Home Blog Page 317

Daniel Vincent Announces New Album ‘Means of Escape’

0

Daniel Vincent has announced his new studio album ‘Means of Escape,’ a deeply immersive release that blends ambient textures, progressive structures, and introspective lyricism. Spanning twelve tracks, the album represents a creative high point, pulling together threads from Vincent’s 22-year catalogue into a cohesive, emotionally rich journey. Moving beyond the post-progressive psychedelia of his earlier work, ‘Means of Escape’ reflects an artist taking stock of life, change, and acceptance. “Put succinctly, these songs are about living the life that we have, and not spending too much time worrying about the things you can’t change,” Vincent says. “Life is short.”

The album also marks Vincent’s first solo release to appear in the catalogue of long-time collaborator Burning Shed. “Making such an emotional and personal record like this, I knew I wanted to work with Pete [Morgan] and Tim [Bowness] to help guide me to where I needed to be,” he explains. Visually, the project is matched by artwork from legendary designer Carl Glover, known for his work with Porcupine Tree, Marillion, No-Man, and King Crimson. Glover’s return brings a visual depth that mirrors the album’s expansive and reflective tone, completing a release that feels carefully considered at every level.

Maria Rosa La Kakiee Unleashes Defiant New Single “Trigger My Aria”

0

Maria Rosa La Kakiee has released her fierce new single “Trigger My Aria,” a hip-hop/pop anthem driven by self-preservation, confidence, and unfiltered honesty. Produced by Mike Midura at Cyber Sound Studios, the track captures Maria Rosa’s ability to transform personal conflict into something empowering and confrontational. “My triggers! For my bullies—they fuel my fire. They trigger my aria,” she says. “I cut off anyone who doesn’t have my best interests at heart. Love me correctly, or get the steppin’. My time is precious, and I protect my peace by any means necessary.”

The song was written and performed spontaneously, born directly from a moment of real-life tension and bullying. “I went into the studio and freestyled it,” Maria Rosa explains. “It was a mood that day, and the result is pure honesty and fire. Fool me once but not twice—Trigger My Aria is about clarity, self-preservation, and turning pain into artistry.” The result is a bold statement of control and resilience, channeling confrontation into catharsis and placing Maria Rosa firmly in her power.

Asleep At The Helm Close ‘Ornate Resentment’ With Brutal New Single “Bloodline”

0

Asleep At The Helm are sharpening their edge with “Bloodline,” the ferocious closing track from their EP ‘Ornate Resentment,’ out now via Year Of The Rat Records. Hailing from Manchester, the five-piece blend melodic foundations with the raw, punishing influence of the Australian metalcore scene, resulting in a sound that’s fast, aggressive, and unrelenting. With growing support from Kerrang Radio, Music Choice, Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora, the band have quickly built a reputation for high-intensity live shows and a no-compromise approach.

“Bloodline” finds the band at their most volatile, closing ‘Ornate Resentment’ with scorched-earth energy and feral precision. Every riff hits with contempt, and every lyric cuts toward themes of betrayal and emotional decay, serving as a final act of defiance rather than resolution. The EP follows a recent UK tour with Polar and marks the first release since signing to Year Of The Rat Records, positioning Asleep At The Helm as one of the most uncompromising new voices in modern UK metalcore.

Daniel Caesar Performs “Who Knows” From ‘Son Of Spergy’ on The Tonight Show

0

Daniel Caesar delivered a moving late-night performance of “Who Knows” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, spotlighting a standout moment from his new album ‘Son Of Spergy,’ out now via Republic Records. The appearance follows the album’s debut at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, marking Caesar’s highest-charting release to date and his first Top 10 album. The performance leaned into the record’s emotional core, pairing restraint and vulnerability in a way that has become central to this era of his work.

Serving as the follow-up to ‘NEVER ENOUGH,’ ‘Son Of Spergy’ centers on reconciliation, particularly within Caesar’s relationship with his father. “I have a lot of respect for my dad, and I hold him in high regard. The album is about me realizing that I am exactly like him,” Caesar shares. “In that sense, it’s about having patience, respect, and admiration for myself.” Recorded largely in Jamaica, the album features contributions from Sampha, Bon Iver, Blood Orange, Yebba, and Caesar’s father Norwill Simmonds, weaving introspection with lush, melodic ambition.

