Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Loose Panic, Max Rauch, Madeline Fung, Bike Routes, and 9fm. Plus a look back at "The Communist Song" by The KumQuats.
Loose Panic - "Weightbearing". Loose Panic's bio describes their debut album as, "a collection of nine songs that reflect on the burdens we carry—as individuals, and as a generation of seekers in a country and society we barely recognize anymore. Themes of meaning, place, loss, memory, love, and identity weave throughout the record."
You could think from that description this is a dour album, but these serious lyrics are filtered through some powerful, and catchy music, that seems to be inspired by 90's Alt-Americana-Rock. It makes for a brilliant album, I am sure I will be listening to for years to come.
Max Rauch - "Made an album". If you are in any way involved in the New Jersey music scene you have probably heard of Max Rauch. Be it from the music he has made with LKFFCT, NGHTCRWLRS, MAUCH, among others, or the local artists he has produces at his Domestic Bliss Recording, he has been a big part of the scene for many years.
His latest release, "Made an album", is 8 infectious power-pop tunes... well more accurately 7 power-pop tunes and a lovely acoustic number to close the album.
Max describes the album as being about, "feeling disconnected from your own truth, caught between the life you curate and consume online and the one you actually live daily."
I think we can all relate... and even if you somehow can't in this world we live in, did I mention about infectious these songs are? Go check it out now!
Madeline Fung - "Hon". Madeline Fung has made an earworm of a pop-punk song in, "Hon", that bowled me over on first, and repeated listens. That fact that this is not only her debut single, but she is also 11 years old, just blows me away. This is definitely an artist to watch. Can't wait to hear how her music continues to develop.
Bike Routes - "Prairie". BlowUpRadio.com has been playing Bike Routes' music for about a decade now. David Lawrence Osterhout's project has come a long way from those earnest beginnings. The songs have always been pop infused rock, almost subverting the more serious lyrics, but the production value has come a long way from what I recall being bedroom demos that we originally played back in the day. As their latest album, "Prairie", is released by Blue Grape Music, hopefully Bike Routes will find the bigger success I think they deserve with this wonderful album.
9fm - "Desperate Lengths". In what appears to be a theme in this week's column, 9fm's latest single, "Desperate Lengths", is as the title suggests, a serious song lyrically, but filtered through an alt-pop song that has a dance vibe to it I found irresistible!
Not New, But Memorable Corner
The KumQuats - "The Communist Song". Is it possible for a song released 30 years ago to be even more relevant today?
Sadly, in this case, the answer is yes.
In 1996 The KumQuats released "The Communist Song", a fun punk song, that the band describes as, "deadpans its way through olive-drab clothing, government-made vodka, and teaching the manifesto 'to all the kiddies in the school yard.'"
The song appears on "The Royal Holy Order of the Golden Kumquat", which the band has remastered and re-released to coincide with the nation's 250th birthday.
Remember BlowUpRadio.com, plays these and many other New Jersey based artists on our internet radio station, so please check us out. #SupportGoodMusic - If you like any of the above artists, please purchase their music from their site. And if you would like to be part of BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable, please send downloads or contact Lazlo at Lazlo-at-BlowUpRadio-dot-com. We're also on Mastodon (and bridged on BlueSky)
