Allison Russell - The Question - Beth Peabody - DegHerl - Amber Hotel - James White & The Wild Fire

Allison Russell - Black Lavender (ft. Brittney Spencer).

Allison Russell recently announced her third studio album In The Hour of Chaos. The album, produced by Russell and Dim Star, is a fervent plea for connection in this time of alienation, isolation, and dread. It’s an album that is meant to make you feel good and, in these times, feeling good is a radical act. Now, she shares the album’s latest song “Black Lavender” featuring the earthy soul of Brittney Spencer.

Of “Black Lavender,” Russell notes: We are swimming in rivers - flash floods! - of adrenaline right now. Black Lavender is a song about extending grace and soothing comfort to a chosen sister… the kind I have trouble extending to myself… But the beautiful thing is, she’s the same way - and she gives it all back and some. Brittney Spencer is a voice for all the ages who we NEED right now. We saved this song for Juneteenth for a reason. Black women have been showing up for each other in this way as long as we’ve been here, and we can’t stop won’t stop now! Incomparable - That’s what we all are, you know - Precious, Magical.

The songs on Allison Russell’s In the Hour of Chaos are meant to reverse the tides that pull us farther and farther apart, even from ones we love the most. It’s only fitting that Russell leaned into her vibrant and ever expanding community of artists and friends to create a collaborative song suite that goes far beyond a succession of features. 

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The Question - I'm So Glad (EP).

Oglio Entertainment have now released 'I'm So Glad' a newly remastered four-song collection from legendary LA mod trio The Question, available digitally for the first time ever. Often regarded as the first—and arguably most influential—mod band to emerge from Los Angeles, The Question built a devoted following in the early '80s through packed live shows, college radio support, and their appearance on the landmark WarfRat Tales compilation. Their blend of mod, power pop, and '60s R&B earned them a cult reputation that continues to resonate decades later.

Though they never achieved mainstream success, their influence can still be felt today. Members of No Doubt were longtime fans of the band, frequently attending shows and sharing bills with The Question during their formative years on the Southern California club circuit. More recently, No Doubt has paid tribute to those roots by prominently featuring multiple vintage Question flyers throughout promotional materials and fan experiences surrounding their Sphere performances.

I'm So Glad continues Oglio's ongoing archival series spotlighting The Question's catalog and celebrating a band whose influence continues to far outweigh the size of its recorded output. Now, I'm So Glad emerges from the archives with renewed clarity, offering listeners another glimpse into a band that consistently balanced immediacy and musical depth. Featuring four tracks—"Head On Straight," "I Can Feel It," "I'm So Glad," and "Have To Say Goodbye (Slow Version)"—the release showcases many of the qualities that made The Question unique: infectious melodies, driving rhythms, sharp musicianship, and an unmistakable sense of style that still feels fresh decades later.

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Beth Peabody - Get It Out / Out And About.

Beth Peabody has been a key member of the Jim Basnight Band since 2019, and after seven years of incredible harmonies, it’s time for her to shine on her own. Her musical roots run deep—she grew up in Cooperstown, NY, and lived in various cities including Billings, MT, Huntsville, AL, and Tacoma, WA. She spent her youth immersed in musical theater and choir, developing her impressive three-octave range and near-perfect ear.

With six years of piano lessons under her belt, Beth discovered her passion for singing and playing music. After meeting Sean in 2017, Beth joined him in their duo, Untamed Spirit, before becoming a harmony vocalist in the Jim Basnight Band in 2019. Her influences range from Classics like The Turtles and The Beatles to powerhouse female vocalists like Reba McEntire, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Patsy Cline, Sara Evans, and Stevie Nicks.

About the Singles “Get it Out” is a driving, basic, no-frills rocker, which showcases her style which drips playful pop sensibilities, while staying down to earth and soulfully irreverent. It harkens back to classic hits by new wave rockers like Blondie, the Pretenders, and the Bangles. “Out and About” is a bit more complex musically, but seamless in its direct approach. It reminds me compositionally of the Replacements, and other cool ‘80s and ‘90s indie pop acts like Hoodoo Gurus, Gin Blossoms, and perhaps even a little like my old band, the Moberlys.

