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LATEST ARTICLES - PAGE 26

Interview: Ryan Key of Yellowcard

Yellowcard
Adam Grundy

This past week, I was able to catch up with Ryan Key of Yellowcard before he and his recently reunited bandmates embark on their summer tour celebrating 20 years of Ocean Avenue. In this in-depth interview with the lead vocalist of Yellowcard, I asked him about what went into the writing and recording of their new EP Childhood Eyes, the comparisons of the new EP to the sound of Paper Walls, and how he keeps the spirit of Yellowcard alive through various projects and outlets. Childhood Eyes will be released on July 21st via Equal Vision Records, and pre-orders are live.

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Review: Where Are Your Boys Tonight? The Oral History of Emo’s Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008 – Chris Payne

Adam Grundy

On the book debut by established music writer, Chris Payne, he weaves a tangled web of quotes from bands/artists, writers, and other personalities who made the emo explosion such an exciting time period. Through his exploration of what made this scene so popular through its early days, all the way to the eventual fizzling out of most of these band’s mainstream popularity, he takes this monumental project all in stride with veteran ease. The best way to describe this time period was through the lens of people who were most closely surrounded in this scene, and that’s exactly what Payne did through his vast number of interviews. Where Are Your Boys Tonight? tackles a familiar topic, and yet there’s plenty of stories in these pages that I had never heard anywhere before. From placing the scene juggernauts, My Chemical Romance, on the cover to naming the book after one of Fall Out Boy’s biggest songs, everything clicks perfectly into place through this 464-page opus.

Chris Payne level sets in his introductory essay about the meteoric rise of key bands and personalities in this scene, and makes a few brief remarks in the epilogue and acknowledgement sections, but other than that, he allows these stories to come to life for themselves. Payne could have interjected his voice throughout this oral history to bring additional context to the series of interviews, but he instead chose a more difficult path forward of trying to connect these quotes in a way that invited the reader closer into “the rooms where it happened.” In the end, this choice was the right one, and makes for an ultra-enjoyable reading experience.

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Interview: Chris Payne

Chris Payne
Adam Grundy

About a month ago, I was able to chat with author Chris Payne about his new book titled Where Are Your Boys Tonight? The Oral History of Emo’s Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008. In this interview, I asked Chris about how the book came together through his unique interviews with artists and people that were around the scene, how he narrowed down the bands he wanted to target for this book, how he found his “writer’s voice” through this writing process, as well as some other questions about what Chris enjoys most about this genre of music. The book is available today at several retailers, with the full list located here.

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Review: Foo Fighters – But Here We Are

Adam Grundy

The concept of death is something I’ve never really been comfortable with, and I often have a difficult time discussing the topic with others. The reality is that it’s a part of life, and when it comes, it can rip through the very fabric of our well-being. On the eleventh studio album from Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl found himself at an uncomfortable, but yet all-too-familiar crossroads where he would be faced with the death of a band member. He and his bandmates have crafted an incredible tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins with a record that he surely would have been proud of. The album was produced by the band and Greg Kurstin, who was at the helm of three other Foo Fighters records. But Here We Are tugs on all the right heartstrings and recognizes that the most important step after a tragedy is the one moving forward.

On the opening song and lead single, “Rescued,” Grohl sings still in utter shock with the lyrics of, “It came in a flash / It came out of nowhere / It happened so fast / And then it was over.” His ability to keep his composure through the comprehension of his enormous loss of a great friend makes this tragedy seem larger than life itself. The build up to the chorus is equally remarkable as Grohl admits, “We’re all free to some degree / To dance under the lights / I’m just waiting to be rescued / Bring me back to life.” The band rallies around their fallen drummer and makes a memorable opening statement.

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Interview: Scott Anderson of Finger Eleven

Finger Eleven
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with the lead vocalist of rock band Finger Eleven, Scott Anderson, to discuss the upcoming release of the band’s first greatest hits compilation. In this interview, I asked Scott about how he and his bandmates narrowed down the song choices included in the set, the memories that stood out from each of the albums in their discography, as well as the best piece of advice he’s ever received in his career. The digital version of Greatest Hits will be released on June 16th, while you can also pre-order various vinyl variants here.

