Arriving amidst an avalanche of acoustic EPs and reimaginings, pop-rock favorites State Champs share a collection of mostly new material that fans won’t soon forget.
State Champs has never quite fit the mold of an alternative band. Too pop for the punk kids and too punk for the pop world; the upstate New York-based group has always found success on their terms. They don’t need radio or Rolling Stone to pay attention because young audiences around the globe are connecting with their music. Their songs speak to the struggle of growing up and navigating relationships in our increasingly complicated world.
If the age of COVID-19 has given us anything worthwhile in music, it’s a seemingly endless supply of unplugged and reimagined releases. Every week it seems that multiple artists are stripping down or otherwise reworking their biggest hits to keep fans engaged while touring remains impossible. It’s smart business because these releases usually cost very little to produce, but so many artists are attempting to cash in that most EPs of the sort are getting lost in the shuffle.
Enter Unplugged, a simple title for a release that is anything but. Rather than giving into tradition and releasing different versions of proven material, the men in State Champs are giving fans four new tracks (and two acoustic reimaginings—just for good measure) that look toward the future. The intimate nature of the recording allows for the group’s talent to shine through. There is no room for production wizardry or inauthentic lyricism. State Champs share who they are and where they want to be, all while delivering big hooks with catchy melodies.
“10 AM,” one of the lead singles from the Unplugged, captures the release’s energy with a mention of wanting something different. The entire affair feels made for summer, with shimmering electronics on top of a driving acoustic line and drums played with brushes. If it were electric, which it seems destined to become, the song would bring crowds together in gang vocals that emphasize every syllable of the chorus. As is, however, it’s a reflective track about learning to love yourself in times when your best isn’t good enough.
Another track, “Crying Out Loud,” delivers an instantly memorable riff that gives way to piano accompaniment that adds dramatic heft to the affair. Love and longing remain a focus of the lyrics, but the sentiment is different. After years of rejection, anyone in their right mind would begin to question the value of letting others in. Heartache tends to make us numb. That’s how our hearts and brains work to protect us when we feel hurt. State Champs know that feeling all too well, and they’ve lived long enough to understand it’s no way to live. Love is the one thing worth fighting for, even if it doesn’t seem like it right now.
On their debut album, Transitional Forms, Sharptooth reminds us of the power music wields and why more artists should use their platform to influence meaningful change.
2020 is giving everyone a lesson in privilege that we won’t soon forget. The vast majority of people now understand the plight of others in a way that is undeniable. Anyone still refusing to acknowledge the discrepancies and advantages that exist due to class, age, disability, race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religion are merely choosing to ignore facts. That lack of acceptance is poisoning our culture and throttling the progress of society. It’s a plague that, like our current pandemic, needs to be stamped out of existence before we can move forward as a species. Empathy and understanding are essential for systemic change, but far too many continue to reveal their positions of privilege by remaining silent. In the words of Sharptooth, wielding such power must be nice.
On Transitional Forms, Sharptooth thrusts a dagger straight into the heart of hate and ignorance with thought-provoking lyricism and chaotic instrumentation. Their sound is propulsive, both musically and lyrically. It’s like a freight train that is racing at such highs speeds that the cars begin to come off the tracks ever-so-slightly. One is always wondering whether the band will maintain the momentum or aggression of what’s transpiring, but disaster is narrowly averted at the last possible second.
But there are a lot of bands that people describe as being loud and fast. Sharptooth sets themselves apart by turning the tables on their scene, and in doing so, modern alternative music as a whole. The album opener, “Say Nothing (In The Absence Of Content),” pokes fun at the empty mosh calls prevalent in hardcore music while also commenting on how certain artists get away with writing music for the sake of making noise. That isn’t a criticism of those artists as much as it of the scene itself. Groups with people of color or women (or both) are expected to use their platform in a more meaningful way, but others are not. Sharptooth says that they could write the songs everyone else performs, but they wouldn’t get the same praise. Society expects them to do more, say more, and to stand for something. Other groups should be held to those same standards, which is accurate, and the band isn’t afraid to say that out loud.
