My SiriusXM show this week: Music legends Los Lobos; Rollie Pemberton aka Cadence Weapon, author, ‘Ways of Listening’; David Vila Diéguez, author of ‘Spanish Punk’; Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie on the SkyDog Music Festival. Sat 8am & 2pm, Sun 12pm & 8pm, Wed 6pm ET, Channel 167 + anytime on the SiriusXM app.
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Metal-Pop Quartet Offspec Dare You To “Unwind” With Their Genre-Blending Sophomore Single
Offspec are pushing listeners to look deeper. The metal-pop quartet’s sophomore single “Unwind,” out now, challenges fans to explore sexuality and intimacy on a more meaningful level, telling the story of being trapped within a societal expectation that someone is only worthy for their body and outward appearance.
Vocalist Luisa unpacks the meaning behind it. “Looking deeper into Unwind, you’ll find that there is somebody trapped inside this illusion that they’ve created of themself and they’re pleading for a way out,” she says. The track dares to combine sultry pop melody with hard-hitting metalcore elements, following the band’s well-received debut “Let You Go.”
Already bolstered by a fanbase of 1.4 million followers across three social platforms, the band is captivating an audience worldwide. The quartet consists of Luisa Lyons on vocals, Eric Barrera on drums, Devyn Byrd on bass, and Micheal Luce on guitar. Drawing on Lyons’s Brazilian roots and Barrera’s Peruvian roots, the group weaves their individual musical experiences and cultural backgrounds into a sound built to connect with a diverse international audience and the Latin community.
There’s an artistic layer to everything they do. Lyons is a digital artist herself, hand-drawing each song’s artwork to represent its deeper meaning, and the band encourages fans to step into their world and connect through all forms of expression. With “Unwind,” Offspec signal there’s plenty more to come.
SoCal Indie Rockers Lavalove Bring Sun-Soaked Energy To New Single “Never Better”
Lavalove are chasing the endless summer. The Southern California indie rock band have released a new song and music video for “Never Better,” taken from their new album ‘TAN LINES,’ out now via Pure Noise Records. It follows lead single “Sniffin’ Around.”
The track is hypnotic and built to be belted. “‘Never Better’ is hypnotic while trying to subconsciously convince your partner you’ll be their favorite ex,” says singer and guitarist Tealarose Coy. “It’s a song you could scream at the top of your lungs in your room for sure. The ending is so amazing as well, my favorite lyrics on the album.”
Lavalove have never been interested in asking for permission, and that spirit of escapism sits at the core of ‘TAN LINES,’ a record rooted in the belief that a brighter, freer life might be just one perfect night away. Produced by Anton DeLost, known for his work with State Champs and The Warning, the album channels the unfiltered thrill of an endless summer into a SoCal surf-meets-indie rock statement. Drawing from the simplicity of ’60s pop and surf and filtering it through modern indie, garage rock, and psych-pop textures, it bursts with effortless melodies, punchy rhythms, and sun-soaked energy.
It’s an album about getting out, of bad jobs, bad relationships, and bad moods, that burn off in late nights with friends and early mornings at the beach. Melding surf rock, garage grit, indie sheen, and psych-pop shimmer, it bridges eras and impulses, from the sunburned swagger of Coy’s all-time favorite band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, to the take-no-prisoners attitude of modern hitmakers like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. Rather than whitewashing life’s heaviness, it meets it head-on, choosing joy, connection, and chosen family. The result is a fearless, forward-looking record built on confidence and community.
Brazilian Thrash Heroines Nervosa Unleash Furious New Single “Ghost Notes” Off Album ‘Slave Machine’
Nervosa are charging into a fierce new era. The Brazilian thrash heroines have unleashed “Ghost Notes,” a new single from their album ‘Slave Machine,’ out now via Napalm Records.
The track lets loose a storm of heavy, easily recognizable riffs, driven by impelling drums and the ever-furious vocals of Prika Amaral, before culminating in a powerful guitar solo. It’s another side of the versatile band. “Strong and heavy riffs with a lot of groove showing deep feelings in a very poetic way, this song is definitely special in many ways,” the band say.
‘Slave Machine’ is the band’s sixth album and their second with Amaral, founding guitarist turned frontwoman, established as singer following 2023’s ‘Jailbreak.’ Once again working with producer Martin Furia of German legends Destruction, the women bridge old-school power and critical modernity across 12 crushing tracks. Having performed at the biggest metal festivals worldwide, from Wacken to Hellfest, Nervosa aim to cement their standing as genre frontrunners. “Slave Machine is the most brutal and melodic album of NERVOSA, and we are proud to take this step further, keeping our roots,” they say. From the menacing build of opener “Impending Doom” to the anthemic “You Are Not A Hero” and the sinister closer “Speak In Fire,” it’s a record that comes, sees, and conquers.
