Article
LATEST ARTICLES - PAGE 12

Interview: Daniel Ellsworth and The Great Lakes

Daniel Ellsworth and The Great Lakes
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to connect with the band called Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes to discuss what went into their cool new single called “After All (Strung Out Version)”. In this interview, I asked the band about their writing process, where they find inspiration that they put back into their music, and what to expect at one of their concerts. If you’re enjoying the interview, please consider staying connected with the band here.

Read More “Daniel Ellsworth and The Great Lakes”

Review: HAIM – I Quit

Adam Grundy

Have you ever had the feeling that a little piece is missing from an album? It’s something that you have a hard time putting your finger on, but it’s an uneasy feeling that something is just…off. I got a little bit of that feeling when I listened to HAIM’s fourth studio album called I Quit, a record that is largely about giving up on relationships that aren’t worth our time and effort. Even as I kept coming back to I Quit over my weekend, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a bit of the magic that the band put into their stellar predecessor of Women In Music Pt. III wasn’t there. This current set was produced by Rostam Batmanglij (Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend), lead vocalist/guitarist Danielle Haim, as well as some extra production from Buddy Ross (Frank Ocean), and the overall sheen that comes through the speakers on singles like “Relationships” and “All Over Me” are readily apparent. The music that surrounds the early standout moments just doesn’t seem to recapture that classic HAIM style, even if those “highs” found in the key songs are great.

Read More “HAIM – I Quit”

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 13: “Someone Like You” by SafetySuit

My Life in 35 Songs
Craig Manning

Can you see me, holding you right in my arms?

Fast cars, loud music, and summertime: These are a few of my favorite things.

I have long been obsessed with the way a windows-down summer car ride can turn a song transcendent. Hearing the right song when you’re cruising down the road without a care in the world? In my opinion, there’s not much in the world that can make you feel more boundless. It’s something about the volume of the music in the car, the way it surrounds you, the reverberations you can feel coursing through the seats, the armrests, the steering wheel, your entire body. It’s something about the wind in your hair, and the sunshine, and the way the summer air smells. It’s definitely something about the freedom summertime brings, especially when you’re young, and especially when you’ve got wheels. Combine all these things with the right song, and it will sound as good as anything you have ever heard.

That’s what I learned at the outset of summer 2008, the first time I listened to the SafetySuit album Life Left to Go in the car. I’d gotten my driver’s license the previous summer, but this would be my first summer with my own car, and it wasn’t lost on me what that meant. That old cliché about wheels giving you wings might be overused, but it’s also accurate, because having a car unlocks so much when you’re a teenager. I didn’t know what the summer was going to bring, but I’d already made up my mind that I was going to make it count, and the freedom of having my own means of transportation was absolutely at the center of that pledge. All I needed was the right song to consecrate my vow. Enter SafetySuit.

Read More “My Life In 35 Songs, Track 13: “Someone Like You” by SafetySuit”

Review: Shayfer James – Summoning

Shayfer James - Summoning
Adam Grundy

The latest album from Shayfer James, called Summoning, is a sonic wall-of-sound that showcases this talented singer-songwriter’s wit, charm, and crisp songwriting. Shayfer shares on the creation of Summoning, “I decided to sequester myself away on the frozen oceanside of New Brunswick, Canada, because I knew I had a new album in me. I didn’t know what it would sound like or what it would be about, but I knew it was in there and that I wanted to be alone and somewhere beautifully cold when I wrote it.  The four weeks I spent writing Summoning were lush with gorgeous sunrises, flocking crows, and self-acceptance. It felt like a spell. A summoning of self. I felt tapped into the ether, and there’s really no better word to describe my time on Cape Tormentine other than ‘magic.'” You can tell that Shayfer James put his whole self into this record that invites the listener in closer to his world, if you’re brave enough to step into the dimly lit hallways of Summoning.

Read More “Shayfer James – Summoning”

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 12: “Come Around” by Counting Crows

My Life in 35 Songs
Craig Manning

I have waited for tomorrow from December ‘til today, and I have started loving sorrow along the way.

“I’ll believe it exists when I’m holding it in my hands.”

