1FM

1FM – Burning Bridges – EP Review

Hmmm. 1FM…I think…well…hmm…you know what? I think this band and I are hooked on a great many of the same things. When people have asked me in the past…’what music do I make,’ or maybe more specifically, ‘what’s the music I want to make’ my answer has often drifted towards the exact sound that’s now being pumped through my speakers in 1FM. It’s largely based in rock…so again, understand it’s music I would WANT to make…I’m not saying that I’d be making the best choice for you, for me, or for anyone else…I’m saying I’d simply WANT to make this music.

Why? Because it’s both challenging, and fun. Of course, I’d want to sing as well…and when you listen to the challenging parts that this three piece has come up with, you’ll get that no problem. What singer wouldn’t want the huge and expansive moments that this one takes? We’re talking some real full-lung-capacity type shit here…and some of these performances could easily leave you breathless simply listening to them.

What I really liked was reading about them as well. I’ll be damned if these guys AREN’T just like me! They’re making music for the pure LOVE of the craft…and though there is certainly a similar style & energy throughout much of the new debut EP Burning Bridges…it’s not made with a ‘let’s make (THIS)’ mentality. From everything I read & information I’ve gathered from 1FM, this is the beautiful result of a sum-total greater than its individual parts; and the sound of songs untainted…the natural tendencies and instincts of this band coming out in their shared environment somewhere in Philadelphia and making the music that comes truly from the inside of them.

Truthfully I was worried when I first began to listen. The opening song on the EP is called “Bury Me,” which admittedly starts the energy heading in the right direction…but I wasn’t convinced there was anything ‘different’ enough right off the bat. That being said – the skill in the instruments, vocals and overall presentation of this tight band is right there on display from moment one. As the music guy I am…I was hearing all kinds of influences on this sound left, right and center…then looking them up, didn’t see a single one of them listed! That leads me to look at a picture…to see how young these young guys might be…and they’re not OLD…but it looks like we’ve definitely been graduated for a while now…so how bands like Chevelle, 30 Seconds To Mars, Fallout Boy didn’t make this list…not quite sure. I can get potentially how bands like Marvellous 3 and Superchunk didn’t make the list…most people aren’t going to know those two anyhow…

But I’m hearing them all at different points throughout the Burning Bridges EP…and after “Bury Me,” completes…the material does become stronger. Again…I want to stress something here…they WANT to make this music…1FM has not claimed to ever once gone out to pursue the reinvention of the wheel, they’re looking to do what they do extremely well, but most of all to have fun. When you examine a song that pays homage to a great many relevant sounds out there in our music today…you have to give them a little extra credit for coming out gunning and really nailing the style/sound of explosive rock. “Bury Me” is a good song, there’s no doubt about that really…but as far as the true depth of 1FM they’ve also clearly made a conscious choice through the layout of this EP to reveal their skillset slowly as the music blazes by.



With the most Chevelle-style intro this side of Chevelle themselves, “Here I Am” comes out gunning similarly to the way the infamous group of brothers started out This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In). Now…what you might not know…is that I actually reviewed that album way back in the day for another online magazine…and I was lambasted by my editorial staff for supporting such an ‘uninventive’ sound in rock. Like…excuse me sir…I says pardon?

All of the people out there that can’t hear the expression in the explosion of “Here I Am” can pretty much help themselves to a big ol’ bowlful of dicks with suspicious cloudy milk. It contains that same pulse and menace of a track like “The Clincher” from Chevelle…and the structure itself invites comparison quickly. But I also mentioned Marvellous 3…and vocally we’re going to head straight into their catchy territory albeit more aggressively, but the tones are coming through very similar in the harmonies. This song in particular…perhaps more than any other on this EP, highlights everything that’s going RIGHT with 1FM and their ability to combine mayhem & melody with flawless precision and unbelievable execution. When 1FM expands and rises to the extreme potential of their band in the chorus of “Here I Am” it should BLOW YOUR MIND. If it somehow does NOT you are the human equivalent of that toaster we’ve all had where we have to actively tell the toast to pop out long after the toaster itself should have known it was done. And that should scare you.

