Have you ever gone carelessly into a relationship, too distracted by the dopamine rush to recognize the abundance of red flags waving all around?
If that sounds like you — and if you like hard-driving, guitar-heavy rock and roll — you’re going to dig the latest single from YEARB4.
Titled “Rebel Without A Cause,” the scorching new summer anthem takes us from love bomb to discard in less than 3 1/2 minutes, leaving us breathless like the fling that ends without warning. The single was produced at Nashville’s East Iris Studios, and is the band’s first new offering since 2024’s “On My Own.”
“Rebel Without A Cause” kicks off a busy summer for YEARB4, who will perform in Nashville this Thursday, May 22 at Vinyl Lounge. After that, they’re hitting the road with our pal ARREIS, performing at Musica in Akron, OH on Sunday, June 15.
Although I’ve never been to Maine, this song makes me want to plan a camping trip to this lake and camp “Under the Stars” with my favorite people.
Recorded at Monaco Studios in Maine, “Under the Stars” by Andrew LaVogue is an American primitive guitar instrumental inspired by spending a night camping lakeside with best friends. It begins with dazzling finger picking guitar drenched in reverb, creating a feeling of anticipation that comes with knowing it’s going to be one of those night you’ll never forget.
As you listen, imagine sitting by a campfire with your favorite people. You’re laughing, singing, and sharing stories; living the precious moments while they are happening, and as they transition and fade into nostalgic memories.
Recently, I reconnected with my childhood best friend and we reminisced on all of our memories together. I showed him this song, and we both felt the song shift to signal that all good things come to an end.
Such is life. All good things must come to an end to create space for the future. We mustn’t dwell of the sadness that comes when these moments end, but show gratitude that they happened in the first place.
“It evokes that familiar, deflative feeling we’ve all experienced before.” -Angie Lese, drummer for Lips Speak Louder
Lips Speak Louder’s sixth single release, “Loser,” is the UnderDog anthem you want to blast at full volume on a rainy day, when you’re fed up with life dealing continuous blows (despite your many attempts to keep your head up).
The song begins with building harmonic anticipation on a melodic guitar. The verse comes in, reminding us of the innocence of youth and all the expectations we had for life when we grew up. Then, chorus busts in with an admission: “I’m tired of proving, I’m so good at losing,” before telling us to stay tuned, to see if the band makes it out of “the same black hole.”
“It’s a song about burnout and frustration that comes with growing up, and realizing that you can try your hardest and it won’t always be enough,” the band told us.
When you initially hear “Loser,” it gives the vibe of carefree life, spent cruising down the street on a skateboard before hanging with friends to catch a glorious sunset. Then, you feel the vulnerability of admitting that it’s tough to stay resilient when everything around you feels like it’s not working out.
Despite this sense of defeat, there is also a feeling of hope on “Loser” that things can and will be better on the other side of the struggle. The song provides a lonesome reminder that most of us are doing the best we can, even when the days constantly feel like an uphill battle. We remember not to bee too hard on ourselves and to keep pressing on, even at times when “doing our best” wasn’t good enough.
It’s important to keep getting back up. Then, just maybe, you’ll get a win every now and then.
And, if you’re Jason Boland, anytime is a great time to think about taking the trip.
“Take Me Back to Austin” — the final single from Jason Boland & The Stragglers’ forthcoming album, The Last Kings of Babylon — celebrates Boland’s adopted home of Austin, TX, where he met his wife and loves to return after time spent on the road.
“My wife and I lived in Austin when we first got together, and then we moved out into the country in Texas, where it can be pretty boring,” Boland explains. “People expect with how much time I spend on the road that I’d want to come home and kick my shoes off when I finally get a break, but all we ever want to do is head right back into Austin and catch a band.”
The down-home traditional country tune is carefree in its essence. Boland’s gentle, yet robust baritone illustrates a homecoming that feels like home, every time. Beautifully woven steel guitar and fiddle parts add depth to the sonic palette, trading lead duties during a riveting solo just before the bridge.