Beth’s new singles embody the creative energy and talent that has made her a standout performer, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share them with you. These songs, along with the rest from these sessions, are a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in their creation.

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DegHerl - Nicht Nur.

Nicht Nur is the first single from DegHerl's album, due out in early October 2026. The song is a live favorite, and also one of the most impactful tracks in their repertoire, in which the German-language vocals of Italian-Austrian keyboardist Daniela Gullotta are chiseled between empty and full spaces, made of straight kick drums and minimalist riffs. It features a martial intro and a melodic central riff with angular and frenetic accents. Dark, seductive, and obsessive at the same time, as certain desires can be, caressing and sharp as a knife.

Nicht Nur could easily fit in the middle of a playlist with The Cure, Nina Hagen, Siouxsie. Xmal Deutschland, Malaria!, but somehow it also fits with the more contemporary Molchat Doma, Lebanon Hanover, and Drab Majesty. DegHerl were born in 2013, having as their main source of inspiration post-punk and new wave between the end of the '70s and the mid-'80s. The previous genre (and non-genre) experiences of the singer/guitarist Raffaele K. Salinari (in Bologna in the 70s and 80s) and of the bassist/singer Antonio "Toni" Tronchin (in the post-Great Complotto period/area, which also led him to the founding of bands such as Joycut in the early 2000s), converge and mix with other musical influences, thanks to the arrival in 2015 of the guitarist Alessio Franzoni (garage, psychedelia, kraut, indie-rock).

Daniela's voice is the perfect counterbalance to Salinari's vocal timbres, which alternates Lou Reed's style with lines closer to punk and British wave. In 2025 the band found balance with the arrival of Andrea Giorgi on drums, whose attitude is essential, clean and energetic, and with a background of studies in the Conservatory of classical percussion, with insights into contemporary minimalism such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

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Amber Hotel - Broken Glass.

We have the second single from the upcoming debut album Permanent Vacancy (Out Dec 11th via TCBYML). Following the nocturnal drive of "No Plans," Chicago’s Amber Hotel shifts gears into a high-speed collision of 1979 Gothic Pop and New Wave urgency. Their latest single, "Broken Glass," is a masterclass in the "up-beat but melancholic" aesthetic, a track that dances through the wreckage of a self-inflicted mess.

Built on a foundation of dry, driving drums and a bouncy, melodic bassline, "Broken Glass" captures the frantic energy of early The Cure combined with the precision of Interpol. The track's engine is a clean, jangly electric guitar that stabs through the air with staccato riffs, creating a sound that is as catchy as it is claustrophobic. It’s the sonic representation of a nervous breakdown you can actually dance to.

Lyrically, the song is a raw, deadpan confession of pride and regret. Baritone vocals deliver a "hiccupy," emotional performance that maps out the aftermath of a slammed door and a shattered house. From the "silver on the floor" to the tight-throated silence in the hallway, "Broken Glass" explores the "stupid way to win" by letting the cold air in. With its charm and production, "Broken Glass" feels like a lost 1980s classic found in a dusty Chicago basement. As the second glimpse into their debut album Permanent Vacancy, Amber Hotel proves they are the masters of the "fever dream" post-punk sound, capturing the exact moment when you realize you didn't mean it... or maybe you did.

TCBYML · Amber Hotel - Broken Glass

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James White & The Wild Fire - How To Replace Anxiety With A Broken Heart (EP).

The five track EP showcases some of the groups most complete and accessible work to date, bringing a driving sense of energy, some sparkling musicianship and songcraft which captures a cathartic sense of inner turmoil. Through their country, Americana, and psychedelic-bluegrass tendencies the band bring the essence and urgency of their live shows to the studio recordings whilst also displaying an uncanny ear for earworm melodies.

Even before its official release, the EP is already making an impact, reaching Number 1 in Rock and Number 2 in Country on Amazon Music’s pre-orders alone - an early signal of strong anticipation following their return after nearly three years away. Formed in 2019, James White & The Wild Fire continue to carve out a distinctive space at the intersection of psychedelic folk rock and traditional American roots music. A sound blends atmospheric, expansive textures with the structural clarity of bluegrass and Americana, anchored by the direct and emotionally unfiltered songwriting of James White. (band leader and songwriter).

