Review: Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends

Adam Grundy Mar 25, 2022

It’s pretty amazing to think of just how much the music scene has changed in a short 20 years time. During the “emo boom” of the early 00’s, it seemed like every major label was falling over themselves in order to sign the next big thing in music and cash in on the interest in the punk/emo scene. There seemed to be a bigger buzz online in several key music website communities that you could sort of feel, or at least get a basic pulse, of when that next band was poised to make a big splash on the music landscape. As much as has been written about the tumultuous relationship Victory Records had with their bands and their contracts, I figured I’d focus the majority of this retrospective on the beauty of the music that Taking Back Sunday has left us with. Tell All Your Friends was one of those electric records that was destined to be huge, immediate, and make the listener feel like they were a part of something that belonged to them. I remember hearing of Taking Back Sunday for the first time in college when a friend of mine had just “discovered” a new band that he described as a mix between hardcore, punk, and anthemic pop that he thought I’d be into. What I wasn’t expecting was for this band to open up a gateway of possibilities of where my music tastes would gravitate towards for the foreseeable future.

Adam Grundy Mar 22, 2022

The latest offering from the pop rock band called Stress Dolls, the solo moniker of Chelsea O’Donnell, is a solid slab of guitar-driven rock with a steady heartbeat towards self-discovery. The EP, entitled Forward, was co-produced by O’Donnell and Marc Hunt, and features an eclectic mix of heartfelt songs. The record opens with “Alone,” a track about the complexities of relationships and when you just need a moment to breathe from the weight of the world. Chelsea sings, “Whenever I’m alone I get this feeling, it’s happening once again / I’m at half a glass without you, drowning in a whirlpool on the shallow end / But whenever you’re around I am a fever, a hot flush in your face / The vermin in your garden, overgrown yet trying to pick up the pace / So I’d rather be alone,” and her lower vocal delivery offers an interesting take on the pop rock genre. The opener features some well-placed synths in the background and adds to the overall texture of the song.

Adam Grundy Mar 21, 2022

Just when you think the days of surprise album releases are over, Oso Oso comes through in the clutch to deliver to their fourth studio album called Sore Thumb. This collection of 13 cohesive songs flows brilliantly from start to finish, and features a variety of tempos, feelings, and emotions throughout the record. The band is just coming off of their most successful (both commercially and critically) album to date in 2019’s Basking in the Glow, and had a lot of positive momentum going in their favor leading up to this album cycle. However Jade Lilitri, the only permanent member of the band, experienced a heartbreaking loss around this time last year when his touring guitarist Tavish Maloney passed away tragically at the age of 24. Lilitri does his best to honor his late contributor with one of this year’s best emo records, and one of this year’s best artistic statements to date.

Adam Grundy Mar 16, 2022

Today, I’m excited to bring you the latest single from LA’s Alternative/Pop band, Animal Sun, for their song “Chasing Shadows.” The track comes from their sophomore album called Generation Waiting, that will be released this Summer. The song was produced by Kenny Carkeet and Aaron “Zeus” Zepeda, and it has a nice groove to it. The band reminds me of a mix between Waterparks, Set It Off, and One OK Rock with some great anthemic moments thrown into the mix. Lead vocalist, Steven Blake, shared this about “Chasing Shadows,” “‘Chasing Shadows’ is all about living in the moment. We want to remind our listeners to stop chasing a perfect existence at the cost of missing what’s right in front of them.” If you enjoy what you heard from Animal Sun, the single will be hitting streaming services this Friday.

