25 Years Ago Today- moe. Releases Fifth Studio Album ‘Dither’
Surfing The Tube: John P. Kee & New Life On NPR Tiny Desk; The Black Keys Return; Brent Faiyaz Teases New Album
Surfing the Tube is a daily recap of recent must-see YouTube happenings, from music videos and live performances to interviews and everything in between. John P. Kee & New Life: Tiny Desk Concert Bringing the spirituality to NPR Tiny Desk, John P. Kee & New Life are the beloved series’ most recent musical guest performers. […]
Golden Age Thursday Samples: Brenda & The Tabulations’ “Right on the Tip of My Tongue” Provides Soulful Undertones To Songs From Westside Gunn (2019) & Bushwick Bill (1992)
When people think of the golden age of soul music, your mind drifts to either Detroit with Motown or Memphis with Stax. These two labels, and all of the classic soul releases that fell under their umbrella, have proven to be a treasure trove for Hip-hop producers. While some of the most enduring soul music […]
Ten Years Later: DIIV Drops Intoxicating Shoegaze On ‘Is The Is Are’
Creativity is the process of making the intangible palpable, an attempt at understanding the cosmic imbalances that plague the mind, body, and the world they inhabit. This mystical part of our brains is sensitive, and only a few seem capable of controlling it and using it for good; even then, it can consume you. The […]
Jay Buchanan Moves To Mellow Americana Ground With Soaring ‘Weapons of Beauty’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
Jay Buchanan has spent the last seventeen years as the frontman for Rival Sons, where his booming voice, combined with Scott Holiday’s heavy guitar riffs, has created some of this era’s best old-school hard rock. Even as the band’s music over the last three albums has grown more melodic and versatile, it’s remained undeniably heavy. […]
Ratboys Make New West Debut With Confident & Powerful ‘Singin’ to an Empty Chair’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
Ratboys hit a new creative stride with 2023’s The Window, one of the strongest indie rock albums released that year. Produced by Chris Walla, the record marked a turning point for the Chicago four-piece. So, despite interviewing and considering several other producers, they ultimately brought the former Death Cab for Cutie guitarist back for their […]
LISTEN: FAITH PLATES Crafts Ethereal Folk Balladry On Emotional “Salt Circles”
FAITH PLATES is an artist based in Berlin. Born in Germany to Romanian-Hungarian immigrant parents and raised in South Carolina, China, Germany, and the UK, she draws on nostalgia for early-2000s America. Heavily influenced by traditional folk and country, she draws on diverse musical traditions and cultures, so the music does not belong to a […]
LISTEN: Mo Klé’s “King of Mediocrity” Is A Refreshing Folk Anthem With Infectious Melodies
Mo Klé is the musical pseudonym of Swiss songwriter René Grünenfelder. His musical journey began early: as a teenager, he founded a punk band and subsequently spent about 10 years touring with NOFNOG. This period, shaped by concerts, travel, and intense stage experiences, continues to influence his approach to music to this day. After the […]
30 Years Ago Today- Deep Purple Launch Steve Morse Era With ‘Purpendicular’
SONG PREMIERE: Chicago Farmer’s “Great River Road” Is a Catchy and Poignant Work of Folk-rock
When taking on the moniker Chicago Farmer, singer-songwriter Cody Diekhoff aimed to not only showcase the dichotomy of his life and travels — growing up in the tiny Illinois farm community of Delavan, and calling “The Windy City” home for several years — he also wanted to honor his past through his uplifting, introspective melodies. […]
Surfing The Tube: Broken Social Scene Returns; Miguel Returns To NPR Tiny Desk; Dua Saleh Teams Up With Bon Iver
Surfing the Tube is a daily recap of recent must-see YouTube happenings, from music videos and live performances to interviews and everything in between. Broken Social Scene – Not Around Anymore Broken Social Scene announce a brand new album titled Remember the Humans, coming in May. Alongside the announcement, fans received the lead single and […]
40 Years Later: Janet Jackson Solidifies Pop Star Status With Near Perfect ‘Control’
At this point in contemporary music, mentioning Janet Jackson is a no-brainer. A product of a dominant and historically overbearing musical family, by the time she was a teenage actor, her name had already been attached to worldwide phenomena and wildly successful records. Inevitably, Jackson should step into the blinding spotlight of this legacy, pass […]
SONG PREMIERE: Boston-Based All-Star Group Reckoners Offer Warm and Heartfelt Rendition of Lee Clayton’s Country-Rock Classic “Silver Stallion”
Rooted in soul and steeped in rock ‘n’ roll, Reckoners is a Boston-based band built from some of the region’s most respected and road-tested musicians. Fronted by singer and guitarist Tim Gearan, the group features guitarist and band leader Johnny Trama (Bettye LaVette, The Silks, Dub Apocalypse), drummer Tom Arey (Peter Wolf, The J. Geils […]
Weirdo Wednesday: Ian Dury and The Blockheads Say It Loud ““I Want to be Straight…””
Rounding out our salute to the late great Ian Dury this week, for today’s Weirdo Wednesday, we’ve dug up this peculiarly amusing video of the tongue-in-cheek “I Want To Be Straight” from 1980. Indeed, after cheeky introductions from each member of The Blockheads, the camera pans to a half-face-painted Dury, where he earnestly declares: “…and […]
Jazz Legend Ron Carter and Gospel Great Ricky Dillard Blend Majestic With Historic On “Sweet, Sweet Spirit”
Blue Note Records and Motown Gospel have joined forces for an unprecedented hybrid album, Sweet, Sweet Spirit, featuring Ron Carter’s improvisational bass lines underpinning gospel great Ricky Dillard’s famed New G Chorale. Whether this new venture will encourage jazz listeners to listen to traditional gospel remains to be seen, though Carter’s name alone will draw many to this effort. […]
LISTEN: a.gris Blends Pop Melodies With Distorted Experimentation On “bar”
a.gris — the new solo venture of Alex Delamard (Hoorsees, Heavymodern) — introduces himself with Gris, a debut EP that feels both raw and meticulously sculpted. Written and produced alone in his basement over a month of isolation, these five tracks play like the strange dream of a collaboration between A.G. Cook and Bruce Springsteen […]
LISTEN: Darkswoon’s “Thread” Is Hypnotic Post-punk With Thrilling Textures
Portland’s Darkswoon is a melancholic dark alternative trio blending elements of darkwave, post-punk, dream pop, shoegaze, and electronic music into a haunting yet resonant sound. Originally the solo project of Jana Cushman, now completed with Rachel Ellis on synths and beats and Norah Lynn on bass, the band’s immersive discography, including Bind, Bloom//Decay, and the […]
Metric Announces New Album ‘Romanticize The Dive’ & Reveals Tour With Broken Social Scene & Stars
Metric have announced their new album, Romanticize The Dive, arriving April 24 on Thirty Tigers, and shared its first single, “Victim Of Luck.” The official music video for the track premieres at 12 ET today. The disarming first track doubles as a mission statement, tracing the band back to their early days and revisiting the tension, vulnerability, and […]
Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes Announces Solo Northeast Tour
Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes has announces he will be performing a series of North American solo acoustic shows at performing arts centers at the end of April, with Allegra Krieger as support. Tickets for the solo acoustic shows go on sale Friday, February 6 @ 10AM ET and will be available HERE. Separately, Pecknold […]
Paul Simon Announces Summer Tour
The legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon announced plans for a US and Canada summer tour as he extends his “A Quiet Celebration Tour,” following a highly successful and critically acclaimed US tour last year. The experience was so encouraging that Simon was inspired to expand and play in some of the best outdoor summer venues in […]