Recently I was able to catch up with Austin pop-rockers White Label Analog after they released a great new single called “Curves.” I asked the band about their songwriting process as well as how they stayed active during the pandemic. The band is considering upcoming touring plans as well as releasing more singles in the near future.
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Recently I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of Escape the Fate and The Dead Rabbitts, Craig Mabbitt, before the release of the latter band’s third studio album called Rumination. In this interview I asked Craig about the differences between writing music for both bands, the touring plans for each project, working with veteran producer John Feldman, and he also shared about his recent sobriety that allowed him to see his career path in a much better light. I enjoyed my conversation with Craig as he shared insight on the writing behind both bands, and The Dead Rabbitts’ latest album, Rumination, hits the streets this Friday (April 1).
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A couple of weeks ago I jumped on a Zoom call with Midtown to talk about the band’s upcoming tour dates with My Chemical Romance, their plans for the future, looking back at their career with the benefit of hindsight, and what it was like for all of us to grow up in this music scene. Our conversation can be found below.
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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.
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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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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.
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A couple of days ago, I was able to connect with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath right as he and his bandmates were preparing to go on tour next month. In this conversation, I asked Spencer about what he’s noticed from the fan reactions to Voyeurist, how he manages to stay busy with his other band Slo/tide, the well-received livestreams conducted during lockdown, as well as in-depth details on the writing and recording of Underoath’s ninth studio album. Voyeurist was released last month and can also be purchased here.
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Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with one of my favorite post-hardcore vocalists, Cove Reber. The ex-Saosin singer looked back on what he was most proud of from the early days of his career, and we spent the majority of time discussing his new band, Dead American. Dead American’s brand new, full-length record called New Nostalgia is out today wherever you stream your music, or you can pre-order a physical copy (Vinyl/CD) here.
Read More “Cove Reber of Dead American”Recently I was able to get a hold of LA-based artist, JJ Braves, for an interview regarding the music he’s been creating, including the great new single for “Jawbreaker (Future Vision).” In this conversation, I asked Josh about his core musical influences, his recent production work with other artists, his insight on the LA music scene, among many other topics. The new single hits the streets on February 18th, and I’d recommend it for fans of 80’s synth rock in the same realm as Tears For Fears with the modern flair of Jamiroquai.
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About a week ago, I was able to connect with former Yellowcard vocalist and established indie solo songwriter William Ryan Key via Zoom, and I asked him about the new EP Everything Except Desire, the legacy of Yellowcard, as well as what it means to him that so many fans still care about what he has to say in his music career. William Ryan Key has always been one of my favorite vocalists and songwriters in this scene, so I thoroughly enjoyed hearing his perspective on not only the new music, but the lessons he has learned over time. Everything Except Desire is available for pre-order from Equal Vision here.
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A couple of weeks ago, I was able to connect with Chloe Chaidez and Parker Silzer IV of the band Kitten before they released their latest album called Personal Hotspots. In this interview, I asked the band about what this recording process unique, their core musical influences, as well as a fun question about other artists they admire in today’s music scene. Personal Hotspots is available now wherever you stream your music.
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This past week I had a great conversation with Kevin Whelan (of The Wrens) who has created a solo album, entitled Observatory, under the moniker of Aeon Station. In this in-depth conversation, we chatted about his inspiration for the new album, how he stayed busy as well as creative during the pandemic, and we had some fun discussing the legacy of Sub Pop Records, too. Observatory is available now on all streaming services, or you can purchase the physical version here.
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Recently I was able to chat with a band from Annapolis, Maryland called Again In May, whose new EP Feels Like Home came across my inbox and I was immediately hooked. The band consists of vocalist Liam King, guitarist Daniel Contreras, bassist Sean Anderson, and drummer Noah Doney, and their sound is similar to a mix between Saosin and the pop sensibilities of The Format. In this interview, I asked the band about their goals for their music, what other artists they look to for inspiration, and the rapid, grassroots feel of winning their audiences over one show at a time. Feels Like Home is available now on your favorite streaming service.
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A few weeks back, I had the chance to chat with a band called The Maguas, who recently premiered their single “Release Me” with us. The band is comprised of Erik Miller (Vocals), Luke Prusinski (Bass), Matthew “Jenks” Jenkins (Lead Guitar), Daulton Rissinger (Rhythm Guitar), and Brandon Ossont (Drums). In this conversation, I asked about the band’s songwriting process for the new single, the music influences they bring into their group, as well as the lessons they have learned from being best friends making music together. In this interview we also discussed the band’s goals for the future and where they see themselves in this music landscape.
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Recently I was able to chat with EJ Olson of the band 09 (pronounced “oh-nine”) to discuss his band’s great collaborative record called Lost Years. The new album features 12 songs with 12 different vocalists ranging from marquee names like Kellin Quinn and Marty Mullins to lesser known names looking to take advantage of the spotlight. In this interview, I asked EJ how the album came together with his bandmate, Chancelor Reeder, as well as the key artists 09 looks to for inspiration in their music. Lost Years is a record that should not be missed and I’d highly recommend everyone checking it out sooner rather than later.
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