Runnner’s latest EP, Fan On, ironically feels like the exact moment the fan turns off: that brief silence where you become aware of the sound of your own mental machinery. It’s in this meditative space that Fan On thrives, scoring the mundane day-to-day through ennui-drenched lenses. Fusing pop, folk, jazz and rock, Runnner has created a sound so drowsy and robust it’ll swallow you whole, into an atmosphere as refreshing as it is nostalgic, as vintage as it is vibrant. Banjo rolls, sax swells and smart, emotive lyricism perfectly paint velvety vignettes of household anxiety, frenetically and fluidly floating from room to room. Whether it’s the cyclical transience of subletting, the enticing, yet ultimately unsatisfying notion of turning 18, or imbuing the entire existential experience in the cracking of an eggshell, Runnner has cultivated a gorgeous soundtrack to growing up and moving through life.

Listening to Mal Blum’s work is a welcome and cathartic therapy session. Juxtaposing upbeat punk riffs with harrowing and hilariously self-aware lyrics, their music is a witness to the first steps of self-betterment: identifying one’s issues and learning to become fully culpable for the outcomes. Unashamed and unabashedly, Mal Blum explores the root cause and consequences of their behavioral patterns with such stern straightforwardness, you can’t help but hold up a mirror to yourself. Their upcoming album Pity Boy, serves as the next plausible step, both sonically and thematically, moving us into a more robust sound with lyrics that explore what steps are necessary to break the holding patterns identified on the first album.

Blum’s charm lies in the skillful way they pad hefty topics with levity and cynicism, creating a completely captivating listening experience. Tune in as we talk about their upcoming album, therapy, and reality TV.

Featured Tracks: “I Don’t Want To” “Things Still Left to Say”

Submerged in his world of swarming orchestral swells and velvety baritone, Allen Tate can usher in a tear as quickly as he can ease a head full of bees. In his 2016 release of Sleepwalker, Tate explores the kaleidoscope concept of being alone, addressing the danger of indulging too much in our isolation (“Being Alone,” “Wrapped Up”), and the consequences of attempting to avoid loneliness altogether (“Y.D.N.F.”). He’s a masterful lyricist, haunting and euphoric in the way he shamelessly pins fear and apprehension to the wall, examining their origins. His latest releases “When Did I Get Like This” and “What to Say” maintain his knack for introspective writing, only on a larger, more self-aware scale. Where Sleepwalker (best described as “menacing bath: warm and enveloping, but with an element of anxiety) is moody, murky and teeming with tension, In the Waves  feels like a giant inhale, a desperate need to wake up and breathe after simmering beneath the surface of that very solitary, menacing bath.  

Have you ever seen that meme of two houses, the pink house is labeled “melody” and the all black house next to it is labeled “lyrics?” Yeah….that’s the Mom Jeans. discography. Their genius lies in this very dichotomy: the ability to pair feel good, pop-rock riffs with darker, introspective songwriting. With lyrics like “pull the skin off my bones/so that I can finally breathe freely for the first fucking time in my life,” Puppy Loveisn’t shying away from the shadowy side of the mind. The sophomore album tackles themes of depression, anxiety, existential unrest, and the steps we must take towards finding love and light in spite of this darkness. Their candor and transparency keeps the content relatable and grounded, while their quippy pop culture laden song titles lend some levity to the rather heavy lyrics at hand. Mom Jeans. is a breath of fresh air band that isn’t willing to forfeit their sense of humor for some serious storytelling. 

“Is it ever real?” Bryce whispers eagerly and repeatedly in the kickoff track to her 2018 album, Discussions With Myself.  The album becomes an echo chamber for that very question, as she masterfully blurs the line between conscious awareness and what’s lurking in the subconscious. The heady synth-pop beats make the listener feel as if they’re floating, and it’s only when they hear the weight of her words that they touch back down. From contemplating intangible realities on planes to wallpapering the inside of her brain, Soren is a skillful lyricist who isn’t afraid to delve into the darker parts of isolation and introspection. She has created a brilliant sonic and lyrical duality that is enormously intoxicating and ethereal, while remaining cerebral and grounded. Discussions With Myself is a fully realized dream, bridging the gap between reality and fantasy, the internal and external.

Listen in as we discuss Soren’s musical journey, A Haunting at Hill House, derealization, and, of course, the delicious disaster that is Fyre Festival. 

Forgiveness is tricky business. It’s all-consuming, emptying, tangled, exhilarating, infuriating and utterly exhausting…as Active Bird Community knows all too well. Their latest album, “Amends,” rides each one of these waves, serving as a soundtrack to the sometimes seemingly insurmountable summit of indemnification. In a year that brought forth a dizzying torrent of anger and chaos, “Amends” exists as an essential injection of visceral honesty that readjusts the focus of attention and action inward. This album is a glowing reminder that before we can pardon the world around us, we must first accomplish the messiest, most necessary feat of making amends with ourselves. 

Julia Steiner is a storyteller with an incredible flare for folklore-esq songwriting. With care and precision She manages to magnify a particular memory and assign it a myriad of meanings. The stories are sometimes reflections of her own life, other times they’re imagined fantasies about historical figures...but they are always stunning. Her voice spiderwebs through melodies that feel simultaneously novel and nostalgic, echoing influences from folk, country, rock and Americana. Ratboys is a genre enigma, a lyrical adventure and a necessary breath of fresh air. 

Listen in as we talk with Julia about her musical journey, songwriting, wiki-races, and the concept of being “post-country.” 

Secret Stuff is the ultimate closed mouth smile of a band. Armed with wit, humor and twinkly guitar riffs, they dive headfirst into the grungy, gory bits, fleshing out each shard of a single emotion, all while refusing to take themselves too seriously. Cascading through ebbs of soft vulnerability and swells of shouting (when the songs really buck), and a discography littered with pop culture Easter eggs, they’re as much fun as they are cathartic. It’s a layered listening experience that will keep you coming back in hopes of unveiling another piece, and revealing the secret stuff.  Listen in as we deep dive into Michael Pfohl’s musical journey, Nashville, his work in the DIY community, and get to the bottom of those iconic song titles.

We are back from our brief hiatus! Hear what we have been up to and stay tuned for new episodes! 

 “Yellow represents the mellow, the red is that fiery thing, and they create this spark of energy,” says Joshua Hanson when describing the song that gave way to a perfect band name, Yellow Red Sparks. The self-titled album explores the depth of these colors—and each shade in between—leaving us with a vivid soundtrack of the dualities we exist within daily: the quiet contemplation, the fire and fury, the devastation and meditation, the contempt and contentment. It’s cinematic in scope, scored with sweeping melodies and Joshua’s unparalleled lyrical ability to intertwine raw, earnest emotion and seasoned, acute observation. Yellow Red Sparks creates the sort of music that covertly creeps under your skin, into your bloodstream, and reignites the spark in your spirit.

Featured songs in interview: "Monsters With Misdemeanors" "I Want My Knife Back"