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Black is the New AP Style


Marking a decade since the release of their first Top 40 single, “Best Day of My Life”, American Authors brought that same unadulterated joy to their latest album, Best Night of My Life.

The band is calling it “the most American Authors album we’ve ever done”, saying that it was a conscious decision to bring more feel-good songs to a world that has seen a great deal of devastation over the last few years.

While they continue to pen undeniable anthems, there is a growth and maturity that shows throughout the 10-track LP.

“We wrote and produced this album completely ourselves, just the three of us, because at the end of the day, no one knows Authors more than we do,” vocalist and guitarist Zac Barnett said. “We’ve written with so many talented people in the past that this time we wanted to keep it all in-house; to bring as much truth to our music and brand as possible.”

The band spent just two weeks writing, recording and producing the album in Barnett’s living room in Las Vegas. By taking the reins, they were able to make this album completely, authentically an American Authors album.

“We wrote and recorded this album in two weeks so it was a looooot of challenging long nights,” Barnett said. “In that time, we did about 20 songs then cut [them] down to our favorite 10. We would start writing around 10 a.m. and usually work until midnight. While it was definitely a lot of work, we’re all so passionate about our writing and genuinely love working together, so we were always having fun.”

The title track comes as a full-circle moment to the single that kickstarted their popularity. It is less of a follow-up and more of a nod to their love of spirited, captivating melodies.

Throughout the album listeners will hear impressive harmonies, handclaps and whistling infused with acoustic guitars, banjos and a harmonica that was actually Postmate’d to the studio. These songs touch on human connection, love, loss and knowing the best is yet to come.

“We hope people can listen to this album and feel great about themselves and the future,” Barnett said. “We always keep a strong message of hope in our songs and we want to portray truth and positivity. Put this album on and get ready to seize the day and live your best life.”

February 14, 2023 No comments

Canadian R&B singer Myles Lloyd uses his vocal presence to create vulnerable, honest music that gives the listener a personal look into his human condition. That vocal presence is heavily felt in his sophomore album, Forever, Yours.

The eight-track release follows his 2019 album, Goodbye, which took a different approach of alienating the past and finally getting the strength to move forward.

“But how realistic is it to leave everything in the past and never think about it again?” Lloyd said. “To never wonder how life would be with a do-over? So many scenarios and thoughts can play in your head and it’s normal.”

This time around, Lloyd focuses on the real life events of physically leaving someone yet remaining emotionally attached to them. Each track bubbles in emotion that stems from love, sexual desire and the risqué parts of relationships.

“Forever, Yours is about how you can say goodbye but the memories, emotions, experiences and feelings will always be with me,” he said. “Some might think this goes into the toxic relationship realm but I just think it's real life. Some people go and stay away and some people you just can’t fully let go so you keep going back and forth to recapture that feeling."

The album opens with “Better With You”, a track just under a minute and a half. That minute and a half is all it takes for Lloyd to admit that he was wrong and is a better person when he is with them. That theme is also prevalent in “Running On You”, while tracks “Distraction” and “Monster” admit that he wasn’t always bringing out the other person’s best qualities.

The album title is a nod to Michael Jackson’s 1975 album, Forever, Michael, which was a staple in Lloyd’s childhood. The album is still one of his inspirations when it comes to making music, with its mix of soul sounds and funk elements.

By showcasing a sound different from Goodbye, Myles Lloyd was able to create a new experience for veteran fans and attract a new wave of listeners at the same time. Forever, Yours is comprised of that same vulnerability Lloyd assures will always be in his music, which will constantly challenge him to find a new piece of his heart to give to a song.
March 15, 2022 No comments
Photo courtesy of Shervin Lainez

Alternative rock band They Might Be Giants have spent nearly 40 years experimenting with genre-blending tactics to create a unique experience for their audience. They have pushed those boundaries yet again with BOOK, a collection of 15 songs and a 144-page art book.

The idea to make BOOK stemmed from John Flansburgh’s conversations with frequent collaborator and celebrated graphic designer Paul Sahre.

“Paul and I had talked to a publisher about a visual history of They Might Be Giants in a big coffee-table format,” Flansburgh said in a press release. “It seemed daunting, so I suggested breaking it into smaller, more doable parts. I’ve always been a fan of street photography like Helen Levitt and Robert Frank. That style can complement lyrics very well.”

Through Sahre came Brooklyn street photographer Brian Karlsson. They wanted a single photographer to tell this story, and each song truly comes to life with his input.

“Brian’s work seemed transcendent and in sync with what we were doing,” Flansburgh said. “It was important to me that the project was consistent visually. Too many visual efforts from musicians have a catch-all quality.”

The music from BOOK is bursting with the same energy, melody and inventive songcraft that They Might Be Giants is known for, but this latest effort goes even further, introducing an immersive album experience that blends photography, design and text with music.

This isn’t meant to be a ‘concept project’, but rather an accompanying piece to the album. Flansburgh compared it to an extension of album artwork in a recent interview with Forbes, giving an entirely new perspective on how artists can create different types of art within a single object.