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

Adam Grundy Mar 15, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Mar 14, 2022

The latest EP from southeast Michigan’s own PlainView, is a nice emo throwback that revisits the glory days of the punk/emo boom of the early 00’s, with just enough new tricks thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. The band is comprised of Steven Dechausse (vocals), Aaron Rush (guitar/vocals), Andrew Momeyer (bass/vocals), Chris Parker(guitar), and Zach Schroeder (drums) and Nightlife was produced by Mike Martenson (Boys Of Fall). This set of songs that make up the EP features great guitar work, anthemic vocals, pulsating beats, and a little bit of everything you’d come to expect from a band heavily influenced by bands like Bayside, Silverstein, Aiden, and The Used. Guitarist Aaron Rush shared this about the EP, “Nightlife was written through 2020 and 2021 which I think were pretty demanding years for a lot of people. I was surrounded with a lot of stress and uncertainty after a close family member passed unexpectedly. This EP deals with a lot of those feelings but also acknowledges the growth and relationships that come out of dark places.” The band appears poised to take the next dramatic step forward after this great collection of hard-hitting songs.

Mary Varvaris Mar 8, 2022

A lot has changed since Savage Garden released their eponymous debut album in 1997. Not that it’s surprising — everything from technology to politics has rapidly transformed in just 25 years, so why shouldn’t music also follow that trend? Pop music today is closer to Savage Garden than pop music of ten years ago, strangely enough. I love seeing The Weeknd, Paramore, and Dua Lipa inspired by the glitz of 80s synth-pop and improving on pop-punk with empowerment and new stories. In a way, I suppose the music that multi-instrumentalist Daniel Jones and vocalist Darren Hayes have released, both from their time as a duo and Hayes’ solo career, hasn’t truly left us.

As a kid growing up in Australia in the late 90s and early 2000s, Savage Garden were inescapable. They were making music when there was more funding for showcasing Australian music. You’d hear “Truly Madly Deeply” on the radio (which I heard on the radio days ago, coincidentally, so that you know how omnipresent the singles are in this country). They performed on weekend television, we played their albums in my house, people still argue about misheard lyrics to “I Want You,” and they sold a shit ton of records. They performed at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Closing Ceremony. Delta Goodrem reworked her classic “Lost Without You” with Hayes. They played to huge audiences in their home city of Brisbane, Australia, a rousing response, to be sure, following mammoth tours around the country. Hell, Hayes even sang by Luciano Pavarotti’s side in a 2000 concert for Cambodia and Tibet. Savage Garden were massive, and rightfully so.

Adam Grundy Mar 4, 2022

The first studio album in three years from the “Pop Punk Queen,” Avril Lavigne, delivers on all of its potential. Her seventh album in total, Love Sux was produced by veteran hit-maker John Feldman (among others including Mod Sun and Travis Barker) and has a ton of aggressive and hard-hitting songs that are sure to grab your attention. In a recent interview with NYLON Magazine, Lavigne shared this about the direction of the new record, “This is the first one that’s just rock all the way through. There was a point in music where the label was like, ‘Radio don’t want to hear guitars anymore.’ Live drums went away. Live electric guitars weren’t getting played. There’s always been that fine line that I’m going to make my music that I’m feeling but also you have a company behind you who influences what you’re doing.” This dedication to making the music she was driven to create makes for one of her most accessible and rewarding albums to date.

Adam Grundy Mar 3, 2022

Recently I was able to catch up with GOON before the release of their new EP Paint by Numbers to provide a cool track-by-track about their new record, that came out today. The LA-based band effortlessly sways from shoegaze pop to a more straightforward rock/grunge approach on this EP that is filled with several great moments. GOON’s Kenny Becker provided these answers based on each song on Paint by Numbers.

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Interview: Adam Jessamine of PHNTMS

Adam Grundy Mar 1, 2022

When I last checked in with PHNTMS, the pop-rock band had just released their single called “Paper Flowers” and was preparing for a few upcoming shows. I’m pleased to announce that the band is back with another great single called “Body Language.” The song rallies around a great riff from lead guitarist Adam Jessamine that builds to an anthemic chorus courtesy of vocalist Alyssa Gambino, who channels her soul influences to make for an excellent-sounding hook. The single’s lyrical material is largely based on the complexities of relationships and the longer we’ve been with a person, the easier it can be to tell when something is wrong. Bassist Mikal Smith keeps the song grooving along with veteran ease, and the tail end of the track features a well thought out guitar solo from Jessamine.

