SINGER/SONGWRITER JAMIE MCDELL RELEASES ENDEARING NEW SINGLE, “NOT READY YET” + ANNOUNCES HER OF SELF-TITLED ALBUM, SET FOR RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 25, 2022

“...but the true stunner is McDell’s unforced voice” -  Rolling Stone

“The New Zealander enchants with airy vocals and confessional lyrics” - Billboard

“McDell’s voice carries such weight with you feeling every poignant word...honestly, she’s a modern-day Stevie Nicks” - New Music Collection

 "exuberant piece of classic alt-country .."  - Rolling Stone Australia

“Showcasing more richness and density than the typical banjo and fiddle exercise, the album contains waves of haunting tremolo guitar, fuzzy squalls, heavy distortion and a keen sense for crafting rewarding, sometimes even dramatic, vocal melodies.” - All Music

“....raw confessionals, breezy anthems and plaintive storytelling rooted in the tradition of old school country and folk balladeers.” - Wide Open Country

LISTEN TO “NOT READY YET” : HERE

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter, Jamie McDell, has released her heartfelt new single “Not Ready Yet”, today via ABC Music.  “Not Ready Yet”, produced by Nash Chambers, is a precursor to Jamie’s upcoming self-titled album, set to drop on February 25, 2022 via ABC Music which is available for  pre-order HERE.

Discussing the sentiment behind the song, Jamie said, “I’ve always wanted to create a groove reminiscent of the 90s The Chicks, and I’m hoping this comes close. I had mumbled the falsetto chorus melody into my voice memos before jumping into a session with my producer Nash and Phil Barton. The lyrics came from a place of comfort in not knowing what’s next for me and taking my time to figure it out. Motherhood is something I want in the future, something that I’m really looking forward to if I’m to be so lucky. But I’m not ready yet and maybe, in today's world, that is all I should need to say.”

With a video for the single still in the works, Jamie and her partner created this breezy, carefree lyric video. Jamie says, “The Auckland lockdown meant I wasn't able to work with the director I'd planned to. My partner and I were lucky to be located at Pauanui Beach at the time, where we've spent nearly every summer for the past decade. We decided we could make some visuals out of the hike we do up the local mountain often. I've had many deep thoughts on this beautiful trail and it felt like it connected to the sentiment of the song, just reveling in every stage of the journey to who knows where.”  View HERE.

McDell’s fourth studio album was recorded in Nashville, the gifted singer-songwriter teaming up with Nash Chambers in his eastside studio and drawing on the amazing musical talents of Dan Dugmore, Jedd Hughes, Dennis Crouch, Shawn Fichter, Jerry Roe, Jimmy Wallace, Tony Lucido, and Ross Holmes, along with guests such as the McCrary Sisters, Robert Ellis, Erin Rae and Tom Busby (Busby Marou). This new long-player contains Jamie’s most brutally honest moments, in both writing and performance, while the musicians and production take you on a modern journey through 70s folk and country, blended with a healthy dose of roots and rock. 

Born in New Zealand, at the age of 7 McDell’s father left his job at an Auckland law firm to shift her mother, younger sister, and Jamie onto the high seas and began living aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean. It’s here Jamie wrote her first song, a sea shanty to the dolphins. Also on that yacht lived a small collection of her parents’ favorite cassette tapes, which luckily included albums by Jimmy Buffett, John Denver, and James Taylor. The young artist quickly formed a particularly strong bond with these records and she fondly remembers watching her parents perform Buffett duets - and occasionally chiming in, learning how to harmonise with her mother. An eager learner, Jamie then picked up the guitar after studying her fathers’ John Denver chord book collection and has never looked back. 

Now at age 28, New Zealand singer/songwriter Jamie McDell has achieved a prolific amount in her formative years. Being signed to EMI at age 16 sparked the beginning of a successful musical journey, making her a household name across the nation. With the release of her debut album ‘Six Strings and a Sailboat’, she went on to achieve Gold album sales, receive three NZ Music Award nominations, winning Best Pop Album of 2013. Then her sophomore record ‘Ask Me Anything’ gained global attention, seeing album track ‘Moon Shines Red’ featured on American TV series Pretty Little Liars. 

In March 2017 Jamie made a trip to Nashville, looking for a change of scenery and to connect with the environment that birthed much of the music throughout her youth. It’s here she wrote the songs that would make up the fabric for her third record “Extraordinary Girl”. She met with expat Australian producer Nash Chambers for coffee one day and decided they shared the same musical values. Not long after that meeting McDell arranged to fund her first independent record “Extraordinary Girl”, which was recorded over the space of two days later in 2017 at House of Blues studio in Nashville. She then returned home for the albums’ release, promotion, and supporting tours throughout New Zealand and Australia. 

Then in early 2019 Jamie relocated to Toronto, Ontario for a new chapter and to be closer to Nashville. It’s here she found herself sitting on the floor of her tiny apartment, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with a friend in a troubled relationship, and out came the powerful song, Botox. “It’s a story depicting the dangers of silencing our instincts and compromising our values, just because a significant other has you convinced that you need fixing,” Jamie says. This track would then fuel a new era of unapologetic honesty in McDell’s songwriting, and the release of The Botox EP. 

After opening a US tour for Robert Ellis (Texas Piano Man) in early 2020, Jamie made her return to Nashville to begin working on this new studio album.

KEEP UP WITH JAMIE MCDELL

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM

TAYLOR SCOTT RELEASES THE 70’S INSPIRED GROOVE-FILLED SINGLE “THROWBACK GROOVES”

"Taylor Scott is one of the most talented singer/songwriter/guitar monsters I have had the pleasure of working with. His ability to distill complex human feelings into concise 4-minute epics for an artist as young as he is is truly extraordinary, and then to rip a face-melting solo on top of it all? Just remarkable to say the least.” - Steve Berlin

 "If ever a song title could reflect a track, this is it as the music exemplifies exactly what the title suggests. With the smoothness of John Mayer, Scott sings with effortless cool and comforting vibes as he’s backed by a dreamy rhythm section.” - Glide Magazine

"Taylor Scott is the epitome of an old soul. He seems to know a little bit about everything, has his OWN sound as a vocalist AND a guitar player, and is full of good ideas and advice. I always look forward to making music with Taylor and this record is BAAD to the BONE."

 - Eric Benny Bloom (Lettuce)

“With their combination of soul, funk, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll, Taylor Scott’s music is gaining a reputation for transcending the limitations of a single genre.” - Elmore Magazine

"Hidalgo and company also know how to send the elevator back to the bottom. This time, it was to bring the brilliant Denver guitarist Taylor Scott on stage, with his Les Paul and Willie Nelson braids, to slay on Duane Allman-esque lead guitar throughout the show’s last batch of rollicking tunes."

 – Westword Denver

"Taylor Scott is a relatively new artist who has already done some remarkable things.” - Twangville

“Taylor is an incredible songwriter – his lyrics are thoughtful and gritty.”  - Tour Stories

“Taylor Scott is one of those artists that can do it all. A heartfelt, sincere songwriter with extraordinary guitar chops and a deeply soulful voice.” - Dave Alvin

"Hearing Taylor Scott is like hitting the jackpot. This unassuming kid from Denver is a monster." 
- Gigcity.CA

LISTEN TO “THROWBACK GROOVES”: HERE

Denver-based guitar virtuoso Taylor Scott is excited to release his new single entitled “Throwback Grooves”.  Produced by his friend and mentor Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), and featuring Lettuce’s Eric Benny Bloom on trumpet, the new single is out now.  

“I wrote ‘Throwback Grooves’ up in Wyoming on New Year’s Eve, and I guess I was feeling nostalgic,” Scott told Glide Magazine. “That’ll happen on New Year’s Eve. I was thinking about someone from my past and how whatever was going on with us, we always had the best music playing. I try to make sure that’s always the case. In the car, around the house, whatever is spinning should be the bomb. I’m always conscious of the music that accompanies a moment so I guess writing a song about it felt natural. When memories play like movie scenes inside your head, do they ever come with music? Throwback Grooves is about that.”

Last year was a year of reckoning for roots-rock artist Taylor Scott.  After a tough year weathering personal storms, and having live music come to what seemed to be an indefinite pause, Taylor realized the only option was to shift his perspective, and he decided to use the time to reflect and regroup.  “I recommitted myself to music and personally had to work through so much. I felt like I was hitting my head against the wall for so long, and something finally just broke open. ‘Some of the new songs dealt with those dark months, charging ahead, because the only way out of it was to go forward through it.  The others are so happy and lighthearted, and I haven’t written that way for years. I’m feeling celebratory now, and those songs reflect that.”

“Throwback Grooves” smooth vibe follows “Bleeding Out,” the scorching and gritty funk track released on the heels of his buzzed-about performances at this year’s FloydFest.  These songs and more performed live at the festival helped him win over fans including Keller Williams and Leftover Salmon with whom he gave a blistering performance (see HERE).  After a year of isolation and live streams, Taylor Scott Band jumped back into touring with a smoking Summer 2021 tour, and Taylor is currently on the road wrapping up a tour supporting Carbon Leaf that hit the Pacific Northwest.  Taylor Scott Band will continue to perform live throughout the year with shows in the Mountain states.  

