Page 405 – That Eric Alper

Mechanical Doom Meets Birdsongs: Author & Punisher’s ‘Nocturnal Birding’ Takes Flight

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

Mechanical Doom Meets Birdsongs: Author & Punisher’s ‘Nocturnal Birding’ Takes Flight

After celebrating 20 years since the inception of Author & Punisher in 2024, founding composer, vocalist and mechanical engineer Tristan Shone embraces the project’s broadest scope to date with Nocturnal Birding.

Today, Author & Punisher shares the official video for Nocturnal Birding’s lead single “Titanis.” The video was filmed this past Summer in Bali, Indonesia, live with Kuntari, who performed on the studio recording of “Titanis.” Directed by Manda Selena and Ican Harem.

Nocturnal Birding is out October 3rd, 2025, on LP/CD/Streaming via Relapse Records.

Removing himself from an artistic comfort zone proved fruitful inspiration. There is literal birdsong all over Nocturnal Birding, and transposing those melodies and rhythms to guitar became the root of the material, representing a rare coming together of the natural world and mechanized sounds.

Nocturnal Birding Track Listing:

Meadowlark
Titanis (ft. Kuntari)
Mute Swan (ft. Megan Oztrosits of Couch Slut)
Black Storm Petrel (ft. Fange)
Titmouse
Titmice
Rook
Thrush

European Tour:

Oct 18 – Lisboa, PT @ Music Station (w/ Blood Incantation)
Oct 20 – Madrid, SP @ Sala Mon (w/ Blood Incantation)
Oct 21 – Barcelona, SP @ Sala Wolf
Oct 22 – Marseille, FR @ Le Molotov
Oct 23 – Montpellier, FR @ In Tenebris Lux
Oct 24 – Nilvange, FR @ Gueulard Plus (w/ Divide & Dissolve)
Oct 25 – Maastricht, NL @ Samhain Fest
Oct 26 – Hamburg, DE @ MS Stubnitz (with Bong-Ra)
Oct 27 – Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall (with Bong-Ra)
Oct 28 – Oslo, NO @ Goldie (with Bong-Ra)
Oct 29 – Göteborg, SW @ Monument (with Bong-Ra)
Oct 30 – Copenhagen, DK @ Stengade (with Bong-Ra)
Oct 31 – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghaim (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 01 – Gdansk, PL @ Drizzly Grizzly (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 02 – Warsaw, PL @ Voodoo (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 03 – Poznan, PL @ 2Progi (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 04 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 05 – Frankfurt / Darmstadt, DE (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 06 – Paris, FR @ Backstage (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 07 – Bruxelles, BE @ Magasin 4 (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 08 – Lille, FR @ La Bulle (with Bong-Ra)
Nov 09 – Manchester, UK @ Damnation Festival

West Coast Nocturnal Birding Record Release Shows:

Nov 12 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah w/ King Yosef
Nov 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo w/ King Yosef

The Prize Announce Debut Album ‘In The Red,’ Share New Single “From The Night”

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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The Prize Announce Debut Album ‘In The Red,’ Share New Single “From The Night”

Melbourne’s fave three-guitar rock n’ roll power poppers The Prize have at long last announced the imminent release of their debut album In The Red on September 19th via Anti Fade Records in Australia and Goner Records in the USA. They have also shared the new single “From The Night” and premiered its video.

The announcement and the new track follow the album’s previous two singles, “First Sight,” which was released in August 2023 ahead of their first European tour (with King Gizzard) and “Had it Made,” which was released last October ahead of the band’s second European tour (with The Chats) in late 2024.

The Prize made their debut for Anti Fade in 2022 with the EP Wrong Side of Town, which prompted global interest in the band. They began recording the album in 2023, but the international tours caused delays, as did the departure of original bass player Jack Kong in early 2024. New bass player Ethan Stahl (formerly of UK band Chubby and the Gang) came on board a year ago after Jack helped the band finish the tracking process.

