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Soul Powerhouse Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar Capture Lightning in a Bottle on ‘A Beautiful Buzz’

Eric Alper
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Soul Powerhouse Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar Capture Lightning in a Bottle on ‘A Beautiful Buzz’

Some artists belong on a stage, and ‘A Beautiful Buzz’ makes the case better than any studio recording ever could. Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’s new live album, out now via Gypsy Soul Records, documents the kind of performances that leave audiences wrecked in the best possible way.

Recorded during the Love Is All Around tour across Western Canada in 2022, the album captures the raw, sweat-soaked energy that has made this band one of Canada’s most commanding live acts. Lead single “My Crown” arrived first, offering an immediate introduction to what the full record delivers from start to finish.

Martin is a two-time JUNO Award nominee and seven-time Canadian Blues Award nominee for Female Vocalist of the Year, and those numbers only tell part of the story. Her voice is the kind that stops a room, equally at home in a whisper and a full-throated roar, with the control and emotional range to match.

The comparisons that follow her are serious ones. Rhythm & Booze described her as someone whose “name can be talked of in the same sentence as Etta James, Tina Turner, and Aretha Franklin,” calling it “soul for the modern age with a turbocharger.” Paris Move went further, naming her “the new Southern soul tornado.”

Those references aren’t just flattery. The DNA running through Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’s sound traces back to Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones, Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MG’s, and the Memphis Horns, delivered with a road-hardened urgency that feels entirely contemporary. It’s classic soul filtered through years of stages, miles, and hard-won experience.

Glide Magazine captured it well: “a jaw-dropping display of vocal prowess that showcases this band’s brand of supercharged blues. Like Brittany Howard, Samantha Martin might be the next musical game changer.”

‘A Beautiful Buzz’ doesn’t argue with any of that. It just proves it, night after night, note after note, in front of real crowds who clearly feel every second of it. This is what a live album is supposed to do.

Hard Rock Legends UFO Expand a Classic With ‘The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent’ Deluxe Reissue

Eric Alper
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Hard Rock Legends UFO Expand a Classic With ‘The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent’ Deluxe Reissue

UFO are giving one of their finest albums the treatment it deserves. ‘The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent’, the band’s landmark 1981 studio record, is back in a fully expanded deluxe edition via Chrysalis Records, available on 3LP tri-fold sleeve 180gm vinyl and 2CD Digipak formats, with new remastering from the original tape transfers.

The original album captured UFO at a genuine creative peak, blending soaring melodies and powerful performances anchored by Phil Mogg’s unmistakable voice. It also marked the debut of keyboardist and guitarist Neil Carter, who stepped in for Paul Raymond and immediately made his presence felt across the record.

Mogg remembers Carter’s arrival with characteristic warmth. “Neil had a box of tricks. Getting the backing vocals was great, though I still don’t think he’s forgiven me for making him play saxophone. He was a great add to the band. Plus, he was a nice bloke.”

Drummer Andy Parker is equally effusive. “Neil was just an incredible musician. He brought another energy into the band.” That energy comes through clearly across the album’s 8 tracks, and the new remaster brings every detail into sharper focus than ever before.

The centrepiece of this deluxe edition is a brand-new mix of a previously unreleased live recording, captured at the Hammersmith Odeon on January 29th, 1981, mixed by Brian Kehew. It’s an electrifying document of UFO in full flight, running through 11 tracks including “Doctor Doctor,” “Lights Out,” and “Rock Bottom.”

The package also includes original 7″ edits of singles “Couldn’t Get It Right” and “Lonely Heart,” plus an alternative mix of album standout “It’s Killing Me.” Newly written liner notes by Michael Hann, featuring fresh interviews with Mogg and Parker and previously unseen photographs from the era, round out what is an essential collector’s item.

Hann puts it plainly in his liner notes: “The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent is, hands down, the best UFO studio album: it’s melodic, it’s experimental, it’s memorable, and it rocks.”

Hard to argue with that.

CD1 – The Wild, The Willing & The Innocent (2026 Remaster):

Chains Chains

Long Gone

The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent

It’s Killing Me

Makin’ Moves

Lonely Heart

Couldn’t Get It Right

Profession Of Violence

Couldn’t Get It Right (7″ Edit)

Lonely Heart (7″ Edit)

It’s Killing Me (Alt. Mix)

CD2 – Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, January 29th, 1981 (Newly Mixed):

Long Gone

Chains Chains

Lonely Heart

Cherry

Mystery Train

Only You Can Rock Me

Too Hot To Handle

Lights Out

Rock Bottom

Doctor Doctor

Shoot Shoot

Robin McAuley Reimagines a Classic on “Little Drops Of Heaven”

Eric Alper
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Robin McAuley Reimagines a Classic on “Little Drops Of Heaven”

Frontiers Records is marking 30 years with something genuinely worth celebrating. To honour three decades in the melodic rock world, the label has released a brand-new rendition of “Little Drops Of Heaven,” featuring Robin McAuley on vocals, and it’s a strong reminder of why both the label and the singer have earned their place in this genre.

Originally recorded by Pretty Maids, the track gets a full reimagining here, with McAuley’s unmistakable voice bringing fresh intensity and emotional depth to a song that was already built to last. The production comes courtesy of Aldo Lonobile, Head of A&R Europe at Frontiers Label Group, who assembled a stellar supporting cast for the recording.

Lonobile reflects on the project with real affection. “Revisiting one of my favourite songs from Pretty Maids for Frontiers’ 30th anniversary felt incredibly special. This song carries a certain emotional weight and melodic strength that made it stand out from the very beginning.”

McAuley, known for his work with Black Swan among others, came into the project with genuine enthusiasm for the source material. “I’ve always liked Pretty Maids and especially the band’s songwriting. Ronnie Atkins has a unique style, and when Aldo approached me to record this cover, I couldn’t wait to get into the studio.”

His approach to the material was deliberate and respectful. “I tried to keep the integrity of the song but also add some of my own style, so hopefully they like my version.” The result is a performance that honours the original while giving it room to breathe in a contemporary context.

The lineup behind McAuley on the track is tight and purposeful, Alessandro Mammola on guitar, Andrea Arcangeli on bass, Alessio Lucatti on keyboards, and Alfonso Mocerino on drums. Together they deliver the kind of melodic rock that Frontiers has championed for 3 decades.

“Little Drops Of Heaven” is a confident, emotionally charged single that captures exactly what this label has always done well, world-class musicianship wrapped around timeless songwriting.

Progressive Rock Architects The Dear Hunter Hit the Road for “The Road To Sunya” Tour

Eric Alper
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Progressive Rock Architects The Dear Hunter Hit the Road for “The Road To Sunya” Tour

The Dear Hunter are heading back out on the road, and they’re bringing one of their most ambitious albums with them. “The Road To Sunya” tour continues through July and August, covering major markets across the U.S. with support from Closure in Moscow and K Sera on select dates.

The remaining run picks up July 28 in St. Louis and pushes through the South, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwest before wrapping August 14 in Chicago, hitting cities including Nashville, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, and Baltimore along the way.

The band made their feelings clear about getting back out there. “It’s been far too long since we’ve had the opportunity to perform with you, and we need anyone and everyone who loves this band to come join us and make these nights unforgettable.”

The tour supports ‘Sunya’, The Dear Hunter’s latest studio album and their most sonically expansive to date. Built on synth textures, tightly wound grooves, and deep pulls from jazz and funk, ‘Sunya’ marks a deliberate shift in perspective from its predecessor ‘Antimai’.

Where ‘Antimai’ spoke from a collective urban voice, ‘Sunya’ narrows to a single point of view, following one perspective stepping beyond a walled world into a physical wasteland, confronting silence and the absence of meaning in equal measure. The progressive rock architecture is still present, but rhythm now carries as much of the story as spectacle.

The band describes it as their most ambitious record yet. “‘Sunya’ is our most ambitious effort to date. There are a lot of funky, jazz-fusion type influences that show up in these songs. But, the record still feels like The Dear Hunter. Lyrically, we explore a lot of dystopian themes, while adding a bunch of synthy layers.”

That combination of dystopian lyricism and genre-blending instrumentation makes ‘Sunya’ one of the more genuinely interesting progressive rock records in recent memory. It’s a sharp, layered listen that rewards attention.

Casey Crescenzo launched The Dear Hunter as a side project in the mid-2000s before it became his primary creative vehicle in 2006. The band’s catalog runs deep, anchored by a series of interconnected concept albums beginning with ‘Act I: The Lake South, the River North’, with standalone records and EPs filling out a discography that keeps growing in unexpected directions.

‘Sunya’ continues that momentum, and the remaining tour dates give fans across the country a chance to hear where The Dear Hunter have taken things next.

“The Road To Sunya” Tour Dates:

July 28 – St. Louis, MO

July 29 – Nashville, TN

July 31 – Atlanta, GA

August 1 – Carrboro, NC

August 3 – Baltimore, MD

August 4 – Philadelphia, PA

August 6 – Boston, MA

August 7 – New York, NY

August 8 – Asbury Park, NJ

August 10 – Allentown, PA

August 11 – Lakewood, OH

August 13 – Grand Rapids, MI

August 14 – Chicago, IL

Kiss Reinvent Fan Engagement With Interactive New Platform

Eric Alper
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Kiss Reinvent Fan Engagement With Interactive New Platform

Kiss have always known how to make the fan experience feel like an event, and their newly launched platform on KISSOnline takes that to a whole new level. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends are redefining what it means to connect with the Kiss Army.

