For Rose Mountain, the Screaming Females' seventh full-length album, the New Jersey trio worked with producer Matt Bayles for a powerful, masterful new sound that accentuates the band's strengths while moving the band away from pure power riffage and more into the realm of singalong melodies.

Read Rich Quinlan's review here...

JerseyBeat.com is proud to participate in the world premiere of the Everymen's new video for the track "NJHC," from their album Givin' Up On Free Jazz.

Leslie Snyder reviews new albums from indie post punk combo Fractal Mirror, singer/songwriters Janet Devlin and Jessi Teich, Californian alt-rockers Throat Sprockets and Mr. Moonlight, and NJ post-hardcore rockers Cicada Radio from Kearny's always-reliable Killing Horse Records. Leslie also reviews a new EP from singer/songwriter Nathan Angelo, MainMan Records' tribute compilation EP to Yoko Ono, and new indie rock from The Get Ahead, Duke Garwood, and the Vagaband. Read Leslie's reviews here...

In a massive column to start the new year, Paul uncovers some of the hottest names in indie rock as well as the best from the pop-punk underground, including new releases from St. Lenox, NYC's Lazyeyes, a powerful comeback album by the UK's Pop Group, Jersey's Roy Orbitron, the ethereal Vashti Bunyan, and buzz bands Seagulls and the Shiver Twins, Toy Guitar, Treasure Fleet, Wasted Wine, Western Settings, and split 7-inches from Iron Chic/Low Culture and Mixtapes/Jabber.

Read Paul's column here...

Jersey Beat is proud to present the new video from Montclair's back porch post-folk collective The Porchistas.

Read Jim's reviews here...

by Joe Wawzyrniak

The focus is on New Jersey in Joe's latest column as he reviews new releases from some Garden State favorites including Hoboken's Mike Korman, Montclair's Terry McCarthy, Asbury's Billy Hector, along with Brooklyn singer/songwriter Hugh Trimble, Fred Gillen Jr., Where Is My SPaceship, and Curious Quail.

Read Joe's column here...

Eric leaves no stone unturned in his latest edition of "More Metal," with bands from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Germany, the U.K., and of course all across the U.S.A. Check out Eric's informative and engaging coverage of new releases from Venom, Baring Teeth, Deconstructing Sequence, Foreseen HKI, Horisont, Putrid Christ, Riwen, Sahhr, Sedna, Spectral Haze, Varsang, Witchese of Doom, and Wizard Rifle.

Read Eric's column here...

It's been a big year for indie-rock documentaries. Records Collecting Dust continues that trend with a insider's look at "vinyholics," as filmmaker Jason Blackmore talks to musicians, record labels owners, and other music lovers about the music and records that changed their lives. The film opens nationally in January; Paul Silver reviews it here...

Editor Jim Testa counts down his favorite local releases from NJ and NYC bands, while Paul Silver lists not only his 10 favorite records of the year but his 10 favorite shows as well. Finally Mark Hughson chimes in with his Top 10 releases. Updated with Eric Walls' Metal picks!

See our Best of 2014 lists here...

It's Gonna Blow!
San Diego's Music Underground 1986-1996

This has been a great year for regional music documentaries: Add to that list filmmaker Bill Perrine's examination of ten years in the history of the San Diego music scene, a tumultuous period that produced bands like Drive Like Jehu and Trumans Water, a network of great clubs, and a slew of excellent record labels. Paul Silver writes, "It tells the story of a scene that had to reinvent itself a couple of times, a scene that was deeply rooted in the DIY ethic, and a scene that struggled with the sudden, unexpected attention from an outside world, while bands still labored in relative obscurity at home. And it succeeds in telling that story." Read his review here...

THE JERSEY BEAT INTERVIEW

Jamie Frey talks to one of his heroes, power pop innovator and rock 'n' roll warrior Paul Collins of the Nerves, the Beat, and currently, the Paul Collins Beat. Collins talks about touring, how society undervalues music, and how he's fighting to make local band shows into events again. Photos by Jersey Beat's Paul Silver. Read the interview here...

In an age in which punk rock can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, it is wonderful to have Vortis back. This Chicago-based trio of Jim DeRogatis, Louie Calvano, and Tony Tavano play short, sharp, and biting songs that truly deserve the moniker of punk.
Rich's review continued here...

Modern Suits - Every Light EP

Sean Rowe - Madman (reviewed by Leslie Snyder)

The Britanys - It's Alright EP (reviewed by Eli Zeger)

Useless Eaters - Bleeding Moon (reviewed by Rich Quinlan)

Mr. Payday - Music Explopsion (reviewed by Joe Wawrzyniak)

Jamie Frey and his band The Brooklyn What first came to Jersey Beat's attention one night when they opened for Joe Jack Talcum at a club in Manhattan. Since then, Jamie's become a reviewer here and to bring this all around in a perfect circle, here he is reviewing the latest solo offering from Joe, a collection of lo-fi home recordings made from 1993-1999.

Read Jamie's review here...

Neil Sabatino is the owner/operator of Mint 400 Records, lead singer of the NJ indie band Fairmont, and a longtime friend of Jersey Beat. In this article, Neil explains the nuts-and-bolts of home recording for the interested DIY beginner. Read it here...

Temple senior Alex G makes music in his bedroom and releases it on the Internet, but his latest album DSU has already been favorablyreviewed by Rolling Stone, Conequence Of Sound, and Pitchfork. Is this the end of the indie underground, or the beginning of something else? Jackson Phinney ponders these questions while discussing Alex G's unique genius here...

Jim Testa sits down with the godfather of punk rock to talk about his folkie beginnings, New York City in the Fifties, the joys of collaboration, and much, much more. Read our interview here...

Eli checks out two young bands from Brooklyn with new EP's, the Britanys and the Gradients, as well as Austin metal outfit Funeralbloom. He also reviews NJ hard-rock quartet Killed The Fixtion, then checks out the new release from Calla frontman Aurelio Valle, which he calls "a raspily-produced, demented half hour of really out-there, yet elegant music." Eli also reviews No No: A Dockumentary, a documentary film about the life of pitcher Dock Ellis, as well as the latest album from NJ emo rockers Sleep In.. He also dives headfirst into the new release from The Hold Steady, the Brooklyn band's first since 2010's disappointing Heaven Is Whenever, and the new release from NJ's Trophy Scars, a concept album of sorts with a mythical theme.. Read his review here... What's new at Iris Records? Stephen Gritzan reviews new releases from Honduras, Gillian, and young NJ singer/songwriter Brett Steinberg. Read Stephen's review here... By Tony B. Chicago punk rock has no greater godfather than Marc Ruvolo, from bands like No Empathy through his landmark punk label Johann's Face to his sci fi/fantasy book store, Bucket O'Blood. Now Marc is back with a solo acoustic EP, and Tony B. reviews it here...