Brooke Martin confronts that question on “cross that line,” a groovy, upbeat new tune with melancholy undertones. Produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Chris Penny, the single’s shimmering pop soundscape juxtaposes adeptly with the sobering reality of a spark between two people that now struggles to ignite.
“To me, “cross that line” is such a fun, upbeat song—but the lyrics are quite sad when you really listen,” Martin said. “It’s about two people who love each other but are starting to realize they might not be right for each other anymore. There’s still hope—they’re trying to find their way back to the happiness they once had.”
“cross that line” was the first song written for Martin’s forthcoming EP, which is expected to drop later this September.
For now… go on. Cross that line. But once you do, there’s no turning back…
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
Summer is the time to lose track of time, forget your inhibitions, and fall in love.
Evan Kreutz captured the celestial spontaneity of discovering a new connection with his latest single, “last call.” What begins as a slow burning, acoustic rock daydream progresses with intensity toward alt-pop hyperspace, providing us with a proper interpretation of what it’s like to lose yourself in the excitement of exploring someone new.
“A breezy, feel-good ride built on impulse and connection, ‘last call’ is the sonic equivalent of taking the long way home with someone who makes you forget your worries,” Kreutz said. “It’s less about thinking and more about feeling—spontaneous, sweet, and exactly what you needed.”
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.”
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.”
Acceptance is a vital part of moving on at the end of a relationship. That means coming to terms with everything that relationship was or wasn’t, and everything that it did — or did not — have the potential to be.
Amanda Keeley hits us with that realization with her new single, “Better Days.” The resilient tune paints expired love through an objective lens — an important part of the recovery process.
“The words came to me at a time where I needed help processing the loss and letting go of a longtime relationship,” Keeley said. “I’m grateful for this song finding its way through me as it helped immensely with closure and moving forward from a place of love.”
Keeley’s smoky vocals call to mind the soulful delivery of contemporaries like Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile, while the spellbinding, rhythmic folk-rock instrumental of “Better Days” conjures shades of Fleetwood Mac. The song’s steadfast tempo marches us along, akin to the days and weeks which provide clarity following a breakup.
“As a songwriter, I interpret many life experiences through songs. In this case, I found myself with certain lines floating through my mind like, ‘thought we were more than this, let us go, let it die, all the flowers have dried and just dust in the wind,'” Keeley said. “It really felt like the perfect way to clearly communicate how I was feeling. The grief I was experiencing was pretty intense; the ‘flowers’ felt like a representation of the need for a funeral of sorts to really grieve this loss, and once the flowers ‘dried and just dust in the wind,’ this was me coming to terms with it being over and letting go.”
“Better Days” is part of Keeley’s forthcoming album, which will dive further into the topics of loving, losing, and learning to love again.
“(The album) will be a compilation of songs telling stories of love; finding ourselves, our place in this world, and the one’s we’re meant to be with,” Keeley said. Also, stories of loss; heartbreak, letting go, and finally healing.”
Remember that time you were in love, and it just didn’t work out?
Evan Kreutz does, and he filters that nostalgia through a 2000s pop rock-tinted lens on his new single, “Dandelion.”
Those who find resonance with the emotive alt-rock stylings of bands like Guster and Fountains of Wayne will enjoy diving into this one. From the opening line, “she’s all out of patience,” we can feel a deep sense of longing and regret. With each somber chord, Kreutz wistfully comes to terms with the fact that the love he once held so dear — which provided him with so many beautiful moments and memories — is gone with the wind.
“Dandelion” was produced by Doug Grama and mixed by Ray Martell at Westfall Recording, with Griff McCarthy on drums. Get ready to get into your feelings with this one!
Life doesn’t always wait until we’re ready to make changes.
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario-based songwriter Matthew Ryan Jacobs has experienced plenty of growth over the past few years, and he captures its essence on “Where Are You Now.” This bluesy waltz is passed through a gritty alt-rock filter, as Jacobs helps us reflect on the pivotal moments that comprise life’s bittersweet journey.
“’Where Are you Now’ is mostly about making changes in your life, whether you want to or not,” Jacobs said. “A lot of my writing over the last few years has had a lot to do with getting older or growth; and the struggle of leaving certain things or people in your past. It’s not intended to be a negative narrative, just honest. Even if you know you’re making the right — or at least, better — decision, you still second guess yourself along the way.”
“At least I do.”
Produced by Ben Kempel, Jacobs describes “Where Are You Now” as a song that “just kind of happened” — much like the reality that inspired its narrative.
“I didn’t overthink anything in the process. It felt right, so we went with it,” Jacobs said. “I had a pretty clear vision for the production, and Ben did a great job as usual making it happen.“
We all experience moments of self-doubt. Yes, even if you’re Max McNown, last week’s #1 artist on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart, and the current CMT Next Up Now artist of the month.
For those moments, Max gives us “Hotel Bible,” a rollicking Americana anthem that inspires us to find the light in our darkest hours.
“Even the most confident among us doubt themselves at times,” McNown said. “‘Hotel Bible’ follows a loved one who’s lost their ability to trust and love themselves. But as the lyrics illustrate, even in the darkness of self doubt, there can also be light. The song is meant to serve as a reminder of the best times of our lives, when we inevitably endure the worst, to see value in the times we feel cheapest.”
The feel-good tune is the latest triumphant moment for McNown, who was named as CMT’s Next Up Now artist earlier this week. The honor included CMT premiering McNown’s new music video for “Snowman,” from his recent EP, Willfully Blind. The video will receive extra airplay on CMT’s 24-hour TV channel all month long, and has been added to CMT’s “Country Music Videos On Repeat Playlist.”
Strike a match, light a candle, and curse the darkness. Check out “Hotel Bible” below!
