The Happy Fits - Great Lakes - BirdBelly - Howling Bells

The Happy Fits - Lovesick (Album).

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits have released their anticipated new album Lovesick, which is available everywhere now. Their first full-length album in over three years, Lovesick arrives in the wake of an emotional maelstrom of events that turned the band’s world upside down in every way imaginable. Rather than let it break their stride, the quartet leaned into the turmoil, transforming all the heartbreak and uncertainty they experienced into their most exhilarating, adventurous, and cathartic record yet.

The band also shared their brand new music video for “Lovesick #1 (Misery),” a scathing kiss-off anthem that begins deceptively as a melancholic, heartsick ballad before exploding into an emphatic, rock-fueled scream-along. Frontman Calvin Langman stated, “‘Lovesick #1 (Misery)’ is probably the most accurate depiction of what it’s like for me when I become limerent for someone. I bask in the desperation. I become melodramatic over everything. I can’t sleep at night. There’s a great irony in how much I truly love how painful it all feels to not have something I want so badly. I am all the characters in the full album of ‘Lovesick’ but I am most like the one in ‘#1 (Misery).’”

“The making of the video was greatly inspired by teen rom-coms of the early 2000’s,” Langman continued. “We really wanted to play into troupes of that miserable, besotted feeling we can have when you love someone but it’s completely unrequited. So what do you do? Invite your best friends over to scream, dance, and thrash around your bedroom decorated in all of your favorite things. The set decorating was one of the best parts about making this video because I had a trunk filled with all of my teenage and childhood memories that we meticulously displayed all over the guest bedroom in my apartment, along with some amazing eBay and thrift store finds. 

In a sense it felt like healing some part of my youth because I could look at this collection of stuff, like my Paramore fan club card, old family photos, and talent show awards, and be so grateful for the things I was obsessed with at the time. We made sure to include every band member’s interests as well, like video games, old summer camp pennants, albums that impacted us as musicians, a lava lamp, and fun action figures all placed throughout the bedroom in an eye-spy like way. There’s a few Happy Fits easter eggs in there too if you keep your eyes peeled.”


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Great Lakes - Don't Swim Too Close.

The new single and title track from the upcoming Great Lakes album Don't Swim Too Close was released a couple of days back. Great Lakes is Ben Crum with an all star cast on this album which also features Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby), Jmes Richardson (MGMT), David Gould (Cardinal), and Kyle Forester (Woods). The album is out on November 7th, 2025 from HHBTM Records. 

Background on the song - "I wrote it while recovering from a severe concussion that left me depressed and questioning my future. I honestly didn't know if I was going to come back from it, and it scared me. Luckily, I did get better, and the song ended up being an ironically uplifting country/rock toe-tapper; with heavy lyrics ("I was feeling hopeless, but also helpless and alone / and more than a little dangerous to my soul") set to a groove reminiscent of Doug Sahm, Jerry Jeff Walker, or CCR". 

Over 25 years and eight records, Crum has built a reputation for sharp songwriting and interesting stylistic shifts. Don’t Swim Too Close is no exception, as Crum draws from a classic rock tradition, echoing both the Americana spirit of Neil Young and The Band and the proto-indie rock of Television and the Velvet Underground. 

HHBTM Records · Don't Swim Too Close

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Photo - Karly Ford

BirdBelly - Desert Khaki.

After Alberta-based singer/songwriter Cynthia Hamar unveiled her new identity BirdBelly last month with the single "Black Horses," this weekend she is sharing "Desert Khaki," the second preview of the debut BirdBelly album The Wind The Wood, set to be released on October, 17. Both songs are featured below.

"Desert Khaki" adds more atmospheric vibes to BirdBelly's stellar production values—imagine Stevie Nicks collaborating with The War On Drugs. As Cynthia describes, “'Desert Khaki' is a meditation on moving through a season of unknowns—on the pause, the quiet space we hold when the world is loud and divided. In that waiting, we can feel invisible and insignificant, like a pebble on the beach getting hammered by waves—hidden, yet still part of the whole. It’s about holding that space long enough to understand before we speak, so that when we finally answer, what comes out is love.”

