And I can think of so many options that would weigh far less on you...
It's always an honor to work with the incredible Sonoa — truly one of the best bands in the NJ scene right now! Here's the art I created for their new single "Suitcase" which is out today!
The Indie music scene of New Jersey is lush with young groups trying to break the surface. Seldom does a band break out, but there are plenty of acts in New Jersey that certainly deserve more attention from the media. Studios like Audiotree, that host and record live sessions with independent bands and artists, are great for the emergence and exposure of young (in this case, New Jersey) bands like Pinegrove and Forth Wanderers. But for bands who haven’t quite reached the threshold of recognition from sources like Audiotree? Hopefully I’ll have acquainted you with some of the up-and-coming New Jersey bands by the end of this article…
Little do many know, New Jersey has loads of nooks and crannies that are lush with young music- bands playing in local venues, bars, and basements for any footing they can get in the music industry at large. The aforementioned bands (Pinegrove & Forth Wanderers), as well as Real Estate and The Front Bottoms, have gained the attention of NPR, Audiotree and Authors at Pitchfork.
Other New Jersey bands such as Flycatcher and Sonoa have a polished sound to compete with acts like Real Estate or Pinegrove. Flycatcher, hailing from New Brunswick, NJ, has a polished, yet heavy tone. Gregory Thomas Pease, the songwriter and frontman for the band, writes catchy, captivating melodies and head-bobbing grooves that the rest of the band executes fantastically. Their breakout single, “Games”, has gained them the most amount of attention starting around 2021, and it’s no surprise, as the song can be a bit of an ear-worm. I can’t say I didn’t have it on repeat for a while. Pease has also released his own single, “Maybe”, which takes on a lighter, almost folky energy, a slight contrast to the heavy, indie rock content written for Flycatcher. Sonoa, also founded in New Brunswick, writes supple guitar parts that compliment a meaty, drum/bass duo that locks everything in place.
Hodera, carries a similar sound to Sonoa, perhaps taking on a thicker, grittier tone. Their frontman, Matthew Smith, leads the band through almost-whispy, guitar meanderings and full-band head-banging. “Breathe Easy” is a fantastic example as it starts low and builds to the chorus, “can you breathe?” breakdown.
From Ridgewood, N.J. Prawn, again, takes on a similar, heavy tone. The band meanders a little more as they’re a little less assertive with vocals, but no doubt, they’re solid and deserve the listen. “North Lynx”, which features stadium-large breakdowns, will draw your whole attention, surely.
So, it seems there might be a divide between the New Jersey bands that “made it” and those that are still getting there. Perhaps the masses aren’t ready for the heavy, post rock sound that Flycatcher, Sonoa, Hodera and Prawn are bringing to the table. Forth Wanderers, Pinegrove and Real Estate lack the weight that the other bands use so chronically, and arguably really well. That’s not to say that the “it-bands” don’t deserve their recognition. It’s just very clear that a light indie sound is far more palatable than heavy, indie, post-rock. That’s the trend here at least…
You graduated
From the role that you’d been playing
Your whole life
The sudden change
Made you feel incomplete
And terrified
‘Cause you keep wondering
Who you are
Who you are
And who are you
Now you followed the procedure
To its end
Now nothing’s spelled out
And each step you have
To second-guessBut you can’t stop wondering
Who you are
Who you are
Who you are, areSave your energy
You can’t force…
36- indovina cosa sonoA) i miei anniB) il mio numero di scarpe C) i superfood contenuti nella monodose di Moa- Indovinato vero! -'LA FARMACISTA CONSIGLIA' Nel nostro appuntamento di questa settimana io e
given snuffy in this game ended his time by pushing noa out of the way i kind of want that to be the last time we see noa play… he shouldn’t be trying to carry the kids anymore…
if i’m honest his carrying of isagi may have been what ruined the guy, just within v.italy since noa-isagi and snuffy-barou as mirrored(?) mentor-mentee relationships was raised sonoa linking with isagi could be compared to snuffy enabling barou? snuffy moving out of barou’s path for the sake of barou’s growth and future noa has more to do thematically-narratively with noa-kaiser but even with noa-isagi it can be argued noa in the long-term harmed isagi’s growth by acting as his arms and legs noa made isagi grow accustomed to the idea that isagi not only needs help but will always have it
…though noa’s backing of isagi and kunigami is also because he wants kaiser to grow so i can’t blame him, i just enjoy this aspect of noa that within the series about becoming the best striker he’s the actual best and reliable marker of correctness and yet he may be what stifles the long-term growth of the players he mentors
[Verse]
We’ve been at this for hours
And I don’t know a thing
About how you’re feeling
Maybe that’s how it is
You keep a tight lid
On all of the things that I find interesting
[Verse]
And when I’m talking to you
It’s just like we’re window shopping
We keep on scanning the surface
And then turn and keep walking
So it’s on to the next one
Even though we weren’t done
I guess you’re just looking…