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Poptones Draw on UNO-Inspired Chaos for New Single “Say Something Now” off Upcoming Album ‘Pure’

Eric Alper
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Poptones Draw on UNO-Inspired Chaos for New Single “Say Something Now” off Upcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones today release “Say Something Now”, the second single from their upcoming album Pure, out September 26th via Happy Metal Records.

Where lead single “Skin of Sea” hinted at a shift toward grandeur and intuitive composition, “Say Something Now” takes that impulse further, channelling pure spontaneity through an unlikely creative source: the card game UNO.

The track’s soaring chorus is lifted directly from a unique improvisational game the band devised during an artist residency on Denmark’s North Jutland coast- the same house where former Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag spent his final days. The UNO-Improvisation game, uses the colour-coded and action-based logic of UNO cards to assign musical behaviours to each player. Red means “extreme” and chaotic; green is static and grounded; action cards can flip expectations or double a performer’s output. It’s part structured chance, part deliberate chaos – think Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies meets John Zorn’s Cobra.

“The chorus was taken straight from that improvisation,” the band shares. “Anders and Simon both drew red, meaning they had to play with intensity and unpredictability. Mads drew green with a ‘turn around’ card, so he had to play his bass backwards – fretting with his right hand. It led to this beautiful tension: the chaos of drums and guitar, anchored by a bassline that barely moves.”

Written and recorded in a matter of hours, the song exemplifies the intuitive, rule-breaking spirit that defines Pure. Though born from a chaotic process, “Say Something Now” reveals a lyrical core that’s introspective and wistful.

In the band’s own words: “The lyrics are about delusionally imagining and dreaming about one’s own future, only to realize that it’s just a dream. A hopeful story of youth and feeling ready to take the next step in life.”

‘Cook’ by Lettuce Drops December 3, New Single “Gold Tooth” Out Now

Eric Alper
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‘Cook’ by Lettuce Drops December 3, New Single “Gold Tooth” Out Now

Legendary funk sextet Lettuce announced today the December 3 release of Cook via the band’s own Lettuce Records. The band released the new single, “Gold Tooth,” to accompany the announcement.

Lettuce keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall says, “This is something that we’ve sat on for a minute, and I’m glad to put some ears on it finally.”

“This is what happens when me and Shmeeans get together and make sumn FUNKY,” says drummer Adam Deitch, and “This song is giving strong 1990s Prince & Chaka Khan vibes,” agrees Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet, horns).

Cook, isn’t just a nod to Lettuce’s musical heat; it’s an invitation to join the band at the table, where funk, soul, jazz, rock, and hip-hop come together in one rich, flavorful dish. The album offers a menu of delights that marks a group exploring new sonic territory. On Cook, Lettuce has expanded its ever-widening musical palette again, following tours with both rap icon GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan and reggae legend Ziggy Marley. Earlier in the year, the band released the live album and concert film Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony. Still, there’s a generous dose of Lettuce’s patented funk, paying tribute to the great James Brown and his JB’s and honoring mentors like Tower of Power and Maceo Parker. For these six lifelong partners, the new songs feel like a nourishing meal that entices all of your senses.

“This record is a little more three-dimensional than our past albums,” says Deitch. “It shows a lot more sides to the band, exploring further depths of production and arrangements.”

The band has also recently announced the launch of Lettuce Red Crush and Orange Crush wine brands in collaboration with Aquila Cellars, along with a recipe book featuring pairings to be included with the vinyl album and available in digital form. The wine was brought to life by Bloom and Zoidis’ wine distribution company, Benny & Zoid Selections, who made it accessible to purchase nationwide online.

“Music and food are very related,” said Deitch. “Use the wrong ingredients in either and you can ruin the sound and the meal.”

With Cook, it appears Lettuce has the right recipe for success… both musically and organizationally.

“This is the best team we’ve ever had,” said Deitch of his current management. “We feel like the world is our oyster. Our concepts and ideas can really come to fruition now with our infrastructure. It’s beautiful to be in a headspace of feeling this fresh. It’s the start of a brand-new era for us.”

In anticipation of the release of Cook, Lettuce is also set to perform around the world with dates reaching into 2026. The full schedule of shows, happening across North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia, can be found below, including just-announced East Coast dates in 2026.

