If you find yourself part of Katie Miller’s inner circle, consider yourself lucky. Over the years, this South Jersey singer-songwriter has managed to surround herself with a diverse group of creative and talented people, sending the right energy out into the universe and attracting it back. When I first spoke with Katie (almost exactly a year ago) her band Kate Dressed Up had just released a single and an accompanying music video for the song “Ride Home.” Now, a year later, Katie has released a second song, entitled “The Fountain”, this time accompanied by a beautifully produced animated short. As it goes, a lot has happened in Katie’s life over the course of a year, but what has remained constant is her dedication to her craft, her practice of gratitude, and her ability to continue welcoming people in with open arms.
Read moreGhost Friends - "Tree Speak" (Album Review)
By Sean McCall | Posted Sunday, February 24, 2019
Ghost Friends is an indie rock / emo band from Moorestown, New Jersey. Ghost friends is:
“A 4-piece basement dweller howling echos of love and loss. Our reverberations cling to the the rusted pipes cemented into your foundation as the sounds of our angst pry their way through the cracks in your floorboards. We’re down here.”
The band consists of Alec Pezzano, Kyle Forgason, Jimmy Jenca, Justin “Juicy” Condora, and Sid (who is known for ghosting/melancholy).
Their most recent release, Tree Speak, was released on mischief night (Oct. 30) of 2018 which makes this record extra spooky. Tree Speak was Produced and Engineered by Jim Jenca, the bassist, which is definitely a cool easter egg.
The record begins with “Diving Bell” which immediately has you intrigued with what’s going to come next. It’s instrumental up to about a minute and a half into the song, and then finally resolves with some angsty and catchy lyrics. “Diving Bell” is a solid feeler and introduction to Tree Speak and sets the mood of the EP very well.
The second track, “VertiGogo,” is super poppy and gives me a Mayday Parade feel right away. I really like this track personally because it’s very well-produced and spacey. There’s a lot of dynamic and rhythmic changes in this song which I can definitely appreciate. I really dig the line “you move in stereo,” and if you’re itching for a catchy pop punk breakdown, “VertiGogo” definitely delivers.
Transitioning into track 3, “Malfoy,” Ghost Friends keeps pop punk alive for sure. The intro of this song gives me a heavy Four Year Strong vibe followed by The Starting Line’s “Say it Like You Mean It” once the vocals kick in. Malfoy will have you naturally bopping your head the entirety of this track.
“Blood Eagle” is the fourth track on Tree Speak, and it’s definitely one of the most emo in my opinion. There’s a lot happening dynamically, and the lyrics definitely pull at your heartstrings. The theme of the song seems to be dealing with the ability to help a loved one grow alongside with you; if both parties could work towards healthier communication.
The 5th track, “Split Ends,” definitely reminds me of earlier the story so far from the get-go. This is another emotional feeler that copes with the idea of being better off without someone that you once felt very attached to.
Tree Speak closes with “21 grams,” which they released a music video for that you can check out here. This song gives me an optimistic and hopeful feeling, despite all of the heartbreak and loss throughout the record. It mixes happiness, hope, despair, and heartbreak into one place. I think Ghost Friends did a great job summing up the record with this one.
All in all, I think this is Ghost Friends’ best release, but be sure to check out “The Blackmaker Demo” from 2017 as well. There’s plenty more to discover with this band, so head over to their website if you’re interested!