TOUR DATES

OCT 9  Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO*
OCT 15  Vilar Performing Arts Center - Beaver Creek, CO
OCT 23 The Lodge at Wood Boss Brewing - Denver, CO
NOV 20  Chautauqua Auditorium  Boulder, CO
NOV 27 Schmiggity’s - Steamboat Springs, CO
DEC 10  OP Rockwell Cocktail Lounge & Music Hall - Park City, UT
APR 29-MAY 1  Sweetwater 420 Festival - Atlanta, GA
*Supporting Carbon Leaf

KEEP UP WITH TAYLOR SCOTT

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || TWITTER || INSTAGRAM || SOUNDCLOUD || YOUTUBE

DESTROY BOYS RELEASE THEIR THIRD FULL-LENGTH ALBUM "OPEN MOUTH, OPEN HEART" OUT TODAY VIA HOPELESS RECORDS

"Destroy Boys” is the poster child for modern punk. Its three members — frontperson Alexia Roditis, guitarist Violet “Vi” Mayugba and drummer Narsai Malik — create personal, visceral music with a one-of-a-kind point of view.” - INTO

“ Using their platform on gender and racial equality as well as LGBTQIA+ rights, Destroy Boys channel that same unbridled passion into their lyrics. The group give a voice to the underrepresented with a fresh perspective on love, loss and everything in between.” - Alternative Press

“Hailed by many as the next great punk band, and with over 40 million streams as confirmation, Destroy Boys play hard with heavy guitar tones that radiate tuneful defiance and steely pop hooks in equal measure.”  - Heavy Magazine 

“Personal is political for Destroy Boys.’ - SF Weekly

“......it's safe to say Destroy Boys have successfully carved their niche in punk rock.” - Guitar World

"Originally from Sacramento and now based in San Francisco, Destroy Boys is an absolutely need-to-know punk trio.” - San Francisco Chronicle

"Channeling the spirit of anarchic American garage rock and melodic sensibilities of classic Bay Area punk into short snarling songs, Sacramento’s Destroy Boys whip up noise that is truly timeless.” - Rock Sound

“The fresh-faced, young female-fronted band are pumping fresh blood back into the life of power punk.” - Ladygunn

LISTEN TO OPEN MOUTH, OPEN HEART: HERE

Northern California’s three-piece Destroy Boys have released their third full-length album Open Mouth, Open Heart produced by Will Yip, out today on Hopeless Records. The album is available worldwide on all major streaming services, as well as vinyl online and at your local record store. 

Destroy Boys are Violet Mayugba (guitar/vocals) and Alexia Roditis (vocals/guitar), rounded out by drummer Narsai Malik. The punk trio has made a name for themselves writing visceral, personal songs of scene bullies, elitist cliques, betrayal, and unrequited love - and have won over the hearts and ears of eager listeners ranging from the fervent teens who pack out their shows to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong (see his mention in the Rolling Stone cover story HERE via Instagram HERE). The band has been redefining West Coast punk, making waves from the California shoreline to the UK, sharing stages with up-and-coming bands like Mannequin Pussy, established acts such as All Time Low and The Story So Far, as well as punk stalwarts Face To Face and Lagwagon. In addition to having racked up over 80 million streams, their music can be heard in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 game, and Tik Tok has embraced them to the tune of 30 thousand user-made videos and over 3.5M views. Most recently the band was tapped by Fender Guitars for the launch of the Fender's  Player Plus Series.

Although this is their third full-length album, Open Mouth, Open Heart marks a number of firsts for the band. Recorded in Philadelphia earlier this year during the lockdown, Roditis, Mayugba and Malik lived in their own little bubble,  for the first time being able to patiently build the songs layer by layer.  Entering the studio with producer Will Yip, (who produced all the songs on the album except for “Muzzle” which was produced by Martin Cooke), with songs that were more fully formed allowed Yip and the band time and freedom to focus on the production. Another first includes writing and recording two in Spanish, “‘Te llevo conmigo” and  “Lo peor.”  “I grew up bilingual,” Roditis told the East Bay Express when asked about ‘Te llevo conmigo.”  “This song is a tribute to my grandparents. I didn’t get to know them but I feel them around me, so I wanted a song to honor them,”  I haven’t heard many metal songs in Spanish, so I was excited to write it.” 

Open Heart, Open Mouth is a huge step forward for the band both musically and the depth and density of subject matter. “ This album is just a lot more dynamic,’ Roditis told INTO.  “There’s more guitars and leads — like, I play something, Vi plays something different, which is cool. It has a wide range of genres and types of songs: there’s a sort of metal-y song, we have that acoustic song, we have more mid-tempo Nirvana bangers, we have a political punk song. So it’s different in that everything that we put out, I feel like, sounds different than what it was but is still like a version of that. Like, we have children and they’re the same but look different, you know — like cousins.” 

The band released 5 singles, leading into the album that showcases their growth and diversity as songwriters and musicians. “Everyone adding their own element makes the songs come alive,” says Roditis, “but the biggest difference was going from 19 to 21. I feel like a different person, esthetically.”  The first track“ Muzzle,”  that Alternative Press called “Ferocious,” is a blistering minute-long track.  Refinery 29 commented that “Destroy Boys aren't playing nice on ‘Muzzle,’  kicking ass and taking names in the high-energy new single about fighting back against the powers that be.”

The second single “Drink”  is a raw and honest look at the relationship that can exist with mind-altering substances, and how it can be both destructive and comforting. Brooklyn Vegan called it a “ripper,” and the SF Weekly said is “the most fascinating of this year’s trio of Destroy Boys singles, also commented that the song displays impressive lyrical depth. On a casual listen, it sounds like a love song wrapped in a pop-punk arrangement. Closer inspection reveals that ‘Drink’ is describing something closer to a love-hate relationship, and the subject of affection and revulsion is alcohol. It’s a candid, nuanced look at addiction.’

The next single  “Locker Room Bully”  saw the band punching back at bullies and the toxicity of the internet, with its culture of supporting half-truths and warped reality. KQED described it as “a proverbial middle finger that offers a swift takedown to petty-minded interlopers,” “Locker Room Bully,” was followed by “All This Love” which is as close to a ballad as the band gets on the album. The song is a lament about  earning for love, and ultimately a realization that you need to first love and connect to yourself before you can be a true partner in a relationship with someone else.  Spinning Platters said that  "The ballad may be more ferocious than any of their more aggressive works. That’s why this is the single of the week. It may end up being the single of the year. “

The single releases were rounded out with “Escape,” a song ironically written pre-pandemic about wanting an out from the regular life, and wanting to go on tour, and wanting to escape reality in any way possible. When the Horn Blows said the song sounds like “a blend of Blondie and the Misfits,” and When it’s Too Loud  said “...when a song is this great it's impossible not to love.’

This has been quite a year for Destroy Boys who have not only survived a pandemic, but a wave of online bullying, and after having to pull out of the Sad Summer Fest due to mental health reasons,  have regrouped and just this week played a blistering set of shows to packed houses in Northern California and in the Pacific Northwest. The band will be taking these new songs on the road on a National Headlining tour that kicks off in Southern California next month. 

U.S. TOUR DATES 

NOV 19 Chain Reaction Anaheim, CA
NOV 20 VooDoo Room San Diego, CA
NOV 21 Nile Theater Mesa, AZ
NOV 23 Antone's Austin, TX
NOV 24 Ruins Dallas, TX
NOV 26  The End Nashville, TN
NOV 27 Purgatory At The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
NOV 28 Crowbar Tampa, FL
NOV 30 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
DEC 1  Songbyrd Music House Washington, DC
DEC 2 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT
DEC 3 Market Hotel Brooklyn, NY
DEC 4 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
DEC 5 Fête Music Hall Lounge Providence, RI
DEC 6  Brighton Music Hall Allston, MA
DEC 8 Mahalls Cleveland, OH
DEC 9 The Sanctuary Hamtramck, MI
DEC 10 FRI Cobra Lounge Chicago, IL
DEC 11 SAT Odyssey Lounge Springfield, MO
DEC 13 89th Street Collective Oklahoma City, OK
DEC 14 Launchpad Albuquerque, NM

DOUBLE SINGLE RELEASE FROM WILD HEART CLUB

“DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS” & “UNHAPPY” OUT TODAY 

DEBUT LP ARCADE BACK IN MANITOU 
OUT ON NOVEMBER 12TH 

Photo by Anna Haas

LISTEN // WATCH: “DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS”  

LISTEN: “UNHAPPY”    

Today, Nashville-based dream pop outfit Wild Heart Club has unveiled two singles - “Down From The Heavens” and “Unhappy” - from their debut LP Arcade Back In Manitou, due out November 12th.  

“‘Down From the Heavens’ is about all the build up I’ve had about being gay since I was a teenager,” says Kristen Castro, the creative force behind Wild Heart Club. “Love is hard enough and then when you add being queer, it’s even harder. One time I played with my ex who used to sing at a church and it was such a bizarre experience watching all the people in the pews sing along to a girl who was in love with me but was also keeping me a secret,” explains Castro. “I had this vision of a god wrapped in color walking up to my ex and basically saying fuck it, go and love her, she’s more than a secret.” Castro also created a beautiful live acoustic performance video to accompany the single. 

“Unhappy” was inspired by Castro’s childhood, where she fondly recalls hearing her brother’s hip hop music through the wall. “I really admired the freedom in 90s R&B to use unconventional sounds and the hypnotic feel of 90s hip-hop lo-fi beats like The Fugees and 2Pac,” she says. “I was staying with my brother when I made the songs and being around that music again created a new way for me to talk about the blurred lines in toxic relationships".  

“Down From the Heavens” and “Unhappy” follow the release of lead single “Glitter On the Drum,” a track that feels like mourning the loss of a lover while soaring across a roller-rink under twinkling lights and that was inspired by a YouTube comment on a Robyn video. The music sparkles, but its glittery edges are sharp. 

LISTEN: “GLITTER ON THE DRUM”  

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kristen Castro is a genre-crossing artist known for blending a surprising range of electronic, digital, and analog elements into her dreamy, atmospheric indie-pop. She built a name for herself as an independent solo artist with a penchant for electric guitar, a dark sensibility, and a bracing tenderness reminiscent of acts like the Cocteau Twins.  

Transforming abstract emotion into compelling music, her early releases feature everything from mandolin to bass, piano to synth, banjo to drum programming, in songs that feel both effortless and complex at the same time. Castro’s latest project, Wild Heart Club, builds off the hybrid style of her solo work, evolving her eclectic foundations into an even more distinct and cohesive sound. The synth-heavy, guitar-driven soundscapes are laced with Castro’s breezy, candied vocals: think Sigur Rós meets Heart. It’s a strange and compelling combination that feels right for the current moment.  

“I’ve always been drawn to people who aren’t in the cool club—the weirdos embracing their weirdness. This is music for them, as always.” Written, recorded, and produced primarily by Castro herself, Wild Heart Club’s debut album Arcade Back in Manitou is set for release this fall. 

Castro started writing the songs that would become Arcade Back in Manitou in January 2020, while living with her brother in L.A. and recovering from heartache after a particularly difficult breakup. She was also navigating the breakup of her band and listening to Fleetwood Mac’s Gypsy on repeat. 

