New Hampshire indie rock band Something//Something recently came out with a new EP, A LOT. Recorded with Dan Seiders at Chillhouse Studio in Charlestown, MA. The band breaks down the four songs from the album below.

Gracie -
This is actually a song about being a dog. The speaker is meant to be that good 'ol pup who waits around at home for you but is always stoked to see you no matter what you've been up to or how long you were gone.  -trent/john

Closer -
This is one from the inside out. "I don't even recall what time it was that happened" gave way to the other lines which, I think, get at some sort of mood without telling you what it is.  The objective correlative as TS Eliot called it. There was no real intention to SAY anything specific with these lyrics. They just felt like they sat on the music nicely. The "I'm not a closer" part was a little double reference - one to Kyrie, he's definitely a closer (though it might be Tatum going forward).  -trent

Molly -
This one started the same way as Closer, but after landing on the word "Molly" it grew into something more specific. It's about a guy who has to be with Molly against all odds. In all his confused love he ultimately feels that he can't be temporary in Molly's life. -trent

NYE -
This song is a bit older than the others on the EP, written between 2015 and 2016. The writing process for this one was definitely more of a cathartic release rather than an attempt to "write a song." Mainly, it just deals with frustration over people being unwilling to change. -john

"Sleepy Monks is a three-piece band located just outside of Boston. Today they release their first full length LP entitled Leftover Sun, recorded at Ghost Hit Recording in Holyoke MA. The album features eleven tracks that range from fast and energetic to slow and contemplative. The album is full of glassy, twinkly guitars and catchy, melodic bass lines. The drums drive the album with a force but are thoughtful and nuanced. The vocals are raw and emotive, and are shared between two distinct vocalists. Leftover Sun is an emotional, melancholic experience but at the same time is lighthearted and quirky."
Words from Sleepy Monks

"Snowhaus is a Shred-Pop band out of Hadley Massachusetts. They Don't End Pretty is their long anticipated full length, a fresh fusion of rock n’ roll, catchy pop hooks, and heaping servings of posi-punk spirit. The title track kicks off the album with genre-bending party-punk mania that sends you on a wild ride. It’s clean, mean, quirky, and somehow wonderfully shiny. Diverse songwriting drives the record, from lighthearted verses to dark undertones, interlaced with moments of absolute abandon. They Don’t End Pretty is an experiment in fun.​"
Word from Snowhaus

Photo taken by Freddie Ross

Providence post-hardcore band Public Policy recently came out with a new EP, Human Resource. The band breaks down the five songs from the album below.

Trawlers -
When I'm playing drums, its pretty hard for me to hear what's going on in the rest of the band, especially with vocals.  I'd pick out certain lines here and there, but the first time I really learned the words to these songs was when we recorded.  "Trawlers" has some of my favorite lines on the record.  Dean's lyrics are plaintive, meandering, introspective, and vivid.  To me, that first line always grabs my ear - it lets you know you're in for a wild ride:  "Yeah, I'm caught in the trawler's nets again.  Loops around my chin drag me through the bioluminescent silt downtown."  I also love the line a little later in the next verse: "Yeah, I'm caught in the sun on deck again.  Throwing chairs into the lifeboats; we'll recline while the world ends."  I don't know, I just feel like these lines capture a lot of what we're about over here at Public Policy, Inc...

Alluvial Cuts -
This is one of the catchier songs on the EP, I think.  I love Dan Sliwinski's bass playing on this thing.  The way it grinds and churns under the verses, then locks in like a goddamn machine with the syncopated choruses really checks all the boxes.  Goddamn. ​

The Sovereign -
If I had to pick off a song to show off my choices behind the drumset, this would be it.  Nothing super fancy, just a fucking unimpeachable, propulsive groove that shifts around and brings the tension.  This song can be UNCOMFORTABLE to listen to, and I love every minute of it.  The guitar parts also just kill it all over this track.  Also, the part where Dean doubles his vocals (spoken/yelled) is so fun.  I think this is the kind of song that most people aren't gonna claim as their favorite Public Policy song, but it might be mine.  So much tasty shit.

Ice Age -
Maybe the heaviest song on the EP.  Nick takes over vocal duties on this one, and knocks it out of the park.  I'll his lyrics speak for themselves on this one:  "When the good shit comes to town / smoke it like it won't run out / you won't turn to stone forever."  Soon followed by:  "Pray the searchlight does not find you / as you double back through the maze."  Nick's right.  When the Ice Age comes to town, all *I* want to do is burn. 

Insulin -
This song was named in part for the time I nearly died recording it, having developed Type-1 diabetes which brought me to the edge of massive organ failure.  Good times.  This is also the first time I've sung anything on record, as I do some backing vocals in the last minute of the song.  The way this song rips itself open kills me every time. ​