“Nowadays, albums are often just a collection of ones and zeroes,” John Linnell said in a press release. “With BOOK we’re looking to make a more interesting object.”

Another unique piece of BOOK is how they created a story behind the words. Sahre used an IBM Selectric typewriter from the 1970s to create artistic layouts that add a striking new dimension to the reading experience. The lyrics are displayed in various shapes and forms on their respective pages, giving the reader a new way to interpret each song.

With more than 20 studio albums, the trail They Might Be Giants are blazing is still entirely their own. BOOK gives fans a look into the detailed creativity that they’ve had from the start while giving the band the opportunity to visually and cleverly expand their talents.

November 18, 2021 No comments

For Eric Vattima, he has come to an understanding that second guessing his work as a songwriter is always going to be part of the process.

“When you’re an underground artist that not too many people know about, you have freedom to experiment,” he said. “Even if you lose some followers along the way, you never know who’s going to become a fan as a result of the changes that you make to your sound as an artist.”

During the creation process of this latest EP, fears., he remembers a specific moment where the song “Reality” was nothing more than a filler. The lyrics address the anxiety that comes with facing the reality of a situation, which in turn can give off more anxiety when it comes time to release it to the world. Despite its initial doubts, “Reality” ended up being the lead single.

Each song on the EP became mini therapy sessions for Vattima as well as a major learning experience. For starters, it helped him learn to take his mental health seriously and finally step back into the world of therapy.

“Writing this was truly therapy for me, so I found a lot of peace on these topics in writing my feelings out and building these tracks from the ground up,” he said. “This was the first project that I’d worked on where there was a cohesive idea that tied the whole thing together, and that’s given me a lot of motivation moving forward in tackling future projects that I want to create.”

By learning to take his mental health seriously, he was able to hone in on his skills as a songwriter and producer. He found a sound that he believes best represents him as an artist and has a stepping stone to his next body of work.

He also has many friends that contributed to fears., including Dallas Jack, Matt Wagner, Kory Shore, Nick Magasano, Christopher Rivera (Arquel), and his father, Michael Angelo Vattima. Thanks to them, the EP is everything he could have hoped for.

“The most rewarding moment of all was sitting back and hearing the entire project from start to finish as soon as I got the mastered files back in my possession,” Vattima said. “To hear it all finally together was incredible. In the end, I’m glad that I didn’t let anything keep me from releasing these songs, because the response that the project has gotten so far has been more than I could’ve ever hoped for.”

What he hoped for in releasing the EP was that someone would find a point of relation to it, and he did just that. Each song creates an open dialogue between friends, family, co-workers or strangers to tap into their emotions and find out that everyone has fears and they are valid.

“If you can get past your fears, then nothing can stop you from achieving anything that you want out of life,” Vattima said. “Don’t let a fear define you, just take your time and work through them as you’re ready to. Also, if you feel like it would work for you, therapy is what truly helped me confront and get past a lot of my own fears and self doubts. Life is full of uncertainty, so remember to be kind to yourself and to others, because you never know when someone is going through a rough time.”

July 27, 2021 No comments

Over the last year and a half, the Gauton brothers have had the opportunity to make sure the next release for their band, lotusbliss, was everything they wanted in an album.

The four-track EP, Bittersweet, was their pandemic project that left them with more songs than ever. From spending months at their parents’ home in the countryside to various bedrooms and studios, these songs represent the latest exploration of their lives.

“We went with a group of songs that we really all resonated with, that musically flowed well into each other, but importantly, conceptually had a thread linking them all together,” lead guitarist and vocalist Josh said.

The first track, “The Horror”, is what Josh called a “lifetime of recollection from three introverted thinkers” when we spoke to them earlier this year. The lyrics accurately describe the anxiety that comes with not being able to forgive yourself, even if everyone else already has.

The second track, “Thunder In the Room”, was also released as the second single and touched on societal structures. The accompanying music video plays off of those structures as they perform underneath a bridge and amongst nature.

“Cedar” and “Reculver” are nostalgic both lyrically and sonically. While “Cedar” speaks of places that hold significant memories, “Reculver” dives into how those memories become distorted over time.

“That thread that linked the songs was this exploration of the duality of what we perceive as reality - how our experiences and emotions colour how we see ourselves and the world around us,” Josh said. “We touched on nostalgia, forgiveness, anger and self-doubt - often not reaching conclusions but more documenting the journey of unpacking them.”

Bittersweet (Re-edits) is an alternative look at the four tracks, where instead of making a song the ‘traditional’ way, they allowed themselves to “be guided by a chain reaction of ideas inspired by riffs, patterns and musical moments in our original recordings.” Josh, Seth and Adam each reworked a song as well as their drummer, Josh Gale (also known as Single Ruin).

This time around, due to the nature of the world, Bittersweet was much more of an isolated project. Coming together to track the songs meant that most of the parts were already written and demoed, and was both an adventure and a challenge.

“We were all really pleased with the outcome, although it did feel like it took more work to get over the finish line as we weren’t able to fluidly create and bounce ideas off each other,” Josh said. “Going forward, we’re excited to spend more time jamming out ideas to see if they can develop into fully-fledged songs.”