Named for a happy memory (visiting a Colorado penny arcade with an ex), Arcade Back in Manitou is an ethereal and lush collection of melancholy songs with a brilliant gloss of retro sheen. The resulting music feels unexpectedly bright, like walking through a clean, sunlit, white-tiled mall in the glowy light of a sitcom flashback. Throughout the album, there’s a genuine and hopeful engagement with the positive, a buoyant, almost-ironic sense of cheer teeming from the instrumentation, and a spirit of experimentation and discovery, despite the themes of loss the lyrics explore.  

Hints of 80s plastic-pop and elements of 90s alternative cool are nestled in the mix, as well as nods to vintage and modern Swedish pop acts like Robyn, Léon, and ABBA. “I want to be the artist who can make you cry on the dance floor. I like songs that pair darker thoughts with happy vibes. Emotions are complex. It feels right to have that kind of complicated juxtaposition play out in music,” she says. “It feels honest.”          

SEAN ROWE INVOKES CLASSIC COUNTRY INFLUENCES FOR NEW SINGLE

“I WON’T RUN” 
PREMIERES VIA THE BOOT 

NEW LP  THE DARKNESS DRESSED IN COLORED LIGHTS 
OUT ON OCTOBER 8TH VIA FLUFF & GRAVY RECORDS 

Marvelous - The Boston Globe 

Sean Rowe alludes to the duality of the human spirit in all of us...and brings insight when it comes to a broken heart — a theme that resonates for this gifted songwriter - KCRW  

Rowe’s voice radiates experience and with a robust passion that recalls British artists like Elbow and David Gray. We can grab onto the state our protagonist inhabits, as he is longing and calling out strong though vulnerable and seeped in desire. - Glide Magazine  

Whilst Rowe forages in a literal sense for edible wild food, he also forages as a singer/songwriter, turning his feelings and experiences into a kind of universal nourishment that can be appreciated by all who care enough to listen. - Americana-UK 

Traditional folk-rock…into vibrant alt-rock - Holler  

There’s something about Rowe’s baritone that cuts right to the core, the feeling of heartbreak and reckoning palpable at every turn. - Mother Church Pew 

Sean has been foraging around in the space between regret and hope, he’s found enough sustenance to keep him going and to share The Darkness Dressed In [Colored] Lights to a ravenous world. - The Rocking Magpie 

Photo by Joe Navas

LISTEN: “I WON’T RUN”   

Today, internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Sean Rowe has unleashed “I Won’t Run,” the latest from his brilliant forthcoming LP The Darkness Dressed In Colored Lights, due out on October 8th via Fluff & Gravy Records. “Sean Rowe promises a lifetime of love in 'I Won't Run,’ a quiet, romantic, traditional country waltz,” said The Boot in the track’s premiere. 

“When Waylon said, ‘I don’t think Hank would have done it that way,’ I’d like to think he was predicting what would become ‘modern country music’,” Rowe said of the song. “One thing I love about the older country songs was the honesty, the humor, and the poetry. Willie, Waylon, Cash, and Kristofferson went straight to the heart for me. I still draw from that stuff. This song is of course a reflection of my influence there."  

The song features backing vocals from artist Courtney Hartman, which Rowe revealed was a happy accident. “I thought her guitar playing on the record to be stellar, and uniquely her own,” he said. “I believe she was just humming along in the control room on the playback and her voice stuck out to me. She was a little sheepish about singing on that track but I was adamant that she sing with me and it’s just not as good without her voice in there.” 

“I Won’t Run” follows the release of "Squid Tattoo,” a song about the fleeting feeling of romantically projecting a future life with someone who you haven’t actually met yet and one that will most likely never happen. “I think there’s actually an underlying sadness in the song despite being on the surface, tongue in cheek," he adds, referencing the song lyrics, "Now I love you/But I can’t believe you’re from Ohio." "I’m really not trying to offend Ohio’s sensibility here. But, a good line is a good line.” Rowe has also released album tracks “Little Death,” which Rowe said is about “that strange elation that comes at the end of a long journey with another soul,” and lead single “To Make It Real,” in which Rowe is “alluding to the duality that I feel is in all of us. All the hidden parts and all the guts that spill out when we’re faced with tragedy, adversity, or a broken heart.” 

LISTEN: “SQUID TATTOO” 
LISTEN: “LITTLE DEATH” 
LISTEN: “TO MAKE IT REAL” 

The Darkness Dressed In Colored Lights was forged in the fires of self-discovery and acceptance and is the result of work Rowe’s been doing to build a fitter, happier version of himself. He credits therapy and a guided ayahuasca retreat with helping him to reach this understanding. Over the course of an intense weekend, he had experiences that stripped away his anger and defenses and brought him to a place of intense beauty and peace--he realized we create the heaven and the hell that swirls in our heads, and we have to choose in which of those dimensions we want to reside. This album is ripe with both. 

Through its 11 gut-punching tracks, Rowe tackles everything from losing oneself in the despair of heartache to rising from the ashes—the paradox between what once was and what now is, and sometimes being lost in the in-between. His powerful baritone spans the gamut of emotions - and on this record, he makes it clear that at some point it’s hard not to feel them all at once. Every song cuts right to the quick. 

  Rowe has also spent years in the woods exploring, foraging, and obsessively learning all that he could about the natural world around him. Through his web series, Can I Eat This?, he’s found a means of indulging two of his great passions: music and nature. In each of the episodes of Can I Eat This?, Sean goes on a foraging mission for all manner of wild foods and uses the harvest to prepare some tasty creation. To check out Can I Eat This?  visit Sean's YouTube Channel 

The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights will be released on CD and double-vinyl, as well as available on all streaming services on October 8th.  Click HERE to pre-order. 

TOUR DATES: 
10/1: Portland, ME | Sun Tiki Studios 
10/2: Cambridge, MA | Club Passim 
10.20: Vienna, VA | Jammin Java 
10/24: Norfolk, VA | North Shore Point House Concerts 
11/3 & 11/4: Brooklyn, NY | Union Pool 
11/5: Kennett Square, PA | Kennett Flash 
11/6: Rochester, NY | Abilene 
11/19: Northampton, MA | The Parlor Room 
11/20: Egremont, MA | Egremont Barn 

GUITARIST JOHN SIERRA (OF THE ALT/ROCK BAND ATTALUS) RELEASES “THE WONDER”

“John Sierra has a powerful tenor that can soar to the heights that his songwriting deserves. Give this song a listen and be moved.” - Americana Highways

Photo by Flightless Bird Photography

"THE WONDER" || STREAM

RALEIGH, NC. – Singer/songwriter and guitarist John Sierra – formerly of the Raleigh-based band Attalus on Facedown Records – has released the title track to his forthcoming solo debut EP with “The Wonder” out today.

Americana Highways enthused, “John Sierra has a powerful tenor that can soar to the heights that his songwriting deserves. Give this song a listen and be moved.”

Earlier this month, he debuted with the single “A Dream Worth Keeping,” an acoustic guitar with heavenly harmonies, the first single explores the ambivalence between fear, desire and our dreams that premiered on JesusWired.

The Wonder (out 11/5) marks a departure from the alt/rock sound of his former band with influences that range from The Killers, Mumford and Sons, C.S. Lewis and Puccini.

On his debut album, The Wonder, John Sierra invites listeners on a thoughtful journey into the emotional landscape of the heart. Rich with soaring harmonies, driving acoustic rhythms, and haunting melodies, The Wonder wades through a folk-inspired sound with songs that are unapologetically raw. Exploring heartache, healing, relationship, and working through regret, The Wonder is meant to be an experience for any who would listen.

ABOUT JOHN SIERRA:

His early twenties were categorized by smoky clubs and raging guitar amps, performing as an integral part of the alternative rock band, Attalus, signed to Facedown Records. This foray into the music scene set an incredible foundation for John Sierra's music career. But, this season also marks a great recovery of heart for John. After shipwrecking almost everything beautiful in his life, he was careened into the realization he had lost himself along the way. Even the band had become a false identity. Through therapy, mental health, and a recovery of heart, he began to find the life he had always longed for…

And in that place, from that place, he began to write. To share the story of hope, forgiveness, healing, and restoration he experienced. Each of the songs on The Wonder stem from this season: from the recovery of a young man’s heart towards beauty, to exploring the roots of addiction and the power to overcome, to the active choice to push against regret towards a dream.

 THE WONDER ALBUM (COMING 11/5)
“A DREAM WORTH KEEPING" (OUT NOW)  SPOTIFY || YOUTUBE
"THE WONDER" (OUTNOW)  SPOTIFY || YOUTUBE

KEEP UP WITH JOHN SIERRA

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LULA WILES SINGER/GUITARIST ELEANOR BUCKLAND RELEASES FOURTH SINGLE "OCTOBER" TODAY!

ON TOUR THIS FALL TO SUPPORT SOLO DEBUT
YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW DUE OCTOBER 29th ON SOUNDLY MUSIC

"Her album is a musical and lyrical diary of sorts, taking the listener on a journey as she chronicles her personal growth" - Pop Wrapped

Photo by Jen Squires

“OCTOBER” (OUT TODAY)
YOUTUBE || STREAM

BROOKLYN, NY. – Today, singer/songwriter, guitarist Eleanor Buckland releases “October,” the fourth single from her forthcoming solo debut You Don’t Have To Know. The song premiered earlier this week at PopWrapped.

The oldest song on the record, “October” was written when Eleanor was 19 years old and captures a vulnerable version of herself. “I still have so much compassion for that young woman,” says Eleanor. “Trying to figure out how to love and how to navigate heartbreak in those formative years. If I could talk to her today, I would tell her to escape up to Maine to re-center and to heal her heart.” 

Eleanor Buckland first made her mark in the Boston-based folk-rock trio Lula Wiles who’ve made waves beyond the folk community, crossing over into popular music with their innovative modern sound that goes “far beyond the traditional confines of acoustic singer-songwriter music” – Rolling Stone.

With You Don’t Have To Know (due October 29 on Soundly Music), Buckland continues to stretch her musical prowess as inventive indie rock arrangements brush up against her folk/Americana roots while she reflects on her growth through these deeply personal songs.

In an early review, WBUR succinctly captures the essence of the album as “…a collection of country-washed folk-pop songs fit for a sunny drive alongside the tinted foliage of New England autumn” and draws comparisons to heavyweights of the genre, “Buckland’s folksy drawl plays perfectly with this fresh set of pop tunes that are seemingly built for fans of contemporary FM radio acts like Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift, both nostalgically rustic and immediately modern.”

