Louisville, Kentucky’s Bendigo Fletcher has built a career around weaving intimate stories with timeless harmonies and blending timeless influences with indie flair. The band’s new album, Two Things at Once, demonstrates the band’s intimate charm throughout it’s 11 tracks. Lead singer Ryan Anderson discusses working with Ken Coomer and Tchad Blake on the album, the state of the Louisville music scene, and the classic TV series that inspired the song “Ought Not.”

“We hope we can create music that is not necessarily afraid to hide who we are inspired by but also be our own thing. I’d hate to be perceived as a carbon copy, but at the same time I want to make music I would want to listen to.” – Gina Negrini

Their Big New Days: Jack Steadman and Ed Nash of Bombay Bicycle Club on their latest travels and their triumphant return.

Montreal’s psych-rock veterans Elephant Stone are back with their sixth album, Back Into the Dream. This time, they weave their signature cosmic sounds with catchy pop hooks and jazzy flourishes. Lead singer Rishi Dhir discusses the album’s creation in his home studio, the inspiration behind the title (a tribute to a music journalist), and Elephant Stone’s place in the musical landscape.

Eurythmics mastermind Dave Stewart returns with a new tour featuring that band’s beloved songs, as well as a new rock opera and film

San Fermin gets personal on their new album, Arms. Songwriter and composer Ellis Ludwig-Leone utilizes the band’s dynamic vocalists, Allen Tate and Claire Wellin, to craft a shifting narrative rich with raw emotion. While the orchestration is scaled back, Arms is far from simple, channeling Ludwig-Leone’s post-breakup experiences into a potent and theatrical listen.

With a sound that blends dreamlike shoegaze textures with relatable lyrics about the ups and downs of living in your early 20s, Ireland’s NewDad has already achieved career highlights that most bands will never get to experience – from recording at a world-famous studio to signing a major label deal to playing a string of sold-out headline dates. Singer/guitarist Julie Dawson discusses the band’s rapid accension, what’s still on the checklist, the influences that shaped NewDad’s sound and the strategy of releasing singles to build excitement.

While Devon Ross is primarily recognized for her achievements in modeling and acting, her roots lie in music as her father has been Lenny Kravitz’s guitarist since the early ’90s. On her debut EP, released on Thurston Moore’s label, Ross skillfully captures the essence of cool, underground indie rock from previous eras, delivering a refreshingly exciting sound.

Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen discusses the legendary industrial band’s new album, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES – and why he’ll soon wind down the group for good

With a number of projects under his belt, Real Estate co-founder and bassist Alex Bleeker offers up some recommendations from the list of things he’s worked on that people should check out as they prepare to listen to the new Real Estate album, Daniel.

Danielle Durack gracefully traverses a range of emotions, bravely tackling difficult truths on her fourth album, Escape Artist. Exploring themes of love, loss, and significant life changes, Escape Artist offers Durack a stage for deep introspection into her personal journey and the beginning of resolution.

One of the best-sounding debut albums I’ve heard, Friko’s Where we’ve been, Where we go from here showcases the young Chicago trio’s versatile sound which will undoubtedly remind listeners of stuff they’ve heard without ever sounding like an imitation of any of those artists. Niko Kapetan and Bailey Minzenberger share where they’ve been in terms of how they met and developed the Friko sound as well as where they go from here, which includes touring to support their jaw-dropping debut.

Rooted in folk and Americana traditions, Tyler Ramsey’s introspective style of songwriting provides warmth and intimacy on his latest album, the Phil Ek*-produced New Lost Ages. As humble and gentle in person as he is on record, Ramsey discusses the new album, the world he hopes to leave behind for his kids, and how *Neal Casal’s passing inspired the song “Flare”.

Riff-driven power pop outfit Vegas DeMilo have announced the release of Black Sheep Lodge, their shimmering 4th album which one writer described as “The Replacements fronted by Liam Gallagher.” It’s an apt comparison as the expertly produced collection displays its 90s grit while also exhibiting the songwriting finesse of Paul Westerberg and Jeff Tweedy clamoring against the dramatic tension of Oasis anthems.

Shiny and shimmering jangle pop helps offset the darker subject matter of Ducks Ltd.’s sophomore album, Harm’s Way. Singer/guitarist Tom McGreevy discusses what led to recording in Chicago, how his R.E.M. knowledge didn’t run deep at the start of the band’s career, and how Archers of Loaf provided valuable touring lessons.

A member of the influential ’80s new wave punk band Pylon returns, paying homage to the band she lead decades ago with the help of fellow Athens, Georgia musicians from bands like Supercluster and Casper & The Cookies. But, make no mistake, while Pylon Reenactment Society does pay homage to Pylon, singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay is ready to explore new and fresh sounds. Hay and guitarist Jason NeSmith share stories about Athens, discuss the influence Pylon has had, and recall a funny story about meeting Sleater-Kinney.

