NORTHBOUND'S UPCOMING ALBUM JUNIPER ARRIVES JULY 12 VIA SMARTPUNK RECORDS

Pre-order the album here

Ahead of the album release, Northbound have released a new single "North Star" — listen below.

Here's a challenge — try to listen to "North Star" without singing along by the end.

The latest anthemic single by Northbound encapsulates the classic pop-punk energy of his upcoming LP release. After touring worldwide with acts including Simple Plan, State Champs, and more, Jonathon Fraser (the man behind the moniker) is poised to share his most realized iteration of the project onJuniper, which is set to release on July 12.

Speaking about the new single "North Star," Northbound says, "North Star is classic Northbound, with a newfound self awareness that has come with maturing as a writer. We had a lot of fun working on this one in the studio. Heavy influence from the Take Off Your Pants and Jacket-era by Blink 182 lends this song to have a perfect blend of bounce and emotive tone. If you've liked my previous work, this song is for you. Roll down the windows and sing along."

Speaking on the album, Northbound says, "Juniper is my fourth album under the moniker of Northbound. After a few years of laying low and flying under the radar, this album is a bold statement of return. My most focused record to date, Junipertakes heavy influence from the early 2000s era of pop punk with a clear intention: to feel nostalgia for the moment you're currently in. It's fun to listen to, yet simultaneously invites the listener to feel things. It's a record about change, pain, and joy. Juniper doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but it does spin it in a way that hasn't happened for a while."

ABOUT NORTHBOUND:
"Some flowers never get to bloom," a sentiment that has become all too familiar to Jonathon Fraser. For better or worse, this has fueled Northbound, the emo-tinged rock outfit born out of Boca Raton, Florida. Since 2012, Northbound has established a committed following through several releases and an extensive touring history in the U.S. and overseas. Their resume includes hitting the road with the likes of Simple Plan, State Champs, and many more of the scene's most respected bands. Whether it's at a house show or the 02 Forum in London, Northbound has proven capable of encapsulating nostalgia from the turn of the millennium with none of the cliches typically involved.

Throughout Northbound's tenure, Fraser has maintained a presence in his songs that feels like an open door to his lived experiences — all bark, all bite. In early 2023, Fraser dug up his lifelong Florida roots and transplanted them to Los Angeles — with something new to prove.

Juniper sees the project rising to new heights — with the strongest material in Northbound's discography. The themes of the album are on full display — the mental weight that self-awareness can bring, the search for yourself in a world that often doesn't care, and waiting for love that still hasn't arrived. Fraser has no interest in feigning authenticity and refuses to hold back on Juniper.

Northbound may be the alternative scene's best-kept secret, but those who are paying attention never stop listening. Juniper and a fresh start in Los Angeles mark the beginning of a monumental shift for the trajectory of Northbound.

ABOUT SMARTPUNK RECORDS:
Smartpunk has been a recognizable name in the scene for a long time (Remember that sponsored Warped Tour stage?!). After exchanging several hands and countless ideas of what it could and should be, they decided to start a record label in 2016 with the main idea of focusing solely on reissuing records that have been out of print or never on vinyl. After all, they're a label of vinyl dorks themselves! After releasing Set Your Goals' Mutiny and Gameface's Good, they started to venture into signing newer bands. They actively balance in between many worlds — putting out amazing music from friends and bands that rock, reissuing older titles, and partnering with other incredible labels in our scene and doing exclusive color variants of their releases.

"Since forming the record label, Smartpunk Records has released timeless albums such as Less Than Jake's Anthem, Nominee's Lowlife, RIVALS' Sad Looks Pretty on Me, Virginity's POPMORTEM, and melodic skate punkers The Swellers' My Everest.