Robert Gugliuzza - The Greenberry Woods - GrooveGalore MuziK - 37 Houses - James Keith - Zoe Jean Fowler

Robert Gugliuzza - Scrolling.

Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Robert Gugliuzza has long been one of indie music’s best-kept secrets—a true underdog with a deep catalog and a refusal to follow the conventional path.

His musical journey spans decades, from early work with AOR band Laden (“Politics of Life,” 1995) to Ordinary Life, a collection of rock and singer-songwriter tracks with undeniable commercial appeal. His ambitious concept project, “The Tenth Symphony: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Musical Adventure,” channels the spirit of Pink Floyd’s The Wall and aims for the масштаб of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

“Scrolling” his brand new single is written, performed, and produced by Robert Gugliuzza (born 1963), “Scrolling” is a sharp, relatable take on modern digital addiction. Recorded at Big Chair Music Studio in West Palm Beach, FL, with lead vocals tracked at Sanderford Sound (engineered, mixed, and produced by James “Bubba” Sanderford), the track blends humor with commentary.

Driven by a Tom Petty–style groove, “Scrolling” builds from a steady, infectious rhythm into a chaotic, guitar-driven climax—mirroring the endless loop of social media consumption. Beneath its playful tone lies a real message: the hidden dangers of losing yourself in your screen.

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The Greenberry Woods - It's All Good, Sugar... (Album).

We have the first album from power pop and alternative rock heroes The Greenberry Woods in over 30 years. It's All Good, Sugar..., the long-awaited follow-up to the band's two beloved albums on Sire Records in the mid-'90s, sees release on Vinyl, CD and Streaming worldwide on May 29, previewed by the advance singles “Whenever You Want Me Too” and “The One That Makes You Happy.” The new album finds all three founding singer-songwriters picking up right where they left of to deliver twelve new tracks bristling with hooks and harmonies that easily equal their vintage classics, adding up to what may be their best work yet.

“Let’s rewind... Can we go back in time?” Those are the first words heard on It's All Good, Sugar... and they speak volumes. Coming in on the downbeat of the first track “Summer Song” accompanied by brash, bright, open guitar chords, the yearning proclamation is immediately followed by the band crashing in with an amped-up mid tempo groove that carries us directly to the first of the album's many gorgeous choruses. The focus on the past is no accident: the band is fully aware that the tune instantly telegraphs that the band who brought you “Trampoline,” the 1994 college radio hit from their widely revered debut album Rapple Dapple, is back. 

It's a twofold callback, not just to their own heyday on the robust power pop underground that encompassed peers like Matthew Sweet, Jellyfish and Fountains Of Wayne, but also to the decades-earlier inspiration of Big Star, Badfinger, The Beach Boys, and of course The Beatles. But while the album is informed by nostalgia, it's not defined by it. On an indie pop landscape where young bands like The Lemon Twigs are making those sounds fresh again, The Greenberry Woods step back into place as masters of the form with remarkable grace, erasing the intervening decades to bring us a simply stellar, timeless collection.

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GrooveGalore MuziK - Wandering Stranger,” (ft. Kastick & Chizzy)

GrooveGalore MuziK continues the rollout of My Reggae Rocking Journey Vol. 2 with a fresh reggae-rock interpretation of Lionel Richie’s “Wandering Stranger,” (ft. Kastick & Chizzy) released yesterday May 29.

The track features Jamaican vocalist Kastick (Big Mountain, Maxi Priest, Diana King, Kymani Marley, Enigma, Tessanne Chin) alongside the vibrant acoustic guitar stylings of Audley “Chizzy” Chisholm, Lead Guitarist for Big Mountain (Maxi Priest, The Wailers), weaving together roots reggae rhythms, soulful contemporary production, and sun-soaked island-rock energy into a fresh reinterpretation of the Lionel Richie classic.

Singles will roll-out this summer, leading to the full release of My Reggae Rocking Journey Vol 2 on August 28, 2026. With each release, GrooveGalore MuziK respectfully honors the legacy of the original artists, reimagining their timeless work through the universal language of reggae and rock n' roll. My Reggae Rocking Journey Vol 2, a tribute series helmed by a globally touring reggae heavyweight dedicated to connecting audiences across musical genres.  

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37 Houses - When and How It Happened (Album).

San Francisco’s 37 Houses return with When and How It Happened, a fearless second album chronicling the couple-led band’s journey through love, polyamory, and the emotional fallout in between. Erin Sydney and Jeremy Rosenblum turn their marriage into music — raw, reflective, and unexpectedly full of warmth.

The SF based indie punk quartet was begun as a sort of journal by newlyweds, singer/bassist Erin Sydney and guitarist/songwriter Jeremy Rosenblum in quarantine after just 4 months of marriage. Since then, the music has become a running expression of the love and pain they experience together. When and How it Happened is the next chapter in that story: written over 18 months about the process of learning to be, and not be, polyamorous in a developing marriage. 

