Browsing: Featured Story

Indie singer songwriter Skateland is where Missy Elliott collides with Danny Brown, musically, lyrically, and creatively speaking. His latest EP New Wave Revival dips into the pop, R&B, rock, and hip hop genres but he does so unintentionally. His musical style cannot be boxed in and he plans on switching things up with his next project as well. I talked to the avant singer about going up in Texas, his creativity, and playing this year at the  ACL Festival. https://youtu.be/-hUlR3KFo8E?si=7x7PqXRsMx9BP1gW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6-M2sN18Jc

Ally Westover, folk artist at heart, combines a musical delivery of Mazzy Star meets Snail Mail or Soccer Mommy. The Nashville starlet is definitely on her way after spending some time abroad and moving all over as her Father was in the army. She found her heart in playing and creating music. Her debut EP Changing Room (out January 2025) expresses vividly about her coming out and not being afraid anymore to show her feelings and identity as a queer woman. I chatted with the upcoming singer about her influences, growing up in Nashville, and expressing her thanks to her…

Tim Lappin aka Casual Male is tipping his hat to Tom Petty and the Americana scene with his style, lyrics, and music. His music is an ode to folk and his voice echoes the vocals of Tom Petty. The scene is starting to inundate again with male guitarists like Noah Kahan, Hozier, and Benson Boone. What separates this amazing singer songwriter is that he is influenced heavily by the folk scene, a scene that an older, sophisticated audience can appreciate. His new album drops next month on October 4 and will be having an album release at Union Pool in…

I keep on banking on a new rock guitar based revolution to take over and New York City’s The Mystery Lights may be that band to break through and switch up the scene along with the UK punk scene. The Mystery Lights are Mike Brandon (lead vocals / guitar), LA Solano (lead guitar), Alex Amini (bass), Lily Rogers (keys), and Zach Butler (drums). They formed in California and then made the move to NYC about ten years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2o-3-TTXjI The band reminds me of Velvet Underground’s sound with twisted distorted guitars and muffled vocals reminiscent of the early garage rock…

Scottish singer songwriter Theo Bleak is on the verge of releasing new music. Her new single “In My House” is an ethereal haunting song full of despair and sadness but she insists that it’s a lighter song and loves being alone. She nails down her feelings at the moment of each song no matter how melancholy she may be feeling at the time. She truly writes with her heart on her sleeve. I talked to the singer about all the emotions she encapsulates when writing and recording music, her mesmerizing vocals, and getting cosigned by Noel Gallagher. At what age…

Colossus, Mondo, and now United Sounds NYC Festival are all indie festivals that have been taking the place of CMJ Festivities as of late. UNITED SOUNDS NYC is another festival that celebrates the indie and underground sound of New York City. Some of the performances include: Blonde Redhead, The Dismemberment Plan, Sunflower Bean, Model/Actriz, and more. “We wanted to start an annual music festival in New York City during the fall season, in the spirit of great indie-focused events of the past like CMJ,” notes the festival’s talent booker Diane Perini. “Our goal is to bring celebrated independent artists and…

My interview with Dave Monks, lead singer of Tokyo Police Club, was a quick path down the Tokyo Police Club musical history. The band (along with Graham Wright, Josh Hook, and Greg Alsop) established themselves on the Canadian rock scene back in the early 00s. Call it alt rock if you want, but theses fellas stayed true to their indie rock roots all these years and now they are hanging it up, but not before one last hurrah. They released their final album, TPC, in 2018, unknowingly to them that it would be their last. The band is now on their…

Austin, Texas’ Urban Heat overflows with dark 80s synth throwback melodies. The band is currently on tour in support of their new album, The Tower, which is out now. Even though their lyrical content can be heavy at times, it’s definitely relatable. I talk to Jonathan Horstmann, the lead singer of Urban Heat, about beating his drug fueled demons, what The Tower brings to the table musically speaking, and the band’s fashion sense. Check out their song “Seven Safe Places” below our interview as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1rHeK4MktU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_s0fANgjdw

Showing feelings and being vulnerable is a tough thing to illustrate in music, but The Collection succeeds in that. The melodic six piece from North Carolina put out an incredible album called Little Deaths. Something that can be pessimistic finds all its glory on this album. Lead singer David Wimbish turned it all around on this powerful and positive upbeat project. I talked to Wimbish about what ties the large band together, the album, and the challenges of fitting into today’s pop and hip hop landscape. Watch the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XITQGxJtOKU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3SYwcJbc4g

Carbon Leaf’s journey began in the early 90s. Though the band line up has changed a bit, their folk infused indie rock sound the band created in Richmond, Virginia still resonates today. The band’s most notable song “The Boxer” off of 2001’s Echo Echo, is when the band accepted their first American Music Award. They followed up with Indian Summer shortly thereafter. It’s been ten years since the band has released a full length project. Busy with other side gigs and EPs, the band reunite to put out Time Is The Playground, an introspective look at what path the future…