Honestly though…I’ve heard a great many choruses out there of course…but this has absolutely got to be one of the most emotionally charged and completely powerful performances I’ve heard a band ever put into a song. “Here I Am” is a MASSIVE anthem I could happily digest for breakfast, lunch and dinner and certainly snack on in between those meals as well.

“Dear Son (Remember Me)” has to follow one gigantic song…and this was where I thought to myself…’there’s no chance’ for these guys to continue on convincing me they’re this awesome from here…slyly in the back of my mind I’m counting the millions of times the mainstream’s industry-management teams have sold us “Track #2” on an album only to surround it with energy that can’t live up to the previous highlight moment on single-worthy “Track #2.”

Now…what I’m NOT going to tell you…is that “Dear Son (Remember Me)” is a better song than “Here I Am;” but what I AM going to tell you is that it doesn’t need to me. It just needed to stay CLOSE…close enough so that it wasn’t like showing off the greatest layer of the cake only to hide the real mistakes around the back. And you know what? I found myself smiling from ear to ear from the sincerity and heart in this music…I found myself convinced not in the incredible opening songs, but here in track #3. This is where I realized that there are SO MANY things going right in this band that they can really do no wrong. That consistency you can audibly HEAR is literally provided through their own love, dedication and enthusiasm for the music they’re making and their time spent together…and it’s incredibly inspiring.

Tim Laigaie, Nick Passio and Joe Altomari…if you could all contact me later and stay after class to explain what roles you’re in for your band, that’d be great. Yeahhhh….might need you to come in on a Saturday…yeahhhhhhh. But truly…just saying I wish I could give them more credit individually – but I also get the sense from what I read that these guys aren’t looking for individual or any kind of fame in particular. This incredible band really just wants to do what they’re doing for the rest of their lives…and I truly hope we’re still living in a world that allows guys like this to get paid enough somewhere along the lines to let them do just that. They all deserve credit for some truly incredible song-writing and making an impact on ME through rock music…a genre which, if could appear in human form, I’d often kick squarely in the jaw for being so unimaginative and lazy. The music of 1FM is anything BUT lazy – this music flat-out doesn’t exist any other way other than their own sheer will and WANT for it to exist…and I’m so thankful for that right now!

On a way-off Canadian side-note here…anyone out there familiar with The Odds will straight-up wonder if 1FM is Craig Northey’s return at the outset of “Dear Son (Remember Me)…” guy sounds like a dead-ringer before the song truly kicks in. Great set of emotions on display in this song and truly powerfully performed…again, for me, this was the convincer. They found a way to put out a song that is like a miniscule fraction away from the incredible explosiveness and raw power of “Here I Am.”

I didn’t think they could do it. Well done boys.

“Eye Of The Storm” was perhaps the most ‘typical’ of the sounds you’ll find on the Burning Bridges EP, up to and including its title-referencing chorus. That being said, it’s once again recorded, performed and plays perfectly. Great harmonies on this one from the three…fantastic drums really drive this one along. They’ve all had their moment from drums to bass to guitars…it’s all been precision perfect all the way through this EP and the energy of their enthusiasm driving their music never lets up for a moment. This song made me think most of pool ol’ Superchunk…I’ll never for the life of me understand why that band didn’t catch on so much more. I think once we all lost ourselves in the world of compression and standardized recordings…there was just no room for a sound so real and so raw like that anymore without refinement. The albums still hold up…but it’s impossible for the youngsters out there to insert these songs into massive playlists without noticing the difference in production qualities. “Eye Of The Storm” would be, to me, what comes out when attempting to harness a sound like Superchunk’s onto a modern day record. Still sounds great…just a little more contained, and for most people’s experience surely to be a lot more palatable for the earholes of the many.

Did they save the biggest bullet in the chamber of five to be fired off at the end of this EP? They very well might have…”All I Need” is a spine-tingling melody from the moment the piano & vocals start out this departure from the overall energy on Burning Bridges and mellow-out somewhat by the end. If there ever needed to be any more proof of the ability of their song-writing or how special their combined talents become…then it’s all right here for you in this final track. You can hear this kind of song finding its way to fit the sound of gigantic bands like U2…maybe Blink 182…someone gimme another number before I run out of…wait…30 Seconds To Mars… 1FM doesn’t sound directly like ANY of those comparisons…my point is simply that they’ve written diverse & dynamic material here that could be adaptable easily into the sets of some of the world’s most recognizable bands and artists…and they’d be PROUD to have written a song as giant as “All I Need” becomes through its powerful display of emotion.

