The Smiths
The Smiths, the iconic British indie rock band of the ’80s, revolutionized the music scene by ushering in an era of guitar-driven rock. At the heart of their sound were the brilliant duo, vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, who combined their love for British Invasion pop, punk ethos, and eclectic influences to create a unique and timeless music catalog. Morrissey’s distinctive crooning style and Marr’s intricate guitar work set them apart from their peers, paving the way for a new wave of British guitar rock in the ’90s.
Before the formation of The Smiths in 1982, Johnny Marr had honed his skills in various Manchester rock bands, while Morrissey had already showcased his passion for music and art through writing and fan clubs. The serendipitous meeting of Morrissey and Marr led to the birth of The Smiths, with their unconventional approach and controversial lyrics quickly propelling them to fame and critical acclaim. Despite internal conflicts and eventual disbandment, The Smiths left an indelible mark on the music industry, shaping the alternative rock landscape for years to come.
A.J. & Big Justice
The artist, known for their unique style and captivating performances, has garnered acclaim worldwide. With a diverse range of influences spanning various genres, the artist’s music resonates with a global audience. Their innovative approach to songwriting and composition sets them apart, creating a sound that is both distinctive and unforgettable. From stadiums to intimate venues, the artist has mesmerized audiences with their powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence.
Beyond music, the artist is also recognized for their philanthropic efforts, using their platform to advocate for important causes. Their dedication to social change and activism has inspired many, making them a role model for aspiring artists and advocates alike. Through their art and actions, the artist continues to make a positive impact on the world, championing inclusivity and compassion. With an ever-growing fan base and a legacy that transcends boundaries, the artist’s influence shows no signs of slowing down, solidifying their status as a true icon in the industry.
Rosa Linn
The artist is known for their unique style and innovative approach to their craft. Their work has captivated audiences worldwide, drawing praise for its creativity and depth. With a career spanning several decades, the artist has firmly established themselves as a leading figure in the art world, pushing boundaries and challenging norms. Through their evocative pieces, they invite viewers to explore new perspectives and engage with profound themes. The artist’s dedication to their vision and unwavering commitment to excellence have earned them critical acclaim and a loyal following of admirers.
Inspired by a diverse range of influences, the artist consistently surprises and delights with each new creation. Their portfolio showcases a remarkable versatility and a keen eye for detail, demonstrating mastery across various mediums and techniques. From intimate portraits to bold abstract compositions, every piece reflects the artist’s passion and unparalleled skill. With a profound understanding of form, color, and emotion, they breathe life into their artworks, inviting viewers to connect on a deeper level. Whether exhibited in prestigious galleries or adorning public spaces, the artist’s work continues to resonate with audiences, leaving a lasting impact and sparking meaningful conversations.
Dashboard Confessional
Christopher Carrabba, the renowned singer/songwriter, emerged as a prominent figure in the emo music scene of the early 2000s. Transitioning from his previous band, Further Seems Forever, he delved into a more intimate and reflective solo career that resonated deeply with fans. Dashboard Confessional, his solo project named after a poignant lyric, took shape in 2000, marked by emotional acoustic performances and heartfelt lyrics. Over the years, Dashboard Confessional evolved into a full-fledged band, but Carrabba’s soulful vocals and introspective songwriting remained at the core of their success.
Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Dashboard Confessional’s origin roots back to Carrabba’s desire for simplicity and authenticity in music. Beginning with the debut album Swiss Army Romance in 2000, Carrabba captivated audiences with his raw honesty and personal storytelling. Transitioning between solo projects and band collaborations, Carrabba’s journey with Dashboard Confessional saw significant milestones such as the release of top-charting albums like A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar and Dusk and Summer. Despite hiatuses and challenges, Carrabba’s resilience and passion for music led to the band’s triumphant return in 2022 with the album ‘All the Truth That I Can Tell’, showcasing a blend of nostalgia and newfound creativity.
