Maxwell Stern

Maxwell Stern is a singer and songwriter living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His musical career began and blossomed in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio at the tail end of the 00’s with his band Signals Midwest. As Signals grew to become one of the tentpoles of Cleveland’s independent music community, Stern's songwriting prowess grew and his world-traveling continued, with various iterations and projects eventually reaching the UK, Europe, Australia, China, and Japan.

Max’s new 12-song LP, In the Good Light, was released on Lauren Records (the early home of indie-punk stalwarts AJJ, Joyce Manor, Algernon Cadwallader) on August 9, 2024, and features contributions from members of Ratboys, Magnolia Electric Co., Sincere Engineer, Into It. Over It, and Slaughter Beach, Dog. The twelve tracks comprise a collection of thoughtfully crafted, pop-oriented songwriting filtered through a DIY punk ethos.

In the Good Light finds Maxwell Stern embracing love, tenderness, and authenticity. You can feel it in the performances and collaborations. You can hear it in Max’s voice, in the scenes he captures and the moments he memorializes in his songs. The title track speaks to that authenticity:

"I wanna see you in the good light, further out where your hope and home can collide
So sing it out into the steep night, I wanna see you in the good light."