Oakland garage rockers The Helltones bring a beachy, modern doo-wop vibe to their new album Medusa (out Nov. 17), drawing inspiration from psychedelic surf, soulful Americana & retro rhythm and blues. Its harmonized backing vocals, sun-kissed hand claps, grooving organ and overdriven guitar create a cinematic album about love, addiction, picking fights, making up and navigating adulthood while maintaining your sanity.
The raw, soulful twang of Bonnie and the Mere Mortals’ “Tennessee” taps into a rich vein of alt-country, echoing the likes of Neko Case and Margo Price, but with a strikingly intimate and humanizing edge. Performed live in front of a studio audience, the song immerses you in a vivid tapestry of restless emotions and powerful longing for belonging. The yearning in frontwoman Bonnie Ramone’s voice, a queer-identifying, tattoo artist with a Dolly-Parton-meets-Elvira persona, translates the potent lyrics about dislocation and the universal human ache for connection, creating a deeply poignant and resonant narrative.
Midwest Americana family outfit Shannon Clark and the Sugar have delivered a deeply personal and resonant new album titled “This Old World.” Released on September 8, the album is a striking tapestry of American life, unraveling the complexities of the modern era through a blend of country, soulful folk, roots, and heartland rock, bound together by the enchanting cadence of familial harmonies. The title track, “This Old World,” is a profoundly introspective exploration of our national identity, bravely navigating the intricate contours of gender identity, anxiety, depression, war, and gun violence.
Shannon Clark and the Sugar’s latest single is a stirring anthem that combines upbeat rhythm, catchy melodic hooks and rousing electric guitar. ‘This Old World’ tackles a range of challenging subjects, from gun violence to mental health and gender identity. It’s full of empathy and sensitively done, touching on each subject before focusing on hope and positivity in the soaring choruses: “Don’t let this world, bring you down.” Never afraid to address big issues like this, Shannon Clark and the Sugar always deliver heartfelt, emotive songs that we can relate to and find ourselves in. Thanks, perhaps, to the family connections within the band, the vocal harmonies are also beautifully done.
We’re proud to be debuting this touching new single from Rick Hornyak forthcoming album, “Dandelion.” Take a listen here!
Nashville Americana duo Megan & Shane’s new album Peaks and Valleys (out July 14) encompasses one of the great love stories of our time. Its songs chronicle their odyssey from humble punk rock beginnings in Minnesota’s frozen wastelands to their time in the mystic deserts of the Southwest to their new lives in Music City U.S.A. They connected with multi-Grammy-winning engineer Brandon Bell (Brandi Carlile, The Highwomen, Alison Krauss) and an all-star cast of players to bring Peaks and Valleys to life.