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Fall Out Boy Celebrate 20 Years of ‘From Under The Cork Tree’ with Deluxe Anniversary Edition

Eric Alper
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Fall Out Boy Celebrate 20 Years of ‘From Under The Cork Tree’ with Deluxe Anniversary Edition

GRAMMY Award-nominated iconic multiplatinum rock band Fall Out Boy celebrates two decades of their influential 5x-Platinum breakthrough album From Under The Cork Tree with today’s release of a special new 20th Anniversary Edition via UMe. The original LP’s 13 songs are newly remastered, while the collection notably boasts previously unreleased alternate and acoustic versions as well as remixes, live recordings, and B-sides such as their highly sought-after Gorilla Biscuits cover of “Start Today” that was originally recorded for Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland Soundtrack in 2005. It also captures key performances from this era with special “Live On BBC Radio” tracks. From Under The Cork Tree (20th Anniversary Edition) is available in multiple configurations, including a massive 3LP Deluxe Box, 2CD Deluxe Box, and Super Deluxe Digital. Order the 20th Anniversary Edition now HERE and shop the anniversary collection now HERE.

Beyond the unreleased material, both the 3LP Deluxe Box and 2CD Deluxe Box feature a treasure trove of extras. Each Box houses an exclusive letter to fans penned by bassist and primary lyricist Pete Wentz, a “Prom” photo from the “Dance Dance” music video, and a comic book cover illustration drawn from the “A Little Less Than Sixteen Candles, A Little More Than ‘Touch Me” music video. Other extras include memorabilia from the seminal Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour 2006, such as a tour poster, setlist, ticket stub, and tour sticker laminate. From Under The Cork Tree first landed on May 3, 2005, reaching #9 on the Billboard 200. Among a myriad of staples, the album includes the 9x-Platinum smash single “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” which Patrick Stump dissected the creation of on an August 2025 episode of Song Exploder, as well as the 6x-Platinum “Dance, Dance” and Platinum “A Little Less Than Sixteen Candles, A Little More Than ‘Touch Me’.” In its wake, Fall Out Boy received a 2006 GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best New Artist.” Gathering billions of streams, the album’s influence has been well-documented over the years. Rolling Stone touted it at #9 among the “40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time,” going on to note, “Fall Out Boy changed the course of emo-punk, pop-punk and pop itself with From Under The Cork Tree, which brought the scene mainstream.” NME proclaimed the album, “inspired a generation” and Stereogum succinctly summed it up best saying, “Cork Tree is a classic.”

FROM UNDER THE CORK TREE (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) TRACKLISTING:

3LP Deluxe

LP1

Side A

Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World

Dance, Dance

Sugar, We’re Goin Down

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

Side B

I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)

7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

LP2

Side C

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”

Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)

XO

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Live On BBC Radio)

Side D

Where’s Your Boy (Live On BBC Radio)

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World (Live On BBC Radio)

Dance, Dance (Live On BBC Radio)

Start Today

LP3

Side E

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (TLA Radio Edit)

Dance, Dance (Tommie Sunshine Fire N Brimstone Remix)

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me (Alternate Version)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year (Alternate Version)

Side F

Dance, Dance (RJD2 Remix)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Acoustic Version)

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner (Acoustic Version)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Instrumental)

2CD Deluxe

Disc 1

Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World

Dance, Dance

Sugar, We’re Goin Down

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)

7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”

Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)

XO

Disc 2

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Live On BBC Radio)

Where’s Your Boy (Live On BBC Radio)

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World (Live On BBC Radio)

Dance, Dance (Live On BBC Radio)

Start Today

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (TLA Radio Edit)

Dance, Dance (Tommie Sunshine Fire N Brimstone Remix)

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me (Alternate Version)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year (Alternate Version)

Dance, Dance (RJDZ Remix)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Acoustic Version)

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner (Acoustic Version)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Instrumental)

Super Deluxe Digital

Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World

Dance, Dance

Sugar, We’re Goin Down

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)

7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”

Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)

XO

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Live On BBC Radio)

Where’s Your Boy (Live On BBC Radio)

Of All The Gin Joints In All The World (Live On BBC Radio)

Dance, Dance (Live On BBC Radio)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Acoustic)

Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner (Acoustic)

Start Today

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me (Alternate Version)

Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year (Alternate Version)

Dance, Dance (RJDZ Remix)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (TLA Radio Edit)

Dance, Dance (Tommie Sunshine Fire N Brimstone Remix)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Instrumental)

Snitches And Talkers Get Stitches And Walkers

The Music Or The Misery

My Heart Is The Worst Kind Of Weapon (Demo)

Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Patrick Stump Remix) Dance, Dance (Lindbergh Palace Remix)

Rock Band Set It Off Announce ‘The Self-Titled Tour’ and New Independent Album

Eric Alper
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Rock Band Set It Off Announce ‘The Self-Titled Tour’ and New Independent Album

Independent active rock band Set It Off have announced The Self-Titled Tour, set to hit North America across October, November and December 2025.