Bittersweet transports the listener to a place of hearts and flowers for songs rich in harmony and tranquility. lotusbliss continues to take advantage of that brotherly unity and explore a soundscape as unique as their talents.
June 10, 2021 No comments

Although the last decade has lacked an album full of brand new Evanescence songs, the band has been hard at work concentrating on songs old and new.

They had spent the early months of 2020 working on four new tracks, and ultimately feeling like they were headed toward a sound that was both reminiscent of their hard rock roots and inspired by their love of the 90s grunge era. Needless to say, they were eager to see where the rest of the album would lead.

“The path starts making itself and you start following that road,” lead vocalist Amy Lee said at a media event to promote what is now their fifth full-length studio album, The Bitter Truth.

Unfortunately, there was no warning that a global pandemic would block their path.

The path back to one another took time, and when they found a safe way to get together and finish the album, that is exactly what they did. Except this time, they had a different perspective on the future.

The Bitter Truth goes deeper, darker and into more difficult themes than any of their lyrics have gone before. It’s a battle cry that speaks to a demographic far beyond the reach of their previous work, and shows a different, more vulnerable side of Lee.

“So much has happened,” she said. “There’s been so much to say, and we were already on that path when the world turned absolutely upside down, so it was hard to go to some of those places but it was healing for me. I don’t know what I would have done - I think I would have gone insane last year if we didn’t have this album to make.”

“Don’t you speak for me”, a lyric from “Use My Voice”, became a phrase that Lee found herself repeating while watching the news. Although the political climate wasn’t the original inspiration for the song, with its lyrics being half written nearly a decade ago, it soon turned into an anthem for injustice and how everyone’s voice matters.

Another song with powerful lyrics, “Far From Heaven”, was incredibly difficult to write. Lee said that the song is about questioning her faith, and the emotions that overcame that questioning after the passing of her brother in 2018.

“It was hard to admit the questioning and the real struggle that I have been facing,” she said. “But it’s so worth it when you break through.”

Lee said that she has learned again and again that it is not what happens to a person, but what they do with it. It’s about creating something good from something bad and giving it a purpose. That is what she wanted the album to touch on, and learning that lesson again made her realize that there would never be a time more perfect than now to release new music.

She also wanted to make sure that the album spoke to her bandmates as much as it did to her. Every album has had a slightly different lineup, but that didn’t deter her from making sure everyone’s personal taste and personality came out in each song. Lastly, she wanted to make sure the album spoke to its listeners.

“I have found over the course of my career and my journey with this band that our music is a very special place not just for us, but for other people, people that I don’t personally know,” she said. “Those stories and those experiences and those parts of people’s lives that our music has been there for them in, that’s all just become part of this bigger story that I feel like I’m a part of. It just makes it better. It just makes it bigger. It just makes it more precious and I’m just very grateful to have our fans after all this time.”

When Lee was asked what the bitter truth was, she said it was the driving force behind the album. Life is short. Time is precious. In order for things to get better, the truth must be accepted. Facing the bitter truth is what leads to a better place.

March 26, 2021 No comments

Since The Q-Tip Bandits released their debut single “Willow” last summer, the song has earned hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify and has given the band opportunities in the local Boston music scene and beyond. Now, they are ready to debut their first EP, Ain’t It Great.

The EP is comprised of three songs, which have special meaning to lead vocalist Leo Son.

“The three songs on the EP are some of the first songs I had written that I felt comfortable sharing with others,” he said. “They were some of the first songs we played as a band and I think because of that, they stick out stylistically and will give people along with ‘Willow’ a broader look at what The Q-Tip Bandits can sound like.”

Along with Claire Davis on bass, Dakota Maykrantz on drums, Maclin Tucker on trumpet and Stephan Tenney on trombone, The Q-Tip Bandits have a sound that captures an eclectic group of listeners and gives them meaningful lyrics with a mix of smooth grooves.

With any musical release, the creation process of the EP was both exciting and challenging for the band. It takes a lot to translate songs from thoughts and ideas and bring it to life, but working together gave them the opportunity to really hone in on the process and see what works best for them.

“A major difference between this release and our first is that with Ain't It Great, a large amount of the post-recording work became our responsibility and we spent countless hours editing and re-editing the tracks, which has brought us closer to the process and has proved to be a really rewarding experience,” Son said. “Something that was really fun about recording this project was being able to incorporate gang vocals. When we play ‘Ain't It Great’ live it always feels like a party, and to have some of our friends hoot, holler, whistle and sing on the track really brought some of that to life for us.”

The title track, “Ain’t It Great”, is indeed a standout with its gang vocals. Listeners can feel that live performance sing-along as they cheer alongside the horn section and hum the verses with Son and Davis. “What’s Your Drug” brings out more of a smooth jazz, leave-you-worries-at-the-door vibe with effortless vocals and satisfying instrumentals. It’s one of those songs that gets better with repeated play and turns a song into a conversation. “The Wolf” is a blend of quotable lyrics and glittery melodies, ultimately raising the bar for their next release.