As part of the 2026 run, fans can also access the exclusive “Cookin’ with the Band” VIP experience, a pre-show hang designed for funk lovers and foodies alike. Available for all January and February shows, the package includes soundcheck viewing access; setlist voting power; early merch shopping + discount code; and limited-edition keepsakes like a custom ‘Cook’ apron, a printed recipe zine, and a signed tour laminate.

‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’ Documentary Hits Theaters Aug 8, New Trailer Out Now

Eric Alper
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‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’ Documentary Hits Theaters Aug 8, New Trailer Out Now

From Academy Award-nominated director Amy Berg, IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY is in theaters starting August 8th and a brand new trailer has been released.

IT’S NEVER OVER: JEFF BUCKLEY, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg (DELIVER US FROM EVIL, JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE, WEST OF MEMPHIS), covers the life of the rising young star with an otherworldly voice and boundary-pushing artistry, who left the ’90s music world reeling when he died suddenly, at age 30, after the release of his critically acclaimed debut album “Grace.”

Told through never-before-seen footage from Buckley’s archives and intimate accounts from his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, Jeff’s former bandmates, including Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and luminaries like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann, IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY illuminates one of modern music’s most influential and enigmatic figures.

Hannah Anders Defies the Odds of Young Love on New Single ‘Break Us’

Eric Alper
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Hannah Anders Defies the Odds of Young Love on New Single ‘Break Us’

 Nashville country artist Hannah Anders releases new single “Break Us”, The single is now available on all digital streaming platforms. When you hear the term “young love,” you might assume it begins and ends in the same breath-a fleeting, innocent kind of affection you look back on with a soft smile. But with Hannah Anders’ newest release, “Break Us,” she challenges that narrative, revealing just how deep and lasting young love can truly be. That it’s not always naive-sometimes it’s the start of everything. The ultimate “when you know, you know.”

From the very first strum, you’re drawn in by a Chicks-esque rhythm that feels both nostalgic and fresh. There’s an urgency to the guitar, like a heartbeat leading you into something worth listening to. Then Anders delivers the opening line: “May be 5th grade but, what do you say, we just make a little pinky promise, to rise above all the problems this world throws our way.” With that, she sets the tone-not just for the song, but for a relationship built on conviction. She’s not just singing about love; she’s singing about commitment, about choosing the same person again and again, no matter the season.

Speaking on the song and the relationship that inspired it, Anders says, “What’s kept us strong isn’t some magical formula-it’s the choice we make every single day to keep showing up for each other, even when it’s hard.” It’s a grounded kind of romance, one rooted in resilience and the everyday decision to stay.

As the song builds to its emotional climax, her voice swells with purpose. You can feel the weight behind the line: “And I know what we’re made of, so let ’em try to break us and watch us survive.” It’s not just a lyric-it’s a declaration. Love isn’t always smooth or easy, and yes, life will throw challenges your way. But real love-the kind that sticks, stretches, and strengthens over time-endures.

With “Break Us,” Hannah Anders gives us a rare kind of love story. One that started young, stood the test of time, and continues to grow. She and her husband are living proof that sometimes, young love isn’t just the beginning. It’s the whole story.

The Snozzberries Launch Southern Tour July 24, With Live-to-Vinyl Show at Purple Bee Studios August 2

Eric Alper
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The Snozzberries Launch Southern Tour July 24, With Live-to-Vinyl Show at Purple Bee Studios August 2

Asheville’s own psychedelic funk powerhouse, The Snozzberries, are taking their electrifying, mind-bending live show on the road this summer, bringing a kaleidoscope of groove-soaked jams to cities across the Southeastern U.S.

Kicking off in Mobile, AL on July 24, 2025, this string of dates marks the band’s most anticipated Southern run yet—blending high-energy performances, wild improvisation, and a loyal fanbase that keeps showing up ready to dance.

With a reputation for turning every venue into a full-blown cosmic playground, The Snozzberries have become a staple of the jam/festival circuit—sharing the stage with acts like Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Papadosio, and The Werks, and gracing lineups at festivals like Hulaween 2025.

“There’s something special about the Deep South—we always feel like the energy’s just dialed all the way up down here,” says Ethan Hellar, guitarist and singer for the band. “This run is going to be pure fire. We’re excited about every show, but especially our August 2nd show at Purple Bee Studios outside of Austin in Volente, TX.”

“It’s a hybrid event: the first set is fully interactive, where the crowd helps steer the jams, there’ll be hilarious stunts, and chances to win prizes. Then we shift gears for the second set, which will be recorded live, straight to vinyl.”

