Contemplating the potential exorcism of a lifelong curse has never sounded so sweet. PONY is back with Clearly Cursed, an album that defies the odds of a psychic and transforms their grunge pop to its fully realized potential.

As Sam Bielanski (founding member/singer-songwriter) explains, Clearly Cursed is directly inspired by their first visit to a psychic at the age of 21. “She read my tarot cards and told me boyfriend was cheating on me,” Bielsanki says. “That was true. She also told me that I had a dark spirit attachment which she could easily vanquish if I paid her $1500. That was obviously out of my budget so I left and decided I would have to coexist with this dark spirit for the rest of my life.”

On Clearly Cursed, PONY’s founding members Bielanski and Matty Morand were joined bytouring collaborators Christian Beale and Joey Ginald. The four worked with producer Alex Gamble, pushing PONY’s production and songwriting to an musical identity they’ve dreamed of creating since forming more than a decade ago. The resulting sound takes their signature glittery power pop and adds influences like The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Caroline Polachek, Janet Jacket, and more. It’s an album that hides is tender softness beneath layers of fuzz and fun, allowing listeners to further explore their technicolor world of possibilities. 

The album comes following an extensive touring schedule that had PONY playing with acts like Jimmy Eat World, Drug Church, Militarie Gun, Pool Kids, MSPAINT, and more. Clearly Cursed is out February 13 on Take This To Heart Records. Clearly Cursed is PONY’s third album, following the previously released TV Baby and Velveteen.

Star 99 has come a long way since these four best friends (Saoirse Alesandro, Chris Gough, Jeremy Romero, and Thomas Calvo) lived together in a disgusting house in downtown San Jose, CA. Their first EP “My Year in Lists”, a nod to the Los Campesinos song, was released in 2021. This first step led to tons of shows throughout the SF Bay Area and multiple west coast tours where they have shared the stage with some amazing bands such as Scowl, Mom Jeans, Spy, Bug Bath, Supercrush, and Slumped. In 2023 they released their debut full length “Bitch Unlimited” on Lauren Records, where the band’s eccentric hard twee sound was fully realized. 

Their next full length “Gaman” will explore Star 99’s personality with more intention. By adding multi-instrumentalist Aidan Delaney, the band has once again leveled up their sound and musicianship with this release. Where “Bitch Unlimited” is fast, energetic, and punchy, this new record shows the subtle side of Star 99 while still delivering exciting pop music that their fans have grown to love and expect. “Gaman” is an exploration of the deep feelings that come from relationships with family, friends, and lovers and learning to persist despite hardship. The album was recorded and engineered by Grace Coleman of Different Fur in San Francisco and mastered by Andrew Oswald of Paradise Records. 

Star 99 makes music for their friends and families. 

Star 99 is:
Saoirse Alesandro - Guitar/Vocals
Thomas Calvo - Guitar/Vocals
Aidan Delaney - Guitar/Keyboard
Chris Gough - Bass
Jeremy Romero - Drums

TRASH MAN returns with another dose of razor-short melodies with the brand new EP, Cool Until It’s Not (Oct 10th on yk Records). Five songs about existential dread, emotional coping and disparity wrapped in delightful bursts of catchy pop/rock, all recorded in one whirlwind weekend in Pennsylvania with longtime friend and producer Dave Lawson.

Unlike the piecemeal process of his first release, for this EP Trash Man (Alex Mojaverian) dove in headfirst: “I flew up one Friday morning at 6am, we got some hoagies, and then we finished tracking drums by 4pm that same day,” he says. “Having 3 full days to record felt luxurious compared to how much time I usually allow myself,but we were really able to spend time making sure the songs felt good. . Still, we barely got it all done! We tracked the final guitars for ‘Hole In My Heart’ on Monday morning before I caught a bus from Philly to NYC!” [Alex had to squeeze in a Liquid Mike/Graham Hunt show in Brooklyn before flying home to Nashville] 

Many of the tracks on Cool Until It’s Not stretch out a little longer than the previous EP but the approach remains the same: “I don’t want to say anything more than I have to say and I don’t want the song to be longer than it has to be. I don’t have anything against longer songs, but the runtime is not something I am thinking about when I write music.,” Alex says. The resulting set of songs balance urgency with unexpected space, each song clicking together with the precision of a puzzle.

Equal parts urgency, humor, and heart, Cool Until It’s Not is exactly the kind of noise you want from a guy who only writes five songs a year and somehow makes every one of them count. It's a bombastic listen that proves sometimes all you need is a deadline, a good sandwich, and a great friend in the control room.