There’s a lot of raw emotion, and raw musicality to the album, and their bopping rhythms, swooning and warbling guitars, and Erin’s soaring vocals take things into the stratosphere. The songs were written as the events transpired and they capture the raw emotions of deeply personal moments. Neither person knew how this would end while it was being written. Helium, about a few days spent with a girlfriend, and a few months dealing with the feelings it created, captures that angst and grief. 

Album opener Shadow Puppets sings an apology, an acknowledgement, and a resignation of hope, while maintaining the fierce undercurrent of unconditional love. Acoustic tracks Unloveable and Love Song contrast each other; one song about the darkest moments, and the other an expression of neverending love to hold onto when things feel overwhelming. This album also represents the first time Erin Sydney composed songs on the album, with Event Horizon and Only a Smile Remains giving voice to her struggle, her pain, and her ability to grow through it all.

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James Keith - Cruel Game.

Australian country-rock artist James Keith leans into the realities of long-distance love on his new single 'Cruel Game', out yesterday Friday, May 29, a country-rock anthem about choosing devotion in the face of doubt. Arriving alongside the announcement of his forthcoming album, 'I Call It Magic When I’m With You' (out October 2), the track finds him reflecting on the risks of loving deeply and why some things are still worth holding onto.
 
Since the release of his ARIA Country Albums Chart-topping debut 'Life Is Good Today' in 2024, James Keith has continued to build on his grounded brand of country-rock storytelling. Following a Top 10 placing in the prestigious Toyota Star Maker competition in 2025, Keith now formally announces his forthcoming album, 'I Call It Magic When I’m With You'.
 
Set for release this October, the 14-track project explores new love, distance and choosing joy through life’s challenges, building on the themes introduced across his recent run of singles.
  
Sparked by a comment questioning the sincerity of his relationship, his next single explores what it means to stand by love when circumstances make things harder. Honest and defiant, the 'Cruel Game' traces the tension between fear and faith, grounding itself in trust, patience and the belief that some connections are worth fighting for.

James Keith · Cruel Game

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Zoe Jean Fowler - Fireflies. 

Country newcomer Zoe Jean Fowler releases her nostalgic new single, “Fireflies,” available everywhere now. Alongside the release, Fowler announces her upcoming EP, Written By A Woman, due out July 10th, 2026. The new single is the second song she's unveiled from the forthcoming project and further introduces the emotional storytelling and female-driven creative vision at the heart of Written By A Woman. “Fireflies' is an anthem for summer love and the perfect way to kick off the announcement of my all-female penned EP, Written By A Woman,” shares Fowler.
 
Written by Zoe Jean Fowler alongside Emma Place and Kiersten Rae Lasley and produced by Kendall Fowler, “Fireflies” captures the fleeting magic of young summer romance through vivid storytelling and warm country nostalgia. Filled with imagery of beach sunsets, bonfires, cheap red wine, and late-night coastal drives, the track reflects on a love that burned brightly, even if it wasn't meant to last.
 
Driven by breezy production and reflective lyricism, “Fireflies” embraces the beauty of temporary moments and the memories that linger long after they're gone. With lines like, “Can't keep fireflies in a jar, just like time they flew,” Fowler delivers a coming-of-age anthem that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
 
Known for her honest songwriting and fiercely loyal fanbase, Zoe Jean Fowler is quickly carving out her place as one of independent country music's rising voices. Her deluxe album, Cry Baby, earned 28 editorial playlist adds, premiered on WSM at the Grand Ole Opry, and led to a feature with CMT. Zoe has also shared the stage with artists including Kix Brooks, Randy Houser, Flatland Cavalry, and Sam Barber.

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Babe Rainbow - Cassady Southern - Pilote - Run Remedy - Chris Pierce - Lottie McLeod

Photo by Jordan Malane

Babe Rainbow - Polymuscalsaccharide.

Australia’s psych rainbow rockers Babe Rainbow return with the lead single from their seventh studio album, “Polymuscalsaccharide”. Much like the track’s name entails, the sugary sweet new tune blends together retro synths and hazy guitars with the band’s beachy vocals, creating a perfect soundtrack for early summer nights.

Taken from Babe Rainbow’s forthcoming seventh studio album Acid And Honey, “Polymuscalsaccharide” began its production as an acoustic recording on an Amsterdam houseboat. With mastering and production completed by Kyle Mullarky at his Malibu ranch, the track leans heavily into a country-pop beat that is garnished with notes of funk, hip-hop, and stoner rock.

Known for their boogie psychedelia and throwback surf cult imagery, Babe Rainbow are an Australian stoner pop band. The group was formed in 2015 by Jack Crowther (aka Cool Breez), Angus Dowling, and Elliot O'Reilly, who lurked at the kiosks around Rainbow Bay. The three of them worked for John Cutts, a local grower near Tropical Fruit World in Duranbah, NSW. The guys at John's farm were churning out kale long before it became trendy.  

While Babe Rainbow's musical style was originally rooted in 60's psych and 70's French surf-pop, it has evolved throughout its career to incorporate woodland bop and folk disco, dub, dance, and international grooves while maintaining an Aquarian quality through Dowling's musical spacemen singing style and Cool Breez's chiming guitar sounds. Beehive Candy would also like to point out 'Babe Rainbow' is a beautiful song by Melanie Safka...

