Westbound Train has released “Slippery Slope,” the second single from their new album ‘Sing the Ghost Away,’ which is out now. The acclaimed ska and soul collective recorded the album at The Relic Room in New York City with production from Obi Fernandez on vocals and trombone alongside Eric Novod on drums, while Tim Panella handled the mixing and mastering. The track embodies the band’s message about persistence through difficult times, with Fernandez explaining that it serves as a reminder to remain present and engaged even when circumstances feel overwhelming. The album showcases Westbound Train’s evolution as songwriters and arrangers, pairing warm analog textures with sophisticated sonic layering that honors their roots in ska, rocksteady, and classic soul while pushing into fresh territory. Beyond “Slippery Slope” and first single “L.M.A.,” the collection features standout moments like “Keeper From the Start” and a reimagined version of fan favorite “We All Need Rescue” that transforms the deep cut into something vital and current. Contributions from Anthony Abbinanti on percussion and horn players Rich Graiko and Carlos Menezes Jr. add depth to the band’s already rich sound. This is a band firing on all cylinders, crafting songs that acknowledge struggle without getting swallowed by it and creating music that moves bodies while speaking to something deeper.
Cameron Whitcomb Brings ‘The Hard Way’ Tour To Australia And New Zealand This May
Canadian country artist Cameron Whitcomb makes his way to Australia and New Zealand this May for his first headline shows down under with The Hard Way Tour. The 22-year-old from British Columbia has racked up over 600 million global streams since his 2024 breakout EP ‘Quitter’ connected with audiences worldwide, and both Spotify and Amazon Music named him to their 2025 Artists to Watch lists. Whitcomb’s gritty vocals and raw storytelling have earned him sold-out venues across North America and Europe, including a recent two-night stand at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles during his I’ve Got Options Tour. His debut full-length album ‘The Hard Way’ captures the intensity and authenticity that’s made him one of country music’s most compelling new voices.
Cameron Whitcomb 2026 The Hard Way Australia & New Zealand Tour Dates:
May 5 – Auckland, NZ @ Powerstation
May 7 – Adelaide, SA @ The Gov
May 9 – Melbourne, VIC @ Forum
May 12 – Brisbane, QLD @ The Tivoli
May 15 – Sydney, NSW @ UNSW Roundhouse
Circles Around The Sun And Mikaela Davis Deliver Cosmic Jam Session Live On KEXP
Circles Around The Sun joined forces with harpist and vocalist Mikaela Davis for a mesmerizing performance in the KEXP studio. The session featured three expansive tracks that showcased the collaborative chemistry between Davis and the instrumental powerhouse. The performance opened with “Hot Pursuit,” followed by “After Sunrise” and closed with “Moonbow,” giving viewers a 30-minute journey through psychedelic grooves and improvisational bliss. Dan Horne on bass, Mark Levyz on drums, Adam MacDougall on keyboards, and John Lee Shannon on guitar created the foundation while Davis wove harp melodies and vocals throughout the session.
Elise Trouw Unveils Satirical Alter Ego With “All You Need Is Lust” From ‘The Diary Of Elon Lust’
Elise Trouw has stepped into uncharted territory with “All You Need Is Lust,” the opening salvo from her forthcoming concept album ‘The Diary of Elon Lust,’ which arrived today alongside a visually stunning music video. The genre-blurring multi-instrumentalist and visual artist crafted this 14-track satirical project around a fictional alter ego named Elon Lust, a 20-something male character built from real conversations and encounters that reveal uncomfortable truths about entitlement and objectification. The album releases February 13th, 2026 via Midtopia.
What began as comedic songwriting transformed into something far more authentic for Trouw. She found herself channeling words that had been spoken to her, to her friends, and likely to countless others into this persona that serves as archetype, confession, and warning all at once. The creative process unlocked a new level of honesty in her work, allowing her to explore these themes through a lens that’s both provocative and revealing.
South Carolina’s High Water Festival Returns April 18-19, 2026 With Alabama Shakes And Caamp
South Carolina’s High Water Festival will return to North Charleston’s picturesque Riverfront Park along the banks of the scenic Cooper River on April 18th and 19th, 2026, featuring 20 acts across two stages with no overlapping shows. Artists set to perform at High Water 2026 include headliners Alabama Shakes and Caamp alongside My Morning Jacket, Sheryl Crow, Lake Street Dive, Jesse Welles, Maren Morris, Peach Pit, Watchhouse, Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers, Jensen McRae, Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners, Arcy Drive, Chance Peña, Trousdale, Penny & Sparrow, The Runarounds, hey, nothing, Winyah and Alice Phoebe Lou.
High Water is a haven for foodies showcasing the tastiest flavors around, with fans stopping by The Refuge for a bite to eat from local and regional eateries or grabbing a cold craft brew or cocktail between performances, with festival and artist merch available onsite.
