not.

“One of their guitarists [Chad Gilbert, who was receiving intense chemotherapy for a rare cancer called pheochromocytoma in February 2023] is not well, and I’m like, I know so many New Found Glory songs. They’re like, ‘Do you want to come and be in the band?’ And I was like, What a crazy idea, but I kind of like it! So, yeah, I nearly went on tour with them.”