The Speakeasy Working On New Album; Premieres New Single

Posted on March 30, 2023 by philspicks

Pop punk band The Speakeasy is working on a new album that it is hoping to release this year through Thousand Islands Records.

As audiences wait for the album’s release, the band has given them a new single to whet their appetites. The song premiered Thursday in the form of the subdued punk ballad ‘Breakfast Drugs.’ The song is the second single the band has released this year behind ‘Bright Side,’ which the band premiered in February.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Breakfast Drugs’ is a stark contrast to that featured in ‘Bright Side.’ Where ‘Bright Side’ features a high energy pop punk sound and style akin to works from the likes of NOFX and Sum 41, ‘Breakfast Drugs’ is a far more subdued, almost melancholy type composition that is so contemplative. Even in that difference, it is still an engaging and entertaining work in its own right that conjures thoughts more of more emotional works from the likes of Matchbox 20 and Three Doors Down to name just a pair of comparable acts.

No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the news release announcing the new single’s premiere. No lyrics are available, either. In listening to the song, it comes across as something of an existential nature. That is just this critic’s interpretation.

More information on The Speakeasy’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at https://www.facebook.com/TheSpeakeasyRock.

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Aquadolls Debuts Cover Of The Waitresses’ ‘Xmas Wrapping’

Posted on November 29, 2021 by philspicks

The Aquadolls is getting into the holiday spirit with an update on a lesser-known holiday song.

The band debuted its take of ‘The Waitresses’ 1981 single, ‘Xmas Wrapping‘ Nov. 18. The Aquadolls’ update on the song was produced by NOFX’s Fat Mike and features guest appearances from fellow NOFX band member El Jefe and Fishbone’s Angela Moore.

Aquadolls vocalist Melissa Brooks was humble as she talked about working with the noted figures.

“It’s so exciting for us to collaborate with so many music icons on this and put a new twist on such an underrated and timeless classic,” she said. “We hope you start a mosh pit to this and this makes your holiday season rock harder than before!”

The Aquadolls’ update on ‘Xmas Wrapping’ gives it a fresh new take. That is evidenced in the ska influence incorporated into the song alongside the band’s own punk leanings. It also cuts the song by almost as much as two minutes from the original song’s run time, making for even more appeal in its more direct instrumentation.

In other news, The Aquadolls has a pair of live performances scheduled for the coming days. The band is scheduled to perform live 10 p.m. ET Tuesday at Budtender Session and at Punk Rock and Paint Brushes Dec. 11 in downtown Los Angeles, CA.

Audiences can stream the Budtender show through YouTube and Cannabis Capitol’s official Twitch channel. Audiences can RSVP for the upcoming sixth annual Punk Rock and Paintbrushes event here.

More information on The Aquadolls’ cover of ‘Xmas Wrapping’ is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://theaquadolls.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaquadolls

Another One Down! Debuts ‘Deadweight’ Lyric Video

Posted on October 9, 2021 by philspicks

Pop punk band Another One Down! debuted hte lyric video for its latest single this week.

The band premiered the lyric video for its single, ‘Deadweight’ Friday. The song is the second single from the band’s forthcoming debut album, A Bitter Descent, which is scheduled for release Nov. 5. Pre-orders are open now. The band debuted the video for the album’s lead single, ‘Headspace’ last month.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Deadweight’ is a familiar pop punk style composition. It will appeal to fans of bands, such as NOFX, Sum 41, and All American Rejects. Its lyrical theme meanwhile touches on a topic that will connect with a wide range of audiences.

According to a statement from the band, ‘Deadweight’ “is a song inspired by former bandmates who refused to pull their own weight. It encapsulates the frustration of dealing with someone who will never admit their faults and will blame anyone else but themselves.”

More information on Another One Down!’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnotherOneDownRI

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anotheronedown_

The Corps Debuts New Single, ‘Hazardous,’ Companion Video

Posted on September 28, 2021 by philspicks

Independent punk rock band The Corps debuts its latest single and video this week.

