Tag #LongIsland

Bitters and Distractions Unlock Another Level Of Greatness With New Single, “The Threads”

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Some bands have such a special sound that it is almost indescribable. We feel beyond blessed to check out Long Island, Ny based and a Whole Kameese favorite, punk duo Bitters and Distractions and their sharp and impressive new single, “The Threads” via Berkeley-based independent label Sell The Heart Records.

You can listen to “The Threads” on Spotify Here and on Apple Music Here

The energy from Long Island acoustic punk duo, Bitters and Distractions ( Jeremy Quitko and Travis Johnides) is more electrifying and vibrant than a thousand piece marching band . As soon as we heard the first chord on “The Threads “ we instantly started singing along and quickly grabbed a pint of our favorite brew.

While the instrumentation may be minimal, the emotional weight is anything but. Punk as Folk described their sound as: “This is punk proper, just done with acoustic guitars.”

guitars.”

“The Threads” captures the tension between striving for a meaningful future and grappling with the fleeting nature of time. The lyrics reflect resilience—“spread our wings and stretch our legs”—while also embracing nostalgia and the imperfections of life, summed up in the refrain: “that’s why we can’t have nice things.” (best freaking line ever)

The duo explains:

“The song is a bittersweet toast to the journey, the struggles, and the moments that define us. It’s about holding onto hope while acknowledging the scars along the way.”

Recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered entirely in the duo’s homes, “The Threads” also features guest backing vocals by Natalia Neal, a former student of Jeremy’s.

Bitters and Distractions began as Jeremy’s personal songwriting outlet, drawing from his formative years in Colorado and the loss of a close friend. The project evolved when Travis began composing music to accompany Jeremy’s words, sparking a creative partnership that resonated with listeners and transformed the duo into a fully realized band.

We fell in love with Bitters and Distractions, the first time we heard them…. And “The Threads” hasn’t changed that one bit.

Arcy Drive Release Phenomenal Debut Album “THE PIT”

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We are beyond excited to finally get to check out the debut album, “THE PIT”, via AWAL, from Northport, Long Island-based indie rock band, Arcy Drive. You can listen to “THE PIT” Here

Arcy Drive , have crafted an absolute indie rock masterpiece with , “THE PIT” We have literally been counting the days for this one . (It did not disappoint)

From the very first note on “Under The Rug” , all the way through to “Swimming ” , Arcy Drive ( guitarist/vocalist Nick Mateyunas, guitarist Austin Jones, bassist Patrick Helrigel, and drummer Brooke Tuozzo) have created more than just an album with “THE PIT” they have created an incredible, world class listening experience.

There is a electrifying freshness with Arcy Drive that we honestly can’t get enough of . They have a versatile and vibrant sound that reminds us why we love music so much . Every song feels like a moment in time that simply can’t be missed . We found ourselves literally hanging on every note and every melody on “THE PIT”

Truthfully, there isn’t a bad song to be found on “THE PIT” “Recipe”, “The Itch”, and “Rocket Chair “ are some of our favorites Arcy Drive effortlessly weaves smart and thought provoking lyrics in between beautifully constructed melodies that sound like a little piece of heaven.

We fell endlessly in love with every single that was released in the build up to “THE PIT” ( “Under The Rug” , “Louie”, “Oak Tree(Daydream) , “Thrift Store”, “The Itch” and “Rocket Chair” However, “THE PIT” is full of other magical melodies, such as , “Creatures Of The Night and “Swimming”

With an album like “THE PIT” it is nearly impossible to pick a favorite song, but the one song that really stuck out to us is , “Lights Fall”. We instantly captivated with the melodic wonderment of the song. The vocal performance on “Lights Fall “ is absolutely breathtaking. We have a feeling that the live performance of “Lights Fall” is absolutely magical.

The band just wrapped up tour dates supporting Flipturn and will head to Europe in May as support for Cassia. The band’s headline US tour commences this fall. 

From top to bottom, “THE PIT” is a special album from a band, who is about to launch themselves to the moon and beyond … and we can’t to watch.