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder, the iconic singer of Pearl Jam, solidified his position as one of the most recognized frontmen in modern rock history. Emerging from the early success of Pearl Jam as a symbol of Seattle grunge, Vedder’s distinctively deep vocals, profound lyrics, and captivating stage presence established him as one of the influential frontmen of the 1990s. Besides his musical prowess, Vedder leveraged his fame to champion noteworthy causes such as environmental activism and women’s rights. Over the years, as Pearl Jam’s triumphs extended into the 21st century, Vedder explored solo projects, notably contributing to the acclaimed soundtrack of the film ‘Into the Wild’ in 2007. Following his solo acoustic album ‘Ukulele Songs’ in 2011, Vedder devoted much of the subsequent decade to Pearl Jam, culminating in his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 2022, Vedder released ‘Earthling,’ his first solo rock album.
Born as Edward Louis Severson III in Evanston, Illinois, Vedder was raised by his mother Karen Vedder and stepfather Peter Mueller. Initially unaware of his biological father’s identity, he adopted Mueller’s surname until learning of his father’s passing, ultimately choosing his mother’s maiden name as his own. The family’s move to San Diego in the mid-’70s sparked Vedder’s twin passions for music and surfing. Despite facing challenges that led him to drop out of high school, Vedder found solace in playing the guitar, a skill that, alongside surfing, sustained him through tough times. After obtaining his GED in Chicago, Vedder returned to San Diego in the mid-’80s, where he engaged in various jobs, recorded music, and played with bands like Indian Style and Bad Radio.
In 1990, a pivotal moment arrived when Eddie Vedder received a demo tape from Jack Irons, former drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers, introducing him to the search for a new lead singer by Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament from the disbanded band Mother Love Bone. Vedder’s powerful voice and thoughtful lyrics secured him a place in Seattle’s music scene, leading to his collaboration with Temple of the Dog. The release of ‘Hunger Strike’ in April 1991 marked Vedder’s first significant vocal appearance, setting the stage for Pearl Jam’s debut later that year. Anchored by Vedder’s unique baritone vocals, Pearl Jam’s album ‘Ten’ propelled the band into the mainstream, establishing Vedder and Kurt Cobain as faces of the grunge movement. Despite the challenges, Vedder’s enduring career and deep commitment to various causes showcased his lasting impact on music and society.
The Interrupters
When discussing Los Angeles band The Interrupters, it is best to set aside common labels like ‘SoCal punk rock’ or ‘next wave ska’ and focus on the unique experience they offer. Attending an Interrupters concert is akin to a spiritual gathering where barriers disappear, and unity between the band and audience prevails. Led by frontwoman Aimee Interrupter and the Bivona brothers’ unwavering passion, attendees witness pure joy in action, find strength in unity, and feel invincible in the face of challenges. Onstage, the quartet creates a space devoid of victimhood or exclusion, drawing inspiration from the iconic ’80s 2 Tone ska movement while infusing it with a modern energy that outshines even the fastest thrash-metal bands.
The Interrupters originated in their hometown of Los Angeles in 2011. Guitarist Kevin Bivona and his twin brothers, Justin on bass and Jesse on drums, were deeply influenced by the punk-rock revival of the 90s and the infectious energy and messages of the original 2 Tone ska groups. Before connecting with Aimee, the Bivona brothers were involved in Tim Timebomb And Friends, an impromptu band spearheaded by Tim Armstrong, where they collaborated in the studio and supported the Rancid co-founder during tours.
The Unlikely Candidates
One listen to The Unlikely Candidates (Kyle Morris, Cole Male, Kevin Goddard, Brent Carney & Jared Hornbeek) and it’s clear that the Fort Worth, TX alternative rock mavericks create their own scene. One song vaults from stadium anthem into a piano ballad, while the next twists from syncopated singalong into a contemporary grunge-influenced pop song.
Hailing from Texas, the boys immediately separated themselves since uniting in high school. Breaking from the typical musical traditions associated with the Lone Star State, they turned up with an alternative style of their own. They challenged the status quo and carved out their own niche in Fort Worth.