With an ever evolving sound, the latest release by TORRES, What an enormous room on Merge Records find singer Mackenzie Scott addressing often dark and complex thoughts and feelings with music grounded in fantasy and experimentation. Scott discusses where this album fits in among their past efforts, talks about the importance of physical and mental fitness, and dives into some of the lyrics.

Delving fearlessly into themes of mental health and sexuality, Sprints debut album, and first notable album of the year, Letter to Self, serves as a raw and unapologetic exploration of singer Karla Chubb’s difficult life. Bassist Sam McCann and drummer Jack Callan discuss the album’s release, Chubb’s honest songwriting, connecting with fans, and the feeling of playing their first sold-out show.

Teaming up with friends, and musicians who had backed him during his solo career, Kane Strang’s passion was reignited with the formation of the indie guitar-rock trio Office Dog. Free from expectations, the New Zealand-based band provides the energy that Strang was missing as a solo artist and caught the attention of two highly-respected indie labels who are now sharing Office Dog’s music with the world.

The UK’s Folly Group enters 2024 on a strong note with the release of their post-punk debut, Down There!. While the band’s music is anxious, paranoid, and even angry at times, the guys in the band are the complete opposite. In this conversation, they discuss their common love of Gorillaz, where the confidence comes from, the realities of touring, and the band names they’d use if they started a hardcore band.

UK-based Karamelien is Léanie Kaleido and Mark Foster. After a string of singles, the indie pop duo has released their debut album. It celebrates the rewarding path of learning to live with mental health challenges, accepting them, and feeling the freedom of just ‘going with the flow.

This 9-track offering was co-produced by Ride’s Mark Gardener, Ian Caple (Massive Attack, Tricky, Mansun, Tindersticks, Vanessa Paradis) and Chris Mars (A Flock of Seagulls, Damian Wilson). This album also features bassist Lee Pomeroy (ELO, Rick Wakeman, Yes), Morris ‘Mo’ Pleasure (Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles), and Léanie’s father *Top Topham*(*The Yardbirds8), who recently passed away. Let’s get into it.

Revolving around Essex-raised guitarist and songwriter Yinka Oyewole, who is of Nigerian lineage, London alternative-psychedelic rock trio Sabatta has had a busy year with loads of attention for their new 12-track album_How To Get Even_. With support from Clash Magazine, AfroPunk and The Big Takeover, they most recently featured in Rolling Stone France. With their stock riding high, I sat down with Yinka to find out more.

Few artists can juggle their involvement in multiple interesting projects at once and pull it off like a seasoned pro. Erik Kase Romero is a perfect example of such an artist. He splits his time between being an active member of The Front Bottoms, his production/engineering work, where he pours much of his creative juices into his efforts to help up-and-coming bands shine to their fullest on record, putting out music under his own name, and you know, having an actual life outside of music, too.

Philadelphia’s Tulipomania is Cheryl Gelover and Tom Murray, who first met through experimental film and animation classes, so it comes as no surprise that their music and animations should explore outrage, powerlessness – and the sorrow that emerges from those states of mind. The duo has released their fifth album Dreaming of Sleep and a remix of the single “You Had to Be There” by UK music icon Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, The Human League) & Charles Stooke.

Marika Hackman opens up about the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her music creation process, providing a glimpse into the challenges and revelations she faced during these unprecedented times. Marika shares the highs, lows, and unexpected inspirations that shaped her latest album, Big Sigh and discusses her introspective lyrics, the thematic choices in her music videos, and the evolving philosophy behind her pursuit of artistic growth.

Rome Ramirez discusses his reasons for leaving Sublime with Rome and what he’s got planned for his future. He also talks about how Sublime with Rome’s music isn’t that far removed from the jam band scene, his move to Nashville, when being on the road turns into a job, and what dream he still has for his career.

Stewart Copeland opens up about the influx of Police-related projects in 2023 — including two albums and a book — which he sees as an opportunity to create space for pursuing his other passions in the upcoming year. In this interview with the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer, Copeland delves into his deep affection for composing orchestral pieces, shares the emotions evoked when encountering The Police’s music unexpectedly, and discloses his keen interest in keeping tabs on the current endeavors of both Sting and Andy Summers.

Jack Osborn is an indie-pop virtuoso whose music is a kaleidoscope of smart lyricism and infectious melodies. Crafting witty tunes with irresistible hooks, Sad Songs in C Major, the full-length debut by JACK, is like Vampire Weekend without the Ivy League degree. In this conversation, Osborn discusses the advantages of living in Nebraska, why he create massive amounts of social media content, and the decision behind recording some unexpected covers.

“It’s honestly weird to realize that I’m now an “oldies” act, and the music is getting discovered by a new generation.” – Sam Rosenthal

After co-writing hundreds of songs for other artists, Vinnie Paolizzi has finally released his own full-length album that he says is neither a country nor a folk record but, rather, a Vinnie record. In this conversation, Paolizzi discusses his influences, the draw of Nashville, his admiration of Chris Cornell and more.

