Page 384 – That Eric Alper

UMe Honors Joe Cocker’s Legacy With ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ Film Premiere

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 24, 2026

UMe Honors Joe Cocker’s Legacy With ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ Film Premiere

UMe is celebrating the life and music of the late Joe Cocker with the full premiere of the documentary and concert film ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ on YouTube. The screening arrives as Cocker is posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, marking a major moment in honoring one of rock’s most distinctive and emotionally charged voices.

Directed by Pierre Adidge, ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ captures Cocker’s legendary North American tour alongside Leon Russell, unfolding as a vivid time capsule of the seventies. The film blends explosive live performances with candid behind-the-scenes moments, showcasing Cocker’s full-bodied delivery, sweat-soaked intensity, and deep emotional surrender to the music. Backstage reflections reveal both humor and hard-earned wisdom, as Cocker laughs, “I used to sing in front of the mirror with a tennis racket…full of shit I am,” before offering, “If you really want results, you have to forget everything you have of your old self, let’s say, and just surrender to what’s going on.” The premiere coincides with renewed interest in Cocker’s catalog, reaffirming his enduring influence as a vocal powerhouse and cultural icon.

Paige Kennedy Announces New EP ‘Style Over Substance’ and Shares New Single “Medical Emergency”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 24, 2026

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Paige Kennedy Announces New EP ‘Style Over Substance’ and Shares New Single “Medical Emergency”

Paige Kennedy (they/them) has announced their new EP ‘Style Over Substance’, due February 6th, and shared new single “Medical Emergency” today alongside a reliably iconic video. The track leans into Paige’s off-kilter pop instincts, turning a bleak real-life moment into an indie-tinged, larger-than-life anthem that balances humour with vulnerability. The EP will be supported by a headline tour running throughout February.

“After a life altering breakup, I was sitting in A&E with actual heart problems, feeling sorry for myself. My coping mechanism, has always been leaning into fantasy, silliness and comedy during dark times, which was how Medical Emergency was born. The persona in the track thinks all the nurses fancy them, and has delusions of grandeur. Musically I was inspired by Tupac, The Cardigans and PJ Harvey. There’s an overconfidence in gangsta rap I wanted to emulate. The sound world of the song is grungy with some silly sound design elements which matches the content.” The video mirrors that energy, with an exaggerated version of Paige and nurse backing-dancers causing cartoonish chaos. It follows “Male Friend,” a detective-style vignette exploring desire and identity, as Paige continues to build a fast-growing audience through sharp storytelling, viral clips, and live shows that thrive on sweaty club floors and open festival fields alike.

Monitors Return With Debut Album ‘The Madelaine Affair’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 24, 2026

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Monitors Return With Debut Album ‘The Madelaine Affair’

Monitors return with their debut album ‘The Madelaine Affair’, marking a major moment for the Paris-based band previously described by Rolling Stone Magazine as “producing an outstanding musical fusion.” Formed in 2017 by members of English, Bosnian, and French backgrounds, the band signed to Manchester label AnalogueTrash in 2021 and have since built a reputation for challenging, life-affirming music and a formidable live presence across France and the UK. The group consists of Emil Balic on bass and composition, Renaud Fumey on guitar, Chris Remick on vocals and lyrics, and Féodor Trotta on drums.

Co-produced at Paris studio La Canopée, ‘The Madelaine Affair’ draws on ideas of memory, loss, and collective resilience, referencing Proust’s reflections on the senses and grief. Emil Balic explains, “In an increasingly harsh world, our music is meant to be a refuge, a shelter against adversity. We remain pacifists, probably utopians, but more than ever, convinced that we must stand together. And even if everything falls apart around us, there will always be moments to stay united together, and to celebrate our love for this music.” Chris Remick adds, “The new album is Marinetti’s manifesto brought to life: sing the love of danger, the habit of energy, the beauty of speed, and motor cars running on machine-gun fire. Beauty exists only in struggle. The Madelaine Affair is a modern cacophony of violent inspiration, angelic epiphanies, and radical transformation.”