Slave Machine Tracklisting:
- Impending Doom
- Slave Machine
- Ghost Notes
- Beast Of Burden
- You Are Not A Hero
- Hate
- The New Empire
- 30 Seconds
- Crawling For Your Pride
- Learn Or Repeat
- The Call
- Speak In Fire
Nervosa Live 2026:
Aug 27-29 – Næstved, DK @ Næstved Metalfest
Former Crystal Viper Frontwoman Marta Gabriel Launches New Speed Metal Project LEATHERWITCH With Debut Single “Beast Inside”
There’s a new force on the heavy metal map. LEATHERWITCH, the new project formed by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Marta Gabriel, has arrived with debut single “Beast Inside,” out now along with an official music video.
The track wastes no time getting your head moving. Built around classic speed metal riffing, a pounding rhythm section, and shredding guitar solos, it pairs super catchy vocal lines with the spirit of a classic gothic horror werewolf tale, heavy metal meets full moon. “Beast Inside” was mixed by Olof Wikstrand of Enforcer and features special guest guitarist Giuseppe Taormina of Ellende and ex-Crystal Viper. A limited-edition 7″ package is out now via Listenable Records, strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide.
The project marks a fresh start for Gabriel, who disbanded her band Crystal Viper in the fall of 2025. That band toured more than 20 countries, conquered major festival stages including Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, and Keep It True, and left behind a legacy of nine studio albums, capped by the farewell live album ‘The Live Quest’ in June 2025. In spring 2025, Gabriel also toured with Japanese heavy metal act Metalucifer as a bassist and flew to Tokyo for two exclusive solo shows. With “Beast Inside,” she charges into an exciting new chapter, and more news on LEATHERWITCH’s debut full-length is coming shortly.
Rising Pennsylvania Rockers American Vanity Announce Debut Album ’17’ With Confrontational New Single “Poison In Your Cup”
American Vanity are gearing up for a big moment. The rising Pennsylvania rockers have announced their debut album ’17,’ out everywhere July 17, and shared its confrontational second single “Poison In Your Cup,” out now.
The new track is sonically heavier and more direct, driven by punchy alt-rock energy that pairs soaring, anthemic vocals with explosive drums and driving guitars. As the chorus erupts into a call for awakening, the song becomes a turning point. “This track addresses systems of influence, image, and power that rely on compliance and silence,” the band explain. “The lyrics use theatrical and institutional imagery to reflect how corruption often hides behind performance and tradition. Sonically heavier and more confrontational, it represents the album’s turning point toward awareness.”
The album itself is a cathartic, high-impact body of work, pairing emotionally charged lyricism with sharp, modern production by Matt Squire. Across 10 tracks, the band navigate the fragile space between connection and self-preservation, unpacking the quiet pressures society places on us. “This album explores what happens when connection becomes conditional and self-worth is tied to visibility, loyalty, or approval,” they share. “Rather than opting out, the record confronts how to participate without losing yourself.”
Formerly known as Burn The Jukebox, American Vanity turn modern rock into a mirror, vivid and unfiltered. Led by dual vocalists Virginia Franks on bass and Luke Hoffman on guitar, with Luke Vanchure on lead guitar and Carter Dennis on drums, the four-piece take aim at how image, approval, and identity get tangled in the attention economy. No strangers to the road, they’ve got a busy live year ahead.
17 Tracklisting:
- Lifeline
- Poison In Your Cup
- WHENUFALL
- Sabotage Myself
- Lost
- 17
- Undone
- Hold On Me
- Ignorance Is Confidence
- Kill To Feel
American Vanity Live Dates:
June 28 – Oakland, MD @ Honi Honi Bar
Jazz Guitar Virtuoso And Beloved ‘Mister Rogers’ Handyman Joe Negri Dies At 99
Joe Negri, the masterful jazz guitarist, educator, and beloved Handyman Negri from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has died at his home in Scott Township, Pennsylvania, at the age of 99. He passed away on May 30, 2026, just 11 days shy of his 100th birthday.
For generations of children, Negri was a familiar, gentle presence in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, appearing as Handyman Negri and as himself, the owner of Negri’s Music Shop, whenever Fred Rogers welcomed musical guests. He joined the program in 1968 and stayed until Rogers stopped producing new episodes in 2000. But to the jazz world, Negri was something more: one of Pittsburgh’s finest guitarists and a towering figure in music education.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1926, Negri was a prodigy who began performing on radio at the age of three, playing ukulele and singing. He joined the local musicians’ union as a boy and toured nationally in the 1940s with Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra before serving two years in the U.S. Army. Returning home, he became a fixture of Pittsburgh’s music scene, often working with pianist Johnny Costa on KDKA television and later serving more than 20 years as music director at WTAE, where he first met Fred Rogers.
His influence as a teacher was immense. Negri taught jazz guitar for 49 years at the University of Pittsburgh, where the instrument was first offered as a discipline in higher education, and for 46 years at Duquesne University, where he helped establish the jazz guitar program, as well as at Carnegie Mellon. Among his many students was Ralph Patt, the inventor of major-thirds tuning.
Negri kept recording and performing late into his life, releasing albums including ‘Uptown Elegance’ with Buddy DeFranco and 2010’s ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ with Michael Feinstein, with whom he performed at the Newport Jazz Festival. He donated his archives to the University of Pittsburgh in 1999, preserving a lifetime of scores, recordings, and memorabilia.