In the lead-up to the album, Caesar staged a series of pop-up performances across North America, favoring intimacy over spectacle and reinforcing the personal nature of the project. He has continued expanding that creative circle through collaborations with artists like Tyler, The Creator, Rex Orange County, and Justin Bieber, positioning ‘Son Of Spergy’ as both a deeply inward-looking album and a defining moment in his broader artistic evolution.

Jake Owen Releases ‘Dreams To Dream,’ Featuring Reflective New Track “Wouldn’t Be Gone”

0

Jake Owen has released his new studio album ‘Dreams To Dream,’ a deeply personal project that marks his first independently released full-length. Co-produced with Shooter Jennings and recorded in Los Angeles at Sunset Sound, the album finds Owen leaning into honesty, maturity, and risk-taking after a career that includes ten number one hits. “I’ve just become a guy that wants to sing songs for people that have also matured with me in my life,” Owen says. “Sometimes you need to get outside what’s comfortable… and take a risk. I’m always going to chase the passions that keep me moving forward.”

At the emotional center of the record is “Wouldn’t Be Gone,” a reflective track in which Owen imagines an alternate life away from the road. “It really feels cathartic to be honest about a lot of stuff in my life,” he shares, later adding of the song, “It would keep me goin’, but I wouldn’t be gone,” picturing a simpler life spent closer to home and family. ‘Dreams To Dream’ expands on that vulnerability across songs shaped by heartbreak, defiance, and self-reflection, while still honoring Owen’s country roots. The album also features guest appearances from Jamey Johnson and Savannah Conley, and includes a reimagined cover of Waylon Jennings’ “Them Old Love Songs.” Mixed by Trina Shoemaker and mastered by Pete Lyman, the record stands as Owen’s most unguarded statement to date.

Andy Bell Shares “The Chance Won’t Come Again,” a New Duet With Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley

0

Andy Bell has shared “The Chance Won’t Come Again,” a new collaboration with Tim Rice-Oxley that finds the two artists duetting for the first time. A bittersweet, dancefloor-ready pop song, the track balances romance and regret with a celebratory sheen. Rice-Oxley says, “It has been such an honour to work with one of my musical heroes on this song… The song is a real tears-on-the-dancefloor banger, full of romance and the pathos of missed opportunities. We had such a great time making it and we hope you love it.”

The release follows Bell’s recently completed first-ever solo North American tour, which featured a full live band including Grammy-winning producer and DJ Dave Audé, along with Jerry Fuentes, Sarah Tomek, and Chelsea King-Blank. It also arrives alongside Bell’s four-disc box set ‘The Crown Jewels,’ an expanded edition of his acclaimed solo album ‘Ten Crowns,’ which is out now via Crown Recordings. Limited to 4,000 copies worldwide, the set includes a 50-page booklet with new liner notes and previously unseen photography by Sean Black, offering a deeper look into Bell’s solo era.

Pop-Punk Mainstays State Champs Strip It Back on “(For The) Hell Of It”

0

State Champs have released a new single and music video, “(For The) Hell Of It,” a reimagined, stripped-down take on “Hell Of It” from their self-titled album ‘State Champs,’ out now via Pure Noise Records. The band describe the track as a chance to revisit a favorite from the record, sharing, “We bring you ‘(For the) Hell Of It.’ A reimagined, stripped-down version of one of our favorites from the self-titled album, which was very fun to revisit and experiment with in the studio.” The release highlights a softer, more reflective side of the song while keeping the emotional core intact.

The self-titled album marked a turning point for the Albany-raised band, showing clear growth while staying rooted in the pop-punk sound that defined their rise. Praised by outlets like Rolling Stone, AltPress, Rock Sound, and New Noise Magazine, the record blended Warped Tour-era nostalgia with a modern edge, helping cement State Champs as one of the scene’s leading voices. The release of “(For The) Hell Of It” arrives as the band balance intimate headlining shows with larger tours, following an arena run earlier this year alongside Yellowcard and A Day to Remember, and as they look ahead to celebrating the legacy of ‘Around The World And Back,’ one of the most influential pop-punk albums of the 2010s.

