Anna Smyrk - ZOCO - Howling Bells - TCBYML

Photo - Michelle Grace Hunder

Anna Smyrk - This is a Drill.

Naarm/Melbourne based singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk shares a poignant moment of catharsis with new single ‘This is a Drill’. The impressive indie-folk offering arrives along with news of a debut album on the way.  Spectacular Denial with be out on the 20th of March via Community Music 

Written in the wake of her father’s passing, ‘This is a Drill’ is born from the unrelenting impact of grief. The track moves from a quiet ache to a raw emotional unravelling, echoing the unpredictable ways that the pain of loss can take hold. Sharing more, Anna explained: “This is a Drill is a song about not being ready to feel my feelings. It’s about the strange, foggy state of denial, where everything feels a little unreal, like normal life is happening on the other side of a heavy curtain, like each day is a drill for the real thing.”

Arriving as a striking, indie folk slow-burner, courageously honest lyricism carries a tender reminder of the ways we cope or don’t when life cracks open. It’s both a whisper and a wail, a confession and a release. Produced and mixed by Anna Laverty (Courtney Barnett, Nick Cave), 'This Is a Drill' captures the suspended, dreamlike space between shock and acceptance. 

============================================================================

ZOCO - Searching.

Following their debut singles “Restless” and “Diamond In The Rough,” ZOCO the international rock project founded by multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter Marco Zocco returns with “Searching.”  A wistful, yet cathartic anthem, “Searching” explores universal yearning for fulfillment, reflecting on trust issues, doubts about satisfaction, and the complexity of dreams and aspirations. “Searching” serves as the latest offering from ZOCO’s upcoming debut EP LUMANISTA (Part 1), a collaborative project with distinguished rock players, due January 9, 2026. 

Marco’s gritty vocals deliver his conversational songwriting which convey the philosophical pondering, desperation and frustration of an age old question: will we ever find satisfaction. In “Searching”, ZOCO explores both the excitement of coming across something promising and the worry that it will not be in the future, leading the loop we all feel at times “will I ever find something perfect for me? Something perfect for both now and the future? Is such a hope doomed to delusion? Written in ambiguous terms, this could relate to anything the listener is “Searching through” as the chorus sings, whether romantic, spiritual, financial or other. 

However, this contrasts with brighter production elements and captivating guitar riffs, giving the song a steady pace and hopeful undertones and suggesting that time can heal these wounds. Like “Restless” and “Diamond In The Rough,” “Searching” also highlights ZOCO’s intelligent and thought-provoking songwriting paired with top-notch production and musicianship. The upcoming LUMANISTA EP comes to life with the help of some high-profile collaborators–production by Gunnar Nelson (Nelson), executive production by Kerry Brown (Smashing Pumpkins) and co-production by Jake Pace and Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Rod Stewart). 

ZOCO · Searching

============================================================================

Photo - Orlando Cubitt

Howling Bells - Chimera.

Howling Bells have recently announced the release of 'Strange Life', their first album in over 12 years, on the 13th February 2026 via Nude Records. Ahead of this they have now released another single 'Chimera.'

Since their beginnings, breaking through with their acclaimed self-titled debut back in 2006 amidst a landscape of scrappy British indie and skinny-jeaned male dominance, the Australian trio - vocalist/guitarist Juanita Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel Stein and drummer Glenn Moule - have been something of an anomaly. They might have moved to the other side of the world in pursuit of the dreams that soon became a reality, playing at an NME Tour and then in stadiums supporting Coldplay whilst whipping up acclaim from the most credible ends of the music press. They may have seen various members come and go, but Howling Bells’ hypnotic indie rock always stood apart from the pack and was very much a reflection of their unbreakable union

Juanita explains: "Chimera is a strange word. It means a few different and curious things; in this context, however, I’m using it to mean something of an absurd nature, unattainable, a fantasy. Such is the relationship we have with music at times. This song speaks to my experience as a musician, surviving the perpetual ups and downs of the game. But if you’re lucky enough, you have someone who can cut through the noise and help you realise that the fantasy is half the joy. That the longing is part of the journey and that our achievements along the way are deeply meaningful. At its core, 'Chimera' is a song about hope and relinquishing control".

============================================================================

TCBYML - Alt Songs (Compilation Album).

