lauren stern is never standing alone, she just sets it free…see what we did there…
When I interviewed Set it Free back in March and listened to their EP for the first time, I knew sooner or later they’d be taking New Jersey by storm. After keeping my eye on them since then, I learned they were doing just that. Since my interview, they’ve opened up for Trapt, were featured on MTV and Channel 9 news, and they filmed and premiered their first music video. But that’s not all! About a week ago, Set it Free released their new album and after listening to it, I was honestly blown away by how great it sounded!
Let’s back track a little bit shall we? Set it Free is a pop-punk group from Brick, NJ and consists of: Andrew Williams, Joey DeAngelo, Mike Gurrnari, Pat Dwyer, and Victor Pascale. Since they got together last year, they’ve had a crazy amount of successes including opening up for Saves the Day and Senses Fail, a feature in Aquarian Weekly, and a daily growing fan base. To sum it up, these guys have basically been kicking ass and taking names all over the Garden State and it’s only been a year!
While this ass-kicking was taking place, Set it Free also spent the last year in the studio working on Don’t Stand Alone, their first and most recent release. The album has the typical heart pumping tracks(“Don’t Stand Alone,” “Lungs Bleed”), the acoustic breaks(“When Dreams Fade Away”), and the hard power anthems (“Count the Blessings”) stereotypical of any pop punk album but what makes their music different is the tracks are more original, inventive, and full of passion and heart.
Don’t Stand Alone is not only a showcase over the band’s hard work and dedication but proof that there’s still some great music left in the great state of New Jersey. After listening to this album, I am willing to bet some money (the very very little that I have) that Set it Free will be the next big band to come out of the Garden State. Sooner or later, I’m going to see their name in lights and be proud as hell I am from the same state as them.
http://youtu.be/c84n5n6wt5I
