PMtoday
Encyclopedia
PMtoday was a progressive post-hardcore band from Jacksonville, Arkansas
, formerly signed to Rise Records
. They released a self-titled EP as well as two full-length albums: ...And Then the Hurricane and In Medias Res
. The band consisted of brothers Connor, Ryan, and Cuinn Brogan, as well as Jerrod Morgan.
, the band name was only made because it "sounded kind of cool and was an interesting name", and was originally meant as a joke between the brother's classmates but the name soon stuck. The band began playing small shows locally and charted very highly on statewide Purevolume
charts which gave the band high visibility in Arkansas. Their first 3-song EP was offered for free upon its release in 2004. The following winter a 4-song EP was released, further propelling the band's reach and notoriety. Justin Coulter left the band in June 2005, Kevin Middleton was selected that July as Justin's replacement. The band would continue go on small tours and play local shows without recording new material until 2007 when And Then The Hurricane, the band's first full-length, was recorded in Atlanta at Mayday Sound Studios. At this time, all of the band's members had finished high school and were free to go on national tours.
. Upon meeting the band, members of Emarosa were given a copy of And Then The Hurricane, according to Emarosa's guitarist Jonas Ladekjaer, greatly influencing Emarosa's 2008 recording of Relativity. The copy was soon passed to Rise Records
owner Craig Ericson who went into further signing talks in 2009. According to both PMtoday's and Rise Records
' official MySpace pages, they signed with indie label
Rise Records on May 26, 2009. They started recording In Medias Res on September 22, 2009, and finished on October 25, 2009. The album was released on April 6, 2010 to generally positive reviews.
In their debut music video for "Don't Exist," a child sits next to a picture frame displaying home-made video clips of adolescence. These clips are real videos of the band as children and are central to the message of the song.
, indie rock
and post-hardcore
. Thomas Nassiff of AbsolutePunk said that PMtoday "are at their best when they're switching up their sound, going from blistering guitar work to gently woven melodies." He also compared them to Circa Survive
, Brand New
, and also classified them as indie rock
. Adam Thomas of Sputnikmusic
said that In Medias Res would "likely end up being one of the best post-hardcore albums to come out in 2010."
Their second album, In Medias Res, was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Indie Vision Music, who gave the album a positive review, said that "perseverance is not the word that immediately comes to mind when [he] think[s] of most bands; however, when thinking of pmtoday it certainly fits" and said that when he "think[s] of Rise [Records
] [he] think[s] of post-hardcore, but [In Medias Res] throws that thinking out the window." They closed the review saying that the "album is a solid Rise debut release and is a must buy for any progressive indie rock fan."
Phil Freeman, a writer for Alternative Press, gave the album a positive review compared PMtoday to the "earliest Mars Volta recordings, before Omar Rodríguez-López
decided every flubbed note he recorded deserved its own solo album" due to their "funk rock
riffing and blistering tempos." He closed the review with:
Chris Marshman, a writer for webzine Alter the Press!, gave the album a positive review, stating that the album the album starts with a "somewhat dampening opener", referring to "Thoughts In Transit", and comments that a listener "could be forgiven for thinking that [they]’re not in for a very enjoyable listen. Take that stance and [they]’re wrong, because what In Medias Res is, is an album full of twists and turns that any attempt to guess what might be coming up will almost certainly be wrong." He closed the review with
Joshua Khan of Ultimate Guitar Archive
also gave the album a positive review, stating that "guitarists Connor and Cuin Brogan shred their way across the disc's ten tracks, transforming indie rock melodies into post-hardcore breakdowns with a hint of pop. The combination seems unrealistic and fake, but the outcome is almost breathtaking. Numerous bands have swayed from progressive rock set in stone by bands such as Coheed and Cambria
, and PMtoday rejuvenate it without undertones that are incredibly dark." He also made a note of the track "Don't Exist", stating that it "starts like an indie pop track and turns into a constant battle of melodic riffs. Such unexpected turns are littered throughout the record, along with intense jam sessions reminiscent of [Mars Volta], leaving listeners hanging on to every moment the band conjures a breakdown." He closed the review with:
Former members
Jacksonville, Arkansas
Jacksonville is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States, and a suburb of Little Rock. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 28,364. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, formerly signed to Rise Records
Rise Records
-History:Rise was founded in 1991 by Craig Ericson in Roseburg, Oregon. He released a small number of 7" records before putting the label on hiatus to attend college. Ericson didn't release anything further until 1999, after moving to Portland, Oregon. He began issuing small-print 7" records, and...