“Pre-sales for the vinyl are happening now and will run through the end of the show—after that, the window closes. So, head over to the Purple Bee website and reserve your copy! We’re stoked to be trying something totally new with this fan-driven format.”

Tour Dates:

Jul 24 Mobile, AL Brickyard

Jul 25 Jackson, MS Martin’s Downtown

Jul 26 New Orleans, LA Les Bon Temp Roule

Jul 27 Orange Beach, AL Undertow

Jul 28 New Orleans, LA Parallel Threads at Banks Street Bar

Jul 31 Dallas, TX Electrik Ants at Deep Elem Art Co.

Aug 1 Shreveport, LA Sauce at Seventh Tap

Aug 2 Volente, TX Purple Bee

Aug 9 High Point, NC Ziggy’s

Aug 14 Columbus, OH Woodlands Tavern

Aug 15 Covington, KY Madison Live!

Aug 22 Boone, NC Boone Saloon

Aug 23 Roanoke, VA Martin’s

Aug 28 Stuart, VA Front Porch Fest 2025

Aug 29 Ansonia, OH Fall Hookahville 2025

Sep 11 Virginia Beach, VA Lunasea

Shawn Camp Announces ‘The Ghost of Sis Draper’—A Long-Awaited Album Honoring Guy Clark, Out September 12

Eric Alper
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Shawn Camp Announces ‘The Ghost of Sis Draper’—A Long-Awaited Album Honoring Guy Clark, Out September 12

“This is as much Guy Clark’s album as it is mine,” says GRAMMY-winning producer, songwriter, and member of traditional bluegrass torchbearers, The Earls of Leicester, Shawn Camp. The album? A concept of sorts, built on the songs born from Camp and Clark’s most revisited muse, Sis Draper, and one which Guy Clark fans have been looking forward to almost as much as Camp himself. 

Camp was seven years old when a traveling fiddle player named Sis Draper finally arrived at a pickin’ party in the hills of Perry County, Arkansas. To young Camp, Draper was already a legend—and he was dying to play with her. Twenty-five years later, in Guy Clark’s basement workshop in Nashville, Camp and Clark were stumped on what they’d write their next song about. Camp told Clark about Sis Draper; the lore, the excitement. “Guy said, ‘Well, there’s your song,’” Camp remembers. “We wrote ‘Sis Draper’ that day. ‘Magnolia Wind’ came next. For years, we would work on other songs, then fall into ‘Sis.’ If we got stuck on something, we’d end up going to the Sis Draper project.” 

On September 12, Shawn Camp’s The Ghost of Sis Draper—featuring ten songs co-written by Camp and Clark and one solo Clark composition—will be released on Truly Handmade Records, the perfect resting place for over a decade’s worth of imagination between the two songwriters. “Now, Truly Handmade Records, the label that manages Guy’s legacy, is the home of Shawn Camp and The Ghost of Sis Draper, a masterpiece album that only Shawn could record,” says Tamara Saviano, President and Creative Director of Truly Handmade Records. “Shawn is the keeper of the flame of Sis Draper. Truly Handmade Records is the keeper of Guy’s legacy. It’s a match made in folk music heaven.” 

The Ghost of Sis Draper is a concept album that plays by its own rules, loosely calibrated by Camp and Clark. The songs are tied to one another by characters, narratives, and kernels of old-time fiddle tunes. Arkansas fiddle great Tim Crouch breathes life into the legend of Sis Draper’s fiddlin’, supported by Mike Bub on bass, Chris Henry on mandolin, Jimmy Stewart on dobro, Cory Walker on banjo, and of course, Camp on guitar and vocals. Captured in one day at the studio formerly known as The Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa, now simply called Clement House, the album immerses listeners in a sharply drawn world: The devil’s box is temptation and salvation; life is beautiful, but death lurks nearby; and the hero is a wayfaring, fiddle-wielding woman called Sis. 

Camp and Clark co-wrote every song on the album, save one, which Clark wrote alone. Clark released six of the songs on his own albums over the years, but the seven other tunes on The Ghost of Sis Draper are being released for the first time. “It’s partially fairytale and partially truth,” Camp says with a grin. “We intentionally wrote songs that fit together.” So here, for the first time, is the definitive conclusion of the Sis Draper saga and a beautiful tribute to Camp’s old pal Guy Clark and their time writing songs together. “That’s part of my passion for putting it out,” says Camp. “To try and keep him alive!” 

