Review

Carley Varley’s “Butterflies” pulls no punches when it comes to heartbreak. This is the second single from their ‘Anatomy of Loss’ EP, and it tackles that awful realization when you figure out your entire relationship was built on lies, and the lead guitar work does most of the heavy lifting here. It’s sharp and purposeful, …

Ivelisse Del Carmen released a track that pulls you from the first second. The way she moves between Spanish and English feels natural, like she’s talking to family one minute and explaining herself to strangers the next. She is a talented artist, and her music is very unique. The sugarcane verse stands out, sweet and …

Levi’s 15-track country album is a tribute to her parents, this collection balances joy with the kind of bittersweet reflection that comes from looking back at where you started. “Fishing Trip” captures those carefree outdoor adventures we all remember, while “Sunday” beautifully connects spiritual lessons with simple pleasures like berry-picking in the woods. Even “I …

Micah Lopez scrapped his old project after it disappeared into the streaming void and came back as Hollow Star with a clearer vision. “Listen” is five tracks of post-punk that borrows from the Cure and the Smiths but doesn’t copy them wholesale. “Seconds” opens with guitar lines that recall Andy Summers and lyrics about contradictory …

LESS has made a track that grabs you from the first second. “Hellya” is loud, angry, and completely unapologetic about it. The song came from a dark place, being stuck, suffocated, and ready to scream at the world, and you can tell this isn’t manufactured emotion, every note sounds like it needed to come out. …

Last Relapse came back swinging with “Hey Girl” and it’s about time. Thirteen years is a long wait, but this track makes it clear they didn’t waste those years and the guitars still have that hazy, expansive sound they built their reputation on, but everything hits harder now. David Holding’s voice carries the same raw …

Martin Lloyd Howard’s new classical guitar piece catches you off guard in the best way. Playing in G minor (which isn’t common for guitar) he’s created something that honestly does sound like watching moonlight shift and change. His wife painted a moonscape that sparked this whole thing, and you can tell he’s translating that visual …

The Mortal Prophets put together a really solid album here. John Beckmann handles most of the heavy lifting, with Tanner McGraw on lead vocals and Lawson Mars adding harmonies that float in and out at just the right moments, and the whole thing has this hazy, dreamlike quality that actually works. The songs don’t rush …

Tom Minor’s latest single is an honest shot of energy for anyone who’s had enough of standing still and the London artist puts together vintage soul and indie rock into something that actually sounds urgent and real. Minor keeps chanting “I’m gonna change it” without ever defining what needs changing, and that vagueness is the …

Milin and Music UnLtd. have created something unexpectedly beautiful here and this isn’t your typical breakup song, it’s mature, honest, and refreshingly free of bitterness. The way traditional Indian instruments like sarod and tabla blend with rock elements creates a sound that’s genuinely their own. The story of two people realizing they’ve drifted apart and …

7Z MAXI and his crew have put together a track that radiates confidence and purpose. “700 Coming” isn’t your typical release. It’s built on a foundation of genuine conviction and collective energy from the Philadelphia-based group. The chemistry between 7Z MAXI, RA-RA, 7Z VINE, and Mirzy Bey is palpable, and you can hear how naturally …

Max Norton spent ten years playing drums for other people before deciding to do his own thing, and “The Wolves” makes a strong case for that decision. This one’s about forward motion, about outrunning whatever’s on your tail and using that pressure as fuel. Max doesn’t overcomplicate it. He wrote it, played it, and produced …

Tony Lio gets personal on his latest single, and it pays off, and “Better to Sleep” doesn’t hide behind anything – just straightforward songwriting that lands exactly how it should. He’s gone minimal here, which actually makes the emotion hit harder. You can tell he put real thought into this one. Getting back together with …

Erro’s second album proves they’re not interested in playing it safe. “Shadowland” takes the raw, one-take approach from their debut and doubles down on it, with results that actually justify the hype. The album opens strong and stays there. “Honey Bear Lane” has this infectious bassline that pulls you in before the guitar work starts …

Consequential delivers a strong atmospheric drum and bass track with “Dark Sky”, and it’s worth your time. The Bury St. Edmunds producer has put together a release that gets better each time you hear it, with plenty of small details hiding in the mix that you’ll only catch if you’re paying attention or have decent …

LeAnn Rimes has been recording Christmas music for years, and this compilation brings together her best holiday work with some new tracks thrown in, it’s a solid listen if you’re into her style. The album covers a lot of ground. You’ve got the upbeat stuff like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “I Want a …

Thickshake’s “Through the Daylight” is exactly the kind of song you need now in the first month of the year. It’s catchy, it’s honest, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a good time. Thickshake made this entire track himself in his house in Rockhampton. Wrote it, played all the instruments, recorded it, …

Tony Frissore manages to pack a punch about corrupt leadership into a funk track, and “Bad Strategies” just grooves hard while making you think about who’s really accountable when people in power mess up, trust me, you will love it. The bass and drums are locked in from the start, and the guitar and keys …