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Review: Another One Down! – A Bitter Descent

Adam Grundy

The deluxe version of A Bitter Descent by Providence, Rhode Island-based band, Another One Down!, offers a nice glimpse into the maturity shown in the band’s dedication to their craft. “A Bitter Descent means a lot to us because it marks growth and progression for our band. For a long time we felt like we were seen as sort of a throwaway easycore act and we really wanted to prove that we have so much more to offer with this record,” the band shared. “One of our main goals going into the writing process was to tackle more mature subject matter, primarily overcoming mental health issues which is something each member of the band has struggled with in the past and we feel is important to discuss. Another goal was to explore a wide variety of sounds and vibes while still creating a cohesive record. We’ve always been inspired by bands who are not afraid to give individuality to each song rather than write the same song 12 times, especially when they’re able to do that and still create a well-flowing record. We truly believe that we achieved these goals with A Bitter Descent and we are so proud of how the record came out.” The sound of the band fits somewhere between The Starting Line, Midtown, and Allister, with the punchy production of Hit The Lights. By honing in on their songwriting, while still remaining committed to putting their best foot forward, Another One Down! have made a great, hard-hitting pop-punk record just in time for the beginning of Summer.

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Review: STMNTS – “Handpainted” (featuring Patrick Williams)

Adam Grundy

STMNTS (pronounced Statements) is a 5-piece emotive pop-punk outfit from Baltimore, Maryland. Formed in 2022, the band consists of vocalist Liam King, rhythm guitarist Jamie Black, lead guitarist Drew Chiodo, bassist Josh Pelc, and drummer Shawn Smyth, and their band chemistry is already firing on all cylinders. With a sound that can be found somewhere between the hardcore guitar groove of Four Year Strong, the wonderful lyrical wordplay of The Wonder Years, and the emotion of Bayside, STMNTS are making a solid name for themselves on their debut single “Handpainted.” The single comes from their upcoming EP Tendencies, and features a guest collaboration from Patrick Williams.

What the band does well on this single is to keep the song emotionally charged throughout and still allows for the melodic parts to come through in the mix to make for a memorable track. The crunchy guitar riffs in the verses are complemented by Liam King’s crisp vocal cuts to keep the song balanced in its delivery. The last gasp of a scream on the final lyric of “I feel so alone” finds the band tinkering with a great combination of emo, screamo, and the melodic elements of pop-punk. STMNTS may have just lived up to their name by making a welcomed invitation to the genre.

Review: Out of Service – “Folk 1”

Adam Grundy

On the latest offering from emo rock band Out of Service, called simply “Folk 1,” the band highlights a different side of themselves. The track features soft-spoken vocals from Mike Capuano, over a campfire-styled acoustic guitar layered with some banjo too. The single unfolds well at the two-minute mark as the band comes to a crescendo while adding in some vocal harmonies to complement Capuano’s delivery. The track comes from the yet-to-be-announced new record that Out of Service have been working on that approaches the emo genre in a unique way. The guitar tones added by Teebs Williams mesh well off of the cymbal crashes by Ken Bond, while Brian McGovern adds in some contextual rhythm on the bass line. If you’ve been looking forward to Out of Service experimenting with a more rustic sound, “Folk 1” should be a welcome discovery to add to your latest playlist.

Review: Tyler Posey – UNRAVEL

Adam Grundy

On the genre-fluid debut LP by Tyler Posey, he channels his love for punk rock, screamo, and hardcore music on a 16-track opus known as UNRAVEL. The set was produced by Matt Malpass and John Feldmann, and it expands upon the ideas Posey tinkered with on his first two EPs (Drugs and Scumbag). When speaking on the direction of his self-released set, Posey shared, “Being an independent artist, there is a lot of freedom, and that’s exactly what this album is. Freedom. It’s got every genre: from screamo, hardcore punk, to chill beach vibes. Listen to it from start to finish in order to really experience the ride that is UNRAVEL, my first full length LP!” With a little bit of everything thrown into the mix on UNRAVEL, Tyler Posey solidifies himself as a key artist to watch this year and beyond.

