Back in December, I wrote a massive article about half of the artists I covered on my first ever Prenatt’s Picks lists with The Record. I wanted to look at where some of those bands and musicians went. Some died (Lil Peep), some fell apart (Home Sweet Home), and tons were accused of sexual allegations (Pinegrove, Sorority Noise, PWR BTTM).
Now that it’s 2019, I can see what happened to those who I covered on last year’s lists. Let’s check up on them.
Settle Your Scores
2018 was a big year for the easycore group. They dropped their second album Better Luck Tomorrow on SharpTone Records (As I Lay Dying, Holding Absence, Miss May I), toured with We Were Sharks, Bilmuri, and Nominee, and…then got dropped by SharpTone. Now independent again, the group are picking up right where they left off. So far this year they’ve dropped an electric version of “My Reason To Come Back Home” called “My Reason To Come Back Home 2: Electric Boogaloo”, started recording new music, and toured with Calling All Captains, who were on this year’s Prenatt’s Picks list. And yes, they’re still shitposting. Never change, fellas.
Awaken I Am
No one should have gone through what Awaken I Am went through in 2018. Last May, guitarist Connor Verner-Oakley was killed in a car accident. This tragedy would help the band grow stronger, creating the EP The Beauty In Tragedy, which honored their fallen brother. They also got a new vocalist Jimmy Stevenson who replaced Adam Douglas. Since being featured, they’ve toured with SECRETS, Escape The Fate, and Slaves, dropped an EP, and just wrapped up a headlining tour in their native Australia with I The Mighty.
nothing,nowhere.
He blew up quick. The New England based emo rapper had a successful 2018 and so far a fantastic 2019. nothing,nowhere. dropped his Fueled By Ramen (A Day To Remember, The Front Bottoms, Lights) debut record Ruiner last April, dropped a collaboration with clothing label Famous Stars And Straps, toured with Fall Out Boy, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, and is currently on the road with grandson. A collaboration EP with Blink-182’s Travis Barker called Bloodlust is coming out Friday, September 27.
7 Minute Martians
The Ohio based pop-punk group 7 Minute Martians seemed to have had a great year. I wrote, “I really hope the world pays attention to these guys, they sound amazing.” And it seemed that people were paying attention. They ended up doing shows with The Ataris, Keep Flying, and a former Prenatt’s Picks list band Mascots. Minus the departure of their drummer Nick Neumeister, it looks like 7MM are getting there.
MAKEOUT
Earlier this year, the future for MAKEOUT was blurry. Just a year prior, they appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, toured with Cute Is What We Aim For and Icon For Hire, and were riding high with the success of their album The Good Life. Then January came and their lead vocalist announced he was done with tour life and quit, leaving the rest of the group unsure of their future. That was until just last week when former American Idol contestant Kyle Dee and ex-Sleep On It bassist AJ Khan joined the group. Expect big things for MAKEOUT in 2020.
Mt. Joy
Folk group Mt. Joy enjoyed their 2018, playing various festivals along with artists like Paul McCartney, Rise Against, CHVRCHES, The Hives, and Modest Mouse, dropping their debut self-titled record, toured throughout the country and Europe, and even performed on TV twice (CBS This Morning and Jimmy Kimmel Live!). And it seems their 2020 is looking bright since they’re opening up for The Lumineers on their world tour. Not bad.
The Frights
Indie punks The Frights may have started off as a prank, but their success ain’t nothing to joke about. They dropped their third record (and first with Epitaph Records) Hypochondriac last August, appearing at Riot Fest last fall, playing Coachella in April, made a live album, and so much more. Just yesterday they announced they’ll be on the second Songs That Saved My Life compilation covering Modest Mouse’s “Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes” which comes out November 8. Later this fall the band will be opening up for The Story So Far and Matt And Kim.
Sharptooth
Last year treated Sharptooth well. With a spot on the final Vans Warped Tour as well as shows with Cane Hill, Snapcase, Knocked Loose, Propagandhi, and Senses Fail, the Baltimore based hardcore group showed they’re a force to be reckoned with. 2019 so far has been great, with the band touring with As It Is, Comeback Kid, and Obey The Brave, performing at Groezrock in Germany, and were called one of the 50 best American hardcore bands right now by Kerrang!. Later this year they’ll appear on the charity comp Songs That Saved My Life Vol. 2 covering Anti-Flag’s “Die For The Government” and will hit the road with Limbs and Wristmeetrazor.
I Don’t Know How But They Found Me
The new wave/indie pop duo iDKHOW blew the fuck up in 2018 after Fearless Records (Capstan, I Prevail, Set It Off) signed the duo and dropped their debut EP 1981 Extended Play. They opened for Deaf Havana last fall, appeared at Riot Fest, Reading And Leeds, and Slam Dunk this year, and even appeared on the cover of Alternative Press back in January. Let’s see what 2020 has planned for the duo.
We Were Sharks
The Ottawa based pop-punk group gained some attention after Victory Records (Abandoned By Bears, Broadside, Cro-Mags) released their debut full-length Lost Touch in early 2018. They got to do one day of Warped Tour, tour with Settle Your Scores and Abandoned By Bears, and by the year’s end, have Lost Touch reach over 3.1 million streams on Spotify. Fast forward to 2019 and they’re now independent again. WWS have currently toured with Summer Wars and later this year will be at The Fest in Florida and tour with Assuming We Survive and Never Loved.