Transitional Forms is about more than music scenes and whatever stupid rules people try to enforce within it. Much like Sharptooth’s catalog, the album takes aim at numerous political and societal issues. It touches on economic strife, sexual assault, vulnerability, and how far too many people never practice what they preach. It captures the struggle and anger experienced by oppressed people from different walks of life and lays bare the fact that things must change. It’s a call to action as much as it is a razor-sharp criticism of those who continue to walk through life, turning a blind eye to the realities of existence. The group’s travels over the last decade have shown them that most people want things to change, but few are willing to get off their ass and do the work necessary. Sharptooth is already doing their part, so why can’t you?
Haulix Recommends is a recurring feature where the Haulix staff chooses one or more recent releases from their clients. Click here to discover more great music being promoted through Haulix.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell calls Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose to discuss his band’s upcoming Pure Noise Records debut, Laugh Tracks. James and Bryan discuss Knocked Loose’s recent van troubles, the work they did with Will Putney to make the album something special, and the band’s hopes for what people take away from their latest release. James also gushes about his love for Bryan’s writing, and the two end their chat with a few anecdotes about the struggles all artists face when attempting to make it past border patrol.
The song you hear in this episode of Inside Music is “Counting Worms” off Knocked Loose’s new album, Laugh Tracks.
You may already know this, but Inside Music is available on iTunes. Click here to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
We have been and still very much are so busy with the new version of Haulix that updating our blog has fallen a bit by the wayside. That said, we are still listening to as much new music as possible day to day, and recently we came across a release that immediately became a staple of our office playlist. Not just one song off the record, but all of them. Every single song.
Longtime readers of Haulix Daily already know our love of Boston punk/hardcore kings Vanna. Vocalist Davey Muise was even on our podcast once upon a time (and he’s scheduled to return soon – hint hint). The band’s new album, All Hell, builds on the ferocity and unabashed storytelling of their previous releases while still finding a way to catch listeners completely off guard. We expected the record to be heavy, but we never knew a band that is a staple of the Warped Tour scene could release a record as heavy as All Hell. Many albums have been promoted as bone-crushing or skull-rattling, but this album is on another level altogether. With the right sound system, All Hell could be considered music in weaponized form. If the lyrics don’t move you the music most certainly will, and we mean that in a very literal sense.
We didn’t choose All Hell for this week’s Monday Motivation just because of the way it sounds. This record, like every release in the Vanna catalog, demands something of the listeners that most albums do not. When you play All Hell, even just one song, you are forced to look within and see yourself as honestly as you are able. Muise and his bandmates make it clear that understanding yourself, including your dreams and shortcomings, is the only way to start working towards being the person you want to become. All Hell is a soundtrack to destroying the false narratives of your life so that a real, pure one can be built from their ashes, and having used their records to do that very thing we cannot recommend enough that others heed their advice.
Some bands write life-changing songs. Vanna is a life-changing band.
James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Manager for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
Depending on where you live it may be hard to tell, but summer is fast-approaching, and with the rising temperatures comes an avalanche of new music competing for your attention and blog coverage. We cannot and should not tell you how to run your blog, but if you’re the kind of writer looking for the best of the best to share with your audiences then we know of a few upcoming releases you should definitely keep your eye on. These records criss-cross genres, but each one adds something special to the global music community that we believe is worthy of coverage.
Also, just so you don’t start believing we claim to have final say over everything that is good or bad, please know we are always in the market for new discoveries ourselves. It’s rare that more than a day or two passes without someone pitching us new music, and we do our best to hear everything that arrives in our inbox. If you know of a great record on the horizon that is not mentioned in the list below, please comment and add your suggestion. We will definitely make time to listen, and who knows? Maybe you will be responsible for kickstarting the development of future blog content down the line.
Anyways, here are our picks for the must hear albums of June 2016:
Gates – Parallel Lives (June 3)
There are few bands in modern alternative music with as much potential for mainstream success as Gates. Their music speaks to something bigger than themselves, and with each listen to their Sophomore LP we find ourselves falling deeper in love with their sound. There are some bands whose talent cannot be denied, regardless of your personal preference in music or genres, and Gates are one of those acts. The only problem is, nowhere near enough people know their name…Yet.