Initial album sessions took place with Paul Maybury of Rocket Science at his A Secret Location studio, with subsequent tracks recorded with Matt Blach of the Murlocs at Gizz Studios (following The Prize’s European run with King Gizzard late in 2023) and, in January of this year, with Robin Mukerjee of TV Colours.

The band, which features drummer Nadine Muller sharing lead vocals with guitarist Carey Paterson together with guitarists Joseph Imfeld and Austin Haire as well as new bass player Ethan, is known for its powerful three-guitar frontline and melodic twin lead guitar. It combines punk and classic hard rock with power pop and new wave and cites its influences as Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, Pretenders, Blondie, Rolling Stones, Faces, Flamin’ Groovies, Tom Petty, Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour, The Toms, The Nerves, and The Motors.

In the Red Track Listing:

Connie
Static Love Affair
Don’t Need ‘Em
From The Night
Had It Made
First Sight
Down The Street
Looking For A Reason
Say You’re Mine
Reaction
Silver Bullet

Royal Republic Unleash Glitter-Fueled Mayhem with “I’m So Excited”

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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Royal Republic Unleash Glitter-Fueled Mayhem with “I’m So Excited”

Sweden’s finest purveyors of high-octane rock’n’roll, Royal Republic, are back and turning up the glitter-drenched chaos with their brand new single, “I’m So Excited” — a riotous reimagining of the iconic Pointer Sisters hit.

This dazzling cover is the second chapter in “The Blastbeaters” saga, a four-part musical journey where Royal Republic don corpse paint, spikes, and dubious logic in their transformation into The Blastbeaters — a fictional Black Metal band with a beat-up Volvo 140 and an ambition for world domination… whether the world wants it or not.

“I’m So Excited” follows hot on the heels of the band’s explosive cover of Shocking Blue’s “Venus,” which launched The Blastbeaters series with a bang — and a fair bit of glitter. But if fans thought that was wild, they’d better buckle up: this next instalment promises sparkles, glitter, saxophone solos, and the kind of unhinged energy only Royal Republic could conjure.

Kid Kapichi Unveil Vulnerable New Single ‘Stainless Steel’ and Announce 2025 UK Underplay Tour

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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Kid Kapichi Unveil Vulnerable New Single ‘Stainless Steel’ and Announce 2025 UK Underplay Tour

UK alt-punks Kid Kapichi dawn a new age with the release of their new single “Stainless Steel,” a deeply personal track for frontman Jack Wilson. The new track arrives alongside an official lyric video, available below.

“I wrote the lyrics during a particularly difficult few months last year. I realized that I’m not invincible or immune from my own mental health issues, hence ‘I’m not made of stainless steel…’ It came about during one of the darkest periods of my life, and a lot of the songs written around that time feel like a blur or like they were written by someone else. Listening back to them now feels like advice given to me from my past self. It’s comforting to know that I got out of that place and am doing better, but it’s also a stark reminder that you aren’t in control of when you may slip again.

“‘Stainless Steel’ also felt like a new direction for us; slowing things down and stripping things back after years of sensing that ‘more is more.’ It finally felt like less could be…”

Meanwhile, KK have confirmed an extensive UK headline tour for October / November 2025. These “up-close & personal” shows will see the new lineup taking to the road for the very first time. A number of UK festival appearances are also in place for August, preceded by a warm-up headline show in Bristol; see the full list of dates below.

Tour Dates:

Aug 15 – Thekla, Bristol
Aug 16 – Beautiful Days, Devon
Aug 23 – Victorious, Portsmouth
Aug 24 – Camper Calling, Alcester

“UK Underplay Tour” Tour Dates:

Oct 16 – The Booking Hall, Dover
Oct 17 – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells
Oct 18 – Boileroom, Guildford
Oct 19 – Concorde 2, Brighton
Oct 21 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Oct 22 – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham *SOLD OUT
Oct 24 – Deaf Institute, Manchester *SOLD OUT
Oct 25 – King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow *SOLD OUT
Oct 26 – The Cluny, Newcastle
Oct 28 – Key Club, Leeds
Oct 29 – Mash, Cambridge
Oct 31 – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes

Victony Links with Terry G for Cross-Generational Afropop Anthem ‘Tanko’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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Victony Links with Terry G for Cross-Generational Afropop Anthem ‘Tanko’

Rising Afropop sensation Victony shares his new single “Tanko,” featuring legendary Nigerian rapper Terry G. A dancefloor-ready anthem, the song juxtaposes Victony’s soft vocals against Terry’s high-energy tone in a cross-generational link-up. The title “Tanko,” borrowed from street football slang, becomes more than just a game. It’s Victony’s metaphor for duality: of dreams and discipline, temptation and tenacity, the come-up and the constant.