Speaking about the EP, James explains: “I feel this EP is a metamorphosis. What was blueprinted as lyrics, chords and scratch tracks written and recorded between 2022 and 2026 during a time of immense heartbreak, turmoil, confusion and loss became one of the most beautiful and sincere things I have ever made. I couldn't be more proud of this EP, the musicianship of the members of this band, and how they brought the concept of it to life. It immortalises the lowest period of my adult life and created something that I am so excited to show the world.

I hope those that resonate with the themes tune in to the message that such levels of loss, heartbreak and pain are all part of a journey, that there is another side beyond what feels like an inescapable void, and that even when we carry our loss with us, there can be immense joy, freedom validity and peace on the other side. I hope you enjoy the incredible musicianship put on full display by Brooke, Lee, Joe, Mike and myself. We left everything out there for you."


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Rachael Sage & The Sequins - Amber Hotel - Clover County - Dead Chic

Photo - Anna Azarov

Rachael Sage & The Sequins - Kill The Clock (New Video).

Beloved folk-pop singer-songwriter Rachael Sage and her longtime band The Sequins have released the animated “Kill The Clock” music video. Appearing on their new album Canopy and excavated from a demo Sage recorded in her teens, “Kill The Clock” is quickly becoming a fan favorite after receiving play listing love from NPR's All Songs Considered and combats the oppressive, exhausting feeling of being stuck in a never-ending rat race that can never be sated -- the perfect sentiment to take into the holiday season as we slow down to focus on family and the things that really matter. 

The animated music video, is a chaotic, left-of-center collaboration between two New York polymaths which combines the talents of Fuel Heart Productions’ multimedia artist Carissa Johnson as a director and animator with Sage’s own original paintings. 

“‘Kill The Clock’ is a song I rediscovered from a teenage demo my mom found in the basement a couple of years ago,” shares Sage. “While the lyrics are a bit abstract and cryptic compared to how I’ve been writing more recently, I believe I understand the meaning of them more now than I did when I first composed it. It’s about cultural and personal alienation and feeling like everyone and everything around you is geared toward some incomprehensible rat-race, to be more, to own more, to do more… it’s very ’80s greed’ inspired. 

It reflects on the insanely competitive aspects of the college application process and some of the unfortunate bullying I experienced not only in school but also when I was a ballet student, when body-imagery as well as social status was as much a part of our roller-coaster conservatory dynamics as dancing itself. I chose to include a grown-up version of this song on ‘Canopy’ not only because I thought that The Sequins could bring it to new life, but because it’s essentially about corruption, written from a child’s perspective.”

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Amber Hotel - Lean Closer (EP).

Step inside. The lights are low, the air is thick, and the night feels endless. Welcome to Amber Hotel — five rooms, five stories, one descent into the heart of modern desire and disconnection.

Across Lean Closer, the Chicago-based trio turns post-punk and darkwave into a cinematic fever dream. It begins with Amber Hotel, a statement of intent — pulsing basslines, sharp guitars, and a voice that commands and confesses in the same breath. It’s not just a song; it’s an invitation. Check in, and let the walls start whispering.

From there, the descent deepens. Digital Ghost drifts through blue-light hauntings and broken connections. Automatic Devotion dances in obsession’s glow — seductive and claustrophobic all at once. Shadowed Face forces you to confront the version of yourself you’ve been hiding from, while Midnight’s Echo pulls you fully into the dark — a slow hypnosis where time dissolves and echoes replace memory.

Influenced by the timeless pulse of Bauhaus, The Cure, and She Wants Revenge, Lean Closer captures a world where emotion and machinery blur. Every track hums with the tension between control and surrender, reflection and release. Amber Hotel isn’t nostalgia. It’s a mirror for now — flickering, dangerous, and alive. Five songs. Five keys. One door you may not want to close again. Welcome to Amber Hotel. Check in. Lean closer. Don’t count on checking out.

TCBYML · Amber Hotel - Lean Closer

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Clover County - Suitcase.