For six months, I repeated those words to myself like they were a self-help mantra. I was talking about the supposedly brand-new album from Counting Crows, which was set to drop on March 25, 2008 after a long, long hiatus. The band had teased the LP the previous fall with the release of “Cowboys,” a loud, bitter, rip-roaring rocker that sounded like the reincarnated version of their 1996 cult classic Recovering the Satellites. I loved that sound and how energized it felt, but then again, I probably would have loved anything coming out of the Counting Crows camp at that point. In the moment, the band’s newest song was “Accidentally in Love,” the Oscar-nominated hit from 2004’s Shrek 2, and their newest album was 2002’s Hard Candy. They had, in other words, been away for a while.

I was convinced that I’d somehow cursed the Crows. As a kid, “Mr. Jones” was the first rock song I’d ever loved, and the band’s moody, melodic roots rock, for me, became synonymous with growing up. But I’d fallen head over heels in love with their music with the 2003 best-of collection Films About Ghosts, which recontextualized those ‘90s hits in exciting ways and unearthed a series of rich, remarkably written deep cuts – songs like the searching title track from Recovering the Satellites, the epic “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby” from 1999’s This Desert Life, or the simultaneously sad and funny “Holiday in Spain” from Hard Candy – that made me realize there was probably a lot more to this band than what got played on the radio.

Read More “My Life In 35 Songs, Track 12: “Come Around” by Counting Crows”

Review: Turnstile – Never Enough

Turnstile - Never Enough
Adam Grundy

How exactly does a band that has blown up as much as Turnstile has these past four years follow up the breakaway success of Glow On? By simply going bigger, bolder, and recognizing that there is Never Enough Turnstile music in this world. Never Enough is now the fourth studio album from the Baltimore-based hardcore band, and the set was produced by lead vocalist Brendan Yates, veteran hitmaker Will Yip, and the English record producer A.G. Cook. You can feel a bit of each producer’s stamp on this record, with Yates’ influence coming in the strongest of the three. The promotional period of this new era of Turnstile kicked off in March when billboards around Los Angeles were donned with the album name of Never Enough paired with the sky-blue aesthetic of the cover art. The band announced a release date shortly thereafter of June 6th, 2025, and also recognized guitarist Meg Mills as a permanent member of Turnstile. Much like many other key artists have done recently, Turnstile accompanied Never Enough with a feature-length visual companion that hit theaters yesterday. While some of the highs of this record are not quite as breathtaking as what was found on Glow On, Never Enough re-solidifies Turnstile as the most creative band in the hardcore genre. The possibilities seem limitless for this talented artist who continues to find new and interesting ways to convey the right emotions and messaging through their unique music.

Read More “Turnstile – Never Enough”

Interview: Sarah Rose Project

Sarah Rose Project
Adam Grundy

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Sarah Rose of Sarah Rose Project to discuss everything that went into her debut self-titled solo record that is being released via Say10 Records. In this interview, I asked Sarah about the differences in writing solo versus with Sarah and the Safe Word, the stylistic choices made on key songs on the new album, and her ideas for the solo tour this summer. Sarah Rose Project is available on vinyl here.

Read More “Sarah Rose Project”

Interview: Josh Epstein of JR JR

JR JR
Adam Grundy

This past week I was able to connect with Josh Epstein of the band JR JR to discuss what went into their latest album called Back To The Land. In this interview, I asked Josh about some of the lyrical concepts/themes present in the new LP, the band’s approach to their dynamic live performances, and the freedom they feel in releasing their music. Back To The Land released last Friday on all streaming services, and there is also a vinyl pressing available here.

Read More “Josh Epstein of JR JR”

Review: Sarah Rose Project – Sarah Rose Project

Adam Grundy

”If I had to describe this album in one sentence it would read, ‘Musical Heaven for Theater Kids.’ Whether or not you identify as such this album will make you an honorary theater kid by the end of it,” shared Adam Gecking of Say10 Records about Sarah Rose Project and her self-titled solo record. Armed with a plethora of stylistic choices, vibes and key cameos from artists that Sarah Rose has worked with and respects, Sarah Rose Project plays out like walking into a dirty jazz bar from the 80’s and being instantly captivated by the music. For fans of Sarah and the Safe Word, you will likely still connect with the material found in this solo venture, as the music is still in the vein of cabaret, paired with some old school singer-songwriter craftsmanship. Sarah Rose shimmers and sways all over this record that is filled with lush self-production and breathtaking moments.

