Review: Artless Jesus – “U HATE ME”

Adam Grundy Jul 29, 2024

I’d like to introduce everyone to Artless Jesus, a new pop-punk band that features members of Record Heat (Spirit Animal), Cal Stamp (vocals) and Paul Michel (guitars). The lead single from The Assorted Grievances of Artless Jesus EP, “U HATE ME,” also has Pat Gerasia (Red Sun Rising) on drums, and features a nice combination of crunchy guitar riffs, shimmering pop-punk vocals from Cal Stamp, and a cool all-around vibe built for those summer drives to the beach. The band shared, “We shared the EP with some industry types and they hated it, so we posted their feedback on our website. After a decade-plus of kicking around the lower-middle class of the music business, we don’t really give a shit anymore. Fuck ’em.” With a sound that sounds similar to early New Found Glory paired with Four Year Strong, Artless Jesus may just be the next great discovery in the pop-punk genre.

Cal Stamp’s smooth vocals in the verses bleed well into the pre-chorus build-up, before admitting, “But you hate the way my voice sounds when I’m singing you to sleep / And you hate the way I stumble trying to sweep you off your feet / You hate the shape our bodies make at night between the sheets / But the only thing I’d change in you / Are all the countless ways that you hate me.” It’s a pretty solid introductory statement from some talented, and under-appreciated, musicians who are looking for a new avenue for their creativity.

Review: Cal Stamp – LEATHER

Adam Grundy Apr 21, 2023

On the final chapter of his trio of EPs, Cal Stamp is releasing LEATHER, that takes dead aim at 80’s pop-rock royalty similar to Bon Jovi, Journey, and Tom Petty. The great part about the songs in this set is that Cal is able to recapture the spirit of this era of music while still adding some modern flair to make it sound refreshing and new. When speaking on his trilogy of EPs, Cal Stamp shared, “All of these songs could easily coexist on the same record. It’s basically my take on 1980s pop-rock, but within that you’ve got the synth-driven yacht rock of NYLON, the acoustic heartland rock of DENIM, and the straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll of LEATHER – each representing a different strand of my own musical DNA.” By injecting a fresh take on the pop-rock genre, Cal Stamp delivers the goods on LEATHER.

Adam Grundy May 24, 2022

The debut EP from multi-instrumentalist Cal Stamp (Spirit Animal, Record Heat) finds him brilliantly stepping into his own sound while giving subtle nods to the great music that he’s inspired by. The tracks that make up the initial batch of songs found on NYLON come from a larger sample of music from Cal Stamp’s planned trio of EPs. Stamp described the direction of the material by stating, “All these songs could easily coexist on the same record. They’re essentially my take on 1980s guitar pop, but within that you’ve got the more synth-driven yacht rock of NYLON, the sun-soaked SoCal jangle of DENIM, and the straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll of LEATHER – each representing a different strand of my own musical DNA.” With a breezy, 80’s new wave sound paired with breathy vocals and excellent production, Cal Stamp is setting off on the right foot.