Mt. Joy is one of those bands that hit me hard the first time I heard them. Their music is just so emotional and powerful.

The band was formed when two Philadelphia boys who went to high school together, singer Matt Quinn, and guitarist Sam Cooper reunited in Los Angeles. They recorded the single “Astrovan” and their popularity grew.

They added bassist Michael Byrnes, drummer Sotiris Eliopoulos, and Jackie Miclau on keys to complete the band.

They released singles “Sheep” and “Silver Lining” as they prepared for their first album, Mt. Joy. It’s a great piece of work that I’d recommend giving a listen to. In addition to the singles, “Mt. Joy,” “Bigfoot,” and “Dirty Love” are also great songs. “Silver Lining” reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative Charts.

Their second album, Rearrange Us was released in 2020. It was right in the thick of it too. A few weeks before its release, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. This tragedy and the Black Lives Matter movement that followed inspired Mt. Joy to donate 100% of album profits in the first week to Campaign Zero. It’s a charity focused on ending police brutality.

Rearrange Us featured the singles “Rearrange Us,” “Every Holiday,” “Strangers,” and “Let Loose.” Though I prefer their first album, this is still a good follow-up. It’s a bit slower and just not my style. A live album was released in 2021, called Live at Red Rocks.

I think they got back on track with their 2022 album Orange Blood. Once again, it has a different tone from their previous efforts. It’s groovier in parts but still feels like Mt. Joy. You can feel that they’ve perfected their sound now. The four singles are all fantastic songs that I enjoy a lot. “Lemon Tree,” “Orange Blood,” “Evergreen,” and “Bathroom Light” are all worth a listen. “Phenomenal” is another song that is, well, phenomenal.

Mt. Joy is one of many great indie bands that are played here on Evolution. Just one of the bands that separate us from your typical radio station.

Mt. Joy last performed in Vancouver at PNE Amphitheatre last Summer, and now we’re waiting patiently for them to return. Hopefully, they release some new music soon as they’re currently writing their fourth album.

They’ve already left their mark on the indie rock scene, and I see them being a staple of the genre for a long time. Give them a listen!