So there you have it…officially on record…I’m happy to say there is a lot more than something here in the music of 1FM. I could try to explain it…but I can’t and they know it…cause they can’t either. There’s a magic within these three members that really shines through on this record and brings you right back to those moments you first experienced in music when it was full of wonder, excitement and hope…still represented freedom, creativity and had the energy of ten bottles of vitamins. 1FM have managed to put out an EP that truly reflects them from the inside-out; an honest recording that came out every bit as pure and golden as their very own intentions to make music in the first place.

I highly recommend going to check out more about 1FM at their official pages:

www.1fmband.com – Official Website
www.facebook.com/1fm1fm – Facebook
www.youtube.com/1fm1fm – YouTube
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id991873484 – iTunes
www.twitter.com/1fmband – Twitter - Jer

Philadelphia alternative rock trio, 1FM, are dropping their insightful debut EP, “Burning Bridges” on May 19th – and I couldn’t be more impressed by this group’s introductory release.

I call this release insightful because it says a lot about what 1FM is, musically. Songs like “All I Need,” draws the listener in with soothing piano juxtaposed with a progressively driven hook in the chorus. The 5+ minute song slides into the ear like butter, and it feels like it’s over too soon. Ultimately, I think the engaging power of this song is owed to the dynamic and fluid transition between soft and powerful. The vocals, in particular, adjust well to the changes in the flow of this song…all registers ring clearly and don’t sound even remotely produced.

I love the 2000’s pop-punk vibe to this record. It’s a subtle vibe, and I really want to convey that this EP is a standout in its own right. Although I don’t want to restrict it genre-wise, I still get a feel for the influence of bands like New Found Glory and Stole Your Woman in songs like “Dear Son (Remember Me)” and “Eye of the Storm”.

There’s such a resonant use of octave power-chords in “Eye of the Storm.” The interplay between the harmonious vocals and the guitars is enough to induce spine chills. You can feel a real passion in the growl behind the microphone that moves into beautifully executed two-part harmonies for the chorus. When the group vocal section of this song rolls around, I wanted to sing along on the first listen-through.

By the time the last track rolls around…I’m both sad and happy. Sad because this banger of an EP is coming to an end, but happy that I can always turn it on again and enjoy it. I’m also happy because I know that none of the songs, even the last one, are going to disappoint me in the slightest. I feel fairly confident that I’m not going to grow tired of any of these tracks any time soon, so this record will be staying on my driving playlist for quite a while.

“Burning Bridges” is equal parts catchy, fun and individual – there’s something resounding about these songs that sticks with you until you absolutely must listen through them again. The songs are easy to follow, but difficult to predict, and that is perhaps my favorite thing about this record. Any song that is pleasant to the ears but unpredictable is a great one in my book…and I think this describes every single song on “Burning Bridges.”

Every one of these songs is single material and radio-worthy in my opinion, which leads me to believe that this is the kind of band that carefully selects what music they decide to release. I respect that – I think it means something extremely promising for what the band will eventually do with a full-length release. 1FM’s first release earns a 5/5 review from me – now head over to iTunes and pre-order this amazing EP (https://itunes.apple.com/album/id991873484). You won’t regret it. - Write Zach Write

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, 1FM are a driven rock and roll band with a direct attitude and lots of energy. Their sound borrows from the vast vocabulary of alternative rock, pop and punk; echoing artists as diverse as Taking Back Sunday, Weezer, NOFX ,Foo Fighters or All Time Low, just to mention a few.

The most striking characteristic of the band’s sound is their ability to remain anchored to pop melodies, without compromising in terms of energy, grit and power. This is the vision behind the group’s latest studio work, “Burning Bridges” an EP featuring 5 tracks that offer a great insight in the band’s mindset and approach. Opening track “Bury Me” has everything you’d want from a great rock song: catchy guitar riffs, energetic vocals and a solid rhythm section, paving the way to “Here I Am”, a track that showcases the band’s harder edge with walls of guitars and fierce vocals.