On the track, Victony thumps his chest with unapologetic pride: “Too many nights I’m hustling, too many girls I am shuffling,” a hook that blurs the sacred and the scandalous, before handing the mic to Terry G, whose verse careens with unpredictability, bringing back the frenetic madness that defined an era.

Terry G, dubbed the “Akpako Master” and “Ginjah Master,” is renowned for his high-energy hits like “Free Madness,” “Testing Microphone,” and “Run Mad,” which have become anthems in Nigeria’s vibrant music scene. His 2013 album, Book of Ginjah, further solidified his status as a trailblazer in the industry.

“Tanko” arrives two months after the one-year anniversary of Victony’s acclaimed debut album, Stubborn. The album marked a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution, featuring standout collaborations with the likes of Teezo Touchdown, Asake, Saint Jhn, Shallipoppi, and more. With Stubborn, Victony pushed sonic boundaries, crafting a bold and genre-defying project that celebrates the diversity and richness of African music on a global scale.

The Castellows Share Stripped-Back Storytelling on ‘Acoustic Live Sessions’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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The Castellows Share Stripped-Back Storytelling on ‘Acoustic Live Sessions’

The project includes stripped-back takes on Homecoming standouts like “Old Way,” “Sheltered,” and their version of Patty Loveless’s “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am,” as well as new acoustic recordings of previously released “Alabama Stone,” It also features the heartfelt focus track “Red Dirt Girl.” Each song was captured live, offering listeners an up-close look at the heart behind the music.

Originally released on May 30, their debut EP Homecoming introduced the trio’s unique blend of nostalgia and modern Country through vivid storytelling inspired by life on the road, their Georgia farm roots, and the meaning of home. Acoustic Live Sessions gives fans a new way to connect with that same spirit, stripped down to just the voices, lyrics, and instruments that shaped it.

Acoustic Live Sessions Track Listing & Credits:
1. Alabama Stone (Caroline Watkins, Josh Dorr, Eleanor Balkcom, Powell
Balkcom, Lily Balkcom)
2. Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold) (Dan Seals, Bob McDill)
3. Sheltered (Eleanor Balkcom, Lily Balkcom, Powell Balkcom and Daniel
Tashian)
4. Old Way (Ellie Balkcom, Powell Balkcom, Casey Beathard, and Jimi Bell)
5. You Don’t Even Know Who I Am (Gretchen Peters)
6. Red Dirt Girl (Rodney Crowell)

The Castellows are currently on the road with Thomas Rhett for his Better in Boots Tour and will kick off their headline The Homecoming Tour this fall.

The Homecoming Tour dates:
SEP 13 Austin, TX Antone’s
OCT 2 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
OCT 3 Charlotte, NC Amos’ Southend
OCT 4 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theater
OCT 9 Isle of Palms, SC The Windjammer
OCT 10 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
OCT 17 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Theatre
OCT 18 Kansas City, MO PBR Big Sky Bar
OCT 24 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
OCT 30 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl
Oct 31 Columbus, OH The Bluestone
Nov 1 Bloomington, IN Bluebird Nightclub
Nov 6 Baton Rouge, LA Texas Club
NOV 7 College Station, TX Stage 12 @ Brookshire Brothers
NOV 8 The Woodlands, TX. Dosey Doe
NOV 13 Allentown, PA Arrow @ Archer Music Hall
NOV 14 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Nov 15 Warrendale, PA Jergels Rhythm Grille
NOV 20 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line
NOV 21 Milwaukee, WI The Rave II
NOV 22 Chicago, IL Joe’s on Weed