Alt Songs is the first TCBYML compilation to bring together everything that defines our current sound — a vibrant, uncompromising mix of indie, alternative, punk, and post-everything energy. Twelve bands, each distinct in tone and vision, yet bound by one shared truth: music that feels real. Featuring: Velcro Sunset · Moving Into Tucson · Song 1 · A Better Place · Death Sells · Uitwaaien · Amber Hotel · Public Divide · The Indie Pea · June Rest · Sun Is Out · Shiverfield.

From the melodic rush of Moving Into Tucson and the cinematic pulse of Amber Hotel, to the lo-fi storms of A Better Place and the hardcore intensity of Uitwaaien — this collection never sits still. It drifts through the wistful haze of Velcro Sunset, the fierce pulse of Death Sells, and the jagged charm of Song 1. It swells with the orchestral glow of The Indie Pea, the sharp hooks of June Rest, and the sunlit shimmer of Sun Is Out. Add the tense explosions of Shiverfield and the razor-edged urgency of Public Divide, and you get a portrait of where alternative music lives right now. This collection captures a moment in motion. — raw, restless, and utterly alive. The moment a label stopped curating genres and started following its gut.

Over the years, TCBYML has evolved from a broad platform into something much more personal — a close-knit community of artists who don’t just share a roster, but a belief: that sincerity beats polish, that imperfection can be power, and that a great song still matters more than anything. Alt Songs isn’t just a playlist, it’s a pulse — the collective heartbeat of a label rediscovering what it truly loves. Each track is a chapter in that rediscovery: fierce, melodic, restless, and alive.

TCBYML · Various Artists - TCBYML presents Alt Songs

============================================================================

Violent Vickie - The Paper Kites - Will Romeo / The 1984 Draft - Mick Clarke - Steel People

Violent Vickie - Open the Door.

It's a massive welcome back to Beehive Candy for Violent Vickie who we have had the pleasure of featuring a number of times in the past, and whose music always impresses, with her brand new single (plus video) "Open the Door" being no exception, in fact it's superb. “Open the Door” is an eerie love spell for anyone who’s been stuck in involuntary single-hood for what feels like forever and has really been through it in the dating world.  Open the Door was originally written in 2021 on acoustic guitar before evolving into a dark, moody dance track.

Violent Vickie is a West Palm Beach, FL-based producer, synth player, and singer. Formerly based out of Los Angeles, Violent Vickie blends the sounds of darkwave, synth-pop, post-punk, witch house, and riot grrrrl to create a spooky, grungy, danceable and epic sound with ethereal and tongue ’n cheek vocals that is all her own.  

Violent Vickie’s influences range from Crystal Castles and Grimes to Bjork and Bikini Kill to Siouxsie and The Banshees and Aphex Twin. Violent Vickie’s songs have been remixed by Fragrance, Kontravoid  and she recently shared the stage with Stabbing Westward, Forever Grey, Assemblage 23, and Aurelio Voltaire and played Absolution Fest along with Glass Spells. Violent Vickie has also toured with Hanin Elias of Atari Teenage Riot and shared the stage with Pastel Ghost, Trans X, and Missing Persons.

============================================================================

Photo - Tim Harris

The Paper Kites - Change Of The Wind.

Beloved indie folk band The Paper Kites have shared their new single “Change Of The Wind,” from their upcoming seventh studio album, ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’, arriving on January 23rd via Nettwerk Music Group. “Change Of The Wind” is a reflective, soul-searching journey that captures the quiet yet powerful moments of personal transformation, exploring the delicate balance between acceptance, hope, and the courage to change one’s own mind. The track arrives with an official music video, directed by the band and featuring Christina Lacy, filmed both at the farm in Melbourne’s Yarra Valley where the album was written and inside the bus featured on the album artwork. 
 
Announced in September, ‘If You Go There, I Hope You Find It’ arrived alongside the tender single “Every Town.” The Paper Kites have a gift for crafting tender, emotionally rich songs, and "Every Town" is no exception. It’s a sweet, melancholic reflection on love that lingers, even when everything else changes. The album also includes recent singles “Shake Off The Rain” and “When The Lavender Blooms.” Intimate and achingly reflective, the record 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.

============================================================================

Art courtesy of Nicholas S. Hamby

Will Romeo / The 1984 Draft - Plowed/Jet Black.

