Category Archives: 2024

WATCH: Max McNown’s Love Letter to the Fans

It’s been a big year so far for Max McNown. The Nashville-based songwriter released his debut album, Wandering, on April 12, and just wrapped up his first-ever tour, where he got to meet and interact with his growing fanbase.

To commemorate the experience, McNown released a new song, “Love Me Back,” to thank his fans for joining the ride so far. A “lost track” crafted immediately after the Wandering sessions, “Love Me Back” tells the story of a man who put his heart on the line — and found himself fortunate to have that love reflected toward him. The rollicking tune feels like a warm welcome home, featuring intricate acoustic guitar work, impactful percussion, and a memorable melody from McNown, whose smoky baritone is rich in depth and soul.

“‘Love Me Back’ was created with AJ Pruis right after I delivered the ‘Wandering’ album, but it didn’t make the cut in time,” McNown said. “It’s a lost extra track, a gift to all those listening. I’m so grateful for the support.”

The official music video highlights from McNown’s U.S. tour, which spanned nearly two months before concluding in San Diego on May 8. While there are some performance clips, most of the video features McNown meeting and embracing his fans after every show, continuing connections that will surely endure for years to come.

Entitlement in the Music Industry

Do you deserve opportunities, fame, and fortune *just because* you’re creating? What value must you provide, in order for somebody to provide value to you?

This Quinn Spinn Solo Mission uses a real-world example to come in with the hard truth. Today, we examine the intersection of music and business.

This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at Helping Our Music Evolve, Nashville, TN.

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

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WATCH: Sloan Golden’s ‘Parking Lot’ Encapsulates the Feeling of a Panic Attack

Photo credit: Kelsey Pecchia

We all need a place to go when the world feels heavy.

For LA-based indie pop artist Sloan Golden, that place has always been her car — it has been a place for hard conversations, as well as a refuge where she has collected her thoughts. She translates these real-world experiences into art in her new single and video, “Parking Lot.”

“My seventeen-year-old self, who sat alone in her car in the Best Buy parking lot having a meltdown, wouldn’t believe that all that pain she felt might’ve been worth something,” Golden said.

“Parking Lot” — co-written with Jensen McRae and produced by acclaimed indie rock musician, Runnner (Skullcrusher) — was crafted to represent “the sonic encapsulation of what an anxiety attack feels like.” Golden’s aim was to help listeners connect to the release via their own similar experiences.

“I intentionally never mentioned the title of the song within the lyrics, as I want listeners to be able to place themselves in their own ‘parking lots’ without me ever having to say it,” Golden said.

The video expands on this notion. Directed by Madi Boll, the cinematic offering begins with a disagreement — and Golden’s seemingly complete dissociation — outside of her own birthday party, as she retreats to her car to gather herself.

“A panic attack feels like everything inside of you is at hyper speed while the world outside is hazy and out of sync,” Boll said. “This got me thinking about a world where everyday objects move in sync with our mental highs and lows, and thus ‘Parking Lot’ came to life.”

You Shouldn’t Have Time to Talk S***

Spreading rumors and gossip about others in your community will do more harm than good to your career and life. Let’s explore why!

This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at Helping Our Music Evolve, Nashville, TN.

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

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LISTEN: Midland, Orville Peck Release Interstellar Single, ‘The Hurtin’ Kind’

Photo credit: Will Byington Photography

Certain songs hit us with a feeling of amazement; these are the moments whose timelessness, through any era, nestles into our consciousness and resonates at a purely spiritual level.

It’s hard to say if outlaw country crooner Orville Peck knew he had that kind of moment on his hands, when he teamed up with two-time GRAMMY winners Midland to write “The Hurtin’ Kind.” But, if that was the goal, mission accomplished!

“The Hurtin’ Kind” — included on Peck’s new duets album, Stampede Vol. 1 — made its live debut on Midland’s Last Resort Cruise in April. Bass and hand percussion gently guide us in, swaying with a sensibility that recalls the romantic early days of rock and roll. From there, Peck’s soul-baring baritone makes its way in, with a richness fit for a King. Crisp harmonies and ambient guitar tones enter the scene next, filling out a wondrous, space-country soundscape that shimmers like a starry night over Utah’s dark sky country.

“Orville Peck is a dear friend of ours, and it’s an honor to be on this song with him,” said Midland. “We had a great time debuting ‘The Hurtin’ Kind’ live with Orville on our Last Resort Cruise last month. He’s an incredible performer and singer, and y’all are in for it with this one.”

Agreed. Y’all are in for it. What are you waiting for?

Rebel Against the System with Black Suit Devil

If you’re looking for proof that rock is alive and well, look no further.

Black Suit Devil — the songwriting vehicle of Andy Du Rego, who previously graced our pages with this single from his upcoming album, The Eternal Sleep — has unveiled the album’s lead track. “Buried in You” is a high-powered, sprawling anthem; one which clocks in at 7-and-a-half-minutes, and blends the worlds of prog-metal and post-grunge.

