James Tonic - Railcard - ADULT. - The Imaginary Band - Julian Never

James Tonic - Safety II (Album).

James Tonic's Safety II is out now, the second chapter in his dream pop trilogy following 2025's breakout Safety. Released January 28, 2026, this seventh studio album takes the saga further, mixing dreamy vibes with real life edges.

Safety II builds on the first album's indie win (20,000 sales and a solid 60% Spotify save rate), plus the buzz from 2024's Stuck in LA and its sold out West Coast shows pulling in crowds. Early signs show strong fan love: a high pre-save rate and it's on track for 30,000–40,000 units in week one. The 9 song set pairs dark stories with light beats, using live drums, old school synths, and raw plays for that true feel missing in most tracks today. 

James Tonic is a Montreal-born artist blending hip-hop, R&B, and pop roots with soft rock and folk compositions and band instrumentation. Known for albums like Stuck in LA — produced by Chris Peden with live orchestration — and his latest Safety, he explores self-discovery, resilience, and real-life narratives through organic, unhurried sounds. Following successful tours, his work continues in a series into 2026. Beyond music, James is a tech investor building a platform for musicians to automate websites and focus on their craft. 

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Railcard - Day Dream.

Skep Wax are pleased to announce a new single and a limited edition CD album from Railcard, a brand new band featuring Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture), Ian Button (Papernut Cambridge, The Penrose Web) and Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Would-be-goods). The new single, Day Dream, is a perfect indicator of the dreamy Bacharach pop that Railcard have embraced and reinvented. Rachel Love’s vocal sounds as pure as it did in Dolly Mixture.

Railcard formed in 2025 when Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture), Ian Button (Papernut Cambridge, The Penrose Web) and Peter Momtchiloff (Heavenly, Would-be-goods) discovered that they were all born within weeks of each other.  It seemed like a great reason to form a new band, so Love and Button began writing songs together, and Railcard was born. Their original ‘1962’ age limit rule was relaxed shortly afterwards when suspiciously youthful trumpeter Allison Thomson completed the line-up.

Following two limited edition download-only EPs (the first accompanied with a Railcard wallet, the second with a pair of iron-on patches) Skep Wax and Slumberland are proud to release this collection of ten songs as a CD album (release date: 6 February 2026). The seven tracks from those first two EPs are included, along with three new ones. (The fetish for merch hasn’t been overlooked: the CD comes with a useful Railcard information leaflet). 

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ADULT. - No One is Coming.

ADULT. is not cooperating. For over 25 years, the dystopian Detroit synth-punk institution founded by Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller has embodied steadfast frustration, distrust, and apprehension. One might expect the edges to soften with time, but ADULT. is not interested in the comforts of legacy. The duo’s music has never sounded as visceral, urgent, and downright angry as it does on the culminating, uncompromising Kissing Luck Goodbye, their scorched-earth 10th LP and fourth with Dais Records.

Built with upgraded gear and a whole new library of sounds, the material is crushingly dynamic, louder yet clearer, with Kuperus’ commanding delivery given greater prominence in the mix, outlining an arsenal of vivid, caustic calls, chants, and musings. Laughter, whether in the lyrics or as a possessed presence, serves as a leitmotif that speaks to the menacing absurdity of modern times. 

“No One is Coming”, the album’s lead single is a poignant, bassline-driven industrial anthem that turns feedback into melody, the track attacks inaction in the face of fascism.

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The Imaginary Band - Polka Hands.

The Imaginary Band, longtime Chilliwack, BC-based musician Andrew Christopher's latest project, steps fully into focus on their debut single, "Polka Hands." A carefree, roots-leaning indie-folk single, it celebrates intuition, creativity, and the beauty of not overthinking life's next move.

"At first, The Imaginary Band only existed vaguely in my mind," explains Christopher. "But when I wrote 'Polka Hands,' I learned to fully embrace the concept." Without a bass player at the time, he began playing a bassline on guitar, imagining exactly how it would feel once the right players arrived. "Immediately, an imaginary drummer sat behind the kit in my head, laying down a groovy but straight-ahead rock beat. Just sitting in the pocket. That's still the intro of the song."