The band has logged countless miles on the road alongside everyone from Cage The Elephant, Sublime with Rome, The Offspring, Young The Giant, The Dirty Heads, Fall Out Boy, The Goo Goo Dolls, & most recently 311. As they’ve grown as a band, the boys have earned acclaim from the likes of The New York Times, AXS, Esquire, Nylon, Alternative Press, Baeble, and more. Additionally, the band’s music has been featured on Hulu’s Veronica Mars, Showtime’s Ray Donovan, ABC’s American Idol, FOX’s The Four, NFL’s Super Bowl 2018 playoffs, and ESPN’s 2018 Indy 500.
The truth is, with steeple-vaulting vocal acrobatics and fiery falsetto’s, combined with heavy-hitting synth melodies, undeniably catchy lyrics, and feel good beats, The Unlikely Candidates’ sound is still too big and bold for any scene.
Simple Plan
From their new millennium rise to MTV superstardom through pop-punk’s modern resurgence, SIMPLE PLAN have been an indelible part of pop culture since forming in Montreal in 1999. They’ve sold 10 million albums worldwide, won multiple Juno Awards, performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics – and, most recently, launched the omnipresent #ImJustAKid TikTok challenge that’s spawned more than 3.4 million videos, including clips from Hilary Duff, Ed Sheeran, Usher and Venus and Serena Williams.
HARDER THAN IT LOOKS is the first self-released album from drummer Chuck Comeau, vocalist Pierre Bouvier and guitarists Sébastien Lefebvre and Jeff Stinco. The album respects Simple Plan’s storied career while pushing forward in new ways, with songs like “The Antidote,” “Ruin My Life” (ft. Deryck Whibley), “Congratulations,” ‘Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)’ and ‘Iconic’ set to stand as fan favourites for years to come. ‘It’s amazingly complex to be in a band for 20-plus years, to keep going, stay relevant and manage all the challenges that come your way,’ Bouvier says. ‘It’s the furthest thing from a ‘simple plan’ – it’s truly a lot harder than it looks. Throughout our career, it’s taken a while to be mature enough to understand that our sound is an asset, not a liability. On this album we said: ‘Let’s just embrace who we are and not be afraid to do what we do best.’ Making a good Simple Plan record is just as hard as making something off the beaten path.
Oliver Tree
An internet based vocalist, producer, writer, director, and performance artist, Oliver Tree explores the intersection where pop and alternative meet sonically and has arrived where art and entertainment collide visually. From comedy to action sports, mock reality TV drama to WWF wrestling in his live shows, the world of Oliver Tree is unlike any artist who has come before him.
A Santa Cruz, California native, Tree has emerged as a polymath from many different projects and iterations over the last 10 years. As unpredictable as one artist can be, no one can seem to put their finger on what Oliver Tree will do next. Unafraid to make you laugh, cry, think profoundly or feel completely uncomfortable for the length of a 4-minute music video, he is on the road to developing his own blueprint for packaging and marketing pop culture in the internet era. Versatile in every sense of the word, Tree not only explores every type of entertainment but also every type of genre in his music alike. The box he puts himself in is limitless. It has no boundaries. Oliver Tree has built a multimedia project designed to challenge people’s perspective of what art is, and he’s not the slightest bit concerned what anyone has to say about it!
Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Bjorn and John, the Swedish indie-pop trio, have defied the odds in the music industry with their enduring success over the past two decades. Their latest album, Endless Dream, showcases the seamless blend of diverse musical elements that Peter Morén, Björn Yttling, and John Eriksson have masterfully crafted. Each PB&J release invokes the nostalgic sensation of falling in love with music anew. Morén describes their music as a beacon of light in the darkness, a perfect balance between day and night, carrying on the legacy from their previous work on Darker Days. Yttling emphasizes the band’s commitment to authenticity, opting for live rehearsals and recordings to strip away any pretense.
