Welcome to our yearly Holiday guide. If you’re short on ideas this year, don’t stress yourself out, because we’ve got you covered. Like we do every year, we’re going to fill that noggin of yours full of ideas for amazing gifts. As always our recommendations run the gamut in variety because we want to make sure you and your loved ones are happy with the holidays. So what are you still doing reading this? Let’s get to the real reason for the season. Buying stuff!...
WHO: Jeff Rosenstock WHAT: WORRY. WHY: It’s just about official: Jeff Rosenstock holds the title as the most relevant punk artist active today. What at first seems like your standard batch of punk songs, upon closer inspection reveal to be nuanced, complex, and absolutely unpredictable. Rosenstock is basically taking pop punk to the next level and is dragging us with him while wearing his heart on his sleeve. Unbelievably, his latest album WORRY is by far his most compelling release,...
WHO: The Woodrow Wilsons WHAT: Devil Jonah WHY: If you mingle in certain corners of Boston chances are you might have heard of the Woodrow Wilsons. Their stylings have been one of the many bright spots in New England’s musical history and certainly underrated. At times their songs are a folk rock freight train and other times just a beautifully bubbling simmer. And it’s over before you know it. It’s anyone’s guess whether the Woodrow Wilsons will ever reform...
WHO: toyGuitar WHAT: Move Like a Ghost WHY: I swear to God, Jack Dalrymple is the unsung hero of punk rock. Everything he touches turns to gold. The man has brought his unique style to toyGuitar, Swingin’ Utters, Dead to Me, and One Man Army (RIP), and will probably continue to do so on many more bands in the future. It’s hard to say which band this man calls home (he personally assured me years ago that...
WHO: The Subprime Lenders WHAT: On the Automile WHY: New England has no shortage of great bands and no matter how hard I try I will always be way behind on who the cool new act in the area is. What I do know is that the Subprime Lenders most definitely qualify as one of the outstanding bands in Boston (though technically they’re from Lowell). Their latest release (although a couple years old) pulls from all the right...
WHO: Bracket WHAT: The Last Page WHY: Don’t you dare called Bracket old-timers. They’re old school, man. Once firmly established as a Fat Wreck band, Bracket has most definitely taken creative control over their music: self-recording and self-releasing their albums for a while now. And while they may be known for injecting AC/DC-like riffs into Beach Boys-like harmonies, they still manage to progress and challenge themselves with their latest release The Last Page, which consists of a single 70+minute song....
WHO: THE OTTOMANS WHAT: Their SELF-TITLED debut WHY: There are some changes brewing here at Ground Control Magazine and this includes a new partnership with Red Sound Records. If you didn’t know yet, Red Sound Records is an online label focused on distributing free music, plain and simple. The bands control the process from beginning to end, and pass on the savings onto you. Or something like that… Having gone dormant for a while, Red Sound Records is back with an...
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into a vinyl copy of Diamond Dogs by David Bowie. While it might not sound like the greatest endorsement of an album’s quality or of the creative foresight possessed by an artist on the surface, the adage that Diamond Dogs exemplifies first is “Just because an idea doesn’t work out in its intended manner does not mean it should be thrown away and forgotten.” The manner in which David Bowie’s eighth album lives that...
WHO: TOYS THAT KILL WHAT: SENTIMENTAL WARD WHY: Front man and Recess Records Grand Poobah Todd Congelliere has been churning out the hot punk riffs for decades now with his own brand of skate punk rock. After a short hiatus, the boys are back at it with their new full length Sentimental Ward. Full of that well-known and beloved Toys that Kill formula, Sentimental Ward makes for the perfect Summer soundtrack. It’s snappy, it’s snotty, it’s sophisticated… Get it...
Hey there, dear readers! We’re back once again another Back to School guide in what has certainly become a tradition. A two-year old tradition, but a tradition nonetheless! With the school year fast approaching there are oh-so many things you’re going to need to make your life easier or just make your dorm room a cool place for you to live. Well, we’ve got you covered. In this guide you’ll see some familiar products and some brand new ones. Whatever...