To pre-save The Ghost of Sis Draper ahead of its September 12th release, please visit this link. Camp will appear at the Mini Music Fest in Key West, Florida, July 30-August 2. A full list of Camp’s tour dates can be found below. For more information, check out shawncamp.com. 

“This is as much Guy Clark’s album as it is mine,” says GRAMMY-winning producer, songwriter, and member of traditional bluegrass torchbearers, The Earls of Leicester, Shawn Camp. The album? A concept of sorts, built on the songs born from Camp and Clark’s most revisited muse, Sis Draper, and one which Guy Clark fans have been looking forward to almost as much as Camp himself. 

Camp was seven years old when a traveling fiddle player named Sis Draper finally arrived at a pickin’ party in the hills of Perry County, Arkansas. To young Camp, Draper was already a legend—and he was dying to play with her. Twenty-five years later, in Guy Clark’s basement workshop in Nashville, Camp and Clark were stumped on what they’d write their next song about. Camp told Clark about Sis Draper; the lore, the excitement. “Guy said, ‘Well, there’s your song,’” Camp remembers. “We wrote ‘Sis Draper’ that day. ‘Magnolia Wind’ came next. For years, we would work on other songs, then fall into ‘Sis.’ If we got stuck on something, we’d end up going to the Sis Draper project.” 

On September 12, Shawn Camp’s The Ghost of Sis Draper—featuring ten songs co-written by Camp and Clark and one solo Clark composition—will be released on Truly Handmade Records, the perfect resting place for over a decade’s worth of imagination between the two songwriters. “Now, Truly Handmade Records, the label that manages Guy’s legacy, is the home of Shawn Camp and The Ghost of Sis Draper, a masterpiece album that only Shawn could record,” says Tamara Saviano, President and Creative Director of Truly Handmade Records. “Shawn is the keeper of the flame of Sis Draper. Truly Handmade Records is the keeper of Guy’s legacy. It’s a match made in folk music heaven.” 

The Ghost of Sis Draper is a concept album that plays by its own rules, loosely calibrated by Camp and Clark. The songs are tied to one another by characters, narratives, and kernels of old-time fiddle tunes. Arkansas fiddle great Tim Crouch breathes life into the legend of Sis Draper’s fiddlin’, supported by Mike Bub on bass, Chris Henry on mandolin, Jimmy Stewart on dobro, Cory Walker on banjo, and of course, Camp on guitar and vocals. Captured in one day at the studio formerly known as The Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa, now simply called Clement House, the album immerses listeners in a sharply drawn world: The devil’s box is temptation and salvation; life is beautiful, but death lurks nearby; and the hero is a wayfaring, fiddle-wielding woman called Sis. 

Camp and Clark co-wrote every song on the album, save one, which Clark wrote alone. Clark released six of the songs on his own albums over the years, but the seven other tunes on The Ghost of Sis Draper are being released for the first time. “It’s partially fairytale and partially truth,” Camp says with a grin. “We intentionally wrote songs that fit together.” So here, for the first time, is the definitive conclusion of the Sis Draper saga and a beautiful tribute to Camp’s old pal Guy Clark and their time writing songs together. “That’s part of my passion for putting it out,” says Camp. “To try and keep him alive!” 

To pre-save The Ghost of Sis Draper ahead of its September 12th release, please visit this link. Camp will appear at the Mini Music Fest in Key West, Florida, July 30-August 2. A full list of Camp’s tour dates can be found below. For more information, check out shawncamp.com. 

The Ghost of Sis Draper Tracklist (all songs written by Shawn Camp and Guy Clark except where noted): 

1. Sis Draper

2. Magnolia Wind

3. Soldiers Joy 1864

4. The Fiddlin’ Preacher

5. Old Hillybilly Hand-Me-Down (by Shawn Camp, Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson)

6. The Checkered Shirt Band

7. Big Foot Stomp

8. Grandpa’s Rovin’ Ear

9. Cornmeal Waltz

10. New Cut Road (by Guy Clark)

11. The Death of Sis Draper (part 1)

12. Hello Dyin’ Day

13 The Death of Sis Draper (part 2)

14. The Ghost of Sis Draper

Catch Shawn Camp On Tour:

July 30-August 2 – Key West, FL – The Mini Music Festival

August 30 – Mill Spring, NC – The Earl Scruggs Music Festival *

August 31 – Mill Spring, NC – The Earl Scruggs Music Festival ^

October 5 – Birmingham, AL – Fundraiser In-The-Round

October 17 – Edmund, OK – UCO Jazz Lab *

October 23 – Stephenville, TX – Keith Sykes Songwriter Weekend

October 28 – Nashville, TN – Country Music Hall of Fame

November 9 – Rockport, TX – The Rockport Songwriter Festival

November 22 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley – Alzheimer’s Benefit Show 

