Words In Part By: Amanda Marano [Broadside]

Hello, friends! Are you tired, rundown, listless? Do you poop out at parties? Are you unpopular? The answer to all your problems is in this little article, Throwback Thursday. Throwback Thursday contains your favorite artists, vitamins, killer music, new artists, and minerals. Yes, with Throwback Thursday, you can spoon your way to health. All you have to do is take a tablespoonful every week. It’s so tasty, too! It’s just like candy! So, why don’t you join the thousands of happy, peppy people, and get a great big bottle of Throwback Thursday today? That’s Throw-back -Thurs-day!

Due to the storm that rocked parts of the East Coast just enough to mess with our power and internet, we missed the chance to celebrate the birthday the iconic Lucille Ball who would have turned an incredible 109 last Thursday. But in the spirit of this great segment, we’re doing it now [better late than never] – plus we have some more stuff that was just too good for us to pass by. This week’s Throwback Thursday features some creatures of the night, a glance inside the Observatory, a TikToker who’s made a lasting impression and an emotional new album that drives you deep below the surface.

Relatively new to the scene, Off Road Minivan released its debut full-length album, Swan Dive via Tooth & Nail Records, earlier this year. Seeing an abundance of praise from fans and critics alike – we had to see what all the hype was about. At the end of July, Off Road Minivan brought their visual talents to the ghoulish side in the music video for what they say is one of their favorite tracks off Swan Dive, “Vampire”. Fueled with vocals reminiscent that of Kings Of Leon and Silverstein – the video features their frontman as a creature of the night as an audience of one enjoying a live performance Off Road Minivan. It is a tantalizing experience, fans are left longing for the day when we can once against experience captivating music live.

Last month, Underoath revealed their plans for a mind-blowing, at-home concert experience. Observatory brought fans three weeks of live music featuring albums from amidst Underoath’s discography that helped define them as a band. With each week being dedicated their own album, we traveled deep into the history of Underoath as they unleashed each chosen record in a man-made, LED light-filled octagon stage as cameras whirled around them. After their final performance on July 31, Underoath decided to share their performance of the first track off They’re Only Chasing Safety to their YouTube channel. Fans can now experience “Young And Inspiring” in a way they never have before. Though experiencing a concert in your living room will never quite be the same as how it feels to be in front of your favorite band screaming back the lyrics – Underoath brings such intensity and theatrics that suck you in so deep that you forget your home venue surroundings. Fans still have time to experience all 3 shows of Observatory in their entireties as a rebroadcast until August 31 – not to mention all the exclusive merch available.

Earlier this week we introduced you to Alex Melton during our TikTok Tuesday segment. This young rocker went completely viral after taking on the Love Story Challenge on TikTok and now we’ve entered the rabbit hole that is all things, Alex Melton. Best known for his ‘punk goes country’, ‘hip hop goes punk’ and ‘pop punk crossovers’ – Alex took on a whole new animal in the form of a Disney classic. Back in June, Alex put out a wicked pop punk cover of The Little Mermaid’s most iconic track, “Under The Sea”. In the quick, 1-minute cover, Melton highlights his many talents via guitar, drums, and of course, vocals. Bringing a new life to a childhood favorite once performed by the world’s most famous crustacean. With enough pleading, Alex released the full version of his rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” – so many with enough love, we can gently shove Alex into creating an entire Disney Goes Punk album – fingers crossed.

Pop-punk powerhouse, Broadside, has returned with the release of their new album earlier this summer, Into The Raging Sea. Frontman, Ollie Baxxter, has inspired fans with his life story and his genuine talent. He explains that the album can “drown your hopes and dreams, bury all your sadness in the darkness of the deep, or float you through the hours as they pass you by with ease.” The band has also shared the music video for the title-inspired opening track, “The Raging Sea”, an emotional proclamation into the abyss. The eleven-track alternative pop project is a memorable, ambitious work that touches on themes of childhood, isolation, hopeless romanticism, anger, and perseverance.  Upbeat and passionate tracks like “Foolish Believer”, muse about blind faith, while “Heavenly” is a dreamy piece of nostalgia, and “Breathe You In” is a romantic breath of fresh air.  The record as a whole symbolizes the band’s own rebirth and fresh new sound, yet stays true to their authentic roots and their message about how you can overcome anything that life throws at you.

ARTISTS FEATURED IN THIS TBT

Off Road Minivan
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Underoath
OBSERVATORY | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Alex Melton
 TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Broadside
 WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER