I have a confession to make. As much as I try to equally cover all sub-genres of rock music, I have an unintentional, negative bias when it comes to pop punk/rock. I used to love it and I grew up with All Time Low, Hey Monday, We Are The In Crowd, The Summer Set, etc. As I got older, I felt like it had become repetitive, predictable, and monotonous. I like a few artists in the genre but when I see the words "pop punk band" in my email inbox, I tend to skim over it and then move along.
Then Maggie Cassidy approached me and broke the cycle. They grabbed my attention and my conscience told me to give them a chance...and I'm glad I did.
After listening to their single Guide Me, I felt an immediate nostalgia as if the music I had grown up listening to had been revived and revamped. It took me back to a very specific era in my life and I felt excited to see a band bringing this kind of music to the next young generation.
The band agrees that Guide Me is one of the standout tracks that represents the band.
"Our sound is built on trying to marry rock sonics with pop sensibilities. I'm proud of 'Guide Me' because I think you can mosh, dance, and sing along to it pretty easily throughout. It also has the phrase 'we are the only angels' which kind of sums up what this band is all about," said guitarist Jan Barnegren.
He is quick to emphasize that the band's primary goal is to provide a safe space and a community through their music. A lot of their songs focus on mental health and personal struggles, which brings their fans together into a group that they dubbed "Club Cassidy." They are providing listeners with a break from their daily anxiety and chaos.
Another thing that sets them apart is that they are influenced by artists that dapple in more than one genre. It becomes evident in their music, which incorporates guitar-heavy rock elements with catchy pop melodies.
"We're inspired by a whole host of musicians, artists, writers, individuals, and each one of us will give you a different answer! One common inspiration though is a band called The Maine. They're producing more than just insanely good music (and it is insanely good!), they're building a movement. They're kind of our north star when it comes to how to be a band, doing it the right way. Otherwise our sound is influenced by British acts such as You Me At Six, Deaf Havana, and Don Broco who all walk the line between pop and rock with a good balance," said Barnegren.
The band resides in the UK and they have big plans to take over the world, one show at a time. "Just knowing our music had taken us all over the world would define making it for us," said Barnegren.
They are hitting the studio with producer Neil Kennedy (Creeper, Boston Manor) and they plan on booking more shows to promote the upcoming material. They are poised, ambitious, and destined for great success. Expect new music from them later in 2019.
Keep an eye on Maggie Cassidy so you can say "you knew them when..."
www.whoismaggiecassidy.com
www.facebook.com/whoismaggiecassidy
www.twitter.com/whoismaggiec
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