Beartooth – Aggressive (June 3)
If there is one band with a Warped Tour background poised to become rock and roll mainstays in 2016 it’s Beartooth. Everyone in the rock world already knows this to be true, including Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor (who recently expressed his love of the band in the media). Aggressive is a far more focused effort than the band’s debut, but it has the same chaotic tendencies that made the group an underground sensation. Caleb Shomo is a beast on vocals, and his unabashed approach to songwriting adds a layer of sincerity to the band’s music that just isn’t found in rock today.
Garbage – Strange Little Birds (June 10)
A band that certainly needs no introduction, Garbage are continuing to redefine their sound with the release of Strange Little Birds. Fans have long wondered if the group would return, and with that question came concerns that any new material might spoil the work the band released around the same time we all feared for the impact of Y2K. We’re happy to report Strange Little Birds is quite possibly the band’s strongest record, and it has hooks that will stay stuck in your brain for weeks to come. If you need more proof of our love, make sure you find time to read this week’s Monday Motivation post.
Empty Houses – Daydream (June 10)
Love Motown, but wish there were some young artists making that classic sound work in 2016? Empty Houses are about to become your new favorite band. Comprised of vocalist Ali Shea and two former members of pop-rock favorite Fireworks, Empty Houses have been carving a unique place for themselves in the world of pop since their formation in early 2015. The band’ Sargent House records debut blends classic genre sensibilities with the perspective of people living in the now. This is the kind of record that makes you want to fall in love, and we doubt it will leave our stereo anytime soon.
Nahko and Medicine for The People – HOKA (June 10)
Our friends at SideOneDummy are releasing this record, but Nahko and Medicine For The People are not your typical S1D band. HOKA is a very grounded, very organic release that relies on acoustic instruments and nature metaphors to convey its message. The results are an entirely heartwarming and often whimsical musical experience that feels intended for summer road trips without a destination. It’s the kind of record you put on when you want to get lost, and it’s the only company you’ll need on your journey.
I See Stars – Treehouse (June 17)
Now five albums deep into a career many thought would die with the downfall of Myspace, I See Stars have long proven their critics wrong be continuing to push themselves and their fans in new directions. Treehouse is a culmination of everything the band has done in the past, with pop-friendly hooks and mosh pit ready guitar work, but it also points to where they may go in the future. Not many bands can claim to have the confidence to do whatever they desire with each new release, but there is a palpable amount of self-assurance running through Treehouse that makes us root for I See Stars continued success. If tracks like “All In” and “Mobbin’ Out” don’t get your heart racing we highly recommend seeking medical assistance as soon as possible.
Sherwood – Some Things Never Leave You (June 17)
There was a time not that long ago when we thought we may never heard from Sherwood again. That was before the band launched a Kickstarter in 2015 to fund a new album, of course. That promotion lead to an avalanche of love for the group being expressed from all corners of the Earth, and the band quickly gained the funding needed to continue their musical endeavors. Some Things Never Leave You picks up right where the band left off with unique pop-rock songs that feel fragile while carrying a heavy emotional payload. Where one song might make you feel happier than you can remember being for quite some time, another will no doubt bring you to tears, and the ability to criss-cross the emotional range like that is part of what makes Sherwood such a wonderful group to follow. We are barely halfway through 2016, but this record is a definite contender for our favorite album of the year. If not number one, then almost certainly in the top 5.
Avion Roe – In Separation (June 17)
We’ve been promoting the debut full-length from Avion Roe since the band’s vocalist appeared on Inside Music back in January. In Separation is the result of years of hard work on the alternative rock underground, and in our opinion it’s one of the best debuts of 2016. Whether you’re looking for something to scream at the top of your lungs in times where you need hope, or if you’re seeking a soundtrack to keep you company when you’re feeling down, In Separation is the answer. Avion Roe could very well be the biggest band in ‘the scene’ at this time next year. Do NOT sleep on them.
DJ Shadow – The Mountain Will Fall (June 24)
DJ Shadow is forever a legend in our book. …Endtroducing is one of our all-time favorite albums, and we still believe he has an even better release in him. We have yet to hear The Mountain Will Fall in full, but our faith in his ability to deliver incredibly original and undeniably catchy music is strong.