Beginning in November, Eleanor will embark on a short release tour with dates throughout the Northeast. 

 BUZZ

"You Don't Have To Know Eleanor Buckland - but you should." - Brooklyn Roads  

"The new single is an upbeat yet melancholic effort, driven by warm folk twang and Buckland’s endearing vocal timbre, as she sings “I’m not saying that I’ve been crying / I’m not saying that I’m the only one trying” before releasing pent up frustration with her honest and candid lyricism." -Dusty Organ (on “I’m Not Saying”) 

“Throughout, the singer-songwriter sets a magnifying glass over past relationships, exposing their detrimental undertow. She deftly navigates its soaring chorus, brooding with honesty in her reflections on a one-sided romance.”  - PopMatters (on “I’m Not Saying”) 

“…a beautiful outpouring of emotions through the striking poetry about trying to find out who you are… a passionate performance, highly appealing honesty, and individuality wrapped in a familiar form.” – Tonic Grain 

“Restless driving rhythms and smoky guitar licks make their way to the forefront on, “Static,” introducing an anxious and insistent side to Buckland’s music. Yet, while Buckland’s latest work steps away from acoustic stylings, there are still hints of plaintive folk beauty and contemplative personal songwriting woven into the track. Celestial harmonies add a stark beauty to the track, all while Buckland finds herself searching for hope and meaning, but drowned out by the noise of anxiety.” – Under The Radar

“With this exquisite and instantly hypnotizing blend of melodies and lyrics, she connects with the listeners with a tale that is hopeful and inspiring.” – Wolf In A Suit  

“...a catchy indie number that somehow perfectly juxtaposes feelings of desperation and gloom with optimism and hopefulness. With energetic indie beats paired with Buckland’s soothing delicate vocals, ‘Don’t Look Down’ creates a balance between dark and light energies that makes you feel cleansed within.” – BTR Today

“Don't Look Down gives us Eleanor Buckland, a singer who comes to encourage you to live a new life, with new dreams and the desire to feel with absolute renewed sensations everything you can feel to the limit. The proposal of the American is an interesting call so that you can feel free from everything and no one stops you from living in a new way. The ability of this project to catch you off guard and change the way you see things is all we need to be happy without pauses.” ~ Indie Criollo 

“Eleanor Buckland makes a brilliant debut with the indie single Don't Look Down... clean, raw and honest.” - Popmuzik

U.S. TOUR DATES
NOV 5 / NEW YORK, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
NOV 7 / CAMBRIDGE, MA @ Club Passim (2 shows)
NOV 11 / PORTLAND, ME @ One Longfellow Square
NOV 12 / EXETER, NH @ Word Barn

KEEP UP WITH ELEANOR BUCKLAND

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RENOWNED PRODUCER DAVID FRANZ STEPS FROM BEHIND THE BOARD FOR HIS DEBUT ARTIST PROJECT TO THE UNKNOWN OUT TODAY

“Years of unlocking the creative genius of other artists as a co-writer, producer, and record label head has led to the evolution and development of David’s own artist persona for the very first time.”   - Noteworthy Music

“Punched with Cali desert rock, Franz incorporated various degrees of soul and blues to the track.  The spirit of the desert blasts from start to finish with effortless ease.”- Ghettoblaster Magazine

‘David Franz and his psychedelic rock called "My greatest enemy", you have the perfect song for musical introspection at the heart of your feelings.” - Iggy Magazine

“It is a breath of fresh air, with its unique desert rock sound that will truly haunt you.” - LA Music Critic

“A personal journey turned universal, “To The Unknown” captures a timeless spirit in a time of great upheaval, and ignites a fire to help examine our truths and lead us towards transformation from shadow into light.” - Jammerzine

LISTEN TO TO THE UNKNOWN : HERE

From a  combination of scorching life events, social transformation, pandemic lockdown, and personal epiphany, Southern California musician, songwriter, producer and label head David Franz has emerged, like a snake too big for its skin, from behind the producer’s console to the front of the stage and has released his debut album as a solo artist To The Unknown. The 10-track album is steeped in modern production on a foundation of soul and blues. With sounds formed by the spirit of the high desert, the music conjures energies from both outlaws and shamans. Full of self-examination, self-help, and self-harm, the album puts us all to task to question our own self-talk, bias, and self-determination. It’s a testament that personal growth is necessary for the greater good, and that growth is not at all easy.

Self-reflection and desert-tinged sonics are a running theme throughout the record. Franz released three singles leading into the album. The first was “My Greatest Enemy,”  which Ghettoblaster Magazine exclaims “the spirit of the desert blasts from start to finish with effortless ease.” The song is about our inner voice and how we have the choice to control it or have it control us. The past year's lockdown has forced us all to stare down, like gunslingers, our reflections in the mirror and deal with our own negative self-talk. With this song, Franz challenged us all to take back the power from our inner critic and change our internal narratives for the better.  

The second single “Silver Arrow Sunday” that Psychedelic Baby described as “California desert rock with a shamanic outlaw vibe” is steeped in the ethereal and desolate haze of the desert heat. The deeply personal track was written through the lens of a desert mirage, and inspired by a dream about a temptress dressed in deep red, dancing fantastically in a wavery shamanic vision. Her boundless energy slowly pulls David from his tumultuous past and into a fleeting future. The path forward seems positive, even if the direction and the destination are out of focus. Change is never the perfect replica of what we envision it being, but can be beautiful in its mix of clarity and confusion. 

The third, “For My Own Health” is about a toxic relationship and an examination of optimism which is usually viewed as a positive feeling but can discolor reality in a failing relationship and act more like a disease. “When I realized that my own mind was playing tricks on me, telling me to stick it out in a relationship that was unhealthy,” Franz told V13. “I wrote this song to allow myself permission to leave. This song is a resolute awakening... a self-inflicted slap to the face followed by a tight embrace of self and a resolved, confident, and decisive walk away from the past.”

The album is rounded by 10 more tracks that walk the listener through a deeply cathartic healing process. A kinetic spirit and a questing nature have been the engine to his own professional growth and learning, making him that rare creature of left and right brain parity. Creatively, technologically, and temperamentally, his passion for music and teaching has helped numerous artists navigate the choppy waters of the rapidly changing music business. An early innovator, the young Franz wrote the first book about using Pro Tools music production software and designed the curriculum for Berklee’s first online music production course based on that book. He has since written other music production books published by Hal Leonard, online courses for Berkleemusic, lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning, and articles about music for many publications. After teaching at Berkleemusic for almost a decade, Franz was hired by lynda.com first as a course instructor and then as Content Manager for the Audio+Music subject area. After LinkedIn purchased lynda.com, Franz’s position grew into covering a wider range of topics including motion graphics, animation, illustration, and video, all the while learning new video skills and creating world-class online courses. From course author at the first online school to content manager at Linkedin Learning, he’s never had a job title that existed before it was made up for his new position.  

Having a voracious appetite for many different genres of music, Franz founded not one but two record labels. Underground Sun covers a wide-ranging catalog of genres but all have a foundation in soul music. R&B, rock, hip-hop, blues, folk, world, electronic and jazz all find a home on Underground Sun. Underground Sol, co-founded with DJ/producer/entrepreneur Justin Paul, is devoted solely to electronic music and the myriad genres within that broad label. 

Both labels embrace and cultivate diversity and inclusivity, knowing these are not only at the core of a thriving music industry but also imperative to connecting and empathizing with all of humanity. Both Underground Sun and Underground Sol have a strong legacy of launching musicians from under-represented demographics into solid music careers, and David couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the roster as an artist with his California desert rock inspired sound.

As a musician David has performed with Underground Sun artist Iyeoka in over 20 countries throughout Europe, Africa, and North America, including on several TED talk stages. Previous to that, Franz spent years honing his chops on stage playing shows with a variety of artists including The Bleedin Bleedins and Midatlantic all over the east coast of the US and in Ireland. With the release of To The Unknown Franz is looking forward to playing live but this time at the front of the stage behind the mic. 

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LOS ANGELES ARTIST JASON HALOGEN RELEASES “RUXPIN IN THE ATTIC" SINGLE + ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF DEBUT SOLO ALBUM DISASTERPIECE THEATRE

LISTEN TO “RUXPIN IN THE ATTIC” : HERE

Los Angeles by way of Burlington, VT artist Jason "Halogen '' Dunn is excited to announce the release of his single, “Ruxpin in the Attic.” Halogen is an award-winning, multi-instrumental singer-songwriter, film composer, producer, and audio engineer, whose combination of anthemic pop, rock and psychedelia has earned him comparisons to artists ranging from Matthew Sweet, Oasis, R.E.M., Death Cab For Cutie, Pink Floyd and more. 

“Ruxpin in the Attic” was one of the first songs Halogen started working on as a solo artist, evident in lyrics referring to the worldwide population at 7 billion (as we now approach 8 billion). Epic, wistful and heartfelt, Ruxpin is inspired by the need to be remembered fondly after the dissolution of a relationship, even if it means going back in time and hiding a Teddy Ruxpin doll in an ex's crawlspace, playing back the happy memories and good times as that love slowly fades into history.  

The song is from his forthcoming debut  "solo album", Disasterpiece Theatre coming out 10/22. Cinematic and thick with lush arrangements of guitars, synths and harmonies, the record pulls the listener through stories of defiance, sadness, injustice and the struggle to find peace within the turbulent world of being human in the 21st century.

Halogen fronted the alternative pop bands The Halogens and The Luxury in Boston, both of which toured extensively throughout the east coast and yielded a number of local and regional awards nominations and wins. Moving to Los Angeles in 2016, Halogen took up the mantle of "solo artist", crafting what would become Disasterpiece Theatre in his home studio while trying to define home in a new culture on a new coast. The result is a wild, deeply human swing through an eclectic set of musical and emotional motifs, touching on love, friendship, loss, indignation, isolation, growth, and hope. 