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Maeve and Quinn – “Jeweler’s Row” (Song Premiere)

Maeve and Quinn
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to bring everyone a great new single from indie pop-rock duo, Maeve & Quinn, called “Jeweler’s Row.” With a sound that fits somewhere in the same realm as Maggie Rogers, Snail Mail, and Soccer Mommy, this duo makes breathtaking vocal hooks and harmonies look effortless. The song comes from the band’s forthcoming LP, Another Door, that releases on September 8th. I was also able to catch up with this talented artist for a brief interview below.

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Interview: Arrows In Action

Arrows in Action
Adam Grundy

This past week I was able to hop on a Zoom call with indie pop-rock band, Arrows In Action, to discuss their great new album called Built To Last. Arrows In Action is singer/guitarist Victor Viramontes-Pattison, guitarist Matt Fowler, and drummer Jesse Frimmel, and their unique circumstances that led to them playing music together only made them stronger as a unit. In this interview, I asked the band about what went into writing/recording Built To Last, the collaborative tracks found on the record, plus how they measure success in their musical career. Built To Last arrives this Friday, and pre-orders can be found here.

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Review: Harsh Lights – Watch The World Divide

Adam Grundy

There’s something magical about finding a new friend through an online forum on a music site. You may find that you both have similar music tastes, love the same type of movies, or in rare cases, form a cool pop-punk band remotely. That’s exactly what happened with Harsh Lights, a pop-punk band comprised of Kyle Simons (Patterns In Traffic) and Eva Driessen. Kyle and Eva met on this website and decided to pursue making music together, albeit in different parts of the world: Kyle lives in Maryland, while Eva lives in the Netherlands. This distance never distracts from the quality of music found on Watch The World Divide, a fun debut LP that pays direct homage to great pop-punk bands like Blink-182, Fenix Tx, and Mae, but with a modern twist and sheen to it that makes it a rewarding listening experience.

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Review: PONY – Velveteen

Adam Grundy

On the band’s sophomore album, PONY deliver some great-sounding power pop on Velveteen. Named after the book The Velveteen Rabbit, that lead singer Sam Bielanski used the audiobook from to cope with a nine-month struggle with insomnia, Bielanski shared, “I became obsessed with it, but I always fell asleep before getting to the end. The way I interpreted the story was that it’s the love that we give and receive that makes us real or whole.” Through this unique connection to a childhood favorite, Bielanski and multi-instrumentlist/collaborator Matty Morand were able to pen approximately 200 songs that they narrowed down to ten crisp songs found on this record. If you’re into bands like Beach Bunny, Soccer Mommy, and Diet Cig, you’ll definitely find plenty to enjoy on PONY’s Velveteen.

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Review: Third Eye Blind – Out Of The Vein

Adam Grundy

Third Eye Blind found themselves at a bit of a crossroads when the time came to write the follow-up to two successful records: their stunning self-titled LP and Blue. Longtime guitarist/songwriter, Kevin Cadogan, was replaced with Tony Fredianelli and Out of the Vein would be the second album in a row without an outside producer. The band’s chemistry somehow didn’t suffer on this album that most 3EB fans rank very highly when looking back on the full breadth of the band’s discography. The album was recorded at their own Mourning Wood Studios in San Francisco, and Stephan Jenkins admitted that nearly 40 songs were written during the pre-production sessions that would become their third LP. Originally called Crystal Baller, but scrapped because everyone outside of Jenkins hated the name, Out of the Vein would solidify the band as one of the premiere acts in Alternative Rock history. The record was supposed to be released in early 2002, but the mounting pressure to live up to the legacy left behind on their first two albums led to several lyric re-writes. Ultimately, these growing pains worked out in the band’s favor creatively, even as their label (Elektra Records) imploded right as Third Eye Blind would release the record. Out of the Vein may not have the sheen of Blue, or the bulletproof legacy of their self-titled debut, but it still features several great Third Eye Blind songs that have stood the test of time.

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