. They released a self-titled EP as well as two full-length albums: ...And Then the Hurricane and In Medias Res
In Medias Res (PMtoday album)
In Medias Res is the second full-length album by progressive rock band PMtoday. The album was released on April 6, 2010. The album's name is Latin, which translates in English to "in the middle of Things". It is a reference to the literary technique in which a story begins in mid-action...
. The band consisted of brothers Connor, Ryan, and Cuinn Brogan, as well as Jerrod Morgan.
Formation, band name, ...And Then the Hurricane (2005–2009)
PMtoday was formed by brothers Connor and Ryan Brogan in 2003. The band started out playing Blink 182 and Jimmy Eat World covers. The name was not decided until they became a band playing their own music. According to an interview with SpinnerSpinner (website)
Spinner is an AOL Music property, which bills itself as "the ultimate music blog for free MP3s, free CD listening, [and] discovering new artists."...
, the band name was only made because it "sounded kind of cool and was an interesting name", and was originally meant as a joke between the brother's classmates but the name soon stuck. The band began playing small shows locally and charted very highly on statewide Purevolume
PureVolume
PureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...
charts which gave the band high visibility in Arkansas. Their first 3-song EP was offered for free upon its release in 2004. The following winter a 4-song EP was released, further propelling the band's reach and notoriety. Justin Coulter left the band in June 2005, Kevin Middleton was selected that July as Justin's replacement. The band would continue go on small tours and play local shows without recording new material until 2007 when And Then The Hurricane, the band's first full-length, was recorded in Atlanta at Mayday Sound Studios. At this time, all of the band's members had finished high school and were free to go on national tours.
Signing with Rise Records and In Medias Res (2009–2010)
On the road, PMtoday made an integral connection with Kentucky band EmarosaEmarosa
Emarosa is an American rock band from Lexington, Kentucky. Formed in 2006, they released one EP in 2007 titled This Is Your Way Out, and shortly after, the group underwent significant lineup and sound changes, dropping their heavy metal influence and leaning toward a soul inspiration...
. Upon meeting the band, members of Emarosa were given a copy of And Then The Hurricane, according to Emarosa's guitarist Jonas Ladekjaer, greatly influencing Emarosa's 2008 recording of Relativity. The copy was soon passed to Rise Records
Rise Records
-History:Rise was founded in 1991 by Craig Ericson in Roseburg, Oregon. He released a small number of 7" records before putting the label on hiatus to attend college. Ericson didn't release anything further until 1999, after moving to Portland, Oregon. He began issuing small-print 7" records, and...
owner Craig Ericson who went into further signing talks in 2009. According to both PMtoday's and Rise Records
Rise Records
-History:Rise was founded in 1991 by Craig Ericson in Roseburg, Oregon. He released a small number of 7" records before putting the label on hiatus to attend college. Ericson didn't release anything further until 1999, after moving to Portland, Oregon. He began issuing small-print 7" records, and...
' official MySpace pages, they signed with indie label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Rise Records on May 26, 2009. They started recording In Medias Res on September 22, 2009, and finished on October 25, 2009. The album was released on April 6, 2010 to generally positive reviews.
In their debut music video for "Don't Exist," a child sits next to a picture frame displaying home-made video clips of adolescence. These clips are real videos of the band as children and are central to the message of the song.
