Cold Fronts

Philadelphia outfit Cold Fronts have made quite an impression on the NYC music scene. The band's upbeat, magnetic energy moves even the most stoic New York concert-goers to dance at their shows. In their new track, "Know It All," recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks Studio, Cold Fronts nail it—generating their signature energy with a sense of raw emotion.

Cold Fronts are currently in the studio working on an EP with producer Kyle "Slick" Johnson (credits include Wavves, Modest Mouse, The Hives, Cymbals Eat Guitars). They'll also be playing shows in NYC, Philly and D.C. before hitting the road to SXSW.

Stream or download "Know It All" via Soundcloud. - Buzz Chips

Philadelphia outfit Cold Fronts have made quite an impression on the NYC music scene. The band's upbeat, magnetic energy moves even the most stoic New York concert-goers to dance at their shows. In their new track, "Know It All," recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks Studio, Cold Fronts nail it—generating their signature energy with a sense of raw emotion.

Cold Fronts are currently in the studio working on an EP with producer Kyle "Slick" Johnson (credits include Wavves, Modest Mouse, The Hives, Cymbals Eat Guitars). They'll also be playing shows in NYC, Philly and D.C. before hitting the road to SXSW.

Stream or download "Know It All" via Soundcloud. - Buzz Chips

Alright, I know exactly what I'm going to do tomorrow. I've determined that nothing's going to deter me. It's going to happen whether it's good for me or not. It's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania band Cold Fronts that's made me so sure of myself. They plant ideas in heads, they do. The plan - for tomorrow at least - is to get out there and get the best sunburn I possibly can. Just gonna let it get me. It can have all that skin, all that it could ever want. It can just pelt me mercilessly, give me a classic once over, leaving the tops of my ears and the backside of my neck melting and sore to the touch. It's going to be fine. It won't be the first time, and it won't be the last. "Music plays and the night, it burns," Cold Fronts remind us, but tomorrow, we'll let the day burn too. The group makes you woozy on a feeling of summertime, giving you their songs with sweet laziness that beams lovingly. - Daytrotter

Craig Almquist is 20 minutes late. When he finally arrives, he frantically jumps out of his car and offers to buy drinks or snacks as an apology for his tardiness.

He’s the vocalist for Cold Fronts, an old-school rock band that makes infectious, danceable songs. He’s a recent college grad but his future, he says, is in making music, not sitting at an office desk.

“I feel a little crazy,” he admits. “I feel like to make it in the music industry is like playing the lottery. But I have every intention of making Cold Fronts a career.”



All the members – Almquist, guitarist Shaky Jake, Jake’s brother Dylan Hammill on bass and drummer Alex Smith – grew up in South Central Pennsylvania. Shaky Jake and Almquist were rivals in high school.

“I went to a battle of the bands show, watched Craig win and thought I could certainly do better,” Shaky Jake says. “I started a band with my brother and we beat Craig the following year.”

The pair tried collaborating on projects and tried to be friends but it didn’t work out. They even dated the same girls for a while, which made things worse.

“We were actually kind of like enemies at one point,” Almquist says.

Almquist and Shaky Jake both found themselves living in New York at the same time, their lives drifting together by their common love for music. The two met up and began writing songs, realizing they now work well together. They picked up Smith and Hammill in 2011 and have been recording and performing ever since.

“We always call it ‘four-car garage rock’,” Almquist says with a laugh, describing their sound. “Or ‘riff rock’ because of the guitar riffs in it.”

Cold Fronts doesn’t use loops and they don’t stand in front of Macbooks while performing.

“It’s so easy to take a laptop on stage and play to a track,” says Shaky Jake. “I support electronic artists who create new sounds and push the boundaries of music but I can’t agree with a rock band using electronics to supply a bigger sound or fill in drum loops. It’s all possible with live musicians if you take the time to work out all the parts.”

Cold Fronts have an early 2000s Strokes-like sound, which is rooted in 70s New York punk.

“I’d love to see more bands get back to the basics of what made rock and roll so appealing to begin with,” Shaky Jake continues. “It was more about attitude and less about popularity. Fuck ‘em.”



Rowdy kids from all over Philly have come to see Cold Fronts play at various venues and in their own garage, The Rathaus in West Philly. Last year, if you asked Almquist what are his favorite kinds of shows to play, he would’ve said basement shows. But after chipping a tooth, getting shocked and having gear stolen, basements have lost their appeal.

Plus, Cold Fronts spent the winter touring with mewithoutYou in larger, cleaner venues. For the first time, the one-year old band experienced life on the road, performing and selling CD’s to people they’ve never met.

“We checked into a hotel (in Kalamazoo, Michigan),” Almquist recalls. “The guy pretty much just said ‘I don’t care what you guys do. You guys can get drunk. You guys can get stoned. Just please don’t cook meth.’ It was the first time I’d been accused of potentially cooking meth! And he’s like, ‘Seriously, this place will burn down.’”

They played at SXSW and recorded in The Stroke’s old studio. Then they came home to Philly.

“I love Philadelphia, but sometimes I hate Philadelphia,” Almquist says. “I feel like if I lived somewhere in New York, I would just love it and I would have no inspiration.” - JUMP magazine

Craig Almquist is 20 minutes late. When he finally arrives, he frantically jumps out of his car and offers to buy drinks or snacks as an apology for his tardiness.

He’s the vocalist for Cold Fronts, an old-school rock band that makes infectious, danceable songs. He’s a recent college grad but his future, he says, is in making music, not sitting at an office desk.

“I feel a little crazy,” he admits. “I feel like to make it in the music industry is like playing the lottery. But I have every intention of making Cold Fronts a career.”



All the members – Almquist, guitarist Shaky Jake, Jake’s brother Dylan Hammill on bass and drummer Alex Smith – grew up in South Central Pennsylvania. Shaky Jake and Almquist were rivals in high school.

“I went to a battle of the bands show, watched Craig win and thought I could certainly do better,” Shaky Jake says. “I started a band with my brother and we beat Craig the following year.”

The pair tried collaborating on projects and tried to be friends but it didn’t work out. They even dated the same girls for a while, which made things worse.

“We were actually kind of like enemies at one point,” Almquist says.

Almquist and Shaky Jake both found themselves living in New York at the same time, their lives drifting together by their common love for music. The two met up and began writing songs, realizing they now work well together. They picked up Smith and Hammill in 2011 and have been recording and performing ever since.

“We always call it ‘four-car garage rock’,” Almquist says with a laugh, describing their sound. “Or ‘riff rock’ because of the guitar riffs in it.”

Cold Fronts doesn’t use loops and they don’t stand in front of Macbooks while performing.

“It’s so easy to take a laptop on stage and play to a track,” says Shaky Jake. “I support electronic artists who create new sounds and push the boundaries of music but I can’t agree with a rock band using electronics to supply a bigger sound or fill in drum loops. It’s all possible with live musicians if you take the time to work out all the parts.”

Cold Fronts have an early 2000s Strokes-like sound, which is rooted in 70s New York punk.

“I’d love to see more bands get back to the basics of what made rock and roll so appealing to begin with,” Shaky Jake continues. “It was more about attitude and less about popularity. Fuck ‘em.”



Rowdy kids from all over Philly have come to see Cold Fronts play at various venues and in their own garage, The Rathaus in West Philly. Last year, if you asked Almquist what are his favorite kinds of shows to play, he would’ve said basement shows. But after chipping a tooth, getting shocked and having gear stolen, basements have lost their appeal.

Plus, Cold Fronts spent the winter touring with mewithoutYou in larger, cleaner venues. For the first time, the one-year old band experienced life on the road, performing and selling CD’s to people they’ve never met.