* as part of Shawn Camp & Verlon Thompson: The Songs & Stories of Guy Clark

^ as part of The Earls of Leicester

1. Sis Draper

2. Magnolia Wind

3. Soldiers Joy 1864

4. The Fiddlin’ Preacher

5. Old Hillybilly Hand-Me-Down (by Shawn Camp, Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson)

6. The Checkered Shirt Band

7. Big Foot Stomp

8. Grandpa’s Rovin’ Ear

9. Cornmeal Waltz

10. New Cut Road (by Guy Clark)

11. The Death of Sis Draper (part 1)

12. Hello Dyin’ Day

13 The Death of Sis Draper (part 2)

14. The Ghost of Sis Draper

Catch Shawn Camp On Tour:

July 30-August 2 – Key West, FL – The Mini Music Festival

August 30 – Mill Spring, NC – The Earl Scruggs Music Festival *

August 31 – Mill Spring, NC – The Earl Scruggs Music Festival ^

October 5 – Birmingham, AL – Fundraiser In-The-Round

October 17 – Edmund, OK – UCO Jazz Lab *

October 23 – Stephenville, TX – Keith Sykes Songwriter Weekend

October 28 – Nashville, TN – Country Music Hall of Fame

November 9 – Rockport, TX – The Rockport Songwriter Festival

November 22 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley – Alzheimer’s Benefit Show 

* as part of Shawn Camp & Verlon Thompson: The Songs & Stories of Guy Clark

^ as part of The Earls of Leicester

Buc-ee’s Presents ‘Applause for the Cause’ with Robert Earl Keen, Tyler Childers & Friends to Aid Kerr County Flood Relief

Eric Alper
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Buc-ee’s Presents ‘Applause for the Cause’ with Robert Earl Keen, Tyler Childers & Friends to Aid Kerr County Flood Relief

Robert Earl Keen has been dubbed a lot of things in his sixty-nine years, but he’s most proud of the moniker “Texan”—more specifically, a Texan from Kerrville. And now more than ever, in response to the July 4th flooding in Kerr County, Keen’s Hill Country community needs a helping hand. Without a second of hesitation, the Americana pioneer has circled the wagons, called his talented compadres, and secured a venue and date for a one-night-only fundraising event, Buc-ee’s Presents Robert Earl Keen and Friends: Applause for the Cause. 

On August 28th at Whitewater Amphitheater outside of New Braunfels, Texas, Keen will hit the stage with special guest Tyler Childers, alongside a special trio set from Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram, plus Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers, Ryan Bingham, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and many, many more to raise money for the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country—check out the full lineup below. 

“This is a star-studded lineup with music starting in the mid-afternoon and lasting far into the night,” says Keen. “We must help everyone as much as we can, for as long as we can.” Beaver Aplin, founder of Buc-ee’s, echoes Keen, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to support the relief efforts of so many for our beloved Hill Country. The tragedies are beyond belief.” Aplin continues, “Buc-ee’s teaming with Robert Earl Keen and friends for this benefit concert just seemed like the right thing to do. When we learned 100 percent of our commitment goes to the Community Foundation of the Hill Country, we were all in.” 

This Friday, July 18th, at noon Central, reserved seating tickets ($200) and general admission tickets ($99) will go on sale, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. Additionally, at the time of purchase, attendees will be given the opportunity to purchase a ticket for a local first responder to attend Applause for the Cause. For those interested, these special first responder tickets can be purchased and gifted without attending the event. For all tickets, please visit whitewaterrocks.com. 

Doors for Applause for the Cause are scheduled to open at 3 pm, kicking off with Lloyd Maines and his Austin City Limits Band with special guest vocalists. As the sun sets, expect full-band sets from music legends from Texas and beyond, including a very special closing set shared by Robert Earl Keen and Tyler Childers. 

Applause for the Cause is made possible by generous support from Whitewater Amphitheater, Miller Pro AVL, C.C. Creations, illustrator Dorothy Nottingham, and of course, Buc-ee’s, who have already pledged a one-million-dollar donation to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. To make a direct contribution to the Community Foundation, please click here. 