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Cassady Southern - Need someone.

Ok lets go with the detail for this gorgeous new song on Beehive Candy - ‘Need someone’ was written by Cassady Southern with contributions by Tom Goodridge, Frank Doerges, Rob Drummond, John Montgomery, JD Douglas and Dai Nettle. It was recorded at Studios 301 Sydney with Jack Garzonio and Brad Hasiuk at the helm, mixed by Luke Payne (Luke Payne Sound) and mastered by Darren Ziesing (Millennium Mastering). It features Tom Goodridge on lead guitar, Rob Drummond on rhythm guitar, John Montgomery on bass, JD Douglas on drums, Dai Nettle on keys and Amelia du Randt (Diva Amelia) on backing vocals.

Cassady Southern is an accomplished singer-songwriter with a rich catalogue of music that spans multiple genres: Blending the raw edge of rock, the heart of country, the soul of blues, and the energy of pop into one authentic sound.

Cassady grew up in a musical household, where band rehearsals were a regular feature and music was encouraged. She learned piano and saxophone and later guitar. Cassady began writing and releasing songs and has since developed a body of music which is characterised by its authenticity, heartfelt storytelling and broad appeal.

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Pilote - Sous les Oliviers.

We are delighted to feature Pilote "the solo project of Christelle Armenio, a genre-defying artist whose pop music infused with new wave influences blends poetry with melancholy." The title track is a gorgeous introduction for Beehive Candy (we are partial to some French language music that resonates with us) so anyway here is the background. Through airy and introspective production, Pilote draws listeners into a sensory universe where every note feels suspended in time. On stage, she embodies her compositions with a “wild softness,” carried by a delicately sensual and vibrant voice.

Her intimate musical world invites escape, like a waking dream. Behind this stage name stands a sincere creator with a minimalist aesthetic, refusing compromise. Christelle draws inspiration from British pop culture and iconic French singer-songwriters. Her music is an ode to life, love, and the complexity of human emotions. To place her within an artistic constellation, one might evoke the musicality of Air, the dreamlike atmosphere of Kate Bush, and the lyrical richness of Serge Gainsbourg — all carried by refined electronic production.

An artist with a singular profile, Christelle stands out through her background as an engineer, her love of literature, her traveler’s soul, and her constant search for meaning. Her art reflects this duality: profound fragility in her lyrics balanced by the power of her orchestrations. She is currently preparing a new album scheduled for release in July 2026, titled Sous les Oliviers. 

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Run Remedy - Big Nothing.

Run Remedy returns with Not at the Table out September 11th, a strikingly intimate and conceptually ambitious EP that blurs the line between indie pop, lo-fi experimentation and alternative storytelling. Written in solitude and brought to life in a shipping container studio in Manchester, the project captures something raw and immediate: a body of work built on instinct, trust, and an unfiltered emotional core.

The EP moves through a sequence of physical and emotional spaces, unfolding like a 24-hour cycle. Each track occupies its own sonic landscape, shifting from hushed, acoustic vulnerability to cinematic swells and fractured, experimental textures, all tied together by Run Remedy’s precise, confessional lyricism.

Sonically, Not at the Table pushes further into genre-bending territory than ever before. Drawing on influences ranging from Elliott Smith and The Smiths to Mitski, Adrianne Lenker and St. Vincent, the EP balances delicate folk intimacy with art-pop edge, post-rock builds and moments of off-kilter humour. There’s a constant interplay between sincerity and theatricality - a refusal to settle into one tone for too long.

“The title came first: a house, a dinner table, and the idea of everything that can’t be said in that shared space. The artwork, painted by artist Lili Holland-Fricke, shows that house, with different tensions playing out in each room. Each section zooms in on a different part of what’s happening inside, almost like moving through the house and getting closer to the different conversations (or non-conversations) happening in it.” 

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Chris Pierce - This Sunlit Morning.

Chris Pierce announces his new album Songs for the Heavy Hearted, due out August 21. Produced by frequent collaborators David Resnik and Niko Bolas (Neil Young, The Mavericks), Songs for the Heavy Hearted captures moments in the lives of everyday people as they struggle with crisis and encapsulates everything that has been so emotionally resonant about Pierce’s music for more than two decades. Along with the news, he shares his new single “This Sunlit Morning,” a tender testament to resilience.

“‘This Sunlit Morning’ came from holding the weight of the times we're living in,” shares Pierce. “Every day, we're staring into some new kind of chaos, division, or corruption, and if we're not careful, it can start to pull us away from what is right in front of us. This song is about remembering to pause and reflect on what we’ve been blessed with. The simple things that can keep us rooted when the world starts feeling unsteady. We still have to get out there and fight for a better world. We still have to speak up for people whose voices are ignored or silenced. Sometimes, we need to pause just long enough to remember what we're fighting for in the first place.”

At its core, Songs for the Heavy Hearted is a diary of — and love letter to — freedom fighters everywhere; its constant refrain is that love, joy, hope and softness are not things we need to sacrifice to fight the good fight. Featuring stellar performances from Allison Russell, Steve Earle, Grey DeLisle and Garrison Starr, the new album embodies the belief that “we shall overcome,” and this sentiment has never sounded more uplifting and within reach.