In a world filled with noise, The Q-Tip Bandits are here to clean your ears. They want this EP to be exactly what music lovers need no matter where they’re at in life.

“We hope that people who take the time to listen to Ain't It Great feel compelled to dance and to reflect,” Son said. “We hope it brings them as much joy as it has brought us in the process and we are so excited to share these songs with the world.”
April 09, 2020 No comments
Photo courtesy of Daniel Harris

Fans of Frank Carter have watched him transform from chaotic frontman of hardcore punk band Gallows to outspoken advocate and leader of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes. The band’s latest release, End of Suffering, brings forth another transformation as they take on a new era.

End of Suffering, named after the Buddhist term for enlightenment, was recorded with Cam Blackwood (George Ezra/Jack Savoretti) and mixed by Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails/Queens Of The Stone Age). It lets listeners dive deeper into the creative mind of Carter by getting a better understanding of where he’s currently at in his life.

"This is the most honest record I've ever written,” he said. “Blossom was about loss, Modern Ruin was about crumbling foundations - whether that's relationships or society. End Of Suffering is a lot more personal. It's about how fucking hard you can make things for yourself."

The album opens with “Why a Butterfly Can't Love a Spider” and lyrically stands out amongst the tracklist due to the intensity heard in Carter’s voice as he sings, “When I’m high I’m in heaven/When I’m low I’m in hell”. Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello is featured on the second track, “Tyrant Lizard King”, and perfectly blends Morello’s talent with the hook of a first-album era Rattlesnakes song.

Songs like “Crowbar” and “Kitty Sucker” emphasize the growth that Carter has made in his songwriting while songs like “Anxiety” prove how honest the lyrics have become. Carter has been open about his own struggles with anxiety, and has become an advocate to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness in general. His online initiative that works alongside UK charity CALM, #abetterplaceforyouandme, is a safe forum for people to discuss ways of overcoming and living with anxiety.

Another topic he’s spoken openly about is the lack of equality seen at live shows. When performing at Cobra Lounge in Chicago in 2017, Carter kept a theme throughout the show of speaking about misogyny ruining concerts for women. That night, he gave the women in that crowd a platform to feel safe in that room and dedicated a song just to crowd surfing females. He said his reasoning behind pushing for a safe, equal environment was because of his daughter, who can be heard on the title track. 

Through Frank Carter’s transformation, his efforts to evolve as a man and a musician have given his music a more honest approach with each release. End of Suffering is a new era of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes; an era that’s sure to bring their best music yet.
May 07, 2019 No comments

Shayfer James’ relationship with a piano can be traced back to early childhood.

After nearly losing two fingers reaching into his father’s tractor, emergency surgery and skin grafting, James’ mother showed him how to exercise his fingers using a piano. It is his relationship with pianos that, fifteen years later, resulted in it becoming an innate emotional and physical extension of his songwriting.

James has been recording music since 2008, and his latest release, Hope and A Hand Grenade, shares stories that are both lyrically haunting and melodically breathtaking.

“The inspiration was a coupling of hope and despair,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated with how one cannot exist without the other.  Ultimately, I hope it is a personal experience for listeners and they take from it what they need.”

The six-track EP is a satisfying mix of slower and faster tempos that keep the listener curious. The first track, “Mercy Down”, immediately pulls the listener in while “Crack a Bottle, Run a Bath” brings thunderous guitars to the EP’s close.

It’s hard to choose a stand-out track as they all bring out the best in James’ vocals and songwriting ability. With slower tracks like “Ophelia” and “Mostly Major Chords”, it’s easy to get lost in the lyrics. “Boots Worn Through” and “Day of Reckoning” are both eerie and piercing to the point that they must be repeated a few times to catch all the pieces that bring the songs together.

Since spending more than a decade creating music, James’ creation process has been a lot of trial and error. While he is always learning something new, he knows exactly what to bring to the table when it’s time to record.

“I always come prepared with the fundamentals,” he said. “Arrangements/demos are tight and players are ready. Snacks are abundant and breaks are important. Knowing when to call it a day is important too. There is no point in laboring over something if you are overtired.”

James has also learned to be patient and respect the craft of engineers while in the studio. He’s learned to listen and be open to any idea. He’s learned to try everything at least once. Jokingly, he’s learned at the third take is almost always the keeper.

Shayfer James’ relationship with a piano has gone from childhood to adulthood, and it sounds like he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Me and the piano have had a rather tumultuous love affair. We fight, we make up, we dance, we divorce. Right now we are really great friends who have agreed to see other people but we’ll find our way back to each other. We always do.”
February 07, 2019 No comments

During the summer of 2015, former Christian metalcore band Underoath played their first show since disbanding in 2013 and announced the Rebirth Tour - shows dedicated to playing They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line in full. The following spring brought them to 31 major cities and thousands of fans who genuinely missed one of the most defining bands of the 2000s.