BirdBelly marks the latest stage in Cynthia Hamar’s artistic evolution that began in her teens with homemade cassettes and later, two albums comprised of raw, personal folk-pop.


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Photo - David Titlow

Howling Bells - Unbroken.

Howling Bells return with their first new music in over a decade, a single, 'Unbroken', out now on Nude Records. A brooding yet soaring anthem, 'Unbroken' sees weighty guitars and sweeping melodic pay-offs wrap around singer Juanita Stein’s unmistakable voice, carrying lyrics full of dreamy persistence that still aim skywards: “Always been lost in a big dream”. As Stein says, “You can either call it childlike or stupidity, but you have to have that in order to believe that something greater can happen. Surviving as a band for over two decades requires extraordinary grit and, to some degree, irrationality. None of it really makes sense, except for the will and the love of the music itself. Unbroken is very much a testament to all of this.” 
 
The band’s first release since their 2014 album, ‘Heartstrings’, 'Unbroken' was recorded with Howling Bells’ long-time friend and collaborator, producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode, Elbow) at his Agricultural Audio Studios. The single comes with a performance video that sees Stein, her brother and guitarist Joel and drummer Glenn Moule reunited on stage once more.

'Unbroken' marks a powerful re-entry for a band that helped shape the mid-2000s alternative landscape. Formed in Sydney and relocated to London, Howling Bells first captured ears and imaginations with their self-titled debut in 2006 - a noir-rock classic that fused moody atmospheres with melodic bite. Influenced by the likes of Tom Waits and Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac and Bjork, their recipe created a heady, submersive stew - equal parts sepia-toned romance and gritty rock’n’roll thrills.  They continued to develop over three more albums - 2009’s ‘Radio Wars’, 2011’s ‘The Loudest Engine’ and 2014’s ‘Heartstrings’. 

There was no dramatic dissolution or even an announcement of an intended hiatus but, as Juanita explains, “life just happened”, and the Bells rang silent for a decade. In the interim, all have continued with various projects: Juanita releasing four acclaimed solo albums; Joel making music as Glassmaps, and both he and Glenn intermittently playing in Brandon Flowers’ solo band. Most crucially, all three also continued to be firm friends who always left the door open for more.

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The Man From Delmonte - The Howlers - The Happy Fits - Foxford - Jon Nolan & Good Co.

The Man From Delmonte - Believe Me.

After 35 years away, Manchester indie legends The Man From Delmonte are back playing live shows and releasing a brand-new album ‘Better Things’ in November, with its first taster, the fabulously hooky single ‘Believe Me’ backed by B-side ‘The International’ out this week.

Between 1988 and 1991 TMFD weren’t part of any music scene. They were their own movement, sounding nothing like anyone else at the time. Selling out 3000 capacity venues, hitting the top of the Indie charts and having Inspiral Carpets and 808 State as their opening acts. Mike West, Sheila Seal, Martin Vincent and Howard Goody delivered classic pop tunes including ‘Water in My Eyes’ and ‘My Love is Like a Gift’ that were lyrically ahead of their time. Mike wrote and sang about loving men just as easily as he did about relationships with women. The audiences always loved it. The press often treated them with outright biphobia.

After a chance conversation with TV presenter Iain Lee, The Man From Delmonte are back. Their first reunion gig at Band on the Wall sold out in 12 minutes. Their following show at Manchester Academy 2 sold out in days. Over 600 copies of a double CD reissue of the band’s two albums ‘Big Noise’ & ‘Good Things in Life’ have been bought by fans desperate to get their hands on anything TMFD related.

‘Who knew that we had such amazing fans that had been listening to TMFD all through those years and would want us to come back and play live!” exclaims bassist Sheila Seal. ‘Someone said to me: you go into a Man From Delmonte gig in your fifties and come out in your teens’, she further adds.

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The Howlers - You Can Be So Cruel.

Following the release of single “Night Crawling” earlier this year and the independent success of the band’s debut album in 2024 which saw the band claim a Top 15 Official Chart Position, The Howlers saunter back into frame ahead of their biggest shows to date with new single “You Can Be So Cruel”.

