The first newsletter of February is here. Some thoughts on music, entertainment, and other random stuff. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (February 3rd, 2024)”
Today is a great day to share the newest single from Good Cop Bad Cop called “Running Away With The Circus,” the second single to be released from their sophomore album, Welcome To The Marble Zone. The brainchild of Joe Carnall Jr., Good Cop Bad Cop will lift the curtain on their new LP Welcome To The Marble Zone, the follow-up to 2019’s self-titled release from Sheffield’s finest, on April 5th, 2024. Carnall added, “Over the past few years, I’ve been intrigued by the soundclash of guitars and electronic music, as I found myself listening to a lot of New Order whilst writing the record. Aside from the obvious ‘hooky’ bass lines and 808-inspired drums, I became a little obsessed with Bernard Sumner’s vocal melodies and deliveries, which is abundantly clear on ‘Running Away With The Circus’.” If you’re enjoying the early listen to the new single, you can pre-save the album here.
Read More “Good Cop Bad Cop – “Running Away With The Circus” (Song Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone the latest single and music video from Oakland, CA post-punk band, States of Nature, called “Papered News.” Coming off of the success of their debut EP, Songs To Sway, the band is gearing up for the release of their debut LP called Brighter Than Before, out everywhere music is sold on February 16th. States of Nature shared:
’Papered News’ is a song about finding your people and making life changes. Everyone needs someone in your life who can validate where you are and encourage you to continue or take that risk that you hope will make things better. Just knowing someone’s in your corner can help you get out of a bad place. The song was one of the first written for the record and helped center the vibe of the whole album. We wanted to make the video bright, fun, and silly to go along with the playful nature of the song.
If you’re enjoying the latest taste of States of Nature, please consider pre-ordering their debut record here.
Read More “States of Nature – “Papered News” (Video Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to Mackenzie Shivers, an ultra-talented NY-based singer-songwriter who is gearing up for releasing her new album, primrose was in season, later this year. Her latest single and video for “johnny gown” is a synth-driven track about going through grief privately, and a reminder that you never know what someone is going through. Shivers shared:
When I wrote ‘johnny gown’, it struck me how we are all working through things no one else sees. I had been working so hard to let myself feel all emotions after having a miscarriage, because that was the only way I knew how to move through the grief. Radical acceptance of all feelings. And while that was essential, it was also very exhausting, and it affected how I moved through the world. I felt like I was wearing this heavy yet invisible cloak, this secret. It was a reminder that you never know what someone is going through. We all have our shit.
Mackenzie Shivers is an artist to watch as this year unfolds.
Read More “Mackenzie Shivers – “johnny gown” (Video Premiere)”
Another week, another newsletter. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (January 27th, 2024)”
Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone a new acoustic video performance from Frank Viele called “Mountains We Can Climb.” On this heartfelt song, Frank Viele channels the best parts of rustic Americana music with veteran ease. Viele is currently on tour in support of the single, and the dates are below. I was also able to catch up with this talented songwriter for a brief interview below.
Read More “Frank Viele – “Mountains We Can Climb” (Video Premiere)”
Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Sean Scanlon, the lead vocalist/keyboardist of Alt Rock band, Smallpools, to discuss everything that went into their great new single called “Night Shift.” In this interview, I asked Sean about how the band typically does most of their writing, his favorite songs in Smallpools’ discography, as well as the upcoming touring plans. Smallpools will be touring the U.S. with Grayscale starting this April and tickets are currently on sale.
Read More “Sean Scanlon of Smallpools”
This week’s newsletter looks at Green Day’s new album and sprinkles in some other thoughts on the music and entertainment I spent time with last week. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (January 20th, 2024)”
Today I’m excited to share with everyone the latest single from Aussie pop artist, Ben Hazlewood, called “Always There.” On this heart-wrenching track, Hazlewood encapsulates the feeling of a one-sided relationship. As Hazlewood writes on the single, “‘Why don’t you love me?’ The question hands in the air, frozen in time, a mirror to my soul being left in the cold. I hoped I could translate through song an audible monument to love’s resilience. Despite your attempts to knock it down, my love is ‘Always There.'” Ben Hazlewood understands the beauty of pop music, and he’s an artist to watch as this year unfolds.
