News

Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoes” and Our Queer Satan

Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoes” and Our Queer Satan

Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoes” takes on the Devil and righteously subverts anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

Moira Smiley and VOCO’s “The Call” Says Stay Strong in Shared Humanity (premiere)

Moira Smiley and VOCO’s “The Call” Says Stay Strong in Shared Humanity (premiere)

Moira Smiley and VOCO's "The Call" urges to stay strong in our shared humanity against the screaming voices of division. It's a plea for oneness as the US exercises its essential identity as a democracy on 3 November.

Kimm Rogers’ “Lie” Is an Unapologetically Political Tune (premiere)

Kimm Rogers’ “Lie” Is an Unapologetically Political Tune (premiere)

San Diego's Kimm Rogers taps into frustration with truth-masking on "Lie". "What I found most frustrating was that no one would utter the word 'lie'."

Rachel Brooke Has “The Lovells Stockade Blues” (premiere)

Rachel Brooke Has “The Lovells Stockade Blues” (premiere)

Country singer-songwriter Rachel Brooke reflects on life in a small town where winters are long and comforts can be few in "The Lovells Stockade Blues".

LA Rockers Swerve Make a Dark, Romantic “Escape” (premiere)

LA Rockers Swerve Make a Dark, Romantic “Escape” (premiere)

Los Angeles' Swerve share their new single "Escape", which marries 1970s-inspired aesthetics with contemporary sensibilities.

Elliott Park’s Joyful Family Ride “To the Moon and Back” (premiere)

Elliott Park’s Joyful Family Ride “To the Moon and Back” (premiere)

Americana musician Elliott Park's second family-friendly collection brings his daughters along for the ride.

The Lone Bellow’s Socially-Distant Cow Field Show (photos)

The Lone Bellow’s Socially-Distant Cow Field Show (photos)

The Lone Bellow's live performance was a pleasurable distraction in the middle of a pandemic. But I had forgotten how to attend a ticketed concert.

Thornato and Paulina Sotomayor Celebrate Independent Women on “La Niña Grande” (premiere)

Thornato and Paulina Sotomayor Celebrate Independent Women on “La Niña Grande” (premiere)

Thornato and Paulina Sotomayor celebrate independent women on their new tropical dance single, "La Niña Grande".

Rick Shea Walks Us Through Perilous Times With “The World’s Gone Crazy” (premiere)

Rick Shea Walks Us Through Perilous Times With “The World’s Gone Crazy” (premiere)

California singer-songwriter Rick Shea, whose credits include stints with Dave Alvin and Chris Gaffney delivers a dispatch on life of this most trying of years, 2020.

Ryan Martin Celebrates Life’s Immediacy in “I Just Wanna Die” (premiere)

Ryan Martin Celebrates Life’s Immediacy in “I Just Wanna Die” (premiere)

Drawing on inspiration from Gillian Welch, Ryan Martin delivers a song that taps into classic country-rock of the early 1970s. "You can certainly dance to it," he says.

Post-rock’s Coastlands Meditate on Loss, Growth, Change on ‘Death’ (album stream)

Post-rock’s Coastlands Meditate on Loss, Growth, Change on ‘Death’ (album stream)

Guitarist Jason Sissoyev speaks about Coastlands' emotionally-charged new LP, a meditation that is heavy in more ways that one. "It pummels you, then there's this release and then it keeps going," he says.

David Poe Releases Smart, Sophisticated “Gun for a Mouth” (premiere)

David Poe Releases Smart, Sophisticated “Gun for a Mouth” (premiere)

David Poe's "Gun for a Mouth" works in a fine tradition of smart, hook-driven American songwriting that lands between Matthew Sweet and Kevin Gilbert.