“Having our family support our musical endeavors is very, very important to us and we try not to take it for granted because I know a lot of times parents can view music as a waste of time. Especially when music takes up as much time as it does for us. They love a lot of the same music that we do though so maybe that has something to do with it!” – Evan Seurkamp

Growing up a fan of Neil Young and The Black Crowes, Mitch Rowland’s musical career was diverted when he joined Harry Styles band as both a co-writer and touring guitarist. Inspired by the downtime the pandemic offered, Rowland wrote and recorded his debut solo album, Come June, which is a minimalistic, ’70s-inspired singer/songwriter collection of Americana-flavored songs. Rowland discusses those songs and more in this conversation.

Best known as TV’s Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother), Josh Radnor was a latecomer to the songwriting game. But, a chance meeting with singer/songwriter Ben Lee opened new doors for the actor who’s gift for telling stories through song shines brightly on his debut album, Eulogy: Volume 1.

Recording under the name Our Man in the Field, UK actor-turned-musician Alex Ellis is able to tell stories as an observer rather than delivering a first-person narrative although the songwriter admits many of the songs on his sophomore release, Gold on the Horizon, are, in fact, based on his personal experiences.

The Dwarves Then and Now…

As San Francisco’s Octavian Winters gear up to release their new album The Line or The Curve’, I spoke to Randy Gzebb (drums), Ria Aursjoen (vocals, keyboards), and Stephan Salit (guitar) about past, present and future plans.

Atlanta indie pop duo I Am a Rocketship has released their new La Cruella album, their sixth major release, comprised of ten tracks that explore uncertainty, fear, and dreams. I Am a Rocketship is made up of American artist Eric Weissinger and Swedish artist L E Kippner.

NYC artist Guitarmy of One (aka guitarist Scott Helland, has released his adventurous crowdfunded album The Wave Files mixing dark, ominous guitar riffing with surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb-drenched melodies. His first band Deep Wound, was formed with alt-rock trailblazers J Mascis and Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr). He later played with Outpatients, School of Violence and Darkside NYC before forming the post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk in 2005.

Malena Cadiz is a lady of the canyon, waylaid at a suburban strip mall, acutely aware of how romance shines through even in the moments of grit and desolation. There’s something Didion-esque about Cadiz’s storytelling as she crafts deeply personal vignettes that reveal greater narratives about the world we live in. A captivating songwriter with an unmistakable voice.

New Jersey band CR and The Nones have released their new album The Ghosts Are Coming Home via Montclair-based Magic Door Record Label. The band is led by Chris Gennone, who came of age playing in various projects in suburban New Jersey, including his former band, CR and The Degenerates.

With their first album of original material in a decade, The Polyphonic Spree returns with Salvage Enterprise, an album meant to take listeners back to the old way of listening to music – finding the right environment to play the album from start to finish and let the music wash over you. Tim DeLaughter shares why this album is so important to him and how it’s origins came as a way to battle depression.

A conversation with artist and musician Brian Walsby about his background in ’80s fanzine culture, how music fuels his art, and his recent series of power pop drawings.

Dylan LeBlanc’s journey through life, from the gritty streets of Shreveport, Louisiana to the creative haven of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, has been a defining influence on his music. With a passionate commitment to storytelling through his songs, he has crafted a series of critically-acclaimed albums, including his latest work, Coyote, which represents a culmination of his artistic evolution.

Coming out of the gate fast and furious, modern classic rock torchbearers Dirty Honey have returned with their aptly-titled sophomore album, Can’t Find the Brakes. With a new drummer in tow, Dirty Honey’s stretching their songwriting skills to include some mid-tempo ballads though the rockers still soar with arena-ready vocals and guitar hero riffs. Guitarist John Notto and drummer Jaydon Bean discuss the making of the album, recording in Australia, and what a dream stadium tour lineup would look like.

With an illustrious five-decade, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career as one half of the Hall and Oates duo coming to an end, John Oates discusses how writing and recording his own material has made music fun again. Oates has a handful of sold-out tour dates to end the year and he shares what fans should expect from these shows, from how he’ll tell stories behind the songs to what might be on the setlist.

Joshua Deitner (composer/multi-instrumentalist) is the voice and producer behind Ditner, an experimental/indie recording project based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Figures arrives October 27, 2023 featuring traditional drum set and percussion, monophonic synthesizer and layered guitars underneath the most adventurous lyrical and vocal work to date.

Artifacts is a memorable collection of Americana songs conceived in rural parts of West Virginia by a songwriter who has city smarts. Sarah Rudy discusses the making of Hello June’s sophomore album, the reason she covered John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, and the artists she finds comfort in including some heavier stuff that might surprise you.

Former Snake River Conspiracy singer Tobey Torres discusses her current band, Mojave Phone Booth