5 Pittsburgh bands to watch in 2019

If your New Year’s resolution this year is to listen to more music or see more shows, we’ve got you covered.

Here are five Pittsburgh-based bands you may want to keep your eyes on in 2019. They already have promising catalogs, and we’re hoping for more in the coming months.

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BjORDAN

For his latest musical outing, Braden Faisant stepped away from the usual garage-rock style of his previous band Shaky Shrines to create an imaginative solo release. Unlike his other musical endeavor — which featured loads of fuzzy guitar — BjORDAN is mesmerizing pop music that you can dance to. Performing frequently throughout Pittsburgh, Faisant hasn’t released any new material since 2017’s “PETTY HIT MACHINE,” but we’re hopeful that we’ll hear more from the artist, and soon.

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Jack Swing

Jack Swing started 2019 in a big way and released a brand new video for the single “Monkey Around.” It’s the latest release in an already stacked catalog of the band’s self-appointed “rock and roll of the most righteous caliber.” The group — led by Isaiah Ross — more than earns that title too, creating fiery, impassioned music that effortlessly incorporates both past and present musical inspirations. Lucky for us, it doesn’t appear that the band intends on slowing down either. Ross has revealed that more music is coming this year.

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Jiant Eagle

The act made their debut in 2018, releasing a self-titled EP filled with quick hits of sweet and sunny surf rock. Jiant Eagle — which includes musicians Carrie Battle, Brian Spekis, Nate Campisi, and Rick Fontanese — closed out their 2018 with a performance in September, but we’re crossing our fingers that the band might make a return just in time to soundtrack every summer playlists.

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Sad Girls Aquatic Club

The newly-formed Sad Girls Aquatic Club — which features members Chelsea Rumbaugh and Marie Mashyna — just released their first EP, but we’re already eager to hear more. Aside from having one incredible band name, Sad Girls Aquatic Club makes equally impressive music, creating dreamy indie pop that’s impossibly endearing. With the band’s most recent release officially behind them, we’re hoping that the new year might include some more tunes and a possible live performance debut.

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Short Fictions

Since 2015, Short Fictions has rewarded fans of their “really tight math-pop” with a steady stream of new releases. Closing out 2018 with two massive new singles, the band hasn’t disclosed whether 2019 will include any of the same unforgettable music. However, with the group playing frequently throughout the city, you’ll definitely want to make it a point to seek out the uniquely individual musical magic of Short Fictions for yourself.

Lauren Rearick is a freelancer writer.