Latest Posts

Love Ghost – Memento Mori

March 2, 2025

Last time we checked in with LA-based act Love Ghost, we were emotionally crushed by the dark and heavy alt rock found on his collaborative album, Love Ghost x Skold. A mere four months later, the prolific Love Ghost, aka Finnegan Seeker Bell, is back with another batch of songs that really make you ponder the meaning of existence. Memento Mori is his new seven-song collection, a hard and harsh look at love, loss, and existential reckoning through a unique blend of influences, namely alt rock, emo trap, and Latin urban. Once again, he’s teamed up with a veritable dream team of collaborators – Deer, Plata, Verumicito, Young Aleexx, Katsu Energy, Ardis, and xKori and producers Berdu, Otho, Comisarios and Erving River. The laundry list reads long, but the result is unique and powerful – a blend of Spanish/English lyrics that cross the lines of both genre and culture with appeal from[...]

Marcus: the Apex Predator! – Newborn Fossil

February 26, 2025

Detroit-based Marcus: the Apex Predator! (MTAP) return from a seven-year gap with their latest offering, the five-song Newborn Fossil.   Newborn Fossil kicks itself off with a telling title track, highlighting their penchant for gritty, guitar-forward sounds – jaunty rhythms conjure hints of Death From Above 1979, while gravely-voiced singing from frontman/songwriter Kevin Watts instantly recalls the rawness of ’90s legends Archers of Loaf. Bandmates Nick Marko (drums) and Sean Bondareff (bass) form a rock-solid rhythm section that anchor Watts’ oddly melodic guitar playing. Lyrically, the band explores unique imagery – in this case, literally a “newborn fossil,” with Watts proclaiming that said fossil is his doppelgänger. If this is a roundabout way of coming to terms with the aging process, Watts & co. have found a thought-provoking way to portray it. Track two, “Lo-Fi” continues the Archers of Loaf vibe, with big, lightly-discordant guitar theatrics that tickle the eardrums with[...]

gas station. – “More, or Less”

February 24, 2025

In a triumphant few weeks for Triple Hammer Records, gas station. is the latest of their crew to drop a new song. “More, or Less” isn’t quite the pop punk banger you might be expecting if you’re familiar with their canon – instead, the scrappy three piece put down the electric instruments (and their drums, for that matter) in exchange for a tender, acoustic offering. Heavy lyrics about falling down with a fork in your mouth and penning your will at 29 are powerful and are performed with a fittingly somber emotion, set off by the lone acoustic guitar accompaniment plucking its cyclical patterns. The band explains “More, or Less” simply:   “A song about age, meaning, and what have you.”   You can find “More, or Less” on bandcamp (below), or on Spotify or Apple Music. Also, keep up with all of gas station.’s goings-on with this helpful little[...]

Robbery Club – Loot

February 20, 2025

Punk rock will never die – and Buffalo four-piece Robbery Club (RC) are here to prove it. Doesn’t it feel like nobody wants to start up a guitar band anymore? Nobody told RC – and while this isn’t their official debut (and they’ve formed from the ashes of previously-beloved act Ghostpool), it’s a much-anticipated continuation of what promises to be a beloved oeuvre. They’re calling this one Loot, a perfectly succinct, five-song drop of songs made to play at unreasonable volumes in a sweat-soaked basement. Top it off with a healthy dose of existential dread and you have yourselves our album of the week.   The EP kicks off with “Bitter Pills,” an adrenaline-soaked blast of fun emo punk energy – what else? Spitfire guitars, punched-up drumming, and gritty bass will be the calling cards throughout this EP – for a batch of punk songs, you don’t need much else.[...]

Terry Blade – Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues

February 17, 2025

Chicago’s Terry Blade is a singer/songwriter whose passion for everything-blues comes through perfectly on his latest output, Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues. An ethnographic account of both blues pioneers and an honest representation of Blade’s blues-based songwriting, Blade combines excerpts of interviews with innovators of the genre (think Theresa Needham; Jimmy Walker; Muddy Waters Jr., Willie Monroe; and Lefty Dizz), procured via public domain by Blade himself, with the soulful blues meanderings that fans of the genre have come to know and expect. These interviews from 1977 offer the listener a unique juxtaposition – a reverence for the trailblazers of the past mixed with Blade’s passion to keep the genre alive today.   There are two types of songs on Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues – song one (and every other song thereafter) features an excerpt from the aforementioned interviews, starting with the godmother of Chicago Blues herself, Theresa Needham.[...]