Read More “Sarah Rose Project – Sarah Rose Project”

Review: JR JR – Back To The Land

Adam Grundy

On the latest offering from indie pop rock band, JR JR, the band sets the tone early on “Domino” that opens with the all-too-relatable lyrics of, “The world is a commercial for things I shouldn’t buy / Some days I can’t tell what’s dead from what’s alive.” The depth the band goes into on Back To The Land only speaks to the true artistry that JR JR put into their music on a daily basis. For those unfamiliar with the band, they are comprised of the duo of Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein, and they used to be called Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (simplified to now JR JR). After their last LP, the sprawling 2019 double album called Invocations / Conversations, JR JR hone in on their songwriting with a concise ten-track effort on Back To The Land. Throughout the latest record, JR JR go through a lot of themes, topics, and thoughts that are brimming with great musicianship and insight.

Read More “JR JR – Back To The Land”

My Life In 35 Songs, Track 11: “Breaking Free” from High School Musical

My Life in 35 Songs
Craig Manning

You know the world can see us in a way that’s different than who we are…

Look, I know what you’re thinking, but let me explain! This is the one song that, for just a couple of weeks, made me feel like a pop star.

By day, I was just another 11th grade high school student. I rolled out of bed every morning at 6am to make it to school on time for my zero-hour AP Biology block, then muddled through the rest of my classes. Most aspects of my day-to-day life felt, at best, mundane.

But in the evenings, for two weeks in November 2007, I felt like a legitimate, big-deal famous person. The stage, the spotlight, the recognizable songs, the photo in the newspaper, the “sold out” stickers on the posters, the extremely loud cheers from the audience, the autographs, the flowers and other tokens of appreciation from fans. It all added up to this little taste of how it feels for everyone to adore you, and it was intoxicating.

“Breaking Free,” for those not familiar, is the climactic song and most famous moment from High School Musical, the 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie that somehow morphed from a Friday evening special aired in the middle of January to an absolute cultural phenomenon. There had been dozens of Disney Channel Original movies before, but none of them had ever broken containment like this one did. The High School Musical soundtrack album moved 3.7 million copies in 2006 alone, becoming that year’s top-selling album. For some perspective on how big that number is, no Taylor Swift album has never had a bigger calendar year sales tally in the United States than High School Musical did in 2006.

Read More “My Life In 35 Songs, Track 11: “Breaking Free” from High School Musical”

Review: Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful

Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful
Adam Grundy

When I first heard about Miley Cyrus’ plans for her ninth studio album to be loosely inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall, I was immediately excited about the premise. Something Beautiful is an ambitious take on experimental music, and was promoted with a complete visual companion to coincide with the record as well. While I was expecting a big rock record similar to the style Miley Cyrus went for on her excellent Plastic Hearts album, this album leans much closer into the pop realm with only splashes of bombastic rock. The set was co-produced by Cyrus and Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, The Killers), and this album has a nice sheen to it that plays out well from front to back, and still challenges listeners to take deeper dives on subsequent spins. Miley Cyrus sounds like a million bucks in her vocal approach on key singles like “End of the World,” while she ultimately comes up a little short in her ambitions for creating the next “classic.”

Read More “Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful”

Review: FRND CRCL – JRSY FRSH

Adam Grundy

The fourth studio album from pop-punk band, FRND CRCL, called JRSY FRSH is a solid mix of nostalgia paired with some creative takes on the genre to keep it from feeling like a retread. The South Jersey band pays tribute to the area that they’re from, while still expanding upon what made their previous record (Suburban Dictionary) so charming and infectious. With a fresh sounding mix of eight new pop-punk tunes that clock in just under the 30-minute mark, JRSY FRSH will likely be a consistent part of everyone’s summer music rotation.

Read More “FRND CRCL – JRSY FRSH”

Review: Grace Gardner – After Knowing

Adam Grundy

When you attend a concert early, you open yourself up to new opportunities to discover artists that you may have not have ever come across otherwise. Such was the case this week when I attended a concert in DC for Eliza & The Delusionals and witnessed a charming opener by the name of Grace Gardner. Throughout her set, she captivated the audience with sultry vocals, great poise, and excellent stage presence with her bandmate Lonnie Davis. The setlist included several songs from her new record, After Knowing, as well as an on-point cover of Lady A’s “Need You Now.” Grace Gardner has a warm approach behind her vocals, and that comes through well live, as well as on her record that finds the artist in the same realm as Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers. After Knowing is a great introduction to this indie artist who has all the makings of a star.

Read More “Grace Gardner – After Knowing”