The clarity of this vision unlocked something new; not just musically, but emotionally. Written during a lazy afternoon at a pump track while watching his son ride his bike, the lyrics came naturally and without force. "They speak of taking chances, doing hard things, accepting the reality that life is inherently complex, and that it's beautiful that way," Andrew shares. With real-life bandmates who are ever-so imaginative now filling the roles once envisioned, "Polka Hands" becomes both a song and a statement of intent. 

The title itself reinforces the song’s central message: don't overthink it. Inspired by a recent polka band performance at a friend's 40th birthday and lyrics referencing a barroom scene and a game of Texas Hold'em, the original phrase "Polka Bands & Poker Hands" was quickly distilled. "It was a bit too wordy," Andrew laughs. "So I went with 'Polka Hands' without overthinking it."

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Julian Never - Anything.

Los Angeles' Julian Never shares the third single and video from its forthcoming Everyday Is Purgation LP for Mt.St.Mtn. “'Anything' tries to hold all the things you’ve done, good and bad, and all the love you carry in one song. Repeated words that have lost meaning. So much energy wasted for little purpose, connection or insight.  Sometimes capturing a moment is enough. Maybe each time the song plays it will teach you something. 

“'Anything' is a song about a time of desperation with a brief and relevant reference to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic novel, Tender is the Night.

 “'It’s 5 o'clock in the morning. Awake again and no place to go.' The early morning sets the tone for an entire day, whether the skies are clear or opaque. 'Anything' is about the search for peace when you’re not sure if you’d recognize it. The pull toward chaos, and the strange comfort found in distortions. It’s a reflection on the patterns we return to, even when we know better. - JAE, 2026.

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The Damned - Mia Nicolai - Alexandra John - Big Richard

Photo - Sacha Lecca

The Damned - Not Like Everybody Else (Album).

The Damned have released Not Like Everybody Else, a deeply personal and celebratory covers album, dedicated to the memory of Brian James, the band’s legendary founding guitarist, who passed away on March 6th, 2025 at the age of 74. Recorded in a blistering five days of emotion and creative fire at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles, Not Like Everybody Else finds The Damned – Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, Paul Gray on bass and joined by longtime keyboardist Monty Oxymoron – reconnecting with the raw energy that started it all.  The album marks the first time in 40 years that Rat Scabies has returned to the studio with the band.  

2026 marks 50 years of The Damned.  50 years of The Damned also means 50 years of punk, with the 1976 explosion hitting a half century ago. The band jump-started the revolution, releasing the first UK punk single, “New Rose,” and album, Damned Damned Damned.  Brian James wrote that debut single and was lead songwriter on the album. He left the group after the release of their second album, Music For Pleasure, in 1977.

Ground-breaking rock band The Damned exploded on to the British music scene more than forty-five years ago.  Following their formation in 1976, The Damned became the first UK band in the punk rock genre to release a single (“New Rose”) and then an album (Damned, Damned, Damned).  Initially associated with the British punk rock movement and then gothic rock, the band went on to release ten studio albums and several UK-charting singles which ran the gamut from punk rock to gothic to even the pop genre.  They have legions of hardcore fans worldwide and have firmly established themselves as one of most powerful and theatrical live bands in the world. 

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Photo - Joelle Grace Taylor

Mia Nicolai - drowning.

Evocative and empowering, drowning sees Mia Nicolai choose self acceptance. Exquisite vocals and raw lyricism touch on a life of swimming against the tide and the power and relief that come with changing direction. Confronting and emotive, drowning is born from the emotional weight of finally facing your true self. Sharing more, Mia explained: Drowning is about the emotional crash that happens when you stop running from yourself. It’s that moment when you let your feelings rise to the surface after holding them in for so long - and it completely floods you. 

I wrote it from a place of deep overwhelm, where facing reality felt like drowning. But it’s also about honesty to yourself. I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 15, but at that time I didn't take it as seriously as I should have. For years I tried to outrun my diagnosis thinking I could fix it myself, if I just keep healing my past or if I kept outrunning it. I was living nomadically on people's couches and I was actually exhausted, as thrilling as the nomadic jumping around life was, it was starting to catch up on me. Drowning is about finally giving in to who you really are, even if that means feeling everything all at once.