Arcy Drive Latest Single, “Rocket Chair “ Is Out Of This World

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We recently had the splendid opportunity to check out Indie rock band, Arcy Drive and their new single “Rocket Chair” that is out now on all platforms.  “ You can listen to “Rocket Chair on Spotify Here, Apple Music Here

Arcy Drive, is brimming with a feverish brand of energy that is absolutely electric, the energy is on full display on their latest single, “Rocket Chair”

Rocket Chair” is the sixth single off their debut album The Pit to be released April 18th via AWAL. Arcy Drive is a Northport, Long Island-based indie rock band, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Nick Mateyunas, guitarist Austin Jones, bassist Patrick Helrigel, and drummer Brooke Tuozzo. They command more than 144,000 Instagram followers, and 195,000 on TikTok. Mateyunas, Jones, Helrigel, and Tuozzo grew up on Long Island. As Mateyunas and Jones bounced musical ideas off each other, they realized they had something — especially as the pandemic hit, with its members home from college When Helrigel came along, Arcy Drive was off to the races: they posted their original songs on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to a glowing response. Around then, Arcy Drive’s innate work ethic clicked into gear: they bought a school bus and spent a summer converting it into a tour bus. In 2022, Arcy Drive released their debut single, “Roll My Stone.” 2023 brought Arcy Drive’s debut, five-song EP, Beach Plum — their first in a proper studio. That year, Arcy Drive also embarked on their first headline tour, where they performed at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and South by Southwest.  What accurately describes Arcy Drive’s trajectory; with a profound  appreciation of the rock ‘n’ roll canon, endless youthful zest, and melodies for days, they’re shooting for the moon. Go find your favorite listening spot and get lost in the amazing vibe of “Rocket Chair” from Arcy Drive .

Arcy Drive Make Beautiful Music With Latest single “The Itch”

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We Indie rock band, Arcy Drive is thrilled to announce their debut album “The Pit” to be released April 18th via AWAL. As a preview, the band has released the fifth single “The Itch” You can listen to “The Itch” Here

Arcy Drive, have a unique and a one of kind sound that is front and center on “The Itch”

The melody coupled with Nick Mateyunas’s flawless and memorable vocals, make “The Itch” a song that you need to experience.

Arcy Drive, is a Northport, Long Island-based indie rock band, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Nick Mateyunas, guitarist Austin Jones, bassist Patrick Helrigel, and drummer Brooke Tuozzo. They command more than 144,000 Instagram followers, and 195,000 on TikTok. Mateyunas, Jones, Helrigel, and Tuozzo grew up on Long Island. As Mateyunas and Jones bounced musical ideas off each other, they realized they had something — especially as the pandemic hit, with its members home from college When Helrigel came along, Arcy Drive was off to the races: they posted their original songs on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to a glowing response. 

Around then, Arcy Drive’s innate work ethic clicked into gear: they bought a school bus and spent a summer converting it into a tour bus. In 2022, Arcy Drive released their debut single, “Roll My Stone.” 2023 brought Arcy Drive’s debut, five-song EP, Beach Plum — their first in a proper studio. That year, Arcy Drive also embarked on their first headline tour, where they performed at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and South by Southwest. What accurately describes Arcy Drive’s trajectory; with a profound  appreciation of the rock ‘n’ roll canon, endless youthful zest, and melodies for days, they’re shooting for the moon.

We are all in on Arcy Drive , and we think after you hear them, you will be too .

Arcy Drive Deliver Killer New Groove With “Thrift Store “

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We recently had the stellar opportunity to check out the new single “ Thrift Store ” from Long Island based indie rock four piece Arcy Drive . You can listen to “Thrift Store” Here

In music , you either “have it” or you don’t . We can undeniably claim that Arcy Drive, definitely without question “have it” . One listen to their new dynamic single “Thrift Store , and you will totally agree.

We first heard Arcy Drive, through their previous single , “Oak Tree(Daydream)” , now with their latest single “Thrift Store“, our appreciation has only grown . We have a feeling that you are definitely going to hit repeat on this one a couple of hundred times

Arcy Drive, ( Nick Mateyunas: Vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Patrick Helrigel: Bassist and harmonica, Brooke Tuozzo: Drummer and Austin Jones: Lead guitarist) have a vibe and sound that is off the charts . The melodies and vocals are truly level stuff .