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IAMEVE RELEASES HER SINGLE RAINDROPS + ANNOUNCES EP ARCHETYPE

“... if Alice took Ziggy Stardust’s hand and followed him down the rabbit hole to a world guided by the twists and turns of ethereal and colorful vocals.” - The Huffington Post

LISTEN TO “RAINDROPS” : HERE

 "Deftly and viscerally channeling Kate Bush and ’90s era industrial Bowie (remember Outside?), and with a few obvious nods to NIN, it envisions an explorer navigating a journey of the self, represented in video form by a sparkly avatar surfing the cosmos (without the help of space-racing billionaires, we might add).” - BlackBook

Los Angeles-based artist IAMEVE has released her ethereal new single “Raindrops” from her forthcoming EP Archetype out on October 22nd. 

The song was written on an uncharacteristically rainy day in Los Angeles.  Randol is not one to revel in sunny weather so this was pure joy for the songwriter who had been struggling with writer's block and feeling stifled by traditional song structure. To help work through this creative desert and her desire and break out of her box, Randol abandoned her usual methods. Steering clear of old habits and removing the “agenda” of songwriting gave Randol the space to let things unfold and capture the moment.  The rain put her into a trance-like state and started looping some music in the studio and something just clicked.  

Each song on the EP speaks to a different soul archetype, and the theme of "Raindrops" is The Seeker.  A seeker follows their curiosity, independent of the world around them with a sense of adventure and devoted to fulfilling their soul purpose. In the video, we see the metamorphosis of Eve splitting off and reuniting with her offshoots in a whimsical and musical exploration about human creation and the metamorphosis that our souls go through as we evolve. 

IAMEVE has won several awards for her short film “Starman” and is currently in production on a 360 Fulldome show. She has been featured in numerous TV shows and films, most notably for the theme song “To Feel Alive” in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters with composer Andrew Lockington and Nicholas Dodd on Sony Classical. She has performed with many celebrated artists, notably as a guest vocalist for Moby, The Today Show, Fox Good Day NY, and is featured in TC Helicon’s “The Ultimate Guide To Singing”.  

Described as “... if Alice took Ziggy Stardust’s hand and followed him down the rabbit hole to a world guided by the twists and turns of ethereal and colorful vocals," by The Huffington Post, IAMEVE is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. Her evocative sound tapestries are inspired by a world of a supernatural nature full of hypnotic vocals, spacey sounds, and surrealism.   

In addition to IAMEVE Randol is the co-founder of Mamas in Music an organization with the intention of shifting the stereotyping of women in the music industry through open dialogue and a sustainable structure that offers a continuum of output, celebration, and teamwork for Women who are faced with the task of being a mother and working in the industry, with a special focus on artists and creatives. Her EP Archetype, will be the first release through the Mamas In Music's strategic distribution partnership with Burnside/TheOrchard.

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DESTROY BOYS RELEASE THEIR “ESCAPE” SINGLE FROM THE FORTHCOMING ALBUM OPEN MOUTH, OPEN HEART OUT OCTOBER 8 VIA HOPELESS RECORDS ANNOUNCE NATIONAL HEADLINING TOUR

“Hailed by many as the next great punk band, and with over 40 million streams as confirmation, Destroy Boys play hard with heavy guitar tones that radiate tuneful defiance and steely pop hooks in equal measure.”  - Heavy Magazine 

“......it's safe to say Destroy Boys have successfully carved their niche in punk rock.” - Guitar World

"Channeling the spirit of anarchic American garage rock and melodic sensibilities of classic Bay Area punk into short snarling songs, Sacramento’s Destroy Boys whip up noise that is truly timeless.” - Rock Sound

“ Using their platform on gender and racial equality as well as LGBTQIA+ rights, Destroy Boys channel that same unbridled passion into their lyrics. The group give a voice to the underrepresented with a fresh perspective on love, loss and everything in between.” - Alternative Press

"Originally from Sacramento and now based in San Francisco, Destroy Boys is an absolutely need-to-know punk trio.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“The fresh-faced, young female fronted band are pumping fresh blood back into the life of power punk.” - Ladygunn

“Led by singer Alexia Roditis’ sarcastic and wistful singing and Vi Mayugba’s shredding guitar, held down by Narsai Malik on drums, they pay homage to and represent an evolution of all things classically punk, making music that is a searing reminder of how recklessly expressive punk rock was designed to be.”  - Culture Collide

LISTEN TO “ESCAPE”: HERE

Northern California’s three-piece Destroy Boys are releasing the single “Escape,” the final single from their forthcoming album Open Mouth, Open Heart, produced by Will Yip. Coming out October 8th via Hopeless Records the album is available to pre-save and pre-order  HERE.

“‘Escape’  is about wanting an out from the regular life I was living,’ says frontperson Alexia Roditis.  “I wrote it pre-pandemic, though you might not have known that if you listened to it. It’s about wanting to go on tour and wanting to escape reality in any way possible.” Roditis will be getting her wish as the song is released on the heels of the announcement of their National Headlining tour that starts off in Northern California at the end of the month.  The band has made a name for themselves writing visceral, personal songs of scene bullies, elitist cliques, betrayal, and unrequited love - and have won over the hearts and ears of eager listeners ranging from the fervent teens who pack out their shows to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong (see his mention in the Rolling Stone cover story HERE via Instagram HERE) and Fender Guitars, who partnered with the band for the launch of the Fender's  Player Plus Series. 

 “Escape” follows the band's no holds barred formula of speaking their mind with cutting commentary on how our culture views artists, through unapologetic lyrics such as the monologue mid-song: "You know I don’t see anyone asking anyone of any other profession except for artists what their plan B is.  Like if you’re gonna be a mathematician no one asks you what your fucking plan B is even though who knows what they do, I don’t know. Ok. But we need art to live and survive but, I need a plan B? I do. Me. You know I could really go without ever hearing that question ever again.”

Twelve of the thirteen songs on Open Mouth, Open Heart were produced and recorded by Will Yip at his studio near Philadelphia during an intense, productive, and isolated February 2021.  The shredding 1 minute track “Muzzle” was produced and recorded by Martin Cooke in Los Angeles shortly beforehand. The album as a whole shows immense growth in the band both as musicians and people. Outspoken advocates for a myriad of social justice issues, especially when it comes to racial equality, LGBTQA+ rights, and inclusion for all, these themes are prevalent in their music, their actions, and how they use their platform. The album tackles themes of abuse, bullying, insecurity, as well as deeper familial forces and sees the band stepping into, and owning their power - and truly finding their voices.  It also features two songs recorded in Spanish, “‘Te llevo conmigo” and  “Lo peor,”  which is a first for Destroy Boys. “I grew up bilingual,” Roditis told the East Bay Express. “This song is a tribute to my grandparents. I didn’t get to know them but I feel them around me, so I wanted a song to honor them. I haven’t heard many metal songs in Spanish, so I was excited to write it.” The album as a whole is a huge step forward for the band both musically and the depth and density of subject matter. “Everyone adding their own element makes the songs come alive,” says Roditis, “but the biggest difference was going from 19 to 21. I feel like a different person, esthetically.”

Destroy Boys are Violet Mayugba (guitar/vocals) and Alexia Roditis (vocals/guitar), rounded out by drummer Narsai Malik. The punk trio have been redefining West Coast punk, making waves from the California shoreline to the UK, sharing stages with up-and-coming bands like Mannequin Pussy as well as punk stalwarts such as Face To Face and Lagwagon. In addition to having racked up over 60 million streams, their music can be heard in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 game, and Tik Tok has embraced them to the tune of 20 thousand user-made videos and over 3.5M views. After a hiatus from playing live due to the pandemic, Destroy Boys are elated to be heading out on the road, interacting with fans and  playing songs from the new record. 

U.S. TOUR DATES 

SEP 30 The Dip @ Redding, CA
OCT 1 Bottom Of the Hill San Francisco, CA 
OCT 2 Harlow's Restaurant & Nightclub Sacramento, CA
OCT 3 The Holland Project Reno, NV
OCT 5  The Vera Project Seattle, WA
OCT 6 Lola's Room Portland, OR
NOV 19 Chain Reaction Anaheim, CA
NOV 20 VooDoo Room San Diego, CA
NOV 21 Nile Theater Mesa, AZ
NOV 23 Antone's Austin, TX
NOV 24 Ruins Dallas, TX
NOV 26  The End Nashville, TN
NOV 27 Purgatory At The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
NOV 28 Crowbar Tampa, FL
NOV 30 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
DEC 1  Songbyrd Music House Washington, DC
DEC 2 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT
DEC 3 Market Hotel Brooklyn, NY
DEC 4 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
DEC 5 Fête Music Hall Lounge Providence, RI
DEC 6  Brighton Music Hall Allston, MA
DEC 8 Mahalls Cleveland, OH
DEC 9 The Sanctuary Hamtramck, MI
DEC 10 FRI Cobra Lounge Chicago, IL
DEC 11 SAT Odyssey Lounge Springfield, MO
DEC 13 89th Street Collective Oklahoma City, OK
DEC 14 Launchpad Albuquerque, NM

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I AM KAWEHI RETURNS TO THE ROAD FOR “THE QUARANTINE SESSIONS ON TOUR” BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 19th IN ATLANTA

NEW SINGLE COMING THIS FALL

SINGLE “Hawai’i ‘78” (OUT NOW)
LISTEN

LAWRENCE, KS – I AM KAWEHI is a new breed of musician, a pop/electronic loop artist that Elle Magazine called “The Genius One-Woman Band” who uses technology to carry the weight of a full band on her own. After a long absence from tour due to the pandemic, I AM KAWEHI returns to the stage this fall beginning September 19th in Atlanta.

Earlier this summer, Kawehi performed three special shows in her native Hawai’i and recorded her own rendition of “Hawai'i '78” – made popular by Iz Kamakawiwo’ole – that has a deep personal connection for her. “I was lucky to be sent to Kaiapuni (Hawaiian immersion school) when I was young - it was a new adventure in learning, an immersion into the Hawaiian language where all classes were taught in Hawaiian,” she recalls. “I look at my roots as an immovable mountain - when all is gone, I’ll be found in you, still standing.”

With renewed energy and inspiration from her 2021 Hawai’i performances, Kawehi returns to the stage for a two-month headlining tour with new music expected this fall. Confirmed dates are below.

