Contributions
Jimmy Eat World - Damage
Jimmy Eat World Damage After one listen of Damage, Jimmy Eat World’s eighth full-length (and first for RCA Records), one thing will be abundantly clear: Either frontman Jim Adkins had his heart broken pretty goddamn badly at some point during the past few years, or he is remarkably good at faking it. Instead of continuing […]
“It’s a pop-punk record for grownups” — In The Studio with the Swellers
[Photos: Brett Gross] In their role as Flint, Michigan’s entry in the pop-punk sweepstakes, THE SWELLERS have been on roller coaster as rickety as the one gracing the cover of their 2009 release Ups And Downsizing. The band—vocalist/guitarist Nick Diener, guitarist Ryan Collins, bassist/vocalist Anto Boros and drummer/vocalist Jonathan Diener—have experienced their fair share of […]
Sleeping With Sirens - Feel
Sleeping With Sirens Feel Sleeping With Sirens took the world—or at least AP’s corner of it—by storm in 2012, with an über-successful acoustic EP and a breakthrough full-length filling up fans’ iPods. Feel is their chance to break ahead of the pop-screamo pack, and at times, they succeed. “Here We Go” and “Low” are fast-paced, […]
Cat Power, Ozma, Ash, the Cribs, Workaholics' Adam Devine, more on 2014 Weezer Cruise
Alt-rock icons (and three-time AP cover stars) Weezer have announced the support acts for the 2014 Weezer Cruise. Sailing from Jacksonville, Florida, to the Bahamas from Feb. 13-17, 2014, the Weezer Cruise will feature multiple performances from its namesake headliner as well as additional sets from Cat Power, Ozma, Ash, Toro Y Moi, the Cribs, […]
AP's official Skate & Surf survival guide—five tips you need to know
This weekend marks the long-awaited return of the Skate And Surf Festival, a two-day event taking place at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, featuring the best and brightest of our scene. Now, it's been a number of years since S&S has been a part of our spring (sure, we had the Bamboozle from […]
Broadheds - Broadheds
Broadheds Broadheds This slapped-together sorta-supergroup features sidemen from a variety of bands—Fitz And The Tantrums’ James King on sax, Beck/Nine Inch Nails bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen and session drummer Denny Weston Jr.—led by former Eulogies frontman Peter Walker. It’s punk in its ethos (13 songs in 29 minutes) and occasionally in its sonic companions (the Matches-esque […]
Velveeta awards Cursive frontman with edible "gold" record
No, you didn't read that headline wrong—processed-cheese maker Velveeta recently got into a series of Twitter discussions with Cursive frontman Tim Kasher regarding his appreciation of their Shells & Cheese product, and as a result, the company created a “gold” record plaque for Cursive's Domestica, originally released in 2000 on Saddle Creek. The Chicago Reader […]
The Wonder Years - The Greatest Generation
The Wonder Years The Greatest Generation The Greatest Generation is the final installment of the Wonder Years’ trilogy of records documenting the struggles of man versus self, others and the future. But even more than that, The Greatest Generation represents how, given enough time, a band can turn themselves from a joke into one of […]
Fitz And The Tantrums - More Than Just A Dream
Fitz And The Tantrums More Than Just A Dream Fitz And The Tantrums’ first album, 2010’s Pickin’ Up The Pieces, was an anomaly in pop music: a fun, upbeat retro-soul/funk/R&B hybrid that sounded remarkably fresh, thanks in part to frontman Michael Fitzpatrick’s surprisingly pissed-off lyrics and saxophonist James King’s perfectly sculpted horn lines. Unfortunately, nearly […]