“We got about two weeks into the Rebirth tour and thought, ‘Waaaaait a second. This is too important. It’s too important to our fans and it’s too important to us and the feelings we have playing together are too important to ignore.’ And then we slowly asked the question: What’s next?” drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie said in a press release.

What was next was bringing the Rebirth Tour all around the world, touring with Bring Me the Horizon, playing festivals and ultimately making their first album in eight years.

Erase Me is not only the first album they’ve released in nearly a decade but it’s also the first album they’ve released since stating that they no longer consider themselves a Christian band. It is evident in their lyrical content with songs such as “On My Teeth”. While it caught fans off guard, the band took to Twitter to address their reasoning behind it.

“Words are words,” Gillespie said. “Expletives are used to make emphasis in my opinion. If curse words offend you I’m sorry, you should stay in your safe place and not venture out into the world. People hurt, people mess up, people sometimes just need to say something like “fuck” to explain that.”

“...Underoath is the healthiest and happiest we have ever been in our entire career, we may have different viewpoints or beliefs that you may or may NOT have but that certainly does NOT mean we are lost or in a worse spot than before,” vocalist Spencer Chamberlain said. “We’ve all grown...a lot.”

Erase Me isn’t an attempt at reviving past albums or staying in the same place, it’s the next logical step of their evolution. While it features more singing than previous albums, the creative and personal growth of each member makes this album unapologetically real. Tracks touch on anxiety, betrayal and mental health in a narrative that removes them from being a band stuck in their beginning era. They haven’t strayed away from being creative in their own right and being limitless in their content, but they’ve created a new era of what’s to come next for Underoath.
April 10, 2018 No comments

“It all started with a burning desire to explore new horizons…”

When Canadian electro-pop artist K-Bust travelled to Germany, taking that leap and experiencing new places gave her the inspiration she needed to step out of her comfort zone. By stepping out of that comfort zone, she created Fearless.

A self-taught musician, she studied classical piano before establishing her skills as a composer and lyricist. Her first release, Urban Stories, was released in 2012 and gained airplay on mainstream radio stations in Chile and college radio stations throughout the United States and Canada. The mix of R&B, soul and pop kept her from being tied down to one genre, and proved her abilities as she wrote the majority of the songs.

Her journey to the sound of electro-pop started with the Germany trip in 2014. She dove into electronic sounds that didn’t completely exist on Urban Stories, and became bolder in her lyricism.

“I co-wrote every song with my producer, crafting the overall sound of it, telling my personal journey throughout it, my fears, my ghosts and demons,” she said in a press release.

Fearless was entirely produced by Albert Chambers, a Juno Award-nominated music producer from Montreal. From “Fight (The Fear)”, the track that inspired the album title, to “Shoot”, the initial track that speaks of testing the strength of a relationship.

The most mesmerizing track is “Torn”, which she dropped the music video for at the beginning of the year. The message behind the lyrics is one of a toxic relationship that has reached a point beyond saving. The video is a black-and-white collection of piano keys and broken glass that capture the feeling of each emotion and add a new layer to its complexity.

It’s clear she has taken the meaning of the word “fearless” to heart – each track is cohesive while at the same time carries its own qualities that make it personal to her yet gives the listener the opportunity to make it personal to them. Her musical influences of Madonna and David Bowie are heard loud and clear but she also mixes in the vocal range that can transport the listener into an animated Disney film.

K-Bust’s Fearless is an album that proves to be an electrifying showcase of her ability to interweave genres and musical influences. By delving into new experiences and bringing forth new sounds, these 11 tracks get better with each repeated play.
March 08, 2018 No comments

Newmarket, Ontario originated as one of the many farming communities in the area during the 1800s before expanding and growing to a population of over 80,000 people. It is the home of legendary athletes, comedians and politicians. It’s also the birthplace of rock band The Elwins.

Comprised of Matt Sweeney (singer/guitarist), Travis Stokl (drummer), Feurd (guitarist/keyboardist), and Francesco Figliomeni (bassist/singer), the band formed more than a decade ago and has finally released the follow-up to their 2015 LP Play for Keeps.

Beauty Community was recorded in Toronto’s now-defunct Fox Sound Studios, with producer Derek Hoffman. Although they went into the studio with some written material, the majority of the writing was in the studio. They spent a few months recording before handing it over to Jason Dufour to mix and João Carvalho to master.

“The album title is a neat one for us. We like the mystery of it - it doesn’t really have a particular meaning but I think anybody could make up their own version of what it means to them,” Feurd said.

The album artwork is a hyper-realistic version of the band, appearing to be 3D printed sculptures but is actually a completely digital rendering. It adds to the overall sound of the album; completing it, in a way.

In addition to the 12-track LP, The Elwins decided to release a music video for each song. The concept started as wanting to release videos before ultimately morphing into a lyric video series. Each video was shot in Newmarket, where directors Zach Rose and Jesse Korgemaa – as well as people from the town of Newmarket – were heavily involved in the video concept.

The first video of the series is for the track “Hocus Pocus”, where the band is seen playing an intense round of bowling, while the second video for “Dreamgirl” stars their manager’s 102-year-old grandfather.  The latest video for “Watercolour” is an equally intense car wash sequence that keeps with their unpredictable yet brilliantly composed narratives.

