It’s time for my 2025 wrap up! Here’s everything that I worked on this year. As always, if you missed something along the way, please take the time to check it out now. You can click on the link in my bio for a handy dandy guide to listen to every release. There’s something for everyone and all of these bands rule. Endless thanks to all of the bands and to @unclestylerecords@radgirlfriendrecords@euclidplacerecords@59xrecords@disconnectdisconnect@black_numbers@creeprecords and @protaginc for letting me be part of your year. Grab these awesome releases on tape, cd, vinyl, or digital. Go to an upcoming show. Tell all of your friends. I’ve got a couple of things lined up for Q1 of 2026 that I’m very excited to roll out.
We speak with Lynna & Nick of The Blackburns. We talk old jobs, movie soundtracks, finding music, best spots in Philly to get vegetarian food and so much . Tune in and find out...
Alternative Rock OUT NOW!! on @selltheheartrecords
#youwantitpod #RussAttitude #Eric7 #bad7approved #certifiedtoetapper
Whoa!!! We kicked off 2026 with some serious heat. If you’ve been living under a rock please take some time to check out Red Arrow Highway - Be Someone Better (LP), Hedge - Freeze Frame High Five (EP), FakeYou - Promise to Disappear (LP), and The Blackburns - Alternative Rock (LP). There’s something for everyone in this batch of releases and you won’t be disappointed.
Happy Record Release Day to The Blackburns!!! Their new album, Alternative Rock, is out now. Vinyl and CD’s are available at Sell the Heart Records. Cassettes are available from Discount Cemetery. This album is such a fun listen from start to finish and absolutely captures a real magic that was in the air during the 1990’s Alt-rock boom. The eleven songs that make up Alternative Rock are built on huge hooks, walls of guitars, synths, and a disarming tongue-in-cheek attitude. These are the songs that would have been the soundtrack to your favorite coming of age comedy, on a beat-up mixtape for your friend or crush, or played late at night on your local rock station. Just hit play already and love this album as much as I do. Thanks for having me on board.
This song started as something he couldn’t stop saying out loud.
And it almost didn’t make the record.
“ASM KoP” started as a phrase Nick Palmer couldn’t shake—something he said constantly in his day job as a retail recruiter: Assistant Store Manager, King of Prussia. What began as a hook turned into something more layered: a snapshot of aging punk lifers navigating retail jobs, suburban malls, and the space between who they were and who they are now. In this episode, Nick breaks down how the song almost didn’t make the record, how a shift in direction reshaped it, and how the final version was built to feel bigger than it actually is—less about recreating a live sound, and more about capturing what it feels like to stand in front of a loud band.
Follow The Blackburns:
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facebook.com/meettheblackburns
instagram.com/meettheblackburns
Follow Sell the Heart Records:
selltheheartrecords.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/selltheheart
instagram.com/selltheheartrecords
selltheheartrecords.com
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🎧 Hear the full breakdown:
Link in bio / direct link below
We’re almost at the finish line so let’s KEEP RUNNING. Today, The Blackburns have released “Two People Running in the Rain”, the final single from Alternative Rock that comes out in just two weeks!!! Once again, The Blackburns prove why they are one of the most exciting bands in the Delaware Valley and a stand-out in the power-pop genre. Stream “Two People Running in the Rain” and preorder Alternative Rock from Sell the Heart Records (vinyl) and Discount Cemetery (cassette).
Happy Record Release Day to FakeYou!!! Promise to Disappear is one helluva debut album and it’s streaming everywhere TODAY. “There are punk records that make a noise, and there are punk records that leave a bruise. Promise to Disappear does the latter.” - Maximum Volume Music. “Powerful, organic and encompassing as any instant classic, Promise to Disappear is one of the year’s standout releases from a band that are quickly becoming ones to watch.” - DyingScene. Promise to Disappear is out now on 59 X Records.
Nate, Justin & Dave 1/2 of Red Arrow Highway stopped by and hung out with us. What a wild time we had. Great bunch of dudes and lots of beer and pee breaks were had.
New album BE SOMEONE BETTER is out now on all platforms.
#youwantitpod #certifiedtoetapper #redarrowhighway #newrelease
Red Arrow Highway is a band from West Michigan whose members have been playing music for the better part of two decades. Channeling a love for Bruce Springsteen, guitar solos and light beer, the band plays a melodic blend of alt-rock and punk with moments both somber and electric. They released their first album, Brothers Never Die, in May 2022, as a two-piece, and collected friends later that summer to start performing live and writing new music.
Red Arrow Highway was founded by friends Justin Suarez and Nate Johnivan in 2020 after years of playing in bands together. They played their first show in April 2023, rounding out the lineup with Dave Daniele (bass), Jason Kienke (drums), John Buchta (guitar), and Matty Weaver (keys). Over the last two years, Red Arrow Highway has played shows all over Michigan with The Dirty Nil, Bong Mountain, Distants, The Pandys, EASERS, Bike Tuff, RTNR, and more. In 2024, they began working on their sophomore album, Be Someone Better, which will be released by North Carolina-based indie Self Aware Records on March 20th, 2026.
Be Someone Better reflects an admiration for classic rock in the vein of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, and a love for bands like Bright Eyes, The Gaslight Anthem, The Menzingers, and more.
FFO: The Menzingers, Bright Eyes, The Gaslight Anthem, Spanish Love Songs, Wild Pink
Hey dude. Hey man. Are you listening to Freeze Frame High Five? Hedge just released their fantastic new EP that is made up of 5 originals and cover and clocks in at 9 minutes. I dare you to listen to this and not be hooked. I’ve known Christopher for a long time now and it’s been an absolute pleasure being able to work on this release with him. Go hit play on Freeze Frame High Five, then listen to Better Days, go to a show, and buy the vinyl from Best Brother Records.
Christopher from HEDGE stopped by and hung out with us, good times all around. We dive into influences, the best Maiden track to start with, and more.
New album FREEZE FRAME HIGH FIVES drops March 27 on all platforms.
#youwantitpod #hedgema #freezeframehighfives #certifiedtoetapper
Hailing from Worcester, MA, Hedge plays pop-punk (no, not that kind) that trades sleek and polished for gritty and raw, taking cues from bands like Hüsker Dü, Superchunk, and The Lemonheads.
Their 2024 debut album, Better Days, delivered 11 speedy power-pop songs built on loud, distorted guitars, and irresistibly catchy vocal melodies, quickly earning praise from critics and fans alike.
On their upcoming EP, Freeze Frame High Five, Hedge sticks to the golden rule of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” blasting through five originals and a Guided By Voices cover in under ten minutes. Lead single “Hey Dude” is songwriter Christopher Chaisson’s ode to Dinosaur Jr., his favorite band since age eight, reflecting on his lifelong obsession with distortion and melody thanks to a dad who cranked Boston-area college radio at an early age. Freeze Frame High Five captures Hedge at their most immediate and exciting, proving that urgency, volume, and infectiously catchy choruses still beat polish and pretense every time.
FFO: The Lemonheads, Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr., Husker Du
