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Single Review
recent reviews
Safari Room
"Cut Out"
Cellar Dwellar
"Digital_Drive_By"
The Ataris
"Car Song"
Joeyglo - "Galaxy"
Joeyglo
"Galaxy"
IOTA CENTAURI - "Lullaby For A Dying Sun"
IOTA CENTAURI
"Lullaby For A Dying Sun"
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LATEST ARTICLES

Review: Safari Room – “Cut Out”

Adam Grundy

”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

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: The Ataris – “Car Song”

Adam Grundy

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.

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Review: Joeyglo – “Galaxy”

Joeyglo - "Galaxy"
Adam Grundy

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.

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Review: IOTA CENTAURI – “Lullaby For A Dying Sun”

IOTA CENTAURI - "Lullaby For A Dying Sun"
Adam Grundy

If you’ve ever wanted to explore the vastness of space through a great-sounding ambient track that fits somewhere in the realm of Thrice’s Vheissu, paired with the sprawling rock of band’s like Caspian, IOTA CENTAURI is your next obsession. With the release of the project’s new single called “Lullaby For A Dying Sun,” IOTA CENTAURI have also announced their debut LP called Supermassive. IOTA CENTAURI is the solo moniker of TJ Fulfer, and the new album explores themes of love, loss, tragedy, and the growing distance between two people, expressed through the vastness of space, the mysteries of the universe, and the weight of darkness—all woven into sweeping soundscapes and deeply evocative melodies.

The latest single features some guest vocal spots from Ken Pendola and Meg Zahora to help round out this band’s approach to songwriting. The epic final chorus of, “And when it vanishes / Nothing is remembered / Only an emptiness / Where light once lived,” takes the concept of traveling alone through the depths of space and still hones in on the human element of what makes us all want those key connections to others.

Review: STMNTS – “Sinking In”

STMNTS - "Sinking In"
Adam Grundy

The latest single from Baltimore pop-punk band, STMNTS, called “Sinking In” is a passionate blend of styles similar to The Wonder Years, Bayside and the guitar-crunch of Four Year Strong. Formed in 2022, STMNTS consists of vocalist Liam King, rhythm guitarist Jamie Black, lead guitarist Drew Chiodo, bassist Josh Pelc, and drummer Shawn Smyth. The single was produced, mixed and mastered by Jeff McKinnon, with some additional production contributed by Evan Seeberger. STMNTS are coming off of the success of their well-received 2023 EP called Tendencies, and have released their second single since that last record came out with today’s “Sinking In.”

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Review: Zaq Baker – “Bri”

Zaq Baker - "Bri"
Adam Grundy

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Zaq Baker has returned with a nice ballad about falling head over heels in love, called “Bri.” The song is filled with some sweeping instrumentation, swooning synths, and cool atmospheric elements added into the mix to ensure it tugs on the right heartstrings. As Baker opens with, “I think I understand those love songs / At least the sensations they describe / I never thought I was above it all” you can tell that he is connecting deeply with the person that makes him feel most complete.

The track was produced by Hunter Sinclair Hawthorne and was mixed by Alec Ness. The latest single is perfect for fans of bands like Hellogoodbye, Owl City and MUNA, as Baker finds just the right vibe that sounds familiar, yet utterly unique to him.

Review: Strategies – “Presence”

Adam Grundy

Formed remotely during the pandemic, the band called Strategies is back with a new single called “Presence” that reminds me a bit of the softer elements of emo rock bands like American Football and Further Seems Forever. The band begins the song with smooth sounding vocals paired with a lush instrumental background to help set the stage for the track. The single showcases the band’s ability to let the music flow right through them and create unique art with their inspiration. Clocking in just under the three-minute mark, this quick song is sure to remain in your headspace long after the last note is played out. The future looks bright for Strategies.

Review: Le Big Zero – “How Very”

Adam Grundy

On the latest single from Brooklyn, New York punk band, Le Big Zero, called “How Very” they channel their love for big pop hooks and cool instrumental breakdowns in an interesting delivery. The lead track from their forthcoming EP titled How To Use a Semicolon, the dual vocals of songwriter/guitarist Michael Pasuit and singer Carolina Aguilar mesh well as they harmonize throughout the electric song. The track begins with an old school drum beat supplied by Lukas Hirsch, before breaking into some uncharted territories with an electric bass line from Ben Ross to get the song moving in the right direction.

What starts off as kind of a Weezer-stylized, or the fictional band The Wonders, type of track, Le Big Zero expands on their musical approach quickly. The song takes the listener on a wild ride and leaves the anticipation high for the other two songs on their new EP.