“You Can Be So Cruel” isn't shy or reticent in its meaning, it's a confident and sultry anti love letter, a memory of those late nighter rendezvous that goaded you into a confrontational position, the stranger sauntering around your favourite bar with confident intent on pursuing whatever crosses their mind.

After recording in studios for the band’s debut album, frontman Young decided to set himself a challenge and make a record that sounds better, without stepping foot in a studio. So all the vocals, all the guitars, all the synths are recorded at home and over Skype and Teams with producer Chris Ostler, the idea was to make a record that breaks the mould on what is possible.

Speaking about the track, frontman Adam Young says: “The track is an anti love letter. We have all been swept up in the way we feel about someone that we ignore the warning signs and end up getting hurt. The track is a confident F*** You directed at those people, I’m sure there will be people who hear this track and immediately think of someone in particular who made them ignore all the signs.”

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Photo - Anna Koblish

The Happy Fits - Black Hole.

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits released yesterday their riotous new single “Black Hole” along with an immersive official video. The track is the latest to release off their upcoming album Lovesick, due out September 19th. Over a bed of anthemic guitars, theatrical strings, and an earworm chorus, “Black Hole” explores what happens when we surrender our sense of self to meet the needs of another, watching helplessly as a relationship that once brought such light and joy slowly descends into a source of frustration and regret.

“I learned through this experience that no matter how badly you may want to help someone, if they’re unwilling to accept it, you have to let go,” explained frontman Calvin Langman. “Otherwise, you’ll just keep giving more and more of yourself until you get whittled down to nothing.”

Forthcoming album Lovesick was written and recorded after ten tumultuous months that saw one founding member depart the band severing a creative partnership that had formed the group’s bedrock since the start, another leave tour to get sober following an emotional intervention, and a third entering an era of self-renaissance after the dissolution of a serious relationship and a series of relocations. 

Rather than let the hardship break their stride, though, the acclaimed quartet leaned into the turmoil, transforming all the heartbreak and uncertainty they experienced into their most exhilarating, adventurous, and cathartic record yet. Lovesick is, as its title would suggest, a complicated reckoning with all the joy and pain that comes with opening your heart to the world. The songs are bold and fearless, reveling in the intensity of it all with radical vulnerability, and the performances are similarly, pairing blistering rock and roll energy and addictive pop hooks with sweeping orchestral arrangements and raw, revelatory lyrics.

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Foxford - Tennessee Whiskey.

Foxford share an epic new cover of the classic “Tennessee Whiskey” from studio EP “Heaven Here” Raised in South Manchester, brothers Michael and Liam reflect their diverse inspirations from Michael’s love for Oasis and The Beatles to Liam’s admiration for Bob Dylan and Otis Redding, thus forming Foxford.

Michael, a self-taught pianist, guitarist and lyricist, previously released his solo record “Home Again”, which garnered support from BBC Introducing, and even got featured at a few Manchester United halftime shows. Liam, a self taught multi-instrumentalist and singer has collaborated with singer/songwriter Jake Mattison, and toured with Emeli Sandé. Between the brothers, their wealth of experience and creativity transcends throughout “Heaven Here”. 

The project blends heartfelt songwriting with rich musical influences, rooted in emotion and authenticity. Heaven Here includes two original tracks. The title track is an uplifting anthem about finding beauty in everyday moments. The second,”The Only Face in the Crowd” is a poignant piano ballad about love and connection, featuring strings by acclaimed producer George Shilling (Blur, Ocean Colour Scene, Primal Scream, Frank Turner). 

Also included is a soulful cover of Tennessee Whiskey, showcasing the duo’s dynamic chemistry, with Liam on vocals and Michael on organ. “This EP reflects our journey and what inspires us,” says the band. “We hope listeners feel something real and are reminded of the connections that matter.” Heaven Here is an introduction to Foxford’s honest, emotionally driven sound, resonating with the listener and leaving a lasting impression.

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Photo - Edwin Remsberg

Jon Nolan & Good Co. - Hidden Glances.