New York's Will Romeo (Neckscars, American Thrills, etc.) and Dayton, Ohio's The 1984 Draft have teamed up to cover a pair of '90s alt-rock classics, with Romeo covering Sponge's "Plowed" and The 1984 Draft taking on Jawbreaker's "Jet Black." On December 5, Sweet Cheetah Records and Poptek Records released the covers via limited-edition lathe-cut 7" (limited to 100 copies) and digitally (limited to 50 downloads).

Will Romeo is no stranger to underground music that is fast, loud and aggressive in nature. He's spent the last several decades performing with a variety of noted punk acts including Gameday Regulars, Neckscars, American Thrills, and more. He has also released solo material via Creep Records, with that output leaning in the direction of Ben Nichols/Lucero, Chuck Ragan/Rumbleseat, Jakob Dylan, and Jon Snodgrass.

The 1984 Draft is a quintet known for channeling American rock sensibilities through a ‘90s-tinted punk and indie lens. The band has garnered comparisons to The Hold Steady, Sugar, The Replacements, and has previously delivered splits with Todd Farrell Jr. of Benchmarks and Two Cow Garage, Gordon Withers of Jawbreaker on Cello fame and J. Robbins band, and Chris Broach of Braid, SNST, Firebird Band, etc.

============================================================================

Mick Clarke - Purple Cat.

If you like your blues music delivered with a bit of gritty rock edge, whilst retaining the timeless feel of this much loved music genre, then (if you have not already), it's time to discover Mick Clarke.

British blues guitarist Mick Clarke began his career with Killing Floor, part of the British blues boom of the late 1960s and contemporaries of Free, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The band backed Texas blues guitar star Freddie King and toured with legends Howlin' Wolf and Otis Spann. The album "Killing Floor" was listed as one of Classic Rock Magazine's twenty top British blues albums of the period.

The Mick Clarke Band was formed in the early 80s and toured extensively in Europe and the USA. Mick has appeared on numerous festivals with artists including Joe Bonamassa, Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher, and the Southern California Blues Society called him "One of the finest blues players to come out of England".

In later years the band has played dates in the UK, Europe and India, where Mick was the winner of the "best international act" from artistaloud.com. 

============================================================================

Steel People - A Better Place.

'A Better Place' is the latest release from Sheffield (England) Steel People, released at the beginning of December 2025. Despite trying Beehive Candy have not been able to find out much about Steel People, I guess it's not to much of a guess to link the acts name to the Steel industry which was once a huge part of Sheffield's history (they remain renowned for their stainless steel today).

Beyond that we can tell you they were formed in 2022. The Steel People is a collective of local talent led by songwriter/musician/producer Andy Peacock and has featured tracks including vocalist Shaun Doane and Los Angeles Guitarist/songwriter Gerrit Folsom. It's also worth noting that this is a fabulous song where the lyrics alone at least demand a second listen, enjoy.

============================================================================

Telemac - Evie Williams - bauhofer - Nick & June - Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Mercury's Antennae

Photo - Philippe Poulénas

Telemac - Telemac (EP).

Telemac draws its strength from the tension between new wave, garage, and psychedelic rock. Driven by a seventies-flavored synth-bass, ethereal guitars, and sharp, propulsive drumming, the quartet weaves a sound where mystery flirts with frenzy, and where every track feels like a sensory experience.

The project revolves around four complementary personalities: Mélina (drums), Vincent and Karim (guitars), and Seb (vocals). Together, they craft a universe that borrows as much from the icy atmospheres of Joy Division as from the raw energy of The Cramps, while embracing the experimental legacy of The Velvet Underground. This alchemy gives rise to a distinctive sound — dark yet radiant, visceral yet poetic — somewhere between nocturnal wandering and a yearning for escape.

Telemac’s lyrics are introspective and evocative. They explore the search for self, emotional imbalance, the weight of illusion, and the excesses of our time. At times intimate, at times critical, they open cracks where lucidity and rebellion seep through. Fireflies, fragments of blue sky, and deceptive suns appear as recurring metaphors — symbols of a generation searching for meaning.

On stage, Telemac unleashes a raw, magnetic energy capable of plunging the audience into an electric trance. The band has made its mark in iconic venues such as Le Mécanique Ondulatoire and Supersonic in Paris, Rockstore and Victoire 2 in Montpellier, and the Secret Place — where they opened for The Warlocks — as well as in Toulouse, Perpignan, Cherbourg, and beyond. Their live set evolves fluidly, occasionally welcoming guest voices: Nika (Nika Leeflang Project) and Nico (MaisonClose) have already stepped up to the mic, adding new textures and contrasts to the live experience.