So go find your favorite music listening spot and get lost in the totally amazing vibe of “Thrift Store “ , from Arcy Drive

Arcy Drive Deliver Dreamy New Single, “ Oak Tree(Daydream)”

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We recently had the stellar opportunity to check out the new single “ Oak Tree(Daydream)” from Long Island based indie rock four piece Arcy Drive . You can listen to “ Oak Tree(Daydream)” Here

Arcy Drive ( Nick Mateyunas: Vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Patrick Helrigel: Bassist and harmonica, Brooke Tuozzo: Drummer and Austin Jones: Lead guitarist) are clearly a band who is firing on all cylinders and are poised for big things.

We absolutely love the sound and vibe of Arcy Drive, their sound has been described as “attic rock”. The band started playing in East Northport, rehearsing in Tuozzo’s shed on a street called Arcy Drive.

The new single “Oak Tree(Daydream)” sounds amazing and also has an interesting story . The band realized that this song sounded like John Sebastian’s “Daydream” but they made it their own and John actually heard the demo and loved it and played on the song with the band when they were in Woodstock.

Nick in the band says, “For me, things got super emotional though, when he did sit down to play on the song. It was one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life actually. Oak Tree is a dreamy song, when I sing it I can feel my childhood and picture my future. And now in the studio when I saw John Sebastion, a guy who had seen it all sitting down to play the little song I wrote in my grandpa’s backyard. The whole thing was just too much and it reminded me of the circle of life.”

Arcy Drive , has managed to gain an impressive following on Tik Tok , after posting original videos that received tens of thousands of views.

The melody and feel of “Oak Tree “ ( Daydream) is full of honesty and authenticity and we absolutely love it. Do yourself a favor and get lost in the beauty of “Oak Tree(Daydream)” from Arcy Drive.

Long Island’s Gone Stereo and New York City’s Something Bitter, Put On An Absolute Melodic Pop Punk Clinic With New Split EP “Bridges And Tunnels “

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EP cover art designed by: Joel Menter http://www.joelmenter.com

We recently had the beyond amazing opportunity, to check out the new split EP , “Bridges And Tunnels “ from Long Island’s- Gone Stereo and New York City’s – Something Bitter . You can listen to the epic collection of songs that is “Bridges And Tunnels” on Spotify Here and on Apple Music Here

We were absolutely pumped to check out “Bridges And Tunnels “ from Gone Stereo and Something Bitter , as we are fans of both bands . “Bridges And Tunnels “ features brand-new tracks,two from each group, available today (December 27 ) digitally, and later on limited-edition 7” vinyl, CD, and
cassette.

Gone Stereo- Courtesy Of The Band

We absolutely love Gone Stereo, they have such a one of a kind sound that grabs you immediately , they have released “Sad Turtles” and “Cut the Rope” as part
of the split EP. These tracks were recorded at VuDu Studios, where they were produced, mixed, and
mastered by the talented Frank Mitaritonna, known for working with such luminaries as Thought Crimes,The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Hopesfall.

If you are familiar with The Whole Kameese, you know that when we hear something that we like , we want to shout it from the from the rooftops….. The bass line on “Sad Turtles “ is absolutely mind blowing, it sets the tone for a phenomenal track. Everything on this track is pure melodic pop punk perfection the melody , the guitars everything. If you’re not singing along to “Sad Turtles” by time the chorus kicks in you need to seek medical attention. “Sad Turtles” may explore themes of being lost and yearning for belonging, ultimately it is kick ass Saturday night song about getting wasted .

The other track from Gone Stereo, “Cut The Rope”, is a driving that has Gone Stereo, firing on all cylinders.

“Cut the Rope” tells a story about a mystical woman. The song’s melody is haunting
and atmospheric, with a sense of mystery and intrigue. Overall, Gone Stereo’s new songs showcase their
ability to blend different genres and create a unique, familiar, and fresh sound, and we loved every freaking minute of it.

