by Jane Lambert

Dear Daria to Host an Album Release Show Following the Premiere of their Album ‘Can I Be Frank?’

Featuring Lightmare, North by North, and KINDA EVIL

The pop rock band Dear Daria is set to release their debut album, Can I Be Frank?, on Friday, May 27th. On Sunday, they will perform live at the Pie Shop in Washington D.C. for their album release at 8pm. They will perform alongside the soul-punk band Lightmare, Chicago-based rock and roll duo North by North, and blues rock band KINDA EVIL.

Dear Daria is a “choose your own adventure” pop rock band, blending elements of power pop, indie rock, and pop punk. They’ve been compared to Paramore, Rilo Kiley, and The Donnas. This diverse musical melting pot is composed of Eamonn Donnelly on bass, Joshua Hunter on guitar, Maryjo Mattea on vocals, keys and guitar, and introducing Dan ABH on drums (Scott Manley provided the drumming for the recording of Can I Be Frank?). They were voted WAMMIE Finalists in 2022 for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Artist/Group.

Pie Shop is an independent woman-owned Washington D.C. legacy small business, baking some of the D.C. area’s favorite pies since 2010 & rebranded in 2020. Pie Shop is also an independent live music venue dedicated to supporting the D.C. area’s vibrant local music & arts community.

Show Details:

Date: Sunday May 29th, 2022

Venue: Pie Shop

Address: 1339 H ST. NE WASHINGTON, DC 20002

Doors / Tickets: 7:30 PM / $12

Purchase tickets ahead of time here:
https://pieshopdc.com/event/dear-daria-album-release-w-lightmare-north-by-north-chicago-kinda-evil/

More About Lightmare

Lightmare is a six-person soul-punk arrangement out of Washington, D.C. making songs about love, death, and revolution, overlapping and in any order. Smooth and sharp, warm and galvanizing, punchy, political and personal. Their set is guaranteed to get your body moving and your feelings flowing.

More About North by North

Formed in 2012, North by North is the rock & roll dream of two weirdos from Chicago. Their music has been forged through years of teen angst, twenty-something alienation, sleeping in vans and living on a stage. Anchored by syrupy hooks, roaring guitar and bombastic drums, North by North produces a huge sound that has captivated thousands of people over hundreds of performances and festivals across three countries. Since 2016, Nate Girard (guitar, vocals) and Kendra Blank (drums) have performed at over 800 shows throughout the US, Canada and UK.

More About KINDA EVIL

In the Spring of 2022, KINDA EVIL rose from the ashes of DC band Dad Legs – Amanda Dove (vocals & guitar), Nolan (guitar), and Mason Henry (bass) – with the addition of heavy artillery drummer Christopher Peli. Weaving a darkly potent blend of blues, garage, punk, and rock & roll, this four-piece gets the blood pumping with their electrifying stage presence, big hooks, soaring guitars, and explosive grooves, appealing to fans of The Dead Weather, Priests, and All Them Witches.

Get Social:

Dear Daria: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify

Pie Shop: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Lightmare: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp

North by North: Instagram | Facebook | Spotify

KINDA EVIL Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify

05.17.22

by Jane Lambert

“Give Some, Get Some” is the Rock Jam Tune of from Mitch Melodia

Mitch Melodia is the artist and mastermind behind the jam “band” Alpha Pegasi whose sound is rock and some pop mentality with a lot of chilled out Led Zeppelin as an influence. “Alpha Pegasi has a Tame Impala-ish approach in the studio and a Phish-ish mentality for live shows,” says Mitch. “Improvisation extending songs is a staple of every show but when recording, I keep it concise. It’s fun for me to play and arrange every instrument on record, but I’m also stoked for future collaborations with other musicians in the studio.”

His recently released alternative rock single “Give Some, Get Some” has a Red Hot Chili Peppers vibe with bluesy undertones. The melody is precise and method, giving the hook a permanent place in your head. Mitch started writing it in 2013 and has been tweaking and working the song ever since to finally be what it is today, a funky, danceable, and groove-filled jam song.

“With groovy and funky verses, a more rock-heavy and catchy chorus, and a couple of firey guitar solos, ‘Give Some, Get Some’ is one of my favorites on the first EP,” shares Mitch. He has musical solos, funky versus, rock chorus’s and was made for a live setting.

Listen here:

A main financial focus for Alpha Pegasi is to donate 5% of all profits to environmental and health-orientated organizations like San Diego EarthWorks. Mitch aspires to use his music and art as a vehicle to support environmental and health-improving causes, including mental-health practices.

Connect with Mitch Melodia via:
Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

05.13.22

by Jane Lambert

Norine Braun’s New Album is an Artistic Masterpiece

Norine Braun, the award-winning singer/songwriter based in Vancouver, has been on the scene since 1996, with an impressive discography and stunning performative resume. She thrives on live performances and connecting with audiences around the world. Her creative has only grown with time and there’s no sign of slowing down.

She just released her 13th full length album, Songs For Trees, a groove filled jazz meets blues rock album, each song interconnecting to tell an important story about climate change. She wrote it during the pandemic to focus on the incredible healing power of trees and their necessity to our own survival. She was able to go into the forests of the coastal west and took a guided walk with a traditional wisdom keeper from the Squamish nation of the west coast. She read up on so many book and article on trees and climate change to find the right lyrics.

“I was both inspired and overwhelmed by the wealth of information and number of people from so many disciplines from around the world working hard to bring awareness to save the trees, planet and ourselves. This was a benefit as there was much to draw upon for writing.”