Emerging Georgia singer/songwriter Clover County has announced her debut headline Finer Things Tour, which will begin in February and will take her through Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Nashville and more. Tickets go on sale this Friday December 12 at 10 a.m. local time. She will also rejoin Sam Barber for a slew of dates next year, following a widely acclaimed run with Barber earlier this year. For a full list of dates, please visit clovercounty.com. 

To accompany this announcement, Clover also shared that Finer Things (Deluxe), the deluxe edition of her debut album that came out earlier this year via Undercover Lover Records / Thirty Tigers, will come out on January 23. The LP features two new songs and an acoustic version of fan favorite “Virginia Slim.” Last week, she previewed the deluxe with the release of gentle new single “Suitcase,” produced by Brad Cook (Waxahatachee, Snail Mail, Bon Iver). 

On the new song, Clover shares: “Not too far off from John Denver’s ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’ or Townes Van Zandt’s ‘I’ll Be Here in the Morning,’ ‘Suitcase’ is an apology to a lover for leaving — again (and again, and again). In my version of this very unoriginal story, I’m not actually planning on coming back this time. I’m pleading — hoping this person will come with me, find their own purpose in this wild, selfish journey by my side. It breaks my heart to keep going it alone but that’s exactly how it always ends.” 

Clover County · Suitcase

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Dead Chic - The Bells and The Fists.

With images captured during one of their recent live performances, director Pablo Delpedro sought to highlight the intensity that is so characteristic of Dead Chic. The release of the band’s new single “The Bells and The Fists” was the perfect opportunity to illustrate this: a strange, shadowy track where flesh and steel collide, the soundtrack to a pagan ceremony unfolding somewhere deep in the bowels of the earth.

The video immerses us in the world of the four band members. Through their looks, their movements, their chaos and fury, we find ourselves at the heart of the storm, in the thick, sweaty atmosphere that turns each of their concerts into a dark and intense ritual.

Dead Chic originally formed from the partnership between Andy Balcon and Damien Félix. They met a few years ago while touring with their respective bands (Heymooshaker and Catfish), frequently crossing paths on the road and catching up backstage to discuss music, idols, and the possibility of collaborating. After a few years without crossing paths, they reconnected in the fall of 2020. Before discussing musical influences, Andy and Damien shared visual references, illustrations, and landscapes that would form the foundation and direction of their work. The idea of working together then took a serious turn, and after some exchanges, "Too Far Gone," their first track, was released in 2022.

They were then joined by Rémi Ferbus on drums (known for his work with Kimberose, Mélissa Laveaux, among others), who had previously collaborated with Andy; and Mathis Akengin on keyboards, a long-time collaborator of Damien in Catfish. Over the years, through tours and travels, the musicians have honed their skills, enriched their cultural knowledge, and defined their individual styles. The combination of the four immediately sparked.

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Amber Hotel - Pacifica - Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice - Cherry i

Amber Hotel - Midnight’s Echo.

Enter Amber Hotel. Still flickering, still rising, from the darker corners of modern-day Chicago. If Digital Ghost haunted the wires of broken connection, and Shadowed Face forced you to stare into the mirror you’d rather avoid, then Midnight’s Echo is the sound of being swallowed whole by the dark itself. A song of corridors without exits, whispers without faces, and time slipping through your hands like shattered glass.

This is not comfort. It’s hypnosis. The guitars circle like restless shadows, the bass drags like chains across midnight floors, and the voice drifts between confession and surrender — pulling you deeper with every line. “Every breath feels like a crime / We’re just ghosts against the time.”

Post-punk and darkwave DNA runs through its veins — echoes of Lebanon Hanover, The Cure, She Wants Revenge, Boy Harsher — but warped into Amber Hotel’s own fever dream. Brooding, cinematic, electric, and alive. Midnight’s Echo is chapter four of Amber Hotel’s descent. Another door unlocked. Another step further into the unlit world that waits behind it.

TCBYML · Amber Hotel - Midnight's Echo

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Pacifica - In Your Face (Album).