The mood leans toward melodies and “pop” once again with “Dear Son (Remember Me)”, a track that reminds me of early Blink-182 or The Ataris. When listening to this song as well as following numbers such as “Eye Of The Storm” and EP closer “All I Need”, I feel like I am almost back in the early 2000s, when this music reached its absolute peak. 1FM is in the same league as some of the best bands of that period, yet they don’t sound nostalgic at all: they are here now and they are getting loud. - Peter Vidani

Released on the 19th of July, ‘Wish You Well’ is the highly anticipated follow-up to Philadelphia-based rock outfit, 1FM’s debut EP, ‘Burning Bridges’, which was released in May of 2015. To celebrate the release, 1FM will also host an event in August in their hometown. Originally founded with three members, the band has evolved into the five-piece outfit that it is today.

Produced by Bruce Wiegner of ‘Overlook Studios’, 1FM’s latest EP is said, to not just be a statement of the band’s continued relevance, but it’s a declaration of their ability to grow and evolve as a musical entity. “During the process we discovered how much we’ve grown as individuals and as a band,” said Tim Laigaie, one of the founding members. “I definitely think that shows in the five songs on this EP. We couldn’t be more excited for the release.”

The group’s current configuration consists of Laigaie on vocals, Nick Passio on vocals and guitar, Joe Altomari on drums, and newcomers D.J. Kirk and Danny Kirk on bass and guitar, respectively. The first time I heard this EP, the headphones just about exploded with all the energy that was coming out of the opening track, “Fire In The City”.

1FM-WYW-COVERWhoever said that in order for something to be catchy, it has to be cliched, obviously has not heard this album yet. Every song hooks you, and unlike most new rock bands, the hook isn’t cheesy, overdone, or stolen from someone else. This EP blends the best of the old with the best of the new, giving rockers a delightful recording to rock out to.

Just about all the songs here on this EP are catchy and seem made for radio being friendly, but underneath that surface is a demonically rocking feel combined with a lot of emotion. And nothing epitomizes that statement than the title track – ‘Wish You Well’. After one listen to this song, few will doubt the songwriting ability of 1FM; this is pure adrenaline-soaked, punk, and alternative-rock-stomp, at its energizing best.

A change of tempo brings in the bristling “A Little Bit More” which has a tender verse wrapped around Godzilla-sized rock riffs and anthemic harmonies. I’ll never forget the giant feeling of satisfaction I felt when the melodic riffs supported by the air-like verses turned into massive angst-filled choruses on “Another Thing”.

“Four Letter Word” is probably the Ep’s radio-ready, ear-candy candidate. Sophisticated but raw, this track has everything – melody, crunchy guitars, sweeping strings, and those giant choruses that just cannot be ignored. Once this gets inside your head, you’ll be singing it for days on end… I know I was!

As with most great collections, ‘Wish You Well’ outclasses many others by having each song complement another. It’s a whole, with variety that lets you breathe for a second, before going into the atmosphere of another classy alternative rock song.

This album is an emotional roller-coaster right to the end, and one of the most uplifting and engaging rock albums available right now. The highlight of this monumental collection of songs depends entirely on your own personal taste, but all these songs contain tons of melody with epic choruses and intelligent, emotional lyrics.

It’s not often an album this special and this well produced comes along. Not even in the major league, let alone the indie market. And no self-respecting fan of the alternative rock genre should be without it! - Jamsphere

1FM – Wish You Well – EP Review

Is this just one of those extraordinary days in my life where losing isn’t an option no matter what genre I seem to find myself listening to? Methinks so at this point…amazing music continues to pour in through the speakers at every second here today and I’m certainly not complaining! After adventures into jazz and acoustic music earlier on – it was time for me to find something LOUD to listen to.