The headline run ties in with the release of the band’s first ever independent album – the self-titled ‘Set It Off’ – which is due out on November 07 (PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE).

Produced by Live Nation, the tour will kick off in Atlanta, GA on October 28 and will wrap up in Raleigh, NC on December 10. The band will be joined by Fame On Fire (main support), Vana and The Pretty Wild (rotating order).

“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to do an entire headline tour on the back of a brand new album and we can’t WAIT get back on the road and celebrate the release of our first completely independent self-titled album with all of our amazing fans!” says vocalist Cody Carson.

“This album was made with our live show in mind. The energy level of these shows is going to be out of control and we can’t wait for you to see why we named ourselves Set It Off in the first place!

“On top of that, we are bringing with us three amazing artists in Fame On Fire, Vana and The Pretty Wild! We are genuinely fans of all of them and we all can’t wait to give you the show of a lifetime! So grab tickets while you still can, because these shows are going to sell out.”

The band’s new era has found them selling out tours globally, playing conversation-starting sets at hard rock festivals and supporting the likes of I Prevail and Hollywood Undead, while singles like ‘Punching Bag’ and ‘Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing [REBORN]’ have hit rock radio charts for the first time in the band’s career.

“It feels like we found our people,” explains drummer Maxx Danziger. “I’ve always enjoyed playing and performing, but it’s at a peak right now. Every time I go out there, I’m so excited.”

The tour looks like:

OCTOBER

28 ATLANTA, GA Masquerade

29 NASHVILLE, TN Marathon Music Works

30 LOUISVILLE, KY Mercury Ballroom

NOVEMBER

01 CLEVELAND, OH House Of Blues

04 CHICAGO, IL House Of Blues

07 DENVER, CO Fillmore Auditorium

08 SALT LAKE CITY, UT The Complex

10 SPOKANE, WA Knitting Factory

11 VANCOUVER, BC Commodore Ballroom

12 SEATTLE, WA Showbox SoDo

14 SACRAMENTO, CA Ace Of Spades

16 LOS ANGELES, CA The Regent Theater

17 SANTA ANA, CA Observatory OC

18 TEMPE, AZ Marquee Theatre

20 HOUSTON, TX House Of Blues

21 DALLAS, TX South Side Music Hall

23 ORLANDO, FL House Of Blues

25 CINCINNATI, OH Bogart’s

26 DETROIT, MI St Andrew’s Hall

28 INDIANAPOLIS, IN Egyptian Room At Old National Centre

30 BUFFALO, NY Buffalo RiverWorks

DECEMBER

01 TORONTO, ON Danforth Music Hall

02 BOSTON, MA Paradise Rock Club

05 NEW YORK, NY Irving Plaza

06 ALLENTOWN, PA Archer Music Hall

07 PHILADELPHIA, PA The Fillmore Philadelphia

09 BALTIMORE, MD Nevermore Hall

10 RALEIGH, NC The Ritz

Music Critic Kelefa Sanneh Explores Fifty Years of Genre and Identity in ‘Major Labels’

Eric Alper
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Music Critic Kelefa Sanneh Explores Fifty Years of Genre and Identity in ‘Major Labels’

An epic achievement and a huge delight, the entire history of popular music over the past fifty years refracted through the big genres that have defined and dominated it: rock, R&B, country, punk, hip-hop, dance music, and pop

Kelefa Sanneh, one of the essential voices of our time on music and culture, has made a deep study of how popular music unites and divides us, charting the way genres become communities. In Major Labels, Sanneh distills a career’s worth of knowledge about music and musicians into a brilliant and omnivorous reckoning with popular music—as an art form (actually, a bunch of art forms), as a cultural and economic force, and as a tool that we use to build our identities. He explains the history of slow jams, the genius of Shania Twain, and why rappers are always getting in trouble.
 
