Free Throw - Bear Your Mind (2017)

Nashville emo-punk outfit Free Throw established themselves in 2012 and quickly become a fixture of the D.I.Y. circuit of basement and house shows. Early EPs Free Throw and Lavender Town revealed a band with a strong melodic sense and a gritty catharsis that eventually earned them a spot on Count Your Lucky Stars' label roster. The five-piece lineup of Cory Castro (vocals, guitar), Jake Hughes (guitar, vocals), Lawrence Warner (guitar), Justin Castro (bass), and Zach Hall (drums) made their label debut with These Days Are Gone, the band's first LP. The album saw them break into the national touring scene, as they racked up shows with Sorority Noise, Tiny Moving Parts, and other like-minded bands. With Kevin Garcia replacing Hall on drums, they entered the studio with producer Brett Romnes (I Am the Avalanche, Sorority Noise) and recorded their follow-up LP. Released in May 2017, Bear Your Mind was Free Throw's first release for New York label Triple Crown Records. ~ Timothy Monger.