A triple threat as musician, educator, and actor, Joe Negri leaves behind a legacy felt in concert halls, classrooms, and the childhood memories of millions.
Bristol Duo The Actions Return Stronger And Sharper With New Single “Take More”
The Actions are back, and they’re not holding anything back. Sharing their first release since their 2021 debut album ‘Flourish,’ the Bristol duo return stronger and more direct with the single and music video for “Take More.”
Where their earlier work leaned into shadowy textures and cinematic space, the years since have pushed the band toward something leaner and more confrontational. The haze has lifted, replaced by a tougher, attitude-led sound that blends their electronic foundations with a sharper, almost punk-like directness. “Take More” feels restless and wired, pairing brooding tension with driving momentum. “After our last, more transcendent record, we felt the urge to return with something stronger and more direct,” the band explain, “and though it took time to get there, we knew this was the right moment to come back.”
Silty and Mo, who share vocal, guitar, and bass duties alongside electronics, have always explored the space between rock and electronic music, but this time the edges feel sharper and the emotion lands harder. “Take More is a song about growing up in the suburbs,” they say. “It captures nights spent twisting your mind over the future, caught between staying with the people you love and the need to escape, struggling to find anything that breaks the loop.”
The single arrives as a three-track release featuring the original, a stripped-back Flatland Mix, and a remix from IKO Twins, each opening up a different side of the song’s tension. The accompanying video, edited by Mo through his MStar Design work, unfolds in a wide, dust-blown landscape, following young adults fighting, dancing, and drifting as they reflect the alienation and burnout of suburban youth. Having previously earned praise from Clash and airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music, The Actions feel like they’re stepping into a bold new chapter, with more music promised for 2026.
Dundee Alt-Rock Newcomers Red Vanilla Reveal QOTSA-Inspired Single “I Thought I Had It”
Red Vanilla are channeling some serious desert-rock energy. The Dundee alt-rock newcomers have revealed their new single “I Thought I Had It,” out now, the final track shared ahead of their second EP ‘Where I Should Be,’ also out now and their first new material since the critically acclaimed 2024 debut ‘Days of Grey.’
The single was recorded with producer Kieran Smith in the spare room of lead guitarist George’s Dundee flat, which the band have turned into their own small home studio. The Queens of the Stone Age influence is no accident. “I was listening to a lot of QOTSA ‘Songs for the Deaf’ and that record inspired this song a lot, especially the ending heavy outro,” George explains. Vocalist Anna adds that lyrically, the song is about “the draining loop of chasing momentum as a band, thinking you’re finally getting somewhere, then hitting another dead end.”
Since forming during the pandemic, Red Vanilla have made an impressive early name for themselves, pairing a dense, guitar-driven sound with ’90s-inspired pop-hook vocals. Their 2024 EP ‘Days of Grey’ earned a rush of tastemaker support from CLASH, VISIONS, The Skinny, and more, marking them out as a bold new Scottish voice. They’ve shared stages with Beach Riot and Redwood, opened for Dea Matrona and Kyle Falconer at Camden Underworld, and have recently been picked up by Placebo’s management team, even completing a short headline tour of Thailand during a writing session. It’s a polished, radio-ready taste of a band gathering real momentum.
Where I Should Be EP Tracklisting:
- Electric Blue
- Hazy
- Ask Her If She’s Happy
- Play Me Something New
- I Thought I Had It
- Sunkissed Pools
- Oh No, I Got Older
Pro-Migration Punks Brian & The Onions Emerge With Eye-Watering Debut Single “Small Boats”
A new punk provocateur has arrived, and they’d rather you didn’t see their faces. Brian & The Onions, a shape-shifting collective of no fixed members currently operating as a duo, have released their reactive debut single “Small Boats,” out now.
The track takes aim at tired diversionary rhetoric on migration with supercharged punk spirit and curled-lip vocals, churning in the wake of kindred spirits like Sleaford Mods and Benefits to take on the absurd, the cruel, and the misled. The band remain largely incognito, identities concealed by a mix of artificial intelligence and intricately crafted onion headwear, with only double drummers Scott and Elliot, guitarist Denny, and frontmen Andy and Tom acknowledged. Working across a creative ley line linking Manchester and Leicestershire, they recorded the debut by human hand at Glasshouse Studio in Abingdon.
The collective don’t mince words about their intent. “‘Small Boats’ has enough vim to remove the scales from your eyes,” they say. “It’s a punk antidote to the mid-life meanness so often acquired by ageing icons, once loved for their support of marginalised groups like the lonely or the foreign.” They describe it as “an ironic take down of current dog whistle politics” and “a stark critique of the populist mainstream nonsense of the Farage driven immigration moral panic of mid 2020’s domestic politics.”
Declaring themselves whole sometime in 2025 after bonding over discussions spanning art, music, culture, and politics, Brian & The Onions arrive in complete service to their mission, calling themselves “part art-terrorist cell, part franchise opportunity.” It’s a sharp, funny, and fearless introduction.