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles – Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles

February 17, 2025

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles (K&T8MM) is an Orlando, FL-based garage rock act who mix gritty and raw production with fun, and smartly melodic compositions. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between nerdy-but-articulate emo rockers like Modern Baseball or Mom Jeans and the fuzzed-out cacophony of bands like WAVVES or FIDLAR, their latest album, a self-titled affair, is a 10-song exploration of chunky, guitar-driven songs that are full of cuss words, self-hatred, and more than a few sugary melodies that find themselves worming their way into your brain.   The album kicks off with a four-on-the-floor drumbeat that explodes into a wall of guitar feedback. Right away, Kyle & co. put their best feet forward (which may explain their respectable eight minute mile time) with “Despair,” pairing fun and extra-rhythmic vocals with tasty melodies. The guitars here are grungy as all get out – sounding almost atonal at times, but never[...]

Alex Runo – Living & Breathing

February 16, 2025

First thing’s first – Alex Runo has some pipes. Some journalists from his native Sweden even (allegedly) call him the best singer in Sweden… One listen through his latest offering Living & Breathing (L&B) will have you feeling the same way – a five-song collection (plus a bonus live track) of previously unreleased Runo material that showcases what the man can really do… *sing* his heart out, to clarify.   Runo’s emotional tenor is the highlight of this LP – that becomes evident right away. “No Good Gone” finds Runo belting in a powerful wail while effortlessly switching into airy falsetto moments later. There’s a retro rock flavor to “No Good Gone” that brings to mind efforts from Maroon 5 or even a SexyBack era Justin Timberlake track – Runo’s stuff would certainly fit comfortably on a shelf next to either of them. “White Flag” falls into this camp as well –[...]

BRIGHT IDEAS – “NEXUS”

February 15, 2025

Dallas, TX act BRIGHT IDEAS is going to be the soundtrack to your next late-night drive with latest banger, “Nexus.” With quippy vocal samples; trap-esque percussion; and a constant flair of future bass, “NEXUS” keeps up a constant energy that begs to be visually accompanied by neon lights and blurry streetlights. This one was purposely written to have no breaks to keep up a fun, consistent energy – let this one rattle your windows as you race down the highway tomorrow night.   Add “NEXUS” to your favorite Witch House or Wave playlist on Spotify.   BRIGHT IDEAS · NEXUS

Gutter Crowns – “Denial”

February 15, 2025

Welland, Ontario-based quartet Gutter Crowns are here to hit you with the type of basement-born emo that reminds you of your high school glory days. “Denial” has twinkly riffs and harmonics aplenty, with a mix that sounds like something you’d hear on a 7″ back in 1999. DIY, home-recording vibes give an American Football or Mineral Vibe, which maintains the groups ultra-sincere band-in-a-room mouthfeel. Side note: Gutter Crown likes to play Halo 3 and drink soda on the weekends… So maybe this really will help you harken back to your glory days.   Check out the music video via the YouTube embed below – then add it to your favorite emo Spotify playlist.

DYAN – “Acoustic Midwest”

February 15, 2025

DYAN wraps up her album cycle with the lovely, heartstring-pulling “Acoustic Midwest.” A bare bones arrangement that highlights film composer Alexis Dyan Marsh’s vulnerable-but-stunning vocals atop beautifully strummed acoustic guitar, “Acoustic Midwest” is one of those songs that truly lets itself do the heavy lifting. Lyrics about protecting your child and vague Midwestern imagery give a strong sense of nostalgia that, like DYAN explains, “bring out the tender defiance of leaving.” Throw this one on during your next early winter morning while you sip your coffee.   Check out “Acoustic Midwest” via the YouTube embed below, or, add it to your Spotify or Apple Music playlists.  

Head North – Winner!