Rae Sremmurd – Sremmlife 2 (June 24)
We don’t know if anyone could have predicted the rise of Rae Sremmurd. In a world where every new rap act feels like an imitation of an already notable name, the duo known as Rae Sremmurd exist in a lane all their own. The group’s business is built atop easy-to-learn, bass heavy material, and the early released from Sremmlife 2 shows there is plenty of that in store on this release. Will it be enough to push the group further into the spotlight? We’re not sure. What we do know, however, is that there will not be another hip-hop release this summer that sounds anything like this record.
On this Episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell calls Davey Muise of Vanna to discuss his life and career. Davey joined Vanna after the group had already established themselves as one of the leading post-hardcore groups in North America, but since the addition of Davey on vocals the band has seen their status continually rise year over year. The group is currently putting the finishing touches on their third full length recording with Davey, and in this episode he offers a little insight as to what fans can expect from the group in 2016 and beyond. Davey also talks about his work as an inspirational speaker, which James highly suggest everyone make time to see in person if possible.
The music you hear in this episode is pulled directly from Vanna’s most recent album, Void, which is available now.
You may already know this, but ‘Inside Music’ is now available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell chats with Handguns member Brandon Pagano about his band’s new album, ‘Disenchanted.’ Brandon has been on the show before, but a lot has happened to him in the months since his last appearance. Together with James, Brandon chats about the creation of ‘Disenchanted,’ the stories behind the music, and what he and his bandmates hope to accomplish in the year ahead. This is a conversation about much more than just the world of pop punk, and we sincerely hope you enjoy it.
The music you hear in this episode is from Handguns’ upcoming album, which can be streamed in full over on Substream.
You may already know this, but ‘Inside Music’ is now available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.
If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
It was around 4 o’clock in the afternoon last Saturday when I realized that I have spent over a decade of my life listening to Senses Fail. At 27 years of age, that makes my connection to vocalist and lyricist Buddy Nielsen one of the longest-running relationships of my entire life, easily putting every girlfriend I’ve ever had to shame. Heck, outside my parents and one or two select artists there are few, if any, whose nuanced take on the world around them has connected with me on such a deeply personal as his, and even less have been able to sustain that connection for even a year, let alone twelve.
If you asked me why that is the way my life has played out even two weeks ago I probably couldn’t have told you. I had not yet made the connection myself, so of course there is no way I could have relayed such information to you, but having sat with this notion for a few sleepless nights (due to summer heat, not my connection to Senses Fail) I’ve reached a conclusion. Though the content I relate to has changed from album to album, there is a brash and relentless honesty riddled through each and every Senses Fail record that is not afraid to tear down everything, including the person uttering each line. It’s an all-encompassing sense (no pun intended) of ‘why not tell it like it is, for once’ that keeps me coming back again and again. I never know what Buddy will choose to share, but I know it will be true, and that is more than you can expect from the vast majority of artists working today.
This week, Senses Fail will release Pull The Thorns From Your Heart, their most experimental and thought-provoking release to date. I know I just spent several paragraphs relaying how honest the band has been with every release, but there is something unflinching boldness to this record that strips away every preconceived notion fans have about what Senses Fail are supposed to be and introduces a new, fully-matured band that knows exactly what they want to say and how it needs to be conveyed to listeners in order to make the biggest impact. It’s a cathartic listening experience that leads one to question not only the lies they’ve told others, but the ones they’ve been telling themselves, and how the time spent running from the truth has only been time wasted. You can say it’s good enough, but life isn’t meant to be lived in a way that is just okay. You’re supposed to take chances and, as the band explains on the record, “leap into the great unknown.”
I encourage all of you to make time for _Pull The Thorns From Your Heart _in the days ahead. This summer has been filled with great music, but very few have the potential to make as big of a positive impact as this one, and it just so happens to be one of the most diverse offerings of any group from the alternative world in all of 2015. It will make you feel in ways music rarely does, and that’s exactly what you need to head into the week ahead. You need something that will shake you from the comfort of whatever routine you have allowed yourself to fall into and make you reevaluate the path you have chosen, as well as the people you’ve asked to join you on your journey.