And as it turned out – there was a reliable name I recognized from reviews in the past with a brand-new EP – and here we are with 1FM’s new record, Wish You Well. Now expanded to a full-on five-piece, these minstrels of music-mayhem sound like they are fully back and ready to let this monster loose for real right as the entire record begins with the unleashed performance and stellar writing of “Fire In The City.” There are three-fifths of the band that contribute to the vocals of 1FM…it’s Tim that takes the lead on this one and many of the songs on this record I believe…dude sounds absolutely incredible and ten-feet-tall at the beginning of this new EP. Those opening vocals had my jaw on the floor…seriously…that’s full-on art in music right there and no-holds-barred in that performance. There’s excellent edge to the rasp in the vocals and the ensuing explosion of guitars before even a minute fully passes. The drums and low-end take over from there as the guitars chop lines overtop and the vocals continue to remain solid before becoming absolutely stunning in the powerful rip through the chorus. I’ll tell you what’s on fire – the dynamics in this song are on FIRE – 1FM is clearly ready to burn the entire city down to be heard on this new EP and “Fire In The City” starts this out monstrously-wild and massively entertaining.

As far as I know, the ultra-explosive title-track “Wish You Well” has been released as the official first single from this new EP. Tough to decide for sure between what I’ve heard…”Wish You Well” is a seriously strong roaring rock track that represents the antics of 1FM with real impact…I think the hooks in “Fire In The City” might be a little more accessible…but there’s also no harm in putting out a second-single that’s guaranteed to hit home too right? The transition from the opening intro to the explosion of sound that fuels the riotous “Wish You Well” is pure awesomeness – again, you can audibly HEAR just how much effort the band has put into keeping their sound as tight as it gets – and as a result, you get extremely powerful anthems like “Wish You Well” that represent them strongly through lyrics, music and performance combined. Check out the video below!



I maintain that sometimes a band gets so mixed up in their material that an outside source is always the best idea when it comes to A&R/singles to be released. What I like about everything I’ve heard on this record from 1FM is that they’ve clear turned on the afterburners and they’ve got these songs absolutely supercharged with bombastic & wild energy…but on “A Little Bit More” I felt immediately like I enjoyed this tune “A Little Bit More” than the lead-single as well! I mean…don’t get me wrong 1FM-crew…this is a damn nice problem for you guys to be having…everything I’ve heard so far has the real grip & pull to the hooks needed to really captivate the attention-spans out there and light an inspirational fire under asses worldwide. For me…even with as much as I loved “Fire In The City” – “A Little Bit More” gives it a complete run for its money as both a personal-favorite from this record as well as in terms of its accessibility for the people out there. The hooks of “A Little Bit More” and the stunning performance the band puts into their music & vocals is truly noteworthy – this song absolutely killed it for me 100%.

Whether they’re charging forward into blazing rock or leaning more towards pop tendencies as they do on “Another Thing” – 1FM wins and wins and wins. “Another Thing” is so intricately stuffed with passion and precision – and seriously gripping vocals that you make you want to stand up and fucking cheer out of sheer appreciation for just how RIGHT they get this. And mind you – 1FM don’t create no bitch-parts for themselves either…don’t think they’re pulling punches even remotely; what they do takes an intense amount of skill and approach – the extreme demands of “Another Thing” are a formidable opponent but these guys just continue to crunch and kill it like their Godzilla up in Tokyo. “Another Thing” was like what I like best about the All-American Rejects overall…only amped-up, adrenalized and times-ten. It would appear that there is no limit for the size and scope of their ambitions on this record – and they’re pulling it all off with expert precision that’s seriously impressive. The depth of professionalism that runs through the veins of this album will leave track-marks you’ll look down and remember…the sound cuts deep and the hooks sink right into your skin – “Another Thing” is a perfect example of hearing a band really hitting their moment in time with everything they’ve got.