Von Loop Embrace Chaos on New Single “Aurora”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 24, 2026

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Von Loop Embrace Chaos on New Single “Aurora”

Irish alt-rock outfit Von Loop return with “Aurora,” a chaotic and tongue-in-cheek dive into self-deception, denial, and human absurdity. What begins as a playful nod to The Simpsons’ iconic “Steamed Hams” scene quickly spirals into a sharp-edged reflection on how people disguise their own disasters, smiling through the wreckage while everything quietly burns.

Built on gritty grunge undertones, explosive guitar textures, and biting lyrical wit, “Aurora” captures the beauty and madness of human contradiction. The line “Starting to see-more of what I’ve been missing” lands especially hard, blurring the line between satire and heartbreak. It’s clever, raw, and unmistakably Von Loop, using humor and metaphor to expose denial, betrayal, and the absurdity of keeping up appearances when reality is falling apart.

Conquer Divide Return With Powerful New Single “The Ocean Between Us”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 24, 2026

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Conquer Divide Return With Powerful New Single “The Ocean Between Us”

Conquer Divide have released their new single and lyric video, “The Ocean Between Us,” a sweeping and emotionally raw track that leans into the band’s heavier sound while embracing a wide, atmospheric feel. “‘The Ocean Between Us’ is about being set on one life path, going through the motions until something or someone stops you in your tracks,” the band says. “It’s about seeing an alternate version of your life and wondering what if. What if you took the leap and started over somewhere far away, with someone new?”

Balancing melancholy and euphoria, the song unfolds without a clear resolution, leaving listeners suspended between escape and immersion. The uncertainty at the end mirrors the weight of choice, knowing that either path would permanently change reality. The new track follows “Bad Dreams,” featuring Of Virtue, and arrives as Conquer Divide continue work on their next album, slated for release in 2026, with major festival appearances already on the calendar.

GRACE. Unveils Intimate Debut Album ‘Hourglass Plea’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 23, 2026

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GRACE. Unveils Intimate Debut Album ‘Hourglass Plea’

GRACE. has released her debut album ‘Hourglass Plea,’ a tender, deeply personal meditation on time, loss, and emotional survival. Written during one of the most difficult years of her life, the album functions as both diary and refuge, capturing moments of grief, love, and closure with quiet honesty. “I wrote Hourglass Plea during one of the hardest years of my life,” GRACE. shares. “It became my safe space to process grief, love, closure, and everything in between. Each song feels like a page from my journal — vulnerable, gentle, honest, and deeply personal.”

Built around ethereal soundscapes and introspective storytelling, ‘Hourglass Plea’ invites listeners to sit with impermanence and the beauty of fleeting moments. Drawing inspiration from artists like Clairo, Olivia Dean, Cleo Sol, Bruno Major, and Laufey, GRACE. blends cinematic warmth with intimate lyricism. “This album is for anyone holding on to something they weren’t ready to lose but had to let go,” she says, framing the record as both comfort and reminder to feel deeply and hold close what still remains.

MAY-A Lets Loose With Queer Pop-Rock Anthem “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 23, 2026

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MAY-A Lets Loose With Queer Pop-Rock Anthem “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS”

MAY-A switches gears with her new single “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS,” a sexy, pop-rock-driven anthem that arrives alongside a self-directed music video. Following the weightier, politically charged “[REDACTED],” the track leans fully into release and fun, powered by guitar-led dance energy and late-night chaos. “This song was created because I felt like the album writing process was getting quite heavy and serious, and I needed some kind of sense of relief and fun,” MAY-A says. Drawing inspiration from late-2000s Yeah Yeah Yeahs and early Calvin Harris, she adds, “We were just having fun and writing something stupid and less intense than the other tracks.”

The video mirrors that spirit, serving as a Y2K-flavored love letter to warehouse raves, club nights, and dancing until sunrise. The release lands amid a huge run for MAY-A, who has spent the past year building momentum through major festival appearances and high-profile support slots, including opening for Glass Animals and sharing the stage with Cyndi Lauper. With “(I’m Here For The) GIRLS,” MAY-A delivers a sharp, liberated moment that celebrates queerness, movement, and joy without overthinking it.

