It’s a brand new year and you know what that means right? New music! Much like I did last year on my weekly list for The Record, I’ll be looking at 50 bands that I think you should add to your playlists. You might know some of these guys, or some of them might be fresh faces. Here’s some artists to check for in 2018.
The Plot In You
Hometown: Findlay, OH
Out Now: Dispose (Fearless)
For Fans Of: The Color Morale, Like Moths To Flames, We Came As Romans
Much like other metalcore bands like Of Mice & Men and The Color Morale, Ohio’s The Plot In You had to evolve their sound. But unlike other bands in their genre, this quartet have been able to pull it off and do it well. Formed in 2010, the group is composed of former Before Their Eyes vocalist Landon Tewers, bassist Ethan Yoder, guitarist Josh Childress, and former MyChildren MyBride drummer Josh Childress. Originally starting as a side project to Before Their Eyes, The Plot In You started to take things seriously after releasing their sophomore album “Could You Watch Your Children Burn” in 2013. After hitting dead ends after leaving Rise Records and Attila’s Chris Fronzak’s label Stay Sick, the group regained some fresh air after signing to Fearless Records (August Burns Red, I Prevail, Movements) in the summer of 2017 and appearing on “Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7” with their rendition of James Bay’s “Let It Go”. Since then, TPIY have been getting the recognition they deserved for quite some time. The band is currently touring the country with We Came As Romans, Oceans Ate Alaska, Currents, and Tempting Fate with the closest date being April 6th at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY.
Song to Listen to: “I Always Wanted To Leave”
Oh, Weatherly
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Out Now: Make You Bright – EP (Hopeless)
For Fans Of: Cartel, The Friday Night Boys, Mayday Parade
Do you know what pop-punk has been missing? Sweetness that’s what, and luckily these Texans have enough of it to pass around to everyone. Coming from Dallas is one of Hopeless Records’ (Aaron West And The Roaring Twenties, Circa Survive, New Found Glory) freshest faces that just practically ooze friendship and good times, Oh, Weatherly. The band is only three years old and yet they’ve done a lot, such as playing So What?! Music Festival twice, working with well-known producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (Against The Current, Every Avenue, Go Radio,) and toured with Centerfolds and World War Me. Now in 2018, they plan on conquering the pop-punk scene. The band will play the final Warped Tour in Houston on July 8th.
Song to Listen to: “Make You Bright”
Jetty Bones
Hometown: West Liberty, OH
Out Now: Old Women – EP (Take This To Heart)
For Fans Of: Candy Hearts, Have Mercy, Socratic
Kelc Galluzzo is the woman the music scene needs right now. Filled with fun and catchy lyrics like “Maybe I don’t need a lover, I just need the friend/ Who carried my weight when my back was sore” and “Don’t let your thoughts run dry/ You’ve got to stay alive,” Galluzzo is a fresh face in a scene where things are the same. To quote her Facebook page, “Kelc writes the songs and asks for help from her friends. Then they play you the songs. Then we all hug and dance. Then we build this life long bond where we can all just be friends and a progressive, mutually supportive team in the seemingly endless race to establish the kindness we know as genuine humanity.” Sounds like a great fucking time. Her kindness is sweet and her high energy shows will get you on your feet. Catch her as she opens for Knuckle Puck on their spring tour this year. The closest date of the tour is Tuesday, March 13th at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY.
Song to Listen to: “No Lover”
The Millennium
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI and Minneapolis, MN
Out Now: But Do We Ever Ask Ourselves? (Self-released)
For Fans Of: Paradise Fears, The Summer Set, We The Kings
No, this isn’t the 1960’s rock band from California created by Curt Boetcher. Instead, this The Millennium is a pop-rock band from Eau Claire, WI and Minneapolis, MN that’s composed of four good friends Matt Hasenmueller (vocals,) Casey Sproatt (guitar,) Josh Becker (bass,) and Brandon Bruyette (drums.) So far in their four years together as a band, they’ve made a music video that’s a tribute to the Nickelodeon series “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” won Ernie Ball’s Battle of the Bands comeptition for Warped Tour twice, and have played shows with 3OH!3, Bearings, and former pop star Jesse McCartney (he had that song “Beautiful Soul.”) As stated on their Facebook page, “Enjoying the challenge of fusing influences from their home roots with the inspiration they love of today’s music, The Millenium strives to bring more non-traditional elements into their sound, incorporating realms of indie, acoustic, electronic, and pop styles in a sometimes eclectic fashion – one is sure to appreciate a genuine sound showcasing undeniably catchy and melodically driven tracks intertwined with a playful and inventive blend acoustic guitar and piano, showcasing their songwriting forte.” With catchy hooks and oozing of nostalgia, The Millennium is nothing but a good time. Don’t sleep on them.