Jon Nolan & Good Co. released “Hidden Glances,” the latest single from Slow Cooker, Nolan’s forthcoming album with Good Co., his band of hometown friends, out September 19 via Strolling Bones Records. On the album, the New Hampshire native underscores his relatable storytelling with eloquent folk-inspired songcraft accented by flourishes of country and rock brought to life during cozy and relaxed jam sessions which took place in his hometown of Newmarket.

“Love, desire, romance, regret, missed moments, memories. A photo album of infatuation and heartbreak,” Nolan says about the new track. “Another song where I left some space for the listener to fill in the details of the movie scenes playing out in their mind.”

“Hidden Glances” follows previous singles “On My Own” and “Sea Glass,” premiered by Magnet Magazine, which was released with a music video starring two of Portland, Maine’s most respected and prolific musical figures—Jon Roods (Rustic Overtones, Paranoid Social Club) and Anna Lombard (Gypsy Tailwind, Love by Numbers)—and was co-directed by Nolan and Jay Boyington.

During the summer of 2022, Nolan, who fronts the alternative country band Say ZuZu, experienced a surge of inspiration so he launched a new music project “just for fun.” At first, he holed up in the attic of a friend’s barn with collaborators Geoff Taylor [bass] and Rick Habib [drums]. “We were eventually kicked out for being too loud,” Nolan laughs. Despite losing their de facto clubhouse, the guys welcomed Zack Tremblay [guitar] into the fold, cementing the lineup for Jon Nolan & Good Co.

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Talking Violet - The Happy Fits - Pam Ross - Aliza Hava

Photo - Lourdes Lasala

Talking Violet - In Your Mind.

Talking Violet seamlessly melds shoegaze, grunge, and dream-pop into a genre-defiant wave they’ve coined “dreamo”—a sound that’s as lush as it is emotionally piercing. The Windsor, ON four-piece, formed of Jillian Goyeau (vocals, guitar), Jayden Turnbull (guitar, vocals), Jeremie Brousseau (drums), and Dylan Iannicello (bass), craft a powerful sound, touching on themes that wrestle with the grief of personal change, especially in relationships.

Now, the band returns with their latest single “In Your Mind,” a sonically thick and upbeat track that calls for a darker, more emotional setting. Beneath its glistening layers lies a vulnerable reflection on the helplessness of loving someone through pain and uncertainty. “I've had to learn over time that no matter how much you want to help people, so often it's really out of your hands,” shares Goyeau. “They have to be the ones to figure things out, but you can do what you can from a supporting line.” The song’s haunting hook—“I wonder if I echo in your mind?”—speaks to that aching desire to be remembered and felt, even when distance or silence takes hold.

Produced and mixed by Justin Meli (Universal Canada) and mastered by Will Yip (Turnstile, Lauryn Hill, Panic! At The Disco), “In Your Mind” continues the emotional thread of their recent album Everything At Once, drawing from the grief of interpersonal change. “These tracks draw on a lot of grief of change, most specifically, the grief of relationship changes in our lives,” Goyeau explains. “I was going through changes that I now see as necessary but were incredibly painful at the time. It made me realize how much I had depended on my relationships with others for my identity. I had to slowly relearn who I was—and spent the next few years healing my people-pleasing baseline. It’s still something I work on every day.” 

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Photo - Anna Koblish

The Happy Fits - Do You See Me?

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits have just released their brand new single “Do You See Me?,” accompanied by an official video, off their forthcoming album Lovesick, due out September 19th. The track follows their previous single “Wild In Love,” which the band recently performed live for the first time during their national television debut on CBS Saturday Morning along with “Everything You Do” and “Cruel Power.”

With their sonic rebirth on full display, “Do You See Me?” builds from a lo-fi whisper to an orchestral roar on the brooding album opener. Like much of the new record, the song contemplates longing and desire, coming to terms with the inherent selfishness of love, and our bottomless need for acceptance and approval.

