Earlier this fall, Move Home released the follow-up to their to their 2015 debut album, Spare Nothing EP, via Columbus-based indie label We Want Action.  The new EP, like its predecessor, And So It Begins, is a hard-hitting emo and punk influenced affair that establishes them as ones-to-watch on the Midwest music landscape. The EP was produced by Micah Carli (formerly of Hawthorne Heights).
Ghettoblaster recently caught up with drummer Gary Adkins to ask about the hard-hitting albums he enjoyed this year. This is what he told us.
Read ’em and Weep; Drawin’ Dead: Good old fashioned R n’ R from Detroit. It’s catchy. It’s super shreddy, and if it doesn’t make you thunderously stomp your foot, in the words of my good friend Nick Wig “some people just aren’t cut out for rock and roll”.
Vis-A-Vis; Hic Svnt Dracones: What an amazing record. I loved Mike’s other band, Ease The Medic, and don’t think this is an ETM record, because it’s not. I love how the songs are so catchy, but yet not always in the standard 4/4 straight ahead timing.
Sherwood; Some Things Never Leave You: I love this record. It’s dreamy, poppy indie rock. Right in my wheel house.
Touche Amore; Stage Four: I was REALLY late to the party on these guys and what a bummer that was. This record is so powerful. It’s amazingly heartfelt. I love how the dissonance in the vocals plays so perfectly with the melodic nature of the music. Some may disagree, but I find it to be really hooky and catchy and find myself whistling it a lot.
mewithoutYou; I Never Said That I Was Brave: Hopefully this counts, since it’s a re-release of their second EP. I was lucky enough to see these guys play one of their very first shows. I was a fan from the start. This EP is one of my favorite things they’ve done. Some of the songs ended up on their first full length. It’s so raw and passionate, but it also offers a ton of hope. And I think that’s one of the things that drew me to it. Plus these dudes can just flat out write ’em.
Zao; The Well Intentioned Virus: While not technically out until December 9, I have heard several songs from this record. What I have heard so far have made it my number 4. Zao just keeps doing it every single time. Record after record these dudes blow me away. Vocals are, in typical fashion, passionate and angry. The music is slick and well done, but not so much that it took the life out of it. Another one that has blown me away.
Norma Jean; Polar Similar: First I love this band and have loved everything they’ve done so I might be a little biased. But I just can’t say enough about this album. It’s heavy and hard hitting, and I have lost my voice singing along to it several times just like I did with everything else they have done. Everything is passionate and amazing.
Metallica; Hardwired to Self Destruct: I may take some heat for this one, and that’s fine. Their last record, was the return I hoped Metallica would make, steering away from modern rock radio. Obviously some of Hardwired… is radio friendly. But the thing I love about this album is it mostly reminds me of everything I loved about the band when I heard AJFA for the very first time (which was my first exposure to the band), listening to it while I delivered the Columbus Dispatch every morning for about three months. I feel like I could listen to this record while I carried those papers and that makes me glad.
Jimmy Eat World; Integrity Blues: I liked their last full-length, Damages, but not nearly as much as I like this. I feel like this record encompasses everything they have done, and everything I love about this band.
Thrice; TBEITBN: This record has probably my favorite song of the year. “Black Honey.” I love how this record is somewhat lo-fi in spots, but sounds shimmering in others. The guitars sound so good. The drum tones are top notch. The record makes me feel victorious and sad all at the same time.
(Visit the band online here: https://www.facebook.com/MoveHomeOhio/.)