Today’s new single sees Mia Nicolai put her best foot forward into 2026, as she champions authenticity with her infectious energy. The Dutch-Russian singer-songwriter released her debut EP at the end of 2025; Sharing Space Among The Stars (Superglue Records). Produced by Vetle Junker and executive-produced by Ella Vos and Tommy English, it marked her first true statement as an artist. The record took shape as a dreamy, cinematic body of work that fuses her indie-pop instincts with the theatrical spirit of her heroes Bowie and Queen. Written across London, Los Angeles, and Bergen, Norway, the project finds Mia rediscovering her own voice after a whirlwind of experiences throughout her 20’s.

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Alexandra John - Crazy Stupid Love.

Alexandra John the brother-and-sister duo who are not only real-life twins born on the same day, but musical soulmates as well—have shared a bond since birth that naturally evolved into music. Raised in a deeply musical household in San Francisco, Liza and Weston Cain grew up with music woven into their DNA, shaping both their sound and their connection as artists.

Kicking off the new year, Alexandra John delivers a heartfelt ballad made for hopeless romantics this Valentine’s season. Their new single, “Crazy Stupid Love,” out today Tuesday, January 27, is a hopeful anthem for anyone who has loved purely, been hurt, and questioned whether it was worth it. The song serves as a reminder not to punish yourself for falling in love—and to never give up on the possibility of finding it again.

“Someone we love close to us recently went through a really horrible breakup,” the band shares. “This song is inspired by them—to not give up on love or themselves. You can’t beat yourself up for falling in love, because that’s crazy. We all lead with the best intentions, and sometimes it doesn’t work out the way we hope, but that doesn’t mean you stop putting your heart out there. Everyone deserves a crazy, stupid kind of love.”

"I was influenced by the space rock of the 80’s," says Weston. Liza adds, “When we wrote and recorded this song, I knew exactly who I was singing for. It’s a love letter to those who are willing to be loved and can get unfortunately hurt in the end. We all look for that hope of a happy ending and a life partner."

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Big Richard - Millionaire.

Bluegrass band Big Richard makes music for the 21st century’s twisted cultural unease. Pet, their sophomore album and debut for Signature Sounds is a fierce, provocative, rejoinder to what troubles them and the world right now and was recorded live to tape in order to capture the fervor of their live shows.

“Big Richard is so much about our energetic delivery, and so I think it's been really important for us as a group to figure out how to do that for a record,” says mandolin and guitar player Bonnie Sims. And figure it out they did. Pet delivers, successfully translating the supergroup’s live kinetic harmonies and string virtuosity.

Unapologetically outrageous and provocative, the band’s name is a wink to the ‘big dick’ energy Big Richard is reclaiming from male bluegrass bands. Since exploding onto the Colorado scene in 2021, the four women have been on a wild ride, slapping as hard as possible on the festival circuit, working up their stamina on nationwide headlining tours, and leaving a wake of die-hard Big Richard Heads across the country swooning for their honest songwriting, chilling vocals, and fiddle-driven barn-burners.

“Our live performances are so raw and so gritty, and I think that our sound never really flourished in that digital landscape.” GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning cellist Joy Adams says. “[Recording live to tape] we were all in the same room together, very close together, with a lot of mic bleed, etc. And the energy was insane. It felt so good to record this way. Even on the first day, we were like ‘wow, this sounds like our band.’ And to do something that's very real and gritty and has little mistakes in it just feels alive and human.”

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Place Position - Libby Ember - Maria Taylor - The Legendary Ten Seconds

Place Position - Went Silent (Album).

Dayton-based math rock/post-hardcore power trio Place Position, a band that includes members of Landfilth, Shadyside, The 1984 Draft, etc., released its Went Silent album on January 23. A foursome of DIY labels, including Sweet Cheetah Records, Poptek Records, Bunker Park Records, and Blind Rage Records, are offering up the album on vinyl.