Lauren Freebird Captures Quiet Heartbreak in ‘Ceiling Fan’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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Lauren Freebird Captures Quiet Heartbreak in ‘Ceiling Fan’

Country-rock artist Lauren Freebird releases her new single, “Ceiling Fan,” now available on all digital streaming platforms. Lauren Freebird’s “Ceiling Fan” captures the quiet unraveling that happens when love goes silent. Set against acoustic guitar, soft fiddle, and her signature unforced delivery, the song channels the weight of emotional detachment and the inner voice that surfaces when something isn’t right.

“If I move real fast, my eyes can sometimes catch a single blade / on the bedroom ceiling fan,” she sings. “Helps to numb these thoughts away / a way to run away from the possibility / of falling for you / so I’ll focus on the blades.” It’s a subtle yet striking metaphor – a snapshot of distraction as self-defense, set against the backdrop of late-night stillness.

Reflecting on the song’s inspiration, Freebird shares, “When we wrote ‘Ceiling Fan,’ Todd had brought in a beautiful poem that offered a glimpse into the mind of a woman caught in an empty, transactional relationship.

“Sadly, it’s a feeling many women are all too familiar with. The loneliest I’ve ever felt was when I wasn’t alone. The words moved us so deeply, we finished the song around a campfire in just 30 minutes.”

Brandon Wisham Drops Summer-Ready Country-Rock Anthem ‘She’s Good’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

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Brandon Wisham Drops Summer-Ready Country-Rock Anthem ‘She’s Good’

Breakout country artist Brandon Wisham shares his brand-new single “She’s Good” – a full-tilt country-rock banger built for summer nights. The fourth song released by the 22-year-old rising star, “She’s Good” is the latest testament to his formidable vocal chops and first-rate songwriting talent.

Still riding high off his recent recognition as SiriusXM The Highway’s latest Highway Find – an honor previously granted to country heavyweights like Parker McCollum and Luke Combs – “She’s Good” marks one of the most dynamic offerings yet as he prepares to hit the road this fall with Tyler Hubbard, Lakeview, Austin Snell, and more to be announced.

“Myself, Jared Conrad, and Chandler Baldwin wrote ‘She’s Good,’ which is a feel-good song bottling sunshine and a light breeze with each lyric – yet a story that channels heartbreak, marrying the two ideas to make you feel both emotions,” says Wisham.

Produced by his frequent collaborator Brandon Hood (Ty Myers, Mackenzie Carpenter), “She’s Good” explodes with a high-energy sound forged with the help of A-list musicians like guitarist Tom Bukovac (a multi-award-winning session player known for his work with legends like Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, and more). As the song opens, Wisham leans into his romantic side and paints an adoring portrait of the one he loves: “If I’m Johnny, she’s June, yeah, she melts me with the bluest/Eyes that I’ve ever seen/I’m a little hell-bent, she’s an angel heaven-sent/Too good for a guy like me.” With its blazing guitar riffs, pounding drums, bright keyboard melodies, and punchy background vocals, “She’s Good” doubles down on its euphoric mood at the chorus (“She’s good/As that Gulf Coast weather/Late July, 85, nothing better/Like mama’s apple pie, cold beer Friday nights/Like a bait-takin’, record-breakin’ bass on the line”). But at the refrain’s final lines, Wisham flips the script and reveals the devastating truth of the situation: “She’s good/As it gets in a country song/Too bad she’s good as gone.”

Earlier this week, Capitol Music Group announced that Wisham had signed a deal with the iconic label group in partnership with The Core Records. Hailed as a “bold new voice in country music” (Entertainment Focus), he made his debut in March with the arrival of “Back Together,” returned in May with “Better Than The Day” (his first feature on SiriusXM’s The Highway), and found himself crowned a Highway Find upon releasing the introspective coming-of-age anthem “Growin’ Up” in June.

