The Mammals make music for the moment—and the movement. Anchored in the fertile folk traditions of the Hudson Valley, this fiercely independent band blends string-band swagger with indie-folk heart and a radical spirit that feels both deeply rooted and urgently current. Co-founded by Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar (daughter of fiddle legend Jay Ungar), The Mammals emerged in the early 2000s with a mission: revive the rebel soul of Americana, and give it something real to say.
And say something, they do. Their songs straddle the personal and political, moving from love ballads and front porch reflections to rally cries for environmental justice, labor rights, and community healing. It’s protest music with hooks—think Pete Seeger meets Wilco at a modern hootenanny. Their harmonies ache, their fiddles fly, and their lyrics don’t flinch. The Mammals aren’t here for nostalgia—they’re here to make folk music matter again.
At a time when roots music can feel either too polished or too precious, The Mammals cut through with grit, grace, and a palpable sense of purpose. Whether they’re headlining a folk festival, recording in their own homegrown Humble Abode Studio, or showing up for a cause in their backyard, The Mammals carry on a living tradition: one where music doesn’t just entertain—it empowers.
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With human nature and stifled connection on his mind, Liverpool singer-songwriter John Witherspoon just dropped the highly anticipated third album, One of Them, this weekend.
Meeting the high standards set by debut LP Showin’ up, Startin’ Again and subsequent record Heart in, Head Out, John Witherspoon’s latest project is both lyrically profound and thematically relevant in the face of modern culture. With One of Them, Witherspoon considers the different drawbacks of today’s technology and reflects on changing styles of communication as he takes inspiration from his own experience with phone addiction and its impact on his relationships. Feelings of disconnection carry throughout the eleven-track album, with resonant stories about everything from media and podcasts to money and painful relationships. Taking time in his writing process to create pertinent settings and characters, Witherspoon's narratives are carefully imagined.
“Most of my writing is autobiographical, and I think One of Them offers a pretty even split of my light and dark sides, my positive and negative outlooks, my faith in humanity and my deeply cynical view of it,” says John. “I recently told an audience that this album is about disconnection in a seemingly connected world.”
Showcasing Witherspoon’s signature blend of introspective storytelling and indie-rock sensibilities, the collection’s focus track ‘All my Venom’ explores a tumultuous relationship plagued by uncertainty and mixed emotions. The hook “I love you, but I could give you all my venom,” questions the fine line between love and hate, while the track’s instrumentation builds to emotional highs and melancholy breaks. In producing this track and others, Witherspoon experimented with fully outfitted live recordings that capture the raw energy of performance.
“I can divide the making of this album into two contrasting chapters, that is the writing and the recording, though their timelines do overlap,” Witherspoon says of his process. “I say contrasting because while the recording was a magical team effort full of laughs and fun, the writing was all about solitude.”
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| Photo - River Carothers |
Fresh off the back of a huge North American tour with Canada's finest ‘Men I Trust’, strongboi are reaching new heights and winning new hearts after playing over 31 shows this year. Brand new this weekend is ‘favorite place’, a gorgeous new offering that completes ep 1 as a heavenly bundle of infectious and innovative, genre-being tracks. Demonstrating a sound that feels truly timeless, thanks to a wild mix of influences, the EP showcases everything fans have come to adore about strongboi; swooning harmonies, slick basslines and that signature je ne sais quoi.
strongboi is a passion fueled project of long time friends & collaborators Alice & Ziv. Driven by a playful energy that lights up their live shows, the band pull out all the stops when performing. Originally this began with a super lo-fi vision of using mainly casio keyboards & toys, but today they have filled out and evolved as a full band project which lit up Village Underground at their sold out London show back in March. This dynamic setup also earned them the Anchor Award for Best Newcomer at Reeperbahn Festival last September.
strongboi released their self-titled debut album back in 2023 which took shape as a 7-track compendium of bouncing bangers and smooth, rolling grooves, all delivered with charming authenticity.
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| Photo - Rae Farrow |
Maya Delilah has announced the Jan. 9 2026 release of an expanded digital Deluxe Edition of her debut album The Long Way Round, which adds four new tracks including the dreamy folk-pop confection “California” out a couple of days ago. The London-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist began her year by being named a 2025 Spotify “Artist To Watch” and made good on that promise with the release of her striking debut, which The Los Angeles Times called “a timeless and gorgeous introduction.”
Maya will be wrapping up her breakout year with European touring that includes headline shows, festival appearances, and opening dates with Lawrence including a hometown London show on Nov. 24 at the 02 Academy Brixton. Find more tour info at mayadelilah.com.
“This album is a combination of so many parts of me,” said Maya. “I get so influenced by different genres, people, places, and experiences that it’s always felt hard for me to fit my music into a consistent sound or mood. It took me a long time (hence The Long Way Round) to realize that it’s a beautiful thing to have a body of work that explores so many different influences.”
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