Alongside the rest of the new album, “Take Me Back to Austin” was produced by the legendary Lloyd Maines, who also produced the band’s debut album, Pearl Snaps. You’ll have a chance to hear it live at select dates throughout the southwest and midwest this spring. Before you do, enjoy it in the here and now!
If your Valentine’s Day looked a little more like Singles Awareness Day this year, never fear. Liv Greene’s new Party Version of her song, “Flowers,” is here to give you the shot of self-love you need.
Tracked live-to-tape at Woodland Sound Studios during the sessions for Greene’s most recent album, Deep Feeler, the Party Version of “Flowers” was actually the first version cut for the record. That was before Greene and company re-imagined the song to fit the record’s more solemn tone.
“‘Flowers’ is one of the oldest songs on Deep Feeler, and was without a doubt the hardest to capture, requiring three tries in total. This outtake, ‘Flowers (Party Version)’ was our first attempt, and sort of my ode to country queens like Emmylou and Linda Ronstadt, with a Silver Threads-type intro and shuffly fiddle-heavy rhythm throughout,” Greene noted. “This original version, while undoubtedly the most fun to capture, never quite settled in with the rest of the record. The boisterous intro felt out of step and it slowly became clear there was a certain arc of grief and sadness to the song that felt under-emphasized as it stood.”
Described as “a vulnerable snapshot of hard-won self-acceptance,” Deep Feeler was produced by Greene alongside GRAMMY-Award winning engineer Matt Andrews (Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings, Trisha Yearwood). Coming on the heels of the full-length record, “Flowers (Party Version)” gives us another snapshot into Greene’s creative process — and perhaps, a feeling of triumph over heartbreak and self-doubt.
“The last lines of ‘Flowers’ have always felt a little aspirational,” Greene said. “‘I am giving myself space, a little love, a little grace, I am buying myself flowers these days,’ so it only felt right to give this song the amount of time and space that it took to get it right, and to love on myself through it all, except maybe instead of flowers, it was studio time. Worth it.”
Have you ever experienced a heartbreak so real, that even the smallest reminder prevents you from moving on?
Katie Mal crafted her new single, “Caught Up,” 3-4 years ago, as she was trying her hardest to recover from her first “real, hard breakup.” The raw honesty of the lyrics, paired well with a steady-driving garage rock soundscape, give us all the room we need to process our own pain — even if we’re the ones choosing to hold on to the memories.
“’Caught Up’ came from a really personal place—those moments when even the smallest things, like rain on a window or a box of their stuff, can keep you from moving on,” Katie said. “It was one of those times where writing helped me process what I was feeling.”
The Toronto-based songwriter started with the lyrics, later refining the melody and guitar parts to develop the finished product we’re enjoying today.
“I really wanted to release this song, because I love how the final product turned out,” she said. “It feels raw and real, and I hope people can connect with it.”
We’re all on this spinning space rock together, encountering challenges and getting to know our own imperfections, all while trying to make our way in the world.
Nashville-based atmospheric rock artist Soheill captures the spirit of our existence with “Only Human,” a thought-provoking, atmospheric ballad about the ways our individual battles tie together the greater story of our collective existence.
“‘Only Human’ is a reflection on vulnerability and self-acceptance, embracing the imperfections that make us who we are,” Soheill said. “The song explores the rawness of being human, acknowledging our flaws while finding strength and connection through them. It’s a reminder that we’re all in this together, navigating life’s challenges.”
Warm-glowing keyboard layers lead us into the “Only Human” experience, followed shortly thereafter by the introduction of a slow-marching drumbeat. This provides the perfect backdrop for a sweet, solemn vocal melody which inspires the listener to look inward. As we progress, hazy guitars come into the mix, helping the tension build to an emotional crescendo reflective of the song’s lyrical and thematic depth.