“We shot the music video with Jacqueline Justice on a dry hot day in LA,” stated frontman/cellist Calvin Langman. “We’d only loosely shared this idea of an ethereal, reflective world to match the dreaminess of the song and Jacq took it from there. She built a story about longing, searching, and the way memories linger all while literally building the reflective surfaces herself. In every shot with that mirrored structure, you’ll see a pair of silver hands holding it. That’s Lucky Kilmarten. He’d just flown in from the UK the night before to help Jacq. He stood with us outside all day, never complained once, and we’re really sorry about his sunburn.”

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Pam Ross - Crazy Ride.

Country-Americana singer-songwriter Pam Ross invites listeners to slow down and soak in the moment with her easygoing new single, “Crazy Ride”, which arrived yesterday August 15 on all major streaming platforms. Guided by a warm, unhurried groove and Ross’ signature heartfelt delivery, “Crazy Ride” is a love song for real life — the kind that embraces messy hair, late starts, and unexpected detours with a smile. The track draws inspiration from a candid morning with her wife, Elissa, when a whirlwind of small mishaps became the spark for a song about finding beauty in life’s chaos.

“It was around 8:30 in the morning,” Ross recalls. “I was getting ready to work out, and my wife was rushing to get to work. Her curly hair was everywhere, and she said it was going to be a crazy day and that I should write a song about it. I laughed it off at first, but later that day I wrote ‘Crazy Ride.’ It’s about those moments when everything feels out of control, but later you look back and laugh. Those times make life beautiful — and I wouldn’t want to go through them with anyone else.”

From playful verses about off-road adventures gone awry to a chorus that feels like a deep exhale, “Crazy Ride” captures the rhythm of a relationship that knows how to roll with the punches. The easy, swaying instrumentation and Ross’ warm vocals make it as perfect for a back porch sunset as it is for a Sunday drive.

Pam Ross has earned a loyal following for her relatable storytelling and ability to turn life’s small moments into memorable songs. With “Crazy Ride,” she leans into a breezier side of her sound, offering listeners a feel-good track that’s as much about gratitude as it is about love.

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Aliza Hava - Let It Roar.

Aliza Hava, who is currently splitting her time between New Orleans, Nashville and Ashland, Oregon, released the single "Let It Roar" a couple of weeks back. "Let It Roar" will appear on the album Into the Light, set for release on Sept 9.
 
Into the Light follows the 2021 single "Radiant Light" and the 2020 album Natural State. Previously released singles from Into the Light have received enough airplay to secure Aliza chart positions via The Roots Music Report, where she is currently #2 on the Top 50 Folk Rock album chart.
 
Into the Light is a thematic folk-rock album that takes listeners on a profound, transformative journey from trauma to triumph. With powerfully cathartic melodies and thought-provoking anthems that transform pain into power, each song is a step on the roadmap to self-inquiry, navigating the way through a dark night of the soul while finding peace in self-love.
 
Produced by multi-platinum Grammy® winner Mikal Blue (Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz), the album features a world-class lineup of musicians, including bassist Dean Dinning of Toad the Wet Sprocket and legendary drummer Gregg Bissonette. 

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Penny & The Pits - Electric Litany - Lydia Luce - Ketch Secor - The Happy Fits

Photo - Nicole Cecile Holland

Penny & The Pits - Headcrusher.

Penny & The Pits have just shared "Headcrusher" along with a video, whilst the new LP Liquid Compactor is due June 27.  You might be familiar with Penelope Stevens from their role as bass and keys shredder and sometime vocalist in Canadian avant-rock trio Motherhood (whose 5th LP Thunder Perfect Mind came out recently and was described as "wildly entertaining" on Bandcamp Daily and "a welcome, alien presence in today’s musical landscape" on Post-Trash).

We are told that “Headcrusher is about trying to blame yourself for someone else's bad behaviour. But then it's also about refusing to do that anymore and just sending them out to die at sea." Fans of Motherhood, Amyl & the Sniffers, and other jagged and sometimes mathy rock with blown out guitars will find a lot to love.

