Updated 4/3/24
Holy crap this band is good! Got my first chance to listen to Been Stellar (yes named after movie comedian Ben Stiller) after seeing an article about them on NME.com. Am I ever glad I gave them a listen. Their live performance on Audiotree Live (viewable on youtube) is one of the best, if not the best I’ve seen in years. From the first note to the last they simply kill it!
I swear New York City may just single-handedly help America fall in back love with guitar-oriented rock again with this band composed of members from suburban Detroit, LA, and Brazil, as well as NYC rivals Quarters of Change. Nothing would make this aging rocker happier that to hear new rock being played more than classic rock across the airwaves.
“As much as I loved the bands and music from my youth, genres slowly die without new blood being infused into the mix to regularly reinvigorate the sounds, tempos, riffs, drum beats, lyrics, melodies, etc.”
Source: panethos.wordpress.com
As much as I loved the bands and music from my youth, genres slowly die without new blood being infused into the mix to regularly reinvigorate the sounds, tempos, riffs, melodies, etc. That’s why I keep listening for/to new bands to compliment the great tunes and albums of the past.
“Back to the wall,
Source: Lyrics from “My Honesty” by Been Stellar
Turning heads in the sprawl,
You were a jump,
I was a fall
Symbols of past corrode and surpass,
Give me a moment and make it my last”
Been Stellar’s up-tempo sound reminds me of guitar-based tunes from The Strokes‘ discography, as well as the 9/11 postapopalyptic music emanating from The Stills debut album Logic Will Break Your Heart in 2003.
Been Stellar consists of Sam Slocum (lead vocals), Skylar St. Marx (guitar), Laila Wayans (drums), Nando Dale (guitar), and Nico Brunstein (bass). The band’s eponymous 2023 EP (Been Stellar) consists of five tracks that evoke feelings of pandemic lockdown PTSD, while their first full length album, Scream from New York, NY is scheduled to debut in mid-June 2024.
“And so the kids burrow themselves
Source: Lyrics to “My Honesty” by Been Stellar
Down beneath the burned out remnants
Of the cities they once called home
On the cave walls they paint images of jazz,
And forge alters to the heroes of past
And they saw the best minds of their generation
Only in memory
Separated by a screen
Machine to machine
Task after task
An abundance of nothing
You ask the alter, he’ll tell you
Let it all go on
Let it all go on.”
My favorite songs heard thus far by Been Stellar are:
- “Kids 1995”
- “I Have The Answer” – added 4/3/24
- “My Honesty”
- “Arthur”
- “All in One” – added 4/3/24
- “Optimist”
- “OHM”
So, rejoice fellow rock ‘n’ roll fans.
Along Came…Been Stellar (not Polly) to rock America and the world!
Peace!
problogic
Panethos 
Pingback: Take a [Late Night Drive Home] to alternative rock bliss | Panethos