============================================================================

Photo - Cammie Perkoulidis

Evie Williams - Heather Court.

Meanjin/Brisbane’s Evie Williams returned with ‘Heather Court’, Friday, December 5, a hazy indie folk-rock daydream. Shaped by loose drumming, laidback overdriven guitars and Evie's dulcet vocals, she shares a story about the unsteady pulse of early adulthood. Evie Williams has peppered releases across the years since her 2019 debut, exploring sounds that move through pop, country and indie folk. Highlights so far include being named a finalist for Brisbane City Council's QUBE Effect, performing at Hidden Lanes Festival, supporting EMEREE and Tyla Jane and selling out her debut full-band show earlier this year.  

Now with ‘Heather Court’, Evie leans into a moodier palette and turns inward, reflecting on her own tension between who she hoped to become and the reality she was living, a feeling she captures with raw honesty. Speaking on the single, she shares:
 
"‘Heather Court’ is a song about self-sabotage. It is the name of an old apartment block that I had visions of living in one day, with a beautiful balcony, a cat and a romanticised life. I would drive past and wonder how I would ever make a life like that, when I was going home to a mattress on the floor and my forgotten coffee on my desk. It highlights the feeling of wasted potential, the pearls on the dresser ready to be worn, but forgotten again."

That bittersweet tension is found in the track's warm, hazy production. With a mellow swing and a dreamy, slightly frayed edge, ‘Heather Court’ moves in a slow sway of fuzzy guitar layers and warm, feather-light vocals. The track toes the line between indie folk and psych rock with its lazy drum groove and drifting riffs as Evie’s voice threads through the haze of each verse and chorus. 

Evie Williams · Heather Court

============================================================================

bauhofer  It's Alright.

After the last single was successfully received on various country-pop radio stations, Swiss singer-songwriter bauhofer from Wollerau (SZ) is now striking more melancholic yet powerful pop tones. 

With “It’s Alright”, the third single from the upcoming EP The River Seine (to be released in spring), bauhofer once again relies on his characteristic southern-rock blend of rock, blues, and country elements.

The new track tells the story of a painful breakup and the liberating feeling of being able to start anew—an emotional moment that bauhofer conveys impressively through his distinctive soundscape. The single was produced by Slade Templeton (Crimer, Crying Vessel) at Influx Studios in Bern.

============================================================================

Photo - Luka Popp

Nick & June - New Year's Face (Album).

Berlin duo Nick & June (aka Nick Wolf and Suzie-Lou Kraft) released their new album 'New Year's Face' yesterday Friday, 5th December. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon Van Etten) and recorded in Bridgeport, Connecticut, 'New Year's Face', which includes collaborations with Owen Pallett, The National’s Kyle Resnick and Ben Lanz, The Antlers and others, will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally. 'New Year's Face' is the duo's first release since 2023's 'Beach Baby, Baby EP', which enjoyed over 30 million streams, widespread critical praise and led to sold-out shows across Europe.

Earlier this week they shared 'You Are The Voice That's Hunting My Soul For A Show', the last single before the album release: guitar washes, synthesisers, arpeggios—everything floats, everything shimmers. Suzie leads the voices, clear, unhurried, as if speaking a message into the night sky.  The lyrics glow like fragile neon in the dark. “Hey there, pinker moon / I’ve been tired for too long / Have you heard the news / I had it on my tongue”—fatigue, longing, a conversation with a celestial body as if it were a confidant. 

The recurring choruses, the light, flickering arpeggios, Suzie carrying the words—everything moves like fog over a city at night. Fragile truths suspended. “We are the bright and the dark”—a mantra binding the duality of hope and loss, intimacy and distance.  You Are the Voice That’s Hunting My Soul for a Show may be one of the most cinematic tracks on the album. Not just music, but a picture slowly emerging, unfolding, lingering long after the last note.    
 
Suzie-Lou explains: “Sometimes we sit on a song for a long time, and this was one of those cases. We spent a lot of time talking about the theme, exchanging opinions, debating words, trying out melodies—the awkward title stayed, but not much from the original sketch. Here, the arpeggio makes an appearance again, playfully weaving in some of the thought structures that run throughout the entire album.”


============================================================================

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Woolf.