ABOUT KAWEHI

Raised in O’ahu, Hawai’i, Kawehi (pronounced Kuh-VAY-Hee) first pursued music by the encouragement of her piano teacher when she auditioned for the band East that took her from the islands to the mainland in Los Angeles. It is there that Kawehi began her DIY journey as a solo artist, honing her craft with producer/musician (and now husband) Paul Wight.

Since her debut release Songs From My Apartment, Kawehi has independently co-produced and co-written 6 EPs through crowdfunding on Kickstarter, and built an impressive following on social media.

She has done TED performances, was featured in a Super Bowl commercial, and with over 21 million views on her YouTube channel, Kawehi has been performing sold out shows across the nation and has already been on three world headlining tours.

U.S. TOUR DATES
SEPT 19 / ATLANTA, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
SEPT 21 / NASHVILLE, TN @ High Watt
SEPT 23 / AUSTIN, TX @ 3TEN
SEPT 24 / DALLAS, TX @ Three Links Deep Ellum
SEPT 25 / SAN ANTONIO, TX @ Paper Tiger
SEPT 28 / GREELEY, CO @ Moxi Theater
SEPT 29 / DENVER, CO @ Globe Hall
OCT 1 / PHOENIX, AZ @ Valley Bar
OCT 2 / SAN DIEGO, CA @ Winstons Beach Club
OCT 4 / LOS ANGELES, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
OCT 6 / SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ The Independent
OCT 7 / SANTA CRUZ, CA @ Moe’s Alley
OCT 9 / SACRAMENTO, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
OCT 12 / PORTLAND, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
OCT 13 / SEATTLE, WA @ Triple Door
OCT 15 / NINE MILE FALLS, WA @ Live at Andre’s
OCT 17 / BILLINGS, MT @ Pub Station
OCT 19 / OMAHA, NE @ Slowdown
OCT 21 / ST. PAUL, MN @ Turf Club
OCT 22 / CEDAR RAPIDS, IA @ CSPS Hall
OCT 23 / LAWRENCE, KS @ The Granada
OCT 26 / ST. LOUIS, MO @ Blueberry Hill
OCT 27 / CHICAGO, IL @ Beat Kitchen
OCT 28 / INDIANAPOLIS, IN @ White Rabbit Cabaret
OCT 29 / KALAMAZOO, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Café
OCT 30 / LAKE ORION, MI @ 20 Front Street
OCT 31 / CLEVELAND, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
NOV 2 / TORONTO, ON @ The Drake Hotel
NOV 3 / ROCHESTER, NY @ Montage Music Hall
NOV 5 / CONCORD, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Stage
NOV 6 / CAMBRIDGE, MA @ The Middle East
NOV 9 / BROOKLYN, NY @ Baby’s All Right
NOV 11 / VIENNA, VA @ Jammin Java
NOV 13 / ANNAPOLIS, MD @ Rams Head On Stage

KEEP UP WITH KAWEHI
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DALLAS DUO OLIVE VOX LIVE PERFORMANCE DEBUT AT LEVITATION FESTIVAL OCTOBER 28th IN AUSTIN

"… evoking the gloriously sludgy grunge psychedelia of Screaming Trees, Temple of the Dog and Stone Temple Pilots.” – Dallas Observer

Photo by Heidi Yowell

“BURY ME LOW” (OUT NOW)
OFFICIAL VIDEO || STREAM

DALLAS, TX - Olive Vox, the creation of singer-songwriter, social media creator/influencer Parker James and his brother guitarist-songwriter Caden Shea, will make their live performance debut on Thursday, Oct 28th at Levitation Festival in Austin, TX. On the bill is psychedelic rock band Fuzz featuring Ty Segall, one of Olive Vox’s musical influences. Following this performance Olive Vox will embark on their Fall 2021 tour in November. Tickets on Sale this Friday, September 17th.

Originally from Orange County, CA, Parker & Caden moved to Texas as preadolescent kids searching to fit into a new landlocked environment. During the COVID induced lockdown Parker and Caden developed their sound influenced by psychedelic indie rock, garage rock, 90s grunge and more. Their Gen Z perspective makes the music they play resonate to an audience searching for a new sound to embrace.

The debut single “Bury Me Low,” a sludgy, psychedelic rocker, was released this summer. It has drawn comparison to giants of the genre as the Dallas Observer notes: “Parker’s voice rigs out like a young David Gilmour standing by the Nile in 1969, while Caden’s guitars purr with the finesse of a freshly refurbished muscle car." Olive Vox will be on tour this fall with new music coming soon, all confirmed shows below. U.S.

TOUR DATES
OCT 28 / AUSTIN, TX @ LEVITATION FESTIVAL (@ 8:30 pm Mohawk Austin 912 Red River St Austin, TX 78701) OCT 29 / FORT WORTH, TX @ Tulips
NOV 13 / ATLANTIC CITY, NJ @ Anchor Rock Club
NOV 15 / NEW YORK, NY @ Mercury Lounge
NOV 17 / VIENNA, VA @ Jammin Java
NOV 18 / COLUMBUS, OH @ The Basement
NOV 19 / CHICAGO, IL @ Subterranean
DEC 1 / LOS ANGELES, CA @ The Mint

KEEP UP WITH OLIVE VOX
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BRITISH SINGER/SONGWRITER NEWTON FAULKNER RELEASES “LEAVE ME LONELY” TODAY

NEW ALBUM INTERFERENCE (OF LIGHT) OUT ON 10/8/21

Photo by Stevie Kyle

“LEAVE ME LONELY” || LISTEN

LONDON, UK. – Today, British singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner releases his latest single “Leave Me Lonely,” a soulful folk/rock song that showcases his rich vocal range. The song is featured on his forthcoming album Interference (Of Light) available October 8, 2021 with distribution through BFD/The Orchard in North America + South America. The album will be released via Battenberg Records on various vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Four years on from his last studio album, Newton Faulkner has been working throughout lockdown from his recording studio in East London, exploring a number of new and unexplored styles and musical ideas, using them as the building blocks for this album. Twisting these inside out, he has pushed himself further and further. “I’m not very precious any more,” he remarks. “The music is a bit chunkier, it’s definitely way heavier and much less acoustic than previously. I feel like the stuff I’ve written recently is simpler, but it’s tasteful… it works as songs. I can feel it.”

Interference (Of Light) is an album that has seen Newton push himself musically and vocally: “I want to boil things down to their strongest form,” Newton says. “It’s about the songs. However good you are at playing, if the voice isn’t up to scratch and the songs aren’t good enough, no one is going to listen to them. It’s grizzly, soulful, and a step further,” he says of his new material. “Vocally, I’ve learned a huge amount over the years. I was a guitarist and a writer who sang. That’s kind of where I came from. And now I feel like my voice has caught up with the stuff I was doing on guitar.”

Since the release of his debut album Hand Built By Robots in 2007 (featuring the smash hit ‘Dream Catch Me’), Newton Faulkner has become one of the UK’s most successful singer-songwriters of this millennium. Later this year, he will be heading out on tour to play to live music-starved fans across the UK, starting with a few socially distanced gigs, many of which are already sold out. Plans for a North American tour are in the works.

NEW ALBUM INTERFERENCE (OF LIGHT) OUT ON 10/8/21 

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NASHVILLE DUO HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN RELEASE THIRD SINGLE “WHISTLING TREE” TODAY

“…a distinctly queer story of forbidden love… [‘Whistling Tree’] anchored on the image of their secret meeting place in a nearby forest, the singer urges her lover to stay strong.” – Country Queer

Photo by Caroline Voisine

“WHISTLING TREE” VIDEO ||  SPOTIFY 

NASHVILLE, TENN. - Nashville duo Haunted Like Human - Cody Clark (multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter) and Dale Chapman (lead singer, lyricist) – release their new single “Whistling Tree” today.

The third single from the forthcoming Tall Tales & Fables, is a stormy, ominous song full of the joy and danger of forbidden love.

“It’s one of the most personal songs I’ve ever written, and it took a year,” says Dale Chapman. “The inspiration really came from a good friend of mine who attempted suicide in high school because her parents were making her life a nightmare trying to keep her away from her girlfriend. As I really came into my own identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, this story felt more and more important to tell. The image of the tree is a place of life and death, love and hate, all wrapped into one.”

Tall Tales & Fables, available October 15, delves deeper into inspired songwriting, sparse arrangements, and, naturally, the frisson-inducing harmonies that marked their previous two releases. Glide Magazine noted of their songwriting recipe “…take a cup of orchestrated folk, sprinkle in some angelic harmonies, and pour in full-bodied production and you get the earthy joy of this Nashville duo.”

Despite the album’s title, these songs are honest, above all else. Real, tender, messy honesty.

BUZZ

“The stirring acoustic number [“Stay”] puts mental health at the forefront, as they ride ravaged waters with grace and ease, alongside a peaceful melody of guitar and strings complementing their haunting, yet serene harmonies.” -AudioFemme

“… the cinematic “Ghost Towns,” combines a Damien Rice-like heartfelt basket of musical nuances atop an atmospheric gleam.” – Glide Magazine

 “…chilling yet angelic… [“Ghost Towns”] resembles the wisdom a grey sparrow might sing you after it lands on a fence from a long flight north. It offers the song as wisdom as the creature catches its breath before moving on again. ‘How do I set you free when the lost don’t want to be found?’ it might whistle. ‘There’s nothing left here for you now.’” –American Songwriter

ABOUT HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN:

Hoping to find collaborators who were serious about music, Clark drove from Oregon to Nashville in 2017. Within a couple days, he met Chapman at a coffee shop. She deduced that he was a lost tourist and struck up a conversation, leading to a cowriting session. Next thing they knew, Clark had relocated to Nashville and they were making their first album, Ghost Stories.  On the heels of that, they offered up their Folklore EP, featuring standout single “Feels Like Fire.” While that EP sought to channel the minimalist, intimate spirit of their live shows, Tall Tales & Fables is the next step in their maturation. Polished but not shiny, the album benefits from Mitch Dane’s production. Together with skilled string players, the album developed its own life while staying true to Clark and Chapman’s partnership, one built on literal and metaphorical voices.