The band premiered its new single, ‘Hazardous‘ and its companion video Tuesday. The intense, tow minute, 42 second song is everything that punk purists will appreciate, from the gritty vocals to the frenetic work on the guitar, drums, and bass, and even the layered vocal effect in the choruses. The whole lends itself to comparison to works from the likes of NOFX, Propagandi, and Lagwagon.

According to a statement from the band, the song’s lyrical theme is a social commentary of sorts that is presented in a semi-allegorical fashion.

“This song is about a woman who has spent her entire life ignoring personal responsibilities and the capacity for empathy, which in turn forces her to create a fictional reality and narrative for the life around her,” the statement reads. “A self made victim, she is very dangerous.”

The song’s video was shot, directed, and edited by City Zero Films. It features the band going around a city, “fixing” others’ problems. It is its own story that is meant to artistically help translate the noted message in the song’s lyrical theme.

More information on The Corps’ new single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.thecorps2814.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecorps2814

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecorps2814

United Defiance Debuts ‘Sing With Me’ Video

Posted on September 10, 2021 by philspicks

Punk rock band United Defiance debuted the video for its latest single this week.

The band premiered the video for its single, ‘Sing With Me‘ Friday. The premiere comes less than a month after the band premiered the song by itself.

The song is featured in the band’s forthcoming album, Change the Frequency, which is scheduled for release Oct. 1 through Thousand Islands Records.

The video features the band performing its new single on a city street. It intersperses that with footage of the band fighting a turf war with a group of sock puppets. While the visualization is silly, the band explained in a prepared statement that it is meant to help translate the positive message presented in the song’s lyrical theme.

“The concept for the ‘Sing With Me’ video was to show two rival groups, like the Sharks and the Jets from West Side Story, playing pranks on each other in the tradition of films like Animal House,” the statement reads. “One of those groups just happens to be sock puppets. Because the song is about unity, the video shows that at the end of the day, you can always make the choice to buy the other guy a drink and have a blast in spite of differences. And sock puppets are funny as hell.”

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Sing With Me’ is a catchy, infectious, guitar-driven composition. Its choruses, with their collective vocals, and the gritty but still catchy verses lend the arrangement overall to works from the likes of NOFX, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and to a slightly lesser extent, Dropkick Murphys.

Change the Frequency will feature guest appearances from well-known names in the punk community, such as Jason Devore (Authority Zero) and Dave Pederson (Downway) among others.

More information on United Defiance’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://uniteddefiance.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Uniteddefiance

Riot Fest 2021 Lineup Finalized

Posted on September 2, 2021 by philspicks

The official lineup for this year’s Riot Fest has been finalized.

The 2021 Riot Fest is scheduled to take place Sept. 16-19 at Douglass Park in Chicaco, IL. The whole thing kicks off the evening of Sept. 16 with performances by the likes of Alkaline Trio, Patti Smith and her Band, and Morrissey.

Sept. 17 is the first, full, official date of music for this year’s festival. It features performances from a wide range of acts, such as Smashing Pumpkins, NOFX, and Anti-Flag.

Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, and Living Colour join the likes of Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Run The Jewels, and Gwar for the second day of this year’s Riot Fest lineup.

Sunday will see just as many and varied acts taking the stage. Among the most notable of the performances planned to close out this year’s festival are those from the likes of Slipknot, Simple Plan, and Body Count. The Flaming Lips will take the place of Pixies following that band’s recent announcement that it was halting its tour plans due to concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The full lineup for this year’s Riot Fest is noted below.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
MORRISSEY, ALKALINE TRIO, PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND, JOYCE MANOR (performing S/T), WDRL, KRISTEEN YOUNG

