State Line Syndicate - Bones

1.    Who?

State Line Syndicate are a retro pop-punk group with a righteous edge and an honest core. They fight out of L.A. and are one album to the good. Bones (Jan'18)  is a stand alone single.


2. What?

A snappy pop-punk tune that oozes honesty wrapped in a pop-punk wrapper. You get whats on the label.



3. Who do State Line Syndicate sound like?

The Offspring, Alkaline Trio, and The Ataris.

4. What have the press said? 

“Loaded with punk rock bravado” – New Noise Magazine.

“Honors the past but looks to the future” – Distrolution.

“Fucking intense!” – YouTube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced State Line Syndicate?

Green Day, Weezer, Blink-182, and MxPx.


6. Why should I listen to Bones?

Because although some 'pop-punk' seems like an affront to humanity, these guys do it with a healthy dose of vitality, honesty, and maturity. 


7. Do they have any other bangers?

This Bleeding Heart and Borrowed Time.


8. Any more words?

They covered Responsibility by MxPx.

Spanish Love Songs are an indie rock/punk band from Los Angeles. They have been playing together since 2014. Spanish Love Songs have been compared to The Menzingers and Red Radio City. They are influenced by Hot Water Music and Jawbreaker. Spanish Love Songs have recorded two albums and Joana, In Five Acts (Jan'18) is the lead single from their second album Schmaltz (March'18). It is a deeply personal song of loss and despair and Dying Scene gave the album a five star rating noting "these sad sack anthems" might just be "2018's first great album".

“So, why’d you have to leave without me?”

Andrew Bird - Puma

1.    Who is this lauded lord of tunes?

Andrew Bird is an indie folk rock musician from Lake Forest, Illinois. A multi-instrumentalist and prodigy he has been making music since 1996. Puma (Feb’16) is an album track off Andrew Bird’s tenth long player Are You Serious (April’16).

2. What’s he got?

Puma is a languid pop rock number with infectious melody in spades. It's got a bit of up the guts verve too.


3. Who does he sound like?

Puma sounds like a Belle and Sebastian tune. Comparisons to Paul Simon are out there.


4. What have the cut and paste bandits said about Puma?

“The most intricately composed thunder ever” – NPR.

“A sing-along sensiblity that is both georgeous and cathartic” – DIY.

“A bonafide rocker” – AV Club.

 

 

 

5. Who are Mr Birds influences?

 

Andrew Bird is influenced by classical music, jazz, British folk, bluegrass, swing and Calypso.

 

 

6. Why should I crank Puma up on the stereo?

 

Puma is a heartfelt song about Andrew Bird's wife's illness and that strength of feeling is conveyed on a tune that drifts away and bangs a bit in equal measure.

 

 

7. Does the venerable sir have any more good un's?

 

The first single from Are You Serious, Capsized, has a rocking groove.

 

 

8. Any more words?

 

Are You Serious has a track with a Fiona Apple collaboration, Left Handed Kisses.

 

 

“She was radioactive for seven days,

How I longed to be holding her anyways”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low Cut High Tops is multi-instrumentalist, producer and indie grunge pop rocker David Burns. Hailing from Seattle he released his stonking debut album Eh, Whatever (Jan'16) with a bevy of top notch singles including Raise Hell. Indie Shuffle compared Raise Hell to The White Stripes, The Japandroids and Wavves and big upped it's “punk rock bravado and garage rock cool.” Low Cut High Tops is the best thing in music this year and Raise Hell has a killer riff to lift the roof off any barn.

 

 

“And I will raise hell, oh yeah!”