Band Profiles

Some Of The Raddest Bands In New Jersey

Screaming Females
From: New Brunswick, NJ

Sounds Like: A banshee riding a chainsaw. Screaming Females are hands down one of the coolest bands to come out of New Jersey in a long time. A lot has been said about this powerhouse punk rock trio, but everything Screaming Females are about is best captured in their live show. Nothing can prepare you for the first time you are in the presence of the voice and guitar chops that come out of Marissa Paternoster.

 Screaming Females have released five albums on Don Giovanni Records. Their most recent, Ugly was produced by Steve Albini. They have toured all over and opened for the likes of Dinosaur Jr., Ted Leo, Garbage and The Dead Weather.

 Members: Marissa Paternoster, Michael “King Mike” Abbate, Jarrett Dougherty

 Releases: Baby Teeth (2007, Don Giovanni); What If People Are Watching Their T.V.? (2007, Don Giovanni); Power Move (2009, Don Giovanni); Castle Talk (2010, Don Giovanni); Ugly (2012, Don Giovanni)

Website: www.screamingfemales.com / www.screamingfemales.bandcamp.com / www.facebook.com/screamingfemales

The Front Bottoms
From: Bergen County, NJ



Sounds Like: Suburban youth. Whether they are light heartedly tackling the awkwardness of growing up, or making some more poignant observations about settling down or trying to figure out what the future holds, catchy indie rockers The Front Bottoms find a way to break complex emotions down to simple, sarcastic and understandable concepts kind of like a Wes Anderson movie. Even though The Front Bottoms are just Brian (guitar) and Matt (drums), they add extra instrumentation to both their live show and studio recordings to supplement their sound which has been consistently been providing the soundtrack to twenty-somethings' drunken weekends for quite some time. In 2011 they signed to Bar/None Records and have been busting their asses playing constantly to support The front Bottoms (a composite of two previous EPs) and their 2013 release Talon Of The Hawk.

Members: Brian Sella, Matt Uychich

Releases: I Hate My Friends (2008); Brothers Can't Be Friends EP (2008); My Grandma Vs. Pneumonia (2009); Slow Dance To Soft Rock EP (2010); The Front Bottoms (2011, Bar/None); Talon And The Hawk (2013, Bar/None)

Website: www.thefrontbottoms.com / www.thefrontbottoms.bandcamp.com / www.facebook.com/thefrontbottoms

 

Night Birds

From: The Jersey Shore (and Brooklyn)

 

Sounds Like: Someone beating the shit out of you with an electric guitar and a surfboard. These purveyors of surf punk chaos make it look easy, but this band works its ass off. They are constantly touring and playing shows, and whether its an instrumental surf punk song, or a bludgeoning vocal attack from singer Brian Gorsegner there is a constant threat of danger. If you see these guys, you may get punched or kicked or someone in the band may land on top of you, but hey- I've got a Janis Ian record for you if you want to sit at home, wrap yourself up in a blanket and feel safe. So if you feel like being crushed by a killer wave and can picture yourself being greeted the grim reaper surfing on a coffin, then this is the kind of band for you.

 

Members: Brian Gorsegner, Joe Keller, Ryan McHale, PJ Russo

 

Releases: Demo/CDR/Cassette (2009, self released/Ride The Fury); Killer Waves 7" (2010 Art Of The Underground); Night Birds 7" (2010 Grave Mistake/Dirtnap); Midnight Movies 7" (2011 No Way Records); The Other Side Of Darkness 12" (2011 Grave Mistake, Taken By Surprise); Fresh Kills Volume 1 12" (2012 Grave Mistake); Maimed For The Masses 7" (2013 Fat Wreck); Born To Die In Suburbia (2013 Grave Mistake/Taken By Surprise)

 

Website: http://nightbirds.oknoway.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/NGHTBRDS / http://night-birds.bandcamp.com/