Tag Archives: grunge

LISTEN: With ‘Spooky Girl,’ Lips Speak Louder Blasts Off Into 2025

It’s hard to imagine a band getting the year off to a hotter start than Lips Speak Louder just did with their newest single.

The turbo-charged “Spooky Girl” enters the equation with loud, fuzzy guitar riffs and aggressive drums, combining the grit of 90s grunge with the thrilling, rhythm-oriented bombast one might expect from a Queens of the Stone Age record.

“‘Spooky Girl’ is a song about walking the line between carnal fascination and hedonism,” notes vocalist/guitarist Rachel Brandsness. “The opening guitar riff, soaked in fuzz, dictated the direction of the song, which paved the path for the aggressive drums and created the perfect tonal landscape for the lyrics.”

Produced by acclaimed guitarist and songwriter Emily Wolfe, “Spooky Girl” is another offering from the band’s forthcoming album, to be released later this year.

“When we pictured the backdrop of ‘Spooky Girl,’ we envisioned the chase, or cat-and-mouse situation in a dark club with lots of stimulation, sexiness, and eagerness,” drummer Angie Lese adds. “We wanted the music to mimic that driving force, so by design, the song goes hard and doesn’t let up.”

Believe the ‘Hype’: Lips Speak Louder are Here to Rock!

In case you’ve been under a rock for the past few years, turn-of-the-millennium rock influences are everywhere these days. It’s never long before we hear about another reunion tour — or entire festival — meant to appeal to our Gen X and Millennial tastes.

Of course, the late 90s and early 2000s are showing up in plenty of new music as well. Take Nashville-based duo Lips Speak Louder for example; their new single, “Hype,” draws its instrumentation and swagger from some of your favorite high-powered grunge tunes, while frontwoman Rachel Brandsness’ vocals remind us of Gwen Stefani — with just a wee bit more of a sullen edge.

“‘Hype’ unapologetically calls out and confronts the inauthenticity of those who sell themselves for their own gain, whether it’s social, financial or political,” Brandsness said.

If you want to hear more after listening to this — and we’re sure you will — Lips Speak Louder is about to embark on a fall tour across much of the US, both in support of their own project and as the backing band for Emily Wolfe, who produced “Hype” alongside the band’s forthcoming album. That tour includes an Oct. 19 date at Nashville’s Lipstick Lounge, beginning at 7 p.m.

For now, believe the “Hype” on this one — because it’s here, and it’s real!

LISTEN: Lonely Little Kitsch Explores Our ‘Vices’

We’re heading to Canada for the first time ever this month! To celebrate, let’s check in with a band keeping the nation’s storied alt-rock tradition alive!

Lonely Little Kitsch released their latest single, “Vices,” on August 21. A tense introduction — hallmarked by low-end guitars and a thunderous bass drum pattern — sets an ominous tone, as frontwoman Kristen Goetz lists some of the ways our humanity gets the better of us.

However, upon a closer listen, one realizes that “Vices” serves a deeper purpose — to celebrate the beautiful imperfections that make each of us human!

“The song is about bad habits, and how we all have them,” Goetz said. “Some can be serious, and some are innocent and fairly innocuous –- and, in some cases, our vices are other people. But, no one is vice-less. ‘Vices’ is about recognizing that, and coming together and being open about it. Perfection is a farce. Let your freak flag fly!”

Described by the band as “Veruca Salt meets Jack White, with a little (a lot) of Cobain in the bridge,” “Vices” takes the best of 90s grunge and applies a modern filter — complete with a melody sure to leave a lasting impression.

“I had been playing around on a keyboard and came up with something that felt catchy. Nolan immediately created a killer guitar riff based on that, I sang a melody with it, and that was that,” Goetz said. “The bones and structure of the song came together extremely quickly.”

Rebel Against the System with Black Suit Devil

If you’re looking for proof that rock is alive and well, look no further.

Black Suit Devil — the songwriting vehicle of Andy Du Rego, who previously graced our pages with this single from his upcoming album, The Eternal Sleep — has unveiled the album’s lead track. “Buried in You” is a high-powered, sprawling anthem; one which clocks in at 7-and-a-half-minutes, and blends the worlds of prog-metal and post-grunge.

“(Buried in You)” is the heaviest song I have ever written for Black Suit Devil,” Du Rego noted. “Prior to BSD, I had been performing over the years in various heavy metal and rock bands. So, it’s a great feeling for me personally, to bring that into Black Suit Devil.”

Hallmarked by scorching guitars, relentless drums, and powerful, gritty vocals, “Buried in You” provides a commentary on the ways modern society is constructed to control — and oftentimes, work actively against — the common man. Du Rego pulls no punches about the societal constructs which lord over every aspect of our lives — from our finances and the food we eat, to what we think and feel.

“I wanted to take the listener down a rabbit hole adventure, and make them think about the world around them,” Du Rego said.

“Buried in You” features the talents of Vic Freitas on drums and John Brand on bass. The song was self-recorded, mixed by mixed by 2x Juno Award winner Kevin Dietz, and mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering. Dive in!

UMC20: Let’s Diversify (Jan. 9, 2024)

The beautiful thing about our UMC20 playlist has always been that you can find music of any genre, from artists in any location in any given week.

This week, we bring you everything from dance music to study music, hip hop to folk, and just about anything else you could possibly need. The best part? All we had to do was run through the music that you, People of the Underground, submitted for consideration to compile this all-star list.

Also, check out this week’s bonus track: the first Quinn Spinn Solo Mission of 2024, where we touch on how to turn a viral moment into something more.

Track listing
Goodnite Robicheaux – Pinewood
Daisha McBride – All is Well
NIXED – Sacrifice
Camille Marchadour – Fire Me
DaChri – I LOVE ME!
Mykel ft. Mileage – Rhythm Of You
Til Now – Waste My Life
leisure fm – weather warning
Hope Vista – Hot Blood
The Welters – Soldiers
The Ohio Hopefuls – Sidewalk Chalk
Shedonist – Ask Me Why
Kendall Bowser – You Don’t Call Me
Arih SK – Miss You Like I Should
Radio Flower – Winters Alone
Elise Browell – In My Mind
Quickdraw Kid – Strawberry Supermoon
Laura Mustard – Good Enough
Kim Krans – Golden Tears
StreamKitty – streets of montreal

RECAP: Live from the 615, Featuring Year of October and The Dirty Delusions

Friday night’s Live from the 615 twin bill was all about rock and roll, as fans tuned in from all over the United States to witness performances from Nashville-based rock acts Year of October and The Dirty Delusions.

Watch the Recap

The Authentic Rock & Roll Journey of Vera Bloom

Vera Bloom has taken a long road on her creative journey, from her upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, to Boston and New York City, and all the way to Nashville. Now, she has arrived to the release of her self-titled EP, which presents the rock and roll powerhouse at her most authentic and vulnerable.

Vera joins The Quinn Spinn today to discuss the record, and the importance of embracing all sides of herself during its creation.

#GetSpunn

Where Did It Get You, to ‘Swallow That Pill?’

As long as we’re still breathing, we always have a choice. Sometimes, we just need a wake-up call.

With that said, we have a new tune that is going to confront you as abruptly as an alarm clock on Monday morning, from Los Angeles-based grunge punks Tarah Who?

Watch the Video
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