Graduation Speech “Arcane Feelings” Protagonist

As musicians change, so does their music. It’s an unavoidable truth that some fans hold against their favorite artists, but an artist’s evolution also yields some of their most powerful music. Case in point: New Jersey’s Graduation Speech was conceived when Kevin Day sought a quieter creative outlet separate from his band Aspiga. Though the intimate acoustic project differed dramatically from Aspiga’s brand of blown-speaker pop-punk, it opened new doors for Day as a songwriter. Now, after six years of releases, Graduation Speech is ready with Arcane Feelings, an EP that noticeably features six full-band songs, building on 2021’s Maintenance Required. On that EP, Day called on friends to add guitars, drums, keys, and percussion, showing what Graduation Speech could look like with more rhythm and layers. Where previous Graduation Speech releases were quiet, personal — perfect for an acoustic house show living room — the songs on Arcane Feelings are written for a small stage in the back of a bar, the crowd knocking shoulders, nodding to the beat as they nurse their beers. That’s in no small part due to the addition of Billy Bollinger, Brandon Iacometta (both of Crucial Dudes), and Pat Pie rounding out this new lineup. It’s different from what fans might initially expect, whether in the quieter moments which now seem to pack more weight, or in the resounding guitars and choirs of vocals, but the added instrumentation and layers transform these songs into something powerful in an entirely new way.

Track Listing:
01. No Confidence
02. Henry
03. 09-12-20
04. Break The Curse
05. Get Lost
06. Follow