Raised in Williamston, South Carolina, Wisham achieved major success with the first song he ever wrote – the heartrending “Pain Won’t Last,” a track he penned at age 19 about losing his father to Covid. Along with cutting his own version of “Pain Won’t Last” for 2023’s platinum-certified Religiously. The Album., country superstar Bailey Zimmerman enlisted Wisham as support for a major tour that launched in Los Angeles in early 2024. Known for his impassioned live performance, Wisham later toured with Josh Ross and made his CMA Fest debut this June.

Bootie Brown Unveils Genre-Defying Single ‘UnAwake’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

0

Bootie Brown Unveils Genre-Defying Single ‘UnAwake’

Legendary rapper, producer, and creative force Bootie Brown (Romye Robinson) continues to redefine sonic boundaries with the release of his latest single “UnAwake,” a vibrant, genre-blurring anthem that fuses opera, soul, funk, and experimental hip-hop into one hypnotic soundscape.

A founding member of the iconic alternative hip-hop group The Pharcyde, Brown helped shape the West Coast’s non-gangsta rap identity with era-defining tracks like “Passin’ Me By” and “Drop.” Now, with “UnAwake,” he’s pushing the envelope once again, this time into UltraHipFunkWave, a genre which he has created, that is as visionary and undefinable as Brown himself.

Legendary rapper, producer, and creative force Bootie Brown (Romye Robinson) continues to redefine sonic boundaries with the release of his latest single “UnAwake,” a vibrant, genre-blurring anthem that fuses opera, soul, funk, and experimental hip-hop into one hypnotic soundscape.

A founding member of the iconic alternative hip-hop group The Pharcyde, Brown helped shape the West Coast’s non-gangsta rap identity with era-defining tracks like “Passin’ Me By” and “Drop.” Now, with “UnAwake,” he’s pushing the envelope once again, this time into UltraHipFunkWave, a genre which he has created, that is as visionary and undefinable as Brown himself.

Originally produced by Fabrice Grassin, the track takes unexpected, cinematic turns with Brown’s bold orchestration. He enlisted an opera singer and a live violinist to deepen the drama and tension within the arrangement, adding lush textures that elevate the song’s emotional weight. The addition of Chicago soul singer Peven Everett brings a pulsing, danceable energy, accentuating the track’s ethereal yet grounded duality.

True to Brown’s multidisciplinary spirit, “UnAwake” feels like a soundtrack to a dream-state revolution, a swirling blend of abstract thought, emotional gravity, and unapologetic rhythm. It’s a reminder that Bootie Brown is not just a voice from the golden era of hip-hop, but a sonic explorer charting new territory for future generations.

Chase McDaniel Confronts Generational Pain on ‘My Side Of The Family’

Music

Eric Alper

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Aug 11, 2025

0

Chase McDaniel Confronts Generational Pain on ‘My Side Of The Family’

Big Machine Records singer-songwriter Chase McDaniel wrestles with the possibility of a generational curse in “My Side Of The Family” – listen below and watch the Robby Stevens-directed music video.

Bringing audiences even closer to the unfiltered story at the core of his autobiographical debut album, Lost Ones, McDaniel digs deeper into his past without holding back during this internal dialogue. For as heavy as the subject matter may be, however, he offsets this weight under producer Lindsay Rimes with a lithe and light melody of deftly plucked banjo, acoustic guitar, and fiddle that’s further driven by his dynamic delivery.

On the verses penned by McDaniel, Zach Kale, and Seth Mosley, he counts his blessings, including a loving future wife and supportive father-in-law. Yet, the brutally openhearted and honest hook sees him grapple with what could happen down the line, “Do I got them same demons running in my blood / ‘Cause I got that strange feeling, if I have son / That I’m gonna pass down the same things.” He confesses, “So, I pray he don’t take after me and my side of the family.”

Making its mark during National Suicide Prevention Month, Lost Ones – dropping September 19 – is a body of work born from his calling of bringing strength to anyone who feels hopeless or adrift. With every track co-written by McDaniel, like his current chart-climbing single “Burned Down Heaven,” the 12-track introduction shares the most painful aspects of his life, including his struggle with depression and the life-altering experience of losing his father to addiction.