Review: Safari Room – “Cut Out”

”Would it be better just to cut you out, become a ghost and never speak to you again?” are the haunting words in the chorus of the latest single from Safari Room called “Cut Out.” The song is largely about falling head over heels in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way. Safari Room is the solo project of Alec Koukol and he quickly showcases his songwriting improvements on this acoustic single. The song comes from Safari Room’s new forthcoming EP, Kindling, and the campfire-esque delivery of the track hits its intended target in its delivery.

The song reaches its crescendo on the pointed-bridge of “You’re like a never ending siren / You are famine and you are feast / You’re the monster underneath my bed, a mosquito on a leash / A bad penny always turning up / I will never shake you loose / I’m a ticking bomb when you’re around / You’re the match, and I’m your fuse / You’re like a tattoo on my mind,
you are the one that I can’t have / Every time I think I’m healing, you’ll find me picking at the scab.” It’s really hard to not be impressed by the songwriting found here, and it reminded me a lot of Thrice front-man Dustin Kensrue’s solo work, with equally-pleasing results. Safari Room is developing his sound in such a majestic way, and I’m really excited about the direction this solos project took here.

Review: Cellar Dwellar – “Digital_Drive_By”

Adam Grundy 11 hours ago

The latest single from experimental/prog-rock band Cellar Dwellar scratches that itch for fans of bands like The Mars Volta, NIN, and Stabbing Westward. “Digital_Drive_By” takes the listener on an epic journey over its plus six-minute running time that the Columbus, Ohio based band expand upon the possibilities of their unique music. The band shared, “The lyrics of the song come from the current political climate of queer people being targeted by the state along with my heavy interest in the Act Up movement during the AIDs crisis of the 80s and my personal connection to family who were impacted during that time.”

Cellar Dwellar have started to gain a loyal following in the Ohio area, and have opened for bands like The Jesus Lizard, among others. “Digital_Drive_By” is a cool mix of styles that demands be listened to on a good pair of headphones to fully wrap your head around all of the sounds being pulled into the mix.

Review: Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface

Adam Grundy 1 day ago

The game-changing fourth studio album by rock band Twenty One Pilots is turning ten years old over the weekend, so it’s only fitting for us to take another look at what made Blurryface so special. The Fueled By Ramen release was an immediate success. The record debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 in its first week of release, it was the first album in Billboard history for every song on the record to be at least Gold certified, and it has since been certified as 4x Platinum by the RIAA. Putting a fresh pair of ears on Blurryface in 2025 brings back a flood of good memories for me. I had become a fan of the band from a friend sharing the band’s third record, Vessel, with me, but I was floored by the artistic development found on Blurryface. Tyler Joseph had a hand in co-producing each of these tracks with a handful of other producers gently adding some insight and their experiences to make sure the songs really shined. From the frenetic opening drum sequence by Josh Dun on “Heavydirtysoul” all the way to the somber reflection of “Goner” that slow-builds to a dramatic crescendo, Blurryface has a little bit of everything in it for fans of all genres to enjoy. Fueled By Ramen would happily release six singles from the 14-track effort, and each of these infectious songs are as immediately gripping as the first time I heard them.

Adam Grundy 4 days ago

Most bands wouldn’t survive the label turmoil that went on during the promotional period of Based On A True Story, the sophomore record from The Starting Line. Despite reaching as high as #18 on the Billboard 200 upon its release in May of 2005, the album was basically shelved once Geffen Records decided that they were not going to make the LP one of their priorities. It’s a shame that only one single (“Bedroom Talk”) was released from this album since there really are a lot of gems to be found in The Starting Line’s songwriting here. Tim O’Heir produced the majority of the songs on Based On A True Story, but the label wasn’t thrilled with the sound found on the songs they were hoping would take off on radio, so they recruited veteran hitmaker Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance) to provide some guidance on “The World” as well as “Bedroom Talk.” A third producer, Eric Rachel, was enlisted for “Making Love To The Camera”, which would explain some of the unbalanced production elements when played from front to back. The Starting Line battled with their label to the bitter end to ensure they could release the record that the band wanted to make, even if it led to them forfeiting the rights to the recordings themselves. Ultimately, this is what happened, leaving some uncertainty to the future of the album for vinyl represses and so forth. With so much drama going on behind the scenes, it’s truly a miracle that this record saw the light of day, yet fans have adored Based On a True Story for a reason: the songs are really great.