Sanneh shows how these genres have been defined by the tension between mainstream and outsider, between authenticity and phoniness, between good and bad, right and wrong. Throughout, race is a powerful touchstone: just as there have always been Black audiences and white audiences, with more or less overlap depending on the moment, there has been Black music and white music, constantly mixing and separating. Sanneh debunks cherished myths, reappraises beloved heroes, and upends familiar ideas of musical greatness, arguing that sometimes, the best popular music isn’t transcendent. Songs express our grudges as well as our hopes, and they are motivated by greed as well as idealism; music is a powerful tool for human connection, but also for human antagonism. This is a book about the music everyone loves, the music everyone hates, and the decades-long argument over which is which. The opposite of a modest proposal, Major Labels pays in full

Pop Icon Carly Rae Jepsen Celebrates 10 Years of ‘E•MO•TION’ with Deluxe Anniversary Edition

Eric Alper
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Pop Icon Carly Rae Jepsen Celebrates 10 Years of ‘E•MO•TION’ with Deluxe Anniversary Edition

Diamond-certified and GRAMMY Award-nominated pop singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen celebrates a decade of her unanimously acclaimed third full-length album, E•MO•TION, with a special 10Th Anniversary Edition out October 17, 2025 via Interscope/UMe. It arrives in multiple configurations such as Digital Deluxe, ATMOS, and various exclusive Vinyl variants. The Vinyl pressings include 1LP Blue Swirl Color Vinyl, 1LP Zoetrope Vinyl, and 2LP Magenta Swirl Color Vinyl with a special alternate cover plus an insert of the original cover.

E•MO•TION (10Th Anniversary Edition) notably features six bonus tracks, including both the Kyle Shearer and Rostam remixes of “Run Away With Me” and four previously unreleased tracks, “More,” “Guardian Angel,” “Back Of My Heart,” and “Lost In Devotion.”

As such, she proudly presents the definitive version of her pop opus now.

Jepsen originally released E•MO•TION on June 24, 2015. Upon arrival, it crashed the Top 10 of the Top Albums Chart in Canada and the Top 20 of the Billboard 200. Among a bevy of fan-favorite anthems, this body of work comprises her Platinum-certified single “I Really Like You,” “Run Away With Me,” “Your Type,” and many more. EMOTION earned a host of rave reviews with several outlets – including TIME, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, People, Stereogum, Vulture, and Complex – declaring it the pop album of 2015.

However, E•MO•TION’s influence has only continued to magnify throughout the last decade, emerging as a high watermark of 21st-century pop music.

Thus far, the record has surpassed 1 billion streams and counting. Pitchfork hailed it among “The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s,” describing it as “a certified cult hit – relatable in the way that a really good rom-com is, and just as rare.” On “The 100 Greatest Albums of the 2010s,” Billboard christened it “a filler-free dance-pop classic in a decade woefully short on them.” Touted as one of “The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s,” Rolling Stone affirmed, “E•MO•TION opened up a whole new world of possibility and reintroduced her as a gleeful pop superfan who can make infectious tunes that pay tribute to the genre itself.” Paste placed it at #1 on “The 30 Best Pop Albums of the 2010s,” proceeding to claim, “If a Disney princess made a record after being dumped, this masterpiece would be it.”

Last night, August 19, 2025, Carly Rae Jepsen kicked off the 10th anniversary celebration of E•MO•TION with a sold-out, intimate show at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, the venue where Jepsen first performed songs from E•MO•TION in 2015. Jepsen broke the venue’s record last month when over 100,000 fans were in the queue to try and get into the 500-capacity room for the anniversary show.

DIGITAL TRACKLISTING

Run Away With Me
Emotion
I Really Like You
Gimmie Love
All That
Boy Problems
Making The Most Of The Night
Your Type
Let’s Get Lost
LA Hallucinations
Warm Blood
When I Needed You
Black Heart
I Didn’t Just Come Here To Dance
Favourite Colour
Never Get To Hold You
Love Again
Cut To The Feeling
More*
Guardian Angel*
Back Of My Heart*
Lost In Devotion*
Run Away With Me (Kyle Shearer Remix)*
Run Away With Me (Rostam Remix)*

*Bonus Tracks

2LP TRACKLISTING

SIDE A
1 Run Away With Me
2 Emotion
3 Really Like You
4 Gimmie Love
5 All That
6 Boy Problems

SIDE B
1 Making The Most Of The Night
2 Your Type
3 Let’s Get Lost
4 LA Hallucinations
5 Warm Blood
6 When I Needed You