Read More “Ben Hazlewood – “Always There” (Song Premiere)”
Today is a great day to share the latest single from Alt-Pop artist, Joseph Luca, called “My Best Dancing Shoes.” With a style that fits somewhere in the realm of Prince, Jeff Buckley, and Miguel, Luca showcases his depth as a talented songwriter. Speaking on the track, Luca shared:
”My Best Dancing Shoes” is a poignant musical narrative that encapsulates the intricacy of an unrequited love story. It weaves the tale of an individual grappling with the acceptance of their authentic self, compelled by a love that remains un-reciprocated. The song beautifully metaphorizes dancing shoes as a symbol of embracing one’s purest and most genuine identity despite facing adversity. It speaks of patiently waiting for a kindred spirit to arrive, a partner willing to join in the dance of life as true equals.
The latest single comes from the newly announced EP, PART 2: Ouroboros (Death), that will be released everywhere music is sold on February 16th. I was also able to catch up with Joseph Luca for a brief interview below.
Read More “Joseph Luca – “My Best Dancing Shoes” (Song Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone the latest music video from songwriter Lana Nauphal, called “Is It Raining In California?” On this vibrant single that fits somewhere in the world of Ingrid Michaelson and Iron & Wine, Nauphal channels her love for sweeping instrumentation and pure songwriting bliss. This talented songwriter shared:
I wrote two songs about the rain, one very stormy summer spent in Washington, D.C. Summers in DC: it gets so hot and humid, and the pressure builds and builds and builds until it breaks into these raging storms; they’re hard not to write about, especially when they mirror your state of mind. ‘Is It Raining in California?’ is the second rain song I wrote. There was a wild thunderstorm one night at 3am and I couldn’t sleep, and this song just burst into my head, almost fully formed. ‘Is It Raining in California?’ is about the messy middle part of getting over someone, when you’re still yearning for them but don’t want to be, and you’re mad at yourself for feeling what you feel but you just can’t help it. So you ask if it’s raining where they are, however unlikely that may be, in the hopes that you might be sharing something still.
The song comes from her newly announced debut LP, Wildland, that will be released on May 24th, and if you’re enjoying the early listen, you can pre-save the track here.
Read More “Lana Nauphal – “Is It Raining In California?” (Video Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone an early listen to the new single from New Jersey emo band, Graduation Speech, called “No Confidence.” With a sound that fits somewhere between the pop bliss of The Get Up Kids and the working-man rock of The Menzingers, Graduation Speech check all the boxes for what you’d want in a band. The band shared, “‘No Confidence’ is my attempt to sum up the feeling of disgust and fatigue from watching parasitic ghouls that show total disregard for humanity and people.” If you’re enjoying the latest single, please consider pre-ordering their new LP called Arcane Feelings here.
Read More “Graduation Speech – “No Confidence” (Song Premiere)”
Today I’m thrilled to bring everyone a tasty slab of rock from Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, called “Hush, Hush.” Band member Carla Kihlstedt shared:
’Hush, Hush’ is a celebration of dusk, when angels and demons come out from the dusty corners of our houses and our minds to play. It was the first song I wrote after moving to the East Coast, the saddest part of which was leaving my dear Sleepytime Gorilla Museum comrades and community. Matthias and I formed a duo called Rabbit Rabbit Radio – making the most of our new lives and our self-imposed musical isolation. ‘Hush, Hush’ poured out of me — the music itself, an obvious tribute to all that I absorbed in so many years of living, rocking, creating, and conjuring both on stage and off, next to the fine humans of the Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
If you’re enjoying the new single, you can pre-order their upcoming LP titled Of The Last Human Being here.
Read More “Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – “Hush, Hush” (Video Premiere)”
Today is a great day to introduce everyone to the Austin-based bedroom pop artist known as Skateland. On his latest single, called “Autobahn!” Skateland makes writing breathtaking melodic hooks look easy. Skateland shared, “‘Autobahn!’ is a dialogue about the hills and valleys of love and relationships. The narrator begins the song with what he presumes is a breakup speech, but somehow along the way concedes that for better or worse he will always love this person, and that the tough parts of loving someone are what make it worth it in the end.” If you’re enjoying the early listen, you can pre-save the track here.
Read More “Skateland – “Autobahn!” (Video Premiere)”
Ringing in 2024 with a new newsletter. We have some thoughts on music out this week and some early thoughts on music coming in the first part of the year. Can it live up to 2023? We’re about to find out.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
Read More “Liner Notes (January 13th, 2024)”