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Photo by Carrie McLeod

Lottie McLeod - Sunburnt.

Magan-djin/Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Lottie McLeod has just announced her forthcoming The Boat House EP - an intimate coming-of-age "for people who love to feel deeply" drawing from indie, alt-pop, folk and beyond, signalling a young artist coming out of her shell, stepping into the confidence to follow her own path and express herself openly, making McLeod's much-praised ability to make the personal feel universal stronger than ever. 

Alongside the announcement, Lottie McLeod shares searing new single 'Sunburnt' about a fleeting relationship, featuring tongue-in-cheek peppiness paired with some of her "most disgusting - and/or devastating - lyrics yet". The Boat House EP - which will include 'Important To You' and 'Sunburnt' - is out Friday 25 September.

Lottie McLeod says, "'Sunburnt' is about a person I was seeing for not even a month; I felt such a strong connection with this person but I also hardly knew him. I had just gotten back from a beach day with my mum, a little sunburnt - I'm a sucker for metaphor. I liked this guy. A LOT. Talking everyday, dates, future planning, dinner with the parents. Our last date was the closest I had ever felt to him - I spent the night and the next morning he asked to go to breakfast that weekend, where he ended things. 

I was so disappointed and confused, I really wanted to know him on a deeper level, see his ugly side, have some sort of future with him. He never gave me a chance to show him how beautiful it could’ve been, but I knew it was something I just had to let go because there was nothing to hold on to. There was this self reflection at the time, asking myself “why would I try to win back a stranger…  That would be silly!” - I wrote this song instead."

Lottie McLeod · Sunburnt

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Lynn Hollyfield - Big Little Lions - Penny Lane Pickets - Michael Kelly - Mama's Broke - Strange Plants - 64 Funnycars

Lynn Hollyfield - Blindspot.

We have the new folk single and music video “Blindspot” from award-winning singer-songwriter Lynn Hollyfield. The poignant song, “Blindspot” was written after losing a family member and a friend to the fentanyl crisis. She shares, “Afterwards, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had been truly open and caring when I was with them. Was there anything I could have done to help them? I’ll never know and it’s one of those hard life lessons - too little too late." The single was produced by Grammy-nominated Seth Glier. 

Blend a beautiful alto voice, crisp acoustic guitar, and a heartfelt perspective on the world, and you have Lynn Hollyfield. Known for her warm stage presence and emotionally rich songs, she connects effortlessly with audiences. Writing in a contemporary folk style, Lynn weaves in jazz-influenced chords and bluesy guitar alongside passionate vocals, think Mary Chapin Carpenter meets Bonnie Raitt with a touch of George Gershwin. The result is her own distinctive voice, witty, soulful, and reflective.

Lynn has been writing songs since her teenage years, growing up on Staten Island, NY, surrounded by a wide range of musical influences, from jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra to artists like The Beatles and Neil Young. She began performing locally at a young age and later gained recognition as part of the duo Hollyfield & Spruill, appearing at festivals such as the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

After launching her solo career, Lynn released several acclaimed albums, including LAYERS (2010), IN THE BALANCE (2014), and LOOK UP (2024), earning national and international airplay along with multiple songwriting awards including being listed in the Top Artists/ Top Albums for the International Folk Alliance. During the pandemic, she also published a children’s book, The Tree, The Ship and Me, with its accompanying song recognized as a finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest.

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Big Little Lions - They Say It Builds Character.

As multi award winning cross border duo, Big Little Lions are going to be releasing monthly singles this year Beehive Candy who are genuine fans of their sumptuous music will just rinse and repeat their background again this month. Big Little Lions are a duo who were born out of a collaboration that won them a JUNO Award in 2014. Since then they have been cranking out infectious folk pop songs that are jam-packed with emotion and tight harmonies that sound like the product of two people working side-by-side instead of living in different countries. 

They have released 7 albums to date, which have garnered them awards and nominations including the CFMA Ensemble of the Year, Independent Music Awards Americana Sing of the Year and John Lennon Songwriting Competition Song of the Year. Their critically acclaimed music has appeared on the CBC’s Top 20 and featured on shows like q and Vinyl Cafe. The duo consists of Paul Otten and Helen Austin, both hugely prolific songwriters - their music has been placed in hundreds of movie trailers, ads, network TV shows.

Their live show is quite the spectacle with Paul playing drums, bass and keyboard all while singing lead vocals. Helen, who is no slacker either, sings, plays guitar and foot percussion. They use every limb, and then some, to make two people sound like a full band.

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Penny Lane Pickets - Penny Lane Pickets / The Dawning (feat. The Rocksteady Crackers).

What if The Beatles grew up in the 90s California punk scene? Meet the Penny Lane Pickets. Straight out of Santa Cruz, the Penny Lane Pickets are here to bridge the gap between a 184 BPM moshpit and a 60s pop melody. Led by the grit of Jax Miller and the driving, distorted walking bass of Sky Bennett, this four-piece is fulfilling their lifelong dream: crashing the legendary Epitaph/Hellcat Records sound head-first into the timeless songwriting of Lennon & McCartney.