SIDE C
1 Black Heart
2 I Didn’t Just Come Here To Dance
3 Favourite Colour
4 Never Get To Hold You
5 Love Again
6 Cut To The Feeling

SIDE D
1 More*
2 Guardian Angel*
3 Back Of My Heart*
4 Lost In Devotion*
5 Run Away With Me (Kyle Shearer Remix)*
6 Run Away With Me (Rostam Remix)*

1LP COLOR / 1LP ZOETROPE TRACKLIST

SIDE A

1 Run Away With Me
2 Emotion
3 I Really Like You
4 Gimmie Love
5 All That
6 Boy Problems

SIDE B

1 Making The Most Of The Night
2 Your Type
3 Let’s Get Lost
4 LA Hallucinations
5 Warm Blood
6 When I Needed You

Indie Folk Artist Lydia Luce Announces New Album ‘Mammoth’ and Shares Title Track

Eric Alper
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Indie Folk Artist Lydia Luce Announces New Album ‘Mammoth’ and Shares Title Track

Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Luce has announced her new album Mammoth, due out October 31. Produced with longtime collaborator Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Joy Oladokun, Caitlin Rose), the new record documents Luce’s triumphant journey of self-discovery and finding a sense of peace.

Along with the announcement, she shares the album’s sweeping opening title track, which was inspired by her winding road back to physical health after a period of debilitating chronic pain that forced her to step away from music. Arriving with a dreamy music video filmed in the great outdoors, “Mammoth” also sets the tone for the upcoming album, which incorporates nature recordings into the soundtrack for this current chapter of tranquility.

About the new song, Luce says: “‘Mammoth’ was written with Jake Finch and Collin Pastore, two incredible producers/songwriters. I loved writing this with them, we kept the guitar parts from the day we wrote it because they are so incredible! The music video was created with Jason Lee Denton and Aliegh Shields. We hiked over 30 miles on the Rocky Mountains with my husband Ryan assisting. It was an incredibly magical time in nature with buds. Grateful that we have this time capsule of a video to remember it.”

In 2023, Luce was diagnosed with a herniated cervical disc, bilateral carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and an inflamed bone. At one point, the pain was so bad she could barely hold her instruments. She was medically advised to stop playing at the time but music is her life, quite literally, as an artist and session violinist, and she continued until the pain was so bad she finally had no choice. Surgery, plus a newfound understanding of her body, has left her in a much better place. “I had never asked for so much help,” she says. “I couldn’t open or carry anything. But now I’m happy to say I’m stable, strong and playing my instruments again.”

“Mammoth” follows the meditative “Wisteria” and “Florence,” a tender lullaby dedicated to her soon-to-be-born first child that was written while yearning for motherhood. Recorded over just one week at Peter Gabriel’s celebrated recording institution Real World Studios in the UK countryside, Mammoth began with the search for the right sonic textures — in this case, sounds like the blowing wind and morning birdsong were woven into the instrumentation. Luce here was equally inspired by the quietly contemplative compositions of ambient music, something she has been working on individually through her Lethe music project. Lehning and Luce, who together run the Nashville-based string collective Lockeland Strings, also recruited their partners and his children into the studio for a creative family affair.

Throughout the new album, there are potent common threads of self-love, hope and acceptance, along with a fervent belief in the serendipity of the last few years. “These songs reflect where I am in my life right now,” explains Luce. “They’re about the peace I’ve finally found at home, in my body, and in my relationships.

Pop Punk Giants All Time Low Release Tenth Studio Album ‘Everyone’s Talking!’

Eric Alper
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Pop Punk Giants All Time Low Release Tenth Studio Album ‘Everyone’s Talking!’

Following a summer of palpable and ever-escalating momentum, multi-platinum Maryland quartet All Time Low releases its highly anticipated tenth full-length studio release, Everyone’s Talking! via their own imprint, Basement Noise Records, in partnership with Photo Finish Records/Virgin Music Group.

For a multi-decade outfit known for their anthemic, inimitable sound and fiercely loyal fanbase, the new LP stands as yet another marker of All Time Low’s undeniable, everlasting impact on the music world. Even more fulfilling for the band, the stunning Everyone’s Talking! is as clear an indicator as any that 20-plus years together as a band has collectively built to this undeniably momentous moment.