Formed in Buenos Aires by Inés Adam and Martina Nintzel, Pacifica have been on a fast, furious rise since transforming their bedroom YouTube covers into a fully-fledged global phenomenon. Blending the gritty immediacy of early-2000s garage rock with the swagger of post-punk and the emotional punch of ‘90s alt, the duo have built a devoted following and a reputation for blistering live shows that channel friendship, chaos, and catharsis in equal measure.

Now, Pacifica return with their highly anticipated sophomore album In Your Face, out now via TAG / The Orchard. The record marks a new era for the Buenos Aires-born duo — one that captures their trademark mix of vulnerability and rebellion with more bite, confidence, and self-awareness than ever before.

“In Your Face is an introspective journey that brushes through themes of heartbreak, betrayal, lust, spite, immaturity, and regret — all with a pinch of humor and light-heartedness,” the band explains. “It’s about cause and consequence. Accepting fate and flaws, realizing some things really are the other person’s fault, falling in love and wanting to jump off a building for someone, learning to be patient, and just living through it — Tokyo streets, Maseratis, vibes.”

The album’s focus track, “Indie Boyz,” is a riff-heavy, tongue-in-cheek ode to late-night indie sleaze — all sweat, irony, and hazy dancefloor nostalgia. The band note that it’s “not to be taken too seriously — just a description of a week of going out almost every night. No poetry, just vibes.” "Indie Boyz" is also a nod to a trendy club in LA called Tenants of the Trees. Other highlights include “Fixer Upper”, a biting reflection on toxic relationships and performative self-destruction, “Just No Fun,” an irresistible, chaotic anthem about knowing you’re self-sabotaging — and doing it anyway, and “What You Doing,” a sharp, emotional spiral set to driving guitars and sardonic wit.

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Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice - Sailboat in the Sky.

Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice have unveiled “Sailboat in the Sky,” the bands hugely anticipated new single. This marks the debut collaboration between Nathan Bryce and songwriter Candace Crockett, blending heartfelt storytelling with Bryce’s soulful edge, creating a sound that’s both timeless and new.

With “Sailboat in the Sky,” Nathan Bryce delivers a laid-back, feel-good blend of Southern soul and his signature honey-bourbon blues-rock, with a modern edge. The vintage soul, swampy grit, punchy drops and sunset-coastal vibe feels both nostalgic and cinematic. It has a hook-laden, sing-along chorus that lingers long after the last note yet it’s more than a song, it’s a breath of freedom, a moment to rise above the noise, and remember what it feels like to be fully alive again.

Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice are known for their energetic blend of classic rock, blues, and southern rock influences, bringing a fresh perspective to the guitar-driven rock tradition. With a line-up featuring Nathan Bryce (guitar and vocals), Dylan Halacy (drums), and Jerry Paswaters (bass and vocals), this Missouri-based trio continues to make waves in the music world. NBLD has been touring the U.S. and internationally for the past 3 years as backing band and supporting act for Australian guitar prodigy Taj Farrant. They are now embarking on their own Tours, bringing their unique blend of Rock N’ Roll, nostalgia and high energy performances to audiences nationwide and beyond.

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Photo - Ramzi Karam

Cherry i - Mistake.

London art-rock group Cherry i return with their new single ‘Mistake’, a magnetic follow-up to previous single ‘The Arsonist’, continuing their collaboration with producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Youth Lagoon, Soccer Mommy). Built around an uneasy dialogue between artist and art, ‘Mistake’ captures what vocalist and lyricist Nikol describes as “a relationship with defeat”, embodying the tension of not being able to control what you create.

The track moves from hushed reflection (“I know who I am / I know what I lack”) into something unrestrained, as guitars scrape and shiver over taut percussion. Lyrically, ‘Mistake’ is full of surreal, visceral imagery (“The sun rays are filled with disease / My hopes are lost in you”), with Nikol reflecting on the frustration and compulsion that underpin creative pursuit - her performance leading the song from quiet restraint into full cathartic release.

On the lyrical inspiration behind 'Mistake' - Nikol said: “The idea behind the song is essentially a one way conversation between a person and something inanimate, in this case it is the fraught relationship one can have with music and choosing that as a career path. Wanting to have a sit down conversation with something so opaque and undefinable as art is what inspired the lyrics."

