Leave Behind – “Torn Apart and Wasted”
-You wouldn’t know it to see me driving my minivan to soccer practice these days, but I used to be a punk rock fan… mxpx, Relient K, Good Charlotte… definitely spent my time in some sticky-floored venues in the early 2000s at the height of pop punk. I’m always eager to hear a sound like that like this new track from Leave Behind. The harmonies lean a bit more toward Good Charlotte compared to, say, Blink182. Nevertheless, the up tempo style and power chords work perfectly for keeping pop punk alive. The lyrics are, as is custom, focused on heartache and pleading for a partner to stay. Honestly, this song feels like a time capsule and I’m as surprised as anyone that it’s from 2025 and not two decades ago. Bravo.
Sam Burchfield – “Holiday”
-This is not the first time I’ve featured Sam Burchfield and, frankly, I’m certain it won’t be the last. There’s just something about an artist who can make this impossibly difficult task of writing a song like this… feel so gosh darn easy. Burchfield feels like he has captured some of the magic of Paul McCartney and blended it with… a contemporary alt country artist like Andrew Bird. I know those might seem like disparate comparisons, but just listen to the sound. It’s rock, sure, but it’s the kind of rock that makes you feel comfortable not want to rebel or burn down the establishment. There’s something relatable about the lyric about everything being the same, seeking that “one more holiday” as a step towards the grave. It’s a sardonic lyrical concept that goes down smooth. Jesse Welles would be proud of this tune.
Slumber – “Days Like These”
-I’m an absolute sucker for well placed distortion; let me say that again… well placed distortion. There’s this trend in alt rock these days to make EVERYTHING so distorted that the sound feels “off.” This song from Slumber carries that “spirit of grunge” while still making it something you can listen to. The percussive energy is full and vibrant, really keeping the song moving along. Those guitar breaks in between the relatively understated vocal makes for a delicious dynamic mix. I’m sure there’s a good comp for this band among those of you who know alt rock with more depth, but to me they feel like they would jive with fans of Radiohead or Arctic Monkeys.
Image courtesy: Our mashup of images from Leave Behind IG
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