Follow Friday: Jimmy Eat World, Orville Peck, The Marias, and More

Jimmy Eat World

From Mesa, Arizona, the power-pop group Jimmy Eat World is back in action. Though their first album released in 1996, their massive hits arrived on the wave of pop-punk hitting the mainstream in 2001. “The Middle” took a commanding presence in American punk music, and now, the group is back with their latest album, Surviving.

To this day, I’m fascinated by songwriting — it’s a chicken-and-egg process… You have to just go. You owe it to yourself to complete whatever crazy idea pops into your head. And then there’s the conscious part, where after you’ve gone as far as you can and you step back, listen, and see what it’s all about. You’re always learning something because the process is your idea, then asking questions about your idea. The answers lead to more questions… and you have this giant tree of yourself. For me, songwriting is standing at the top of that, looking down, and picking your route to get to the ground. 

Jim Adkins, Billboard

With that process, Adkins and the rest of Jimmy Eat World have created a fascinating album that is Surviving. With their experimental pop track, “555,” or their more typical rock cuts like “All The Way (Stay),” it is sure to please everyone. Check out their official website for more information.

Jimmy Eat World rocks with Ernie Ball Medium Nickel Wound with Wound G strings and Regular Slinky Flatwound Bass strings.

Listen to Jimmy Eat World‘s latest album, Surviving, down below.

Orville Peck

At the helm of the cowboy-craze is Orville Peck, the mysterious man behind the fringed “Lone Ranger” mask. Though they may have started in Canada, Orville Peck channels the twang of the Great Plains in his music. His aesthetic is simply eye-catching; velvety reds, gaudy golds, and black leather make Orville a treat for the eyes as much as he is for the ears.

All I know is I’m Orville Peck, and I’m a country star. I don’t feel like I’m hiding behind a mask at all. It’s actually quite the opposite — the mask and all of that has allowed me to be a lot more exposed. Country has a stigma of being conservative and only having one point of view, which is usually a straight white male. And to an extent, it has for a long time in parts of it, but there’s also a lot of incredible marginalized voices coming from country music, and there always have been.

Orville Peck, Billboard

His full-length album, Pony, is taking the country genre by the horns. If you have a hankering for that shoot-from-the-hip Orville Peck sound, be sure to head over to his official website. There, you can check out tour dates and ticket information near you. Or, you can check out his latest performance of “Dead of Night” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Orville Peck slings Ernie Ball Power Slinkys.

Hear the latest from Orville Peck down below.

The Marías

The psychedelic crew, The Marías, are smooth as velvet. Their addictive sound absorbs listeners as their jazzy inclinations seep into their silky indie pop. Frontwoman María Zardoya combines her three influences — Puerto Rico, Atlanta, and Los Angeles — into a perfect blend like no other.

A smooth rendezvous of jazz percussion, hypnotic guitar riffs, smoke-velvet vocals and nostalgic horn solos, there’s something undeniably sensual in the group’s dreamlike fusion of jazz, psychedelia, funk and lounge… As they take to the stage, dressed like a dream from another era… it’s clear why fans cheekily compare their sound to ‘having sex in the 70s’ or like ‘pouring cream into coffee.’ Watching them, you feel transported, taken over by a sultry tranquility as you drift into a timeless space.

The Marías Official Bio

Without a doubt, The Marías sound just as stunning live as they do on their record. If you want proof, their latest singles (“Loverboy,” “Only In My Dreams,” “Out For The Night”) are all recorded live. Still don’t believe it? Head to their official website to snag some tickets and hear for yourself.

The Marías get creative with their Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms.

Listen to the best of The Marías below.

Girl In Red

Marie Ulven, also known as Girl In Red, is another dream pop darling on an incredible upward trajectory. Her bedroom pop image comes from a place of authenticity — she produces all of her music herself in her own room. By now, we should know that this technique produces some of the best music in recent years.

There’s this whole wave going on where people are connecting to people because they’re real people. You get what I mean? My connection with the people listening to my music feels more real, and I feel like it’s going to last more than just, like, some superficial sort of glittery, fancy personality…  I feel like I can just be whatever now, because [my fans] know me, and then they can join the journey!

Marie Ulven, Billboard

Chapter 2, the second installment in her personal diary of an EP series, is out now. Girl In Red is making her way about the United States on her current tour. If you want to catch her while she’s in the States, head to her official website for more information.

Girl In Red keeps it real with Ernie Ball Power Slinkys, Burly Slinkys, Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms, and Regular Slinky Bass strings on the low end.

Uncured

Let’s switch up the pace. If you want something heavy, Uncured has you covered. Based out of New Jersey, the Cox brothers have beastly talent on their instruments. The breakdown in their track “Death Valley” — as seen above — comes out of nowhere, sure to give you whiplash from headbanging.

Uncured has gained a reputation among fans and critics for its aggressive, technical, yet highly diverse, live performances. Metal Injection reported that ‘Uncured sounds a bit like old school Dream Theater with some modern tricks thrown in, such as full-on breakdowns and smoking guitar acrobatics.  This band is comprised of extremely talented and promising young musicians.’

Uncured Official Bio

Aggressive, technical, and talented performance — what more can you ask for? Their latest single, “Roots Bloody Roots,” came out just three days ago. You won’t want to miss it. Catch their shredding live and head to their official website to find tickets near you.

Uncured use Ernie Ball 8-String Slinkys and a custom set of bass strings using Ernie Ball individual bass strings.

Listen to the best of Uncured down below.

Featured Image Credit: Oliver Hafin