Footballhead - Overthinking Everything

New album from Chicago five piece via Tiny Engines

Hailing from Chicago and helmed by singer/songwriter Ryan Nolen, they are a band that sound like the child of those emo renowned bands Blink 182 and Jimmy Eat World. Those bands while loud and brash, as they grew into maturity became accomplished composers of songs that spoke to the masses as well as the marginalised from which their popularity flourished.

Overthinking Everything is that same sort of beginnings of something, a band with a strong unified sound that would not be out of place on the MTV cycle in the late 1990s before the Y2K scare crippled us. 

Short bursts of adrenaline and energy abound from opener 'Rug' and follow up 'Snowball'. The message is clear these are guys who dream of days by the beach but driving along them rather than sunbathing they may well be cruising. 

As with all young male adults these are people searching for meaning, but most importantly using the conduit of guitar rock music to be heard. Nolen grew up in Western Chicago suburbs before relocating to Palm Springs, California in his teen years. He is assisted by Adam Siska, Liam Burns, snow ellet and Robbie Kuntz to make the sound bigger.

The thing to remember about Blink's music is that they were a pop band with earworm hooks and riffs coupled with an unquenchable desire to succeed, Nolen shares some of that freedom and enthusiasm on this short running half hour album that contains a lucky thirteen nuggets.

Full of bombast and ambition, small tales of struggles and hopes, this feels like the start of the journey and a band to watch out for on the festival circuit this summer where the word of mouth will follow.

Overthinking Everything is out from Tiny Engines on Friday 1st March

Staunch Honey - David Nance

 

New album from Nebraskan rocker David Nance from Trouble In Mind Records

David Nance turned many heads in 2019 with his last album, Peace and Slightly Pulverized, which was highly acclaimed with his fuzzy and bristling guitar rock.

Nance returns with his fifth studio album Staunch Honey, which he recorded the majority of at his Omaha home with assistance from longtime bandmates Jim Schroeder (guitar) and Kevin Donohue (drums), making this a recorded at home master due to the Covid-19 crisis.

A culmination of two years hard work, Nance recorded and reworked the album three times over, Nance has weaved a manic and sonic clash of mood and emotion from raging guitars to squealing feedback which was so prevlant on 'Pulverized..' to a more mellower form of songwriting fitting for a late night drive or hang at home.

This is never more apparent than on track 2, 'The Dark, My Love and I' a rocker of supreme intensity but goes hand in hand with the gentler 'Save Me Some Tears' and 'Gentle Traitor'.

Fans of Neil Young will love this album full of earthiness, there is a real connection to the land and how important music is to Nance comes through the speakers in all its feedback glory.

Nance continues to impress with his intelligent and provoking guitar rock, a few years back there was a renaissance of guitar led music with Nance and his group leading the charge along with contemporaries such as Rayland Baxter. Some groups still exist such as recent release by The Big Easy can attest to but in this year of isolation and introspection it is good and pleasing to see an artist willing to just let his hair down.

Staunch Honey is out on Friday 13th November from Trouble In Mind Records