Liquid Compactor, the debut statement from Penny & The Pits, is the result of Stevens putting their voice front and center for the first time. It’s a gritty, adventurous punk-rock album that processes feminist joy, rage and revenge. Across the album’s ten tracks, Stevens tears through a series of personal and collective traumas with a pulpy sense of exuberance. “I spent a lot of time making challenging work that would test both myself and the listener,” they reflect. “Now, I’m trying to make music that feels good; music that connects the heart to the body.” 

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Electric Litany - Diamonds.

Gleaming with handmade DIY synth chimes, syncopated drum machine drills,  loping Hooky-like basslines, and the otherworldly resonance of the Persian santoor - an instrument now synonymous with the Electric Litany sound; “Diamonds” is an understated gem from the London four-piece. As complexly faceted as it is sparklingly polished, it finds the band distilling the primordial post-punk thrills of early Cure or New Order, via the modern pop productions of the here-and-now to create something both familiar and enigmatic, nostalgic and contemporary, all at once.

With singer Alexandros Miaris’s haunting refrain, of “it’s not too late…” rippling across its multilayered plateaus, his reflective vocal offers a glimmer of reassurance in a track that grapples with this age of uncertainty.

Reciprocating the archival touchstones at the heart of “Diamonds” the track is accompanied by a retro-shaded official video. Taking an unconventional approach, by using vintage BBC 1970s tube valve cameras (bought on eBay for £10), the video shot by cinematographer Ruth Woodside is both fragile and timeless in its aesthetic. Produced by Electric Litany alongside longtime collaborator George Botis, “Diamonds” was recorded at the revered studio Fish Factory, a former fish-packing warehouse in Neasden, London.

Having already road-tested “Diamonds” in the spectacular setting of the Mayan Warrior stage at Burning Man 2025 (as part of Alexandros Miaris’s collaboration with renowned electronic artist Echonomist), the track was met with an electrifying reception on the festival’s main stage and signals the way towards one of the band’s most ambitious and forward-thinking releases yet…

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Lydia Luce - Wisteria.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Lydia Luce shares her new single "Wisteria," a dreamy celebration of hope and the space to change. Produced by Jordan Lehning (Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose, Kacey Musgraves) and co-written with songwriting duo Jake Finch and Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus), the track gently wraps around Luce's vocals before building into a swell of strings as she declares "Everything seems possible / Anything is possible." The accompanying music video finds Luce exploring the English countryside after the song was recorded at Real World Studios. 

Lydia Luce on the new single: "Quite often I’m at home and I hear my partner laughing or singing to himself upstairs. It makes me so happy. I sometimes can’t believe we are where we are. Our relationship began with substance abuse and codependency and we have found our way to a safe and loving marriage with the help of therapy and the willingness to grow. This song is about hope and believing that change can happen. I feel that way with our relationship and with my chronic pain/injuries. It’s so beautiful it makes me want to cry. We will continue to face challenges and there will be weeks of physical pain but I know we can get to the other side with time. For now it feels so good to sit on my couch with my dog and listen to Ryan sing to himself upstairs."

She continues, "The music video for 'Wisteria' was filmed in the English countryside with Katie Sylvester. We had just finished recording at Real World Studios in Box and we stayed a few days extra to film in the area. We wandered through fields of cows and sheep and filmed at the beautiful Iford Manor gardens." 

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Photo - Jody Stevens

Ketch Secor - Catch Me If You Can.

Old Crow Medicine Show frontman Ketch Secor shares his new single “Catch Me If You Can,” the next offering from his debut solo album Story The Crow Told Me, out July 11 on Equal Housing Records via Firebird Music. Featuring Old Crow alums Critter Fuqua and Willie Watson on backing vocals, the song grapples with the life of a hard-touring musician and arrives with a music video co-starring singer-songwriter Gowa Gibbs.

About the new song, Secor says: “Twenty-seven years ago when I started Old Crow I couldn’t have imagined how people I loved could ever turn into people I once loved. But so are the highs and lows of life on the road in a band. The conditions are right for a few things to thrive and a few more to falter, and ultimately fail. Friendships, allegiances, marriages, these are often the casualties of a life like the one I chose and yet I can’t go back and make it any different, nor would I.”

