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Meet Your New Favorite Band: Deadbeat Daycare

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Picture this. You’re in high school sitting at the lunch table with your best friend and contemplating what a great idea playing music together would be. So, you start the band and realize that you need a drummer and a name. You find the drummer. You decide on a name that is unlike any other. You start writing music in one member’s garage and realize that you need a bass player to round things out. You find a seasoned bass player who is a fit, and suddenly it all makes sense. That’s the story. I am just the messenger. That’s Deadbeat Daycare’s story and they’re not only sticking to it, but they’re ready to rock your world as they start to ramp up their live shows, hitting as many local venues as they can this summer. Most recently, they performed at the notable Brudder’s Bar and Burlington Bar in Chicago. The band is ready to kick it into high gear since they are all now finished with college.

Formed on the outskirts of Chicago, Deadbeat Daycare is four parts equal to one sum. Their manic energy, catchy tunes, and power punk sensibilities are what makes this four-piece unit one of the tightest bands around, as their live show is a testament to their desire to give 500% to their audience. Featuring Joaquin on vocals and rhythm guitar, Ethan on lead guitar, Bobby on drums, and Dan on bass, the band is firmly planted in a genre-less existence which doesn’t give audiences the opportunity to pigeonhole their unique sound.

Influences are many for each member of Deadbeat Daycare, which is one of the many reasons the band veers off the beaten path from many of its contemporaries when it comes to songwriting. Instead of relying on one or two people in the band to create, which they did in the beginning stages, it’s now a shared responsibility which allows the band to build their arsenal of songs at a more rapid pace. As the band states, “Songwriting has always been a mix of a split responsibility and solo. Often times Ethan or Joaquin will write a chord progression and lyrics, and bring it to the band where Bobby provides a beat, Ethan provides lead ideas, and Dan writes a bass line. More recently Bobby and Dan have been bringing lyrics and riffs to the table for the band to create a song around.”

The songwriting isn’t the only part of the band that is unique, all the members of Deadbeat Daycare make sure to stay true to who they are as individuals. They dont try to fit in with other bands or even with each other. While they recognize that a band should be a unit, they also know how important it is to be authentic, which is just another reason why Deadbeat Daycare is one of the tightest bands around!

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Vinyl Floor’s Balancing Act Proves That Honest Rock Still Matters

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Vinyl Floor

“Balancing Act” by Vinyl Floor is a real treat. It is the sixth record from brothers Daniel and Thomas Charlie Pedersen sounds like it was made for right now and how they blend the ’60s and ’70s with modern elements never feels forced.

The production is clear and thoughtful. Every string, every horn, every vintage keyboard has space to exist. “Puppet Laureate” opens strong with real energy, while “The Swan of Eileen Lake” catches you off guard with folk warmth. “Adelaide” might be the best track, built on a lovely piano line with vocals that cut through cleanly. No hiding behind effects here.

The title track closes things out with the reflection the album’s been working toward. The core idea of finding hope in a fractured world could tip into despair easily, but Vinyl Floor stays honest about it. They’re not offering false comfort, but they’re not drowning either.

Progressive rock this restrained is rare. The arrangements serve the songs instead of overshadowing them. If anything, some moments could use more breathing room, but that’s small in a record made by people who clearly care about what they’re saying.

This is for anyone who wants rock that actually wrestles with real ideas. It counts for something.

You can listen here.

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