The Test Press

TTP Ep. 19 - Getting Caustic with NorCal Alternative Rock Band bloodsugar

It often takes bands a while to find their footing and to sound cohesive. When I heard this episode’s guests play, I had assumed they were a band for a long time: their timing was impeccable, their on-stage chemistry was undeniable, and the songs just plain ripped. During this interview, I found out bloodsugar (not a typo, the band’s name is stylized as all lower case) is, I believe, the youngest musical act ever on The Test Press in terms of inception date. Being a band only since February of 2025, the 4-piece has already exploded on the Northern California Alternative Rock scene, putting out 3 singles, a few YouTube covers, and smashing stages all over the Golden State. The songs they play on those stages are refreshingly raw and sometimes even brutal (I almost feel bad for the guy frontwoman Lys Lourdes singings about in “holden caulfield (civil war)”). If bloodsugar has made it this far in less than a year, I have no doubt they will take over the world by 2027. In this episode, Brylan sits down with Lys, Joe, Christian and Jordan of bloodsugar to discuss their first year being a band, their songwriting process, and some of the crazy real life stories that have inspired those songs. The band also discuss their influences, their favorite My Chemical Romance albums, and the secrets to their biting guitar tone. Later, the group tries to figure out whose insane stories belong to who in the second edition of the fan favorite Test Press game. Finally, Brylan and the band break down two of their songs: the scathing “holden caulfield (civil war)” and the sweet and determined “let me be your man”. There’s the perfect “conditions” to watch this one! Stream bloodsugar's Music! Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bloodsugar/1796948802 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/40wius24wDQUVfs8S640Cw Follow bloodsugar on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/ilovebloodsugar https://www.tiktok.com/@ilovebloodsugar Songs used in this episode: holden caulfield (civil war) - bloodsugar let me be your man - bloodsugar Follow the show! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress

TTP Ep. 18 - Doing ALCHEMY with UK Based Singer/Songwriter Luke Black

We've had a lot of incredibly talented guests on this show, but so far, no one has been a contestant on an international competition (unless they were really holding out on me), until now. Luke Black represented his home country of Serbia in the international smash hit music competition Eurovision with his song "Samo mi se spava", where he added countless diehard fans (fans of the European competition are rabid about their favorites). However, the most interesting thing about him isn’t his stint on the competition, it’s the music itself. Luke blends a wide range of influences, from nordic death metal to EDM to Elton John, and puts out tunes that are simultaneously chaotic and cohesive: a feat many artists attempt and fail. He injects and harnesses this chaos in his live shows, delivering unforgettable theatrical experiences that harken back to the days of hair metal, with a bit of Nine Inch Nails mixed in for good measure. As he embarks on a UK and Europe tour next year, Luke is slated to take the continent by storm, and I have no doubt the US will be next. In this episode (Luke’s first ever US interview!!!), Brylan and Luke chat about Luke’s early influences, the whirlwind that was the Eurovision 2023 competition, how the UK’s vibe and architecture have influenced his artistry, and even discuss AI’s potential impact on music (and why neither of them are worried). Later on, Brylan tests Luke’s translation skills (sort of ) and Little Monster-dom with our first ever game of Lost in Translation. Then, the pair chat about two of Luke’s tracks: "aNGel M3TaL”, a favorite off of his debut album “Chainsaws In Paradise”, and his newest effort, “ALCHEMY” featuring LA producer and songwriter Mood Killer. Finally, Brylan and Luke talk about his upcoming new album and European tour, his most ambitious undertaking yet. I promise, there’s no “Thorns” in this episode! Stream Luke Black's Music! Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/luke-black/973303307 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3sPiEqLcANa5kAp5RnEHNq Follow Luke Black on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/lukeblackmusic https://www.tiktok.com/@lukeblackmusic Check Out Luke Black's Website: https://lukeblackmusic.com/ Songs used in this episode: "aNGel M3TaL" - Luke Black ALCHEMY (feat. Mood Killer) - Luke Black Follow the show! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress

TTP Ep. 17 - Tappin' Away with Stereosity, Math Rock/Emo Band

It sounds counterintuitive, but it can be difficult to incorporate highly technical musicianship into popular music. There seems to be diminishing returns with virtuosity after a certain point, in terms of getting people to listen. At a certain skill level, most people struggle to relate to it, and it can become almost burdensome to listen to. My guests on this episode not only serve as an exception to this rule, they stand in defiance of it. Stereosity, a math rock/emo outfit based out of Orange County, California aren’t just good at their instruments; they’re REALLY good. I was completely in awe when I saw them play on a bill with other Test Press alums Rainbow City Park. Perhaps even more impressive than their musicianship, however, are how good the songs are. With a blend of emo influenced vocal melodies and lyrics and the melodically dense guitar riff style of modern math rock (a combination the band lovingly calls “twinkle rock”), Stereosity put out tunes that hit like an emotional truck and get stuck in your head for days, all while you wonder “how in the hell did they play that!?” In this episode, Sam and Jack from Stereosity sit down with Brylan to discuss their journey from guitar novices to Gods, as well as how they slowly crafted their sound through diverse influences, collaborative respect between their group of friends/bandmates, and good old-fashioned perfectionism. They also discuss the challenges of being in a touring band while holding a day job, as so many artists are forced to. Later, Brylan and the band discuss their viral breakout hit “Sprout” (and the origins of its now famous riff) as well as the inspirations and life lessons behind their new album, “New Life Will Grow”. Also, Brylan puts Sam and Jack in the hot seat to test their knowledge of math (rock) in the first ever game of Test Press-ody! Get (Home) and listen to this one ASAP! Buy/Stream Stereosity's Music! Bandcamp - https://stereosity.bandcamp.com/ Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/stereosity/1576516350 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0piJP9lxT0JISY5bRWnzcu Follow Stereosity on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/jhaharlan https://www.tiktok.com/@stereosityband Check Out Stereosity's Website: https://stereosity.com/ Songs used in this episode: "Sprout" - Stereosity Quiz song by Вадим Кузнецов Follow the show! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress

TTP Ep. 16 - Jesse Harris, Screenwriter & Country Fan

I’ve always felt that screenwriters and musicians were kindred spirts. As such, it’s no surprise that we are massive fans of each others’ work: I’ve never known a musician that isn’t also a film and/or TV junkie, and I’ve never met a writer that won’t gush about their favorite records. My guest this week is no exception: I initially bonded with my good friend and screenwriter Jesse Harris (of Marvel’s Jessica Jones and other incredible projects) over our love of music and growing up in Appalachia (him in Kentucky and me in Southern Ohio). His most admirable trait, aside from always having unique and profound insights on everything from American politics to the mainstream rise of the Carhartt clothing brand, is his unabashed pride for where he comes from. He doesn’t run from his Appalachian roots. On the contrary, he wears it as a badge of honor and injects it into his writing (and occasionally dunks on smug Bostonians at parties). He’s the embodiment of radical acceptance for the things that make you you, no matter what society or “The Industry” has to say about them. In this interview, Brylan sits down with Jesse Harris to chat about a common thread that was inescapable when growing up in Appalachia: country music. The pair discuss the original master storytellers of country music’s history , contrasting them with the “stadium country” of today. The pair also discuss some young storytellers carrying the torch of country’s old royalty, how society likes to borrow and repurpose things that country folk were originally mocked for, and even get into some politics and its connection to the soul of country music. Later, Brylan see’s if Jesse can pick out fake country artist names from real ones. They then discuss Jesse’s most recent project, the short film “Good Daughter”. Go ahead and pencil this one in, you don’t want to miss it! Watch Jesse's Short Film "Good Daughter"! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyL_GcG4kUs Follow Jesse on social Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jhaharlan Songs used in this episode: "You Shook Me All Night Long (Cover)" - Hayseed Dixie "Gin and Juice (Cover)" - Hayseed Dixie "Under Grass and Clover" - Children of Bodom "Lucky" - Abby Hamilton Follow the show! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress

TTP Ep. 15 - Going Off The Rails with Keyser, LA Artist, Producer, Songwriter, & More!

One of the most beneficial strengths a musician can have is versatility. The more things an artist can do, the more places they have to pull from to create. Keyser takes this to the extreme; they are a (deep breath in) singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist, teacher, LGBTQ+ advocate, picky eater (who loves sweets), and those are just the titles we got to. One might expect a Berklee College of Music grad to be able to wear most of these hats (and be more than happy to tell you about it), but Keyser wields these diverse talents with humility and a sense of pragmatism. All they want, at the end of the day, is to make great music, and help others do the same. And they have been: Not only does Keyser have an impressive solo catalogue, including their debut album “mOrse CoDe” and this year’s pop banger “Lip Service”, they play guitar in LA rock band Chromera. Keyser is one of the most fascinating and unique individuals I’ve ever had in the chair. I can’t cosign them putting ketchup on pizza, but I can say for certain that Keyser is an immense musical talent who will not only continue to juggle their many specialties, but make it look easy. In this interview, Brylan sits down with Arlington, VA born and Los Angeles based Keyser to discuss Berklee-minted songwriting techniques, some of Keyser’s least favorite pop song lines, and the best guitarists to ever live. The pair even get deep and effuse on whether they’ve ever truly been in love, and what being in love as an adult even means. Also, Brylan puts Keyser’s lie detection skills to the test to see if they can spot a real story from a fake one. Finally, they discuss two of the best tracks in Keyser’s catalogue: “I Dare U”, the opening track from Keyser’s debut album “mOrse CoDe”, and Keyser’s most recently release, “Lip Service”, based on a dysfunctional relationship Keyser got out of. “I Dare U” to watch this one! Stream Keyser's music! Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/2SvmXjltxSmum0Qexw5Qo7 Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/keyser/1702103194 Follow Keyser on social media Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/keysermusicofficial Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@keysermusicofficial Check out Keyser's Website: https://keysermusicofficial.com Songs used in this episode: "I Dare U" by Keyser "Lip Service" by Keyser Follow the show! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.testpress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thetestpress