According to Place Position, it is “a musical group from in and around Dayton, Ohio. We write as needed and play when necessary. What do they play? How fast? Will they be playing after 9pm? How effective are their socials? The answer is simple: Place Position is a musical group.”

Place Position adds, “Went Silent is an album. It comes complete with 10 songs. We recorded together in a Southwest Ohio basement in the Fall 2024 over the course of two days. After stitching together loose ends we handed off mixing duties to Derl Robbins formerly of Motel Beds of Dayton, Ohio.”

“Every now and then Andy from Poptek Records would ask; ‘How’s the record coming?’ The band was uncertain whether or not to have it released. After six months, Gwen of Blind Rage Records said, ‘You should get the album pressed and play this show.’ So, we give you the album Went Silent.


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Libby Ember - Let Me Go.

Following the September 2025 release of her debut EP I Kill Spiders and the subsequent single, "To Her," Montreal singer-songwriter Libby Ember shares "Let Me Go," a melancholic, dreamy indie-folk single that sits in the uncomfortable space between holding on and letting go. Nostalgic and emotionally raw, the track captures the quiet contradictions of a relationship that lingers long after both people know it isn't right.

Inspired by a complicated relationship rooted in mutual fear, Libby reflects on the tension of staying when leaving feels just as painful. "I felt like someone was holding onto me because they were afraid of letting me go," she explains. "Even still, I knew that it was wrong to keep dragging the relationship on when we knew it was wrong for the both of us. It also touches on the fact that the opposite feels wrong. Both letting go and not letting go feel wrong."

What sets "Let Me Go" apart is its careful attention to detail in both instrumentation and texture. Delicate flute lines weave through the arrangement, while reversed sounds subtly fall into the landscape, creating a hazy, immersive atmosphere. "We were very particular about the instrumentation," Libby shares. "We also emphasized the detail in the imperfection as a means to drive the emotion forward. The voice isn't always polished, the sounds can be a bit random. It makes the song feel more raw."

As the song unfolds, its instrumental outro becomes a space for reflection, allowing the listener to linger in the emotion long after the vocals fade. "It makes me reminisce," Libby says. "It pushes me back to that time of strong emotions and gets me in my own head. Once my voice cuts out at the end, the instrumental has a way of making me tune out the world and just be in the music."

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Maria Taylor - Story's End.

Today, the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Maria Taylor announces her first new album in 7 years Story’s End will be released on April 3. Alongside the announcement, Taylor shared the official video for the album’s title track that was released also today. The 10-song collection marks her first release on Conor Oberst’s Million Stars Records and unfolds like a hazy, cinematic narrative—songs acting as chapters that trace love, loss, fracture, and the quiet search for solace in the aftermath of personal upheaval.

About the new single, Taylor explains: “For years, I would play this chord progression and melody; knowing it would be one of my favorite songs, but it took me 5 years to complete the lyrics. I had no sense of urgency… it was like I knew, somehow, the story was still unfolding and I just had to be patient.”

The album began slowly with Taylor building songs from demos in her home studio, yet it was the spark of conflict that gave her the resolve and focus to complete the project. “After spending years working on this record, an irrevocable fracture in both my marriage and a friendship gave me the urgency to finish it. I think I needed to make something beautiful as things fell apart around me,” she explains. 

The project eventually moved to Mike Mogis’ ARC Studios in Omaha, Nebraska where Taylor played drums on much of the record (following her recent stint as a touring drummer with Bright Eyes), joined by Macey Taylor on bass and Mogis on guitar. The album was ultimately produced by Ben Brodin (First Aid Kit, Bright Eyes), who also recorded many of Taylor’s vocals and added much of the instrumentation. Longtime friend and collaborator Brad Armstrong (13 Ghosts, The Glass Hours) produced the pulsing single “Never Thought I’d Feel New” that sits at the very heart of the album.

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The Legendary Ten Seconds - Churchward Road (Album).

The Legendary Ten Seconds is the solo music project of Ian Churchward who is the former guitarist of The Morrisons, who were featured on John Peel's Radio One show in 1987. Ian has a deep passion for blending rich historical narratives with his distinctive sound. His musical project took on new life in 2013 when Lord Zarquon joined forces with Ian, bringing additional depth to the recordings. Since then, a talented roster of guest musicians and vocalists have stepped in to contribute to the studio projects, the most recent being Jay Brown, who co-composed and recorded the evocative time travel track called the Time Stream.

