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Single Reviews - PAGE 2

Review: PHNTMS – “Heat of the Moment”

Adam Grundy

Pop rock band, PHNTMS, have returned with a new, vibrant single called “Heat of the Moment” that features The Chain Gang of 1974. The new song was produced by Courtney Ballard (Grayscale, Armor for Sleep) and is dripping with dark synths, paired with vocals by Kamtin Mohager (of The Chain Gang of 1974). What PHNTMS do best on this track is pay direct homage to 80’s electronica bands with a twist of modern flair in the guitar parts to keep things feeling fresh.

The song opens with syrupy-thick synths before breaking away into a great guitar riff by Adam Jessamine. The second verse of, “So when did love become so deceiving? / Something I can’t define / You’re playing tricks in my mind / Face it, we are simply just human / And this is not apathy / Just let me go and get high / Oh my my,” tackles the difficulties of navigating a one-sided relationship. The anthemic chorus is well-constructed, and if the song has any faults, it’s that it ends too soon. “Heat of the Moment” is sure to be stuck in your mind for days on end.

Review: Team Goldie – “I’m Back / Big Riff” (Single Review)

Team Goldie
Adam Grundy

I’m excited to re-introduce everyone to Team Goldie (the solo project from Matt from the band Cassettes), who have released a dual-single called “I’m Back” and “Big Riff.” On the first song, Matt is able to channel the best parts of the pop-punk genre in a crowd-pleasing package. He sings about his memories of the past few years and does a nice job of keeping his spirits high in this period of time that was so hard for so many people. His infectious energy makes for a great-sounding single that should keep interest high in this re-launched project.

On the second single, called “Big Riff,” Matt turns towards more of a rap-rock approach in the same vein as Twenty One Pilots and Powfu as he oozes with plenty of swagger in a song that bounces along with confidence. The country-tinged riff in the background keeps things interesting as it sounds like a familiar song, yet different enough to make it his own. Overall, there’s plenty to be excited about on Team Goldie’s triumphant return to the scene.

Review: Petal Crush – “Of Course Of Course” (Single Review)

Adam Grundy

Petal Crush comes from the talented mind of Andy Petrusky, who left behind a promising professional tennis career to devote his life to music. The latest single, called “Of Course Of Course” comes from the project’s new EP entitled Lucky Ever After, which will be released everywhere you stream your music on October 18th. This song channels a new wave-esque approach with its vibrant 80’s pop guitars that help frame the art around Petrusky’s vocals. The single unfolds nicely as it picks up momentum to a dream-pop chorus.

Petal Crush would fit in well for fans of The XX, Cold War Kids, and The Killers, and I came away fairly impressed with Petrusky’s approach to songwriting on this song that is fairly simple in its construction, yet has several earworms within it to be memorable. If this is the style that Petal Crush is going for, I’ll be very much looking forward to the rest of the material once Lucky Ever After drops later this month.

Review: PHNTMS – “Rather Be Lonely”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from pop rockers, PHNTMS, is a cool blast of rock energy that pulsates along in the best way possible. The track features some cool synths, 80’s-esque guitar tones, all paired with their powerhouse of a vocalist in Alyssa Gambino who commands the song from the opening notes. The lyrical material discusses the pitfalls of being stuck on social media, watching the world go by, and the dangers of losing that personal connection with the people around us. The band does a nice job of never letting the heavier lyrical material bog down the overall pop sheen of the single.

Guitarist Adam Jessamine and bassist Mikal Smith each have their own standout moments on “Rather Be Lonely” that allows the song to expand upon what the band was going for on their previous singles of “Body Language” and “Paper Flowers.” While the song doesn’t explode into each chorus the way I was expecting on my first few listens, the band’s ability to reel things in at times pays off in the long run as they continue to craft out material that showcases the depth to their songwriting.

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Review: Snarls – “After You (Samantha’s Song)”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Snarls feels like those last great gasps of summer air before the uncertainty of autumn wraps over us and makes us wonder where the time went. The band is coming off of releasing a great EP (What About Flowers?) with Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, and they continue to go down the rabbit hole of self-discovery with vibrant, full guitars, enveloped with vocal harmonies much like Fleetwood Mac, or contemporary artists like Phoebe Bridgers or Hayley Williams, to make the listener feel welcome. On this single, Chlo White shared:

”After You” is my love song to my long distance bestie, Samantha. She lives in Denver now, but we met in high school when I invited her to come to one of my shows! We quickly became really close friends and I found myself out in Yellow Springs, OH at least once a month for a while. That was about an hour away from where I lived in Columbus at the time, and my dad would drive me halfway and meet up with her at a TA station so we could hangout for a weekend. Too cute. I think friendships like ours are rare. We can go months without talking and pick up right where we left off. She moved a while ago now, but I still feel so close to her. I don’t think I’ll ever know another love like Samantha’s!