Continuing the lead up to their 7th studio album Pale Bloom, Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys are back with “Woolf” (December 5th). Opening with hesitant vocals that build into rich, layered harmonies, the third single from the Berlin based band is like two voices meeting across time. Kruger's voice multiplies into layered harmonies that feel like a dialogue between past and present, eventually soaring over driving guitars and viola with the refrain: Heaven is twisting / fraying / heaven is bending / ageing / heaven is twisting / fading / heaven / is brutal / baby.

The track moves unpredictably, with guitars and viola creating an urgent, searching sound. Kruger draws inspiration from Virginia Woolf, imagining a connection across a century between two artists wrestling with similar questions about freedom and identity. It's both a tribute and an attempt to rewrite history—offering solidarity to a voice from the past.

Kruger expands “‘Woolf’ is a twisted sort of love letter — or a summoning. Or a sentencing. To a godless void, to Virginia, to the patriarchy, to my past self. As the four distinct chapters of this not-very-long song suggest, I’m not quite sure how to thread all these selves together into a cohesive timeline or tempo. Luckily, music makes space for such a problem.” 

'Woolf' stands as the third insight into their upcoming album Pale Bloom. Unlike the Lost Boys' earlier albums, produced within a specific moment in time, Pale Bloom emerged slowly, trying to suspend a creation myth in its amber – an origin tale that is ancient and complex; full of mystery and metaphor – that seeks neither clarification nor end.

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys · Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Woolf

============================================================================

Mercury's Antennae - The Veil Opaque v.2.

‘The Veil Opaque v.2 (single mix)’ is a newly altered remix, offering fans an elegant and atmospheric rendition of the album version from Among the Black Trees. The new single mix highlights Cindy Coulter’s driving bass line, Allen’s dream-felt voice, and Erick r Scheid’s ghostly shimmering 12-string hollow-body guitar and E-bow, with added synths and updated drum programming. 

‘Through the Veil (witchmoth mix)’, meanwhile, is a deeply layered, fully reimagined reinterpretation of the same song, created by Scheid. Drawing inspiration from the electronic genres of witch-house, dungeon synth, dark ambient and trip hop, ‘Through the Veil’ showcases his love for ritualistic ambient-electronica.

Two other exclusive tracks are also included. ‘Deer Island (a far unknown mix)’ is an acoustic reworking of the album track ‘As I Lay Hidden (Deer Island)’, and was part of a limited-edition EP giveaway in conjunction with the CD release party for Among the Black Trees. ‘O Virtus Sapientiae’ (or “Virtue of Divine Wisdom”) is a piece by Hildegard von Bingen, which Dru Allen spontaneously recorded while attending a seminar on Hildegard in a 12th-century abbey. Scheid in turn contributed the minimalist electronics, providing the perfect backdrop for the music of this remarkable visionary and composer.


============================================================================

The Tammy Shine - The James Hunter Six - ARK IDENTITY - Melanie Crew and Ross Palmer - The Promise - Argyro

The Tammy Shine - Junk Mail.

Indiepop legend Tammy Ealom of Dressy Bessy fame debuts the new solo project and single / video Junk Mail under the name The Tammy Shine. 

On February 20, 2026, one of indie rock’s most enduring and vibrant figures will reintroduce herself to the world. Tammy Ealom, best known as the snarling frontwoman and creative force behind Denver’s legendary Dressy Bessy, presents her debut solo album The Tammy Shine, Ok Shine Ok. Released via Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (HHBTM), the album marks a pivotal moment in Ealom’s three-decade career. Ok Shine Ok is the first time she has taken complete command—writing, performing, engineering, producing, and mixing the record entirely on her own.

The Tammy Shine presents a collection of songs that are as gritty as they are glossy, embodying the DIY ethos that has defined her life since childhood. Ealom’s songwriting on Ok Shine Ok is a masterclass in blending disparate genres, a skill she developed through her father’s eclectic record collection. Her first personal purchase was Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, a polished masterpiece of pop production.

Seeing her enthusiasm, her father gifted her a stack of vinyl that included the album Hang On Sloopy by The McCoys. Perhaps the most compelling narrative of Ok Shine Ok is Tammy’s role as the technical architect of the album. In an industry where female artists are often assumed to be just the "voice" or the "face," she has quietly become a formidable studio engineer.

============================================================================

The James Hunter Six - Here And Now.