February 13, 2025

Head North – Buffalo’s favorite cosmic rock act of yesteryear…? Maybe 2025 actually *is* the year of long-awaited reunions? If so, Head North’s resurgence is a harbinger of wonderful things to come.   This band has been through many different forms throughout the years – led by the incomparable Brent Martone and rooted by the strong and inventive drumming of Ben Lieber, Head North has always managed to push the limits of whatever genre they’re inhabiting in that specific moment in time. This time, they’re joined by Eli Ritter on guitar and John Vaughan on bass – the result is their latest offering, Winner!, a wildly inventive and certainly cosmic batch of twelve songs that have as much (or even more) in common with late 90s electronica acts like Moby or Primitive Radio Gods as they do with the emo and pop punk roots where they planted their roots. Gone are[...]

Cape Crush x Good June x Impossible Dog – Good Dogs Wear Capes

February 4, 2025

Isn’t it a lovely thing when local bands get along? This spicy collab between Boston-based acts Cape Crush, Good June, and Impossible Dog even has the perfect, all-encompassing name – Good Dogs Wear Capes – a six song collection of heartfelt emo, indie, and pop songwriting lovingly crafted by like-minded musicians.   Teaming up first with Good June first, Cape Crush and crew conjure up “Apple at the Aggy,” an excellent way to launch the EP – with big, chunky chords and a sugary-sweet na-na-na melody, we’re immediately taken back to our favorite songs from bands like Weezer, Tigers Jaw, and/or Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. With lyrics ranging from eating apples a la mode to proclamations of being unforgiveable and/or formidable, this has all the quirky-but-poetic hallmarks of excellent emo. Charming harmonies and big breakdowns help to give this song an extraordinary sense of movement – wrapping it all[...]

Bob’s Dock – The Mystic

January 29, 2025

Sometimes a band is just a group of dudes who love music – and that seems to be the m.o. from Grand Rapids Michigan act Bob’s Dock. They specialize in the kind of pop rock that has an omni-appealing vibe, highly influenced by music from the 70s, alt rock, and indie rock. Their latest offering is The Mystic, a 10-song collection of guitar-driven songs with a jam/prog-band edge, feeling summery and fun without ever stepping too far into feel-good territory. Here’s a little bit about the band from guitarist/singer Jason Heath:   “Some artists are all about entertaining their audience with their music, but others have a deeper goal. They want to make a genuine connection… This is the case of Bob’s Dock.”   The project starts with “Don’t Look Back,” a great introduction to Bob’s Dock’s sound. Crispy and clean guitars sing out in unison to kick the song off[...]

The Kartetch – The Fallacy

January 24, 2025

Georgian musicmakers (the country, not the state) The Kartetch specialize in guitar-driven music that compresses elements of shoegaze, indie rock, and industrial music into a primordial, grungy sludge. Their latest EP is called The Fallacy, a four-song offering that will challenge your perceptions of modern alternative music with its wild (but utterly calculated) exploration of what guitar-forward music can truly be. In their words, The Fallacy is:   “Loud guitar music based on principles: ‘Don’t dodge the answers’ and ‘Shoegaze can be with fists.’ However, this may be only a misconception.” Certainly a profound statement from a profound band… But this profundity is on-brand for this mysterious act, and certainly explains a lot as you’re digesting The Fallacy throughout your first few listens.   The Kartetch kicks off the EP with a strong offering, the fleeting “The Sightseeing Night.” Here, we’re introduced to the mainstays of The Kartetch’s sound – unhinged guitar[...]

Disco Nap – “Do It”

January 23, 2025

Chicago-based act Disco Nap know how to groove – evident on their latest offering, “Do It.” Glassy guitar tones, a bumping bassline, and an absolutely insane drum presence power this one forth, channeling contemporaries like Crumb with their jazzy blend of indie rock. More of a mood than a song, “Do It” challenges notions of contemporary songwriting with a deep-seeded feel that transcends tried-and-true verse-chorus-verse methods. It’s set off by an omni-pleasant vocal presence that never overpowers – laying a soothing melody over this neurotic but soothing jam.   You can find “Do It” on Spotify, but be sure to preview using the Soundcloud embed below.   Disco Nap · DO IT