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Review: Crossing I’s Dotting T’s – “You, In Everything”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Alt Rock band Crossing I’s Dotting T’s, called “You, In Everything”, recalls the days of when grunge and post-rock dominated the radio airwaves, albeit with a modern twist. The single was produced by Max Dickenson and Lars Deutsch, and showcases the improvements made in the band’s sound that keeps the vocals front and center, while adding in some interesting guitar sounds similar to bands like Deftones, Superheaven, and Hum.

The song builds around the chorus of, “Tell me what it means / See you in everything / Tell me what it means,” that feels like 90’s Alternative magic and recounts the singer’s tortured feeling of visualizing a person they can’t seem to get out of their head. The bridge features shouted vocals paired with heavy power chords and plenty of fuzz pedals to round out the sound they were going for here. Crossing I’s Dotting T’s plan to rally around this lead single bodes well, and their forthcoming EP this Spring should garner some extra attention.

Review: All Systems Go – “Everything Going Well Is A Bad Thing, Right?”

Adam Grundy

The new lead single from NJ pop-punk band, All Systems Go, comes from their recently announced EP Finding Closure, and is a solid slab of heartfelt punk rock filled with great guitar breakdowns and passionate vocal performances. “Everything Going Well is a Bad Thing, Right?” was produced by Gary Cioni (Crime in Stereo, Hot Mulligan) and mastered by Mike Kalajian (New Found Glory, Senses Fail), and All Systems Go have really developed a professional and poised sound on this track. Guitarist and vocalist Matt Pezza shared, “This song is about how poor communication leads to people being on different wavelengths. In context, the ‘remember me when you’re famous’ line is essentially a substitute phrase for communicating ‘this isn’t going to work out’. But no one knows that until it’s actually stated a couple lines later. There’s a reason why people always say ‘communication is key’ – not just in dating but in working relationships, friendships, etc. It’s always better to be direct; mean what you say and say what you mean.” The song is reminiscent of the starry-eyed pop-punk of The Starting Line, paired with the complex guitar parts of Four Year Strong, and put on blend with a bit of the band’s own flavor.

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Review: Holy Pinto – “Death Is In The Air”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Aymen Saleh, better known as Holy Pinto, is bursting with raw emotion and painstaking detail in the songwriting process. Bartees Strange also contributes on “Death Is In The Air” by adding some well-placed guitars and synths to the mix. The track itself tackles the theme of searching for love, complete with all of the messy details that make this emotion so complex.

The song builds momentum as it sways from the cautious opening verse, to adding in more instruments in the chorus, while Saleh’s vocals remain consistently captivating in his delivery. The single takes the listener on an epic journey of lyrical twists and turns, all with a beating heart towards Holy Pinto’s self-discovery as an artist. The epic conclusion of the song features some well-placed hand claps and an Americana sound to keep interest high in this ultra-talented songwriter. Holy Pinto is back, and he is quickly re-cementing himself as a key artist to watch.

Review: October Man – “Dandelion”

October Man - "Dandelion"
Adam Grundy

I’d like to introduce everyone to a cool new indie rock band called October Man. The band features Ethan Bodner (guitar), JD Leidersdorff (guitar/vocals), Ian Neill (bass), Anthony Abboud (keys/drums), and Joey Murphy (keys/drums). Most of the band has been playing together for nearly a decade, with Neill being a recent addition. Their latest single, called “Dandelion” is a catchy blast of indie rock that would be perfect for fans of The Strokes, Cold War Kids, and the guitar groove of Franz Ferdinand.

The song opens up with a steady beat courtesy of Anthony Abboud while the dual-guitar attack embraces the groove of the track with a poise not usually seen in a band this young. Vocalist JD Leidersdoff has a great croon throughout the song and he remains as captivating as possible. October Man have created the perfect launch pad to success in the indie rock genre with this song that is sure to be added to many playlists for the foreseeable future.

Review: Sophia Dashing ft. Manda Malina – “Raindrops (On Your Pillow)”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from Sophia Dashing featuring Manda Malina, called “Raindrops (On Your Pillow),” has that classic 90’s pop sound that is reminiscent of Destiny’s Child paired with TLC. The track was produced by Jason Quinones and co-written between Malina, Dashing and Quinones. The collaboration pulls off as each artist/writer shines on the track that is built for those heartfelt evenings of longing for a better relationship.

Sophia Dashing commands the song throughout her dynamic vocal performance while Manda Malina adds in some great vocal takes of her own. The song reminded me a bit of the style of TLC’s “No Scrubs” and hits its intended target more often than not. The final bars of music highlights the two vocalists trying to outshine each other through some great vocal highs that mesh well together for a crowd-pleasing pop single.

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Review: Artless Jesus – “U HATE ME”

Adam Grundy

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.

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