“Our music showcases us literally growing up,” frontman Alex Gaskarth explains of where the band has previously been and where it’s now arrived with the album. “Our band has been this unfiltered piece of ourselves that we’ve put out there into the world. We see ourselves as a current band, a current act that continues to push forward and not one that’s just built on its legacy,” the singer adds proudly of All Time Low, who have sold more than 3.5 million albums in the U.S. alone and have garnered over 5 billion streams worldwide to date.

“Sugar,” a standout track from the new album, is direct proof of how sometimes the best things in life take time to materialize. A collaboration with the singer JoJo, the epic “Sugar,” Gaskarth recently told US Weekly, is more than a decade in the making. “We linked up years ago,” Gaskarth recalls of JoJo. “I used to go and watch this band play at a jazz bar in L.A. and she would sometimes just pop up and do her thing. We got to chatting and loosely stayed in touch ever since. Years later, it came full circle [with ‘Sugar’].”

Since kicking off their bold new era earlier this summer with the release of their new album’s debut single, “Suckerpunch,” which they performed to over 25,000 fans at Warped Tour in DC, All Time Low has certainly not slowed down: they surprise-released a new song “Oh No!” earlier this month, are set to perform their Top 10 alternative radio hit single “The Weather” on NBC’s Today Show on September 25th, and even thrilled fans with surprise performances at both the Jonas Brothers’ DC stadium gig as well as at a recent Savannah Bananas game in Baltimore.

The band’s 30-plus-date Everyone’s Talking! Tour kicks off on October 4th in Missoula, Montana, with support from special guests Mayday Parade, The Cab, Four Year Strong, and The Paradox across select cities. Due to overwhelming demand, the band has added second show dates in both Boston and New York City. All Time Low will also be taking their talents across the pond in 2026 with headlining arena tour dates in the UK and Europe. Kicking off on January 20, 2026, in Glasgow, the tour touches down at London’s famed O2 Arena, in addition to stops in Paris, Prague, Barcelona, and more, with support from Mayday Parade, Four Year Strong, and The Paradox.

Post-Punk Supergroup Ashes And Diamonds Release Seductive New Single “On” Ahead of Debut Album

Eric Alper
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Post-Punk Supergroup Ashes And Diamonds Release Seductive New Single “On” Ahead of Debut Album

On ASHES AND DIAMONDS’ slinky new single “ON,” vocalist/guitarist Daniel Ash (Bauhaus/Love And Rockets/Tones on Tail) sings “When you’re on, you’re on.” From the media praise being lavished on the new band and their upcoming debut album ASHES AND DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (release date: October 31, 2025 via Cleopatra Records), not only is the trio of rock heroes “on,” they’re revved up and ready to go. Featured alongside Ash are drummer Bruce Smith and bassist Paul Spencer Denman, veterans of Public Image Ltd./The Pop Group and Sade/Sweetback respectively. “I’m loving the positivity from the press,” beams Denman. “It’s reassuring because we really did think, in all modesty, that we had made something special.”

Garnering early praise from media outlets including Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum, FLOOD, Classic Rock, Sonic Seducer, and dozens more, Ashes And Diamonds have made their mark right out of the gate. “The reaction to this album has been incredible,” adds Ash. “It’s just fabulous… BOOM!”

The fourth single to be released from the soon-to-be-released groundbreaking debut Ashes And Diamonds Are Forever, “On” moves the band into a darker, more serpentine direction, demonstrating not only how diverse the band is genre-wise, but also how musically masterful and adept they are. With Smith and Denman as the solid rhythm section, the song allows Ash to have his guitar tones ring loudly as his stirring and hushed vocals whisper seductively. “This song is about having an extreme passion for life/love,” Ash says. “It’s the antithesis of complacency… Go for it forever.”

“Daniel made a demo of the song originally, then Paul and I went to work with the arrangement,” explains Smith about the origin of the song, displaying the democratic balance of the band.

The previous rhythmic single, “Teenage Robots” which Geek Native calls “a blend of post-punk sensibilities, electronic textures, and a ‘sleazy pulse’ that has drawn comparisons to early Depeche Mode and Sisters of Mercy,” displays yet another side of Ashes And Diamonds. Where the initial single “On A Rocka” was a driving and adrenaline-infused banger and its follow-up “Setting Yourself Up For Love” was more of an introspective slowburner, “Teenage Robots” carries a pulsing, midnight dancefloor vibe. “’Teenage Robots’ is indicative of its time,” explains Denman. “It’s a message… a postcard from some older guys looking thru a lens and observing the fucked-up nature of what has become relevant to 20+ year-olds. It’s a warning. They, all of them, should throw away those fuckin’ phones and kick, push, and break down some walls like we did at their age.”