As The Legendary Ten Seconds Ian has made a name for himself in the folk-rock genre, notably for his historically inspired albums. He has received critical acclaim for the work chronicling the Wars of the Roses and the life of Richard III, focusing on England’s 15th century. The music is more than just entertainment; it's a dedication to keeping history alive through story-driven songs that resonate with modern listeners. In addition to crafting meticulously researched and artistically compelling albums, Ian has donated part of the proceeds from his music sales to a scoliosis charity.

In 2018 he took the historical work to new heights with the release of the Mer de Mort album, commissioned by the Mortimer History Society in honour of its tenth anniversary. This album is a historically accurate collection of songs that delve into the fascinating and impactful history of the Mortimer family, from their roots in Normandy before the Battle of Hastings to their role in the 15th century. The album features narrative interludes read by the late actor John Challis—known for his iconic role as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses—who was a proud patron of the Mortimer History Society.

Ian has released numerous albums and his latest endeavour called ‘Churchward Road’ is released this month (January 2026). He continues his exploration of storytelling through music.

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Lori Rayne - Alan Vega - T. Gold - The Enigmatic Foe - Dylan De Braga

Lori Rayne - I Don’t Drink (EP).

Lori Rayne brings grit and edge to her country music, leaning on heavier guitars and an alternative-country feel while staying rooted in Southern storytelling. Her new EP, I Don’t Drink, feels like a clear snapshot of who she is right now — unfiltered, confident, and comfortable standing a little outside the lines. “I Don’t Drink is the most honest reflection of who I am as an artist,” Rayne says. “It holds all the styles and influences that shape my sound and personality. This EP is for anyone who grew up on country or Southern music, but always felt a little outside the box, just like me.”

Who says you need to get drunk to have fun? When most people picture a Friday night out, it usually involves bar hopping and a few too many cocktails. With “I Don’t Drink,” Lori Rayne flips that expectation on its head, celebrating the energy, connection, and release of a night out — without alcohol being the center of it. Her unmistakable tone and soulful delivery ride over extra heavy, driving guitars and a jamming country production that builds with real force, pulling you straight onto a packed honky-tonk floor. The song carries a rock-leaning edge that gives it muscle, proving Rayne’s comfort in the alternative country lane while keeping country's spirit at the forefront.

As she sings, “Tonight I want red lips, tall boots, cut-off jeans / top it off with my rhinestone hoops / I want a little heel-toe do-si-do / drop it down real slow / Boot Scoot n’ Copperhead Road,” it becomes clear this is a line-dancing-ready anthem. Loud, confident, and rooted in real life, “I Don’t Drink” proves you can still show up, show out, and own the night with no inebriation required: “I’ve never been the kind to turn down a dance / but I don’t need a drink in my hand / let me break these boots in while spinning around on this floor / just a little two-step is all the buzz I’m looking for.”

As the EP unfolds, Rayne shows her range while maintaining her edge. “The One That Ran Away” taps into the ache of lost love and lingering questions. “To Be Country” nods to the roots she grew up on, grounded and straightforward, while “Where Do We Go” leans heavier, letting the guitars carry a more alternative, rock-tinged energy. Her stripped-back cover of “Jolene,” released just after the celebration of Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday, is one of the most personal moments on the EP. With just her voice and a guitar, Rayne lets the song speak for itself, honoring the original while bringing her own rich perspective.

Lori Rayne · I Don't Drink

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Alan Vega - Self Titled / Collision Drive (2 Albums).

The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones Records continue to uncover Alan Vega’s robust collection of work left behind by the influential visual artist, musician and poet. This week for the first time ever, Vega’s highly influential 1980 debut S/T solo album, in addition to its follow up, Collision Drive are available across streaming platforms. Remastered from the original tapes, the two albums have been faithfully re-released by Sacred Bones Records, preserving the raw intensity of Vega’s original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners worldwide.