Although it’s not a lyric video, they released a music video for “Hey! Ya, You” featuring white walls and a whole lot of hands. The lyrics takes a more physical than metaphorical approach, while the video gets extra physical in forms of the line, “So you can take my hand and just get attached”. The song itself screams danceable with a unique twist.

Other notable tracks include “Your Very Own Beauty Community” which is completely instrumental; it originally started as the idea of an interlude before growing into a longer track. With Stokl on guitar/banjo and Feurd on drums, the two minute and 27 seconds track is the unexpected element that really ties the record together. The last track, “This Is It”, was one of the first songs Sweeney wrote for this album. It’s reminiscent of The Strokes; simplicity in its instruments with a memorable bridge. 

As a whole, Beauty Community is flawless in its lyricism and polished in its instrumental. As The Elwins continue to release their lyric videos, each track is likely to become more emotionally rich than the last.
January 23, 2018 No comments

For the first time in five years, Danny Worsnop’s lead vocals are back on the latest Asking Alexandria album – and the wait has been worthwhile.

Their self-titled album arrives a little over a year since their last release, The Black. Although an upheaval of sorts revolved around the time in between records, the evolution of the band is a triumphant one with this release.

The opening track, “Alone in a Room”, is one of the most powerful tracks lyrically. The song touches upon Worsnop’s solo album, and his time away from the band. It’s not brushed under the rug, it’s not the elephant in the room; it’s an acknowledgement and almost an apology, according to guitarist Ben Bruce in an interview with Rock Sound.

The acknowledgement of the elephant in the room is sprinkled throughout the record, from the first single “Into the Fire” – a song reminiscent to their earlier work with a more polished twist – to “Vultures” – a song written back in 2014 that was the last song Bruce and Worsnop wrote before his departure and the first song they recorded after his return.

While it’s apparent that this is not the Asking Alexandria of five years ago, subtle nods to records past give their fans a piece of their former songs. “When The Lights Come On” references their album Stand Up while “Room 138” shares similarities with “If You Can’t Ride Two Horses At Once… You Should Get Out of the Circus”.

The drastic change works for them, creating a worthy reintroduction to their original lineup. The audience can almost instantly hear the layers of passion within each track along with the clear joy of once again playing and performing together.

It’s a more mature, more polished, more expansive set of songs than they’ve ever released. It’s about facing fears, hitting rock bottom and turning anger into peace.

To read track-by-track analyses of Asking Alexandria’s self-titled, read Ben Bruce’s interview with Rock Sound and Danny Worsnop’s interview with Alternative Press.

December 19, 2017 No comments

The music scene of Asbury Park, New Jersey ranges from Bruce Springsteen to The Gaslight Anthem to The Clash. Asbury Park was the home of The Bamboozle Music Festival and houses The Stone Pony, one of music’s legendary concert venues. Their nightlife thrives on music, both local and national acts. One of their up-and-coming local acts is alternative-rock band The Vansaders.

The Vansaders have had a few lineup changes – essentially a lineup change with every record – but their latest record No Matter What stands out in the way that it is their most collaborative one yet. Their first record, Stuck in New York City, involved the founding members while the second record, Jumping at Shadows, had a different lineup despite the record mostly being written by the founding members. For the third record, This Time Around, the current lineup of Doug Zambon, Deaglan Howlett, Kyle Zupe and Jay Maranzino recorded together although the majority of the songs had already been written. No Matter What is the first record where every member contributed in one way, shape or form. “The most defining thing about this record is [that] everybody pulled their weight and made the album what it is,” Zambon said. “I think that’s what sets it apart from previous stuff.”

 No Matter What was a tough album to name, according to Zambon, but after pitching the lyric from the first track “Roll The Dice” everything seemed to fall into place. The track opens strong and once the vocals hit, it’s a pleasant surprise of cleverly written lyrics and careful arrangement.

The first single, “Sunrise”, comes with a strong chorus and thunderous drums. With the vocal harmonies, it creates that feel-good, sing-along track that catches the listener with the hook and reels them in by the time the chorus hits. “For me, music is about being able to participate one way or the other,” Zambon said. “The musicians are obviously important, but the sound is arguably the best part. It’s really about the people who enjoy the music. And I think and hope this is one of those songs that people will enjoy.”

No Matter What was recorded with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls at his studio, Little Eden Studios. This was the band’s third time recording with Steinkopf, who Zambon said came into this recording process knowing exactly what the band wanted to sound like this time around. His easy-going attitude and extensive musical background shows within each track and really created more of an eclectic sound that the band has been improving upon since their first release.

This record is meant to be taken in any way the listener interprets it. Wherever the listener is in life, or whatever journey the listener may be on, The Vansaders goal is to give that listener something that they can relate to personally. From Asbury Park to across the coast, No Matter What is a record for the people.
August 10, 2017 No comments

After releasing track after track from their debut self-titled album, Sleeptalk is nearly ready for a full-on record release.