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Review: Out Of Service – Devastation Awaits

Adam Grundy 4 days ago

The fifth LP from Out Of Service, called Devastation Awaits, finds the band expanding upon their unique sound while still finding ways to add new elements to their music. The set was produced, mixed and mastered by vocalist Mike Capuano, and the now-independent New Jersey band is self-releasing the record today. One of the first things that longtime fans of Out Of Service will notice on Devastation Awaits is the addition of more screamed vocals from Capuano, as evident on the aggressive opener of “Devastation” as well as the second track, “Secrets and Daggers and Mirrors.” After the more somber and acoustic-driven effort found on Reflections & Refractions Volume One, Devastation Awaits is the polar opposite to that previous record by providing a direct reaction to the world around us.

Adam Grundy 1 week ago

The ska genre may have fizzled out a bit over the past few years, but Philadelphia’s own Catbite is injecting some serious new life into the genre with their latest EP called Doom Garden. Catbite manage to simultaneously break down the walls of what can be considered ska, while also furthering their own artistic development. When I last caught up with the band for an interview, I could tell that they were poised for breakout success on this record. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have an excellent cameo on “Tired of Talk” by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump to boost their own streaming algorithm and alert new fans to the magic that comes through the speakers when Catbite play their captivating music. Doom Garden is brimming with new possibilities for this band that continues to improve on their songwriting.

Adam Grundy 1 week ago

There will be times in our life when we discover an undeniable talent in our music rotation. That type of artist who makes you say, “Well, of course this person was meant to do this for a living!” I’ve had that feeling with several key artists in my music discovery, and I think I’ve just found the next great one. Lyn Lapid is a 22 year old music sensation from Baltimore, Maryland who started to gain a loyal social media following with her ukulele and acoustic guitar-driven covers of popular songs. Her original song of “Producer Man” in 2020 was her first taste of fame, but given the breathtaking vocals and production found on her debut album, Buzzkill, it certainly won’t be her last brush of notoriety. Lapid’s sound is somewhere in the realm of the quieter moments of Billie Eilish, paired with a starry-eyed vision for her music like Olivia Rodrigo, and the vocal range of Amy Winehouse. Lyn Lapid shimmers all over Buzzkill and cements herself as a marquee artist to watch.

Adam Grundy 2 weeks ago

The new single by The Ataris, called “Car Song”, is a touching tribute to Kristopher Roe’s late father (William Roe), who passed away in 2014 due to complications from alcoholism. “My dad was always the biggest supporter of The Ataris. He was a regular on our original website’s message board, sending out VHS bootlegs of live sets he would film and interacting with everyone—everyone knew him. He truly lived and breathed our music,” Roe shared. The song has a feeling of a band being re-energized and re-focused on unlocking the magic that the band captured on their earlier material. “Car Song” opens with the vivid lyrical imagery of “Now you rest amongst the rust of these roadside monuments / In all their former glories / The drive-in nights that came and went / You fought on hard through rain beaten nights / Past the shadows of state lines / Now this victory dance, it belongs to you and I,” as Roe’s vocals remain warm and passionate.

Adam Grundy 2 weeks ago

There’s something very comforting about Samantha Crain and her warm vocal delivery found on Gumshoe, her seventh album to date, and first in nearly five years. Much like that sort of feeling of listening to an old friend recounting the best days of your lives together, Crain puts a delicate emphasis on her experiences that led to this record. As recounted in the press release, ”Gumshoe is a deconstruction of the false premonition that [Crain] was destined to always be an outsider. It’s all about curiosity for the things that shape you as a partner, a friend, a neighbor: a clarity Sam found in her experiences and challenges these last few years helping her partner navigate their addiction, immersing herself within her community in Oklahoma while working at a wildcare rescue and a liquor store, and discovering how to love and be loved.” They don’t make artists like Samantha Crain much anymore, but when they do come along, you treasure these musicians with a full and open heart.

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Review: Beach Bunny – Tunnel Vision

Adam Grundy 2 weeks ago

The third full-length record from Chicago Alt Rock band, Beach Bunny, is a breezy set of songs that play out well from front to back. Tunnel Vision is the band’s first release since the departure of guitarist Matt Henkels, and sees Beach Bunny getting into a comfortable groove as a three-piece band. The band’s primary songwriter, Lili Trifilio (vocals/guitar), remains as captivating as she’s ever been, and Beach Bunny re-establish themselves as a key artist to watch in the Alternative Rock scene. Over the course of the ten songs found on Tunnel Vision, Beach Bunny firmly showcase why they have such a strong and loyal following of fans with their slick songwriting, paired with memorable and plentiful hooks.

Adam Grundy 3 weeks ago

The debut solo album from The Struts frontman, Luke Spiller, is a vulnerable collection of songs about falling in and out of love, and documents his experiences about when he first moved to Los Angeles. Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes and Wine is filled with great string arrangements, slick production, and a 70’s flair that mirrors early James Bond scores. Luke Spiller’s star shines ever so brightly on his first venture away from The Struts to create a record that is both a departure from the sound that he established with his bandmates, and a welcomed throwback to an era of smoke-filled jazz clubs that featured captivating singers.

