Austin rock duo The Caughtery presents ‘The Rain Song’, leaving their own distinguished mark on the Led Zeppelin classic. Produced and recorded by David Gayler at Studio71West in Spicewood, Texas, this was mixed by legendary producer Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam, Tin Machine, U2, Ozzy Osbourne, HIM, The Mission), who also worked with Robert Plant on his Shaken n Stirred solo album. To boot, Palmer also contributes additional guitar.
Power pop / indie rock outfit The Persian Leaps presents their new single ‘Jeane’, released via Land Ski Records. This propulsive and addictive rendition of one of The Smiths’ lesser known tracks celebrates the band’s colossal body of work and the impact it has had on so many people.
Eleven songs, thirty-five minutes, eight days of recording.
New Jersey band Mirrors On The Moon is set to release their debut EP Whiskey & Wine written, produced, and mixed by Donny Dykowsky and mastered by Joe Lambert on October 6. Mirrors On The Moon is Donny Dykowsky on vocals/guitars, Freddy Pastore on bass (Chesterwhite), John Hummel on drums (Lady Gaga), Dave Archer on keys (UNI and the Urchins) with backing vocals by Emily MacMahon.
UK indiepop duo Karamelien presents their new single “Living With The Moon”, the title track from their forthcoming album by the same name.
An upbeat, breezy offering, this is a feel-good guitar-driven anthem that gives the musical finger to the armchair critics. At the same time, it comes to terms with the ongoing struggle with mental health and embraces the lunar flow – the ups and downs and ebbs and flows of life and all its mysteries.
If you’ve ever imagined Paganini as a pianist performing “Flight of the Bumblebee” after a dozen cups of strong coffee, you’re nearly there.
Portland indie pop artist Berkley releases the full-length debut Pueblo album via Oregon label Big Secret Records. Moving towards the full vision of the small world Berkley has built with his singles “Pueblo Nights”, ‘Your Place” and “Fiesta Day”, the songwriter expands personal flashbacks of his youth growing up in Pueblo, Colorado into 10 tracks of gauzy, straight-ahead reflections on how one creates the myths of their life and whether they are worth living or erasing.
Also known as the KCB Collective, saxophonist Benjamin Koppel, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade have been a working band for a decade.
NYC-based alternative rock outfit Black Rose Burning trails their invigorating third full-length album Ad Astra, mastered by Jason Corbett of ACTORS at Jacknife Sound with the release of the single, “Fight!” Earlier, the band released the singles, ‘Night Terrors’ and ‘Sing to Me (E.L.E.)’.
Reading-based indie pop outfit Rocket Kings present their new full-length Paving The Way album, previewed by the video for the title track. With 12 tracks on offer, this is the band’s sophomore album, full of original songs. Expect top tunes, ukuleles, melodies, harmonies – like a sweet cocktail of The Beautiful South, Belle and Sebastian and The Cranberries.
London-based alternative rock artist Sabatta presents his rip-roaring new single “Get Your Sh— Together” as a wake up call to the masses. A funkadelic groove-laden track that is as addictive as it is memorable, this song heralds his forthcoming album How To Get Even.
Perelman’s clearly searching for the soul balm that comes from absorbing what’s in front of him as sound , taking it into his very pores, digesting it, and letting it inform his own work at a deep level.
”Ghost Stories” is Gareth Koch’s newest instrumental album; an evolution he says that builds off of ”Songs From Another Life” with Steve Kilbey and “Music in the Afterlife” with Martin Kennedy. Dreamy and steeped in lushly layered guitars, the album incorporates elements of classical, prog-rock, and ambient music, referencing music past and present.
Alternative rock / post-punk duo Para Lia present their new album In Clash With The Zeitgeist, an 11-track offering of post-punk and indie rock delight, released via the Berlin label About Us Records.
Ever research someone and think, “Holy cats, what a life!” Dr. Eddie Henderson can bring about that kind of gasp.
Toronto-NYC indie rock power trio ON is back to blow our minds with their fresh single ‘Gator”, released via Toronto-based imprint Indiestructable Records. Like a 2000-pound-per-square-inch bite force from an Alligator, this 6/8 groove is a hook-laden rock waltz. It’s a parody and observation about living in a gated community amongst live Alligators roaming free. “Gator”’s meaning is two-fold.