The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones have meticulously assembled these packages and the series also offers a companion piece Alan Vega Deluxe Edition which is also available today as a limited deluxe double LP and includes unheard demos, unseen photos and new artwork. All three albums contain unseen photos and new album artwork (including Vega's original track sheets from his 1978 Suicide / The Clash Tour Notebook).

Alan Vega Deluxe Edition's previously unheard demos were discovered by The Vega Vault Project's Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud. The tapes were then transferred by engineer Ted Young and mastered by Josh Bonati. The demos offer a rare glimpse into Vega’s creative process behind his cult classic. All three albums feature new album artwork designed by Artaud and Michael Handis, exclusive to these pressings. The companion piece sheds new light on Vega’s process and vision during this pivotal era, making it a must-have for collectors and longtime fans. (See Bandcamp for details).. 


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T. Gold - Life is a Wonder and It’s Cruel (Album).

On T. Gold’s second album Life is a Wonder and It’s Cruel, longtime creative collaborators Saman Khoujinian and Gabriel Anderson put their politics into practice through song. Through playful electronics and off-kilter folk melodies, they investigate how imagination and radical community love can work against the grind of socioeconomic forces.

Anderson and Khoujinian met in high school in Miami, both moved to Carrboro in 2011, and are now well-known in North Carolina’s independent music scene for their frequent collaborations, such as staging the quadraphonic improvisational synthesizer collective Delver. They are the creative team behind Sleepy Cat Records, a pair who will “show up and do the work” (Blank Tapes) supporting the music of artists as varied as old-time legend Alice Gerrard and the Palestine liberation art-rock project DUNUMS. “Our bond, even to this day, is a little bit unamenable,” says Khoujinian. “We’re two very different people. But there is this connective thread between us, and it weaves throughout our creative projects.”

T. Gold sits comfortably within the label’s curation – a bit of acoustic twang, a little vocoder, and plenty of earnest politics. Bookended by Khoujinian on guitar, synthesizer, and vocals and Anderson on percussion and drums, T. Gold’s 2020 self-titled debut was praised for its “warm, relaxed vein of indie Americana” (INDY Week). Since then, the group has operated in fits and starts, functioning as a comfortable musical landing zone where the pair “continues to figure out how to be in music together,” as Anderson puts it. 

But far from a monogamous musical twosome, T. Gold is an abundant family affair. Making music with a group is “a long, curvy negotiation,” as Anderson says. “It’s messy, and it’s beautiful. And the growth that comes out of trying to be authentic is what we’re interested in.” 

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The Enigmatic Foe - Algorithm / Limping to the Finish Line.

American producer, singer-songwriter, and instrumentalist Jared Colinger is proud to present the first batch of singles from his forthcoming album. "Algorithm / Limping to the Finish Line", a double offering from The Enigmatic Foe is available now.

"Algorithm / Limping to the Finish Line" are two groovy songs doused in electronica and new wave vibes. Released in conjunction with each other, the first track delves into the painstaking ways in which metaphorical and physical algorithms have us all in a chokehold. “Algorithm” specifically highlights the loneliness that comes from seeking validation, often through the means of social media. Often these connections we make are fleeting, and it can be hard to know how long they will last. Directly inspired by Fleetwood Mac's Tango In The Night, The Enigmatic Foe balances relatability with melancholy, casting a focal point on Jared Colinger's smooth vocals and delicate nylon guitar strums.

“Limping to the Finish Line” expresses the uncertainties of life after death, and stresses the importance of camaraderie through hard times. A testimony to trying to drown out the unfortunate news that surrounds us, the track’s overall glittery sound helps ease the one two punch that Colinger is delivering lyrically. 

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Dylan De Braga - Hold the Door.

Like a lone flower pushing its way through the ashes of a forest long since burned, Dylan De Braga’s debut single, “Hold The Door,” rises quietly from devastation into something achingly beautiful. Born from one of the most traumatic chapters of his life, the folk-inflected ballad transforms pain into clarity, standing not as a monument to suffering, but as proof that something delicate, resilient, and luminous can emerge in its wake.