Buc-ee’s Presents Robert Earl Keen and Friends: Applause for the Cause Lineup:

Robert Earl Keen with special guest Tyler Childers

Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram (performing together)

Cross Canadian Ragweed

Aaron Watson

Catie Offerman

Cleto Cordero

Cody Jinks

Hayes Carll

Jamestown Revival

Jamey Johnson

Jason Boland

Josh Abbott 

KAZIMI

Kelsey Waldon

Kolton Moore

Pug Johnson

Radney Foster

Randy Rogers

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Ryan Bingham

Sarah Jarosz

Terry Allen

Vincent Neil Emerson

William Clark Green

Josh Weathers

Kyle Park

Rob Baird

The Texas Trio

Derek Frank Drops Funky New Single “Beefcake,” A Horn-Heavy Groover Inspired by ‘80s Wrestling & Cory Wong

Eric Alper
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Derek Frank Drops Funky New Single “Beefcake,” A Horn-Heavy Groover Inspired by ‘80s Wrestling & Cory Wong

Bassist and composer Derek Frank is back with a brisk, funk-fueled hit in the form of his new single “Beefcake,” which dropped on July 11 across all streaming platforms. This horn-heavy, rhythm-forward instrumental is Frank’s most high-energy, pulsed release to date this year-bursting with contagious grooves, tongue-in-cheek swagger, and the kind of tight musicianship that fans have come to expect from the longtime touring bassist turned solo artist.

Crafted during a recording session at Stagg Street Studios in Van Nuys, CA, “Beefcake” is pure sonic fun. “I was going for something more danceable,” Frank says, “and definitely wanted to incorporate an intricate horn arrangement. As for emotion, I just wanted it to be happy and lively.”

The track’s confident title came just as playfully as the music itself. “Just a silly name, no backstory really,” Frank laughs. “I guess you could say that it’s a nod to my affinity for ’80s wrestling-Brutus Beefcake-but I just needed a fun title for the song and that’s what came off the top of my head.”

The result is a wildly entertaining instrumental that blends disco flair with jazz fusion intricacy, all grounded in a deep-pocketed funk foundation. It opens with a bold, unison intro riff that recurs throughout, driving the song’s momentum while giving space for solo breaks and layered transitions. “I knew I wanted something faster than much of the stuff I’d written before,” Frank explains. “So I found a drum loop, picked a tempo that felt good, and just started playing bass along with it. That’s where I came up with the basic groove, and then built from there.”

To balance the quarter-note drive of the primary groove, Frank adds a shift to halftime in the B section-a move that lets the track breathe and adds another level of dynamic interplay. “Because it’s such a fast groove, I needed that section to break it up a bit and give it some release,” he adds.

Cory Wong was a clear influence on this track’s upbeat pace and polished funk stylings. “So many of his songs are at breakneck tempos, and it’s so fun to listen to,” Frank says. “I didn’t have anything like that in my catalog, so I decided it was time to grab some of that influence.”

But Frank’s inspirations run deeper than today’s funk trailblazers. “Beefcake” also pays homage to his lifelong obsession with vintage film and TV soundtracks. “Much of my influence comes from seventies film and television music-composers like Quincy Jones, Artie Lange, Lalo Schifrin,” he explains. “Their orchestrations tend to be incredibly dense, and when I write the basic framework of a song, I imagine what the horn section will be and leave room for it.”

To bring that vision to life, Frank once again teamed up with arranger Nathan Tanouye, who’s become an essential collaborator on his solo projects. “My horn arrangement skills are rather limited, so I turn them over to Nathan,” Frank shares. “He gets what I’m going for immediately without me having to explain much-and as always, he absolutely nailed it.”

In true Derek Frank fashion, “Beefcake” is built on a live-band recording approach, prioritizing feel over excessive polish. The track features a stellar cast of musicians: Frank holds down bass duties and produced the track, alongside Anthony King (guitar), Dan Boissy (saxophone), Mike Cordone (trumpet), Tom Whaley (trombone), Tom Amend (keyboards), Demian Arriaga (percussion), and Matt Hankle (drums). The track was engineered by Greg Foeller, with assistant engineering from Arthur Seltzer, mixed by Kevin Shirley, and mastered by Stephen Marsh.

Frank sets the tone for what’s to come with “Beefcake.” “I’m going to aim for more stuff like this for the rest of the next album-fast, happy, upbeat music,” he says. And the reaction on stage confirms it’s the right direction. “This kind of track gets a great response during our live shows. It’s so much fun to play, and I’m going to try and stay close to this style.”

