With a dynamic voice and effortless cool, JOHN.k invites listeners to experience an eternal summer all year-round. The Florida native quietly cemented himself as an artist to watch and in 2017, Elvis Duran handpicked the independent rising star as his “Artist of the Month.” Not only did he land features from Nylon, Billboard, Huffington Post, and more, but he also staked out coveted real estate on top Spotify playlists such as New Music Friday. Within two years, he independently amassed upwards of 30 million streams and charted a bona fide hit in the form of “OT.” Signed to Epic Records in 2019, he now brings the sunshine to soul on the if we never met EP.
(Photo Credit: Jacob Diaz)
LA-based grunge-pop artist ALAENA premiered her new track, “I Wanna”, on Nakid Magazine; a follow-up to “Paranoid,” which was released in April. “I Wanna” is a song about frustrating love. It is about the vicious cycle of mixed signals between two lovers. The strength and weakness of not receiving what you know you want. I wrote ‘I Wanna’ to express what I could never say to the guy I had been seeing off and on for years. Despite our relationship together, he never wanted to admit to committing,”explains ALAENA. It was like one week we were together all the time and the next week I’d see him one day out with someone else- resulting in me doing the same thing to him because I didn’t want to seem like I was too available. We’d lose touch, I’d get over it then somehow we’d ALWAYS end up back together doing the same exact shit. Love can be confusing and can sometimes feel like a sign of weakness when you go through situations like mine but I encourage all females (and males) if they go through this same kind of situation, like I have, to be strong and powerful and don’t let the mixed signals drag you along like I had let them to me!”
“I Wanna” was written by ALAENA and produced by Grammy-winning Khris Lorenz.
Kingston-based alt-rock outfit Kasador spent their first 3 years cutting their teeth on the road, garnering attention from their engaging and high-energy live performances. Duelling vocals and dynamic guitars delivered by Will Hunter and Cam Wyatt offer depth and versatility, while Boris Baker and Stephen Adubofuor provide a strong base for the band, rooted in rock and funk.
Kasador wrote and self-produced their debut 2016 EP ‘KASADOR’, which they toured extensively through Canada and the USA. Since, the band released a follow up 2-track single titled ‘Come Get Yer Money’ in 2017. Both tracks are featured on their upcoming full length, titled ‘Brood & Bloom’ – an album written through tough times and trying to find something more positive from those experiences. Produced in part by Graham Walsh (Sam Roberts, Lights, Wintersleep) and by Rob Baker & Gord Sinclair of The Tragically Hip, ‘Brood & Bloom’ is set to release in the fall of 2019.
The band just released a new single and video, “High Rise.” The catchy, alt-rock track is rooted in funk with accessible rock riffs and catchy melodies paired with a dynamic visual.
(Photo Credit: Hunter Garrett)
Indie rock band, The Wrecks are thrilled to release their new single “Freaking Out.” The single offers up a perfect example of the magic that comes from capturing a song in the moment. Written with Tom Peyton (Panic! At the Disco, X Ambassadors), the track is an absolute earworm, with semi-spoken verses that give way to a soaring chorus just begging for an audience sing-along.
Lead singer,Nick Anderson says, “I wanted to write a song about my first experience with psychedelics because it was life-changing, but I didn’t want to succumb to all the clichés that come with ‘psychedelic’ production. I wanted something straightforward and fun and, most of all, honest.”
That raw, electrifying honesty has defined The Wrecks from the start, and it’s the heart and soul of the LA band’s exhilarating debut LP, due out later this year via Big Noise. Recorded primarily in an old barn-turned-studio in western New York, the album pushes The Wrecks’ sound to new heights, infusing the infectious hooks and explosive arrangements of their early EPs with the manic energy and undeniable charisma of their pulse-pounding live shows. The band produced most of the album themselves over the course of three months of intensive studio work and self-reflection, and the end result is their most ambitious release yet, a taut, searing, radio-ready collection that blends punk snarl, pop appeal, and indie adventurousness.
The band recorded their first EP, 2016’s ‘We Are The Wrecks,’ soon after forming, and they captured the entire collection in just three days. Lead single “Favorite Liar” became a runaway hit, spending a dozen weeks on Sirius XM’s Alt-18 Countdown and racking up more than 15 million streams on Spotify alone. The EP earned the band dates with the likes of Paramore and The Struts in addition to landing them their own sold-out headline run and festival slots from BottleRock to Lollapalooza. The group’s 2018 follow-up, ‘Panic Vertigo,’ earned similar acclaim, with Ones To Watch hailing the four-piece as “indie rock’s best kept-secret” and Billboard calling them “as authentic and honest as possible.”
