10 up-and-coming artists who pack an emotional punch

November 23, 2016

A Will Away

“I got a right hook with his name on it,” from “The Masochist’s Daughter” is a prime example of how high A Will Away’s emotions can get. In a perfect pairing of bands, they’ll be out supporting Tiny Moving Parts on their December run of the U.S.

Hometown: Naugatuck, CT

Check Out: “My Sitter”

Best Line: “Give me traction/Give me the reasons I should want to be saved.”

Hot Mulligan

With support from the likes of Mat Kerekes of Citizen and Nick Diener of the Swellers, alongside catchy and honest songwriting, Hot Mulligan are well on their way to notoriety. Besides, a band with songs titled “I Played Tony Hawk's Ride Once, And It Sucked” and “11 Second Burp” surely deserve a listen.

Hometown: Lansing, MI

Check out: “Jimmy Neutron Had A Dog, So Why Can't I Have A Friend?”

Best Line: “Love doesn't work, and you're proof of that happening.”

Chase Huglin

Chase Huglin’s emotional honesty is exactly what this scene needs, and his debut LP, You Deserve An Island, is a collection of heartache that hits the soul deep.

Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Check out: “Niagara”

Best Line: “So I will drive home/it is the only way that I know to cope.”

Bay Faction

Bay Faction give you a blend of odd rhythms, jazzy chords and powerful, memorable lyrics. Their sound falls somewhere between a relaxing musical massage and the anger-inducing stimulus of your choosing.

Hometown: Boston, MA

Check out: “Bloody Nose”

Best Line: “I could never get comfortable/that's why my home always felt like a hotel.”

Modern Chemistry

This New Jersey team are starting to gain the attention of some important people in the scene. Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara produced their latest EP, and they are currently on tour with Mayday Parade. And after listening to their badass guitar riffs and strong, emotive vocals, it’s easy to see why.

Hometown: New Brunswick, NJ

Check out: “Cling”

Best Line: “I was blinded by love/but thought I'd risk it/It's an art form/a sad way of life.”

Homesafe

Homesafe will have you air-drumming along to their dynamic songs in no time. The evocative lyrics and raw emotion in standout songs like “Hourglass” show that this band is something special.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Check out: “Hourglass”

Best Line: “I can't believe that I am still away/I'll play the hand I'm dealt and keep my head on straight.”

Pinegrove

With influences such as Bon Iver and Alex G, Run For Cover Records act Pinegrove are brilliantly creative with their sound. Picture going on a rollercoaster of emotion where you feel super-upbeat one second, only to get smacked with a wave of nostalgia for events that you never experienced.

Hometown: Montclair, NJ

Check out: “Old Friends”

Best Line: “I should call my parents when I think of them/should tell my friends when I love them.”

Fossil Youth

With an EP and a full-length release on their list of accomplishments, Fossil Youth are aiming to make 2017 theirs. The music is chock-full of melodies that will be engrained in your brain, instrumentation that will hit you in the face and lyrics you can text your ex.

Hometown: Enid, OK

Check out: “From The Window”

Best Line: “I’m tired of pulling teeth/I’m tired of me.”

Free Throw

Free Throw are the type of band you want to be screaming along the lyrics with at a live show. The very relatable “Two Beers In” tackles the subject of loneliness in an authentic way that makes it easy to connect with.

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Check out: “Two Beers In”

Best Line: “Two beers in/already feels like it’s one of those nights to forget.”

Microwave

When you hear vocalist Nathan Hardy of Microwave scream, “There’s nowhere else, nobody else, nothing,” toward the end of “Vomit,” you’ll probably get chills. Microwave have crafted a sound that’ll make you want to simultaneously punch a hole through a wall and hug your best friend.