New York, NY Aug 2, 2024
Following on the heels of their debut album, Adrienne’s Garden, “Turn This Up” is the highly anticipated follow-up single from New York City rock band, 2/14. Written and produced by Sky Carlson, the lead single from the band’s upcoming second album touches on the emotional turmoil of arguing and splitting paths with someone you love. “Can I hate the way you look at me?” Carlson asks, “I don’t make sense, and I’m hard to please.”
The song recalls the best of 2/14’s freshman effort while evolving compositionally, incorporating emotive 90’s post-hardcore and classic pop punks throughout its 3:32 runtime. “Turn This Up” trades off between textured breathy verses that ramp up into explosive guitars and drums. The constant lyrical and melodic friction culminates in a poignant hook: “So turn this up, I’ll tune you out….”
New York, NY Oct 27, 2024
2/14 bleed conviction on their debut album Adrienne’s Garden. Seamlessly transitioning between bratty, fast-paced pop punk, charismatic alternative rock, and glistening emo passages, the band’s freshman effort is the sound of emboldened youth with everything to prove and nothing to lose.
Lead single “Crystal Ball” serves as the band’s introduction, delivering a seamless meld of breakneck pace, chugging rhythms, and striking harmonies wrapped up into a breathtaking 3-minute roller coaster. The track touches on the reckless joy of Carlson’s teenage years while knowing that it all comes crashing down in a moment’s notice. “Your crystal ball isn’t crystal clear,” he roars, “so bide your time, and forget it while we’re here.” Written the summer before he turned 20, the song snapshots the emotions of frustration and blissful ignorance, but ultimately a moment of clarity – a time bomb that detonates into a mosh-ready breakdown.
“Escalator” shows off the band’s mid-tempo strength in a heartfelt anthem chronicling the disillusionment of youth in a post-pandemic world. “A cigarette burns alive,” Carlson ponders,”and I’m seeing it a way of life.” The track effortlessly navigates sleek verses, slamming choruses, and layers of atmospheric bridge vocals that collapse into a brutal, frantic scream. Written during the peak of the COVID pandemic, the song paints a vivid picture of the desperation, apathy, and isolation of young adults stuck in a cage.
On their third single, 2/14 switches up the formula in favor of an impactful cut that lends itself to grunge and alternative rock influences. Clocking in at just under 3 minutes, “Graduation” wraps all of the band’s hallmarks into a vulnerable yet commanding ode to maturity and great expectations. “I’m so gracious, but I hate this,” Carlson reminisces, “I’m so nervous… I can’t take this.”
“Allergic to Pennsylvania” repackages the angst of classic pop punk with luscious, lightly distorted guitars and cleverly precise snare work. In a stark confessional, Carlson wallows in the grief of heartbreak while trying to play it cool. “You ask me what I think of you, I said I can’t pretend that I still hate you,” he sings with a chip on his shoulder and a lump in his throat. The brief but poignant track summarizes anxious obsession, late night phone calls, bitter rejection, and ultimately the painful relatability of loneliness in spite of the vast world around us.
“Dust Bunny” is the album’s only track to feature Carlson with an acoustic guitar. The serenity is almost unnerving – glowing harmonies highlight themes of identity, disappointment, and the mundanity of everyday life. “I could take you away… under my skin,” he sings just above his breath, “‘cause you fit right in.” While the frontman displays an entirely new texture, the percussion remains crisp and agile under softly layered strumming and singing. Nevertheless, the band doesn’t shy away from their fiery tendencies as the track closes on deafening guitars and brash, pounding drums.
“Wrench” is an unapologetically intense spotlight on the band’s upbeat, visceral punk rock drive alongside short breathers of laid-back instrumentation. Playfully relaying memories of teenage parties and youthful romance, Carlson treads lightly through the fear of wasted adolescence, tough decisions in the face of peer pressure, and ultimately calling it quits to save yourself. “Hit me, miss me, take a drag,” he snarls, “we’d all look better in a bodybag.”