Golden Age Thursday Samples: Ahmad Jamal Trio’s “I Love Music” (1970) Becomes Iconic Hip-hop Melody Via Nas (1994), Knxwledge (2010), & Jeru the Damaja (1996)
Some samples breathe new life into forgotten classics, while others recontextualize a song’s place in contemporary music more than anything else. Not every iconic sample in Hip-hop had to be dug up from the depths of basements lined with damaged sleeves and vinyl; some have been sitting in our souls long before they were flipped […]
Tinariwen Announce Tenth Studio Album ‘Hoggar,’ Share New Single “Sagherat Assani” and Tour Dates
Tuareg pioneers and Grammy-winning collective Tinariwen have announced their tenth studio album, Hoggar, due March 13 via the band’s own Wedge label. More than 45 years into their remarkable run, the group turns inward, reconnecting with the elemental sounds that first defined their music. Long recognized as vital voices for Tuareg nomadic culture across the […]
The Lowest Pair Expand on Banjo-focused Folk Sound with Confident Musical Growth on ‘Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
The Lowest Pair is an American folk duo made up of Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee, known for their intertwined vocal harmonies and banjo-forward songwriting. Formed in 2013, the pair has built a dedicated following through records that balance traditional folk roots with plainspoken, emotionally direct lyrics. Having a particularly prolific run in their […]
LISTEN: Human Potential’s “The Sightseer” Is Immersive Alt-pop With Palpable Psychedelia
Eel Sparkles is the seventh release by Human Potential – the solo project of Andrew Becker, an award-winning filmmaker and former drummer for both Dischord Records’ band, Medications, and Brooklyn provocateurs, Screens. The album is set to be released on March 6. You can pre-order the album here. In spring of 2025, Becker crammed a […]
LISTEN: Florentenes Craft Cathartic Indie Rock On Unpredictable “The News”
Florentenes are quickly becoming an unstoppable, vibrant force in Manchester’s music scene. Fronted by lead vocalist and songwriter William Smith, the band features Luke Holding on lead guitar, Harry Stubbs on bass, and Liam Fiddy on drums. What began as bedroom jams between Smith and Holding has blossomed into a powerhouse band with a distinctive […]
Megadeth Sign Off With Final Last Blast Of Undeniable Riffs & Shredding On Eponymous Album (ALBUM REVIEW)
Last August, thrash metal icon Dave Mustaine announced the end of Megadeth. After one final album, the band’s seventeenth, and a farewell tour, Mustaine is hanging up his Flying V guitar. This is partly due to issues with his hand, including arthritis and Dupuytren’s contracture, a painful condition that causes one or more fingers to […]
Lucinda Williams Delivers Urgent Commentary & Plea For Action On ‘World’s Gone Wrong’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
Inevitably, two camps will form over Lucinda Williams’ latest, World’s Gone Wrong. Some will praise her for taking on America’s socio-political crises head-on. The ‘shut up and play” crowd, on the other hand, will argue that we didn’t need Lucinda Williams to inform us of how chaotic things are. Yet, neither camp can deny that […]
Austin Psych Fest 2026 Announces Lineup: The Flaming Lips, Melody’s Echo Chamber, La Lom, DIIV, Ty Segall, Momma & More
Austin Psych Fest 2026 will return May 8–10 with another wide-ranging exploration of psychedelic sound, bringing legendary icons, forward-thinking indie rock, global grooves, and deep-cut psych favorites to the big South Austin backyard at The Far Out Lounge. Friday, May 8 opens with an explosive night headlined by THE FLAMING LIPS, masters of technicolor psychedelia whose live […]
Puscifer Slate Feb. 6th to 8th- Independent Record Store Screenings of ‘Normal Isn’t: Puscifer Live at the Pacific Stock Exchange’
As the countdown to the Feb. 6 release of Puscifer’s fifth studio album, Normal Isn’t, continues, the band is inviting fans to celebrate at select independent record stores with early screenings of their new concert film, “Normal Isn’t: Puscifer Live at the Pacific Stock Exchange.” “Brick and mortar vinyl shops are the lifeblood of independent bands,” […]
White Denim Flex Restless Spirit On New Album ’13’ Out April 24
White Denim’s dynamic new album, 13, arrives April 24 via Bella Union. “I’ve always wanted to make work that’s a reflection of my life experience,” says singer-guitarist and bandleader James Petralli. True to the restless, exploratory spirit that has defined the band since forming in Austin nearly two decades ago, 13 is charged with pointed […]