Song to Listen to: “Wild Again”
lovelytheband
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Out Now: Everything I Could Never Say… – EP (Another Century)
For Fans Of: Foster The People, LANY, The 1975
Signed to the same label as The Wrecks comes this California trio that I’ve talked about before when I was with the Record. Made after the demise of his acoustic pop project Oh Honey, vocalist Mitchy Collins decided to take a swing at alt-pop and brought in drummer Sam Price and guitarist Jordan Greenwald to create lovelytheband. You’ve probably heard their catchy debut single “Broken” playing on alternative stations across the country late last year. Hopefully the band releases a brand new album sometime this coming year. You can catch these guys as the opening act on Vance Joy’s Nation of Two World Tour when it comes to the U.S. in April.
Song to Listen to: “Broken”
L.I.F.T (Love In Future Times)
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Out Now: Cassette Tapes – Single (Dead 30 Records/ DCD2/ Photo Finish)
For Fans Of: Linkin Park, nothing,nowhere., twenty one pilots
If Pete Wentz signs you to his label DCD2, you must be doing something right. L.I.F.T aka Love In Future Times is probably the first band to come into the emo hip-hop scene. The band is mostly mysterious but we know they’re composed of vocalist Austin Arthur, guitarists Reuben Pearl and Robert Carter, bassist Holden Prine, and drummer Jamaal Smith. Just going on their website shows some strange aesthetic things that remind me way too much of Syringe. They also answer questions on their site, too. Maybe as the year progresses we’ll learn more about these guys. They’ll be opening up for Fall Out Boy later this fall on their Mania Tour along with special guests Gym Class Heroes, Every Time I Die, and State Champs.
Song to Listen to: “Cassette Tapes”
Stolas
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Out Now: Stolas (Equal Vision)
For Fans Of: A Lot Like Birds, Circa Survive, Dance Gavin Dance
With A Lot Like Birds ending, fans will be looking out for bands who’ll be able to give them their progressive rock cravings. Carlo Marquez, Sergio Medina, and Bobby Lyons, known together as Stolas, have been making noise since coming together in 2011 before hitting it big in 2013 with the release of “Living Creatures”. The band gained recognition in 2017 in the Facebook group Dance Gavin Dance (+Friends) Swanposting after dropping their Equal Vision Records (Eisley, I The Mighty, Say Anything) debut “Stolas”. I’ve seen them before when they opened for Jason Richardson last year and they’re incredible to watch. To quote Jaxon Wolf’s post in the group, “If you don’t see Stolas you’re are pure trash.”
Song to Listen to: “Bellwether”
Fernway
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Out Now: Headspace – Single (Self-released)
For Fans Of: Can’t Swim, Pentimento, A Will Away
I’ve known these guys for years under the name of Rescue Dawn, but changed their name and added a new face (third guitarist Brett Robertson) to expand their emo/alt-rock sound. Under their new name Fernway, the Western New York based quintet have evolved their pop-punk/emo sound into something more atmospheric and it’s been doing them quite well. Their first show this year at the legendary Mohawk Place was sold out (sorry I couldn’t make it Jonah.) If that doesn’t mean that these guys are going places then I don’t know what I’m talking about. With a sound that combines Young The Giant with I The Mighty, Fernway is a band that you shan’t sleep on, cause if you do, well, that’s your fault. Expect humongous things from these guys in the future.
Song to Listen to: “Reflections”
Dead Girls Academy
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV and Hollywood, CA
Out Now: I’ll Find A Way – Single (Victory)
For Fans Of: Falling In Reverse, Get Scared, Motionless In White
After disbanding Vampires Everywhere! in 2016, Michael Orlando (center) wanted to make something with his new vision. Enter Dead Girls Academy, Orlando’s brand new project signed to Victory Records (Abandoned By Bears, For The Win, Reverend Horton Heat.) “I’ve always been on the darker side of things in rock & roll, and the name fits the sound and overall image,” Orlando said in a state from Victory. “Split personalities, fake friends, hangers-on, social-climbing and attention-hunting whores are all ingredients I wanted to exploit with this project.” Channeling in the things he’s seen while living in Hollywood, Orlando with his group of friends went out to tell their tales to the world. Their debut album is set to come out sometime this year. You can catch DGA on this year’s Vans Warped Tour from June 21st to July 8th on the Owly.fm Stage along with As It Is, Picturesque, and Trash Boat.
Song to Listen to: “I’ll Find A Way”
Sink The Ship
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Out Now: Domestic Dispute – Single (SharpTone)
For Fans Of: Abandoned By Bears, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, Four Year Strong
Yes, this is the band that did an easycore version of Chip Skylark’s “My Shiny Teeth And Me.” After being gone for a short period of time, Sink The Ship have returned stronger than ever and with a new label to boot, SharpTone Records (Emmure, Settle Your Scores, World War Me.) The band have been gaining credibility by playing shows with acts like blessthefall, The Plot In You, and Attila, and just wrapped up a tour with We Were Sharks. With a brand new attitude in mind and a brand new song that features Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! frontman Bert Poncet, Sink The Ship aren’t ready to abandon ship yet.
Song to Listen to: “Domestic Dispute”
Check out next week for more artists!
Punk Goes Prenatt 