Produced and mixed by Sam Dekker, their sound is a high-energy explosion. It’s got the frantic, distorted soul of Rancid and The Suicide Machines, the brass-heavy punch of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, melodic hooks of Goldfinger and the soaring infectious energy of The Interrupters.

But look closer, and you’ll hear the "secret sauce": psych-rock textures and 60s pop-inspired choruses that refuse to leave your head. With a powerhouse brass section (featuring the Rocksteady Crackers) providing the fire, the Pickets deliver a sound that is as much about the "Penny Lane" harmonies as it is about the "Ruby Soho" attitude. This debut single serves as a high-octane prelude to their upcoming full-length album, Copper & Chrome, set to drop on December 18th.

Penny Lane Pickets · Penny Lane Pickets

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Michael Kelly - Anyway (Album).

Michael Kelly is a singer, songwriter, picker and performer. His new album, Anyway, encompasses a wide range of musical influences expressed from a well-honed folk, blues and bluegrass sensibility. He worked the D.C. club circuit early in his career and at one point, took a job at a celebrated Georgetown music venue where he would take money at the door, run inside to re-stock the bar, change clothes to perform a short opening set, then re-stock the bar and head back out to the door. 

He recalls, “Oddly enough, the change of clothes threw people off and only rarely did anyone recognize me as the opening act, although the bands and the regulars were always super supportive.” On-line lessons with Nashville icon Russ Barenberg helped develop a more melodic guitar approach and led to a deeper dive into bluegrass, which included workshops, festivals and wide-ranging cadre of mentors. 

Songs on Anyway include One Good Friend and Joseph, which placed first at the New Song Festival in Winfield, Kansas, in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and Chesapeake Waterman, which placed first at the Common Ground on the Hill Acoustic Roots 2024 songwriting competition. 

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Mama's Broke - The Nameless.

Mama’s Broke, the Nova Scotian duo of Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria announce their new album, Reunion, out August 28 via Free Dirt Records and Forward Music Group and share the latest single, “The Nameless.” Building on their JUNO-nominated album Narrow Line (2022), which saw the pair invited to perform on the legendary NPR Tiny Desk, Reunion reflects a world coming apart in plain sight, tracing fractured communities, the erosion of shared ground, and the growing awareness that the systems we were taught to trust no longer hold or deliver the promises they were meant to keep. The songs don’t preach or prescribe; they reflect, holding up a mirror and leaving space for something else to take shape.

“The Nameless” are the women who are often reduced, in memory and history, to narrow, simplified roles,” explains the band, “their complexity stripped away in favour of labels they are expected to embody, whether flawlessly or tragically.” 

“The Nameless” presents four archetypes: the “scorned lover”, defined only by the man who left her rather than her own life; the “callous mother” judged by her perceived failures without regard for her struggles; the victim of domestic violence, absorbed into statistics while attention and sympathy lingers on the perpetrator; and the missing daughter, whose story evokes a place like the Highway of Tears, where many women, disproportionately Indigenous, have vanished. The headlines, demographic headings and acronyms will never convey the full story of a life, or the true weight of the violence that women face every day.

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Strange Plants - Time Killing.

Continuing upon this year’s previous releases, “Lay Your Mind” and “Ground Falls Away,” Strange Plants share “Time Killing,” a contemplative and expansive psych-rock single that blends atmospheric textures with a sense of quiet, underlying tension. Wistful and immersive, the track leans into themes of existential reflection and the slow passage of time, capturing the feeling of moving through life’s routines while something deeper simmers beneath the surface.

The song’s origin traces back to a period of heavy literary influence. “At the risk of sounding absurdly pretentious, I was reading a lot of Charles Bukowski at the time,” explains songwriter Matt Brannon. “So it created a sort of temporary supercharged nihilism.” That perspective shaped the song’s core idea; a meditation on time, purpose, and the subtle weight of existence.

Built around a rich, retro-psychedelic sound palette, “Time Killing” unfolds with layered instrumentation and tonal contrast. Trippy string arrangements intertwine with shimmering lap steel, creating a unique sonic blend that sets the track apart within the band’s catalogue. The result is a sound that feels both expansive and grounded; classic in influence yet exploratory in execution.

The recording process brought together a striking group of collaborators. Loel Campbell (Wintersleep, Billy Talent) contributed drums, while Christine Bougie (Bahamas) added lap steel and Drew Jurecka (Dua Lipa) arranged the song’s sweeping strings. The track was mixed by Chris Shaw and co-produced alongside JUNO Award-winning producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda, further elevating its textured, cinematic feel.

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64 Funnycars - Happy Go Lucky (Album)

After decades out of print, 64 Funnycars’ cult college rock debut Happy Go Lucky finally returned May 27 through 604 Records. Originally released at the tail end of Canada’s late 80s campus radio boom, the record captured a band that never aimed for cool detachment or punk orthodoxy, instead leaning hard into melody, momentum and the simple thrill of making people move. Nearly four decades later, Happy Go Lucky still sounds remarkably alive in its looseness and charm.