After hearing this great new song, I knew I needed to connect with lead guitarist Adam Jessamine to hear about the background between this songwriting session that led to this single. In the interview below, I asked Jessamine about how he directed the music videos for the band, how the band has been doing the majority of their songwriting during the pandemic, as well as what the band is most looking forward to with getting back on a regular touring schedule. Jessamine also shared the reasons behind scrapping a full-length record that was ready to be released, as well as other interesting details about what keeps the band inspired.

Adam Grundy Mar 1, 2022

Today I’m excited to bring everyone an early listen at indie-pop musician, Chayse Porter, new album called Chay’s Palace. The record gives off major Mac DeMarco vibes with a little bit of a psychedelic twist from bands like Pink Floyd. Chayse shared this about his new album:

For the new album, I wanted to create a world apart from my own but relatable in many ways – one that is raw, uninhibited, and painted with whimsical humor. It’s a tale of self exploration, self discovery, and self love. In this world, I’ve smashed the flattering mirrors within the palace and hung funhouse mirrors in their place. Should you find yourself passing through, I hope your stay is most comfortable

If you enjoy what you hear, please consider pre-ordering here.

Adam Grundy Feb 28, 2022

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.

Adam Grundy Feb 25, 2022

This past week I was able to connect via a Zoom call with Nick Comanici of a band called Sadurday. We discussed his new single, “Out of Touch,” that features vocalist Mae Sexton (of WREX), and drummer Tucker Rule (of Thursday), and was produced by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Soul Blind). Also in this feature, I asked Nick about his plans for touring on the new material, other artists he’s influenced by, and how Sadurday’s sound continues to evolve over time. “Out of Touch” is available at all of your favorite streaming services now.

Adam Grundy Feb 24, 2022

Today I’m thrilled to share the great new single from Buffalo, New York’s own Lost Like Lions, called “Back to Life.” The band is set to release their next EP called Fear of Letting Go this Spring, and the band shared this about the new single:

Our new single ‘Back To Life’ is a quick reintroduction to our band, and it’s a song about feeling re-energized. ‘Back To Life’ definitely takes on new meaning as the winter winds down, and we head into the Spring, and hopefully back to some sense of normalcy in our lives after two years of the pandemic.

This band would be a perfect fit for fans of The Dangerous Summer, Relient K, and The Starting Line.

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Review: Marcy Playground – Marcy Playground

Adam Grundy Feb 23, 2022

I’ve never particularly liked the term “one hit wonder,” since it implies that the band or artist didn’t have any other good material that preceded or followed after a moment of success. Alas, Marcy Playground usually gets lumped into that “one hit wonder” moniker when discussing bands from the late 90’s Alternative Rock scene. The band found breakthrough success with their song “Sex and Candy,” and they steadily released three additional albums, with their last studio album coming in 2009 called Leaving Wonderland…In A Fit of Rage. Marcy Playground recently paired up with other 90’s bands like Everclear and Local H on 2018’s Summerland Tour, and I always felt like they didn’t get the true recognition they deserved for their unique brand of quirky rock. Marcy Playground in particular, their self-titled debut, was one of those records I discovered later in life and was kicking myself for not diving further into the material earlier. There’s never been a better time to dive back into this record that delivers all over the album.

Review: Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends

Review: Stress Dolls – Forward

Review: Oso Oso – Sore Thumb

Animal Sun – “Chasing Shadows” (Song Premiere)

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

Review: PlainView – Nightlife

Review: Savage Garden – Savage Garden

Review: Avril Lavigne – Love Sux

GOON – Paint By Numbers (Track-by-Track)

Interview: Adam Jessamine of PHNTMS

Chayse Porter – ‘Chay’s Palace’ (Album Premiere)

Interview: Cal Stamp – “Hey Amy”

Interview: Nick Comanici of Sadurday

Lost Like Lions – “Back To Life” (Song Premiere)

Review: Marcy Playground – Marcy Playground