While many artists rely on complicated concepts or layered metaphors to sell their music, Frank keeps it simple-and all the more powerful for it. “I just hope people enjoy it,” he says, “and that it makes them feel good.”

With this new single, Frank continues to prove he’s not only one of the most versatile bassists in the game-but also a dynamic composer capable of channeling the soul, sass, and swagger of a funk-rock era gone by.

Frank is currently on the road with Don Felder-the legendary Eagles guitarist and co-writer of classics like “Hotel California,” “Victim of Love,” and “Those Shoes.” The Brotherhood of Rock tour, a 40-date North American amphitheatre summer jaunt, features Felder, Kevin Cronin (former lead singer of REO Speedwagon), and Styx. The second leg of the tour will make stops at PNC Music Pavilion (Charlotte, NC), Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater (Syracuse, NY), Xfinity Center (Mansfield, MA), Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Camden, NJ), Budweiser Stage (Toronto, Canada), Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre (Tinley Park, IL), Toy F. Reid Employee Center (Kingsport, TN), among others.

Derek and his handpicked five- to seven-piece band craft an eclectic mix of funk, blues, soul, jazz, and southern rock, channeling the feel of vintage soundtrack music. His compositions are defined by tight arrangements, slinky grooves, and a deep sense of musical interplay that prioritizes taste and feel over flashy technique.

Frank’s solo work has earned praise from Bass Magazine, Guitar World Magazine, American Songwriter Magazine, Bass Player Magazine, Music Connection Magazine, and podcasts such as “Everyone Loves Guitar” and “The Bass Shed”. Additionally, he received a Hollywood Independent Music Award nomination for Best Instrumental Song. His work has drawn comparisons to Lettuce, Vulfpeck, Cory Wong, Snarky Puppy, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Karl Denson, and John Scofield.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Frank’s passion for music was sparked by the TV shows, movies, and MTV culture of the ’70s and ’80s. His love for bass emerged unexpectedly when he picked up the instrument at a music store while waiting for a guitar lesson. That moment launched a lifelong career that would take him to Los Angeles, where he became one of the city’s most sought-after touring and session bassists.

Robert Plant Announces Saving Grace, a New Album & Band Arriving Sept 26 via Nonesuch

Eric Alper
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Robert Plant Announces Saving Grace, a New Album & Band Arriving Sept 26 via Nonesuch

Today, Robert Plant announces the release of Saving Grace: the first album featuring a new band of distinguished players, which he calls “a song book of the lost and found.” Arriving September 26 on Nonesuch Records, the genesis of Saving Grace began during the lockdown in “The Shire,” when Plant’s customary wandering was all but forbidden. While his recent adventures have centred around Nashville, having reunited with Alison Krauss for 2021’s chart-topping, multi GRAMMY-nominated Raise The Roof, it was in the English countryside that Robert Plant connected closely to this diverse group of musicians, who through their own experiences had a shared lean towards his much-loved corners of evocative song. Together, Plant and Saving Grace – vocalist Suzi Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, guitarist Tony Kelsey, banjo and string player Matt Worley, cellist Barney Morse-Brown – have spent the past six years growing into a wide-ranging workshop of styles and personalities, weaving through time and circumstance with joy and abandon. 

“We laugh a lot, really. I think that suits me. I like laughing,” Plant says. “You know, I can’t find any reason to be too serious about anything. I’m not jaded. The sweetness of the whole thing … These are sweet people and they are playing out all the stuff that they could never get out before. They have become unique stylists and together they seem to have landed in a most interesting place.”

Following his previous acclaimed releases on Nonesuch Records – 2014’s lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar and 2017’s Carry Fire – Saving Grace brings yet another chapter of Robert Plant’s ceaseless roar into the daylight. Produced by Robert Plant and Saving Grace – and recorded between April 2019 and January 2025 in the Cotswolds and on the Welsh Borders – Saving Grace breathes fresh life into a collection of century-old music. A treasury of songs featured back in time by Memphis Minnie, Bob Mosley (Moby Grape), Blind Willie Johnson, The Low Anthem, Martha Scanlan, Sarah Siskind, and Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk’s Low. 

Listen to Robert Plant and Saving Grace’s reimagined rendition of Low’s “Everybody’s Song,” out today

After touring extensively across the UK and Europe in recent months and years, Robert Plant and Saving Grace will perform for the first time in the US this fall, with an initial run of a dozen North American shows announced today. Dates include NYC’s Brooklyn Paramount, Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre, Chicago’s The Vic, Los Angeles’ United Theater and more. Find the full list below, and tickets at robertplant.com/timetable. 

