Review: The Academy Is… – Almost There

The first new music from The Academy Is… in nearly 18 years has arrived today. Guitarist Mike Carden shared, “William and I made the first record at nineteen and walked away at twenty-eight. Almost There is really about everything that’s happened in the space between.” Almost There finds the band at a comfortable place in their lives, having lived a rich life, building families, and ultimately reconnecting the pieces that made this band so special in the first place. This record is a bit subdued, vibey, and more on the relaxed side as far as the general feel. Front-man William Beckett shared some additional context surrounding the similar title of the new album to their debut by saying, ““Almost Here was about leaving home. This album is about finding your way back. It’s the other end of the spectrum.” By looking inward at their past/youth while trying to understand it all, The Academy Is… have made another album worthy of the legacy they created.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

The third studio album from Snail Mail, called Ricochet, is a stunning collection of 11 songs that reflect on Lindsey Jordan’s past few years, while having a focus on themes like mortality and the uncertainty of what happens to our souls in the afterlife. The set was produced by Momma bassist Aron Kobayashi Ritch, and this album has a similar feel to the latest effort from that band, while still staying authentic to the overall songwriting approach from Jordan. While her previous record (Valentine) dealt more with matters from their heart and relationships, Ricochet takes a more spiritual approach. “Misery feels safe to write about because I am good at it,” Jordan says, “but I’m not bathing in my own agony anymore.” By putting her most confident step forward in her artistic self-discovery to date, Ricochet is a strong contender for this year’s best album.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Coming hot off the re-recorded version of Chroma, Cartel have officially dropped the first taste of new music from their yet to be announced new album, with this single of “Oxy Moron.” The blast of pop-punk energy comes through the speakers in the early-going and rarely lets up. The first few verses find front-man Will Pugh at his most self-deprecating as he sings, “Maybe I’m a loser / Maybe not / Maybe I’m a loner / That hangs out a lot.” The combined, full-sounding guitars from Pugh and Joseph Pepper bounce off of the speakers warmly as Cartel get their sea legs back in the crowded and resurgent pop-punk scene.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Nearly a decade after their breakthrough single of “Atlantis”, which has since been streamed more than a billion times, Seafret are back with a great collection of tunes on Fear Of Emotion. Seafret is the duo of Jack Sedman and Harry Draper and they follow up their last record of Wonderland with laser-focused songwriting, soaring melodies, and great instrumentation found on this latest record. Seafret continue to expand upon their humble beginnings as a “mostly-acoustic” project with a full-sounding approach on Fear of Emotion that captivates the imagination of where they can take their sound. Sedman shared, “These last years have just made us more hungry for it again. We’ve put so much work into this new record – we’ve put the time in and we’ve not cut a single corner. It really feels like it’s a fresh new Seafret and we’re ready to go.” With slick production and a sound that strays somewhere between the adult pop of The Fray and X Ambassadors, Seafret have arrived on their vulnerable yet fully-realized vision on Fear of Emotion.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

If you’re looking for a new band that reminds you of The Gaslight Anthem and The Menzingers, Red Arrow Highway are here to complete your search. Their sophomore album, Be Someone Better, tackles relatable themes of friendship, the ups and downs of living in a world filled with despair, while still looking for the silver lining in it all to keep ourselves afloat. Originally started as a two-piece band with founding members of Nate Johnivan and Justin Saurez, Red Arrow Highway have rounded out their musical attack with an additional four musicians to make for a full-sounding record. The West Michigan band remind us on Be Someone Better of the importance of keeping friendships top of mind while rocking out with some commendable tunes.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

Not everyone is cut out for the “life of the hustle”, but Chris Wrenn certainly was. The founder and owner of Bridge Nine Records recalls his early days of hustling sales of stickers and buttons donned with the simple, but effective, slogan of “Yankees Suck!” to trigger the right emotions of the Boston Red Sox faithful. This tale of Wrenn’s unique way of creating entrepreneurial revenue through unique means, led to him funneling this cash into some of the earliest releases of what would become Bridge Nine Records, a respected indie label in the punk/hardcore scene. Wrenn’s author voice comes through the pages as genuine, warm, and authentic as he recalls the circumstances that led to him wanting to start his own record label. Fenway Punk is equal parts biography as much as it is a story of how fellow prospective business owners and/or record labels could learn key lessons from Wrenn’s experiences in their own endeavors.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

If Saves The Day were still pumping out tunes regularly with a vocalist this confident, paired with the musicianship of The Early November and Thrice, you’d find the sound of Kiss The Scientist. On their debut EP, called Better In My Head, the Los Angeles emo band showcase why they are already making waves in the revived emo/punk scene. The band is a four-piece unit comprised of Maxwell Tomack-Villalobos, Devin Rodriguez, Nick Anoci, and Kevin Middleton, and their great chemistry is on display over these slick six songs that make up their debut EP. With a classic pop-punk/emo sound rich in the lore of the AbsolutePunk days of old, Kiss The Scientist carry the torch for the next wave of emo bands today.

