The latest recruits to Equal Vision Records, Northern Faces recently released their debut EP Southern Places, a strong effort consisting of five self-produced tunes that spotlight the band’s indie rock roots while pulling elements from noise, experimental, and even blues rock.
After shocking fans and supporters when his one-month long IndieGoGo campaign raised over $50,000, Mae’s former frontman Dave Elkins has independently released his first album Color (n.) Inside The Lines under the name Schematic. The album shows a musical side of Elkins that fans have yet to see, and while his creative ambition is admirable, one can only hope that his experimentation won’t backfire and leave fans confused about where his music is going.
If a listener ever found himself or herself in need of an album to narrate their life story at the point where they’re staring up at the sky asking the big questions of life, Satellite’s Calling Birds may be the one.
If you remember Oceana, then mentally cross that band name out and scribble in Polyenso instead. Except it’s not quite so simple because with a new name and a recent self-released album, it’s crystal clear that this is not the “post-hardcore†band listeners may have thought they knew before their break.
With a couple hits and misses, the Acoustic EP effectively reveals another dimension in City Lights’ sound.
Such Gold’s debut full-length Misadventures takes the problems everyone can relate to and turns them into gut-twisting melodic hardcore songs. Known for their catchy EP’s, this time around the band has dropped the sing-a-long choruses and traded them in for a more complex sound with the help of producer Steve Evetts (Lifetime, Saves The Day, Every Time I Die).
Independent and driven by the help of their fans, The Spill Canvas use their newfound freedom to explore their sound. Gestalt is a seamless record that hasn’t left a musical stone unturned.
Although their new EP Brand New Life only has three songs, Life After Liftoff have a sound as big as the town they’re from. The four-piece from Dayton, Ohio try to use their cheerful sound to spread a positive message to the adolescents their music is aimed at.
With a debut release that plays like the musical lovechild of Copeland, This Day And Age, and Daphne Loves Derby, Author are perfect for both the nostalgic older crowd and a new generation of listeners who missed out on those bands’ golden years.
The Season, the debut full-length from Charleston, SC’s All Get Out, is a record dripping with honesty from every pore. Released at the end of last year on Favorite Gentleman Records, The Season seems like something that would fit in very well with the likes of Manchester Orchestra, O’Brother, or Kevin Devine.