Adam Grundy 3 weeks ago

The debut album from Acceptance will be turning 20 over the weekend, so it’s only fitting for us to take another look at the cult favorite record known as Phantoms. The band’s strength came from the great partnership between lead guitarist Kaylan Cloud and dynamic vocalist Jason Vena, and their ability to convey a wide range of emotions through their unique brand of rock. The set was produced by veteran hit-maker Aaron Sprinkle, who leaves his great blueprint all over this shimmering album. The promotion cycle Phantoms included only two singles, “Different” was the lead single, while the more upbeat “Take Cover” followed up on the modest success of the debut single. The band would follow the release of Phantoms with tours with bands like Vendetta Red, Head Automatica, Anberlin, Saosin, and more to work on their live show that had steadily improved since Acceptance formed in 1998. Acceptance would take a lengthy hiatus in 2006, only to reunite and re-capture their spark in 2017’s equally great Colliding By Design. Phantoms signaled a key moment in Acceptance’s rise in the crowded emo scene, and it’s a shame that the record didn’t take off as much as it clearly should have.

Adam Grundy 3 weeks ago

It seems like just yesterday I was finding out about a band named Joywave. My initial introduction to the band was through a friend of mine who lent me a copy of How Do You Feel Now?, and I was immediately taken back by Joywave’s cool swagger, slick production (by band members Daniel Armbruster and Sean Donnelly), and the overall package brought forth on this electric debut. Many others first got wind of Joywave through their breakthrough single/collaboration with Big Data called “Dangerous” that was bound to be successful with it’s bass-heavy delivery and great vocal performance from Armbruster. What made Joywave so charming and utterly infectious on this debut record was their ability to blend electronic and indie rock elements into their ever-evolving sound that they tinkered with on their preceding two EPs. While Joywave would go on to release four more full-length records in the ten year span that has passed since How Do You Feel Now? was first released, this album remains their strongest and most creative statement to date.

Adam Grundy 4 weeks ago

The first studio album in ten years from the Pennsylvania grunge rockers, Superheaven, is a self-titled effort that finds the band leaning heavily on their strengths to further their artistic direction. After a lengthy hiatus from their 2015 LP Ours is Chrome, Superheaven would periodically reunite to play some shows. During this process of playing one-off shows, the band connected with veteran producer Will Yip during a charity concert he put on in December 2017. This partnership seemed to have stuck, as Yip has produced the band’s third studio album, Superheaven, that released today via Blue Grape Music. Superheaven have released three singles leading up to the self-titled record in “Long Gone”, “Numb To What is Real”, and most recently “Cruel Times.” Superheaven have clearly used the momentum and chemistry from each of these reunion concerts to create a record that is worthy of the band’s past legacy.

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Review: Joeyglo – “Galaxy”

Adam Grundy 4 weeks ago

After taking a year and a half hiatus from music after a family tragedy, Joeyglo has returned with a vibey new single called “Galaxy” that honors his late wife, Angela. The song is a passion project from the songwriter/producer, who admitted to started writing this song nearly five years ago. The guitar parts in the track were performed by Samuel Clayton, and Cory Kassmeier mastered the single. Joeyglo shared, “This is a special song to me. Took me a long time to even want to work on music again after losing Angela and Indie…She didn’t believe it was for her initially because the lyrics (at the time) mostly talked about bending time and black holes. Ya know…nerdy shit.”

With a songwriting style that fits somewhere in the realm of Glass Animals, paired with the smooth R&B of The Weeknd, and put on blend with a crisp vocal performances similar to Mac Miller, Joeyglo has crafted something truly special here on “Galaxy.” By putting a brave step forward by releasing new music, Joeyglo is honoring his family in the best and most honest way possible with this gorgeous song about connecting with that one person who makes our universe seem a little less alone.

Review: Safari Room – “Cut Out”

Review: Cellar Dwellar – “Digital_Drive_By”

Review: Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface

Review: The Starting Line – Based On A True Story

Review: Out Of Service – Devastation Awaits

Review: Catbite – Doom Garden

Review: Lyn Lapid – Buzzkill

Review: The Ataris – “Car Song”

Review: Samantha Crain – Gumshoe

Review: Beach Bunny – Tunnel Vision

Review: Luke Spiller – Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes and Wine

Review: Acceptance – Phantoms

Review: Joywave – How Do You Feel Now?

Review: Superheaven – Superheaven

Review: Joeyglo – “Galaxy”