U.S. TOUR DATES

OCT 1 / THE PLAINS, OH @ Pleasant Folk Café
OCT 9 / HUNTSVILLE, AL @ Yellowhammer Brewing
OCT 14 / NASHVILLE, TN @ The 5 Spot (Album Release Show)
OCT 16 / PAINTSVILLE, KY @ Alley On Main
OCT 23 / GREENVILLE, SC @ The Velo Fellow
OCT 29 / MOBILE, AL @ The People’s Room
NOV 5 / HOLLAND, MI @ The Park Theatre

“STAY” OUT NOW || SPOTIFY || LISTEN
“GHOST TOWNS” ||  SPOTIFY || LISTEN
“WHISTLING TREE” VIDEO ||  SPOTIFY

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OUT TODAY: ALISA AMADOR’S DEBUT MINI-ALBUM NARRATIVES

OUT TODAY:

ALISA AMADOR’S DEBUT MINI-ALBUM NARRATIVES

“Alisa Amador is a pitch-perfect rendition of my wildest dreams” - NPR

“These are Alisa Amador’s fight songs” - The Boston Globe

“Alisa Amador sings with the ease of someone who has been performing for the entirety of her life” - American Songwriter 

"...her latest effort is a document of the breadth of human experience, examining the narratives that encompass us amidst powerful indie folk arrangements” - Under The Radar

"Alisa Amador’s Narratives does what an EP is meant to do. It gives a taste of Amador’s sweet vocals and melodies, leaving the listener wanting more.” - PopMatters

"Not only can you sense her own musical drive and talent, you can almost feel how she puts her soul into her multi-genre art…Alisa Amador is a prime example of the amazing music Boston churns out” - WERS

“…knocks together the worlds of Lake Street Dive and Fiona Apple into a tell-it like it is a morning anthem. With skatty jazz bravado and an engaging vocal presentation, Amador is a chill addition to the ’70s influenced singer-songwriter sect”- Glide Magazine

"Her songcraft is deeply personal, examining her intersecting identities, but there’s something universally relevant about the way she approaches these themes, her warm and wise voice skipping from genre to genre like stones across a glassy lake.” - Audiofemme

“…a breath of fresh air” - Sound Of Boston

“Amador’s crystalline vocal delivery set against soul-soothing grooves and playful lyrics will make your heart skip a beat.” - East Of 8th

LISTEN: NARRATIVES 

Today, Boston-based artist Alisa Amador has released Narratives, her critically-acclaimed debut mini-album. This six-song snapshot in time is a deep look at a person stumbling through life in two languages — English and Spanish — and in many states of mind about it all. 

Album opener “Timing,” a familiar tale of romantic uncertainty, accompanied by an irresistible horn section, was featured on Spotify’s "Fresh Finds,” "Fresh Finds: Indie,” and "Stay in Bed" playlists, as well as Apple Music’s "Now That's What I Call Today's Top Hits.” “Slow Down,” a Queen-tinged self-care anthem, was written a healing exercise meant to give a name to the chaos of navigating strained work relationships and an endless to-do list, while Beatles-esque standout “Burnt And Broken,” highlighted at The Bluegrass Situation, calls out rape culture and toxic masculinity. 

Intentionally sparse in its arrangement, “Burnt and Broken” examines myriad systems of oppression. “Violence stems from fear, and fear grows from a lack of understanding,” Amador says. “An absence of a conversation around these violences causes such pain.” 

“Alone,” a three-and-a-half-minute dissertation on the importance of committing to self-love with abandon, is followed by “Nada Que Ver,” a love song entirely in Spanish, which she says is “the language closest to my heart, and the language of some of my most vulnerable writing. This song is me bargaining with love. Stating clearly what I want and naming my qualms.”  Album closer “Together,” is a song about systemic violence which Under The Radar called “a heartwarming tribute to friendship and camaraderie. Amador begins stark and solitary, accompanied only by the steady chime of her guitar as she acknowledges the pain that all too often defines life’s experiences.

WATCH: “TIMING” 

WATCH: “SLOW DOWN”

WATCH: “NADA QUE VER”

“The word ‘narratives’ encompasses not only the existing cultural messages that hurt people individually and collectively,” Amador says, “but also the revolutionary power of writing ourselves new narratives; rejecting a culture of fear; and catalyzing a culture of honesty, bravery, and self-love in the process.” 

When listening to Amador’s music, her time spent immersed in Latin folk and jazz is undoubtedly present in her own songs, written in both English and Spanish. But there is also pop, funk, soul, and something uniquely her own. Her specialty is sparking connection across both listeners and musical styles. Working with producer Daniel Radin (The Novel Ideas, Future Teens), Narratives concentrates on the journey of Amador’s live set, taking listeners through songs that may elicit a laugh, bring introspection, offer a cathartic cry, or encourage a sing-along. 

The genre-bending effort is as empowering as it is heart-wrenching. These songs explore themes of romance and heartbreak, of chaos and healing, exposing systems of oppression and shining a light on the intricacies of the human condition. They might break your heart open, but by the end, it will be mended, uplifted, and stronger—a ‘Life and Love Survival Kit' in the form of a bilingual EP. Click HERE to order Narratives.

TOUR DATES

9/19 - P.M. Sundays  - Richmond, VT

9/22 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA

9/23 - Club Passim - Cambridge, MA

10/7 - Fruitlands Museum - Harvard, MA

10/15 - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, MA*

10/22 - The Foundry - West Stockbridge, MA

11/1 - City Winery New York - New York, NY

11/8 - City Winery New York - New York, NY

11/19 - Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY

* w/ Billy Wylder

PHILLIP-MICHAEL SCALES PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “WHEN THEY PUT ME IN MY GRAVE (ft. ARCHIE LEE HOOKER)” VIA POPMATTERS

PHILLIP-MICHAEL SCALES PREMIERES NEW SINGLE

“WHEN THEY PUT ME IN MY GRAVE (ft. ARCHIE LEE HOOKER)” VIA POPMATTERS

SINNER-SONGWRITER LP OUT ON OCTOBER 29TH VIA DIXIE FROG RECORDS

LISTEN: “WHEN THEY PUT ME IN MY GRAVE (ft. ARCHIE LEE HOOKER)”

Today, Nashville-based artist Phillip-Michael Scales unveils “When They Put Me   In My Grave (ft. Archie Lee Hooker),” the powerful new single from his forthcoming LP Sinner-Songwriter, set for release on October 29th via Dixie Frog Records. 

“Scales’ latest tune, ‘When They Put Me in My Grave,’ features electrifying licks that can’t help but call back to [B.B.] King’s iconic style,” noted PopMatters in their premiere. "Its opening moments tease something bigger, starting with an acoustic rhythm, subtle tinges of electric lead, and Scales’ passionate vocals. Shy of 40 seconds in, the track explodes into full-throttle blues. Scales soulfully dishes out lyrics that speak to his family legacy—and the one that he wants to forge for himself.”

“I think a lot about legacy, being black and how that all ties in for me,” Scales told PopMatters. “My mother was the first black female to have her own practice in the state of Michigan, and my grandmother went to college in the 1940s despite not being able to stay or eat on campus. So, the question of how I want to live my life so that my future kids will be better off later is something I think of a lot. The label heard the song and suggested that their artist Archie Lee Hooker jump on the track,” he continued. "I thought it was cool to hear the voice of someone who’d lived much more life than me on the track.

"I come from sons and daughters of lambs who escaped the slaughter / My bloodline should have stopped with Bones and Chains in that blue water / What will they say when they put me in my grave? / Gammy told me “Son, you better keep our flame," he sings in “When They Put Me in My Grave.” The song follows the release of “Another Man’s Sin,” of which Pancakes & Whiskey said, “‘Dive Bar Soul’ is how Scales describes his music and this track perfectly embodies that statement; rocking music that has heart and soul, but feels very accessible for any music fan to appreciate,” and bluesy anthem “O, Hallelujah.”

LISTEN: “ANOTHER MAN'S SIN”

LISTEN: “O, HALLELUJAH”

Growing up, Phillip-Michael Scales had an uncle who played guitar for a living. He knew it was a big deal but didn’t understand the significance that his uncle’s name was B.B. King. Even though Scales played guitar, he shied away from soloing and most things blues-related. Instead, he fell in love with songwriting when an English teacher told him “A great writer can make their reader identify with anyone.” The trouble was he couldn’t find his story in the blues. 

Born with a fierce independent streak and a passion for performing, Scales fronted his own indie bands, wrote and recorded his own music, and worked to make a name for himself on his own terms. All the while, his uncle just smiled a knowing smile and encouraged him to “stay with it.” As he began to discover “the blues” in his private and personal life, their relationship grew closer. 

It wasn’t until his uncle passed away that Scales began incorporating more of it into his music. “These days I’m finding more of my story in the blues,” he explains. “A lot has led me here—between politics, my identity, and of course: Legacy.”  

Throughout its 14 soulful tracks, Sinner-Songwriter, Scales explores, growth, mistakes, being black in America, searching for love, and finding your place in the world. He calls his sound “Dive Bar Soul,” blending indie rock storytelling with the passion of the blues. His single “O, Hallelujah” has broken 200K plays, he has been featured in Rolling Stone France and is in regular rotation on Nashville’s Radio Station Lightning 100. Scales’ music has taken him all the way to the Middle East, as well as festivals across Europe and North America. He has opened for Fantastic Negrito, Anderson East, Guster, David Cook, Bethany Joy Lenz, Matt Hires, Billy Raffoul, Crystal Bowersox, Tyler Hilton, Jon McLaughlin, and Cory Brannan.

