Archives: October 2019
Ian’s Party 2020 Announces First Wave Lineup
The 13th annual Ian’s Party will take place Friday, January 3rd – Sunday, January 5th at both Chop Shop and Subterranean. The first wave lineup was revealed today and includes performances by Meat Wave, The Brokedowns, Vacation, The Bobby Conn Experience, Absolutely Not, Ono, C.H.E.W., No Men, Lung, Paper Mice, Typesetter, Howardian, Joshua Virtue, Malci, and Two Houses. In addition, the following acts will also appear: Blacker Face, Hitter, Masonic Wave, Bruges, Wood Chickens, Lovely Little Girls, Bev Rage and the Drinks, Topomaka, Hawley, Wig, Clickbait, Nonnie Parry, Abertooth Lincoln, and American Draft.
Early Bird weekend passes will go on sale Friday, November 1st at 10:00 AM and are available for $30 each. Purchase them here and be advised they’ll remain at this price until Sunday, November 3rd, but will increase after that. Single day passes will be available soon and more bands will be announced at a later date.
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Listen to Ian’s Party 2020 Spotify Playlist!
The Menzingers – Hello Exile
Epitaph – Release Date: 10/04/19
On their previous album, 2017’s After the Party, The Menzingers made significant strides in evolving their sound and advancing their songwriting. With Hello Exile, they’ve raised the bar again, a feat that most bands rarely accomplish. In short, they remain committed to breaking new ground and are remarkably consistent and successful in doing so. The record begins with “America (You’re Freaking Me Out),” which is undeniably one of the strongest songs they’ve ever written. While not overtly political, it really captures what it feels like to be living in America right now and also features a huge yet seemingly unforced chorus. “Strangers Forever” presents a unique, alternating rhythm and lyrics that address a dissolved relationship. The back and forth nature of the tempo mimics the conflicting emotions that often occur in situations such as this. Additionally, the song is a great example of their continued growth with crafting layered and intricate arrangements.
“Portland” is one of the more upbeat songs on the album, with numerous melodic guitar leads present throughout. It’s catchy without being predictable and includes a rousing, shout-along chorus. “Strain Your Memory” examines a relationship at a crossroads and contains some of the record’s most heartfelt lyrics. It’s mature, slightly suggestive of late ‘70s Tom Petty and seems much shorter than its actual duration of four minutes. Without question, it’s one of the top songs on Hello Exile. Another noteworthy track is “Strawberry Mansion,” a somewhat throwback to their earlier sound that embraces a subtle Clash influence.
The album is brought to a close with “Farewell Youth,” a somber entry that details the passing of a close friend. In many ways, it’s the perfect album closer as it represents a letting go of the past while simultaneously looking to the future. This same feeling is reflected in the evolution that The Menzingers continually display on Hello Exile. The end result is not only their most adult record to date, but also one of their most comprehensive.
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Ramona
Last month, we caught up with Ramona after their set at Riot Fest. We spoke with singer/guitarist Diego Medrano and singer/bassist Abby Vigderman about their debut album, called Deals, Deals, Deals! (Drummer Shannon Ledbetter couldn’t be present and was presumably roaming the festival grounds). We talked about how the band connected with Red Scare for the record’s release, as well as what recording was like, some of the album’s lyrics and more. Deals, Deals, Deals! finds Ramona combining melodic punk with indie rock, and emphasizing personal, introspective lyrics. Thanks to the unique songwriting found throughout, the record is easily one of the most promising debuts of the year. In addition, we discussed the band’s performance at Riot Fest, their plans for new music and more.
Continue Reading…Song Premiere: The Addisons – “Fake It”
We’re premiering a new song below, called “Fake It,” from Chicago’s The Addisons. It was produced by Jeff Dean, (Airstream Futures, All Eyes West, The Bomb) at Million Yen Studios and represents the band’s first recording since the addition of drummer Jesse Carmona, (formerly of God’s Reflex). When speaking about how the song came together, bassist Rick Uncapher said “It developed around the drum beat that Jesse came up with and sort of took on a life of its own. We’ve been doing the melodic pop thing for a while and it’s fun to see where else we can take the songs without straying too far from our sound.” The song is available now on all digital platforms and also marks The Addisons’ first new music since releasing their Here It Comes Again EP last year. Catch them this Saturday, October 5th at The Elbo Room with Pollinators, The Last Afternoons, Gooey, and Frankie B. The show starts at 7:00 PM, is 21+ and tickets are $7 in advance.
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