“(Buried in You)” is the heaviest song I have ever written for Black Suit Devil,” Du Rego noted. “Prior to BSD, I had been performing over the years in various heavy metal and rock bands. So, it’s a great feeling for me personally, to bring that into Black Suit Devil.”

Hallmarked by scorching guitars, relentless drums, and powerful, gritty vocals, “Buried in You” provides a commentary on the ways modern society is constructed to control — and oftentimes, work actively against — the common man. Du Rego pulls no punches about the societal constructs which lord over every aspect of our lives — from our finances and the food we eat, to what we think and feel.

“I wanted to take the listener down a rabbit hole adventure, and make them think about the world around them,” Du Rego said.

“Buried in You” features the talents of Vic Freitas on drums and John Brand on bass. The song was self-recorded, mixed by mixed by 2x Juno Award winner Kevin Dietz, and mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering. Dive in!

LISTEN: With ‘be kind & rewind,’ znels Lets Us Re-live the Good Parts

No matter how red the flags become, our minds like to reflect on our past relationships with a fondness that can seem downright delusional.

Ohio-based alt-pop artist znels offers us this view through rose-colored glasses on his latest single, “be kind & rewind.” Supported by an airy, pastel soundscape — think along the lines of 5 Seconds of Summer, with a dash of Owl City — we get to fall in love with our exes all over again.

Or, at least the things about them we actually liked

“Have you ever wanted to jump back to a moment in time and just stay there? ‘be kind & rewind’ is a nostalgic daydream for when everything felt perfect,” znels said. “It’s a breakup song for when things turn out to be so much different than you wanted, but you stay a little bit delulu by living in your head and replaying the good parts.”

It may be brand new (released May 10), but the release “be kind & rewind” has been a long time coming. In fact, it’s the song that inspired znels to begin releasing music under his current project.

“It took two years to get to this point of feeling like it was ready to be released. I spent so much time with the song to get things like the lyrics, word choices, key, and BPM right,” znels said. “I produced and released my first two singles independently, but for this one, I was lucky to work with producer Connor Daniel (Iann Dior, The Veronicas, Demi Lovato), who really helped take it where I wanted to go.”

Ready to hear where it went? We can oblige!

LISTEN: You’ll Be ‘Better Off’ After That Breakup

It can be tough to see at first, but the truth is, a lot of breakups are for the best.

New Jersey-based alt-rockers The Break Plans deliver that message in empowering fashion on their latest single, “Better Off” (released May 10). The tune combines scorching guitar work with an anthemic pop sensibility, providing a lift to anyone struggling with what comes next after a relationship.

“Heartbreak is really hard and can be incredibly lonely,” shares vocalist Colton Braun. “I wanted to talk about those experiences so many of us have had. What I’ve learned is that there’s a great deal of freedom that comes from finally letting go. Writing these songs with my band was the most cathartic thing I’ve ever done. I hope our listeners can relate and find comfort in it.”

The single — the first from the band’s debut EP, Mistakes Are a Friend of Mine (due Fall 2024) — marks a watershed moment in the band’s creative process, with guitarist Mikey Strawz noting that the band feels free to create music they love.

 “This is our third cycle of releasing new music, and we’re allowing each other total freedom to write the songs that we want to make,” Strawz said. “It’s completely uninhibited and has helped the writing process immensely. After working with so many talented producers (Carl Bahner -The Wombats, Rob Chiarappa – Gray Scale/Jake Miller, Corey Mouch-Knox) and keeping a keen eye on modern pop music, we have a clear direction of what works for us.”

All Poets & Heroes Want You to Make Something of Your Life

A good friend can be the guiding force which leads us toward self-improvement.

All Poets & Heroes explore an unconventional version of this dynamic on their new tune, “Singlehanded.” Influenced by the slacker rock of the 90s and early 2000s, the band tells the story of a person with untapped potential, and the loyal stoner friend who witnesses him wasting away into oblivion.

“Centered around a bad day — and seemingly a wasted life — a person who was told they were ‘good as gold’ is finding that life isn’t turning out the way they had hoped,” said lead vocalist Rob McCall. “He visits his stoner friend and pisses away another day. However, it’s the stoner friend, who narrates the story, that sees this person clearly and is attempting to snap them out of there woes, urging them to claim their dignity by accepting that life is hard, and trying to get them to work at bettering themselves.”

“And for fun, there’s a reference to masturbation.”

Want even more reason for excitement? All Poets & Heroes will be a part of ARREIS’ and Local Nation’s Battle of the Bands, taking place June 12 at The End. Learn more about that here!

Leading with Love & Defying Expectations (ft. Alis Vibe)

Alis Vibe makes danceable pop music that is loaded with intention. The Italian-born musician combines European influences with contemporary American pop sensibilities to deliver a message rooted in love, compassion, and boundless creativity.

On this episode of The Quinn Spinn, we learn about the journey that brought Alis from Milan to Nashville, and the deep inner work she’s done to show up as her most compassionate, creative self.

This episode of The Quinn Spinn was recorded and produced at Helping Our Music Evolve, Nashville, TN.

Opening theme: REVEL 9: All I’ve Become

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