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, LUPE FIASCO (performing The Cool), NOFX, DIRTY HEADS, SUBLIME WITH ROME, CIRCLE JERKS, DINOSAUR JR., MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK, THRICE, CIRCA SURVIVE, MEG MYERS, THE LAWRENCE ARMS, BEACH BUNNY, ANTI-FLAG, LIVING COLOUR, FISHBONE, ENVY ON THE COAST, THE SOUNDS, AMIGO THE DEVIL, EYEDRESS, BEACH GOONS, MEET ME @ THE ALTAR, SERATONES, RADKEY, KISSISSIPPI, JACKIE HAYES, OXYMORRONS, GIRLPUPPY, SEŃOR KINO

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
RUN THE JEWELS, FAITH NO MORE, DROPKICK MURPHYS, RANCID, TAKING BACK
SUNDAY, VIC MENSA, GOGOL BORDELLO, MAYDAY PARADE, BAYSIDE, STATE CHAMPS, THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, ANDREW W.K., BEST COAST, BIG FREEDIA, GWAR, HEPCAT, LES SAVY FAV, THE BRONX, FOUR YEAR STRONG, CITIZEN, FUCKED UP, JOYWAVE, NIGHT MOVES, MAN ON MAN, THE BOLLWEEVILS, ACTION/ADVENTURE, GANSER, JUST FRIENDS, THE ORPHAN THE POET, BEARINGS, SPIDER, DEVON KAY & THE SOLUTIONS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
SLIPKNOT, MACHINE GUN KELLY, THE FLAMING LIPS, DEVO, MR. BUNGLE, NEW FOUND GLORY, SIMPLE PLAN, THE GHOST INSIDE, BODY COUNT, THURSDAY, K.FLAY, KNUCKLE PUCK, HEALTH, THE BLED, MOTHER MOTHER, 3OH!3, ALEX G, FEVER 333, KENNYHOOPLA, BLEACHED, THE GORIES, FACS, RATBOYS, BLACKSTARKIDS, THE CLOCKWORKS, PET SYMMETRY, MELKBELLY, GYMSHORTS, THE WEAK DAYS, AIRSTREAM FUTURES

Tickets for Riot Fest 2021 are available here.

More information on this year’s Riot Fest is available along with all of the festival’s latest news at:

Website: https://www,riotfest.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiotFest1

United Defiance Announces New Album Details; Premieres Album’s Lead Single

Posted on August 24, 2021 by philspicks

Punk rock band United Defiance will release its new album this fall.

The band is scheduled to release its new album, Change the Frequency Oct. 1 through Thousand Islands Records. A vinyl release for the album is scheduled to take place in 2022. In anticipation of the album’s release, the band premiered the album’s lead single, ‘Sing With Me‘ Monday.

No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the press release announcing the single’s debut. However, in listening to the song, the theme comes across as a message celebrating unity, friendship and just coming together in general.

Change the Frequency will feature guest appearances from well-known names in the punk community, such as Jason Devore (Authority Zero) and Dave Pederson (Downway) among others.

More information on United Defiance’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://uniteddefiance.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Uniteddefiance

Father Before Me Debuts New Single, ‘Until Lambs Become Lions’

Posted on February 12, 2021 by philspicks

Independent rock band Father Before kicked off the weekend with some new music.

The band debuted its new single ‘Until Lambs Become Lions’ Friday through punknews.org. The single is the lead single from the band’s new EP Ruby. The band will announce more details on the record soon.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Until Lambs Become Lions’ opens with a metal style approach, but quickly turns in a decidedly punk direction. The melodic guitar-driven arrangement will appeal to fans of bands, such as Rise Against, Bad Religion, and NOFX.

Front man “Elijah” talked about the lyrical theme that accompanies the upbeat arrangement during his interview with punknews.org, stressing it is meant as a message of encouragement.

“”Until Lambs Become Lions” is the reminder that we already have what we need to face our fears. Don’t run to the past, don’t run to the future. However dark it seems when the lights have all gone dim, find your footing and never give up.”