It’s time to wake up and live the life you were meant to pursue, with love for yourself and others. _Pull The Thorns From Your Heart _will help, but the work is up to you. I believe in you.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
Here’s a nightmare situation almost every writer will encounter at one point or another during their professional career:
After much effort and patience, you’re finally given the opportunity to complete an interview you have dreamed of conducting. You prepare, doing research and developing strong questions, then double check to make sure all your recording equipment is ready to go. When the day comes for your interview, you do your best to remain calm and work through your material as rehearsed. The conversation goes well, and for a few moments you feel like you’ve just captured something truly unique, but by the time you sit down to work on your article you realize the opposite has occurred. For one reason or another, be it human errors or a glitch in technology, your interview has been corrupted. Maybe the sound is bad, or perhaps your recorder died in the middle of the chat without anyone noticing, but whatever the case you have, at best, a small chunk of what should have been a complete feature.
This is how my morning began, and I’m sad to admit it is not the first time such a problem has occurred during my time in music writing. No matter how often it occurs, however, the sense of immediate panic and stupidity is always the same. After all, this is something that was entirely my responsibility. I set it up, I developed the questions, I took time out of the artist’s day to chat about things that were important me, and then I bumbled the most important aspect of all: Ensuring the feature was captured in a manner that would allow it to be shared, or at least transcribed, for others to enjoy.
I wish so much I could tell you that with proper preparation and attentiveness you can avoid from facing such horrors of journalism in your professional life, but to do so would be to convey a lie. Every writer I know has encounter some kind of problem between the time an interview is conducted and the time that writer sits down to create content out of the material, and the sources of these problems are far too numerous too count. It will no doubt happen to you too, and when it does you will feel-at least for a moment-as if you’re the laughing stock of writing. That’s all in your head, of course, but I still wouldn’t boast about such errors (like I am doing today).
As much as it sucks to admit, there is very little you can do to salvage interviews when problems arise with the recording. There are some cases where editing tools can help improve questionable audio, but when the content in question is a generally quiet conversation in a loud/noisy area you’d be wise to not hold your breath when waiting for such solutions to provide relief. The best thing you can do is be honest and admit that an error occurred, not just to yourself, but the people representing the artists as well. You will never be able to capture the same conversation twice, but most publicists and artists are willing to schedule make up interviews if time/scheduling allows. If not, perhaps you can use your memory to draft an editorial about the experience, using the comments you remember to help flush out your story. Don’t use quotes you can’t back up with a recording, but if someone expressed excitement over something it’s fine to convey that to readers. Just don’t claim anything was said, promoted, or hated on without having proof. People will call you out and you will be in hot water. Just don’t do it.
My latest mistake took me over an hour to understand. I interviewed Nick Thompson, vocalist for Hit The Lights, on January 22. We had a twenty-minute phone conversation, which touched on everything from touring, to the band’s new album, growing up in the world of pop punk, and the reason behind the band’s sometimes long periods of silence. At the risk of overstating my adoration for this feature, I hung up on that conversation thinking I had just completed one of the best interviews I had done with any member of the group in nearly ten years of writing. We covered A LOT of ground, and as far as I knew much of it had never been explored in prior interviews. It was, for lack of a better description, exactly what you hope to create when conducting an interview.
As I sat down to transcribe my interview, I knew something was wrong. The file, which should have been in one piece, was mysteriously split into three parts. The first recording sounded great, and I made a point to transcribe while it played. The second clip was shorter, running about a minute, and the quality was equally good. The third part, which of course contained the bulk of the conversation, was another story altogether. For seemingly no reason, the quality of Nick’s end of the conversation bottomed out. I was clear as day, but Nick can’t be heard. At all.
Roughly two hours passed between recognizing the issue with my recording and me abandoning all hope it could be fixed. I eventually swallowed my pride, emailed the band’s publicist, and changed my content plan for the day to include this post instead of the planned interview. I thought if my day had to go to crap because of something like this, it could at least be improved a bit by encouraging others to double check their gear and, should something bad happen, be mature enough to admit when things go awry. Publicists would rather hear that you had a problem than never hear from you again. It’s when you never run the content agreed upon and never offer a reason why that labels, PR, and artists begin to get upset.
