What To Listen To: They just released their latest album, “Kinda Hard.” The album, like many of their tracks, is an innuendo, but it also represents how this album goes a little bit harder than the previous.
Some of my favorite tracks include: “The End,” “Better Hell (Thicc boi),” “Miss Me,” “Boutta Cashew,” “Livin’ Laughin’ Lovin,” “2026 Cavaliers (Ohio,” “Blindsided,” “Corn-Fed Yetis,” “Anabolic Spudsman,” “A Hogman’s Delight,” “ACowboysHeavyLoad,” “ABSOLUTELYCRANKINMYMF’INHOG,” “FLOURIDEINTHEHARDSELTZERWATER,”
Why: I discovered the brilliance of Johnny Franck last year. He became my number one artist and four songs from “American Motorsports” were in my top five.
The music is so unique, blending multiple genres. The lyrics and sounds are nostalgic. The track titles are funny.
I caught him last year on tour in Boston and have a review of it here!
A few years back, one of my best friends sent me the video below and told me that he thinks that I would like this band named Rainbow Kitten Surprise. And man, was he right.
I didn’t listen to them much for the next few years, and then I recently got into them after the release of their most recent album, Bones.
They have become my current favorite band and I can’t stop listening to them.
Their song “100 Summers” from their latest album will become one of my most played songs this year. Check it out!
About: Ireland’s alternative emo darlings Greywind are finally back with new music – and a story to tell. The Killarney-based brother and sister duo of Steph and Paul O’Sullivan have experienced a lot in their career. The bands formative years saw the two struggling to navigate the juxtaposition of some remarkable highs and traumatic lows. Heroic praise of their sets at Reading & Leeds and Download Festival were often drowned out by unreasonable expectations of those around them. Even renowned radio DJ Zane Lowe (BBC, Apple Music) referring to Greywind as “A moment you won’t forget if you’re a fan of rock music” didn’t seem to quench the thirst of the short-sightedness surrounding them at the time. Then, when confronted by the isolation of a global pandemic, Greywind found themselves struggling mentally & emotionally to decide on the best path forward. As a result, they swore they wouldn’t put out another note of new music until they had the rights to their major-label-released debut album ‘Afterthoughts’ back. Now, after a lengthy struggle, and a 2023 viral surge that saw multiple songs off ‘Afterthoughts’ reaching millions of new fans globally, they’re more than ready to usher in a new era of their career with a brand new single called “Antidote.” Jointly produced by Sam Guaiana (Neck Deep, Silverstein) & The Wonder Years’ guitarist Casey Cavaliere, “Antidote” is a song fueled by the visceral whirlwind of emotions experienced by Steph and Paul in the first phase of their career.
About: The Strike is a three-member band based in Los Angeles, CA including frontman Chris Crabb, Jay Tibbitts (drums), and David Maemone (keys/guitar). The Strike released their debut album “Faint of Heart” in June of 2017, which was met with great enthusiasm nationally. The success of the record allowed them to expand their presence into Los Angeles from the greater Mountain West region where the band started. In 2022 the band signed with Nettwerk Music Group and released their follow-up album “The Lost Years,” which helped them garner national attention and begin touring. The Strike will be releasing their third studio album in the Fall of 2024. The album was recorded with acclaimed producer John Fields (Jonas Brothers, Ben Rector, Cory Wong, Switchfoot).
The Strike is known for their captivating live performances. In an age of musical minimalism, The Strike is reminiscent of rock bands from the 70’s and 80’s. They feature true showmanship in an age where the art of performance has been forgotten. Chris Crabb’s vocal style is akin to rock vocalists such as John Waite, or Steve Perry. The band members are all students at their craft. Those who attend Strike shows become instant fans.
Band members:
Chris Crabb – Vocals
Jay Tibbitts – Drums
David Maemone (keys/guitar)
Where are they from: Los Angeles, CA
Reminds me of: The 1975, Thriving Ivory, Journey, if Patrick Stump fronted a an 80’s rock band.
My favorite band, Good Hangs, have just released a new EP titled, DO IT FOR DALE (hope my love will quit). The album and title track got it’s name from the guys finding out that Nascar Xfinity Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a few of their songs on his playlist. The North Carolina native is apparently a bit time of pop-punk including bands like Have Mercy and The Wonder Years, and more recently Good Hangs.
My two favorites from the EP are pc4pc (hurt) and If I ate mold, do you think I’d notice? (Disa Disa Disa).
DO IT FOR DALE (hope my love will quit) is a song about trying to get over the love you have for your buddy’s girlfriend.
pc4pc (hurt) is a beautiful song about losing out on love due to addiction. The catchy, repetetive words in the chorus will surely get stuck in your head.
If I ate mold, do you think I’d notice? (Disa Disa Disa) is a song about your current, working professional, thirty-year old self looking back on you in your early twenties and being disappointed in how you never reached your dreams or at least are still pursuing them.
I Hate This City (Without You) starts off with a Mark Hoppus style bass line. And, just like so many pop punk albums had one or two acoustic songs, they also always had a song about how different the singer’s town feels now without their love there anymore. And this song is just that.
I just posted about how Bon Iver has a three-track EP coming out this month and has already released a track. This is the first new music released by Bon Iver in over five years. But even if we got new Bon Iver music every day, it’s still wouldn’t be enough. That is why I’ve put together a Spotify playlist so you can listen to my other Bon Iver. This includes Artists and bands that sound like them, as well as side projects and previous bands that Justin Vernon, Sean, Carrie, and other members have been in.
