Category: music

Forthcoming new album release: I Want It All Right Now – Grouplove

Grouplove announces deluxe version of I Want It All Right Now – out on May 10, 2024. Photo: Brantley Gutierrez, used with permission.

On their new album I Want It All Right Now, Grouplove offers up a body of work built on a raw but incandescent sound that vocalist/keyboardist Hannah Hooper refers to as “resistance pop.” As Hooper reveals, the Atlanta-based band’s sixth full-length album emerged from a period of intense transformation for herself and her husband/bandmate, vocalist/guitarist Christian Zucconi. Over the course of 11 shapeshifting songs, Grouplove’s debut release for Glassnote Records documents that progression from external searching to radical self-discovery, infusing each track with the wildly unbridled spirit the band has always embodied. (Big Hassle, 2024)

I Want It All Right Now fully harnesses the ecstatic energy Grouplove has brought to the stage on multiple international headline tours and at leading festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. In a major leap forward for the band—whose lineup also includes bassist Daniel Gleason, guitarist Andrew Wessen, and drummer Ben Homola—the album explores the deepest tensions of the human psyche with equal parts tenderness, curiosity, and exacting self-revelation. A bold evolution of the defiantly sincere songwriting they first delivered on their 2011 debut Never Trust a Happy Song, I Want It All Right Now ultimately leaves the listener newly awakened to the wisdom and power of their own intuition.

I Want It All Right Now Deluxe will be available everywhere on May 10, 2024.

The deluxe album will feature six new tracks, including the live version of the album’s title track “All” from Madison Square Garden. With Jake Clemons from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band lending his talents on the saxophone, the live rendition sheds any previous confines and swells into something altogether larger than life.

Multifaceted in her approach to artistry, Hannah Hooper has painted all of the band’s artwork. Grouplove’s artwork has become almost as recognizable as their sound over the years, seeing the band work out the tensions of life through all mediums at their disposal.

In February, Grouplove released the first deluxe track “Chances.” The rapturous, overstimulated, hallucinogenic singsong saw the band channeling their ecstatic energy into the deepest tensions of the human psyche, all while playing with the contradictions and complications of existing. I Want It All Right Now, the band’s sixth studio album, was originally released in 2023.

Over the last month, Grouplove has been joined by Bully for the North American Rock And Roll You Won’t Save Me Tour. Fans who missed the tour or simply want more need not despair as the band has upcoming festival performances this summer at Wildflower! Festival, Bonnaroo and Oceans Calling. By popular demand, Grouplove has been added to 9 new dates this fall supporting P!nk.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES
May 17 – Richardson, TX – Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival
June 14 – Bonnaroo – Manchester, TN
June 22 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage (with Arkells)
September 28 – Ocean City, MD – Oceans Calling Festival
November 3 – Austin, TX – Moody Center ^
November 6 – Arlington, TX – Globe Life Field ^
November 8 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center ^
November 11 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena^
November 12 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena^
November 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena^
November 16 – Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena at The BJCC^
November 18 – Orlando, FL – Camping World Stadium^
November 20 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena^

^ supporting P!nk

I Want It All Right Now Deluxe track list:
“All”
“Cheese”
“Malachi”
“Hello”
“Eyes”
“Billie”
“Tryin’”
“Cream”
“Francine”
“Climb”
“Wall”
“Chances”
“Can You Feel My Love”
“Fire”
“House”
“Fishbowl”
“All (Live)”

Courtesy photo, used with permission

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New album release: Talking to Strangers – Jack McKeon

“Last Slice of Heaven” is the first single off Jack McKeon’s forthcoming new album Talking to Strangers, due out June 21, 2024. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Jack McKeon is a different sort of musician; a Nashville-based singer-songwriter with an honest, plainspoken vocal, an eclectic-roots sound, and a knack for bringing crystalline characters to life. A student of the greats drawn to the timeless, rather than the trendy, he hails from Chatham, New York (a few hours north of New York City and a world removed from the Americana and bluegrass scene he now inhabits), and harbors a deep love for the written word. First inspired by literary music icons from Hank Williams and Guy Clark to Tom T. Hall and John Hartford, McKeon arrived in Nashville in 2021 and has since established a reputation for his own message-drive lyricism—a value which shows up in its full sonic serenity on his 2024 album debut, Talking to Strangers, due out June 21. (IV-PR, 2024)

Recorded live over three days, Talking to Strangers captures the warm, organic sound of contemporary Appalachian soul, infusing folk rock with an easy-going bluegrass sway and speaking to his long-held musical values. It’s a work of classic craftsmanship, sturdy and simple yet packed with the nuance of a true, intentional wordsmith, and just the first significant step in what McKeon sees as “a lifelong pursuit.”

