“High Fade Live & Fresh Tracks to Wrap the Month”

Hey friends — it’s your host, Mark, and this week on Songs That Don’t Suck I’m kicking things off with a live‑music recap before we jump into the new releases.

I capped off a very busy October for myself: started with Bridge City Sinners, then JohnnySwim, Metallica, Dream Theater, Carbon Leaf — and tonight it was finally High Fade making their debut in Cleveland at the Beachland Ballroom.

I love the Beachland Ballroom, but full disclosure — I did have one complaint: there is absolutely no reason that venue should hit 112 decibels. None. Thankfully I had my Loop earplugs and so here I am post‑show with no ringing in the ears… victory.

Now: the star of the night. Having watched vids, followed social posts, listened to recordings of High Fade, I knew these guys were monster players. But seeing them live? Next‑level experience. Simple as that.

• Harry (guitar), Oliver (bass) and Heath (drums) bring insane speed and precision. They’re top‑notch.
• Harry launched into a solo that shifted from classical guitar finger style into funky sweep arpeggios. And then — he missed a note. On purpose. Twice more. Exactly like the old jazz rule: if you make a mistake, make it loud so people know you meant it. It was beautiful.
• Heath crushed a drum solo. Oliver flipped from blazing finger speed to tasteful slap technique on the bass.
• Bonus: when Oliver said “Hello Cleveland tonight”, I swear he looked exactly like Derek Smalls from This Is Spinal Tap—mustache and all.

The result? An amazing show. But here’s the bummer: Cleveland didn’t really show up. The ballroom was sparsely populated. I get it — Sunday night, new band here… But if you WERE there, you’ll be able to say I was there before they blew up.

In short: if you catch them live — do it.

Okay — I was a bit nervous going in. How do you open for a band like High Fade, with that level of skill and groove? Enter: Round Trip.

These guys are from Boston, and while they lean into the “jam band” label, make no mistake: their chops are heavy. The first two songs I heard me thinking “early Genesis accuracy” — others said the same. They had that prog‑rock precision, not sloppy “jam‑out” wandering. According to their bio:

“Round Trip, a Progressive Jam Band, effortlessly merges eclectic songwriting and powerful riffs with theatrically communicative improvisational techniques.” 

They have a new album potentially dropping by end of 2025, but they’ve already got music out on streaming platforms. If you like blazing jam bands with technical finesse — check them out.

TL;DR

• Killer night of music.
• High Fade = must‑see.
• Round Trip = surprise standout opener.
• Cleveland needs to show up more.
• If you haven’t yet: find these bands.

New Music Picks 🎧

Alright — enough live talk, let’s dive into what’s new and what you need to listen to right now. This week I picked four songs that I think are doing interesting things in the rock world.

Track 1: “Fever” by Marseille

This one lands firmly in the Brit‑rock/Brit‑pop revival world. You know I’ve been talking about the resurgence of rock: the Oasis‑inspired bands, the NuGrunge resurgence, the classic riff rock wave. And yeah — I love it. But part of me also wonders: what’s next? The next evolution? If it sucks, it tears me apart.

But Marseille deliver solidly here. They’re from Derbyshire (which tickles something in my roots). I love the synth part floating in and out sounding like a Radiohead‑inspired R2D2. Great vocals. Great production. If you’re into Brit‑rock revival, give “Fever” a spin.

Track 2: “Daytona” by NEP

A couple of episodes ago I had Sydney Shea singing about how she missed Daytona — here’s the flip side. This one feels dark. Moody. Angst‑ridden. I slot it in the NuGrunge category for sure. Feels a little like Hole energy. Vocals are emotive, the instrumentation matches that energy. Legit.

Track 3: “Bored” by Return to Dust

I don’t do this often — but this is a victory lap. I spotlighted Return to Dust way back in Episode 1 of Season 2, and now they’ve signed a record contract. For me they are the standard‑bearers for NuGrunge. This is from their latest EP. Their sound is evolving in all the right ways: using their influences to amplify their own voice. And yes — it just rocks. (Gen‑X approved 🤘).

Track 4: “Out in the Garden” by Sofia Isella

Dark. Sludgy in moments. Moody always. This one grips you and doesn’t let go. Haunting vocals but powerful backbone. It’s heavy, but doesn’t feel weighty. That dichotomy is masterful. Just… listen.

If you haven’t yet: head over to songsthatdontsuck.net — that’s where the podcast lives. Newsletter access gets you into the Live Music Archive (free benefit). There’s merch. Concert photos. Discount codes for great earplugs (yes, use ’em! I did).
Don’t forget to like‑review‑subscribe the podcast on your preferred platform. Tell your friends. Share the love. Support these artists. They’re putting in the work.

Thanks again for listening — as always: go out and support the music.
Catch you next week with more songs that don’t suck.