Lizzie Manno

Dec 15, 2023 | stereogum.com | Lizzie Manno

There’s nothing wishy-washy about Wishy. Indianapolis singer-songwriters Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites are magnets of indelible melodies and purveyors of beatific dream pop — the kind that pairs perfectly with the crackles and pops of a cassette player and implants a desire to briefly shapeshift into a flowy-haired nymph and twirl around. Given their hook-stuffed, pirouette-worthy songcraft, it should come as no surprise that this isn’t Krauter and Pitchkites’ first rodeo.

Dec 12, 2023 | stereogum.com | Lizzie Manno

What do Madison, Wisconsin and Manchester, England have in common? Superficially, maybe nothing, besides the odd fact that you could get away with a cheery “Believe you me!” in both places. But in reality, both destinations share core values and a somewhat parallel history. Over the decades, the two major cities have been upheld as strongholds of counterculture — particularly with their large student populations — and progressive, working-class politics, given their rich history of organized labor.

Sep 28, 2023 | tastethefloor.substack.com | Lizzie Manno

I first heard Bad Nerves roughly six years ago. Their spring-loaded fusion of power pop and punk was pretty undeniable—at once pure candy and raw adrenaline. I don’t remember the first Bad Nerves song I heard, but I remember how it made me feel.

Aug 4, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Lizzie Manno

I’m not sure I believe in ghosts. I can’t say I’ve ever consciously encountered one, and I think everyday life feels easier to swallow without the possibility of an afterlife. But listening to Activity is how I imagine a visit from the ghost of a loved one must feel. It’s moments like these that the edges of fear and comfort are blurred, and Brooklyn-based art rock quartet Activity also thrive in this realm.

Jun 21, 2023 | pastemagazine.com | Lizzie Manno