The platform introduces a suite of interactive features including Personal Kiss Listening Stats, a daily KISStory Trivia Quiz, and Kiss-themed profile pictures. Fans can track their own listening habits and measure their engagement directly within the community.

The centerpiece is the Patch Game, a unique achievement system where fans unlock exclusive digital patches by completing themed challenges tied to their listening activity and KISSOnline engagement. The patches draw from iconic Kiss albums and rare Kiss Army memorabilia, honoring the full depth of the band’s history.

It goes further than digital bragging rights. VIP fans can apply their earned patches to a purchasable, official Kiss Army jacket, making their fandom something they can actually wear. Four band member patches, covering The Starchild, The Demon, The Catman, and The Spaceman, are also available both digitally and physically.

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley made the launch unmistakably Kiss by releasing an exclusive unboxing video, trying on the new merchandise and previewing what fans can get their hands on.

This is a platform built by people who genuinely understand their audience, and the Kiss Army now has a home that reflects exactly how dedicated that community has always been.

Anderson Paak and Aespa Connect Two Worlds on New Single “Keychain”

Eric Alper
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Anderson Paak and Aespa Connect Two Worlds on New Single “Keychain”

Anderson Paak has never been one to stay in a single lane, and “Keychain” proves exactly that. The nine-time Grammy Award winner teams up with South Korean girl group Aespa for a cross-cultural collaboration that feels as natural as it does exciting.

The single is inspired by K-Pops!, Paak’s directorial debut, now playing exclusively at AMC Theatres nationwide. It’s also the first release from a broader film-inspired musical project, making this more than just a one-off single.

Paak’s hip-hop, R&B, and funk roots meet Aespa’s K-pop sensibilities head-on, and the result is a track that genuinely reflects who he is. For Paak, who is Korean and African-American, that blend has always been part of his story.

“I’m excited to join forces with Aespa on ‘Keychain,'” Paak says. “K-Pops! is all about connection, and this track reflects that perfectly. We come from different worlds, but we’re connected by the same passion for music.”

Aespa brings their own energy to the collaboration. “Working on ‘Keychain’ with Anderson Paak was such a fun and inspiring experience for us. We loved being part of a project that looks at K-pop from a fresh perspective.”

K-Pops! follows a father and son whose paths collide on a Seoul-based K-pop competition show, exploring generational connection and cultural exchange through music. “Keychain” carries that same spirit directly into the listening experience.

The track is warm, inventive, and full of personality, a genuine meeting of two distinct musical worlds that works on every level.

Atreyu Unleash Their Heaviest Record Yet With ‘The End is Not the End’

Eric Alper
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Atreyu Unleash Their Heaviest Record Yet With ‘The End is Not the End’

Atreyu have never played it safe, and ‘The End is Not the End’ makes that crystal clear. The hard rock heavyweights are back with their tenth studio album, and it’s the most aggressive, most adventurous record of their career.

The album arrives via Spinefarm alongside the new single “All For You,” complete with an official music video. It follows earlier singles “Dead” and “Ego Death,” both of which signaled something bigger was coming.

Frontman Brandon Saller puts it plainly: “We realized what made Atreyu great in the beginning was that we didn’t sound like anyone else. We weren’t an emo band, a metal band, a punk band, but somehow it all worked. We kind of just carved our own path.”

That path led the band across two very different creative landscapes. Sessions in Tokyo sparked immediate results. “We’d write for a few hours in the morning, then go out and get lost in all this inspiration,” Saller says. “The first song we finished was ‘Dead,’ and we knew we were onto something.”

From Tokyo, the band retreated to San Juan Island off the coast of Washington, where isolation pushed them further. “It was the polar opposite of Tokyo. We didn’t leave the house for four days and wrote some of the heaviest songs on the record.”

Produced by Matt Pauling, the album moves from soaring melodic heft to muscular metallic territory, with cinematic atmosphere threaded throughout. Standouts include “Ghost in Me,” “Afterglow,” and “Children of Light,” featuring metal icon Max Cavalera.

“All For You” lands with real emotional urgency, a driving, raw track that sits perfectly within this record’s larger sonic ambition.

Saller sums it up: “It’s our heaviest, most metal record we’ve made. But it’s also the biggest musical journey we’ve taken in years.”

Atreyu are also out on the road this spring supporting Sevendust, running through May.