Written in the aftermath of a brutal, heart-shattering breakup, De Braga found himself unable to even touch his guitar for nearly two months. Music, once his anchor, felt suddenly unreachable. When he finally found the courage to sit alone with his emotions and pick up his guitar again, the song seemed to arrive fully formed.

“‘Hold The Door’ wasn’t written, it arrived,” he says. “Within minutes, the chords and words surfaced exactly as they needed to, as if they had been waiting for me to be ready. It felt like the first breath after being underwater for too long.”

Dylan De Braga · Hold the Door

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Ben Reel - Alberta Cross - A.S. Fanning - Tedeschi Trucks Band - The Paper Kites

Ben Reel - Spirit’s Not Broken (Album).

Irish troubadour Ben Reel returns with his twelfth studio album, Spirit’s Not Broken. In a world marked by war, division, and uncertainty, the record carries a timeless message: hope, resilience, and above all, love. “It’s easy to feel powerless,” Ben says, “but this album is a reminder of a simple truth: “Love one another.”

Musically, the album opens with raw rock energy before flowing into soulful, R&B-infused grooves, echoing the spirit of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Van Morrison and Sting. It’s a journey that blends grit with grace, reinforcing Ben’s reputation as one of Ireland’s most versatile and enduring songwriters.
Since launching his solo career in 1999 with This Is the Movie, Ben has carved a distinctive path through rock, folk, soul, and Americana. Critics have compared him to John Hiatt, Roy Orbison, even dubbing him “the Irish Springsteen,” yet his sound remains unmistakably his own.

Across a solo career spanning more than 25 years, Ben has released a string of acclaimed albums, including The Nashville Calling (2020), recorded with Will Kimbrough and featuring E Street Band’s Garry W. Tallent, which topped the Euro Americana Chart. His most recent records, Locked in & Live (2022) and Come a Long Way (2023), cemented his reputation as a fearless and ever-evolving artist.

Ben has performed on BBC, RTÉ, Dutch NPO Radio, toured internationally, and shared stages with artists like Jools Holland, The Cranberries, Nanci Griffith and Eric Andersen. From Nashville’s Bluebird Café to European festivals, his reputation as a committed live performer continues to grow. With Spirit’s Not Broken, Ben Reel delivers not just an album, but a soulful call to resilience in challenging times.

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Alberta Cross - Toy Soldiers.

Alberta Cross are an Anglo-Swedish band formed in London and led by songwriter Petter Ericson Stakee. After a long stretch living in Brooklyn, New York, the project has since settled back in the UK. They signed to Fiction Records in the UK and Geffen in the US after just four shows, a rapid ascent that set the tone for a career built on relentless touring and slow-burn cult appeal. Along the way, the band have shared stages with artists ranging from Oasis and Neil Young to Them Crooked Vultures, The Shins, Portugal. The Man, Mumford & Sons an Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, while clocking appearances at festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Fuji Rock, Reading & Leeds and Splendour In The Grass.

Produced by Luke Potashnick (The Temperance Movement) at Wool Hall Studios, their upcoming single 'Toy Soldiers' is a seductive rhythmic assault that sees Alberta Cross at their most frenetic and loose. Rapid, jagged keys and hypnotic guitars ride over tight drums, a rowdy but controlled track that serves as an anthem of hope and possibility amidst a world of uncertainty.

Discussing the lyrical themes behind the single, vocalist and lyricist Petter Ericson Stakee says: "There's a heaviness running through the track, but it wasn't something we chased - it's just the world bleeding into the music. The song wrestles with uncertainty, but it doesn't fake solutions. Recorded as a raw power trio with members from The Vaccines an The Temperance Movement at the legendary Wool Hall Studios (The Smiths, Tears For Fears)."

Alberta Cross · Toy Soldiers

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A.S. Fanning - Stay Alive.

Irish songwriter A.S. Fanning releases 'Stay Alive' on January 23rd, the third and final single from his forthcoming fourth studio album Take Me Back To Nowhere (February 6th, K&F Records).

