John Peterkin pays homage to his late cousin on “Power of Life,” the latest single from The Peterkin Project.
“This heartfelt song was co-created with my late cousin Mark, who fought a brave battle against cancer and inspired me to pursue music,” Peterkin said on the band’s official Facebook page.
The steady rocking new single features a warm acoustic sensibility, which underscores some hopeful, U2-inspired licks from lead guitarist Shawn Andrew. Peterkin’s lyrics paint a picture of those who leave indelible imprints on our hearts and minds — even after they transition from this Earthly plane.
For more about “Power of Life” and all things The Peterkin Project, John is one of several guests who join us on The Quinn Spinn this coming Monday, September 15 as part of our series taped live at Gussapolooza 2025, which took place last month in Cookstown, Ontario, Canada. Be sure to tune in!
Electric Lemonade fascinates me. Based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, the trio made of Sarah Murphy, Hannah Mazurek, and Rob Jones prove the fact you don’t need to be in large, oversaturated music markets like New York or L.A. to be worthy of coverage. Electric Lemonade proves that musicians who focus on their own communities and stories tend to be among the most authentic, interesting artists.
From the very first drum beat, their song “You’re Watching Me” pulls you into this organic spacious jam which highlights the band’s excellent musicianship – while reminding us that rock is far from dead. Lyrically, “You’re Watching Me” is the story of the end of a relationship, and the decision to move forward through the pain, choose yourself, and embrace who you are.
“You’re watching me, I see you in the list of viewers On my Instagram story, you know that I can see you. I believe that mistakes lead us to places that we’re bound for. Can you let me go? Can you let me go?”
Those are my favorite lyrics from this song, as they highlight an absolutely modern phenomenon of the online interactions and algorithms we share with people. Personally, I haven’t had the experience of breaking up with someone and have them still watch my Instagram stories. How awkward that must be…
On the song, the band states: “We wrote this one in the studio when we were working on our upcoming EP. It started out with a version of the lyrics and some musical ideas we had floating around for a while. We came up with a rough version to play for our producer (Jordy Walker) and tweaked it a bunch, but really, the bulk of the song was written over one jam session.”
I hope to find myself walking the streets of Whitehorse one day. It’s an amazing city nestled in brilliant mountain wilderness, and judging from what I’ve heard from Electric Lemonade, I bet its music scene is mature. I imagine hiking around the area, getting some food, and then heading to a show. Hopefully, that would mean I would be lucky enough to catch Electric Lemonade play their music. For now, I’ll be listening on repeat moving forward.
TONIGHT! We’re going live from 7-9 p.m. for the first-ever UnderDogs Across Borders benefit concert. Join us as we present a genre-diverse interstate lineup featuring independent artists from within the Underground Music Collective community.
By supporting UnderDogs Across Borders, you are empowering UMC to open the gateway to even greater collaboration. Your support bolsters UMC’s presence at major conferences and festivals in North America and Europe, while helping us build a stronger, more sustainable music industry that is ripe with fresh opportunities for our artists.
Nashville-based indie alt rock artist Jon Worthy has given all he has to music. He’s toured across the nation, consistently released music, and has been featured in 150 popular media outlets. He’s even been to the Lehigh Valley’s very own Musikfest in Bethlehem, where I’m from! To many aspiring artists, he has certainly made a successful music career.
After the pandemic, his music career went in a different direction. He began focusing on studio sessions, songwriting, and production, while answering the COVID-era question on every creative’s mind…
“Where do I go from here?”
Jon’s new tune, “I’ve Been Up, I’ve Been Down,” reminds you that you aren’t alone if you don’t know where to go. The dreamy, wayward tune details how his own journey changed direction, leaving him feeling like he didn’t know what to do next.
“It’s about living day by day, and just trying to enjoy life as it came to me,” he said. “It speaks to all the highs and lows of life, but being complacent and, at the same time, hoping something will really change for the better.”
I am most fascinated by the fact that Jon found healing in music, even as his path in the industry became uncertain. It’s almost like entering down the path of being lost is inevitable in order to find where to go next. It’s also inevitable for artists to create, because its apart of who we are. Expressing the confusion of feeling lost allows us to find our way. This is inspiring to me as an up-and-coming artist, and helps tame the questions and doubts in my own mind. It’s a reminder that it’s OK to not have it all figured out, all the time — just keep going and letting the music take you.
Stay on the lookout for Jon Worthy’s next collaborations, to be released in coming months. And remember: even if you don’t know where to go, have the hope one day you’ll make it
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.
“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.
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!
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.”
Finally, a breakup song for those who are done with the fairytales…
CMAGIC5 — rising pop superstar and the 2024 Gussapolooza Heroes of Sound winner for Best Performance — makes a statement to begin 2025 with “Happy Never After,” an angsty pop punk anthem which shatters the love illusions we’ve all convinced ourselves were real.
“I wanted to flip that fairytale ending on its head in a playful, angsty way. Instead of the traditional ‘happily ever after,’ I thought, ‘why not embrace the disaster ending and accept it as part of life? No sugarcoating needed,'” CMAGIC5 said. “So, I created a track that’s a celebratory anthem for moving on from toxic ex-lovers, friends, or bosses—those people who play the role of ‘Prince Charming’ or ‘Romeo,’ but you can foresee the signs and know exactly how that last chapter of the story will end. It’s all about empowering yourself and others to avoid getting hurt again, and walking away before it’s too late.”
“Happy Never After” takes the power back for those left in the wake of a toxic relationship (or situationship. It is 2025, after all). The liberating new single fits well within the landscape of the Canadian artist’s catalog.
“I’d say it’s all about self-empowerment and authenticity,” she said. “I want my music to encourage listeners to embrace their true selves, let go of toxic relationships, and feel confident in moving forward, no matter how messy things might get. There’s always a sense of strength and self-love in everything I write, even when the subject matter is about heartbreak or facing challenges.”
“Happy Never After” was crafted with Juno Award-winning and Grammy-nominated producers/songwriters Ryan Worsley (Dear Rouge, Monowhales), Tavish Crowe (co-writer Carly Rae Jepsen’s Grammy-nominated, Juno Award-winning smash hit, “Call Me Maybe”), and Ryan Stewart (Carly Rae Jepsen, Victoria Duffield, Shawn Desman, Jocelyn Alice, Hedley). Check it out!