“Last Slice of Heaven” is the first single from Talking to Strangers. Fans can stream or purchase the single and pre-save Talking to Strangers ahead of its release.

With a classic banjo kick-off and rose-colored details dotting the first verse, Jack McKeon gives listeners their first taste of his new album with “Last Slice of Heaven.”

McKeon’s depiction of developmental creep is the story of every landowner outside of burgeoning cities nationwide. It doesn’t take long for the story to take a darker turn. How are the bills getting paid? Is there a new contractor twisting the county’s arm to condemn? “But now the land that he’s been working is worth more than he could need,” McKeon sings in the song’s pre-chorus. “If selling out’s surrender, is leaving like defeat?” “I wrote this song to give a voice to the person I imagined holding on to this ‘Last Slice of Heaven,’ a character at odds with the transformation around him who’s fighting to hold on to his own identity,” says McKeon. “…in spite of ‘A world that’s always changing what it means to be the same.’”

The Bluegrass Situation premiered the music video for “Last Slice of Heaven,” a simple, poignant affair in which McKeon picks the song on his vintage Gibson dreadnaught in his own little slice of heaven.

Talking to Strangers track list:
Willow Lane
Paler Shade of Blue
Highway 29
Last Slice of Heaven
I Don’t Trust You
Hard Headed
Crooked Teeth
Past the Point of Rescue
Waffle House Wonder
Love at the End of the World

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Red Bull Batalla: worldwide rap battle tournament at Paper Tiger

Red Bull Batalla returns to Fiesta San Antonio. The world’s biggest Spanish language freestyle rap competition takes over Paper Tiger. Photo: Red Bull Batalla, used with permission.

Red Bull Batalla, the world’s largest Spanish-language freestyle rap competition, returns to San Antonio as part of Fiesta San Antonio 2024, bringing together some of the America’s best freestyle rappers to battle it as part of a bracket-style tournament on Saturday, April 20 at Paper Tiger. (Red Bull Batalla, 2024)

After a successful debut last spring, Red Bull Batalla returns to San Antonio, welcoming 16 aspiring MCs, a quarter of which hail from the Lone Star State. 

These Latino lyricists will put their wit, creativity, and stage presence to the test over a series of bracket-style knockout rounds all for a chance to compete at the USA National Final later this fall, and potentially the 2024 International Final in Madrid, Spain this November.

Immediately following these intense rap battles, attendees will be treated to music performances from a pair of hip-hop stars – fast-rising Mexican rapper/singer Tornillo and Houston’s very own Bo Bundy – to close out San Antonio’s Red Bull Batalla Regional Qualifier.

Attendees will be able to get their hands on a brand new metal created to commemorate Fiesta San Antonio 2024. Designed by Texas-based Monarch Trophy Studio, these special medals are limited in quantity and offered as a first-come, first-served gift to attendees.

Photo: Red Bull Batalla

Throughout the evening event, guests will also be treated to several tasty cocktails curated by Red Bull, as well as free haircuts and beard trims courtesy of some of San Antonio’s premier barbers and hair stylists including Faded Culture and Kurly Kutz, among others. This barber pop-up experience will be available first come, first serve starting when doors open at 8p.m.

Fans 18+ are encouraged to RSVP for Free online today to reserve their spot in advance, although prices increase to $5 the week of the event. 

USA REGIONAL QUALIFIER – EVENT INFORMATION:

DATE: Saturday, April 20
TIME: Doors open at 8p.m., rap battles start at 9p.m.
LOCATION: Paper Tiger (2410 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212)

MCS:
• Boss
• Cuban **
• Heavy
• Magimbri **
• RuRa
• Pharaon
• Maluque
• White Caracas **
• Oner
• YENKY ONE
• Jordi **
• Versomc
• J Luna
• TREBOL
• LINK_ONE
• CAS **

** MCs based in Texas

JUDGES:
• Chester – Spanish freestyle legend and longtime California scene icon
• Skiper – Red Bull Batalla Mexico National Final 2021 Champion and freestyle OG
• Barba – San Antonio and Texas Native, Barba is a mainstay in the Texas freestyle scene

HOST:
• Racso White Lion – Official host of the 2023 Red Bull Batalla USA season and creator of the Indigo Freestyle League based in Orlando, Florida
• Fluffy – Host of Red Bull Batalla and Official host of the Texas freestyle league, Urban RapStars

DJS:
• DJ Lobo – Resident DJ for Texas freestyle league Urban RapStars
• Rudy Rios – San Antonio native and resident DJ at Vibras bar

Since 2005, Red Bull Batalla has provided a platform for the best hip-hop improvisors in the Spanish-speaking world to connect, develop, and compete. Within the last few years, the Red Bull founded project has become the world’s biggest international freestyle battle competition, uniting Spanish speaking Latin America and Spain. The roots of this improvised rap scene are as deeply connected to hip hop as they are to the improvisation styles of traditional folk troubadours. It has evolved into a style completely distinct from that of hip hop in North America. With Batalla, Red Bull gives an opportunity for young MCs to train, perform and improve their improvisation and rapping skills.

Photo: Red Bull Batalla

New single: Woman Like Me – Brontë Fall

Brontë Fall’s new single, Woman Like Me, is a bluesy-rocker appealing to anyone who has ever been asked to fit into a box. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Teri Bracken, better known by her stage name Brontë Fall, is an acclaimed songwriter whose road to songwriting began in childhood when she picked up piano at age 7. Classical violin lessons soon followed, and eventually she was tapped as the singer/violinist in a college rock band with a group of nineties rock loving frat boys. Bracken eventually made her way to Nashville—a dream come true considering it is a songwriter’s mecca. Though most of her instrumental focus is on guitar these days for pure convenience sake, Bracken still brings out her violin and even performs on piano during her shows—she never sings a note empty handed. (IV-PR, 2024)

After a family tragedy struck in 2022, Bracken rededicated herself to her craft, emerging with plenty of scar tissue and a batch of new songs that she considers her best yet. That lineup is highlighted by the new single Woman Like Me. The track is both a reminder of Fall’s skills as a songwriter and a significant leap forward in both sound and style. It’s a defining statement, the culmination of years grinding for a shot and, at the same time, a new beginning.

After years of grinding through music industry blockades on free-thinking, hard-working women, not to mention universal, unrealistic female expectations, Bracken decided it was time to set her record straight. “That we must ‘settle down’ at a specific time to start a family, give up our careers and lead a purely domestic existence; that we should be the apologetic, pleasing peacemakers; My song ‘Woman Like Me’ is a pushback on that entire narrative,” she says. After all, it was the Brontë sisters’ resistance to gender stereotypes in their industry that was a guiding light for Bracken at the beginning of her career, naming her whole persona in honor of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne’s resilience. 

With Woman Like Me, while owning who she is but also lamenting the unease she feels, Brontë Fall poses the question “Am I lovable?” over minor blues chords and a rock groove, making the song feel edgy, rebellious, and intriguing. “I’ve also found, while performing this song, that it touches people regardless of gender because perhaps we all feel pressure to fit a certain box based on where we’re from—and through the lens of social media,” she says. 

Recorded with a backing band of Matt Bubel, Robert Kearns, Jabe Beyer, Corey Congilio, Tim Craven (who also produced the track), and John Henry, the song signals a new era for Brontë Fall. Woman Like Me is the first of many new songs from the artist, all of which honor a new commitment to her most true self. “With this new era, I just wanted to be as authentic and raw as possible. In the past I was trying too hard or trying to be too different from who I actually am.” With Woman Like Me, Brontë Fall is beginning to unveil her unbridled vision.

Out everywhere, “Woman Like Me” is available right here and be sure to stay tuned for much more new music in the coming months. Brontë Fall will take the stage in Nashville for a hometown show on April 19. Tickets and more information can be found here.

 

New single: High Hopes and Low Expectations – JD Clayton

High Hopes and Low Expectations is the new single by JD Clayton. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

With his new single, High Hopes and Low Expectations, the Natural State’s new favorite recording artist, JD Clayton, tells the story of a young man searching for a better self and greener pastures, leaving his small town for the glamour of the big city. “This is really a song to myself,” says Clayton who co-wrote High Hopes with Nashville veteran Kendell Marvel. The song was self-produced by Clayton and he teamed up with six-time Grammy Awards winner Vance Powell to mix the track. The song’s protagonist meets an older gentleman who gives him a bit of free advice: “Live with high hopes and low expectations.” It’s not lost on Clayton that Marvel is the one who’s giving him the sage advice back in the real world. “He has become such a good friend and has been so kind to me as I’ve started my career,” says Clayton. “It felt like we were living out the song literally as we penned it.” (IV-PR, 2024)

Clayton found the inspiration for High Hopes and Low Expectations by chasing a blend of James Taylor and Elton John. Acoustically rich, the mid-tempo slow burner rides a heavy emphasis on a borderline-funky backbeat, piano, and guitars playing counterpoint to Clayton’s earnest vocal delivery. High Hopes and Low Expectations is out now and can be streamed or purchased right here. This single is the first in a number of new releases from Clayton as he gears up for a full-length follow-up to 2023’s Long Way From Home.

JD Clayton’s debut album, Long Way From Home, was released in early 2023 receiving overwhelming critical acclaim. Named one of 2023’s most anticipated Americana albums by Wide Open Country, the debut, 10-song offering has simplicity and sincerity running throughout. Earnest lyrics and lived-in vocals are delivered with a balance of warmth and resolve, and his timeless sound has an immediate appeal. Touring-wise, 2023 was spent building fans market by market, city by city while touring with Dwight Yoakam, Old Crow Medicine Show, Josh Turner, Tanner Usrey, Pat Green, Shane Smith & The Saints, Vincent Neil Emerson, Parker McCollum, Hank Williams Jr., Brent Cobb, Ashley McBryde, Cole Chaney and playing tastemaker festivals such as Bonnaroo, Rebels & Renegades, Born & Raised, and Dreamy Draw. On the heels of his debut album’s success, Clayton is putting finishing touches on his forthcoming self-produced record to be announced in spring and released later 2024. 

Clayton just wrapped up a 22 date tour with Tanner Usrey through early March and has upcoming dates with Ashley McBryde in April as well as adding additional headline and other support dates to be announced in the coming weeks.

Catch JD Clayton On Tour:
April 25 – Joliet, IL – Rialto Square Theatre *
April 26 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory *
May 3 – Cullman, AL – Alabama Strawberry Festival 2024
May 12 – San Diego, CA – Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival
May 17 – Bentonville, AR – FreshGrass Bentonville
* With Ashley McBryde

Upcoming new album release: Every New Beginning – Kim Richey

Kim Richey’s new album Every New Beginning is due out May 24, 2024. Photo: Stacie Huckeba, used with permission.

From her critically acclaimed self-titled 1995 debut to Long Way Back… The Songs of Glimmer in 2020, Singer/songwriter Kim Richey has consistently impressed listeners, garnered accolades, and attracted famous fans with her deft songwriting and crystalline vocals, both of which have made her an in-demand collaborator. Her voice has graced scores of recordings, providing peerless harmonies, including Jason Isbell’s watershed Southeastern, Trisha Yearwood’s Everybody Knows, Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams, Reba McEntire’s Starting Over, and Has Been by Capt. Kirk himself, William Shatner. Richey hits the road in the US and Europe this spring in support of Every New Beginning, her new album due out May 24 on Yep Roc Records. (Kim Richey, 2024)

Over a pulsating rhythm section and moody guitar arpeggios, the widely-beloved voice of songwriter’s songwriter Kim Richey delivers the opening line to her first new music in four years: “So here we go, another day on the water / The sun is shining but we never dive in.” The song is “Floating On The Surface” and it’s the first single to be released from Every New Beginning. Featuring ten songs spanning from more recent writes to decade-old puzzle pieces, finally finding a home on Richey’s 10th studio album, Every New Beginning highlights not just the songs of a master tunesmith—some co-written with fellow greats like Aaron Lee Tasjan and Brian Wright—but a career-defining performance from the voice which Brandi Carlile has cited as formative in crafting her own style. 

Every New Beginning manages to continue the throughline of Richey’s nearly 30-year career while simultaneously adding a new chapter. The songs represent the full spectrum of the Ohio native’s gifts as both a revered songwriter who can leap from melancholy to mirthful in a single couplet and owner of one of music’s truly celestial voices.  

Fans can stream or purchase “Floating On The Surface” at this link and pre-order or pre-save Every New Beginning ahead of its May release here. Fans who pre-order the project on vinyl have the option of Clear Coke Bottle Vinyl or a Limited Edition (250 worldwide pressing!) Translucent Orange Vinyl that includes an autographed handwritten note from Richey. She hits the road again in March for West Coast and Midwest shows before heading across the Atlantic in May.

Catch Kim Richey on tour:
March 22 – Bellingham, WA – Mount Baker Theatre
March 23 – Lake Oswego, OR – Parrott House Concerts
March 24 – Bremerton, WA – Concerts In The Woods
April 21 – Athens, OH – Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
May 3 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Grandview Music Hall & Kitchen
May 4 – Peninsula, OH – GAR Hall

May 15 – Camden, UK – Green Note
May 16 – Swindon, UK – The Old Stables, Cricklade
May 18 – London, UK – Half Moon, Putney
May 19 – Bristol, UK – Bristol Folk House
May 20 – Aberdeen, UK – The Blue Lamp
May 23 – Glasgow, UK – Glad Cafe
May 24 – Newcastle upon Tyne, UK – The Cluny 2
May 25 – York, UK – Newbald Village Hall
May 26 – Birmingham, UK – Birmingham Kitchen Garden

June 13 – Auburn, AL – Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series
June 14 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
June 15 – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse

Courtesy photo, used with permission
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Upcoming new album release: All is Song – Misner & Smith

Misner & Smith’s new album, All is Song, will be released April 12. Photo: Misner & Smith

Misner & Smith treasure the unpredictability of their band. Technically precise songwriting mirrored with an improvisatory spirit and soaring harmonies have made the band—consisting of Sam Misner and Megan Smith—one of the most acclaimed acts in the Americana world. Blending elements of that genre with bluegrass, traditional folk ballads, and more pop-leaning ideas, Misner & Smith make music gloriously nonconforming. The duo first met at a Shakespeare festival as professional actors in California in 2002 but began working as a musical duo two years later when Sam and Megan discovered a mutual love of roots music, Woody Guthrie, and in particular, harmony singing. Leading up to the release of their sixth LP All is Song, the duo has released five critically acclaimed records. On their new one, All is Song, they build upon that momentum and turn in their finest work to date, an album of inspired declarations to the power of music, song, and, most importantly, collaboration. (Misner & Smith, 2024)

“One thing that’s for sure / Though we never found a cure / We can ride out heartbreak like the weather,” sings Sam Misner on the group’s first single “Anthem.” Along with his longtime musical partner Megan Smith, Misner set about writing the tune that would eventually become the first single from Misner & Smith’s upcoming LP All is Song by dissecting the idea of anthemic music itself. All is Song is set for release on April 12 and can be pre-ordered or pre-saved right here.

The music—every single choice on the album, really—revolves around a single question: “What is this song about?” Every sound on All is Song is in service of the songs. The harmonies are often subtle but always pitch-perfect, a key to the album that took some time to harness. “Harmony is almost like a sculpting tool. I use it as a tool to draw out the stories and the songs and draw out the characters that we’re talking about,” explains Smith. “It’s a huge part of what we do.” Misner adds, “Serving the song became the credo, so we never included a certain line, part, or harmony for its own sake. It was always, ‘How can we best serve the song? That was our lighthouse.”

Catch Misner & Smith on tour:
May 2 – Freight & Salvage – Berkeley, CA
June 8 – McCloud River Mountain Music – McCloud, CA

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

All is Song track list:
Compose (2024)
Deep as the Water
Threadbare
Sadie’s Song
Interlude 1
Kerosene
Rising Of The Moon
Interlude 2
Tears and Ink
Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind
Silence Of The Sun
One Day (2024)
Anthem
Interlude 3
Little Light

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Upcoming new album release: Rio Bravo – Scott Ballew

Texas’ modern renaissance man Scott Ballew announces new album Rio Bravo due out March 29. Photo: Google/Viberate

Austin-born Scott Ballew’s resume is staggering, from his work as Yeti’s Head of Content, directing shorts featuring Ryan Bingham, to more recent independent ventures, including a documentary on Terry Allen and a film, All That is Sacred. A true artistic visionary, Ballew’s latest undertaking is a near-obsessive pursuit of quality songwriting. The medium has changed, but his razor-sharp ability to tell a story hasn’t. Sonically, his music–specifically Rio Bravo–is if Townes Van Zandt was produced by Ennio Morricone. Ballew’s writing is a world of contrasts–poignant but humorous, relatable but cerebral, simple but cinematic. “If you can make someone laugh and cry in the same paragraph, there’s no closer reflection to real life.” (Scott Ballew, 2024)

After an introduction to Terry Allen by mutual friend Ryan Bingham, Ballew’s approach to art (and life) was drastically altered. “[What Terry taught me is that] the audience is irrelevant. What’s important is that you wake up and you show up and you follow whatever it is that’s in your head or your heart.” The ‘showing up’ can be heard on Rio Bravo, a 9 song collection releasing March 29, 2024, via independent powerhouse, La Honda Records.

“People, they don’t change,” sings Scott Ballew on the first line of the first song of his junior album, Rio Bravo—an unexpected remark from a man whose life has been punctuated by personal evolution. A reductive synopsis would be as follows: Texas football star turned film director turned junkie turned musician.

“Writing has become a survival mechanism,” says the songwriter, musician, filmmaker and Texan. “This came to me later in life. I have four decades of experiences, anxieties, and thoughts that I am purging and have found that idle time is not healthy for me.”

Ballew recently shared “Suicide Squeeze,” the first single to be heard from Rio Bravo ahead of its March 29 release on La Honda Records. “I wrote this on a napkin inside Alamo Drafthouse Movie Theater watching ‘Licorice Pizza’ by Paul Thomas Anderson,” Ballew recalls. “Inspired by perfect running montages, I resonated with the kid who had ambitions to take a huge bite out of life.” The screening conjured up feelings from Ballew’s childhood like grandiose schemes or desires for widespread acclaim, or in his words, “the feeling that an older woman, or sports accolades, or some degree of celebrity was necessary to achieve success.”

“Suicide Squeeze” can be streamed today at this link, and Rio Bravo is available to pre-order or pre-save ahead of its March release right here.

Rio Bravo track list (Courtesy Photo)
True Love Can’t Surf
Trouble Darling
Suicide Squeeze
Can You Hear Me Smile
Rio Bravo
Impossible Smile
Mutiny
Old Fashioned
All That Is Sacred
A Funny Masterpiece

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New album release: Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom – Meatbodies

Meatbodies released ‘Billow’ single and video from new album Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom. Photo: Amanda Adam, used with permission.

Meatbodies is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 2011 in Los Angeles by Chad Ubovich. The band recently shared the new single/video Billow from their new album Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, due out March 8. (Meatbodies, 2024)

Billow plays like a long-lost single from the Creation Records heyday with a space-y Stone Roses-type groove that is immediate and unforgettable. It’s nothing short of an instant classic built on harmonizing vocals and tons of tambourine—blossoming from darkness into a hopeful groove bathed in sunlight and lysergic acid. The track is just one of thirteen expertly crafted tracks to appear on Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, due in just one month via In The Red.

Flora is the pinnacle of the Meatbodies’ catalog thus far and an effort bound to be on the tip of the tongue of their fans and in-the-know heads the world over. The borderline lost album is their most realized work to date on which frontman/lead guitarist Chad Ubovich faces the trials of sobriety, redemption, reinvention – all while literally learning to walk and play again.

“The last record was more of a cartoon version of who we were– simple and fun without delving into heavy concept. The whole thing before with Meatbodies was never sit down, next part, next part, but I wanted to make something with more depth. After everything that had happened, and my personal life, I was left with this feeling of emptiness and loss. So I wanted to make music that was absent from things– songs that were more about conveying feeling.”- Chad Ubovich

And so here we are, with Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, an album completed by an ironclad will and steely determination. A massive step forward, both by conventional standards and considering its tumultuous path toward completion. Fan can pre-save/pre-order the album here.

Come Spring, Meatbodies hit the road on a North American run that kicks off with a hometown release show at LA’s Lodge Room. See below for a full list of dates:

Mar 23: Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
Apr 03: San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Apr 04: San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO BREW
Apr 05: Santa Cruz, CA – Crepe Place
Apr 06: Reno, NV – Lo Bar
Apr 11: Seattle, WA – Barboza
Apr 12: Portland, OR – Lollipop Shoppe
Apr 13: Vancouver, BC – The Pearl
Apr 15: Boise, ID – Neurolux
Apr 16: Salt Lake City, UT – International Artists Lounge
Apr 17: Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Apr 19: Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
Apr 21: Chicago, IL – Schubas
Apr 22: Detroit, MI – Lager House
Apr 23: Toronto, ON – The Garrison
Apr 24: Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Apr 25: Troy, NY – No Fun
Apr 26: Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMoca
Apr 27: Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel
Apr 29: Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
Apr 30: Asheville, NC – Different Wrld
May 01: Atlanta, GA – 529
May 02: Louisville, KY – The Whirling Tiger
May 03: Nashville, TN – Third Man Records at The Blue Room
May 04: New Orleans, LA – Siberia
May 07: Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves
May 09: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
May 10: Austin, TX – The 13th Floor
May 12: Albuquerque, NM – Sister
May 13: Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
May 14: Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
May 16: San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
May 18: Costa Mesa, CA – The Wayfarer

Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom Track Listing:

  1. The Assignment
  2. HOLE
  3. Silly Cybin
  4. Billow
  5. They Came Down
  6. Trapped?
  7. Move
  8. I believe in pink (interlude)
  9. Criminal Minds
  10. ICNNVR2
  11. Psychic Garden
  12. (Return of) Ecstasy
  13. Gate
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Upcoming new single release: Family – The Peterson Brothers

The Peterson Brothers will unveil heartfelt single ‘Family,’ from anticipated album Experience, on February 27, 2024. Photo: Michael Davila, used with permission.

The Peterson Brothers, hailing from the vibrant musical hub of Austin, Texas, have been enchanting audiences with their very own blend of Americana music consisting of classic Soul, Funk, Blues, and Jazz for over a decade. The dynamic duo consists of Glenn Jr. on vocals and guitar, and Alex, a GRAMMY® award-winning artist, on bass, vocals, and even the violin. Their musical journey began when their mother and grandmother bestowed upon them a treasure trove of assorted albums and a turntable from a garage sale, sparking a lifelong love affair with classic music. (The Peterson Brothers, 2024)

Immersing themselves in the sounds of iconic artists such as The Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Brothers Johnson, and B.B. King, the Peterson Brothers honed their craft by absorbing the nuances of these legends. Drawing inspiration from their musical roots, they crafted a unique stage show that showcases their infectious energy and undeniable musical prowess.

As torchbearers of classic American music, The Peterson Brothers continue to leave an indelible mark on the music scene, captivating audiences with their infectious spirit and a musical prowess that pays homage to the timeless sounds that inspired their journey.

Celebrated for their genre-defying blend of Americana, classic soul, funk, and blues, The Peterson Brothers are gearing up to release their latest single, “Family,” on February 27, 2024. The single is available for pre-save HERE. This track serves as a heartfelt ode to the fans who have been with them since their early teen years. Dedicated to those who feel more like family than followers, the song is a musical expression of gratitude and connection. With lyrics that resonate with the bonds of kinship and shared experiences, the song celebrates the profound connection between a person and their biological or chosen families.

Experience, set to be unleashed in April 2024, is a jubilant celebration of life’s common themes, encapsulating the joys of spending time with family, the thrill of newfound love, and the beauty of human connection. Through the lens of gratitude, The Peterson Brothers invite listeners to join them on a heartfelt exploration of life’s many experiences, all set to a sonically uplifting soundtrack.

“This album is really personal to us and our experiences in life and conversations we’ve had through this journey in life and music. The name for the album comes from our experiences that we’ve had, conversations we’ve had with other people on their lives, the growth in our musicianship and artistry up to this point, and the fact that all of the songs on the album are experiences that everyone has had and can relate to.” – Alex Peterson

Experience will be available on all major streaming platforms on April 12, 2024. Fans can also pre-order the album starting March 29 to gain exclusive access to bonus content.

Experience track list:
In The Beginning
Family
Take You Time
Out Of My Mind
Too Soon
South End
I’ll Be Around
Shine

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

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Experience release date