He continues, “Ever since I was young, people have inevitably made a pun with my name. From Catcher In The Rye to Heinz vs. Huntz, I tell ya life ain’t easy for a boy named Ketcham. One phrase I always heard was ‘Catch Me if You Can.’ Well, last spring when I was going through this catharsis of playing back the hands of time in the proverbial rearview mirror, I sat down with Jody Stevens and wrote this song in a short bittersweet burst. I wanted to explore the feeling of sacrifice that it takes to love someone like me. Someone who probably is going to miss your birthday party because I’m going to be playing a show in Newfoundland, Newark, New Orleans, or Newport News. I hope it was worth it.” 

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Photo - Anna Koblish

The Happy Fits - Cruel Power.

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits announced their new album Lovesick will release on September 19th. Their first full-length album in over three years, Lovesick arrives in the wake of an emotional maelstrom in which the band’s world turned upside down in every way imaginable. Rather than let it break their stride, though, the acclaimed quartet leaned into the turmoil, transforming all the heartbreak and uncertainty they experienced into their most exhilarating, adventurous, and cathartic record yet. The band also shared their new single “Cruel Power” along with an official video featuring world-renowned dancer and choreographer Lucy Vallely. A gritty, chip-on-the-shoulder rocker, “Cruel Power” embodies the push and pull of a toxic breakup, inviting heartbreak, if only for the rush.

“This track lives in the messiest corners of attraction,” stated frontman Calvin Langman. “It’s about knowingly putting yourself in a situation that’s bad for your heart, and doing it anyway. The lines between friend and lover blur, and suddenly you’re watering someone else’s plants and wondering how you got here. There’s humor in it, self-deprecation, and a little lustful chaos. I wanted it to feel like a late-night spiral in song form. It captures that ridiculous, electric moment when you know you’re being played—but part of you kinda loves the drama.”

Of the video, Langman continued, “I love one-take music videos. I love how it breaks down the convention of band and crew and it forces everyone to assume the role of performer. Every movement is carefully planned and the entire set has to move like one giant hive mind. This video was a huge group effort.”

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Kat Greta - The Happy Fits - Jimmy Dale Richardson - Voom

Kat Greta - Set You Up.

Melbourne/Naarm-based artist Kat Greta is stepping into bold new territory with her latest single ‘Set You Up’, released Friday, May 2 an explosive, percussion-driven anthem and her first fully self-produced release. Backed by earthy chants, rolling grooves, and undeniable energy, ‘Set You Up’ is a rallying cry for connection, built to be felt in the body as much as in the heart.

Known for her blend of contemporary pop, soft rock, and worldly folk influences—as well as her magnetic stage presence and fierce drumming—Kat Greta channels that same power into ‘Set You Up’, a song that pulses with communal spirit. Chant-like call-and-response vocals meet layered percussion in a track designed to bring people together, whether in the crowd, on stage, or listening solo with headphones. Mixed by Nathan Zammit, the single hums with a raw, unfiltered urgency that’s impossible to sit still through.

“Set You Up is about community, connection, and the energy that comes from people coming together,” Kat shares. “It’s built on rhythm—layered percussion, call-and-response moments, and a raw, unfiltered energy that makes you want to move.”

To bring the track’s heartbeat to life visually, Kat teamed up with director Dayne Edward for the music video—featuring none other than her own family. Filmed entirely via Zoom, the video captures Kat and her loved ones drumming together from afar, proving that distance is no match for rhythm when connection is the goal. “I wanted the video to reflect the spirit of the song—raw, real, and full of energy. Having my family involved made it even more meaningful, showing that music is something we share, no matter the distance.”'

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Photo - Anna Koblish

The Happy Fits - Everything You Do.

Indie/rock darlings The Happy Fits just unveiled their sprightly new single “Everything You Do” along with an energetic new video. The track marks their first new music to release in nearly three years as they make their anticipated return and kick off an exciting new chapter for the band. With a newfound spirit and vigor, “Everything You Do” is an intoxicating, heartsick anthem with infectious hooks, earworm melodies, and dynamic instrumentation heralding a roll-down-the-windows summer vibe.