Much like the roots of trees, the songs on the album feed off each other and build each other up. Between each song is an ambient sound that guides us through the story she takes us on. She seamlessly blends the lyrics and music together to become one. They work off each other and converse in a way you won’t find in any other album.

Her voice is soft and hypnotic. The music is smooth and groovy. Her lyrics are poetic and thought provoking. Everything you want in an album is what you’ll find in Songs For Trees.

Listen here:

Find Norine Braun via:

Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

05.11.22

by Jane Lambert

‘Thoughts and Prayers’ is The Chad Sipes Stereo’s Most Powerful Album Yet

The Chad Sipes Stereo have dropped their new album “Thoughts and Prayers”, which has been described as “alternative rock with grunge hooks, tired hands and dirty looks.”

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania based, this four man group have been together since 2010. This new album was written and recorded between 2019 and 2021, with significant delays in the recording dates and rehearsals largely due to the Covid pandemic. Availability of the band also factored in for their final 2022 release.

The album is a collection of songs that has a definite grunge rock vibe, an album which lead singer Chad says will ¨resonate not only for thematic material, but for the impossibly catchy hooks. It is the album I´ve always wanted to make, and I´d really like for it to be heard.”

The opening track “Every Single Kid” is a good example of the band´s grunge rock style, with ethereal backdrop sounds and synths. The songs “New Prescription” and “Therapy” have a more catchy melody and chorus, with a sound similar to R.E.M and Weezer.

Songs like “Relapse” has a darker side and “Pill for That” shows their more fun side, with a brighter sound similar to Green Day. Overall, there is a mysterious element to this band.

About the Album, The Chad Sipes Stereo say:

“Thoughts and Prayers is about America’s relationship with pills. There is a storyline that weaves through the album, loosely focusing on one character. It was very important to me as I wrote this album that I didn’t come off as preachy or judgmental. My core message is, no matter who you are or what your background is, we are all going to end up on pills at some time in our life. But there is a hard truth. There are doctors, insurance companies, and CEOs out there that have so much skin in the game, and I wanted to address that side of it too.”

Listen here:

Stay current with The Chad Sipes Audio on their website and social media channels, Facebook and Instagram.

Stream music on Spotify and Soundcloud

05.10.22

by Jane Lambert

Natalie Fideler and Her Trio Release the Bluesy Rock Single “Three Man Army”

Natalie Fideler is the front-person of her self-titled power trio currently based in Minneapolis, MN. Having performed in several different ensembles over the years, the release of her debut album “Steak & Eggs” marks the beginning of her solo career. Her band consists of herself as the songwriter on guitar, keyboards, and lead vocals, Hailey Jacobsen on bass, and Leigh Underwood on drums.

The trio just released their newest single, “Three Man Army,” the title track of their next album of the same name. While their previous single, “Judas,” had more of an alternative rock sound and contemplated the Christian Religion and what that means to Natalie, “Three Man Army” is more fun. The song has a funk and blues element to it and is carried by Natalie’s vocals which are beautiful and passionate, giving off a softer Demi Lovato or a Hayley Williams vibe.

“Three Man Army” utilizes the trumpet, giving the melody a catchy sound that makes you want to get up and dance. The song is the first one Natalie had ever written, way back when she was 14 years old. It’s Natalie speaking to a dear friend she had just had a falling out with (and herself in a symbolic way) trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. She sings “There’s plenty of people out there just like me/messed up, broken, incomplete,” giving a sense of empowerment and inner conflict.

“I eventually retired the song when I was in college thinking it ‘sounded too young’ and I was sick of it,” shares Natalie. “But one day many years later, I was doing a pandemic livestream concert from my living room and my fiance/drummer Leigh heard me play the song for the first time. Once I had finished the tune she said to me (verbatim because the stream is archived), ‘Question. Is there a reason that we’re not playing that one full band?! What’s wrong with you?! It’s a great song, it’s funky. Why aren’t we doing it full band?!’ I thankfully decided to bring the song back.”

Listen here:

Connect with Natalie Fideler via:

Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

05.09.22

by Jane Lambert

“Daddy’s Pride” is the Telling Story of Randie O’Neil’s Childhood

Randie O’Neil, the Americana and Country-Folk singer/songwriter is all about raw truth and honesty, both in her personal life and in her music. Her music comes from a personal place as she puts her whole self into her writing and performances, using sincere and witty lyrics about heartache and strength, paired with beyond catchy melodies. She conveys understanding in her songs that you won’t find in any other artist, providing courage for us all to face our problems, no matter how big or small.

Randie doesn’t have the best relationship with her stepfather or her mother, both alcoholics, who sold all of her guitars. As she sat on the curb, she vowed to herself that they couldn’t take her voice, that she will find a way to sing. It took Randie some time to find her voice, but throughout the years, she came to understand herself better. In the 80’s, she had a band called AMA (Against Medical Advice), she left music for a while to peruse her PhD in Psychology and currently specializes in adolescents with anxiety.

She just released her newest country rock single, “Daddy’s Pride,” from her upcoming album Full Moon Rising. The song showcases her Bonnie Rait style vocals and her Joni Mitchell meets James Taylor songwriting. Inspired by a personal event in her life, she sings about her own growth as a human and how she had to do that by herself. She takes inspiration for the lyrics from her own experience and as a phychologist.

“‘Daddy’s Pride’ I wrote completely in 2o minutes, they only song my producer didn’t change a note,” shares Randie. “It’s my parents selling my guitars. The biggest failure is for a parent not to teach a child to be proud and support them. I had the strength to stand up and find it on my own. I know many don’t and stay lost and insecure.”

Listen here: