Chris StameyThe Great EscapeCar/Schoolkids Records [2023] If your cultural antenna are tuned toward the rise of alternative music in the southeast late 70’s & early 80’s, from places like Athens, GA and Chapel Hill, NC, then no doubt the name Chris Stamey may register in your memory even if you can’t quite place the what … Read more
The IronsidesChanging LightColemine Records [2023] There’s something of a soul and funk renaissance happening these days, and one of the labels at the forefront of the movement is Loveland, Ohio’s Colemine Records. They’ve released albums by some of the most exciting acts of the last ten years, counting names like Durand Jones and the Indications, … Read more
GrouploveI Want It All Right NowGlassnote Records [2023] Atlanta-based, power-pop meets 90’s indie rock band Grouplove may have come on the scene in 2011 declaring that we should “Never Trust a Happy Song,” but their strong suit has always been those big, high-energy sing-along choruses carried by husband-and-wife lead vocalists, Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper. … Read more
Joanna SternbergI’ve Got MeFat Possum Records [2023] Joanna Sternberg’s sophomore album, I’ve Got Me, is a heartfelt and introspective album that delves into themes of recognition, self-discovery, and resilience. With their raw and honest songwriting, Sternberg invites listeners on a deeply personal journey, showcasing their remarkable talent as both a songwriter and performer. The album … Read more
MammatusExpanding MajestySilver Current Records [2023] Mammatus, the experimental rock band known for their elaborate compositions and mind-bending sonic journeys, has returned after 8 years with their latest offering, “Expanding Majesty.” With this album, the California-based group takes us on a 69-minute immersive musical expedition over 4 tracks, diving deep into the realms of psychedelic space … Read more
Albert Hammond JrMelodies On HiatusRed Bull Records [2023] While The Strokes continue to be an ongoing concern, with the band opening for parts of the recent Red Hot Chili Peppers tour and the word in late in 2022 that the band was back in the studio with producer Rick Rubin, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr has … Read more
PJ HarveyI Inside The Old Year DyingPartisan Records [2023] To indie and alternative rock fans, PJ Harvey is well-known for early aggressive art-rock albums delivered with punk intensity, and her later works for her socio/political commentary and insights. Few are aware that she’s an artistic polymath, a sculptor, painter, and poet as well as a … Read more
M. WardSupernatural ThingANTI- [2023] For singer/songwriter, instrumentalist and renowned producer, M. Ward the art and creativity at the heart of making music is a Supernatural Thing. In the album’s title song, he shares a message from Elvis, the original one from Memphis, that when it comes to direction, “you can go anywhere you please.” Drawing … Read more
Queens Of The Stone AgeIn Times New Roman…Matador Records [2023] To say that Josh Homme has been an influential presence in rock music since the mid-’80s is an undeniable truth. Placed somewhere between a V8 Hemi and the undead Elvis, Homme has stumbled, fuzzed, buzzed, strutted, and grooved through all of his endeavors, gaining notoriety … Read more
Sweeping PromisesGood Living Is Coming For YouFeel It/Sub Pop Records [2023] Sweeping Promises, the once Boston-based post-punk outfit now located in Lawrence, Kansas, has unleashed a feverish and uncompromising attitude in their sophomore album, Good Living Is Coming For You. With unrelenting urgency and a distinct blend of post-punk, new wave, and garage rock influences, … Read more
Louise PostSleepwalkerEl Camino Media [2023] Nearly 30 years since Louise Post and her partner in crime Nina Gordon burst on the post-grunge alt/rock scene in the band Veruca Salt, Post has stepped away from her band to pursue a solo career and a broader musical palette rooted in more personal storytelling. Arriving on the scene … Read more
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsCouncil SkiesSour Mash Records [2023] Back when everyone was in lockdown due to the pandemic, Noel Gallagher recorded a bright, Britpop song with a bouncy chorus and full brass and string orchestration titled “We’re Going to Get There in the End,” a bold bit of optimism in the face of our … Read more
MotorbikeMotorbikeFeel It Records [2023] I love it when a record comes out of nowhere and completely knocks you over after the first spin. Motorbike’s self-titled debut did just that with its full-throttle, high-stakes rock ‘n’ roll assault that will make you a believer in its short twenty-seven-minute runtime. The five-piece Welsh-American band from Cincinnati, Ohio, … Read more
PardonerPeace Loving PeopleBar/None Records [2023] Pardoner, the San Francisco-based indie rock band, has returned with their fourth album, Peace Loving People, and it’s a fantastic display of their evolving sound and songwriting prowess. Building upon the foundation they laid on last year’s excellent Came Down Different, Pardoner delivers a collection of songs here that continues … Read more
The AlarmForwardsThe Twenty First Century Recording Company [2023] The first time anyone heard Welsh band The Alarm in No. America, they opened the last half or U2’s “War” tour in ‘83, with little more than their 5-song eponymous debut EP on IRS Records to promote. With their tall, spiked hair, and amped up acoustic guitars … Read more
SquidO MonolithWarp Records [2023] Squid’s debut album Bright Green Field (2021) instantly set them apart from many the other UK-based acts that garnered attention in indie rock circles at the time. While they’re often compared to bands like black midi or Black Country, New Road for their spoken word-style vocals, Bright Green Field highlights Squid’s … Read more
Robert Vaughn And The ShadowsLove And War (35th Anniversary Expanded Edition)Alternative Records [2023] It’s a story as old as time. Likely all of us have at some point encountered a band, a song, an album that so impressed, so inspired and delighted us that we were convinced that they would soon be the Next Big … Read more
King Gizzard & The Lizard WizardPetroDragonic Apocalypse; Or, Dawn Of Eternal Night: An Annihilation Of Planet Earth And The Beginning Of Merciless DamnationKGLW [2023] King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is back with their 24th album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation. This … Read more
RancidTomorrow Never ComesEpitaph Records [2023] After a five-year hiatus, Rancid returns with their tenth studio album, Tomorrow Never Comes. This album marks a solid return to form for the band, blending a familiar sound with a refreshing energy. The album showcases Rancid’s trademark ska-punk style, infused with a more mature and refined edge. The songs … Read more
SparksThe Girl Is Crying In Her LatteIsland Records [2023] Sparks’ twenty-first century resurgence is one of the greatest comeback stories in popular music. After several brushes with stardom in the 1970s and early 80s, the Mael brothers were burnt out and nearly forgotten by the early 90s. Perpetually ahead of their time, the band began … Read more
miniaturizedminiaturizedSelf-Released [2023] According to the bio for the release from the San Diego band’s self-titled debut, the band miniaturized formed to play a one-off charity event for MusicCares, which was a tribute to Tom Petty. No doubt inspired by the way the master craftsman and inspired songwriter wrote music that rocked with undeniable authority, while … Read more
Jenny LewisJoy’AllBlue Note/Capitol Records [2023] There’s a determined, purposeful up-tempo feel on Jenny Lewis’ fifth solo project, the aptly titled Joy’All. It’s as if the former child actor and former Rilo Kiley singer has decided that little is gained by holding on to past harms when you can “follow your joy’all.” But she’s not living … Read more
RVGBrain WormsFire Records [2023] Melbourne post-punk quartet RVG’s third album, Brain Worms, is a bold and ambitious record that sees the band expanding their sound with the addition of synths while staying true to their roots. The album is once again filled with catchy melodies, driving rhythms, and Romy Vager’s sharp, insightful lyrics. RVG harkens … Read more
Jason Isbell And The 400 UnitWeathervanesSoutheastern Records/Thirty Tigers [2023] When Sam Jones’ documentary, Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, hit HBO early this Spring, music fans not only got an inside look into the making of the 2020 release from Jason Isbell and his band The 400 Unit, “Reunions,” but we also witnessed the … Read more
Maya OngakuApproach To AnimaGuruguru Brain [2023] Maya Ongaku is a trio hailing from the seaside communities surrounding Enoshima, a small island located 50 km southwest of Tokyo, Japan. The group earned a bunch of early fans as they were an opener for label mate Kikagaku Moyo’s final tour. Approach To Anima is their debut album, … Read more