Nicotine Dolls – “Till We Both Say” (Video Premiere)

Nicotine Dolls

Today I’m excited to share the latest music video from New York City’s own Nicotine Dolls, for their heartfelt single “Till We Both Say.” The band is comprised of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Sam Cieri, lead guitarist John Hays, bassist John Merritt, and drummer Abel Tabares, and the band’s strong chemistry is showcased on songs like this one. With a sound that sways somewhere between the working-man approach of The Gaslight Anthem and the pop sheen of The Maine, Nicotine Dolls are onto something great here.

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Interview: Nick Comanici of Sadurday

Sadurday

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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Review: Avril Lavigne – Love Sux

The first studio album in three years from the “Pop Punk Queen,” Avril Lavigne, delivers on all of its potential. Her seventh album in total, Love Sux was produced by veteran hit-maker John Feldman (among others including Mod Sun and Travis Barker) and has a ton of aggressive and hard-hitting songs that are sure to grab your attention. In a recent interview with NYLON Magazine, Lavigne shared this about the direction of the new record, “This is the first one that’s just rock all the way through. There was a point in music where the label was like, ‘Radio don’t want to hear guitars anymore.’ Live drums went away. Live electric guitars weren’t getting played. There’s always been that fine line that I’m going to make my music that I’m feeling but also you have a company behind you who influences what you’re doing.” This dedication to making the music she was driven to create makes for one of her most accessible and rewarding albums to date.

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Review: Harsh Lights – Watch The World Divide

There’s something magical about finding a new friend through an online forum on a music site. You may find that you both have similar music tastes, love the same type of movies, or in rare cases, form a cool pop-punk band remotely. That’s exactly what happened with Harsh Lights, a pop-punk band comprised of Kyle Simons (Patterns In Traffic) and Eva Driessen. Kyle and Eva met on this website and decided to pursue making music together, albeit in different parts of the world: Kyle lives in Maryland, while Eva lives in the Netherlands. This distance never distracts from the quality of music found on Watch The World Divide, a fun debut LP that pays direct homage to great pop-punk bands like Blink-182, Fenix Tx, and Mae, but with a modern twist and sheen to it that makes it a rewarding listening experience.

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Review: Another One Down! – A Bitter Descent

The deluxe version of A Bitter Descent by Providence, Rhode Island-based band, Another One Down!, offers a nice glimpse into the maturity shown in the band’s dedication to their craft. “A Bitter Descent means a lot to us because it marks growth and progression for our band. For a long time we felt like we were seen as sort of a throwaway easycore act and we really wanted to prove that we have so much more to offer with this record,” the band shared. “One of our main goals going into the writing process was to tackle more mature subject matter, primarily overcoming mental health issues which is something each member of the band has struggled with in the past and we feel is important to discuss. Another goal was to explore a wide variety of sounds and vibes while still creating a cohesive record. We’ve always been inspired by bands who are not afraid to give individuality to each song rather than write the same song 12 times, especially when they’re able to do that and still create a well-flowing record. We truly believe that we achieved these goals with A Bitter Descent and we are so proud of how the record came out.” The sound of the band fits somewhere between The Starting Line, Midtown, and Allister, with the punchy production of Hit The Lights. By honing in on their songwriting, while still remaining committed to putting their best foot forward, Another One Down! have made a great, hard-hitting pop-punk record just in time for the beginning of Summer.

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Review: STMNTS – “Handpainted” (featuring Patrick Williams)

STMNTS (pronounced Statements) is a 5-piece emotive pop-punk outfit from Baltimore, Maryland. Formed in 2022, the band consists of vocalist Liam King, rhythm guitarist Jamie Black, lead guitarist Drew Chiodo, bassist Josh Pelc, and drummer Shawn Smyth, and their band chemistry is already firing on all cylinders. With a sound that can be found somewhere between the hardcore guitar groove of Four Year Strong, the wonderful lyrical wordplay of The Wonder Years, and the emotion of Bayside, STMNTS are making a solid name for themselves on their debut single “Handpainted.” The single comes from their upcoming EP Tendencies, and features a guest collaboration from Patrick Williams.

What the band does well on this single is to keep the song emotionally charged throughout and still allows for the melodic parts to come through in the mix to make for a memorable track. The crunchy guitar riffs in the verses are complemented by Liam King’s crisp vocal cuts to keep the song balanced in its delivery. The last gasp of a scream on the final lyric of “I feel so alone” finds the band tinkering with a great combination of emo, screamo, and the melodic elements of pop-punk. STMNTS may have just lived up to their name by making a welcomed invitation to the genre.