Track Listing:

  1. The End Is Not The End
  2. Dead
  3. Break Me
  4. All For You
  5. Ghost In Me
  6. Glass Eater
  7. Wait My Love, I’ll Be Home Soon
  8. Ego Death
  9. Death Rattle
  10. Children Of Light
  11. In The Dark
  12. Afterglow
  13. Break The Glass

Micky Dolenz Hits the Road for 60 Years of The Monkees While ‘Good Times!’ Gets a 10th Anniversary Reissue

Eric Alper
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Micky Dolenz Hits the Road for 60 Years of The Monkees While ‘Good Times!’ Gets a 10th Anniversary Reissue

Micky Dolenz is currently on his 60 Years of The Monkees tour, a 27-date run across the United States marking six decades since The Monkees first captured the world’s attention, and arriving alongside the 10th anniversary reissue of ‘Good Times!’, the 2016 studio album that reunited Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork under the guidance of producer Adam Schlesinger for one of the most celebrated late-career records in rock history.

‘Good Times!’ followed the same collaborative blueprint that defined The Monkees’ early catalog, with tracks written specifically for the group by Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, Andy Partridge of XTC, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, and Paul Weller of The Jam, alongside original contributions from Nesmith and Tork. The album debuted in the Top 20, nearly 50 years after their last such entry.

“None of us could have imagined that nearly 50 years after our last Top 20 record, we’d be back there again with a new Monkees album,” says Dolenz. “It was also a joy to work with the incredibly talented Adam Schlesinger, who understood exactly how to honor our history while still making something fresh.” Schlesinger passed in 2020, adding real weight to this anniversary look back.

The deluxe reissue expands the original 13-track album with bonus tracks and a full disc of instrumentals, giving fans the most complete version of ‘Good Times!’ yet. The tour runs through November, with dates across the country from Orlando to Milwaukee.

60 Years of The Monkees Tour Dates:

June 26 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live Orlando

June 28 – Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre

June 30 – Atlanta, GA @ City Winery Atlanta

July 2 – Atlanta, GA @ City Winery Atlanta

July 4 – Ellisville, MS @ Jones College

July 9 – Kettering, OH @ Fraze Pavilion

July 11 – Lakeside, OH @ Hoover Auditorium

July 19 – Napa, CA @ Uptown Theatre Napa

September 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The United Theater on Broadway

September 29 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre

October 1 – Hopewell, VA @ The Historic Beacon Theatre

October 3 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Music Box

October 15 – Greensburg, PA @ The Palace Theatre

October 17 – North Tonawanda, NY @ Riviera Theatre and Performing Arts Center

November 1 – Joliet, IL @ Rialto Square Theatre

November 4 – Shipshewana, IN @ Blue Gate PAC

November 6 – Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield Park, Center Stage

November 8 – Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman Place

November 11 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater

November 13 – St. Charles, MO @ Family Arena

Billy Idol Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the AMAs and Delivers His First Ever Performance at the Show

Eric Alper
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Billy Idol Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the AMAs and Delivers His First Ever Performance at the Show

Billy Idol accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd American Music Awards this past weekend, marking the moment with his first ever AMA performance alongside longtime collaborator and guitarist Steve Stevens. The two played a medley of his biggest hits, including “Eyes Without A Face” and “Dancing With Myself,” in front of an audience that has known those songs for decades.

In his acceptance speech, Idol traced the line from 1976 punk rock to 50 years of a life fully committed to music. “When I started out in punk rock back in 1976, we didn’t know if what we were doing would last six months, let alone 50 years,” he said. “But we were doing it for the love.” He closed with a direct message to anyone inspired to pursue art: “Pick up an instrument, find out who you are, and be it.”

The award and the performance arrive during a genuinely landmark period for Idol, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 alongside Iron Maiden and Oasis. His world tour, “It’s A Nice Day To…Tour Again!,” has already sold out venues across the US, Europe, and Latin America over the past year.

The next leg kicks off August 7 at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA, with Devo, Susanna Hoffs, Villanelle, and Grocery Bag supporting on select dates. The run hits arenas and amphitheatres across the country, produced by Live Nation.

Video: Beyoncé’s 2011 Glastonbury Set Made History and Still Ranks Among the Festival’s Greatest Nights

Eric Alper
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Video: Beyoncé’s 2011 Glastonbury Set Made History and Still Ranks Among the Festival’s Greatest Nights

On June 26, 2011, Beyoncé took the Pyramid Stage and became the first solo Black woman to headline Glastonbury Festival, delivering a 90-minute spectacle in front of over 175,000 people that broke television viewing records and generated universal critical acclaim. Backed by her all-female band, she opened with “Crazy in Love,” moved through “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “Halo,” introduced tracks from her then-new album ‘4’, and covered Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” and Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire” with the kind of command that made a massive festival crowd feel like an intimate room. More than a decade later, it remains the benchmark for what a Glastonbury headline set can be.

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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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