This week, The James Hunter Six shares the dreamy new single "Here And Now," arguably the most beautiful tune on the band's new album Off The Fence, which releases on January 16 with Easy Eye Sound. A moving song written for his wife, Jessie Perez Huntsman, "Here And Now" showcases Hunter's ability to conjure up his own musical atmospherics as a guitar player, with his lilting, evocative fretwork recalling the great instrumentalists of the ’60s. 

James Hunter on the new single: "I first got talking to Jessie at a gig I was playing in New York. A year later she came to a show in Wilmington. We struck up a friendship, stayed in contact and had our first date in Jamaica, NY after I had played in New York with Van Morrison. She drove from her cousin's wedding in New Jersey to meet me, and we hung out for a couple of days before I had to fly home. She dropped me off at JFK, and I checked in while she looked for a parking spot. It took her a long time to find one, and the departure time was getting closer. With perfect timing, just as I was reluctantly making my way to the departure gate, she threw herself at me from behind in a frantic rugby tackle. We embraced, and I saw a tear in her eye. I told her I loved her, something I'd never done on a first date. And I've felt that way ever since. This song's about her."  

British singer, songwriter and GRAMMY-nominated James Hunter has been a legendary fixture in the scene for over three decades, with MOJO dubbing him “The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer." His eleventh studio album delivers another dose of timeless rhythm & soul, marking 40 years since his recording debut. Featuring twelve self-penned gems, each song is delivered with Hunter’s customary blend of smooth vocal control coupled with heart-worn grit and wit. The band has already shared two singles, including the infectious blues blaster “A Sure Thing” and a rare duet with legendary Irish singer Van Morrison called "Ain't That A Trip." 

============================================================================

ARK IDENTITY - Falling Apart.

Toronto indie pop artist ARK IDENTITY (Noah Mroueh) returns with "Falling Apart," a late-night anthem that captures the ache of modern heartbreak in the digital age. Built around a heartbeat-on-the-edge pulse, the track unfolds with hypnotic layers of synth, reverb-soaked guitar, and ARK IDENTITY's signature ethereal vocal delivery – a sonic mirror of what it feels like to come undone through a screen.

"We all experience heartbreak at least once in our lives," Noah shares. "The song's lyrics were inspired by modern-day breakups that mostly unfold through screens and text messages. In some ways, it's a reflection of how people can grow apart in the digital age."

Originally titled "On My Cell Phone," the song evolved into "Falling Apart" – a title that felt truer to its emotional weight. Recorded in a single session, the song came together almost effortlessly. "It just poured out," Noah explains. ""One of those rare days where every sound seems to find its place before you have time to overthink it. The rhythm section gives it a heartbeat-on-the-edge pulse that ties the whole track together."

The production choices were intentionally imperfect. The choruses carry a low rumble – almost like interference – that mirrors the experience of losing connection both literally and emotionally. "I didn't want it to sound too clean; heartbreak isn't clean," Noah adds. "It's messy, blurry, and human."

============================================================================

Melanie Crew and Ross Palmer - Some Other Stories (Album).
  
We are really pleased to feature Melanie Crew and Ross Palmer. They tell us "Music doesn’t need to raise its voice to be powerful" and describe their sound as "gently harmonised voices and palette of fingerpicked acoustic and shimmering electric guitars" This is musically everything they want to say, and I have to say it is absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes talent can excel quietly, this is a case in point! 

Melanie and Ross began playing together when Melanie was bitten by the songwriting bug and began to play her songs live. Ross – also a songwriter and veteran of many folk and roots bands – sat in on guitar and started to sing some harmonies. Before they knew it, their personal partnership was also a musical partnership. Since then, they’ve released an EP, Away from the City, a debut album, Quiet After Midnight, and now Some Other Stories, their second full-length record as a duo.

Produced and largely recorded at their South London home, Some Other Stories contains 11 self-written songs and one arrangement of a traditional. Drawing on influences from Fairport Convention to Elliott Smith, it pushes the themes they explored on Quiet After Midnight into new territory. The songs contemplate the connections we make with each other and what happens when those connections break down. They examine the people we are and how we become those people. They look at the past with a kind eye and to the future with cautious optimism.

While handling the majority of instruments between themselves, Melanie and Ross brought in a team of exceptional players to add light and shade to their songs, including Adam Beattie and Colin Somervell on double bass, Basia Bartz on violin, Nick Frater on piano and Hammond organ, and Ben Handysides on cello. Ross’s Great Days of Sail bandmates Yo Zushi and Russell Parton also feature in the choir on the traditional ballad Our Captain Cried All Hands. Jon Clayton recorded some of these musicians, and Dave Milligan mastered the album. These wonderful people helped Melanie and Ross to tell their stories.

