Roe Knows Best is the brainchild of singer-songwriter, Roe O’Brien, indelibly New Jersey in sound, style, and attitude.

As a child, Young Roe was a music lesson warrior spending many nights and weekends learning Suzuki piano, music theory, and singing in choirs that took her around the world. As she grew older she became obsessed with Good Charlotte’s self-titled album and Green Day's 'American Idiot'. Catapulted into effervescent pop-punk dreams, Roe took a deep interest in songwriting, teaching herself guitar at age 14.

In May of 2020, Roe released the 'Muscle Memory' EP, described as “pop-punk excellence” by Mad Indie Media. Her next follow-up culminated in the 'Northbound' EP in July of 2022, recorded and mixed by Ace Enders (The Early November, I Can Make A Mess). The title track of 'Northbound' gained the praise of music blog, ‘Look At My Records', also describing Roe’s overall catalog to be a collection of “truly heartfelt, catchy tunes”, all with an unmistakable New Jersey feel. In June of 2025 she released 'Weekend at Mauchie’s…Vol. 1', a collaborative EP co-written & recorded with fellow friend & Essex County, NJ native, Max Rauch (a.k.a. MAUCH), which demonstrates itself to be a genre-bending smorgasbord, coincidentally Spielberg-esque in subject matter (Ghosts, Aliens, Sharks, etc).

Roe has been called, “the quintessential songwriters’ songwriter, known for her sharp, clever, break-your-heart lyrics and a voice equally strong at delivering matter-of-fact truths or soaring into dreamland” by NJ’s Jack Silbert. Her debut full-length album, 'Now Arriving…at Secaucus Junction', is currently out on all digital streaming platforms.

Speed the Plough is a New Jersey-based band that has been playing since 1984. Founded by John and Toni Baumgartner and Marc Francia, the band has had numerous line-ups over the years, including former members Rich Barnes and Chris O’Donovan (of Wild Carnation), Stanley Demeski and Brenda Sauter (of The Feelies), writer Jim DeRogatis, John Neilson (Wharton Tiers), and veteran DJ Frank O’Toole. Speed the Plough rose out of the ashes of The Trypes, a band formed in 1982 by John, Toni, Marc and Elbrus Kelemet, and later joined by Feelies Glenn Mercer, Bill Million, Dave Weckerman, Stan Demeski and Brenda Sauter.  

STP released four full-length albums on the East Side Digital label: Speed The Plough (1989), Wonder Wheel (1991), Mason’s Box (1993) and Marina (1995). In addition, they released a limited edition single on the French label Acetone and had songs featured in two independent films: Strangest Deams (1990) and Paradise Park (1993).  

After a long hiatus, STP was re-launched in the Summer of 2009 with John and Toni’s son Mike on guitar and Marc’s sons Ian and Dan on drums and bass, respectively. They recorded Swerve, the band’s first album in 15 years, which was self-released in May 2010. Later that year, they recorded three new songs, dubbed The Summer Sessions, which were released in September.  

2011 continued to bring exciting developments. First, Ed Seifert joined the band, bringing his distinctive guitar-picking and vocal talents. And in August, STP released their sixth full-length album, Shine, on Dromedary Records.

2012 saw the April release of a retrospective of The Trypes short career, Music For Neighbors, on Acute Records. The reception to the music was more than could have been expected, with raves from nearly all quarters, including Pitchfork, Dusted, Other Music, and Prefix.

The highly-regarded indie label Bar-None Records released the Speed the Plough compilation, The Plough and the Stars in September 2013. It features a CD that includes 17 songs from our first four (out-of-print) albums on East Side Digital, tucked in a 12" package featuring a bonus split LP, with six brand new songs in a collection we call Tag Sale on one side and five live tracks from our 1993 appearance on WFMU’s Live Music Faucet on the flip. 

Another development early in 2013 saw the departure of Dan and Ian to pursue their own musical projects. So the band recruited Cindi Merklee on bass and vocals, and John Demeski, filling the drum seat once occupied by his father Stanley two decades before.

The band’s eighth album – Now – was released by Steve Fallon’s Coyote Records in January of 2016, marking the return of that legendary label after more than two decades.

…And Then, was recorded in 2017 by John, Toni, Mike and Ed, joined by former bassist Dan Francia and drummer Ken Meyer (Life in a Blender, The Thousand Pities) at Mix-o-lydian Studios and at the band’s home studio, Ruff Tracks. It represents a return to the band’s more stripped-down origins…sparse, a little psychedelic, heartfelt. And, in a departure, two covers – Eno and Bartok. Trying to keep good company.

The release also includes two bonus tracks by the original members of The Trypes – John, Toni, Marc, Glenn Mercer, Brenda Sauter, and Elbrus Kelemet – revisiting songs from the band’s beginnings.

Hailed as “captivating” by Ben Brantley of the New York Times, ALLISON STRONG is an award-winning singer, songwriter and actor. Her sophomore release Brontë, a six-song EP featuring her ethereal vocals and thoughtful lyrics, was released in June 2023. She most recently sold out NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall and opened for Grammy & Latin Grammy winning pop duo Jesse & Joy at the Palladium. Strong is best known for her starring role opposite Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the Netflix comedy THE WEEK OF, the Emmy-winning series THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL and Broadway’s BYE BYE BIRDIE and MAMMA MIA! Her music and story were featured in Diego Luna’s documentary series BACK HOME, filmed in her family’s native Colombia.

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