Pop Powerhouse Kim Petras Unveils Seductive New Single “I Like Ur Look”
Pop powerhouse Kim Petras has unveiled her new single “I Like Ur Look” via Republic Records, arriving alongside an exclusive interview with Zane Lowe spotlighting a fresh chapter of creativity and confidence. Playful, seductive and packed with Kim’s signature energy, the song channels the thrill of attraction into a shimmering anthem co-produced by Kim Petras, Nightfeelings, Margo XS and Frost Children, written by Kim Petras, Reade Wildman, Madison Love, Angel Prost, Lulu Prost and Nick Weiss. Following the momentum of Petras’ most recent singles “Polo” and “Freak It,” the new track cements Kim’s most personal and fearless era yet, a fusion of her club roots, sharp lyricism and emotional honesty that reflects where she is now while building the world for what’s next.
Petras teased snippets of “I Like Ur Look” across social media sparking a wave of fan excitement that has only grown louder since. Earlier this month, Kim turned heads at Paris Fashion Week from Ann Demeulemeester and Courrèges shows to a stunning appearance at the BoF500 Gala, solidifying her status as both a pop innovator and a global style icon, while appearing on the inaugural cover of Antwerp-based publication Enfnts Terribles Magazine with a pop art shoot by photographer Luke Abby.
Jake Owen Embraces New Chapter With Cover Of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Middle Age Crazy”
Two decades after trading a future in professional golf for a guitar and a one-way ticket to Nashville, Jake Owen prepares to release his first independent studio album ‘Dreams to Dream’ on Friday, November 7th. In his latest release “Middle Age Crazy,” Owen dips into Jerry Lee Lewis’ catalogue with the wryly hilarious track he chose to cover because he always loved the story of a guy who’s lived the life he should have lived, done everything he’s supposed to, but hits this middle-aged point where he wants to make a change and prove that he still can. The song follows releases of “Long Time Lovin’ You,” the title track “Dreams to Dream” and a stunning cover of the Waylon Jennings tune “Them Old Love Songs” reimagined in the studio with Shooter Jennings.
Owen’s long-awaited foray into old-school country shines a light on raw and authentic storytelling diving into real-life experiences like heartbreak, struggle and defiance, feeling cathartic to be honest about a lot of stuff in his life including how he feels, where he sees himself going and how he sees himself going there. Co-produced with Shooter Jennings and recorded at Snake Mountain in Los Angeles, mixed by Trina Shoemaker and mastered by Pete Lyman, the album features Jamey Johnson on “The Jukebox Knows” and Savannah Conley on “Them Old Love Songs” with writing credits including Owen’s longtime friends Ben Chapman and Kendell Marvel.
Willie Dowling Releases New Single “Sadie Goldman” From Critically Acclaimed Album ‘The Simpleton’ With Animated Video
Multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer and producer Willie Dowling has released “Sadie Goldman,” the new single from his critically acclaimed album of piano-led pop songs ‘The Simpleton.’ Dowling explains the song started out as an idle speculation roughly imagining where the lives of ghosts from his past might have taken them, but it quickly turned into more of an observational commentary on the nature of relationships in the modern era told through the fictional character of Sadie Goldman. Initially carrying the same sadness found in Squeeze’s “Labelled With Love,” Dowling hopes it has a rather happier resolution in that Sadie decides to challenge the tragedy of a life that took her nowhere, refusing to accept the seeming inevitability of her fate by stepping out of the mundane confines of the life she lives to see what else the world might have to offer. The animated video created and directed by Sam Riddlestone is available on YouTube, marking the third animated video Riddlestone has made for Dowling despite the two having never met or spoken, only working together via email.
LA Alt-R&B Artist India Shawn Releases Empowering New Single “Gone” With Neo-Western Cinematic Video
LA-born alt-R&B artist India Shawn has released her new single and video for “Gone,” written with D’Mile, Bianca “Blush” Atterbery and Jean Baptiste Kouame, continuing Shawn’s self-empowering and relatable style of penning memorable and instantly catchy storytelling. The production is loaded with unexpected gems including surf guitars, whistling, clapping, and culminates with a piano solo that embodies a feeling of freedom when you regain your sense of self, with the video directed by David Maxwell giving a neo-Western cinematic scope to the Soul and Pop anthem while highlighting Shawn’s liberating and empowering vocals. India explains “Gone” isn’t just about someone leaving but about what she gains in their absence: peace, clarity and strength, noting the song is about being more than okay alone but finally feeling powerful in it, releasing what doesn’t serve you not in bitterness but in clarity, learning that being alone isn’t lonely when you’re finally honest about what you deserve, written from that moment where you stop fighting to fix something that keeps breaking you and instead choose yourself. Sonically, she wanted to break out of her own box with D’Mile, pushing until it felt bigger than just a pretty track, needing to feel like an anthem for finally walking away and not looking back. India has long been an artist’s artist, penning hits for others and performing alongside Anderson.Paak & The Free Nationals and Ye’s Sunday Service, working closely with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 6LACK who took her on tour last year, Alex Isley, El Debarge, Keri Hilson, Monica and many more, with her critically acclaimed album ‘Before We Go (Deeper)’ cementing her as a powerhouse in alternative R&B earning praise from Billboard, NPR, UPROXX and Noisey.