The band formed in 1987 through UVic campus radio circles, bonded by a shared love of groups like Young Fresh Fellows, Hoodoo Gurus, Buzzcocks and The Replacements, bands where hooks and personality mattered just as much as volume. While much of Victoria’s reputation at the time centered around heavier and more abrasive acts, 64 Funnycars carved out their own space, blending power pop, melodic punk and jangly college rock into something energetic, playful and unpretentious. Songs moved fast, choruses arrived early and the energy always felt slightly on the verge of tipping over.

That unpredictability became central to the band’s identity at Harpo’s, the legendary Victoria venue that helped define the Pacific Northwest underground touring circuit through the 80s and early 90s. Long before they became festival headliners, bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Blind Melon and No Doubt came through the room, and the Funnycars quickly became part of that same ecosystem. Their sets thrived on joyful chaos: no fixed setlists, rotating lead vocals and an anything-can-happen atmosphere that made even local shows feel electric. The band later joked that they were “the chess club on tour,” a line that captured both their self-awareness and total lack of rock-star pretension.


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Dan Miraldi - Thomas Duxbury and New Mother Nature - Cold Equations - The Good Water - Castlebeat

Dan Miraldi - Magic in the Air.

Prolific singer-songwriter Dan Miraldi returns with his new single “Magic in the Air,” out now via Wicked Cool Records. Featuring garage rock queen Palmyra Delran, the track blends Miraldi’s heartfelt storytelling with bright, infectious power-pop energy—delivering a reminder that even the most ordinary moments can feel extraordinary.

Inspired by life in New York City, “Magic in the Air” finds Miraldi reflecting on fleeting encounters and small, transformative moments. “I like to leave interpretation to the listener,” he says. “But to me, it’s about finding joy in everyday life. The world can get you down, but every now and then something mundane can feel miraculous and empowering.” The song came together with unusual ease. “Sometimes you really have to wrestle with songs,” Miraldi explains, “but ‘Magic in the Air’ felt pretty effortless.”

That spontaneity carries through to the recording process. With the exception of live drums and Delran’s vocal, the track was recorded in Miraldi’s bedroom using GarageBand—capturing a raw, immediate energy. The recording also features contributions from Michael Guggino (Brooklyn psych trio Freaky Wilderness) on lead guitar and Jay Nemeyer (DC electro-rock outfit Color Palette) on bass, both longtime collaborators in Miraldi’s orbit.

Delran’s presence on the track adds both chemistry and emotional weight. “When I was writing the song, I could hear Palmyra’s voice singing it,” says Miraldi. “Having her actually on the recording is extremely special. She’s so talented and has been a constant source of encouragement for me.”

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Thomas Duxbury and New Mother Nature - Night is Young (Album).

Hamilton, ON’s Thomas Duxbury and New Mother Nature unveil Night is Young, a sprawling and deeply personal garage rock album released alongside its optimistic title track. Rooted in blues rock grit and indie rock exploration, the record captures the disorienting, often contradictory experience of navigating change, distance, and identity while learning to embrace both the chaos and beauty of the journey.

Written across years of transition (from busking through Spain to living abroad in Scotland), Night is Young documents a period of movement and emotional upheaval. “This album is about being on a journey,” Duxbury explains. “A lot of it comes from that feeling of being in the passenger seat of your own life sometimes. It’s that weird space where everything is kind of moving whether you’re ready for it or not.”

The album unfolds as a loose narrative arc, moving from early excitement and possibility into isolation, uncertainty, and eventual grounding. Themes of loneliness, mental health, and disconnection run throughout, but so does a persistent drive toward exploration and self-discovery. Rather than resolving neatly, Night is Young leans into contradiction as a reflection of real life in motion.

At the centre of the release is its title track, a song that encapsulates the album’s emotional core. Originally written in 2018 following a formative trip to Spain, “Night is Young” began as an upbeat, carefree anthem before evolving into something more complex. Years later, while living abroad, Duxbury revisited the track after receiving a distressing call from home; a moment that reshaped the song’s meaning entirely.

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 Photo - Michael Gomez

Cold Equations - Tantalus.

Nashville-based indie shoegaze band Cold Equations releases its new single ‘Tantalus’ (Sweet Cheetah Records) last week. ‘Tantalus’ offers a guitar groove that faintly recalls Gentlemen-era Afghan Whigs, particularly if the Whigs had come with a southern drawl. As the track evolves into a more dense offering, hints of ’90s alt-radio stalwarts Radiohead, Toadies, and Howlin’ Maggie also emerge.

Lyrically, this is a story about the unreachable object of one’s desire. "'Tantalus' was inspired by the Greek myth," says Drew Kohl. "Tantalus was punished by standing forever in a shallow pool of water under a fruit tree. Whenever he got thirsty and reached down to cup some water, the water drained only to fill back again when he stood up. When he got hungry and reached for a piece of fruit on the tree, the tree branch rose just out of his reach and on and on. That's where the word 'tantalize' comes from. So, the song is about always being just out of reach of something you strongly desire.