In the midst of an album preoccupied with fragmented realities and psychological dislocation, 'Stay Alive' arrives as an unexpected lifeline—a love song born from the depths of despair. The track unfolds with haunting beauty, its ethereal synths and strings wrapping around Fanning's echoing baritone as the song builds toward an anthemic crescendo. Moody, dark, and melancholic, it captures the precise moment when connection pierces through numbness.

"This is a love song written from a place of desperation and despondency," Fanning explains. "About going through the world in a depressive drudge, with flickering notions of stepping in front of trains, only to chance upon something or someone that reminds you why you're alive, that makes you feel connected to something bigger than yourself."

While previous singles 'Romance' and 'Today Is For Forgetting' explored emotional desolation and psychedelic consciousness, 'Stay Alive' confronts a more primal terror: the fear of one's own mind. During its creation, Fanning was reading Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Lathe of Heaven' and found himself arrested by a line where the psychiatrist tells the protagonist, "you're afraid of your own mind." "That's something I can relate to," Fanning notes. The song exists in that space between self-destruction and salvation, where a single encounter—with a person, a moment, a feeling—can tip the balance.

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Tedeschi Trucks Band - I Got You.

 Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB), the GRAMMY Award-winning band led by the dynamic wife and husband duo of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, has announced the details for their sixth studio album, Future Soul, and released the first single “I Got You.” The 11-track collection, the band’s most powerful album to date, will be released on Friday, March 20th via Fantasy Records in the middle of TTB’s 10-show headlining run at NYC’s Beacon Theatre. The infectious “I Got You,” written by guitarist/vocalist Mike Mattison, takes cues from the spirit of Derek and the Dominos and Delaney & Bonnie to create a driving, mid-tempo classic. 

“‘I Got You’ is a breath of fresh air and pretty different for us,” shares Trucks. “It feels like the band, but it doesn’t feel like anything we’ve done before.”

Produced by Mike Elizondo (Twenty One Pilots, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Carrie Underwood) and co-produced by Trucks, Future Soul – recorded at their own Swamp Raga Recording (Jacksonville, FL) as well as Phantom Studios (Gallatin, TN) – marks the follow-up to TTB’s 2022 conceptual quadruple studio album, I Am The Moon, and their latest live release, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Leon Russell Present: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Revisited (LIVE AT LOCKN’) (2025). The heart, honesty, and full-band collaboration on Future Soul makes the forthcoming album the most unique collection to date from the revered 12-piece powerhouse ensemble. The majority of the songwriting was done by Trucks, Tedeschi, Mattison, Gabe Dixon, and Tyler Greenwell with the music sonically pulling from a variety of influences including funk, rock ‘n roll, blues, soul, punk, and much more. 

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The Paper Kites - If You Go There, I Hope You Find It (Album) Morning Gum (New Video).

Beloved indie folk band The Paper Kites have unveiled their seventh studio album ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’ via Nettwerk, available now on all streaming platforms. To celebrate the release, they’ve also shared an official music video for the previously unreleased track “Morning Gum”.

About the new album, lead vocalist Sam Bentley reflects, “This record feels like a band remembering what made them fall in love with playing music in the first place. Five friends, five musicians, rediscovering what made them want to do this together. We had a beautiful time making this album. A lot of these songs were written out at the farm we rehearse at, which has become a place of great direction and growth for us over the years. As such, the record has taken on much of the character of that place, and you’ll see it reflected in the colours and visuals surrounding the album. There’s a lot of the five of us in this record. We hope you enjoy.”

‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’ is highlighted by recent singles “Change Of The Wind,” “Shake Off The Rain,” “Every Town,” and “When The Lavender Blooms.” Each track was accompanied by an official music video, featuring a different band member and shot at their friend’s farm in Melbourne’s Yarra Valley, where much of the album was written. Intimate and achingly reflective, the album is guided by a longing for connection, simplicity, and emotional clarity. 

Rooted in themes of nature, healing, and hope, each track unfolds like a whispered conversation, offering comfort in its vulnerability and calm in its sincerity. Exploring moments of change, introspection, and the beauty of imperfection, the record remains anchored in the band’s signature atmospheric sound, carrying a quiet familiarity that feels like returning home, both within and beyond yourself.


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