I honestly do remember 1FM from reviewing them in the past…and I remember thinking good thoughts…but honestly – were they THIS good then? These five songs are absolute monsters…the biggest of the big and all engineered, mixed & performed flawlessly – you truly can’t help but feel the power coming from this band right now…they sound incredibly unified and driven as a five-piece, even on what might be arguably a more-tender moment on the final track “Four Letter Word” – they still find charismatic ways to bring out their very best and absolutely electrify through their writing and focus on nailing their ideas 100%. They should quite honestly, be insanely proud of this entire EP – definitely one of the best in the rock-genres of any-kind that I’ve heard this year. “Four Letter Word” does a great job of showing us all one final dimension to the band’s writing, style and sound with real atmosphere added into this song and a truly inspired sound as a result. Vocals, once again – right at the top of their game…probably one of my favorite parts about this band really. They all deserve credit from performance to songwriting – but man…the vocals in this band absolutely hit the mark like their expert sharpshooters yelling words like bullets at the targets in front of them at the range. The added emotional-punch of “Four Letter Word” sounds genuine…and genuinely impressive as a result.

I kinda feel like I don’t even know what to say. The Wish You Well EP from 1FM shows that this band is as ready to go as it can possibly get in the independent-scene and that they’re certainly ready to take whatever giant next-step in their career that might come their way next. I am blown away, I am impressed…I am without words that properly convey just how much love I’ve got for this EP. I’m tougher on rock-anything when it comes to music reviews…but there’s not a single reason to pick apart this record or even a flaw I couldn’t find. The kind of record that helps restore your faith in rock-music…I wouldn’t change a damn thing on Wish You Well – 1FM are large, in-charge and screaming their way towards a big-time career if you ask me. This is what people really mean when they say their keeping it 100 – 1FM goes five-for-five here with a gripping EP I couldn’t get enough of. - Sleeping Bag Studios

On Tuesday, July 19, Philadelphia-based rock outfit, 1FM, will release their second EP. Entitled ‘Wish You Well,’ the record is the highly anticipated follow-up to the band’s debut EP, ‘Burning Bridges,’ which was released in May of 2015. To celebrate the release, 1FM will also host an event in August in their hometown.



Last spring, ‘Burning Bridges’ exploded onto the independent scene to critical acclaim. Fans lauded the effort as well, and as a result, 1FM landed the number one national spot on the Reverb Nation charts for nearly two months. Originally founded with three members, the band eventually evolved into the five-piece outfit that it is today.

With this evolution, the band has ventured into compelling new territory for their second EP. After the launch of ‘Burning Bridges,’ 1FM toured successfully for some time in promotion of the record. After a series of strong live outings, the band added two more members and took to the studio to write and record new content. The process began in the autumn of 2015 and ‘Wish You Well’ took shape after months of dedicated work.

In March, 1FM connected with longtime friend and producer Bruce Wiegner of Overlook Studios to produce ‘Wish You Well.’ With the larger size of the group, 1FM was able to experiment further into exciting new sonic territory. Their second EP isn’t just a statement of their continued relevance – it’s a declaration of the band’s ability to grow and evolve as a musical entity.

“During the process we discovered how much we’ve grown as individuals and as a band,” Tim Laigaie, one of the founding members said. “I definitely think that shows in the five songs on this EP… We couldn’t be more excited for the release.”

In its current iteration, Laigaie performs vocals and is accompanied by Nick Passio on vocals and guitar, Joe Altomari on drums, and newcomers D.J. Kirk and Danny Kirk on bass and guitar, respectively. At the heart of 1FM, the primary catalyst for the band’s creativity is a love of music. Their live shows and EP’s are labors of love – a sentiment that often gets lost in the modern music industry.

Last year, ‘Burning Bridges’ offered an eclectic palette of inspired tracks chock-full of influence from the likes of Weezer, 30 Seconds to Mars, the Foo Fighters, and more. 1FM boasts an impressively diverse culmination of influence – a trait that serves them well as they work outside of the box on each new track.

This year, ‘Wish You Well’ will take cue from its predecessor and continue 1FM down their creative path in ways that are sure to please fans and critics alike for a second time. When the EP drops on July 19, it will be available on iTunes and other digital distribution retailers.

For fans local to the Philadelphia area, 1FM will be hosting an outdoor record release show on Saturday, August 27 at Dave and Buster’s Dockside. (325 N. Christopher Columbus Blvd.) To keep up to date with 1FM on their new release, upcoming shows, and more, visit them on their website and relevant social media. - The Independent Spotlight