The Millennium
If you weren’t aware, the Midwestern pop-rock band The Millennium called it a day back in November, lasting only four years. In that span of time, they played with 3OH!3, The Wrecks, and State Champs, did Warped Tour, and won Ernie Ball’s Warped Tour Battle Of The Bands twice.
lovelytheband
Born from the ashes of Oh Honey, alt-pop trio lovelytheband have been riding high after the success of their single “Broken” back in late 2017. The next two years would have the band drop their debut album Finding It Hard To Smile, doing shows with Walk The Moon, Jimmy Eat World, and Vance Joy, and partook in an event run by Pepsi for the return of college football in Cleveland. Who knows what the new year has in store for the trio.
L.I.F.T
The emo rap group L.I.F.T aka Love In Future Times were having a promising 2018. That all came crashing down prior to appearing at the inaugural Sad Summer Fest with The Wonder Years and Just Friends when the group were allegedly grabbing fans inappropriately during photo ops. They’ve since went M.I.A. and maybe it’s for the best.
Fernway
The departure of a member isn’t gonna slow down the Buffalo alt-rock group. Now armed with bassist Alec Dub, the band are ready to take on 2020 with new material. They just dropped a new song called “Half-Life” back in August. Before Halloween, they’ll be playing their second annual Halloween show at Buffalo Iron Works with Ugly Sun, Post Prom, and Grace Greenan.
Dead Girls Academy
Rock outfit Dead Girls Academy have been doing well since releasing Alchemy last summer on Victory Records. Last summer they had the privilege of playing the final Vans Warped Tour and touring with Falling In Reverse. This year they’ve been constantly on the road, playing festivals like Welcome To Rockville, touring with John 5, and their first headlining tour. Later this fall DGA will tour with P.O.D. and Alien Ant Farm.
Color Killer
The youngest band ever to play Warped Tour did so much last year. Besides doing Warped Tour, they got to open up for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones during their annual Hometown Throwdown, added an additional guitarist Dylan, and dropped their debut album Generation Z independently last July. This year they released three songs, one being a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, played with their idols The Queers, and even have a skateboard, yes, a skateboard. Only 5 remain. Buy one.
*repeat repeat
A year ago I did photography for their show with Our Lady Peace. A year later I did the same thing at their headlining show at Buffalo Iron Works. And they remembered me. Since the last I wrote about them they dropped their sophomore album Glazed, performed at several festivals, and are currently touring with The Black Keys and Modest Mouse. It’s only up from here.
PKEW PKEW PKEW
Canadian punks PKEW PKEW PKEW were doing well in 2018, but when 2019 struck, big things happened. They dropped their second album Optimal Lifestyles on Dine Alone Records (Alexisonfire, JEFF The Brotherhood, Single Mothers), appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers, toured with Prenatt’s Picks 2019 band Spanish Love Songs, and played festivals like Riot Fest and Riverfest Elora. Wonder what 2020 will bring to the PKEWx3 boys.
Calpurnia
Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard’s band Calpurnia did so much since I last wrote about them. Their debut EP Scout came out last year and they dropped a new song “Cell” back in March, appeared at Riot Fest last year and Shaky Knees Music Festival this year, and appeared in a Weezer music video. Sadly they cancelled a bunch of shows this summer, including an appearance at Lollapalooza. Hope they get better.
Story Untold
Canadian pop-punkers Story Untold dropped their debut album Waves on Hopeless Records (Emarosa, Neck Deep, Tiny Moving Parts) last year, which gave them several opportunities like a spot on the final Vans Warped Tour and touring with ROAM and With Confidence. This year, the band toured with Between You & Me and MAKEOUT and even got to play the Slam Dunk Festival. Expect their sophomore album sometime next year.
ASHES
Buffalo based metalcore group ASHES went through some changes this year, such as vocalist Felix Cruz III leaving. Besides playing a show earlier this year, they’ve been quite dormant. Unclean vocalist Jack Friend did launch a side project called Cold Camp last year and released their latest EP Holy Grail earlier this month. Check it out.
Varials
The Philly metalcore quintet are loving it at the moment. Just this year, they played both days of Warped Tour’s Atlantic City shows, touring with Sylar and Gideon, kicked ass at So What?! Music Festival, and just announced their new album In Darkness is coming out October 11 via Fearless Records. They’re touring with Counterparts and Stray From The Path this October through November.
Bearings
Last time we saw Bearings the Canadian band had their guitarist Tyler Nickel leave the group prior to their tour with Less Than Jake and Four Year Strong and were making their debut album Blue In The Dark, which came out last October on Pure Noise Records (Chamber, Meg & Dia, Take Offense). Fast forward to 2019 and the group have toured with Set It Off in Europe, co-headlined a tour in Canada with Belmont, and played Groezrock in Germany. Later this year they’ll play Four Year Strong’s Christmas show with Citizen, bloom., and The Movielife. They also seem to be up to something.
Hi, Mom!
The Sacramento pop-punk trio have been awfully quiet in 2019, just recently announcing a local showcase on Thursday, October 17. Earlier this year, they dropped their debut album Songs For Me. Maybe next year will bring more activity for the band.
Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers
They blew up. I could simply leave it at that but you wouldn’t be satisfied. Since writing about them, they signed with major label Reprise Records (Deftones, Family Of The Year, Green Day), dropped their second album The Fall Of Hobo Johnson, played on Late Night With Seth Meyers, appeared at Reading And Leeds, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza, toured the UK and Ireland with Cavetown, played NPR (finally), and will playing a North American tour with Mom Jeans.. So yeah, they’re doing well.
Punk Goes Prenatt 