Saving Grace Tracklist 

Chevrolet

As I Roved Out 

It’s A Beautiful Day Today

Soul Of A Man

Ticket Taker

I Never Will Marry

Higher Rock

Too Far From You

Everybody’s Song

Gospel Plough

Robert Plant & Saving Grace Tour Dates

July 17 – Vienne, FR – Théâtre Antique

July 19 – Salon-de-Provence, FR – Château de l’Empéri

July 21 – Marciac, FR – Jazz in Marciac

July 23 – Carcassonne, FR – Festival de Carcassonne – Theatre Jean Deschamps

July 26 – Granada, ES – Palacio De Congresos De Granada

July 28 – Valencia, ES – Palau de les Arts

July 30 – Barcelona, ES – Teatro Liceo – Milleni Concert Series

October 30 – Wheeling, WV – Capitol Theatre Wheeling

November 2 – Charlottesville, VA – The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville

November 3 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre

November 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount

November 6 – Boston, MA – Boch Center Shubert Theatre

November 8 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre

November 10 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall

November 12 – Chicago, IL – The Vic

November 15 – Denver, CO – Ellie Caulkins Opera House

November 18 – Seattle, WA – The Moore Theatre

November 19 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre

November 21 – Oakland, CA – The Fox 

November 22 – Los Angeles, CA – United Theater on Broadway

“Someone Else’s Shoes” Drops from No One Above You, the Archival Album by Neal Casal Out Sept 12

Eric Alper
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“Someone Else’s Shoes” Drops from No One Above You, the Archival Album by Neal Casal Out Sept 12

“Someone Else’s Shoes,” the second single from the forthcoming Neal Casal archival album No One Above You (The Early Years 1991–1998) is out today. The song’s release is accompanied by a lyric video illustrated by Casal’s friend, fellow musician and filmmaker Deren Ney. Compiling previously unreleased demos and studio recordings from the late artist’s formative years, the 13-track collection covers the years 1991 to 1998, offering a deep-dive into the beginning of Casal’s career that would ultimately result in his debut solo album, Fade Away Diamond Time.


More than just a collection of raw, unfinished work, the album’s producers: longtime manager Gary Waldman, Cardinals’ bandmate Jon Graboff and Grammy Award-winning engineer Jim Scott, added a handful of subtle musical additions to the original recordings, with performances by John Ginty, Dan Fadel, Angie McKenna, Jeff Hill, Graboff and more. For “Someone Else’s Shoes,” Alex Koford was called upon to add drums and percussion to the original tracks.

For the song’s premiere at Relix, Waldman explains: “‘Someone Else’s Shoes’ is a song Neal wrote and recorded in the spring of 1992. I think it’s part autobiographical and part about a certain friend of his. I’ve always loved this tune and the beautiful melody and vocal harmonies with Angie McKenna, plus Neal’s layering of multiple guitar parts. At that point Neal was writing so many songs that this one just got left behind and overtaken by other songs he was more excited about, so it never appeared on any of his records. I’d always wanted to hear what it would sound like with drums on it, so a couple of years ago when we started planning this release, I called up Alex Koford and asked him if he could add a drum part. Alex had played drums at various gigs with Neal at Terrapin Crossroads and Neal loved his feel. He went in and played over the song maybe one or two times and it was done and the song just came to life. He even pitched in an additional vocal harmony in a few spots. I think Neal would have loved the way it turned out.”​

​No One Above You (The Early Years 1991-1998) is due September 12, 2025, via the Neal Casal Music Foundation / Royal Potato Family / Harper House Music Foundation. It’s being released in conjunction with a companion photo memoir No One Above You (Christy Coleman + Neal Casal – A Love Story In Photographs) compiled by Casal’s former wife Christy Coleman. The book provides a vital document of this same era that these early songs and recordings were being created. Coleman shares images of Casal’s life in those days, culled from pictures captured by herself, Casal, and a few friends along the way.

Pre-Order for the book and the album on vinyl, cd and digital formats, along with two limited edition tees designed by Nashville-based clothing brand imogene + willie—one in vintage white, the other in faded black—each featuring an original SX-70 Polaroid from the book, is available here. All proceeds benefit the Neal Casal Music Foundation. 

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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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