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Sally Phantom - Tom Smith - Amber Hotel - Crystal Shawanda

Sally Phantom - Going Insane.

With a powerhouse voice and an unmistakable presence, Montreal’s Sally Phantom emerges fully formed on her debut single, “Going Insane.” Rooted in alternative pop-rock but stretching into gothic soul, cinematic grunge, and alt-pop balladry, Sally’s sound lands somewhere between the torch-song drama of Amy Winehouse and the theatrical darkness of Evanescence, with flashes of Lana Del Rey, Ethel Cain, and Paramore woven throughout. 

Backed by a team of seasoned industry veterans, this young artist arrives not as a hopeful, but as a headline. Co-written and produced by Canadian music mainstays Hugo Mud and Adrian Popovich, the track is a masterclass in collaboration: raw, addictive, and impossible to ignore.

“Going Insane” began as a spontaneous creative spark and quickly evolved into something far more deliberate. From Houde’s gripping instrumentation to Popovich’s heavy-lidded synth work and precise mix, the production walks a razor’s edge between gritty and cinematic. But it’s Sally’s performance that cuts deepest—her vocal range is wide, expressive, and unflinching, with the same dramatic heft that made legends of Amy Winehouse and Evanescence. Her songwriting, co-crafted with Mudie, dives into addiction, identity, and emotional unraveling, delivered with rare lyrical poise and intensity. 

“It’s a conversation with God,” she says, “a personal letter to my addictions, and a reflection on the pain of loving someone I couldn’t have.” Writing the song meant returning to the moment she realized something had to change. “Addiction had controlled my life since my teens. At 23, my dad sent me to rehab, and it saved me. Sobriety gave me the courage to feel again—and this song was how I admitted that to heal, I had to finally feel.”

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Tom Smith - Leave.

Tom Smith steps forward as a solo artist with his debut album There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn't There In The Light (out December 5 via Play It Again Sam). New single "Leave" follows "Life Is For Living" and "Lights of New York City". 

Working alongside producer Iain Archer, Tom Smith has completed work on his debut solo album. Stepping out of the world of Editors for the first time, ‘There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light’ is eagerly anticipated and today's single release 'Leave' is the third taste of what we are expecting to be a fabulous album with a real distinction from Editors material.

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Amber Hotel - Shadowed Face.

Enter Amber Hotel. Still flickering, still rising, from the darker corners of modern-day Chicago. Amber Hotel is not nostalgia. It’s a gathering point. A sanctuary for those who feel out of step with the speed of the modern world. It’s 2025, and things have never felt stranger, heavier, or more electric.

If previous single Digital Ghost was the phantom of lost connection, Shadowed Face is the mirror you’d rather not face. A track that stares back at you—cold, unblinking—revealing the parts we bury under light and distraction. It’s brooding, cinematic, and drenched in the DNA of post-punk and dark wave, carrying echoes of The Cure, She Wants Revenge, and early Interpol, but warped into something wholly their own.

The guitars don’t shimmer—they slice. The bass doesn’t just drive—it drags you into the undertow. And through it all, the voice: commanding yet distant, both confession and accusation. This is chapter three of Amber Hotel’s descent. Another key, another door unlocked. Behind it lies a shadow, a mask, a self you can’t escape. Welcome back to Amber Hotel. You can hide your face, but the shadows will find you.

TCBYML · Amber Hotel - Shadowed Face

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Crystal Shawanda - Sing Pretty Blues.

Crystal Shawanda's video for the song Sing Pretty Blues launched this yesterday. Known for her JUNO and Maple Blues Award-winning albums, Crystal's latest release covers Stax-sounding soul, rootsy acoustic Americana, and pure Janis Joplin-style power Blues.

Crystal began singing this song in concert when she started her music career, performing as a Country artist at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in the 1990s. 

A song about the struggle of letting go of the past, confronting pain and seeking forgiveness, Crystal's fans have often requested a recording. Audience members will tell her about how much the song means to them, and about the people who continue to struggle or whom they've lost along the way. 

This song was recorded acoustically on two resonator guitars with the accompaniment of a 150-year old hand drum played by a revered elder from Crystal's home reservation, Wiikwemikoong First Nations on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. 

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