Break-up and Future (2011-Present)
According to an interview with PunkWorldViews.com, PMtoday were already writing new material on the road and would expect to be able to record another album in 2012, and stated that it was going to be different than what they did in the past.However, at the the time there were rumors circulating on the internet that they were going to break up. This rumor spread when they took pictures on their tour van and put them on their Facebook page and announced that they were selling it. Eventually, PMtoday confirmed the rumor by posting a brief statement saying,"To clarify the rumors people are making up. this band is done and is never coming back." What the members are doing now is unknown at the moment. According to friends and family, the remaining three brothers have put their interests into new genres of music, including jazz.Musical style and critical reception
PMtoday is frequently recognized for their combination of progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
. Thomas Nassiff of AbsolutePunk said that PMtoday "are at their best when they're switching up their sound, going from blistering guitar work to gently woven melodies." He also compared them to Circa Survive
Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
, Brand New
Brand New
Brand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
, and also classified them as indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
. Adam Thomas of Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
said that In Medias Res would "likely end up being one of the best post-hardcore albums to come out in 2010."
Their second album, In Medias Res, was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Indie Vision Music, who gave the album a positive review, said that "perseverance is not the word that immediately comes to mind when [he] think[s] of most bands; however, when thinking of pmtoday it certainly fits" and said that when he "think[s] of Rise [Records
Rise Records
-History:Rise was founded in 1991 by Craig Ericson in Roseburg, Oregon. He released a small number of 7" records before putting the label on hiatus to attend college. Ericson didn't release anything further until 1999, after moving to Portland, Oregon. He began issuing small-print 7" records, and...
] [he] think[s] of post-hardcore, but [In Medias Res] throws that thinking out the window." They closed the review saying that the "album is a solid Rise debut release and is a must buy for any progressive indie rock fan."
Phil Freeman, a writer for Alternative Press, gave the album a positive review compared PMtoday to the "earliest Mars Volta recordings, before Omar Rodríguez-López
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico...
decided every flubbed note he recorded deserved its own solo album" due to their "funk rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...
riffing and blistering tempos." He closed the review with:
Chris Marshman, a writer for webzine Alter the Press!, gave the album a positive review, stating that the album the album starts with a "somewhat dampening opener", referring to "Thoughts In Transit", and comments that a listener "could be forgiven for thinking that [they]’re not in for a very enjoyable listen. Take that stance and [they]’re wrong, because what In Medias Res is, is an album full of twists and turns that any attempt to guess what might be coming up will almost certainly be wrong." He closed the review with
Joshua Khan of Ultimate Guitar Archive
Ultimate Guitar Archive
Ultimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
also gave the album a positive review, stating that "guitarists Connor and Cuin Brogan shred their way across the disc's ten tracks, transforming indie rock melodies into post-hardcore breakdowns with a hint of pop. The combination seems unrealistic and fake, but the outcome is almost breathtaking. Numerous bands have swayed from progressive rock set in stone by bands such as Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York. Formed in 1995, the group incorporates aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore....
, and PMtoday rejuvenate it without undertones that are incredibly dark." He also made a note of the track "Don't Exist", stating that it "starts like an indie pop track and turns into a constant battle of melodic riffs. Such unexpected turns are littered throughout the record, along with intense jam sessions reminiscent of [Mars Volta], leaving listeners hanging on to every moment the band conjures a breakdown." He closed the review with:
Band members
Current members- Connor Brogan - lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s (since 2003) - Cuinn Brogan - guitars, vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(since 2008) - Ryan Brogan - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals (since 2003) - Jerrod Morgan - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals (since 2008)
Former members
- Nick Hargett - bass guitar (2003–2008)
- Kevin Middleton - lead guitar (2005–2008)
- Justin Coulter - lead guitar (2003–2005)
Studio albums
- ...And Then the Hurricane (Self-released, 2007)
- In Medias ResIn Medias Res (PMtoday album)In Medias Res is the second full-length album by progressive rock band PMtoday. The album was released on April 6, 2010. The album's name is Latin, which translates in English to "in the middle of Things". It is a reference to the literary technique in which a story begins in mid-action...
(Rise RecordsRise Records-History:Rise was founded in 1991 by Craig Ericson in Roseburg, Oregon. He released a small number of 7" records before putting the label on hiatus to attend college. Ericson didn't release anything further until 1999, after moving to Portland, Oregon. He began issuing small-print 7" records, and...
, 2010)