============================================================================

The Promise - The Last Drop.

This is a sensitive and very touching song from The Promise who tell us "Love is hard. Despite the best efforts of the couple it doesn’t always work out. The grief may last a lifetime. This song is about reaching the final stages of that grief – when all that’s left is the last drop."

Artist Background - We are a folk rock indie band formed in 2025 to carry forward our collective love of music and of making music together. 

Andrew Curran (songwriter and vocalist) is also a paediatric neurologist with 38 years experience working at the front line of the NHS. Flo, Julia and Aiden are rising stars in the folk scene in the South West (England) with numerous appearances throughout the region including Glastonbury festival. Noah and Fraser are established musician and producers in the Manchester area. Noah is also Andrew’s son.

============================================================================

Argyro - Lifeline.

Multi-instrumentalist, charting songwriter, and featured actor Scott Argiro, known musically as Argyro, releases his brand-new single and official music video “Lifeline” today Friday, December 5th. The song marks the final release of an exceptionally strong year for Argyro—one that has seen him expand his presence across music, film, and entertainment.

“Lifeline,” originally featured on Argyro’s acclaimed album Glitterati, stands out as one of his most emotionally resonant and lyrically urgent works. Built on themes of unity, compassion, and human connection, the track showcases Argyro’s hallmark multi-instrumental performance—drums, bass, keys, guitars, vocals—and his instinct for blending introspective songwriting with cinematic pop soundscapes. The accompanying music video, also premiering December 5th, visually amplifies the song’s message with a bold, heartfelt narrative that reflects the tension and hope embedded in the lyrics.

Argyro’s 2025 has been marked by continued chart accomplishments, with multiple tracks from Glitterati landing international airplay and streaming traction. His music’s blend of melodic pop, rhythmic pulse, and thoughtful lyricism has drawn comparisons to artists like John Mayer, Rob Thomas, and Chris Isaak, while firmly establishing Argyro as a standout voice with a sound all his own.

============================================================================

Celestial Bums - The Brook & The Bluff - KiKi Holli & The Remedy - Cut Flowers - The Legal Matters

Celestial Bums - The Letters.

Shoegaze warmth and dream pop elegance converge in Celestial Bums’ “The Letters” Barcelona’s Celestial Bums unveil The Letters, the second single from their forthcoming album Minutes From Heaven, out February 2026 via the Italo-American label We Were Never Being Boring (WWNBB) — home to some of today’s finest dream pop and neo-psychedelic acts.

This second chapter reveals the band’s most seductive pop side, carried by lush synth textures and shimmering guitars drenched in delay and reverb. Its catchy vocals and expressive leads showcase the group’s signature melodic flair, before giving way to a fuzz-soaked finale — a wall of distortion as hypnotic as it is cathartic, tailor-made for lovers of shoegaze and modern psychedelia. 

Celestial Bums return in 2026 with Minutes From Heaven (WWNBB, USA/IT), their long-awaited fourth album. Formed in 2010 as a cult collective in constant evolution, the band has carved out a reputation across the European psych scene, touring extensively and performing at both festivals and underground clubs. Along the way, they’ve shared stages with acts such as The Black Angels, A Place To Bury Strangers, Holydrug Couple, and The Warlocks.

WWNBB collective · Celestial Bums - The Letters

============================================================================

Photo - Luke Rogers

The Brook & The Bluff - Baby Blue.

Nashville-based indie/rock group The Brook & The Bluff have shared their new single “Baby Blue.” The track is the latest to release off their upcoming fourth studio album Werewolf, due out March 6th through Dualtone Records. With delicate arrangement and gentle grooves over a bed of fingerpicked guitars, “Baby Blue” features tight three-part harmonies woven throughout every verse and chorus, a technique the band had never used before.

“‘Baby Blue’ is mostly about devotion, maybe almost to a delusional level,” stated the band. “It’s a bunch of ways to say I'm not interested in going anywhere, that I’ve been on all the roads and they have the same destination. It's the feeling of certainty you can stay tethered to when you feel like you may start drifting.”