Adam Grundy 3 months ago

The tale of Alien Ant Farm oddly doesn’t begin with ANThology. The band formed in 1996 and would release two EPs leading up to their first full-length record in 1999 that they anointed Greatest Hits. After forming a friendship with Papa Roach due to playing similar music circuits in Los Angeles, California, Alien Ant Farm would eventually sign a Dreamworks Records imprint known as New Noize to begin re-tooling their major label debut of ANThology with the Infest producer, Jay Baumgardner. The set was introduced by the lead single of “Movies” that came out January 2001, but the record wouldn’t fully take off until the Michael Jackson cover of “Smooth Criminal” dominated the rock airwaves that Summer. The rest of the tunes that make up ANThology are really strong for a debut LP, and highlighted the quirky magic of Alien Ant Farm and their captivating front-man, Dryden Mitchell. While the band may be best known for their breakthrough cover of a Michael Jackson song, ANThology deserves another look on its 25th anniversary.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Imagine if three talented musicians paired up on their love of bands like Thrice, Cursive, and Taking Back Sunday, and wanted to channel teenage angst with an energetic musical performance paired with pop sensibilities. Imagine no more. A new emo rock band, called Color Me Fatigued, include the trio of April Crews (guitar/vocals), John Zook (bass), and Jacob Godbey (drums) who take each of their combined influences into a neatly re-packaged sound on their debut LP of If I’m Running Away… When I listen back to the tunes that make up this record, I hear influences that range from the soft/loud dynamic of bands like Circa Survive, the math rock of The Early November, and at times, even some speed metal. Introduced to the world by the lead single of “Work/Life Balance” that laments on the dangers of the nine to five office environments that value productivity over personality, Color Me Fatigued make a worthy opening statement on If I’m Running Away…

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

”I’m here to stay” sings Charlotte Sands on the title track of Satellite, her sophomore effort released today via her own imprint of CS Records. Charlotte Sands expands upon the world she created on her equally-thrilling debut, Can We Start Over?, and leans into a synth-heavy sound similar to artists like PVRIS and Metric with great results. The LP is filled with club-ready anthems of self-empowerment that accentuate the sound Charlotte Sands has crafted since she first stormed onto the scene five years ago. You’d be hard-pressed to find a harder working artist than what is presented here, and Satellite proves that her statement of “I’m here to stay” should be taken seriously.

The set opens with the vibrant title track that finds Charlotte Sands singing vulnerably over a synth-laden beat and it slow-builds to a picturesque chorus of, “And I’m scared of heights / But I won’t come down / I’m lost in your orbit / But I don’t want out / I’m yours in the day / And the dead of night / I wanna be your satellite.” The song is about finding that person who makes you want to spend all of your days and nights with, and completes your outlook on life. “One Eye Open” follows the great start to the LP with a haunting song about trust issues that laments in the pre-chorus of, “Let’s pretend / We don’t know how this ends / We could leave it for dead / But you’re so persistent.” Her command for tracks like this only further solidifies the star power that comes through the speakers in Charlotte Sands’ delivery.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

The newest single from indie rock band, Wealthy Jane, called “Judy Wept” is a solid mix of swooning rock that recalls the booming alternative rock scene from the 90’s. Some may recognize the singer from his previous project, called Broken Field Runner, and he does a nice job of commanding the mid-tempo track with the same charm that I remember from the aforementioned other band. “Judy Wept” walks the listener through a difficult time in a person’s life where it feels like everywhere you look, reminders of the mess you made are prevalent.

Wealthy Jane share on the second verse, “Happiness by prescription, extended release / It helps her dance when people visit, keeps her time traveling / Now she’s back inside her kitchen smoking 100s,” to paint a vivid picture of this person’s mental health and how she’s dealing with her setbacks. The chorus reassures the fallen individual with, “No matter the mess that you made / It’s okay.” We could all use a friend like this to have when times get tough, and Wealthy Jane recognize this feeling with great poise and precision in their indie rock attack here. A worthy addition to that playlist you’ve been crafting, “Judy Wept” brings out some raw emotions lyrically, and highlights what this band is capable of creating.