"The song uses the G phrygian scale, and we layered guitars and rhodes electric piano on the instrumental sections," adds Kohl. "The solo uses the open G string as a drone, kind of like a expletive up version of 'thunderstruck' basically." True to their independent spirit, Cold Equations tracked the entire song in a single studio day at Nashville’s Smoakstack Studios (with Zack Zinck engineering and Sam Moses mastering), working efficiently within the constraints of an indie budget without compromising their artistic vision.

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The Good Water - Feel Your Mind (Album).

With its fuzz-fuelled guitar licks, woozy vintage organs, trippy multi-layered harmonies, and hypnotic rhythms, the rising Midlands outfit deliver a radiant psych pop wonder. Striking an alchemic blend of psychedelia, indie, and vintage pop, one single “Have You Seen Her Tonight?” at once recalls the dreamy, pastoral creations of Gorky’s Zytgotic Mynci to The Coral, The Beach Boys to the Zombies.

Catchy, colourful, and with a crunching Super Furries-esque crescendo to boot, this is joyous psych-pop to put a spring in your step. Their long-awaited debut album, ‘Feel Your Mind’, is out now. 

The Good Water are: Rob Clements (lead vocals/guitar), Tom Fisher (vocals/drums), and Stuart Webb (vocals/keyboards). Since forming in 2016, The Good Water have rapidly picked-up quite a following around their native Midlands with frequent Sold-Out headline shows in Birmingham, not to mention major support shows alongside psych-pop luminaries including Mercury Rev, Super Furry Animals, and Bill Ryder-Jones. 

Securing praise and plays from the likes of Radcliffe & Maconie and Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music), John Kennedy (Radio X), and regular support from Brum Radio; their string of singles to date including “Firmament”, “Love”, “Breadcrumbs” “Colours” and more have been met with rave reviews from tastemaker sites, with Live4Ever hailing the band’s “fascinating explorations of sound and rhythm, designed to excite and explore.”

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Castlebeat - Stay With Me.

Spirit Goth Records are pleased to share "Stay With Me," the new single from indie dream pop artist Castlebeat, out now and the latest preview of his forthcoming album Castlebeat II, arriving June 26th, 2026.

If the previous singles hinted at what Castlebeat II would feel like, "Stay With Me" makes it unmistakable. Built around bright, jangly Stratocaster lines and a loose, slacker-rock groove, it's an upbeat track that carries a quietly melancholic undercurrent — the sound of holding on while already sensing something slipping away. Josh Hwang's wistful, dreamy vocal carries the melody with an effortless intimacy that feels less performed than confided, and the hook arrives early and doesn't let go. It's the kind of song that fits easily into jangle pop and chill alt playlists, but lingers well past its runtime.

As Hwang puts it: "'Stay With Me' is an upbeat, home-recorded dream-pop single built around jangly Stratocaster lines and a laid-back slacker-rock feel. Lyrically it's about wanting someone to stick around when you can feel things starting to slip. Bright guitars, relaxed groove, and a hook that lands quickly."

"Stay With Me" is the third single from Castlebeat II, a record conceived as a ten-year anniversary reflection on Hwang's beloved 2016 self-titled debut. Josh Hwang — the half-Korean, half-Spanish songwriter and producer behind the project — approached the album as both a time capsule and a creative reset, deliberately returning to the sounds, instincts, and unfinished ideas of that era while bringing a decade of craft to bear on them.

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Divers - i know her - Danielle Nicole - Cassius Wolf & Das Abs - Gráinne Duffy

Divers - Shapeshifting (EP).

Following a taster with the release of ‘The Hunt’ Gothenburg alternative rock six-piece Divers released their new EP Shapeshifting last Friday via Little Low Recordings. The band's most expansive and fully-formed release to date, Shapeshifting is an EP about the person you become when life stops asking for your permission. Four tracks that move between weight and wonder, shadow and open air — each one circling the same essential question: who are you on the other side of change?

"I saw a film clip of myself yesterday, from when I was 30 years old," Lina explains. "I reacted to the fact that I was so young and unspoiled, not burdened by life. You think you've been through things at 30, but you have relatively no idea." It's that sense of growth, change and hard-won perspective — what Lina describes as echoing Bowie's belief that only when we get older do we become who we were meant to be when we were young — that runs through every track on the EP.

Recorded at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin — where David Bowie, Depeche Mode and Nick Cave all created landmark work — Shapeshifting finds Divers reaching a new dimension. Across four songs, the band deliver their most intricate and ambitious material yet, emerging from the sessions with the kind of creative resurgence long associated with the famous studio. With a wingspan that encompasses the band's entire palette from dark to sheer, it is their most fully realised release to date.

Little Low Recordings: Divers & Lina Horner · Shapeshifting EP

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i know her - At Least I Know How To Love (EP).

Helsinki-based artist i know her just released her debut EP, At Least I Know How To Love. An honest, unflinching account of what it means to love people, lose them, and refuse to close off because of it. Built across nearly three years in her own studio, in libraries and cafés, the EP moves through toxic relationships and real pain, before arriving — bruised but open — at something that feels like grace.

