We Came As Romans’ new album Tracing Back Roots contains a lot of what their previous fans loved as well as a few surprises thrown in. While the album feels a bit stale at points, altogether it proves to be cohesive, uplifting, and appealing.
Love You In The Dark, the first solo effort of Now, Now’s Brad Hale, slides seamlessly from repetitively somber to ecstatic within the span of a few songs and explores all manners of human strength and weakness. It manages to find the gaps in the armor of humankind in the most delicate way possible, which is often a considerable feat for seemingly innocuous pop or electronic music.
Despite some minor mishaps, both Matt Vincent and Alex Correia hold their own with their earnest, genuine delivery of emotionally riveting music, stripping their musicianship to its bare bones to display their talent in its purest form.
Although You’re Always On My Mind marks the second full-length release for A Great Big Pile Of Leaves, it’s the band’s first album with an outside producer (Ed Ackerson) and the musical advances shine through. The album feels like the first time you surpass the “small talk†level with someone and realize that they’re holding plenty of mixed feelings about this whole life thing within themselves, too.
Four-piece Ohio natives Mixtapes channel an old school, timeless pop punk feeling that makes one nostalgic for the early punk scene, riddled with introspective lyrics and power chord-driven guitars.
One listen to Driver Friendly’s latest EP, Peaks + Valleys, and you’ll know why the band is gaining momentum like they are. The six songs on the EP are short and sweet, but are chock full of energy, passion, and a whole lot of fun.
We choose this band as our Eddie Jason & Chris ReverbNation Artist of the Month back in September of 2012. Why? We knew they were a unique and fun spirited band that would eventually take a big seat in the alternative and indie music world (you can listen to that interview here). Fast forward to Warped 2013… not only are New Beat Fund hand selected to play at Warped, playing the Kevin Says stage, but they’ve also landed a big record deal on Red Bull Records. We couldn’t be more happy for and proud of New Beat Fund! Official Website
On their appropriately titled debut LP, Youth, Citizen unsurprisingly addresses coming-of-age angst – typical fodder for most young, earnest pop punk bands – yet somehow they accomplish it without sounding stale or cliche.
Say Anything treated New York fans to a special night of b-sides and deep cuts when the Rarities Tour hit Irving Plaza. Photos by Tanya Gelman.
Waiting For The Dawn can go one of two ways: shuffled in with your summer CD collection to be blasted while driving down the highway, or excavated for a vastly deeper meaning. The album is conscientious in its commentary; always offering nuggets of wisdom and fresh ways to revamp your worldview for the brighter.