Review: Hawthorne Heights – If Only You Were Lonely

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

The critical reception to the sophomore album by Hawthorne Heights was anything but kind. But did this band that stormed onto the scene with The Silence in Black and White, and the emo classic of “Ohio Is For Lovers”, really deserve the hate that came from the release of If Only You Were Lonely? In my opinion, not by a long shot. While I can see why some writers took it upon themselves to write scathing reviews based on the album’s song titles like “Where Can I Stab Myself In The Ears” and “We Are So Last Year”, I feel there is still a charm and magic to If Only You Were Lonely. The set was released on Victory Records 20 years ago, and the promotion of the record was preceded by two singles in “This Is Who We Are” and the massively popular “Saying Sorry” that would lead to Hawthorne Heights’ highest charting album to date (#3 on the Billboard 200). The album would be the band’s final one with rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Casey Calvert, who tragically passed away in November of 2007. The critics who panned If Only You Were Lonely were largely tuned out by Hawthorne Heights’ fans, and the LP was certified Gold by the RIAA by March of 2016. While Hawthorne Heights seemed to be an easy target for criticism of the emo genre, it’s hard to not admit that If Only You Were Lonely was an important record in the development of the band.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Every now and then you come across a song that restores your faith in what the young bands are doing in this scene. “Bandits” is one of those songs. From the pop-punk duo known as Teenage Joans, “Bandits” has a country-tinged sound to it that is similar to the style of Taylor Acorn paired with the slick pop sensibilities of Michelle Branch. The band shared, “We really wanted to blend a country vibe with our classic pop punk. The song is about feeling an intense connection to someone, so much so that you would do anything for them and rule out the worst because you love them so much.” The song is filled with twists and turns, vivid lyrical imagery that recalls the days of Bonnie & Clyde, and leaves the door wide open to the possibilities of where Teenage Joans can take their sound next.

The song opens with a quietly strummed electric guitar that helps with setting the tone of the single in the verse, while the chorus of, “Call my name in the dead of the night / I got a bad feeling you’re one of a kind / I see your face on a wanted sign / But I keep coming back,” is absolutely powerful and shimmering in its delivery. Teenage Joans are one of the more interesting pop-punk outfits to come out of this scene in some time, and I look forward to seeing how they use the success of a key song like “Bandits” to further develop their already dynamic sound.

Review: Goldfinger – Goldfinger

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

The debut studio album by ska punk legends Goldfinger is turning 30 years old tomorrow, and it still has a bit of a unique charm to it. It’s the only Goldfinger record to not be produced in any capacity by lead singer/band leader John Feldmann, and it was all recorded directly to analog tape under the direction of Mojo Records founder Jay Rifkin. Goldfinger also spawned the band’s highest charting single to date in “Here In Your Bedroom” that was a Top 5 rock hit in the states. The sound feels like a mix between Dookie-era Green Day, paired with the ska horns of Reel Big Fish, and with an experimental vocal approach from Feldmann that channeled The Clash’s Joe Strummer. Goldfinger were just beginning to figure out their sound on this album, and it’s still a bit of a mixed bag in the overall listening experience. Songs like “King For A Day” and “Mable” are a ton of fun, and Goldfinger is worth another look.

Adam Grundy 4 months ago

Over the course of my lifetime there have been a handful of records that grabbed me from the first spin, stayed with me during various phases of my life, and continued to make a meaningful impact every time I revisited them. This is one of those albums. American Hi-Fi charmed their way onto the alternative rock scene in 2001 with their breakthrough debut single, “Flavor of the Weak”, that featured big-sounding guitars, paired with a pop sheen to it to ensure it would make an impact on radio. American Hi-Fi was produced by veteran producer, Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi), whom the band credits as making their debut “huge-sounding.” This wasn’t just your run of the mill debut rock record that had one or two good songs on it, and was bloated with filler around it. Quite the opposite. American Hi-Fi made a household name out of songwriter/vocalist Stacy Jones and would begin the astonishing rise of one of the more interesting power pop bands to come out of the early 00’s.

Review: The Academy Is… – Almost There

Review: Snail Mail – Ricochet

Review: Cartel – “Oxy Moron”

Review: Seafret – Fear Of Emotion

Review: Red Arrow Highway – Be Someone Better

Review: Fenway Punk – Chris Wrenn

Review: Kiss The Scientist – Better In My Head

Review: Alien Ant Farm – ANThology

Review: Color Me Fatigued – If I’m Running Away…

Review: Charlotte Sands – Satellite

Review: Wealthy Jane – “Judy Wept”

Review: Hawthorne Heights – If Only You Were Lonely

Review: Teenage Joans – “Bandits”

Review: Goldfinger – Goldfinger

Review: American Hi-Fi – American Hi-Fi