Sonically, At Least I Know How To Love lives in the space between the intimate and the cinematic. Acoustic warmth bleeds into electronic texture. Quiet moments crack open into something overwhelming. Even its imperfections were chosen — an out-of-tune ukulele sits deliberately buried in one track, kept because it felt more true than any polished alternative. As i know her puts it: "I see myself as a very kind person — you could call me a people pleaser — and that has shaped my experiences in relationships. Although I've faced situations where my kindness has been taken for granted, I haven't let that harden me."

That refusal to harden is what makes the EP's focus track, "You," so quietly devastating. It is a song for someone so extraordinary that every available frame of reference — every film, every poem, every book — falls short. Not a lament, not a longing, but something closer to awe: the specific, disorienting feeling of loving someone your own words cannot reach. "None of these movies could capture your beauty, not a poem nor a book could ever come close to describing you." "Let them call it whatever they want but it's an understatement to call this love."

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Photo - William McBell

Danielle Nicole - Tug Of War.

Danielle Nicole is excited to announce the release of her new album Fireflies, arriving August 28 via 40 Below Records. Alongside the announcement, Nicole is sharing the album’s powerful new single, “Tug Of War,” a soulful anthem about reclaiming strength in the face of imbalance and emotional exhaustion. “I wrote ‘Tug Of War’ for anyone finding themself no longer willing to accept the terms of a one way relationship,” says Danielle.

Long celebrated for her commanding voice, masterful bass playing, and emotionally fearless songwriting, Danielle Nicole traces the beginning of her musical journey back to a transformative moment in her teenage years: seeing Etta James perform live in Kansas City. "We had a great blues festival in Kansas City,” Nicole recalls, “and I was able to see Etta James perform. She was fearless. My parents were musicians who played in cover bands, so music was always part of my family — but I didn’t realize I wanted to sing and perform, too, until I heard Etta.”

That reverence for the great soul singers, storytellers, and trailblazers who came before her has fueled a career spanning nearly 25 years, including 10 Blues Music Awards, a Grammy nomination, and international acclaim as both a songwriter and performer. With Fireflies, Nicole delivers what may be her most personal and musically adventurous statement yet — a raw, deeply felt collection recorded live to analog tape that explores grief, resilience, empowerment, and transformation through a rich blend of blues, soul, R&B, and roots music.

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Cassius Wolf & Das Abs - Losing Sleep.

Cassius Wolf & Das Abs is the musical project of Cassius Wolf and Don Watson. Formed in Liverpool during the original wave of post-punk and new wave, the project began when Cassius met Don at school at the age of 11. The two later worked together at the now-legendary Liverpool club Eric’s, where they were immersed in the energy of the city’s thriving music scene, and officially formed the band in 1978. Surrounded by the influence of bands like Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD, and The Teardrop Explodes, their sound took shape through a shared love of independent creativity, punk attitude, and melodic experimentation. Decades later, that same spirit is driving the band’s long-awaited return, as archived material from their early recordings is being carefully restored, remixed, and introduced to a new audience.

The band’s latest release “Losing Sleep” offers a fresh insight into the scope of their upcoming album An Afternoon in Bedlam, due for release on 29 May 2026. Returning to a more direct post-punk style, the track leans into an anthemic, guitar-driven pop-punk sound, capturing the intensity of a relationship that begins to take over your thoughts to the point of distraction. There’s a sense of urgency running through it, where fixation and emotion blur into something more consuming. 

Drawing from the lineage of early eighties post-punk, the track carries the spirit of bands like The Wild Swans, whose influence helped shape the northern scene, bridging the gap between Echo & the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, and later acts such as The Lightning Seeds, The Lotus Eaters, The Icicle Works and James. “Losing Sleep” is also rooted in the legacy of Paul Simpson and the musical imprint of Ian Broudie, channelling that same melodic instinct and emotional pull.

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Gráinne Duffy - What Am I Supposed to Do (Album).

Irish blues-rock artist Gráinne Duffy continues her ascent as one of modern blues and roots music’s most compelling voices with the release of her new album What Am I Supposed to Do, available now alongside the album’s powerful title track and accompanying video.

Built around a driving guitar riff and emotionally charged lyrics, “What Am I Supposed to Do” captures both personal unrest and the chaos of the world at large. “This song is typically rock style in terms of its structure and feel,” says Duffy. “There is a sense of reflection here between the madness outside in the world and something that is also in flux or in need of repair on the inside emotionally.” Recorded in Los Angeles in January 2025 while wildfires swept through the city, the song’s opening line — “Whole world is crazy, fallin’ down outside” — took on an especially poignant meaning during the sessions.

Legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff, who performs on the record, described the track as “a mix of U2 and The Rolling Stones,” underscoring the album’s blend of expansive rock energy and roots-driven soul.

Recorded at 64 Sound Studio in Los Angeles, What Am I Supposed to Do was co-produced by Justin Stanley and Marc Ford of The Black Crowes. The album features an all-star lineup including Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney), bassist Jørgen Carlsson of Gov’t Mule, keyboardist Peter Levin, Ford, and Duffy’s longtime collaborator Paul Sherry.


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