Portland-based music mavericks Sky Lions present their new album Inside The Circle, a nine-track offering that presents a powerful blend of post-punk with alternative and hard rock.
It’s likely no surprise that the title In Solitude, the latest album from bass clarinetist Steven Lugerner’s multi-faceted group SLUGish Ensemble, references the pandemic.
London psychedelic pop artist Black Market Karma presents “The Sour Truth”, their long-awaited collaboration with legendary musician-producer Sonic Boom (aka Pete Kember) of Spacemen 3 and Spectrum fame. This single will be released on 10” vinyl and digitally via London boutique label Flower Power Records.
Written at a crucial time, pianist Ben Winkelman’s sixth album Heartbeat captures an emotional whirlwind, with anticipation and dread mixing freely and productively.
Formed in late 2015, Brooklyn-based Big Bliss is back with ”Vital Return”. Composed during Covid and amidst an array of setbacks and challenges, their liberating newly released second LP brims with superbly crafted melancholic and intense tunes.
Kurt Jorgensen has been a long time band leader, releasing eight albums to date, while receiving the praise of fans and critics alike. The Minnesota Music Awards has presented Kurt with singer of the year, entertainer of the year, songwriter of the year, album of the year, and song of the year. Brianna Tagg-Jorgensen has played in a number of bands due to her multi instrumental talents. Being proficient at piano, guitar, and has been lucky enough to tour nationwide. Brianna has performed multiple times at South by Southwest and was the lead vocal on a track that was nominated for an Independent Music Award.
When it comes to the latest album from saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and his Red Lily Quartet, the title, quite frankly, says it all.
Last Chance to Learn the Twist is nothing so cliché as a return to form – it’s simply one of this veteran artist’s very best records.
Based in the New Jersey town of Secaucus, Clay Joule is a singer-songwriter who makes buoyant and uplifting soft rock music, characterised by his delicate vocal leads and backed up by warm organic instrumentation. His music always carries an important message and his latest release, “Keep On” is no exception – a dialogue and reminder about who is really in charge of our destiny.
Loud, the duo’s fourth album, features Tim on six-string bass and baritone guitar and Susan on drums, relying on meaty riffs, no-frills songwriting, and the duo’s ragged-but-right harmonizing to carry the performances.
Chiaroscuro, is the latest EP from Maureen Toth, a collection of songs that live up to the titular idea of artistic use of light and shade. Championed by Women of Substance Radio, the inherent quality in Toth’s forthright material has drawn comparisons to Patty Griffin, Joni Mitchell, and Shelby Lynne.
Afton Wolfe is a product of his home, Mississippi. It is the birthplace of at least 2 American art forms: country music and blues music. Meridian is the birthplace of Jimmy Rodgers, while the Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the blues, and the first rock n’ roll notes ever played, according to some music historians, came from Hattiesburg. Afton also draws much of his style from nearby New Orleans.
Electronic artist BlankFor.ms (Tyler Gilmore to the ‘rents) joins with jazz piano titan Jason Moran and hugely respected drummer Marcus Gilmore for Refract, an adventure in glitched-out improvisation.
A first call bassist in both Chicago jazz and classical music, Christian Dillingham proves himself the kind of composer and bandleader who should also top lists with Cascades.
The quartet’s sixth LP Olympico seethes with energy, while also evidencing the kind of refined craft great outfits earn over the course of careers.
Leslie Vincent is a prolific songwriter and jazz vocalist. Equally at home singing the Great American Songbook, musical theater, and contemporary rock and pop, she has quickly become one of the most notable voices to emerge in the vibrant Minneapolis music scene, being hailed for her joy-filled performances and her “fun, human, beautiful interpretations”
New Orleans-based alternative folk-rock artist Fred Abong presents his new album Fear Pageant – his seventh to date. Released via Seattle label Disc Drive, on this album, Abong upholds his reputation for creating music that is a blend of “ragged Replacements and lyric-driven Bob Dylan” and “Elliott Smith with balls”.
For such a prolific duo, their output remains consistent and their songwriting as strong as ever. Answers Belie shows a growing maturity for the pair as well, as they do an outstanding job of the ever difficult task of capturing world issues in succinct yet profound ways.