The Wrecks are Nick Anderson (Vocals/Guitar), Aaron Kelley (Bass), Nick Schmidt (Guitar), Westen Weiss (Guitar), and Billy Nally (Drums).
Los Angeles-based artist Laura Jean Anderson has released a new EP of live in-studio trackstitled, Live From Studio Hotel Earth. The EP is a stunning showcase of Laura Jean’s raw powerhouse vocal, all recorded in one-take. The live EP is out now via B3SCI Records, available everywhere here.
Live From Studio Hotel Earth includes tracks from her debut Lonesome No More EP alongside a brand new cover of The White Stripes’ “I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet).”
Speaking on the live EP, Laura Jean notes, “Making a record and having the vast possibilities of production and instrumentation is exciting, but there is something special about limitation. This live EP brings the songs back to how they were written – back to those intimate moments of writing alone late at night with just me and my guitar. These songs are really personal to me – all about very vivid moments and stories of my life so being able to record them stripped-down and intimately was really emotional but beautiful. The day of recording was really special for me. I’m a huge believer of the power of a community of people. So it was really special having my old friend Theo Karon record this in his new studio.”
Following a busy spring on the live front including a run of shows at SXSW 2019 as well as tours with The Dip and Lauren Ruth Ward, Laura Jean will embark on a summer tour as direct support with L.A. alt-rock outfit Grizfolk.
Neon Dreams have a honest new single out now. Describing the single Neon Dreams opened up stating; “I want to be honest about who I am. I was raised by a single mother who had me when she was only 17. We moved around a lot. I was sleeping in closets, couches – wherever we could stay until we got evicted. I was the new kid in 10 different schools. “We Were Kings” is a heartfelt thank you to those that helped me get through my difficult teenage years. I wanted to make a song that shows these people they’re always in my heart. Nothing has ever changed about my feelings towards them”.
Jillian Steele is an American indie pop singer/songwriter from New York currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. Having formed an early love for performing, the songstress initially started her career singing and acting in commercials, but not long after made the decision to move to Nashville and study at the renowned Belmont University. Her time there further ignited her passion for songwriting and the born storyteller has since been creating honest and infectious indie pop resonating with listeners across the globe.
Deeply rooted in the singer/songwriter genre, Steele adds elements of modern pop soundscapes and energetic melodies, crafting a modern pop aesthetic, whilst still holding true emotion and sentiment. Inspired by the likes of Maggie Rogers, Sasha Sloan and Julia Michaels and other strong female musicians, Steele uses her music to emphasize the importance of self-love and empowerment. A running theme throughout her music is reflection and Steele hopes her use of thought-provoking lyrics can help others gain insight in times of need.
Leading single ‘No Expectations’ was co-written by Michel Heyaca and James Shelley (American Authors). The track which was written during a period of uncertainty and confusion, narrates how everything happens for a reason and how things can work out the way it’s supposed to. Steele reveals, “Life was happening around me and I was just in it without any control and through this song I gained insight that I do deserve things and I should have expectations of what I want”. Sonically the single features silky vocals which glide gently atop the warm acoustic guitar. Protective yet freeing, ‘No Expectations’ showcases vibrant melodies and glowing tones.
Junaco is the foundation of Shahana Jaffer and Joey LaRosa. Born in the unincorporated mountain town on the outskirts coastal Northern California, the duo found an escape from musical conventions. Fleeing the rituals of rushing through songs, away from the nonsense of worrying, a budding partnership was found based equally on half-parts progression and melody. Mellow bursts of epiphany and pleas of gentle seduction give way to driving grooves in Junaco’s music, leaving the immediate fan with a delicate, instantly familiar and completely unassailable batch of songs.
Jaffer, a natural talent whose limbs were too long to dance, met a counterpart in LaRosa, a guitarist and percussionist’s dream who from a young age had been told that “musician” wasn’t an achievable career. Though conventionally unlikely on the global scale that a Pakistani songstress would find her way into the creative adventures of a drummer from Indianapolis, they found in their partnership a desire to make music for music’s sake; to write honest songs that meant something true enough for themselves, that someone else might be able to take it and make it true for them, as well.
The forthcoming EP helmed by Omar Yakar (War on Drugs, Perfume Genius) from Boulevard Recording, whose engineering and production prowess brought this young and refreshing outfit’s mountainous incubations to life. The duo initially set out with the intention of nothing but creation and expression and resulted in a stunning collection of tracks detailing the emotions of freedom. Jaffer reveals, “The underlying theme is about coming to terms with experiences and hardships we have faced and finally putting them out there. It’s very healing”.
Junaco hope to create music that will leave listeners feeling a sense of connection and closeness to. With the aim to remind others of our innate human emotions, Junaco’s debut EP highlights just how similar we are at our cores.
neillfrazer@hotmail.com