KISS Look Back on 50 Years of “Rock and Roll All Nite” in New Vevo Footnotes Episode

0

KISS cofounders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are marking the 50th anniversary of “Rock and Roll All Nite” with a new behind-the-scenes episode for Vevo Footnotes. The episode traces the song’s creation and long life as the band’s defining anthem, with Stanley recalling how the idea came from Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart. “Casablanca President Neil Bogart brought up the idea of us writing an ‘anthem song,’” Stanley explains. “After explaining the concept of a rallying song that would represent our connection to our fans, I went back to our hotel on Sunset Blvd. and came up with the chords, melody, and lyrics of the hook, which was ‘I wanna rock & roll all night and party every day.’”

Simmons expands on the collaborative nature of the track, noting, “It was very much a collaborative effort, with Paul writing the chorus and me writing the verses that were pulled from a song I had previously written called ‘Drive Me Wild,’ which was actually a song about a car.” He adds that friends, road crew, and fellow musicians were brought in to clap and sing, giving the recording its communal feel. The episode also captures the electricity of New York’s early rock and glam scenes, the chemistry that has powered KISS for decades, and rare footage from the 1987 film KISS eXposed. “It’s kind of a quintessential KISS song in our discography,” Stanley says. “This song is such a big piece of our story. And it connects with people on all different levels across generations and generations of fans.”

Small-Town Country Swagger Meets Saturday-Night Chaos on Bailey Marie’s “Honky Tonk Hallelujah”

0

A moment that could have ended quietly instead became fuel for a party-ready anthem as Bailey Marie releases her new single and music video “Honky Tonk Hallelujah,” now out on all streaming platforms. The song draws directly from a real-life incident tied to the legendary Coyote Joe’s, flipping potential disappointment into humor, grit, and celebration. “When I got kicked out of school for singing at Coyote Joe’s, I could’ve written a sad song about it – but that’s not who I am,” Bailey says. “I wanted to turn it into something fun that people could sing and dance to. ‘Honky Tonk Hallelujah’ is my way of laughing through it all, celebrating the music, and reminding myself – and everyone else – to find joy even when things don’t go as planned.”

The track drops listeners straight into a small-town bar scene where faith, freedom, and loud music collide, carried by Bailey’s confident vocal and sharp, witty storytelling. The accompanying video leans fully into that energy, featuring social media personality Ginger Billy, whose humor and Southern charm add to the song’s playful spirit. Together, the song and video feel less like a statement and more like an open invitation, capturing the messy joy of late nights, loud choruses, and finding grace exactly where you’re told you shouldn’t.

Cut Copy Bring Dreamy Electronic Pop Stateside With ‘Moments’ and New “Belong To You” Video

0

Cut Copy have returned to the U.S. in support of their new album ‘Moments,’ which is out now via Cutters Records / The Orchard. The band’s first full-length in five years, the album marks a confident new chapter, pairing emotional openness with the shimmering electronic pop sound they’ve refined over two decades. ‘Moments’ features some of the most detailed and revealing work of Cut Copy’s career, including fan favorites “Still See Love,” “Solid,” and “When This Is Over.”

Alongside the tour, Cut Copy have also shared a new music video for “Belong To You,” a standout collaboration with indie-folk songwriter Kate Bollinger, featuring pedal steel guitar from Evil Graham Lee of The Triffids. Directed by Otium LaLiberte, the video stars Dan Whitford and Bollinger and leans into themes of observation and self-surveillance. “I’ve always liked the concept of surveilling yourself, that there are parts of ourselves that are somehow inaccessible to the immediate conscious mind,” LaLiberte says. Reflecting on the collaboration, band member Ben Browning adds, “Somehow we thought this atmosphere could pair well with the glowing midnight feel of Belong to You… I love how their gentle performances guide us through a complex maze of duality and sinister surveillance.”