Anna Lunoe Returns to the Club With New Single ‘Trick’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 23, 2026

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Anna Lunoe Returns to the Club With New Single ‘Trick’

Anna Lunoe is back with her new single ‘Trick,’ out now via NLV Records. Built on tight percussion, heavy basslines, and warehouse-ready drums, the track leans into the raw, playful energy that has long defined Lunoe’s club output. Stripped back and forward-facing, ‘Trick’ is designed for the dancefloor, balancing physical momentum with restless experimentation. “Took me a minute post-album to find my studio flow,” Lunoe says. “I found myself stripping back to bones… sonic experiments, de-centering my vocals, gamifying the production and just enjoying working alone again with no outcome or agenda.”

The release follows a landmark period for Lunoe, who last year shared her debut album ‘Pearl,’ earning triple j Feature Album status and recognition as one of Billboard’s Best Dance Albums of 2024. Since then, she’s expanded that world with ‘Pearl (Remixes)’ and continued to cement her status as a global force through high-profile live performances and support slots across the U.S., UK, and Australia. ‘Trick’ signals the start of a new, club-focused chapter, with Lunoe describing it as “tried and tested, playable and ready to load up,” setting the tone for what’s next.

Violet Orlandi Channels Cinematic Darkness on New Album ‘Birdeater’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 23, 2026

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Violet Orlandi Channels Cinematic Darkness on New Album ‘Birdeater’

Violet Orlandi steps fully into her own with ‘Birdeater,’ a visceral new album that blends rock, metal, and cinematic alternative music into an unflinchingly personal statement. Born and raised in São Paulo, Orlandi first gained global attention through her atmospheric YouTube covers, building an audience of over 1.2 million subscribers, but ‘Birdeater’ marks her most decisive move toward original work. Produced by her husband and creative partner Ricardo Gifford, the album rejects over-polished modern production in favor of live instrumentation, minimal processing, and performance-driven intensity. “We weren’t looking for perfection,” Orlandi says. “We were looking for rawness and authenticity.”

Deeply influenced by cinema, ‘Birdeater’ draws inspiration from cult films like The Exorcist, Hellraiser, and Alice in Wonderland, with each song unfolding like a psychological scene. Many tracks were written alone in her bedroom with films playing in the background, giving the album a dreamlike, unsettling flow. Beneath its dark atmosphere, ‘Birdeater’ is ultimately about agency and transformation. “Life can bring so much suffering,” Orlandi reflects, “but in the end, it’s up to you to decide how you’ll react — which path you’ll take… this prison cell has a wide open door.” The result is a record that feels intimate, fearless, and quietly powerful.

JEEN Returns With Raw, Resilient New EP ‘For The Romance’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jan 23, 2026

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JEEN Returns With Raw, Resilient New EP ‘For The Romance’

JEEN is back with her new EP ‘For The Romance,’ a five-song release shaped by perseverance, exhaustion, and creative survival. Written during a difficult period marked by uncertainty and burnout, the EP channels frustration into catharsis while leaning fully into vulnerability. “These five songs surfaced after a very difficult period in my career where I wasn’t sure if I could keep going,” JEEN says. “Perseverance,” she adds simply when asked about its core theme. “I’m just trying not to become too jaded or bitter in this industry. It’s a hard battle sometimes, but I’m still here.”

Created with longtime collaborator and producer Ian Blurton, the sessions took place in early 2025 and blend studio recordings with intimate home demos. “Recording with Ian is always a great process, very grateful for that,” JEEN shares. “Under the harsher business circumstances around this release, adding two of my recent home recordings – including a solo live cover – just felt like the right combination.” The title track sits at the emotional center of the EP, offering a tongue-in-cheek but deeply sincere reflection on why she keeps making music. “‘For The Romance’ is a reminder not to give up until you find what you’re looking for,” she explains. “I wrote it at the end of my rope, trying to convince myself there’s still something worth fighting for.”

From the disco-tinged ache of “Look What You Did” to the driving pop-rock pulse of “Psychedelic Silver Lining,” ‘For The Romance’ captures JEEN at her most exposed and defiant. “I had a series of existential crises trying to get this EP to the finish line, but I’m proud of the tracks that came out of it,” she says. “I decided a long time ago this is the only way I can live if I’m going to be real with myself.” Across a career defined by persistence, JEEN continues to treat songwriting as necessity rather than luxury. “Making music is like breathing for me,” she adds. “I’m always trying to write something better than I did before, something that I don’t think sucks.”