By creating a song that is both personal and sonically rich and full in its sound, Snarls continue to impress.

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Review: Kulick – “Goner”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from talented singer-songwriter, Kulick, called “Goner” reminds me a bit of the great, anthemic rock from the early 00’s, and packs plenty of punch in its delivery. The song features some guest vocals from Sleeping With Sirens vocalist Kellin Quinn, and he takes the reins of the second verse to paint the story being brought forth in the single. Kulick is coming off the success of his Everyone I Know Will Die sophomore record and he continues to explore the depths of his improved songwriting on tracks like this. The brilliant and vibrant chorus features vocal harmonies between the two vocalists and makes for a full-sounding vocal attack.

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Review: Don’t Panic – “Conquer Divide”

Adam Grundy

The latest taste of music from Phoenix Alt Rock band, Don’t Panic, sets off the alarm bells of urgency on ”Conquer Divide.” The song comes from their soon to be announced LP, 24, and follows their lead single “Time Machine,” and further showcases the band’s captivating songwriting. A little fun fact is that lead singer, Dylan Rowe, was in the mix to replace Flyleaf’s vocalist a few years back. Rowe shines all over this great-sounding single that cements Don’t Panic as a band to watch as the year unfolds.

The track opens with some well-placed synths, roaring guitars, and perfectly in-time drums before bleeding away for Rowe’s great vocals to lift the song to new heights. What Don’t Panic do best on this song is slow-building to a crowd-pleasing, anthemic chorus to keep the interest high in their brand of alternative, radio-ready rock. The bridge features a slow-downed section that allows the band to take a quick breather before exploding back into a wall of sound for the final chorus to leave a great taste in the audience’s mouth, and leave them clamoring for more. The guitar tones, in particular, on this song are very powerful and full-sounding and much like the Leonardo DiCaprio movie quote of, “You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention,” Don’t Panic have certainly made me a fan.

Review: PONY – “Peach”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from indie pop rocker PONY is a blast of fuzzy guitars and vibrant vocals, called “Peach.” Singer/guitarist, Sam, mentioned this about “Peach,” “”I think Peach is probably the most vulnerable song I have ever written. After all, what’s more vulnerable than a Peach? Some years ago I found myself in a relationship with someone who initially treated me like I was so special. But little by little the love seemed more and more conditional. With every bit they tried to control what I wore, who I talked to, and what I did – I lost a part of myself. It took me years to realize I was completely gone and I mistook abuse and manipulation for love. ‘Peach’ is about realizing that someone who wants to have control over you is not someone who loves you.” Out of this vulnerability comes a great self-empowering anthem of overcoming the lowest of lows. With a sound that drifts somewhere between Bully, paired with the pop sensibilities of Olivia Rodrigo and Phoebe Bridgers, PONY is well on their way to becoming your next great musical discovery.

The song starts off with some soft vocals from Sam before breaking away into some grunge-pop power chords that speak to the conflict brought forth in the lyrics. At the surface, it feels like a nice, summery pop anthem that would be perfect for those long summer drives. The reality is PONY have created such rich conflict in the lyrics about losing a part of oneself along the way to discovering what makes us tick, that it’s really hard to distance yourself from these personal issues the artist is experiencing. Overall, PONY have created a worthy single that continues to keep the interest high in this incredibly talented artist.

Review: Between The Echoes – “Phantom Limb”

Adam Grundy

Every now and then you come across a band or a song that makes you feel fortunate to be a music writer. This feeling come in strongly with Between The Echoes and their new single entitled “Phantom Limb.” The track even features some guest vocals from Anberlin’s Stephen Christian towards the end of the song to add to the layers of complexity and conflict within the song’s lyrics. The band is comprised of Chad William, Katie Jean, Marvin Albert, and their unique band chemistry pays off majorly with a crisp pop-punk delivery. With a sound that drifts somewhere between the darkest parts of Finch, paired with the pop sensibilities of Broadside, Between The Echoes are well on their way to making the best use of their moment.