The electro-pop quintet hails from the San Fernando Valley and recently signed with Artery Recordings to premiere their full-length album. Prior to their self-titled, they released two EPS titled Pure and Young.

Both EPs were written around their singles and expressed more of an electronic vibe that gave them the opportunity to hone in on their sound before releasing a full-length. The full-length was finished in January and really reflects their mutual influences of pop-punk legends. “My favorite records of all time are Take off Your Pants and Jacket and Blink-182,” vocalist Anthony Fitzpatrick said. “I remember where I was the very first time I listened to those records. Those records shaped my life, and these songs are about my life.”

The first single released from their debut album was “Indio, CA”, a tribute to the legendary Coachella Music Festival that takes place in Indio every year. Fitzpatrick attends Coachella every year and describes those experiences with a mix of love song and power anthem through sincerity in both lyrics and instruments.

“Love” is one of the more pop tracks and was the best follow-up to “Indio, CA”. Released on Valentine’s Day, “Love” embarks on being lost in a relationship and both sides being unsure of how the other feels – but each person still knows that the other is someone they can count on. Accompanying the track is a visual component created by photographer Brandon Walford that is simple but easily adds a powerful element to the song.

Although “Young” was released on their EP in 2015, it is also the fourth track on their LP. The main story is about one of those nights that go by so quickly that suddenly the sun is coming up. The theme of “Young” coincides with the theme of the record and the teenage-angst feel that each song creates.

“Strange Nights” is easily the most striking song on the album, keeping that teenage angst vibe and sharing Fitzpatrick’s journey of times when he would do anything just for the thrill of it all. It’s a story of being young and in love and coming to the realization that there needs to be a moment when growing up is mandatory.

From beginning to end, Sleeptalk’s self-titled is the perfect blend of electronic pop that tells substantial stories while being an all-around good listen. The album is available July 28. 
July 20, 2017 No comments

 

“Music was always around when I was a kid. At my grandparent's house, it was Waylon, Willie, Johnny Cash and lots of 90’s country like Hal Ketchum and John Anderson. My dad was into the Rolling Stones, The Romantics and had a bunch of tapes lying around in boxes. In the boxes, I discovered the Stooges for the first time. On a family trip to his high school friends Jack’s place, Jack played me The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Jam and The Clash for the first time. My mom was into U2, The Tragically Hip, The Commitments, Melissa Etheridge and The Pixies. I’ve never really compiled that list before and now that I'm looking at it, it’s pretty plain to see where my influences come from.”

Leeroy Stagger and his mix of influences have blended together to create 11 albums, including the recently released Love Versus. Lyrically, this record tells a personal story that he admittedly worked on harder than any of his previous writing. Sonically, he chose the best of producers and musicians to drive those lyrics home.  

The band playing on the record included Pete Thomas, longtime drummer for Elvis Costello; Paul Rigby of Neko Case; Geoff Hilhorst of The Deep Dark Woods; and his longtime bassist Tyson Maiko. Three weeks in the studio and Love Versus was created.

This is Stagger's first album that was recorded in his new home studio in Canada. The space was being built right up to the first moments of recording, from the rough cut Douglas fir walls to the 18 foot ceilings. “I’ve modelled it after the gatefold of Neil Young’s harvest,” he said.

By being fully immersed in the creation of the album by being in his own studio, each track is strategically placed in an order that won’t soon be forgotten. The progression up to this album is not only a noteworthy resume but ten other albums that show just how much harder he worked this time around.

From the specific sounds of the studio to the talent of each musician, the central theme of this album hits powerfully. After a personal event that led him to rethink his outlook on life, Love Versus rings loudly with sense of appreciation for life itself. “It forced me to deal with my own fears and in the end inspired me to want to live my life fully but also understand what it is to be grateful for the people and things I already have in my life,” he said. “During my healing process, I really pondered over the idea if love was enough to right the wrongs and mistakes I’ve made as well as heal my anxieties, fears and depression. I think it's pretty close. Self-compassion and gratitude have done wonders for me. So the title really means Love Versus and against everything else.”

Stand-out tracks include “I Want It All”, the first track that brilliantly captures both the theme and Stagger's vocals, and “Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone”, an homage to the musician idols of his childhood. “I Want It All” also hit number two on Spotify’s Canada Viral 50 chart and hit the top ten on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart.

Love Versus is available now via True North Records.
April 25, 2017 No comments

After actively working on creating an EP that demonstrates an evolved sound, Ashes of My Regrets took it to the next step of their career.

With a shared passion for metalcore, this group of longtime friends-turned-musicians turned to each other after finding their individual projects dissatisfying. Not only did they share a passion for the genre, they shared a passion for the commitment it took to establishing themselves as artists.

They learned a lot from their first record, especially since they wrote and recorded the entire album themselves, according to guitarist Brandon Rodriguez. “I feel like we’ve grown as songwriters… we took those experiences of what we didn’t like from the last recording process and made sure to try something different this time around.”

The easiest takeaway this time was working with a producer and getting that second opinion that they really thought they could have used during We All Have Our Demons. For their latest EP, Caricatures, their modern spin on metalcore combined with their want to share joyful songs with their audience has gotten them strong feedback.