The next two tracks on “Bridges And Tunnels”, are from Something Bitter, a melodic punk-rock band from New York City, Something Bitter deliver a high energy sound that artfully showcases their “Next Level “ musicianship. They have given us two kick ass tracks as their contribution to “Bridges And Tunnels” – “The Ends “ and “Milo Goes Fight Club” .

These tracks were independently recorded and mixed by singer/guitarist Russ Worstell, and mastered by Frank Mitaritonna.

Something Bitter, Courtesy Of The Band

The melodic tone and vocal performance coupled with an addictive melody on “The Ends “, instantly made us take notice.

“The Ends” is a song about loss and gaining something in the process. It’s about realizing that the effort
you’re putting into something isn’t working out — work, a relationship, a Rubik’s cube, or any other pursuit
— and that you were never the right person. Because while your world outlook isn’t bleak, it isn’t roses and candy floss. The final track on “Bridges And Tunnels”, is the powerful, “Milo Goes To Fight club” This song is an absolute sonic and melodic gem .

“Milo Goes to Fight Club”, is a song about that dude we’ve all encountered who lives to
make other people’s lives miserable. You know, that schoolyard bully, that jerk in the street late on a Friday night who just wants to pick a fight to feel better, that cop who loves their badge a little too much. It’s a reminder that being kind and decent is what gives you a decent life, not being that guy. Besides having a phenomenal title, what we really loved about “Milo Goes To Fight Club “ , is the brilliantly crafted lyrics. We are big fans of lyrics and “Milo Goes To Fight Club” is a lyrical masterpiece.

Gone Stereo and Something Bitter have delivered a future classic with their split EP, “Bridges And Tunnels “


Bitters And Distractions Deliver Amazing Melodic Christmas Cheer With “Punk Rock Christmas “

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We recently had the amazing opportunity to check out the Christmas song “Punk Rock Christmas “ from Long Island acoustic punk duo , Bitters And Distractions. ( Jeremy Quitko and Travis Johnides)

Every year since we started the blog, we receive a healthy amount of Christmas music , ( it would literally take a whole workshop of elves to sort through it all) however, one song “Punk Rock Christmas “ from Bitters And Distractions caught our ears . We were immediately smitten with the song, it’s the kind of melodic masterpiece/ song that you can sing along with instantly.

You can listen to “Punk Rock Christmas “ on Spotify Here and on Apple Music Here

Bitters And Distractions have always delivered catchy and melodic gems, this year they deliver their terrific EP “The Home That Procrastination Built “ which you can check out Here. But , we believe that “Punk Rock Christmas” may be Bitters And Distractions ( Jeremy Quitko and Travis Johnides) at their very very best.

So grab your favorite holiday beverage of choice and raise it high as you get lost in the Yuletide goodness in “Punk Rock Christmas” , from Bitters And Distractions.

Gone Stereo Is Pop Punk Perfection On Latest Single “Meet Me At Garvies”

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We recently had the stellar opportunity to check out the new single “Meet Me At Garvies” from Long Island pop punk kings Gone Stereo. You can listen to “Meet Me At Garvies” Here

As soon as the drums hit on “Meet Me At Garvies”, we know we are in the presence of Pop-punk greatness. “Meet Me At Garvies has everything you could ever want in a pop punk gem . Great melody?- check! Great Hook ? – check! Killer three part harmonies? – check!

Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Frank Mitaritonna at VUDU Studios, “Meet Me at Garvies” is another quintessential early 2000’s pop-punk, warped tour style tune that will have you dancing and singing along for days .

Gone Stereo (Matty Lupinacci, Chris Lynam, Mike Drinkwalter, Josh Freeman, and Danny DiGiuseppe) have amazing chemistry as a band and it really adds another dimension to their music .

Matty Says “My inspiration behind the lyrics for Meet Me at Garvies are my spontaneous and continuous thoughts about what, how and who. Throughout most of my life, It always felt like as soon as it comes, it was already gone. So, I took those feelings and that sentence and there you have it” 

Great bands have the ability to an ordinary song and make it special. Gone Stereo is a brilliant group of musicians and “Meet Me At Garvies” is a special song .