Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | This City Limits

This City Limits have just released their brand new single Too Scared To Swim with an accompanying video. We asked the band a few questions about the new song, recording at Steel City Studios and their upcoming EP. 

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

We all live in different places - Leeds, Hull, Derby, but Leeds is our point of convergence. It's where we practice, and the gigs we do there are the best!

HOW DID THIS CITY LIMITS FORM?

Will and George are brothers, and have always played music together, but in 2013 they decided to do it properly and start a band. After a few lineup changes, we settled with Rob and Josh in late 2014, and haven't looked back.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME THIS CITY LIMITS? 

It's based on a lyric by a band called Polar Bear Club. Apparently they took their name from another band's lyrics, so we thought it was kind of neat. They're an amazing band, with great lyrics and loads of energy, but they've fallen into obscurity the last few months which is a real shame.

YOU'VE JUST RELEASED A NEW SINGLE, TOO SCARED TO SWIM, TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT...

We wrote the song together at the first practice with our current line-up. Will came in with some chords and a set of lyrics, and we thrashed it out line by line. There was a real buzz as we were writing it, and it all came together really quickly. If only they were all like that!

WHAT WAS IT LIKE RECORDING AT STEEL CITY STUDIOS?

It was great fun, but really intense. It's a really cool studio in the old industrial part of Sheffield. They've got some great instruments and amps, and they've had some great bands go through recently, such as ROAM, Trash and Elegies. Our producer James Hill worked us all really hard, and we were exhausted by the end, but we're really pleased with the results.

YOU'VE ALSO RELEASED A NEW VIDEO TOO, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE VIDEO IDEA?

It was Will who came up with it really, he's the ideas man! It relates to the song's lyrics, the difficulties and displacement we all feel as we grow up, and the otherwise unimportant things that keep us grounded. Once the idea was sorted, we got to build a massive fort for the actress, Olivia Ross, to use in the narrative scenes. Simple things!

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?

Rise Against, The Wonder Years, Neck Deep.

WHAT ARE THIS CITY LIMITS' PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?
Our next single 'Runaway' is out on 2 October. Then we've got a few one-off shows, before we head out on tour at the end of October with our good friends, the Sheffield-based O Captain. Following that, our new EP Here's To Hoping will be out on 13 November. For details of gigs, tours and releases, you can go to our Facebook page or any of our other social media sites.

Check out Too Scared To Swim below:

This City Limits' Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Website 

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Lost Youth

For today's up and coming post, we have Lost Youth who hail from Scotland. The band have just released their new EP Thoughts On Last Year. We asked them a few questions to find out a bit more about them...

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Edinburgh, Scotland

HOW DID LOST YOUTH FORM?

Quite simply. We are four friends who were brought together by a love of playing and writing music. We were friends before this band began because we all played music together previously.

WHERE DID THE NAME LOST YOUTH COME FROM?

Our name came from the idea we, and all our friends, have had to grow up too fast, and now that we have hit 20 (minus Kieron) have had to leave behind adolescence and look to making a career and all that grown up stuff

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW EP THOUGHTS ON LAST YEAR...

The record is something powerful in that all the songs really moved us. Each track, as it was written, was a stepping stone in finding who we are as a band. There's a lot about fear, and heartache, resolution and a little bit of nostalgia for good measure. The mix of all these things we feel has created something moving for us and we hope it fills others with the same fire.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM THOUGHTS ON LAST YEAR AND WHY?

We all have different favourites based on our music taste and what ones really get us pumped to play

Never Again is Liam's favourite, in his words it's, "A sweet strawberry jam that get's me psyched." Can't be put much better than that.

Distant is Cammy's favourite because it's 100mph non-stop and he likes fast music you can dance around to

TWF is Jonny's favourite as "it's nostalgic and gives me some really good vibes"

Breaking Point is Kieron's favourite as the lyrics hold so much meaning, and also the fact it's a real head-nodder to play and to listen to

IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE THOUGHTS ON LAST YEAR IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE? 
Describing Thoughts on Last Year in 3 words? Easy! "Sweet Strawberry Jams"

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?

A Day To Remember.. we want a shot in the hamster ball so bad

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?

All - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, Blink 182

Liam - The Greatest Generation, The Wonder Years

Cammy - Dookie, Green Day

Kieron - Your Favourite Weapon, Brand New (does this count?)

Jonny - Common Courtesy, A Day To Remember (bit heavier but still v pop punk)

Check out Thoughts On Last Year below: 



Lost Youth's Facebook | Twitter 

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Face Value

Face Value, who hail from Maryland, have recently released their EP Growing Up Young. The EP holds nine tracks of relentless energy and impeccable riffs while also featuring two slower songs, showing their softer side. Face Value's sound seems to be rooted in early 2000s pop punk with a feel-good vibe that makes it easy to compare them to the bands such as The Starting Line and Yellowcard. However, they also display a more updated sound similar to Handguns and Forever Came Calling. Each song has an unforgettable chorus, which will leave you singing along after only a few listens. The band kindly answered some questions for us about Growing Up Young, where they got their band name from and their plans for the rest of summer...

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Face Value is from the suburbs North of Baltimore City, Maryland.

HOW DID FACE VALUE FORM?
Face Value was originally formed by current lead singer, and rhythm guitarist, Alec Myers, and former lead guitarist Garret Heydt, under the band name "Out to See" in early 2012. Shortly after the formation, the band recruited current drummer Jeremiah "Jeb" Douglas, and former member Kyle Ritter to do lead vocals. Living so close to each other, sharing a mutual love of late 90's, early 2000's pop punk, and being best friends was the basis that allowed Out to See to begin writing their first demos and playing their first shows in the Baltimore area. Witnessing the departure of initial members Kyle and Garret, and then undergoing some role changing, the band emerged as Face Value after brothers Parker Ross and Grayson Ross joined the band, meshing their unique pop rock and effect-driven sound with the fundamental raw punk tendencies Alec and Jeremiah gravitated towards. 

WHERE DID YOU GET THE NAME FACE VALUE FROM?
Although it may sound cliche, we got the name "Face Value" from a New York based pop punk band called With the Punches. Needless to say we definitely enjoyed With the Punches, and still do, even though they broke up. "Face Value" is not only a title of a song they had wrote, it is also a name that carries an idea and an attitude. "From the clothes you wear, to the car you drive, to the company you keep, they’re all just worthless commodities". It may sounds simple and sharp at first, but I think it is a line that carries a lot of weight, as well as the song in its entirety. To us, Face Value means being yourself, and not judging people by their face value. Life is more then just material things and how you look, and who you want to look like. Don't cover up who you really are, don't think celebrities and magazines are a good representation of how you should live your life. "Find your own personality, a heavy dose of humility, and you might not be a joke, to everyone around you."

TELL US A BIT ABOUT GROWING UP YOUNG...
To start off "Growing up Young" is not an EP written by one guy and it is not an EP full of bullshit. To us "Growing up Young" is an honest album simply about trying to stay young throughout all of the adversity life throws at you. Losing someone you love sucks, addiction sucks, break-ups suck and we think a lot of people will let these experiences slowly degrade them into a state of self-pity and sadness. The all-too-familiar trials and tribulations of life will definitely push you to the brink of giving up, but maintaining a positive and youthful attitude and worrying about yourself sometimes will never be a bad thing. We think the songs on our EP our very relatable, and they were not written necessarily for the sole purpose to be relatable to others, but were a way for us in Face Value to cope with our problems and sadness through music.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM GROWING UP YOUNG AND WHY?
Car Door is definitely our personal favorite song of the album. It is a break-up song, but I still think it is a great culmination of all of our musical styles as a band. It combines the vocal melody heavy pop punk we love with some of the harder faster punkier, pop punk that is becoming prevalent with the modern scene. The vocals are very clean and melodic yet the instrumentation still contains some beatdowny post choruses, and some double time, that really put and edge on the poppier elements. I think the song is very accessible to anyone who enjoys the genre. 

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE ARTWORK FOR GROWING UP YOUNG?
In some way, shape, or form, we got the idea of corn. Alec our vocalist lives near a lot of cornfields, maybe Jeb ate corn that day, but for some reason we got stuck on the idea of a cornfield. We talked to good amount of graphic designers and ended up going with a guy named Chris Pappas. He really brought the idea to life and we are super happy with how the art turned out. We are currently sticking with the idea that corn grows pretty fast so in the most literal sense possible, corn gorws up young. That's all we got. 

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?
Blink-182. I think every kid who starts a band in high school wants to play a show with blink-182. It is a very universal dream. With the Punches or The Story so Far could be cool shows too. 

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT FACE VALUE WE MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW...
Our favorite fun fact is that Jeb, our drummer, was originally asked to play piano in the band but after watching him behind a kiddy drumset for the first time, we know he was meant to bang on stuff. We actually have a video of the first time we heard Jeb drumming. We are embarrassingly moshing and skating in our former member Kyles' garage in front of a kiddie drumset. 

WHAT ARE FACE VALUE'S PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER?
Face Value are monetarily recuperating after our first tour and are currently in talks with some new sound engineers to record a few new songs for a split potentially coming out this Fall. Mainly though we are going to be playing around Baltimore, trying to get some more exposure, promoting the new EP, and just having a good time. We will be printing physical copies of the EP for sale online and at shows, as well as getting some new merch such as shirts and stickers to be selling online and at shows. 

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?
1. Take off Your Pants and Jacket: Blink-182
2. The Young and the Hopeless : Good Charlotte
3. When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes : Yellowcard
4. The Upsides: Wonder Years
5. Under Soil and Dirt: The Story so Far



Face Value's  Facebook | Twitter 

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Why Everyone Left

Why Everyone Left are an Italian pop punk/easycore band who recently released a new video for their song, Pack Your Shit. We asked them a few questions to get to know a bit more about them...

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
We're from Modena, Italy!

HOW DID WHY EVERYONE LEFT FORM?

We all come from other local bands that kind of broke up in the same period. We decided to start a new project and we're trying to go as far as possible.

DESCRIBE WHY EVERYONE LEFT'S MUSIC IN THREE WORDS...
Powerful, catchy, fun.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING FROM ITALY?
It may sound clichè but our food culture is amazing, really!

YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW VIDEO FOR PACK YOUR SHIT, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE VIDEO IDEA?
We wanted something funny and lively, and then we had this “Pacman thing” idea with these ghosts chasing us around the streets and a kid controlling us from an old game arcade.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?
Probably playing with A Day To Remember. That would be the sickest thing ever!

IF YOU COULD TOUR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Probably everywhere ahah. The thing is, we've never toured outside our country yet, so we just want to tour as many countries as possible. We would love to tour Japan and the UK.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK/ EASYCORE ALBUMS?
Blink-182 - Enema Of The State
City Lights – In It To Win It
A Day To Remember – Homesick
New Found Glory – Sticks And Stones
The Starting Line – Say It Like You Mean It

Check out the video for Pack Your Shit below:

Why Everyone Left's Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Wonderland Trip

For today's up and coming post we have Wonderland Trip who hail from Manchester. Last year the band released their EP Presence of Absence and are now in the process of recording the follow up. We asked bassist Adam and vocalist/ guitarist Ste a few questions...


WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Manchester

HOW DID WONDERLAND TRIP FORM?
Ste: Originally we started with the line up of me on guitar and vocals, Adam on bass, my mate Dale Calderbank on 2nd guitar and vocals and Andrew J. Sant on drums. Dale and I started the band playing around with song ideas we had. We'd been playing in bands with each other on and off since we were kids so it was easy to write new stuff. Then we decided we would need a drummer and a bassist. I put an ad in every guitar shop I knew of in Manchester and soon received a reply from Adam. I met Andy through a friend of a friend. The first rehearsal we just jammed through a few of the songs Dale and I had. We all seemed to click from there on.

Adam: After spending a couple of years playing gigs all over, we decided we wanted to take the band in a different direction and started spending some serious time in the studio. At this point we also changed drummers and decided to become a three piece

DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC IN 3 WORDS FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE...

Adam: Melodic, catchy punk

Ste: Simply the best!

LAST YEAR YOU RELEASED YOUR EP PRESENCE OF ABSENCE, TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT....
Adam: If you're into pop punk and like catchy melodies you’ll love it.

Ste: The EP took two years to finish, there are 4 tracks, track one, Bring Back The Sunshine ,was one of the first tunes we started jamming together. Track two Shattered Visage was our newest song at the time and took the longest to record. Track three, The Girl That Was You, was the first track we recorded with producer Neil Treppas (Iron Maiden, Kasabian) and the easiest and quickest to record. Track four Now You're Gone is my favourite on the EP, it shows off some of Neil's skills with weird sounds and awesome intro and outro ideas but mainly making the song sound cool from start to finish!

YOU'VE RECENTLY BEEN IN THE STUDIO WORKING ON THE FOLLOW UP TO PRESENCE OF ABSENCE, CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO?
Ste: The drum tracks, bass and some guitars are done for two of the tracks. We also received a mix from the producer of one of the completed tracks for the new EP. It's sounding epic! The three of us have also been chatting about the general vibe of the EP and how it should sound, the songs are a lot more upbeat and rocky, so this EP will have a bigger, louder, American rock/pop/punk sound with heavy drums and noisier guitars!

DO YOU PREFER RECORDING OR PLAYING LIVE?
Ste: The two are a lot different but we enjoy both sides to it. The recording process can be a bit slow at times but we enjoy throwing different ideas around and hearing the songs develop. Then when you get out there and get to play them live it’s the best part.

Adam: It’s great when you finished recording and know you’ve made a song as good as it can be, but it's got to be perfect before we let anyone hear it. Playing live is what its all about though.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?
Ste: Foo fighters, if not them, then the biggest band in the world at that time.

Adam: I’d love to play at one of the big festivals, but I reckon we’d make a good warm up act for Blink 182.

WHAT ARE YOU TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?
Ste: Self titled Blink 182 album, Foo Fighters- one by one, Inme- white butterfly, Blink 182- Take Off Your Pants and Jacket and Green Day- International Super Hits.

Adam: Ataris- So Long, Astoria, Blink 182- Dude Ranch, Screeching Weasel- Thank You Very Little, Fall Out Boy- From Under the Cork Tree, Ash- 1977.

Check out Wonderland Trip's video for Bring Back The Sunshine below:

Wonderland Trip's Facebook | Twitter

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Stay Gold

Earlier this year, Stay Gold who hail from the US, released their brand new EP, Songs About Bad Luck. We asked them a few questions to find out a bit more about them and their new EP...


WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Kenosha, WI (US)

We’re more than proud to be midwest born and raised!

HOW DID YOU GUYS FORM?

Stay Gold originally started as a two-piece acoustic, emotional/alternative band between Kody Sullivan (Guitar/Vocals) and Mike Gaertner (Drums) who met in high school. After playing less than a handful of shows, we both realized we wanted to bring the noise. In the summer of 2013, Stay Gold became a 4-piece pop punk band with both lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drums, and two voices.

DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC IN FIVE WORDS FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER LISTENED TO YOUR MUSIC BEFORE...

Honest, Struggle-based, Boisterous, Melancholy, Relatable. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EP, SONGS ABOUT BAD LUCK...

Its a collection of 3 songs written during the fall and winter, touching base on change and the way life seems to drop pianos on our heads from time to time. The opening two songs focus on not being able to get over that 'certain somebody', the one who got away, and closes with the a song reminding the listener that even though life gets tough, and sometimes things dont work out the way you’ve planned, you’ll always have your home on your back, no matter what life throws at you.

Its the perfect mix of sad, fun, sing-a-long melodies all wrapped into American made Chicago hardened pop punk. It’s got an edge, but on its downtime, it’ll take you for an emotional ride through loss and perseverance. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM SONGS ABOUT BAD LUCK AND WHY?

State Street in a heartbeat. It really shows the gigantic maturity our music has taken since our first EP, Sixth Avenue which was released only a year ago! Everything about that song is honest.The lyrics are no shrug of the shoulder, and the instrumentation is a perfect example of “our sound”.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE ARTWORK FOR SONGS ABOUT BAD LUCK?

The artwork touches ground on a lot of small details. It’s a photograph of our friend and mascot, Pat the Cat. Ironically, Pat the Cat is the underdog. He reflects everybody’s bad luck. He’s the one who was picked last in gym class, and the guy that never had the nerve to tell his dream girl how he felt. Pat the Cat is the second-best outcast.

The photograph is Pat the Cat holding a bunch of dead flowers. It symbolizes how long he’s been waiting to give them to somebody, who presumably, might be the girl he never got over, or somebody he may have lost in his past. Whomever it may be, the crumbled mess in his hand translates the time he's waited, and still - nothing. 