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Review: Beautiful Machines – “Baum Baum”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from electronica band Beautiful Machines comes from their upcoming full-length record Singularity and is called “Baum Baum.” The word “baum” translates to tree and symbolizes finding new life/purpose in this crazy world we live in. The band mentioned, “During WWII, German military transmitted encoded messages with a device called an Enigma machine, which was said to have a code impossible to break. At the same time, the story of Babel explains the origins of the multiplicity of languages. Today, people live in these thought bubbles, finding digital tribes that support and reinforce whatever we think and believe, creating information silos. So, dialogue, in some sense, between people with differing opinions is becoming scarcer, which can ultimately lead to complete breakdown in communication, disinformation and programmed behavior – perhaps even war if we aren’t careful.” With a sound that strays somewhere between the heavy synths of NIN and the pop sensibilities of Tokio Hotel, Beautiful Machines could very well be your next favorite band in the electronica genre.

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Review: Tatum Gale – “New Look, Same Great Flavor”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Tatum Gale, called “New Look, Same Great Flavor” is an open letter of criticism of the music industry, and is dripped with tongue-in-cheek lyrics over oozing synths and eclectic beats. The song laments on the way that the music scene is always clamoring over the “next big thing,” while ignoring some of the artists that truly break down barriers with their sound. The track is the opener from Gale’s upcoming full-length record, the independently released Pretty Green, and offers a perplexing narrative of how the music industry can keep churning out the same product. Gale mentioned about the song, “This is as hyper-pop as the album gets. It’s a super bright, punchy, distorted dance time. It is a collage of some of the gaudy, empty images we’ve seen going out on the town in the pre- and post-pandemic era.” The new single would be a good fit for fans of Toro y Moi and The Avalanches.

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Review: My Chemical Romance – “The Foundations of Decay”

Adam Grundy

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably already know by now that My Chemical Romance have returned with their first new taste of music in over eight years with “The Foundations of Decay.” The bombastic new track from MCR features several bread crumbs to where the band originated from, while still moving the needle forward in their musical evolution. The six-minute song is filled with anthemic moments courtesy of the four core band members, Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, and Mikey Way, while each band member hits their intended target on this aggressive-sounding single. My Chemical Romance made their triumphant return to the stage yesterday in the U.K. and their set kicked off with this song to establish the tone for their legendary material that followed.

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Review: Dear Spring – “Every Now and Then”

Adam Grundy

The latest taste of new music from the DC-based pop-punk band Dear Spring is called ”Every Now and Then,” and is filled with great harmonies, back and forth vocals, and a beating heart of purpose in every lyric. The song was produced by Nik Bruzzese, mixed by Ben Green, and mastered by Paul Leavitt. Dear Spring would be perfect for fans of Four Year Strong, Taking Back Sunday, and Hit the Lights, since this band is very much entrenched in that crisp pop-punk sound that many of us have grown to love over the years.

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Review: Proxy – “Don’t Let Me Die In New Jersey”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from punk rockers, Proxy, is a great blast of crunchy guitar-driven punk rock in the same vein as Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals and the heavier elements of New Found Glory. Proxy is the solo moniker of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ryan Stolinski, and he’s onto something pretty cool on “Don’t Let Me Die In New Jersey,” a song taken from his self-titled EP. Stolinski shared this about the new single, “‘Don’t Let Me Die In New Jersey’ is about the longing feeling of wanting to grow past where you have been your entire life. Feeling bored of the old and needing new experiences. I wrote it from the perspective of someone who wants to die somewhere more beautiful and pleasant looking than a place they are no longer bound to. It’s the age old pop punk theme of hating your hometown with a morbid spin.” The next punk rock song to add to your playlist as you skateboard around town has arrived.

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Interview: Cal Stamp – “Hey Amy”

Cal Stamp
Adam Grundy

Your next music obsession has arrived, thanks to Cal Stamp. The singer/songwriter has been around the music scene for quite awhile with his previous projects called Spirit Animal and most recently, Record Heat. The latest version of Cal’s unique brand of breezy, 80’s guitar-driven pop rock might just be his best work yet. The song, called “Hey Amy,” builds casually over an 1975-esque type of guitar-toned rock and Cal Stamp’s vocals are smooth as silk as he makes a song worthy of any playlist. What Stamp does best on this song is making the listener feel connected to his vocals, while the guitars bring the track into the upper echelon of pop bliss. The song comes from the first of a trilogy of EPs, starting with Nylon, that hits the streets on May 6th.

I also caught up with Cal Stamp to discuss the new EPs as well as provide an in-depth peek at what went into this great new single.

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