“I read somewhere that the amount of married US adults dropped from 67% in 1990 to 53% today,” stated frontman Calvin Langman. “At the same time, over 50% of millennials are taking on multiple jobs and ‘polyworking.’ I’m no data scientist, but why is it so damn expensive to be in a relationship these days? Maybe it’s just my social circles and algorithm, but there’s a shared feeling amongst the hoi polloi of being overworked, underpaid, and underloved. It’s not that we don’t want to be in relationships, it’s just that we simply can not afford to love. ‘Everything You Do’ is my own internal battle of fighting for my heart vs. being practical and rational. Knowing me, the heart always finds a way to win…”

They continued, “For the grand premiere of the bigger, better The Happy Fits 2.0, we knew we had to show what we do best: perform! The video was shot in the basement of the punk-world-famous First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, along with a skeleton crew of guys who knew how to squeeze every ounce of vibe out of that space and into the video. Ironically, we were kicked out two hours earlier than we expected due to an Agnostic group who had rented the space after us, claiming they rented it earlier than it said on the call sheet. They seemed pretty sure about this for a group of people who aren’t sure about a lot. Nonetheless, over 11 hours of shooting, we got the dozens of takes needed for our first performance-based music video ever, and the first look into the future of The Happy Fits.”

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Jimmy Dale Richardson - Pretending / Beltline Boogie.

Here it is! The great new recording by Fun-Guy Records recording star Jimmy Dale Richardson. Jimmy is one of the top stars in the world of roots rockabilly throughout the US and Europe. He's performed at Summer Jamboree in Italy, Rockin' Race in Spain and Hemsby in the UK. His powerful tenor vocal and exciting and unique guitar work always impress wherever he plays.

“Pretending” is a haunting yet beautiful ballad with expert singing and guitar playing by Jimmy, while being backed by Reverend Horton Heat and band. Other great musicians are featured as well on this fantastic stereophonic recording. “Pretending” features the great songwriting ability of Jimmy Dale Richardson! It’s romantic and dreamy, yet dark. Super cool!

“Beltline Boogie” is a rocking and swinging little number with Reverend and band backing up Jimmy. It’s all about ‘getting your kicks” on the Route 66 ‘Beltline’ alignment road that runs through and around Oklahoma City. This cool monophonic recording also features some fantastic slappin’ bass by Jimbo Wallace as well as some exciting guitar solos by Jimmy. It is bound to be a rockabilly dancehall favorite!


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Voom - Crazy Feeling.

Voom are on a roll with the release of another great single, Crazy Feeling. Filled with all the catchiness and uplifting galore of every Voom song you've ever loved. We're super excited for the new album Something Good Is Happening, and we know you're gonna love it too! Auckland indie-rock band, Voom, who, after years of releasing and performing music to their cult-like following, have announced a brand new album, ‘Something Good Is Happening’ out May 16th via Flying Nun Records.

The release of the latest Voom album has taken just short of two decades to be officially announced. Is this pace glacial, or considered? Sloth-like, or discerning? The Tamaki Makaurau-based foursome will tell you the nineteen years since their much-loved 2006 record, Hello, Are You There?, have been spent jamming and gigging, writing, rewriting and sifting, reflecting on what surely must be some of the strangest times in human history to present fans with their latest offering. Something Good is Happening is the child of strange seasons and tides, strange minds, pedals and fingers.

After accumulating literally hundreds of demos over the years, Flying Nun Records thought it was about bloody time Voom got at least some of these songs packaged up and released into the wild. The band agreed, and so have been painstakingly whittling and curating and bashing these tracks into shape, to form the 2025 album Something Good Is Happening. Each track has walked a different path into being a part of this record. 

Written and recorded in a variety of locations, with a plethora of different equipment, over decades of seasons and life stages, but always steered by the unsteady hand and watchful ear of frontperson Buzz Moller — seen by some as one of NZ’s most treasured songwriters. All members of Voom (Buzz Moller, Murray Fisher, Nick Buckton, and Josh Sorenson) are multi-instrumentalists and producers in their own right, consequently this combination of minds has helped forge the sound and vibe of this new album.

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