“Baby Blue” follows the release of the lead single “Super Bowl Sunday,” an anthemic, amphitheater-worthy banger with crashing guitars and earworm hooks anchored by reflective lyrics about masculinity, ego, and the ties that bind. Upon its release, Atwood Magazine called it “Fun, radiant, and irresistibly spirited” while Melodic Magazine raved “True to form, the bright, driving energy of the music contrasts sharply with the bittersweet ache of the lyrics.”

============================================================================

KiKi  Holli & The Remedy - WISH.

Los Angeles indie-pop vocalist and songwriter KiKi Holli returns with her latest single “WISH,” the first release under her expanded artist title KiKi  Holli & The Remedy. This evolution marks a new creative chapter for Holli— one that captures the dynamic energy of her live performances while staying  true to the emotive storytelling and lush, cinematic sound she’s known  for. The addition of “& The Remedy” reflects Holli’s growing focus on live  performance and collaboration, capturing the vibrant, soulful energy of her  band on stage and working with her 2x Grammy nominated Producer, Ethan  Allen in the studio. 

“WISH” is an atmospheric, soulful anthem that explores longing,  transformation, and the beauty of vulnerability. Driven by sweeping  melodies and Holli’s radiant, emotionally charged vocals, the track evokes a  sense of yearning and renewal, channeling the timeless influences of artists like Stevie Nicks, Bowie, Prince & The Cure through a modern indie-pop lens.  It’s both intimate and anthemic—a reflection of Holli’s continued growth as  an artist and the powerful synergy of The Remedy. 

The new single follows the success of Holli’s electrifying Nu Disco track “WIN U OVER,” which earned critical praise from Billboard for its infectious groove  and fearless energy. With “WIN U OVER,” Holli invited listeners to embrace  joy, connection, and movement—a vibrant contrast to the introspective tone  of “WISH,” yet both driven by her signature authenticity. 

============================================================================

Cut Flowers - Until It's Time.

From the heart of Toronto's indie-rock scene, Cut Flowers emerge with "Until It's Time" – a rollicking and heartfelt meditation on impermanence, regret, and making amends. Rooted in pastoral harmonies and driven by vibrant, live-off-the-floor energy, the song blends the ache of folk storytelling with the grit of vintage rock and soul.

"It's a song about regretting not being there for people you love when they need you," says vocalist Kevan Byrne. "And sort of trying to make amends before we die — saying this time I'll be there for you, and will stay there until it's time for me to go."

Inspired by the timeless melancholy of 60s and 70s British folk and the raw earthiness of contemporary American folk-blues artists like Jake Xerxes Fussell, "Until It's Time" finds its own space between promise and resignation.

The song was written in an unusual tuning — a discovery that unlocked its distinctly open, ringing sound. "I read about something called a black key tuning that Curtis Mayfield used for a lot of his songs," Byrne recalls. "I put my guitar into that tuning and right away I was struck that I had no idea how CM was getting chords and voicings out of it for songs like 'Move On Up.' But it was great for chiming, droning stuff in the key of G. That's the tuning I used to write 'Until It's Time.' In the end you can play the song in standard tuning with basic cowboy chords. But sometimes you have to get outside your habits to hear a tune differently."

============================================================================

The Legal Matters - Everybody Knows.

Acclaimed Michigan indie pop heroes The Legal Matters are about to release “Everybody Knows,” the band's latest single and their first new music in over four years. Out December 5, it's an early preview of their forthcoming fourth album (and their first for BSR), due out in early 2026. 

“Imagine if a sound could take you back to the place where you came from,” goes the aching, harmony-laden chorus to “Everybody Knows,” and it's an instant signature moment for The Legal Matters. Over a decade after the band Keith Klingensmith, Andy Reed and Chris Richards coalesced from the lineups of three already-esteemed Michigan indie pop outfits, their mutual love for the music that shaped them still resounds throughout their material, never more so than on this track. 

The band may be named in tribute to an early track by The Who, but it's big early '7os rock that informs “Everybody Knows,” so it's no surprise when Chris Richards names a key power pop progenitor band when discussing the writing and recording of the tune.“I had this verse/chorus bit for quite awhile, dating back to sessions for out last album in 2021, but couldn’t land on a lyrical hook and always just moved on,” says Chris. 

“When I brought this one to the guys, we went down a Badfinger route, and the result became the lead of track on the new record. I wrote the melody to the bridge the day before the session, as I’d been trying to ft a middle eight in there for some time but always hit a very thick brick wall. It all came together right then and there, as is so often the case with The Legal Matters.”

============================================================================