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| Photo - Sander Randall |
Kate Prascher, whom No Depression once praised as "a mesmerizing singer whose traditional-sounding tunes upend any feeling of comfort with lyrics that cut deep," has announced her highly anticipated follow-up album. ‘Sunday Afternoon’ will be released August 28 on First City Artists (Alexa Rose, Carly King). Co-produced by Diana Walsh (Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell, Wild Rivers), the collection brings esteemed comparisons to mind—the classic country soprano of Allison Krauss; the dark, dusty Americana of Gillian Welch; the bright melodicism of Madison Cunningham—as Prascher examines the forward motion of life.
Of the lead single, Prascher shares: 'Jubilee' follows a ghost train. I wrote it while walking on an old train trestle in Rosendale, New York, a town ringing with the eerie history of a stone quarry, carrying memories of my hometown across it. By the time I climbed down from the track, the song was mostly written. It's a lyrical exploration of the word 'jubilee' as both a signal of celebration, and of forgiveness.
Prascher was raised in Memphis, a childhood spent amidst the haphazard heart of blues music and the haunted spirit of Southern storytelling. “Where I’m from, it’s expected for the people in your life who’ve passed to show up again, one way or another,” she says. She carried that ominous elegance with her to New York City, and embraced the lively vibrance of the city’s Bluegrass scene, taking mandolin lessons from Michael Daves and joining open sessions at staple venues like The Jalopy, Mona's, Sunny's.
Prascher wrote about half the songs on ‘Sunday Afternoon’ while she was living in Brooklyn—the rest, after she left. “I’m interested in how environment informs identity,” she shares. “Leaving New York was a reckoning for me. I moved there out of ambition. If I left, could I still consider myself ambitious?” Now based upstate, she’s grateful for the opportunity to answer that question. “My life is less about chasing one thing, and more about grounded rituals, the practices of work and creation. I can hear myself more clearly. I know what I want to say.”
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Moving Into Tucson strikes a chord for the future with the urgent new anthem: "Turn The World Around." Opening with a soul-stirring piano and organ chorus that immediately sets a timeless, high-stakes tone, the track marks a powerful shift for the band. "Turn The World Around" is the sixth official taste of their highly anticipated 2026 album All Dressed Up, and it arrives at a moment when its message couldn't be more vital.
Musically, the song is a masterclass in Indie Poprock, blending driving guitars and Britpop swagger with a soaring, anthemic refrain. But beneath the "bells and whistles" lies a raw, modern-day hippie cry. In a world currently shadowed by war, climate crisis, and fear, the lyrics serve as a rhythmic call for unity: "Turn the world around, stop wasting more precious time."
Moving from rain-soaked verses into a massive, hands-in-the-air chorus, the song tackles the weight of the unknown and the necessity of standing together. It’s an urgent reminder that to secure a future on this planet, we must walk these uncharted paths as equals. Bold, catchy, and deeply rooted in the "now," "Turn The World Around" is more than just a single, it’s a demand for change. We stand together, in rhythm and in rhyme.
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Following on the heels of the vulnerable single, “Sorry,” Scarlett Macfarlane returns with “Fireflys,” a warm and nostalgic pop single that captures the fleeting magic of youth, memory, and the quiet moments that stay with us long after they’ve passed. Rooted in feelings of ease, joy, and reflection, the track leans into a softer, more sentimental side of Scarlett’s songwriting, offering a moment of lightness grounded in emotional depth.
The song was sparked by a simple, intimate setting. “I have a string of lights that I like to sit out under on my balcony that mimic the randomness of fireflies,” Scarlett explains. “I was sitting out there one night and the rest is history.” That quiet moment of inspiration expanded into something more universal; a reflection on the small, meaningful experiences that shape how we remember our lives.
The title itself carries layered meaning. Inspired by childhood memories of summer nights celebrating her mother’s birthday, Scarlett connects the imagery of fireflies to a sense of wonder and togetherness. “Those are moments from my life that I wish I could capture in a jar and keep forever,” she says. “Much like a child wishes to keep the magic of a firefly forever.” Even the stylized spelling of “Fireflys” serves as a personal touch; a nod to storytelling, nostalgia, and her own creative instincts.
Musically, “Fireflys” embraces simplicity and warmth. A standout moment arrives in the bridge, where a last-minute addition of a whistled melody adds a playful, childlike quality to the track. “One of my favourite things to do as a kid was whistle melodies,” Scarlett notes. “Getting to use that skill in a song was a fun moment for me.” That sense of play carries through the arrangement, which builds gently before opening into a refreshed final chorus that feels both familiar and new.