“We checked into a hotel (in Kalamazoo, Michigan),” Almquist recalls. “The guy pretty much just said ‘I don’t care what you guys do. You guys can get drunk. You guys can get stoned. Just please don’t cook meth.’ It was the first time I’d been accused of potentially cooking meth! And he’s like, ‘Seriously, this place will burn down.’”

They played at SXSW and recorded in The Stroke’s old studio. Then they came home to Philly.

“I love Philadelphia, but sometimes I hate Philadelphia,” Almquist says. “I feel like if I lived somewhere in New York, I would just love it and I would have no inspiration.” - JUMP magazine

In light of every blogger, critic and Spotify supporter converging in Chicago for the Pitchfork Festival over the weekend and Village Voice's 4Knots attempting to lure those left in New York, it seems safe to say that Bushwick Walkabout, a two-day immersion of under-the-radar bands, was the underdog music event of the weekend. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it turns out. It may have not seen the likes of Odd Future or Animal Collective, but it also didn't see pretentious bystanders, $5 beers, or the threat of heat exhaustion. We dropped in for a few hours on Saturday to check out the scene while keeping a watchful eye on Twitter to see what was simultaneously going over at #p4kfest, the idea being that maybe, one or two years from now, these will be the bands everyone will declare are "killing it" in Chicago this weekend.

There are at least three lines in Cold Fronts’ set that namechecks the age 17, one of which relates to a girl “with California style” — these guys are all about tank tops, having a good time, and would probably be the first to tell you that Philly is the sixth borough (they're from Philadelphia). While tweets start rolling in of No Age’s avalanche of 90s noise at Pitchfork, Cold Fronts spin 90s guitar rock into something with a much sunnier disposition, largely thanks to a singer who emphasizes his singsongy shouts with exaggerated dance moves and gestures, paying visual homage to The Drums and Mick Jagger at once. - The L Magazine

Born and bred at Drexel-area DIY show space The Rat, Philly four-piece Cold Fronts play power-poppy garage rock that’s at once gritty and irresistible. There’s a Stooges by-way-of The Strokes swagger to the proceedings, but also a very life-loving, radio-ready Cheap Trick thing happening. But let’s forget for a moment about band comparisons; frontman Craig Almquist and his cohorts just write great rock songs – catchy, energetic, and fun. Dig into the four tracks from their Key Studio Session below, catch them live at Kung Fu Necktie on Wednesday, December 12, and look for a lot more from them in 2013. - WXPN

Raw, fun and DIY are the three terms that come to mind when first listening to Cold Fronts. The Philadelphia quartet gives an indication that they’re playing music they love for the right reasons. Therefore, the following statement describing the band from vocalist Craig Almquist seems quite fitting: “[Cold Fronts is] a group of All-American boys who don’t really fit with todays digital era of dub-step, loops, and MacBooks onstage. Instead, we play loud instruments and make girls go wild.” That last part is probably accurate as well.

If there’s one thing for certain about Cold Fronts, it’s that they have a knack for writing hooks. The garage rock band’s latest release Pretty American, is full of them. The guitar driven “Heart Attack”, courtesy of Almquist and guitarist Shaky Jake, shows their characteristic warm tones which flow all the way through the upbeat track. Complementing this is the organic range and nature of Almquist and the steady drums of Alex Smith. The work of Smith travels through the EP consistently, keeping the beat to a well written and thought out 16 minutes.

“Ready To Go” turns the catchiness up a notch as Almquist sings, “I’m leaving and I’m ready to go,” in reference to nostalgia for Philadelphia whilst living in Brooklyn. Amongst unique riffs, the song also explores relatable topics such as friendships and relationships. Relatable concepts continue in “Strange Architecture,” and although I adore rain and winter and therefore can’t totally relate like most, I particularly like opening line, “Well I say fuck the rain / let’s forget the weather / and let’s get together ‘cause I need a change.” It’s a good thing I like it too, because Cold Fronts’ ability to write catchy tracks means this has been swirling around in that head of mine for a few days.