In addition to its new single, the band also debuted the song’s companion video Friday. The band debuted the single’s video through insaneblog.net. The video features Elijah going through a series of vivid dream sequences as the band performs to the single, which plays over the video.

More information on Father Before Me’s new single and EP is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatherbeforeme

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fatherbeforeme

Counterpunch Debuts New Single, ‘Handbook For The Recently Debriefed,’ Companion Video

Posted on December 15, 2020 by philspicks

Surf punk band Counterpunch debuted its new single this week along with the song’s companion video.

The band debuted its new single ‘Handbook for the Recently Debriefed‘ Tuesday along with the song’s companion lyric video. The song is the title track in the band’s forthcoming 7″. The record is scheduled for release Jan. 29 through Thousand Islands Records in the United States and SBAM Records in the European Union.

Pre-orders for Handbook for the Recently Debriefed are open. Quantities are limited to 100 in each of the record’s three variants.

Counterpunch’s first new music since the release of the band’s 2014 album Bruises, ‘Handbook for the Recently Debriefed’ presents a musical arrangement whose high-energy guitars and melodic vocals will appeal to fans of bands, such as Pennywise, NOFX, and Bad Religion.

The lyrical content that accompanies the musical content in Counterpunch’s new song comes across as a political commentary. It seemingly hints at a statement about how the Republican Party has tied itself to Donald Trump and the result of that connection.

More information about Counterpunch’s new single, video and record is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: http://www.counterpunchrock.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/counterpunchrok

Twitter: http://twitter.com/counterpunchrok

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Second Stage Added To 2nd Annual Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival

Posted on May 10, 2016 by philspicks

Courtesy: Ashton-Magnuson Media

The 2^nd annual Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival has just gotten bigger.

Organizers with the Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival announced Monday the addition of the “SRH 25 Year Anniversary Party” Stage. And with an additional stage also come additional acts. Long Beach Dub All-Stars, Dilated Peoples, Common Kings, Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds, Madchild, Big B, and Johnny Richter are all scheduled to perform on the newly added stage.

SRH (Supporting Radical Habits) was originally established in 1991. Since its inception, it has branched out to form a clothing line closely associated with the action sports lifestyle. It also has put on its own music festival dubbed the SRH Fest. The SRH Fest assembles fans from around Southern California to celebrate live music, action sports and more. The bands featured at the SRH Fest include but are not limited to: NOFX, Pennywise, Offspring, Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Unwritten Law, Strung Out, Dilated Peoples, and (Hed) p.e. SRH founder Kevin Zinger shared his thoughts on the company’s partnership with the Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival with the media, noting SRH’s anniversary as a big reason for the new deal. “We are extremely excited to be doing this year’s SRH fest at Blaze ‘N’ Glory,” he said. This is our 25th anniversary, so when the idea of combining forces came up, it made complete sense. We wanted to put together a lineup that represents our flavor of music and lifestyle and Blaze ‘N’ Glory is the perfect event. It’s an honor to have so many amazing artists get involved to perform and support. We have some special guests that will also be joining us, and this show will go down in the SRH history books for sure.”

In honor of SRH’s 25^th anniversary, organizers with the Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival is offering a special 4-pack ticket sale that begins Friday, May 13^th at 1pm EST/10:00a.m. PST. The special short sale ends Saturday, May 14^th at 2:00pm EST/11:00a.m. PST. The package deal allows fans to purchase four tickets for $25 each plus fees. Camping reservations can be made for the festival now by calling the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department at 909-387-2583. A very limited number of spaces for RVs and campers adjacent to the venue is currently available and will likely go fast. Campgrounds will be open from Friday, June 3^rd at 3pm through Sunday, June 5^th at 12pm.

More information on the Blaze ‘N’ Glory Festival is available online now at:

Website: http://www.BlazeNGlory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blazengloryfest

Twitter: http://twitter.com/blazengloryfest

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

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