Nick Kizirnis is a Dayton, OH-based singer/songwriter and guitarist, who has spent the past two-plus decades writing genre-twisting and genre-defying material on over ten solo albums, while also collaborating and playing in bands like The Mulchmen, Tobin Sprout’s Eyesinweasel, Cage and others with a collection of up-and-coming local musicians. 

Over the past decade or so, the Dayton-based artist has been primarily focused on guitar-driven compositions, but his last solo album The Distance saw Kizirnis returning to writing lyrics and arrangements while also simultaneously being a step forward stylistically. As Kizirnis explains, he had a desire to push himself beyond anything he had previously done. “I wanted it to be new and different from what people had heard from me,” the Dayton-based artist said.

Kizirnis’ forthcoming album Every Moment sees the Dayton-based artist collaborating with an All-Star cast including The Breeders‘ and Guided by Voices‘ Jim Macpherson, Foxy Shazam‘s and Lung‘s Daisy Caplan, Tod Weidner and Kate Wakefield and guest spots from Trashcan Sinatras‘ Paul Livingston and Guided by Voices’ Tobin Sprout. Sonically, the album’s material reportedly builds on a range of influences including Link Wray, The National, Guided by Voices, Neko Case and others paired with Kizirnis’ probing lyrics and textured, guitar atmospherics throughout. 

Earlier this year, I wrote about album title track “Every Moment,” an anthemic track that recalls Starfish-era The Church and Reckless-era Bryan Adams-like rock featuring some big fuzz and distorted pedaled guitar riffs, a driving rhythm section, big, incredibly catchy hooks and choruses paired with Kizirnis’ easy-going yet earnest croon. 

Recorded remotely during the depths of COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdowns and restrictions and later finalized in-person with Macpherson, Caplan, Wakefield, Weidner and Kyleen Downes, “Every Moment” as Kizrnis explains is about staying present during impending existential crises and the brink of collapse.

“Through the Motions,” Every Moment‘s third and latest single, continues a run of 120 Minutes-era MTV alt rockers, anchored around big fuzzy riffs, rousingly anthemic hooks and choruses paired with Kizrinis’ yearning yet easy-going croon. And much like its immediate predecessor, the song is deeply inspired and informed by the strangeness of our lives during the pandemic.

“Through the Motions” is about wanting to experience real wonder and possibility again during a time we were all living in isolation and watching both the mundane and unbelievable take place every day, while we just did our best to exist,” Kizirnis explains. “It’s also a song about finding love in the middle of it and the hope that it might lead to a way out.”