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Swedish singer-songwriter Winona Oak has shared her powerful new single ‘Bones’ taken from her forthcoming second album ‘Bloom’ released on 25th September via Nettwerk. Following recent singles ‘Do You Hate Me Now’, ‘Horses’, ‘Stay the night’ and ‘Breaking Point’, new album ‘Bloom’ marks a new chapter for Winona Oak and is a testament to survival, showcasing both her emotional and musical growth and devotion to connection. Allowing herself to slowly open up again with honesty and hope after a period of grief and heartbreak, her new record lets the listener into a deeply personal world where beginnings emerge from endings.
Winona released her EP ‘Salt’ last spring, which was a poignant personal documentation of her physical and emotional states. Throughout the last year, she has been working on new music and a more organic progression in her raw and unvarnished sound, whilst still writing candidly about the highs and lows of life; loss and repair, heartbreak and love, resistance and patience. Winona says, “Like a flower emerging after a long winter, blooming isn’t instant - it’s the result of surviving the darker seasons.Bloom reflects the transformation - the idea that even after pain life still finds ways to grow. It’s a gentle but powerful reminder that healing isn’t about forgetting the past, but about allowing yourself to open again to the light."
New single ‘Bones’ is about learning to live again after experiencing heartache, and is a song of two halves, with both fragility and courage co-existing together. The emotional track opens delicately, showcasing the tenderness of Winona’s vocals, before building to a majestic chorus that is a confident statement of intent - “I wanna live until my body turns to bones”. Winona says, “’Bones’ is about having been through darkness and felt the weight of unbearable pain but still choosing to fully embrace life. It’s about growth, freedom and feeling every part of the human experience, because one day, all we’ll leave behind are bones. This song is a reminder to live deeply, love hard and not be afraid to truly feel alive.”
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| Photo - Remi |
Heather Anne Lomax announces her forthcoming album, Who Do You Think You Are, due August 28th via The Blackbird Record Label, with the release of her new single, “Come Along.” It’s an uplifting blast of Rock, Soul, and Blues inspired by the classic sounds that helped shape the record. “‘Come Along’ is a song really inspired by the Black Crowes,” says Lomax. “I wanted something uplifting and hopeful despite all of the darkness in the world.”
Fresh off the release of her previous album, Lomax slipped a pair of songs by cult-favorite rock band Broken Homes into her set at LA’s storied Troubadour. The response—and her own connection to the material—was immediate. What felt like kismet soon became the creative spark behind her latest album, a deeply collaborative collection that blends Rock, Blues, and Soul into a sound that feels both timeless and unmistakably her own. Recorded live at Love Street Sound Studios in Los Angeles, the album captures the raw energy and spontaneity of classic 1970s recordings. Rather than chasing perfection, the sessions prioritized feel, chemistry, and performance, resulting in a record that crackles with authenticity and heart.
Produced by Zachary Ross (Rose’s Pawn Shop), mixed by Jason Hiller (The Freewheelers), and mastered by acclaimed engineer Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, YES, Halford, Def Leppard), the album features an extraordinary cast of musicians. Among the contributors are bassist and mixer Jason Hiller; drummers Rob Humphries (Kacey Musgraves, Leonard Cohen, Jason Mraz), Jordan West (Grace Potter), David Goodstein (Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton), and Jamie Douglas (Shooter Jennings, Samantha Fish); keyboardists Ty Bailie (Katy Perry, Tanya Tucker), Jerry Borge (Ziggy Marley), and Carey Frank (Bruce Springsteen, Tedeschi Trucks Band); along with guitarist Zachary Ross and Lomax herself. Additional textures come from flutists Fuzzbee Morse (Bono, Peter Gabriel), Lily Elise (Gwen Stefani, Miley Cyrus), and Mary Scholz.
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| Photo - Vika Petlakh |
Celestial songstresses, Eli & Fur, return with the continuation of their Dreams At Dusk concept with their latest EP, Dreams At Dusk: Part II, which officially arrived on June 5 via [PIAS] Électronique. A transcendent body of work, the six-track EP is an anthology of sonic and emotional contrasts, an exploration of the gray areas in between.
Trading heavier production for elemental and intuitive creation, Dreams At Dusk: Part II proves to be the duo's most organic and expansive project to date. Written largely while they were on the road touring, moving through different cities and energies, letting their environment naturally influence the music. Juxtaposing light and dark, warm and cool, this project is a delicate balance of newness and familiarity – a natural progression of Eli & Fur’s artistry that feels true to their distinct sound while opening up less explored sides of their sonic realm.
From Eli & Fur: “With Part I, everything felt very much about the beginning, the excitement of building the Dreams At Dusk world, the anticipation of shows, that outward energy – Part II came together more gradually. We didn’t sit down and decide on a direction, it revealed itself – we’re excited about how different the tracks are when you play them out. A lot of this EP came from the kinds of moments where we didn’t overthink things, we just followed instinct and let the track evolve into something unexpected. We want it to feel immersive. Something you can move through depending on your mood, whether that’s in a club, driving, or just listening on your own.”
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