We all have a piece of Pat the Cat inside of us. He’s a universal icon to the ones who’ve faced struggle and resentment. When he falls on his skateboard, he gets back up, and when he spills his drink, he buys another. He’s exhausted and honestly there's not much left for him, but he keeps trying. 

IF COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD YOU PICK?

Kody - Real Friends

Mike - Neck Deep

Peter - To fit with our genre, Title Fight, but if it were any band, definitely Converge.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME?

Kody: 

Floral Green - Title Fight

Suburbia, I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing - The Wonder Years
American Radass - Dads (Best album name and best song title tracks I've ever laid my eyes on, those dudes are too funny.)

Turnover - Turnover
Blue Album - Weezer

Mike:

Rain in July - Neck Deep

Wishful Thinking - Neck Deep

Good Charlotte - Good Charlotte

Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold

In Love and Death - The Used

Can I actually add a sixth onto my list? AFI’s ‘Decemberunderground' is a close 5th next to 'In Love and Death’.  Both are such spectacular albums that I grew up on. It’d be wrong of me to not list them both side by side like they’ve been on my shelf for so many years.

Peter:

Axe to Fall - Converge 

Nevermind - Nirvana

The Difference Between Hell and Home - Counterparts

Rise or Die Trying - Four Year Strong

Gnarwolves - Gnarwolves 

Check out Songs About Bad Luck below:

Stay Gold's Facebook | Twitter |

Up & Coming Bands | Lexington Field

US band, Lexington Field, have just released their brand new album Greenwood. After hundreds of shows and two national tours the band are unleashing the third installment of their lively fiddle rock to the world. We spoke to vocalist, Beau Gray, to get to know a bit more about them...

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

We are from America's Finest City...San Diego, CA

HOW DID YOU FORM?

We formed in 2009, going from playing Celtic Rock standards in Southern California pubs to writing our own unique style of music. I have been here since the beginning on vocals and guitar. Bryan Hane (guitar) also has been here since day one.  Over the last six years we have gone through some lineup changes to get us to this point - which I think is our most talented group yet. Vincent West (drums) joined the band in 2010.  AJ Belluto (guitar) toured with us in 2012 and then joined full time in 2013.  And, Tom Lazet (bass) and Olivia Buscemi (fiddle) joined the team in 2014.

DESCRIBE LEXINGTON FIELD'S MUSIC IN 5 WORDS FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE...

In two words: FIDDLE ROCK.  (That is technically 5 words...nailed it.)

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW FULL-LENGTH, GREENWOOD.....

Since our last full length, No Man's War, which we released back in 2013, we have added three new members - AJ, Tom, and Olivia.This rejuvenated our sound.  We started from scratch with nothing holding us back this time.The end result was Greenwood - the heaviest, most rocking album we have ever created.We joined East Grand Records last year and this will be our first release on the label.Very exciting times in the world of Lexington Field!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM GREENWOOD AND WHY?

My favourite song has to be "The Hitchhiker's Guide Out of Suburbia".It's a personal story of growing up in the suburbs and FINALLY, getting to the city and moving forward in life.With more and more people growing up in that sheltered world, I think the song can be an anthem to someone taking a leap of faith and embracing this crazy, fucked up world head on.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH ARTWORK FOR GREENWOOD?

All our album artwork in the past has been done by Jose Pimienta, who is a spectacular artist and friend of ours. But, with this new sound, new members, and I guess you can say, "new band", we wanted to do something different. I took a picture of our rehearsal space, where we wrote the album for over nine months, and added the different colors to it to represent the different influences of all the band members. We wanted something that would catch your eye. In my opinion, mission accomplished.

DO YOU PREFER RECORDING OR PLAYING LIVE?

Recording is stressful. Playing live is awesome. My answer: Playing live.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANY BAND WHO WOULD IT BE?

We have a very eclectic mix of artists that we all would like to share the stage with. Here are the answers from each member:
Beau - MxPx
Bryan - Rise Against
Vincent - Rage Against the Machine
AJ - Black Sabbath
Olivia -  Little Tybee
Tom - Rocket From The Crypt.


Greenwood is out now! Check it out below:



Lexington Field's Facebook | Website | Twitter | Youtube