Soheill has more on deck where this came from, with more singles coming our way throughout the year. If they’re anything like this, count us in!
Following life’s storms, we all have a choice: let go of the pain and find oneself, or stay stuck where we are.
Mary Jennings explores this theme of resilience — even through catastrophe — on her latest single, “Drown in the Desert.”
Building on the socio-political themes of Jennings’ previous single, “Take A Number,” “Drown in the Desert” was inspired by Jennings’ experiences at Burning Man in 2023, which became infamous for the rare, torrential desert rain that caused mass evacuations and many stranded individuals at the festival. The single begins with a calm, ethereal electropop sensibility — meant to mirror the desert landscape’s typical tranquility — before tension builds and washes down on us. Jennings found the desert storm to be an apt metaphor for life’s more challenging moments, when we find ourselves overwhelmed by emotions, circumstances, or both.
“Drown in the Desert” was co-produced by Ryan Youmans, and is the second single from Jennings’ forthcoming EP, set to arrive this summer. Immerse yourself in this one below!
It’s hard to imagine a band getting the year off to a hotter start than Lips Speak Louder just did with their newest single.
The turbo-charged “Spooky Girl” enters the equation with loud, fuzzy guitar riffs and aggressive drums, combining the grit of 90s grunge with the thrilling, rhythm-oriented bombast one might expect from a Queens of the Stone Age record.
“‘Spooky Girl’ is a song about walking the line between carnal fascination and hedonism,” notes vocalist/guitarist Rachel Brandsness. “The opening guitar riff, soaked in fuzz, dictated the direction of the song, which paved the path for the aggressive drums and created the perfect tonal landscape for the lyrics.”
Produced by acclaimed guitarist and songwriter Emily Wolfe, “Spooky Girl” is another offering from the band’s forthcoming album, to be released later this year.
“When we pictured the backdrop of ‘Spooky Girl,’ we envisioned the chase, or cat-and-mouse situation in a dark club with lots of stimulation, sexiness, and eagerness,” drummer Angie Lese adds. “We wanted the music to mimic that driving force, so by design, the song goes hard and doesn’t let up.”
Healing isn’t linear — and sometimes, we get a reminder at a time we’d least expect.
For Leah Martel, it came at a time in her life when *everything* seemed to be clicking. She had just graduated, was in a wonderful new relationship, had a new job, and was enjoying a drama-free existence.
Even so, something felt amiss…
“I felt horrible. I was riddled with worry, anxiety, and a sense of doom,” Martel said. “Previous to this, there had always been a reason for those feelings, I had always been going through a difficult relationship, job, or living situation, and I realized that, even with those troubles gone, they left a mark on me. Even with all the monsters dead, a part of them lived inside of me now.”
In that space, Martel penned “What Doesn’t Make Me Stronger,” a gritty, alt-country tune about the ways our demons come back around to haunt us.
“I was just at the start of a mental health journey now and, for the first time, facing questions like, ‘can I actually overcome this, or am I broken forever?’ Martel said. “I knew one thing only, I was determined to keep trying, no matter what I had to face. That felt like a good thing, but also an ominous thing, like I might have to go through a lot more pain first before actually feeling better.”
That sense of determination shines through on “What Doesn’t Make Me Stronger.” Twangy lap steel and electric guitars flash glimmers of hope before leading us to a triumphant crescendo, while the tune’s textured, rootsy sensibility and intricate rhythmic layers speak to the sense of resolve it takes to slay our inner beasts — once and for all.
“Of all the songs I’ve recorded so far, this one felt like a truly special moment in the studio,” Martel said. “I was lucky enough to have the best pop and country guitar players I’ve ever met on this track. When we did the electric guitar and lap steel solos, I got shivers. My drummer (Brandon Pellatt) also pulled out the coolest percussion instruments — all these different shaker pods and balls, and it just added the coolest textures. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many different instruments on a song before, and it really became more than I ever envisioned.”
