Alternative/Rock
Mark Bryan & The Screaming Trojans – “Carry On” [Song Review]
On “Carry On,” Mark Bryan & The Screaming Trojans embrace softer, wistful tones of alt-rock, delivering a tender elegy.
Mark Bryan & The Screaming Trojans, the latest project of the 2x GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and co-founding lead guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish, release their new single, “Carry On,” a tribute to guitarist Kevin Heister.
According to Bryan, “Lip started that song about losing Kevin. I was able to help him make a couple turns of phrase and musical twists here and there. It’s Scott and I sharing lead vocals, and then there’s a nice big stack of me and Scott and Lip and Michael all singing ‘We will carry on’ in four-part harmony.”
Mark Bryan & the Screaming Trojans will play a headline show at The Starboard in Dewey Beach, Delaware, on September 24. The concert is one day before Hootie & the Blowfish headline the Oceans Calling Festival in Ocean City, Maryland. It also follows Bryan and Steve “Lip” Lipton’s August 30 performance of “Boom” at The Windjammer in Isle of Palms, South Carolina.
The band’s close bond goes back many years. Before Bryan helped form Hootie & the Blowfish, he played with Lipton on bass, Ricky Slezak on drums, and Scott Tucker and Kevin Heister on guitar and vocals. That long friendship gives “Carry On” much of its feeling.
Mark Bryan & The Screaming, photo courtesy of Stone Point Records
The name Screaming Trojans blends the mascots of two rival Montgomery County high schools attended by Bryan and his rhythm section: the Seneca Valley Screaming Eagles in Germantown, Maryland, and the Gaithersburg Trojans in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
“Carry On” opens on a drum fill and then rolls into creamy layers of guitars, revealing profound emotions. Almost gospel-like vocals and harmonies give the lyrics touching poignancy. On the outro, a beautifully luscious four-part harmony imbues the tune with exquisitely layered textures. A finessed, heartrending guitar solo adds to the song’s nostalgic feel.
On “Carry On,” Mark Bryan & The Screaming Trojans embrace softer, wistful tones of alt-rock, delivering a tender elegy.
Run Time: 3:12
Release Date: September 25, 2026
Record Label: Stone Point Records/Vere Music
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