The best things in life occur unexpectedly. In early 2020, a group of friends decided to reclaim their love of music. In a typical New Hampshire basement, five musicians came together after taking a break from the music scene. What began as a weekly jam session of pop covers eventually turned into the lively pop punk quintet known today as PROMISE GAME. From Say Anything to New Found Glory, each track offers a fresh new take on emotive rock.
In May 2022, Promise Game released their latest EP Horizon, giving listeners a strong and nostalgic sound reminiscent of the early-2000s. Combining the harmonies of The Rocket Summer with the bright melodies of Motion City Soundtrack, Promise Game finds its own unique sound in a post-Warped Tour world.
The band recently released their emotive pop punk anthem “Connecticut”, the 13th track recorded by Promise Game since forming in 2020, reflecting on the trials and tribulations a touring band faces on the road with a sound familiar to Jimmy Eat World or The Wonder Years.
For fans of: Jimmy Eat World, The Wonder Years, Mom Jeans.
A wealth of new releases in 2022 pushed the boundaries of many genres, themes, and sounds, so curious about their take on this past year in music, we asked Promise Game to share their top records of the year. Here’s what we’ve got.
Colin (Vocals):
Sleeping With Sirens – Complete Collapse
“SWS is a band that I have been a huge fan of, for as long as I can remember. Their new album not only inspires me through fast, energetic, beautifully layered music – but the sheer fact that these guys are still releasing some of the best music out there, is where I take the most inspiration from this release. I actually had the pleasure of meeting the band at a Mexican restaurant before their show in Worcester, MA earlier this year, and got to talk to Kellin about the record before it had come out. Listening to him talk about his band’s passion for music, then seeing that translate into another front-to-back “no skip” record, was a huge inspiration for me this past year. That experience and this record have made me want to continue living out my passion to create music, more than ever before.”
Adam (Guitar/Vocals):
Belmont – Aftermath
Stand Atlantic – F.E.A.R
“It’s tough to pick just one record from this past year that has inspired me as a musician, so I’m just going to give you two. I really admire Belmont’s ability to bounce between genres and be really good at all of them with their record Aftermath. This is something that we often end up doing in our songs, not sticking to one specific style or genre. We don’t take it to the level that Belmont does, but their lack of concern for staying in a specific lane is something that has inspired me in my songwriting. And when it comes to Stand Atlantic’s “F.E.A.R”, this band is at the forefront of everything that can be really good about modern pop punk. I pull a huge amount of inspiration from everything they did with this record, it has definitely played a part in how Promise Game’s sound has progressed in ’22.”
Matt (Bass):
Silverstein – Misery Made Me
“This record blends the perfect amount of digital and analog tone, something I truly respect as a bassist. This is a band that I’ve been following forever and similar to what Colin said about Sleeping With Sirens’ new record, Silverstein’s long standing reign and constant progression now leading up to Misery Made Me is something that has truly inspired me as a musician this year.”
Mark (Drums):
Goalkeeper – I Wish I Met You Sooner
“No doubt about it, Goalkeeper is one of the best unknown pop punk bands around. Start to finish, this album is a masterpiece that makes me want to be a better musician (@ me Cody Ritchie!). It really has inspired me to be better at what I love to do, and that has definitely translated into solid progression with the new music we’ve been working on.”
Mike (Lead Guitar):
Alvvays – Blue Rev
“This is a very special album, with a very distinct style with incredible dynamics. I love their unique guitar tones, and how they use dual guitars has been a huge inspiration behind some of what you can hear not only in our new single “Connecticut”, but also in some of the other music we have been working on. Blue Rev will be something that I pull inspiration from not only as a guitar player, but as a musician in general for many years to come.”