Pace is slowed down with “Prime Time” to show the dynamic ability of the band, but closer “Catch” brings back the memorable, riff driven Cold Fronts we’re familiar with. Whilst these are two solid tracks, I find them a little weaker and less catchy in comparison to those before them. However, that’s not to say they’re bad in any way.

Despite not being my usual genre of choice, I have been completely won over by Cold Fronts and will certainly keep returning to this new discovery. I guess they do make girls go a little wild. - Positive Exposure

Raw, fun and DIY are the three terms that come to mind when first listening to Cold Fronts. The Philadelphia quartet gives an indication that they’re playing music they love for the right reasons. Therefore, the following statement describing the band from vocalist Craig Almquist seems quite fitting: “[Cold Fronts is] a group of All-American boys who don’t really fit with todays digital era of dub-step, loops, and MacBooks onstage. Instead, we play loud instruments and make girls go wild.” That last part is probably accurate as well.

If there’s one thing for certain about Cold Fronts, it’s that they have a knack for writing hooks. The garage rock band’s latest release Pretty American, is full of them. The guitar driven “Heart Attack”, courtesy of Almquist and guitarist Shaky Jake, shows their characteristic warm tones which flow all the way through the upbeat track. Complementing this is the organic range and nature of Almquist and the steady drums of Alex Smith. The work of Smith travels through the EP consistently, keeping the beat to a well written and thought out 16 minutes.

“Ready To Go” turns the catchiness up a notch as Almquist sings, “I’m leaving and I’m ready to go,” in reference to nostalgia for Philadelphia whilst living in Brooklyn. Amongst unique riffs, the song also explores relatable topics such as friendships and relationships. Relatable concepts continue in “Strange Architecture,” and although I adore rain and winter and therefore can’t totally relate like most, I particularly like opening line, “Well I say fuck the rain / let’s forget the weather / and let’s get together ‘cause I need a change.” It’s a good thing I like it too, because Cold Fronts’ ability to write catchy tracks means this has been swirling around in that head of mine for a few days.

Pace is slowed down with “Prime Time” to show the dynamic ability of the band, but closer “Catch” brings back the memorable, riff driven Cold Fronts we’re familiar with. Whilst these are two solid tracks, I find them a little weaker and less catchy in comparison to those before them. However, that’s not to say they’re bad in any way.

Despite not being my usual genre of choice, I have been completely won over by Cold Fronts and will certainly keep returning to this new discovery. I guess they do make girls go a little wild. - Positive Exposure

Yesterday, I did a quick reblog of a Philly band’s video that caught my eye. Thought I’d dig a little deeper to see what else they’re doing and I’m really glad I did. This single is off-the-charts rock n’ roll - The Strokes meets Free Energy. I’ve listened to it half a dozen times already. I can’t believe this hasn’t been picked up more, especially considering how hard these guys have been touring.

Pick this single up off their first EP called Pretty American that they released back in March. Definitely looking forward to a lot more of this!
- Yvnyl

Rising Philly garage-pop act Cold Fronts will finally get to play in front of all the ATG faithful at All Things Gold 014. Their bright-as-sunlight, throwback melodies and jangly guitar hooks are sure to win them plenty of new fans in the District. And if for some strange reason the infectious tunes don’t work, frontman Craig Almquist spotlight charisma should do the trick. Stream their Pretty American EP below to get a taste of what’s in store for you this Thursday.
- All Things Go

"The video was shot during the day of a party at our DIY space, the Rathaus," singer Craig Almquist tells Spinner of the clip, which was directed by Chell Stephen of Think/Feel (Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Earl Greyhound, the Gay Blades). "With the exception of smashing apples with guitars, I think it captures what a typical day looks like for us in Philly: Party and pizza." - Spinner