Artist: Miles to Nowhere
Album: RaceCar Phenomenon
Pop-punk trio Miles To Nowhere are set to bring their self-described “galaxy punk” to the world with the release of their new album The RaceCar Phenomenon.
The band is comprised of Kristen Taylor on lead vocals and guitar, Katie Grenert on base and vocals, and Richard Duran on drums. Combined, they have decades of experience in the music industry. Taylor is the owner of Underdog Studios, Grenert is a music teacher with School of Rock, and Duran is a seasoned musician. They say they are not influenced by any other bands as much as they are inspired by life itself to create sounds that take you on a musically induced adventure. Inspired by elements from various genres, they simply do not fit into a specific mold, so they invented their own—being the first to coin the term “galaxy punk”.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Kristen Taylor says, “We are really excited for this new release. The RaceCar Phenomenon was a lot of fun to make, and it showcases a wider spectrum of what we do musically. Since we recorded and produced it ourselves, there was no one to reel us in, and we took full advantage of that. All of the songs are a little different from each other, so it takes you on a ride for sure. In true galaxy punk form, anyone anywhere can jam this album and get stoked on it. I expect all of the shows next year to be a big sing-along, and all smiles all round, both onstage and in the crowd.”
The album consists of 11 tracks: Intro Master, Skies, Moths, Stars, Prelude, I Love You, Best Friends, Here In The Dark, Wish, Growing Up, and Race Cars. True to Taylor’s words, The RaceCar Phenomenon really does take the listener on a ride. The first track, “Intro Master”, isn’t a song but a 23 second clip of a radio host talking about the band, mixed with heavy static and warped voices. Some songs—namely “Skies”, “Here In the Dark”, and “Wish”—have an angsty, angry, heavier vibe; while “Stars”, “I Love You” and “Best Friends” are more upbeat. Dead center is “Prelude” which is only instrumentals, and the album finishes with the acoustic track, “Race Cars”. From beginning to end, The RaceCar Phenomenon is the definition of pop-punk, singing about love, gut-wrenching heartbreak, and raw philosophical dread. Their sound reminds me of a combination of 90’s girl-grunge bands like Veruca Salt, classic 90’s pop-punk like Blink-182, and (of course) Paramore.
Overall, I love The RaceCar Phenomenon. Do I think their sound is different enough to necessitate creating their own subgenre? No. But the album is creative, the songs are catchy, and the lyrics make me want to scream them out at the top of my lungs. Miles To Nowhere definitely rocks.