Mistakes happen. Admit when things go wrong and people will be willing to not only listen, but also to help make things better. Being open about your faults is scary, but keeping them to yourself will only result in isolation. Chock it up to lessons learned and move forward.
All that said, I still want to share the portion of my interview I was able to transcribe. If you get a chance, please support Hit The Light. This band changed my life more times than I can remember, and I think their new album will be their best yet.
H: Hey Nick, thanks for talking to us today. How are you?
N: I’m good man. Watching ‘Galaxy Quest’ and chilling right now. We’ve got one more date with Motion City Soundtrack this weekend, but I don’t have to leave until tomorrow.
H: That’s a good place to start. How has that gone for you?
N: It has been a lot of fun, man. We’re not on every date though. They are taking out a bunch of bands. I think Hawthorne Heights is with them right now, but we hop back on this weekend for a show in Pennsylvania. It’s been a fucking honor though, honestly. They’re such great guys and that is such a great record.
H: How are kids reacting to the new material? Have you been playing anything more than “Fucked Up Kids”?
N: We actually haven’t played “Fucked Up Kids” yet. We might bring it out in Pennsylvania this weekend, as long as another song we hope to shoot a video for next month, but we will see how it goes. We try to ease into the new stuff.
H: So are you play material more fitting for the anniversary Motion City are celebrating?
N: I guess, haha. It’s not intentional. We just wanted to come up with a set list that had a lot of energy and fun. Most kids probably aren’t there to see us, so they might not care either way. We just try to have a lot of fun and put on the best set we can, then we sit back and watch Motion City do their thing.
H: Well “Fucked Up Kids” has been available online for over a week now. From your perspective, what have reactions been?
N: It’s actually way better than I expected. I try to keep my expectations low so that we’re never disappointed, but it’s been good. It’s also funny. I knew there would be reactions from all sides, especially about the style of the song and the lyrics. I saw people saying “How are they singing about ‘Fucked Up Kids’ while pushing 30?’ In reality, that is kind of the basis for the song. It’s us coming to grasp with the reality that we don’t know what kids are into these day, and then realizing that the generation before us probably felt the same about the things we enjoyed.
Through it all though, everyone has been very excited. It’s an easier one, as it’s really poppy, but I’m also excited to see what people think of the rest of the album.
H: That’s a good way to transition to more album talk. The single is clearly influenced by the earlier records, but is there a component of ‘Invicta’ in there as well?
N: There are elements of ‘Invicta’ and other stuff in there as well. We weren’t trying to get away from that sound, but with this record I think we made our poppiest, heaviest, and riffiest record to date. We tried new things, just like we did with ‘Invicta,’ and we pushed ourselves. So yes, there is a component of that, but I think this record is one that stands on its own as well.
H: That’s good to hear. I think it’s funny how people immediately jump to ‘Skip School, Start Fights’ for comparison. I get it enough, as this song feels a bit like a continuation of that sound, but at the same time it has been seven years since that record came out.
N: Right. I understand that as well. Honestly, we wouldn’t have this record if we didn’t do ‘Invicta.’ Without it, we wouldn’t be here. This record is different though, and it has a sound all its own.
Hey there, everyone! Welcome to our blog. We thank you for finding time in you busy schedule to spend a few minutes on our site. The post you’re about to enjoy is the latest installment in our popular podcast series, Inside Music. If you like what you hear, the entire catalog of episodes can be found and enjoyed through iTunes. Subscriptions and reviews are always appreciated.
This site exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell calls Brandon Pagano of Handguns and the two spend an hour talking about Brandon’s life in music. They start with current events, but quickly work their way back to the Pagano family’s move from NYC to Albany. From there, Brandon shares stories about his first band, his work on solo material, and the times he has spent with Handguns. He also discuss the future and everything the band hopes to accomplish moving forward.
The music you hear in the intro to ‘Inside Music’ this week is “I Can Relate” from Handguns. You can learn more about that song, as well as the album it hails from, on Handguns’ official website.
You may already know this, but ‘Inside Music’ is now available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.