Endless Dream marks a reflective milestone for Peter Bjorn & John as they ponder on their collective journey—past, present, and future. Morén marvels at the enduring bond shared by the trio, likening it to a brotherly connection that fuels their creativity. The enduring nature of their musical collaboration over two decades is a testament to their shared madness, as Eriksson aptly describes. The album encapsulates a range of emotions and experiences, underscoring the unpredictability of creative pursuits and the perpetual quest for artistic fulfillment. Peter Bjorn and John’s enduring camaraderie and dedication to their craft serve as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring musicians and fans alike, reinforcing the notion that the pursuit of artistry is a lifelong odyssey filled with endless possibilities.
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads’ transformation from post-Hüsker Dü hardcore punk rockers to teenage heartthrobs is a fascinating journey in the realm of alternative music. Originally a punk-pop trio established by three teenage Boston suburbanites, the band evolved over time into a platform for the talented Evan Dando. Evan Dando, blessed with good looks and a warm, sweet voice, ascended to teen idol status in the early ’90s, riding the wave of alternative music’s commercial viability spurred by Nirvana’s success. While his simple yet catchy songs were easily accessible, they often concealed the subversive nature of his lyrics, his knack for unique covers, and his loyalty to country-rock legend Gram Parsons. After honing his signature blend of pop, punk, and country-rock on independent records in the late ’80s, Evan Dando steered the Lemonheads to Atlantic Records in 1990, marking a significant milestone in their career.
The brainchild of Evan Dando, a Boston native with a background in law and fashion modeling, the Lemonheads came into being in 1986 with the collaboration of his high school peers Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Initially known as the Whelps, the band underwent a transformation and adopted the name Lemonheads before releasing their debut EP, ‘Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners.’ This EP, recorded right after their high school graduation, caught the attention of the indie label Taang!, leading to a deal with the record company. Throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s, the Lemonheads’ sound evolved, showcasing a mix of power pop, melodic hardcore, and an affinity for covers that resonated with their growing fan base. Despite facing challenges such as lineup changes and personal struggles, the band persevered, releasing critically acclaimed albums like ‘Lovey’ and ‘It’s a Shame About Ray,’ which propelled them to the forefront of the alternative music scene.
As the Lemonheads navigated the ups and downs of fame, Evan Dando’s personal journey became intertwined with the band’s narrative. From the highs of chart-topping hits like ‘Into Your Arms’ to the lows of substance abuse and erratic behavior, Dando’s rollercoaster lifestyle mirrored the tumultuous nature of the ’90s music scene. Despite facing setbacks and internal strife, the Lemonheads continued to create music that resonated with fans, culminating in albums like ‘Car Button Cloth’ and the self-titled ‘Lemonheads.’ The band’s resilience and Dando’s artistic vision shone through even during turbulent times, showcasing a blend of raw emotion, infectious melodies, and a fearless approach to music-making that solidified their legacy in the alternative rock landscape.
The Gaslight Anthem
It is a good time for the Gaslight Anthem to return to us, and to return to us as if they were barely ever gone. I will tell anyone who will listen (which, by my count, is far too many people) that time feels especially steeped in illusions of pace. The days seem slow, but the months speed by. It is sometimes hard to pull apart the distance between my present self, and the younger self, who once drove through the night to get to Jersey just in time to stand in line for tickets to a Gaslight Anthem show, and I’m not necessarily sure I’d absolutely need to pull the two apart if not for the realities of age, of time, of grief. It is good to hear a band that isn’t afraid to grow older. Maybe even better to have a band who, in their songs, seem somewhat joyfully bewildered by the dilemma of ongoing survival. Which, to be clear, is a bewildering one.
More than that, it all feels comfortable and familiar. Like you’ve been away from home for a long time, and you’ve come back to not just one familiar face, but a whole choir of them. All of them want to tell you the good word of what has transpired since you’ve been away from each other. Someone’s a little older. Someone fell in love, and then out of love, but wouldn’t you know it, they fell in love again. Someone died, but more of us are still here. This album feels like ten different homecomings in one. All of them delivering the best news.
-Hanif Abdurraqib
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