The definition of caricature is, “a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things.” After doing their own research on the concept of the word, the band decided they wanted to create their own spin of the word; similar to them creating their own spin on their genre. Instead of exaggerating a picture, they wanted to exaggerate emotions and situations that the songs are about. “We wanted to treat the songs as different feelings and emotions – hope, sorrow, anger, depression, anxiety…” Rodriguez said. 

The EP has six tracks including a self-titled introduction song. At just 1:19, the band wanted their first song to be short, sweet and to the point about what they wanted their audience to gain from listening. Stand-out track of the EP is “Daydreams” which is a personal song for Brandon. Inspired by a close friend of his who battled with depression, this is the kind of sound that gives them the edge on what they’re trying to accomplish.

Ashes of My Regrets have the foundation of passion that has brought them to this EP release and has set the path for them to continue pushing past their comfort zone and into an even better next album.  
December 08, 2016 No comments

Have you ever had a specific image in your head that you could never quite replicate and show to others? For Alex Di Leo, that’s how the beginning of his solo career was sounding.

From receiving his first guitar at ten years old to playing in bands throughout middle school and high school, Di Leo's last two and a half years have been spent trying to figure out his sound. He attempted different genres, he worked with producers that ended up being incompatible, and he still wasn’t able to get the sound he wanted out of his head and into the studio. “No one [seemed] to grasp the concept of what I was trying to create and I think that’s very important for any artist working with a producer. I think the best thing for their relationship is to be on the same page and understand what exactly it is that you’re going for,” Di Leo said.

 That’s when he found Joshua Diaz.

Diaz not only produced Di Leo's EP, So We Go, but he’s also the bassist in Di Leo's live band.  After a frustrating yet insightful journey, Di Leo was able to take away what he learned about the recording process and the music industry and bring that knowledge to the new journey that lay ahead. “From the very beginning, we both had the same idea in our head and that definitely made the recording process a lot easier… Overall, he’s an awesome person to have along with the team and I’m definitely looking forward to doing future productions with him and more,” Di Leo said.

The countless hours spent in the studio shine through in each track of the EP. With the combination of inspiration through relationships and familiar life experiences, the takeaway of honest, absolute songwriting comes out with each song. The title track is a standout track in its own, yet the genuine creative force really shines through best in “I’ve Been Waiting”. The positive vibes and meticulous placing of each song perfectly brings out what Di Leo describes as ‘goosebump moments.’

“That’s what makes me continue pursuing music. It’s just that constant chase of getting that feeling.”

2016 has been Di Leo's year of dedication and proving to himself and those around him that he’s still in this, whether it’s in a band or not. He’s taken a lot of chances and demonstrated that he has his sound figured out and ready to move to the next step. Now that he’s found his voice and has been able to transcribe it to an audience, there’s no stopping him now. 
December 01, 2016 No comments
Photo courtesy of Jesse DeFlorio

After playing in various bands of various genres, going solo is a concept both rewarding and terrifying. Is it worth it? Will anyone pay attention? Will this completely backfire? Is the music good enough?

Yes. Yes. No. Absolutely.

Those answers are in response to JW Sargent’s debut solo EP, In Retrograde.

Sargent has been playing music for what seems like his entire life, starting by picking up a guitar at age seven. He’s the only one in the family that plays instruments, but it’s his father that loved music and became his biggest supporter as he chose to pursue it.

He played in bands starting in middle school and transitioning into high school and college. Post-graduation, he found himself back in the area he grew up in and in a weird transition period. Moving back was a clean-slate period for JW and he wanted to use it to his advantage. “I treated it as a fresh start and when I moved back up here I took that as an opportunity… as a sign to see what I can do on my own. I was working in so many ways to be self-reliant in a lot of other areas of my life and I brought that to music,” he said.

The recording process for In Retrograde was similar to when he recorded with the bands he was in, except this time around was missing a crucial element – the ideas and opinions of others. “One of the struggles that I had to figure out and overcome [was] how to trust yourself and get behind your own ideas. I was trying to be as authentic as possible and not trying to box myself in. I was just trying to let the songs come out organically and not shy away from things I shied away from previously. I wanted to let it evolve on its own.”

And evolve it did. In Retrograde combines the sound structure and instrumentation that you would find in a variety of different genre bands and combines them into just four songs. There are many apparent complex layers within each track that blend together in a sound that shouldn’t be defined. The lyrics are powerful and haunting which adds to that undefined sound. Its message brings that whole “light at the end of the tunnel” triteness without the excessive repetition.

“The whole concept of In Retrograde has a lot to do with the illusion of moving backwards but actually moving forward. A lot of times, people are working hard at something and the harder you work it seems like the further you’re slipping backwards. But really that’s sort of an illusion because even if it doesn’t look like physical progress or tangible progress, every little step is a step. In a way, sort of coming to terms with that and taking solace in finding that lightness in the darkness.”

In Retrograde is available November 18, 2016.
November 17, 2016 No comments
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