TOUR DATES

9/17 - WYNDHAM GARDEN KENOSHA HARBORSIDE - KENOSHA, WI 

9/18 - LISTENING  ROOM - PORT CLINTON, OH 

9/19 - MUSIC BOX SUPPER CLUB - CLEVELAND, OH 

9/20 - CLUB CAFE - PITTSBURGH, PA 

9/22 - SELLERSVILLE THEATER - SELLERSVILLE, PA

9/23-9/25 - AMERICANAFEST - NASHVILLE, TN [Official Showcase Artist]

9/26 - INFINITY MUSIC HALL & BISTRO - NORFOLK, CT 

9/28 - CITY WINERY - NEW YORK, NY

9/29 - DARYL’S HOUSE - PAWLING, NY 

9/30 - CITY WINERY - WASHINGTON, DC  

10/1 - THE TIN PAN - RICHMOND, VA 

10/2 - ISIS MUSIC HALL - ASHEVILLE, NC 

10/3 - LIGHTNING 100: NASHVILLE SUNDAY NIGHT @ 3RD & LINDSLEY - NASHVILLE, TN

10/8 - McMENAMINS WHITE EAGLE SALOON - PORTLAND, OR

10/27 - GOLDEN DAGGER - CHICAGO, IL (Record Release) 

10/29 - 20 FRONT STREET - LAKE ORION, MI (Record Release) 

11/5 - THE BASEMENT - NASHVILLE, TN (Record Release) 

WILD HEART CLUB PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “GLITTER ON THE DRUM” VIA GLAMGLARE

Photo: Anna Haas

DEBUT LP ARCADE BACK IN MANITOU 
OUT ON NOVEMBER 12TH 

LISTEN: “GLITTER ON THE DRUM”   

Today, with the release of lead single “Glitter On The Drum,” Nashville-based band Wild Heart Club has announced their debut LP Arcade Back In Manitou, due out November 12th. The song, which feels like mourning the loss of a lover while soaring across a roller-rink under twinkling lights, was inspired by a YouTube comment on a Robyn video. The music sparkles, but its glittery edges are sharp. 

“She creates irresistibly fascinating indie-pop, by blending elements from different kinds of genres, freely employing digital and analog tools as needed,” noted glamglare of Kristen Castro, the creative force behind the band. “While many artists these days tend to take from different musical styles and using a plethora of different instruments, Castro stands out. Her songwriting comes from a personal place but its message is universally understood. She manages to offer intimacy with her soothing, reassuring vocals yet also keeps us on the edge. Most notably thanks to her stellar guitar work which takes on new heights in the magnificent ‘Glitter on the Drum.’” 

“‘Glitter on the Drum’ started as a guitar melody in the middle of night when I couldn’t sleep,” says Castro. “I was channeling Maja Ivarsson from The Sounds and Warpaint when I was writing the song and the word glitter came out of nowhere. I grew up listening to a lot of disco unwillingly whenever my dad worked out in the garage so I have a lot of subconscious 80s influences. I found a disco drum beat in Logic and that became the backbone of the song. I was listening to a lot of Robyn at the time and a person commented on her video saying she’s the only one who makes them cry on the dance floor,” she adds. “That was the pulse of the song, self-talk and crying on the dance floor.” 

~  

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kristen Castro is a genre-crossing artist known for blending a surprising range of electronic, digital, and analog elements into her dreamy, atmospheric indie-pop. She built a name for herself as an independent solo artist with a penchant for electric guitar, a dark sensibility, and a bracing tenderness reminiscent of acts like the Cocteau Twins.  

Transforming abstract emotion into compelling music, her early releases feature everything from mandolin to bass, piano to synth, banjo to drum programming, in songs that feel both effortless and complex at the same time. Castro’s latest project, Wild Heart Club, builds off the hybrid style of her solo work, evolving her eclectic foundations into an even more distinct and cohesive sound. The synth-heavy, guitar-driven soundscapes are laced with Castro’s breezy, candied vocals: think Sigur Rós meets Heart. It’s a strange and compelling combination that feels right for the current moment.  

“I’ve always been drawn to people who aren’t in the cool club—the weirdos embracing their weirdness. This is music for them, as always.” Written, recorded, and produced primarily by Castro herself, Wild Heart Club’s debut album Arcade Back in Manitou is set for release this fall. 

Castro started writing the songs that would become Arcade Back in Manitou in January 2020, while living with her brother in L.A. and recovering from heartache after a particularly difficult breakup. She was also navigating the breakup of her band and listening to Fleetwood Mac’s Gypsy on repeat. 

Named for a happy memory (visiting a Colorado penny arcade with an ex), Arcade Back in Manitou is an ethereal and lush collection of melancholy songs with a brilliant gloss of retro sheen. The resulting music feels unexpectedly bright, like walking through a clean, sunlit, white-tiled mall in the glowy light of a sitcom flashback. Throughout the album, there’s a genuine and hopeful engagement with the positive, a buoyant, almost-ironic sense of cheer teeming from the instrumentation, and a spirit of experimentation and discovery, despite the themes of loss the lyrics explore.  

Hints of 80s plastic-pop and elements of 90s alternative cool are nestled in the mix, as well as nods to vintage and modern Swedish pop acts like Robyn, Léon, and ABBA. “I want to be the artist who can make you cry on the dance floor. I like songs that pair darker thoughts with happy vibes. Emotions are complex. It feels right to have that kind of complicated juxtaposition play out in music,” she says. “It feels honest.”          

ARCADE BACK IN MANITOU TRACK LISTING  
Her, If Losing You Had A Sound 
Arcade Back In Manitou 
Unhappy 
Glitter On The Drum 
Ever You Go 
Down From The Heavens 
Chemistry  
Tupelo Honey 
Rainbow 
Overflow (Ruled by Saturn) 

INTRODUCING: SPENCER LAJOYE

Photo: Whitney Wilson and Hannah LaJoye Photography

  NEW SINGLE “HOUSE FIRES” OUT TODAY  

REMEMBER THE OXYGEN EP 
SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 5TH 

LISTEN: “HOUSE FIRES”   

Boston-based singer/songwriter Spencer LaJoye has announced their forthcoming EP Remember The Oxygen with the release of powerful lead single “House Fires.” "Reclaiming myself as a nonbinary person was about so much more than gender.,” LaJoye explains of the song. “To summon up the resolve to say 'these boxes aren’t for me,' I also had to say, 'these relationships aren’t for me, these systems aren’t for me, this people-pleasing disposition is not for me.' Ultimately, on the other side of all of that going up in flames, I found clarity and peace...and I’m still settling into who I am." "House Fires" is the story of deciding what parts of ourselves and our lives we hold onto when everything else burns. 

~ 

Spencer LaJoye’s music feels like taking a long walk on cracked pavement. Their dynamic acoustic tones and layered vocals are reminiscent of melancholic sixties folk songs - but their genre-bending doesn’t end there. Resonant vocal loops spin these classic sounds into delightfully boppy pop songs that are both mesmerizing and haunting with their detailed, autobiographical lyrics.  

Out of Boston, Massachusetts, LaJoye is a folk/pop singer songwriter, violinist, and vocal loop artist who has garnered a growing fan base around the world through live performances, live streams, and an ever-increasing loyal Patreon community. Charming, humorous, and acutely self-aware, their live performances leave audiences crying, laughing, and wanting more.  

One of eight in a family of musicians in rural Southwest Michigan, LaJoye picked up a violin at the age of five, and pursued classical music until college, when they swapped their bow for a pen. They wrote their first EP as a closeted queer kid in a historically conservative Christian college while pursuing a degree in theology. Their songwriting and theologizing became tools of self-empowerment amid a culture of shame. Now an outspoken nonbinary bisexual, LaJoye’s goal is to foster a life-affirming community through music, and to “bring people to church” at their shows.  

Their first EP We’ve Been That Way Before won the WYCE Jammie Award for Listener’s Choice in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and most recently, LaJoye was chosen as a winner of the 2021 Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition.  

This fall, LaJoye will release their new four-track EP, Remember The Oxygen, written before, during, and following their coming out as trans/gender non-binary. The songs document them becoming themselves, a journey that involved just as much looking to the past as it did moving towards the future. “As it turns out, I knew who I was from the very beginning,” says LaJoye. “I knew how to breathe all along. To re-becoming myself. I just had to let some things burn, let some things hurt, and finally, remember my own oxygen.” 

THE SLANG PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “DIVIDE” VIA V13

Photo: Morris Photography

DEBUT FULL-LENGTH LP DIVIDE   SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 24TH 

LISTEN: “DIVIDE”   

Today, Washington, DC-based rock duo The Slang has unveiled “Divide,” the title track from their forthcoming debut LP set for release on September 24th. “Divide” is about the moment a relationship is over, and you’re bracing for the inevitable impact from the crash about to occur. “Armed to the teeth with style, grace, and aplomb, The Slang is reemerging with their brand new single…,” said V13 in the song’s premiere, calling it “a juicy slice of melodic power pop, reminiscent of one of those radio songs that somehow finds its way onto every format…A very strong first full-length offering, The Slang is confidently moving forward in the right direction, with both precision and self-assurance.” 

“I sometimes see a divide growing as people reveal their true personalities,” says frontman John Bobo of “Divide.” “It could be personal or viewed in the context of society. Careful to not choose a side… the hope is that people will explore the divide and find a way to come together.” “Divide” follows the release of “Disguise,” a hook-laden dreamscape that brims with shimmering guitars that explores our tendency to hide our true selves from others, and "Nothing Lasts Forever," about addictions, and unhealthy vices and attachments.  

LISTEN: “DISGUISE”   

LISTEN // WATCH: “NOTHING LASTS FOREVER” 

Divide features 10 sparkling alt-rock gems written by co-founders John Bobo and Felix Nieto, and produced by Nieto. “It’s our first full-length album, so we used that to our advantage to take risks that we may not have on our prior EP’s,” explains Bobo. “As the expression goes, ‘Stories Don’t End,’ so what happens after the movie ends and the credits have rolled? Divide is an album about trying to overcome the inevitable, but continues asking that question of ‘what happens next?’”  

Offering a distinct blend of power-pop, alternative, and contemporary rock, The Slang is comfortable testing genre lines and taking their time to capture the minutiae of modern life. With a laid-back intensity that infuses their music, lead vocalist/multi-instrumentalist John Bobo serves as the main songwriter while bassist/multi-instrumentalist Felix Nieto focuses on production. Both artists share a kind of low-key perfectionism: hands-on, hyper-attuned to textural detail, and aware of what elevates a song from good to great. “We want to do it right,” says Bobo. “And we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the best possible track each time.”   

With smooth vocals and striking guitar melodies, The Slang is often compared to bands like Snow Patrol and The Killers, but with a modern twist and more experimental production value. “We care about the experience, whether on headphones or at a live show,” says Nieto, whose production adds a sleekness and edge. Bobo’s introspective lyrics explore singular moments that define human relationships. This beautiful blend of respective talent is evident on Divide, which features the band’s characteristic melodic precision, bright, electric guitar-driven anthems, and top-quality production, but with a more pop-leaning sound.  

Be sure to follow The Slang via the links below for the latest news, updates, and tour information, and check out their hilarious Facebook group The Slang Gang.