Its accompanying video, an animated retro futuristic view of youth hypnotized by the virtual activity on their smartphones while visceral life around them is ignored, is a cautionary alarm to return to the real world which Ash warns, “Get out of the city and get up into the middle of nowhere as often as possible, kids!”

The album Ashes And Diamond Are Forever will be released via Cleopatra Records on October 31, 2025 and can be preordered HERE. It was produced by Ashes And Diamonds with some co-production with James Salter and Joe Dexter. It was mixed, engineered with additional production by Robert Adam Stevenson.

Author Bradley Morgan Explores the Political Legacy of Frank Zappa in ‘Frank Zappa’s America’

Eric Alper
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Author Bradley Morgan Explores the Political Legacy of Frank Zappa in ‘Frank Zappa’s America’

From his early albums with the Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa established a reputation as a musical genius who pushed the limits of culture throughout the 1960s and 1970s, experimenting with a blend of genres in innovative and unheard-of ways. Not only did his exploratory styles challenge the expectations of what popular music could sound like, but his prolific creative endeavors also shaped how audiences thought about the freedom of artistic expression.

In Frank Zappa?s America, Bradley Morgan casts the artist as an often-misunderstood figure who critiqued the actions of religious and political groups promoting a predominantly white, Christian vision of the United States. A controversial and provocative satirist, often criticized for the shocking subject matter of his songs, Zappa provided social commentary throughout his career that spoke truth to power about the nefarious institutions operating in the lives of everyday Americans. Beginning in the late 1970s, his music frequently addressed the rise of extremist religious influence in American politics, specifically white Christian nationalism.

Despite commercial and critical pressure, Zappa refused to waver in his support for free speech during the era of Reagan and MTV, including his pointed testimony before the U.S. Senate at the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) hearings. Throughout the 1980s, and until his death in 1993, Zappa crafted his art form to advocate for political engagement, the security of individual liberties, and the advancement of education. Music became his platform to convey progressive views promoting the rights of marginalized communities most at risk in a society governed by the principles of what he perceived as Christian radicalism.

Frank Zappa?s America examines the musician?s messaging through song, tracing the means by which Zappa created passionate, at times troubling, art that combats conservativism in its many manifestations. For readers in the twenty-first century, his music and public advocacy demonstrate the need to preserve democracy and the voices that uphold it.

Bradley Morgan, a media arts professional based in Chicago, is the author of “U2’s The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), “Frank Zappa’s America” (Louisiana State University Press, 2025), and “U2: Until the End of the World” (Gemini Books, 2025). He manages partnerships for CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM and is the director of the station’s music film festival. He also interviews authors of music and pop culture books for the New Books Network podcast.

British R&B Star Jorja Smith Shines in Soulful Live Performance at KEXP Seattle

Eric Alper
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British R&B Star Jorja Smith Shines in Soulful Live Performance at KEXP Seattle

British R&B singer Jorja Smith delivered a stunning live set at KEXP’s Seattle studio on August 8, 2025. Backed by guitarist Benjamin Totten, she performed soulful versions of “With You,” “The Way I Love You,” “Try Me,” “Be Honest,” and “On My Mind.” Hosted by Larry Mizell Jr., the intimate session showcased Smith’s effortless vocals, emotional depth, and smooth blend of modern soul and classic rhythm. It was a reminder of why she remains one of R&B’s most captivating voices today.

Wu-Tang Legend Raekwon Drops Eighth Studio Album ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’

Eric Alper
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Wu-Tang Legend Raekwon Drops Eighth Studio Album ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’

Raekwon, a founding member of the iconic Hip Hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, unveils his eighth studio album, The Emperor’s New Clothes – out now via Mass Appeal.

The prodigiously gifted emcee continues to push boundaries and redefine the mafioso rap scene with his unparalleled style. Spanning 17 tracks, the album features a star-studded lineup of collaborators, including fellow Wu-Tang members Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Inspectah Deck, as well as Nas, Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and vocalists Stacy Barthe and Marsha Ambrosius.

Ahead of The Emperor’s New Clothes, Raekwon took to social media to express gratitude towards his fans for their support. Alongside the new album, he also delivered a horror-movie inspired music video for the gritty anthem “Bear Hill.”

In the video, Raekwon unleashes his full potential and embraces a beast mode mentality, wreaking havoc wherever he goes. Watch it below:

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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