I will keep doing more as I think of them or discover them!
Justin Vernon – Before he started Bon Iver, Justin Vernon released music under his actual name. The songs are raw, emotional, beautiful, and he sounds like Springsteen. There is even a great medley out there called.” Drinking This Rain, I’m on Fire.”
DeYarmond Edison – The band that Justin was in during college.
The Shouting Matches – A trio that Justin is in that makes music for fans of The Stones and The Black Keys.
Gayngs – A soulful soft rock supergroup comprised of Justin and members of other bands like Megafaun, who the rest of DeYarmond Edison went on to start.
Volcano Choir – Another side project of Justin’s.
Kanye West’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is one of the best albums ever made. Of any genre. And Bon Iver is on two tracks on this album including a sample of “Woods.”
The Tallest Man on Earth – Bob Dylan of Sweden. Mikey from Bon Iver went on to play violin for them.
James Vincent McMorrow – Basically Irish Bon Iver.
Cautious Clay – A phenomenal singer from Ohio with similar vocals.
Sleep Token – a British rock band from London. The song on this playlist is reminiscent of “Woods” where they use their vocals as the instrument.
Justin Nzouka – A singer-songwriter from Canada.
Francis and the Lights – Modern day Huey Lewis and the News. Has collaborated with Bon Iver.
José González – A phenomenal Swedish indie sfoll singer songwriter from Gothenburg. You have definitely heard “Heartbeats” before. His band, Junip, is also great.
Rogue Wave – A great band featured in some great movies.
Taylor Swift – You might have heard of her. Aarón Dessner, of The National, has been producing Taylor Swift for a few albums now and encouraged her to reach out to Justin and get him on a track from her album, Folklore.
The National. Get to know them. They founder Boston Calling with Bon Iver and Eaux Claire, the festival in Justin’s hometown in Vermont.
Iron & Wine – Very similar style. Received worldwide recognition with his Postal Service cover.
Ben Howard – Bon Iver of London with a fantastic guitar styling.
Gregory Alan Isakov – Bon Iver of Colorado.
Novo Amor – Welsh Bon Iver.
S. Carey – The solo project of Sean Carrey, the drummer of Bon Iver.
I grew up with Duncan. He graduated a few years ahead of me and I have been following his music career since my early teens. I have watched his music genres change, blend, and evolve of the years and found his lyrics only more relatable the older I get. He is a great singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist who can make a great sounding album with his own skills and talents.
I listened to this album from start to finish on a drive to New Hampshire recently, which seemed to just make sense. My son, who turns four soon, listened along and didn’t ask for Spider-Man the whole 10-song, 34 minute album. When I asked him what he thought, he said it was, “Great.”
The whole time I was listening to this album I had one thought: It reminds me of John Mayer’s Born and Raised mixed with the guitar licks of his other albums. This album seems like Pelletier’s Born and Raised. His dive into country music during a time in his life filled with changes.
About: Maine-based singer/songwriter Duncan Pelletier has been making music for over a decade in various capacities. As a solo artist, studio musician, and live theater composer, Pelletier tactfully weaves together elements of soft rock, blue-eyed soul, and traditional pop, resulting in a sound that benefits from influence while feeling uniquely his own.
“More Drugs” is a great song about mental health and just needing a little bit more time and more chemicals to figure everything out. I love the line about trying to get the codes right inside of you. And the organ in the bridge gives the whole song a southern feel.
“Nothing More” to come is another fun song about something ending. I really enjoy the bells in this one.
Up to Me” sounds like it could be a theme song to a 1990s television show. Did they still do that with modern television? If so, someone send this to Hollywood. I love the these lyrics, “Start feeling the pressure. Don’t dig in the dirt. I never felt better after I got hurt.”
“Nowhere At All” is a very reflective song filled with some twang and palm muted guitar and chorus that claims “I am everywhere, but nowhere at all.” And who hasn’t felt like that before?
“For a While” is the most country song on the whole album. Sounding like it was written on a rocking chair in Montana. Great guitar solo.
Start Right Here” also sounds like a theme song to a sitcom and I really love when the Oregon hits in this one.
I actually went ahead and added “Up to Me” to the Full House opening and it kind of works perfectly!
I do not like being recommended music. Maybe by friends, but not by a computer or algorithm. It is why I never understood Pandora. But recently, the Instagram algorithm has really recommended some great bands to me and I wanted to showcase some of them.
Genre: Pop Punk, Emo.
About: Good Hangs is a love letter to kids who came up in the local scene and now slog through mid-level management. The raw but earnest vocal harmonies, catchy guitar riffs, and poignant lyrics amp up the nostalgia for life as a millennial before society’s descent into dystopia. Because even when everything else is sh*t, you and your best friends can still crack open some PBRs, crank up the volume, and sing at the top of your lungs.
When there’s nothing to look forward to, look back. There’s no hope, just good hangs.
Members are Michael “Stein” Steinheiser (Singer/Frontman), Anthony Pierri (Guitar), Dominic Pierri (Bass/Backup Singer), Matt Ackman (Guitar), and Jack Mancuso (Drums).
Where are they from: Illinois
Remind me of: Brand New, Blink-182, every band you loved growing up who played at Warped Tour and now plays at When We Were Young.