San Francisco post-punk outfit Octavian Winters presents their new single ‘Undertow’, a dark propulsive offering underlining an aspect of separation from the world and the darkness that comes out of it – a sort of ominous current capable of pulling someone away from all hope. The accompanying video was directed, filmed, edited and produced by Jay Adams with design by Eric Olson and Steve Devaney.
Violinjazz Recordings, the label of acclaimed Grammy-nominated musician Jeremy Cohen, principal violinist and founder of Classical Crossover specialists Quartet San Francisco, has released Raymond Scott Reimagined, an unprecedented new collaboration teaming Quartet San Francisco with accomplished Grammy/Emmy Award-winning composer/producer/arranger Gordon Goodwin and revered Grammy-winning a cappella group Take 6.
Tugging on heartstrings and bringing smiles to faces since 2020, your Minnesota neighbors, The International Treasures have been captivating audiences throughout the Midwest with their charismatic storytelling, sweet harmonies, and transcendent songs about the universal human condition
Manchester underground music icon Harry Stafford (Inca Babies) and US-based trash blues guitarist Marco Butcher present ‘Walk Among The Spectres’, the loaded first shot from their forthcoming album We Are The Perilous Men, coming this autumn via Black Lagoon Records.
Teni Rane is a Chattanooga, TN native. She grew up singing in the backseat of the car on the way to Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse. Her lyrics capture common experiences and her vocal performance captivates people in every age range.
Her latest EP, Goldenrod is being released as a series of singles before being released next month.
Oxford indie pop-rock outfit Jody and the Jerms have a summer surprise for the world – their new single ‘Liberation’, which was produced, mixed and mastered by Ride frontman Mark Gardener at his OX4 Sound studio near Oxford.
Bumpin Uglies is an American punk reggae band from Annapolis, Maryland whose music fas a blend of melody-driven, free-spirited blend of ska, reggae, and punk with a strong focus on lyrics and crowd-pleasing grooves. The new album Underdog: The Acoustic Sessions frames the band in a more stripped back but no less ferocious light.
The King in all his glory, before the fall.
British / North American post-punk outfit Tantrum Zentrum present their new single ‘Don’t Be A Fascist’, along with a new video that offers both clever animation, lyrics and flashes of despots, such as Mussolini, Nigel Farage and Vladimir Putin.
Well-timed and thematic given the crazy state of affairs in the world at the moment, this is the most unlikely love story ever – a song about falling head over heels… with a fascist!
With one foot in Toronto and the other in NYC8, indie rock power trio *ON is back with the new single ‘Make Me’, a song of frustration and wanting to recapture that euphoria. This is a cry for what once was… and then resolution and a peaceful acceptance of what is.
Released via Toronto-based imprint Indiestructable Records, this single sees the trio carry on the legacy of the band from which they were formed – 90’s Sire Records band Acid Test.
Mae Simpson has been shaking up the Minneapolis music scene ever since her band formed in 2017, performing on larger and larger stages to a growing base of loyal fans across the Midwest. Led by her powerful vocals, the seven-piece band brings audiences to their feet with driving horns and a drum and percussion duo
Guitarmy of One presents his latest adventurous offering ‘Soylent Seafoam Green’, the third single from his forthcoming crowdfunded album The Wave Files’. With the title and mood inspired by the 1970s cult sci-fi movie Soylent Green, this song mixes dark ominous guitar riffing with surf guitar swells and foreboding reverb drenched melodies.
Blending everything from punk to grunge to rock to doomy metal, Psycho Death Punk’s return with a new single “I Guess”
Trans-Atlantic alternative neo-folk collective Lusitanian Ghosts presents their new single ‘Got Enough’. This is the third single from the chordophone collective, which is more of a world-music tinged mantra relative to their usual rock n roll alt-folk fare.
Groove Atlantic-O the new album from Stephen Jacques was engineered by Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey, The Pixies) and Jason Narducy played Bass, Acoustic & Electric Guitars (Bob Mould, Superchunk, Robert Pollard, The Pretenders.) It’s compilation of love songs which salute the Atlantic or at least “look” to it for love and romance energy. “Dreams on Fire,” “Slept on a Ridge,” and “Queen Bee Gone” are just a smattering of the subjects Stephen takes on with gentle yet humorous care.
