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Tommy Womack Confronts Irony And Reality On “Just Another Shooting” From ‘Live a Little’

Eric Alper
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Tommy Womack Confronts Irony And Reality On “Just Another Shooting” From ‘Live a Little’

Nashville indie-rock singer-songwriter Tommy Womack has released his new single “Just Another Shooting,” produced by Eric Roscoe Ambel and taken from his album ‘Live a Little,’ out now. Written in the aftermath of the 2023 Covenant School shooting, the song leans hard into irony, adopting the voice of a hardcore gun owner to expose the emotional numbness and cultural stalemates surrounding American gun violence. The writing cuts sharply, pairing sardonic observation with a delivery that refuses to soften its message.

Recorded at Ambel’s Brooklyn studio Cowboy Technical Services, ‘Live a Little’ unfolds as an eleven-track portrait of perspective gained through time, humor, and hard experience. The sessions brought together a tightly focused band including Jeremy Chatzky on bass and Kenny Soule on drums, with Womack handling guitars, harmonica, and mandolin alongside Ambel’s guitars, keys, and backing vocals. “Just Another Shooting” stands as the album’s most arresting moment, using wit and discomfort as tools to force attention and reflection, and reaffirming Womack’s reputation for writing songs that stare directly at the parts of life many would rather avoid.

156/Silence Announce Pure Noise Records Signing With New Single “Our Parting Ways”

Eric Alper
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156/Silence Announce Pure Noise Records Signing With New Single “Our Parting Ways”

Pittsburgh metal quintet 156/Silence have announced their signing with Pure Noise Records and mark the moment with the release of their new track “Our Parting Ways” alongside an official music video. The song arrives as their first new material since the 2024 full-length ‘People Watching’ and leans into the band’s signature emotional weight, pairing stark lyricism with a controlled, heavy-handed build that lingers long after each section lands.

The band describe “Our Parting Ways” as a meditation on memory, distance, and shared history, written with an eye toward reflection rather than closure. The signing signals a new chapter for 156/Silence, aligning them with a label long associated with boundary-pushing heavy music and artist-driven growth. With a new partnership in place and fresh material already surfacing, the band step forward with clarity and momentum, grounded in connection and ready to expand their reach.

Kyle Wildfern Steps Forward With ‘What a Life’ And A Debut Built On Big Swings

Eric Alper
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Kyle Wildfern Steps Forward With ‘What a Life’ And A Debut Built On Big Swings

Toronto-based singer, songwriter, and producer Kyle Wildfern has released his debut album ‘What a Life,’ a ten-track statement that moves freely between intimacy and scale while threading love, loss, faith, and fate into sharp focus. Raised playing bass in his local church before expanding into songwriting and production, Wildfern brings that foundation into a record that jumps from stripped-back confessionals to full-bodied anthems with ease. Songs like “Sin in the Nude,” “Top Rope,” and “Day Drunk” highlight his knack for pairing emotional directness with adventurous sound choices, while his background as a producer and international collaborator including work with GOT7 gives the album a wide-angle sense of ambition. ‘What a Life’ lands as a confident introduction, built on range, momentum, and a willingness to chase big emotional turns.


Donovan Woods Reimagines “Portland, Maine” With LeAnn Rimes A Decade Later

Eric Alper
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Donovan Woods Reimagines “Portland, Maine” With LeAnn Rimes A Decade Later

Award-winning singer-songwriter Donovan Woods marks the ten-year anniversary of “Portland, Maine” with a newly recorded version featuring multi-platinum and Grammy Award winner LeAnn Rimes. Originally co-written with the late Abe Stoklasa, the song followed an unlikely path, first recorded by Tim McGraw in 2014 before Woods released his own demo version in 2015, a move that helped define his career and introduce the song to a wide and devoted audience.

The new recording brings added depth and gravity, pairing Woods’ intimate delivery with Rimes’ unmistakable vocal presence. Her contribution broadens the song’s emotional scope while honoring its quiet storytelling core, creating a version that carries memory, history, and renewed connection in every line. The collaboration stands as a meaningful tribute to the song’s journey, its creators, and its lasting place in Woods’ catalogue.

DONOVAN WOODS TOUR DATES:

^Supporting The Paper Kites

May 1, 2026 – Austin, TX – Emo’s Austin^

May 2, 2026 – Dallas, TX – The Echo Lounge & Music Hall^

May 4, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville^

May 6, 2026 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club^

May 7, 2026 – Boston, MA – Royale^

May 8, 2026 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts^

May 9, 2026 – New York, NY – Webster Hall^

May 10, 2026 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS^

May 12, 2026 – Toronto, ON – History^

May 14, 2026 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues Chicago^

May 15, 2026 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue^

May 17, 2026 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre^

May 19, 2026 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom^

May 20, 2026 – Vancouver, BC – The Centre for Performing Arts^

May 21, 2026 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre^

May 26, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern^

Nov 11-15, 2026 – Miami, FL – Moon River at Sea

New Order Open The Vaults With Expanded Editions Of ‘Movement’ And ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’

Eric Alper
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New Order Open The Vaults With Expanded Editions Of ‘Movement’ And ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’

New Order have released a series of newly expanded 2 CD and Blu-ray formats across their studio album catalogue, out now via Rhino. The rollout includes 2 CD editions of ‘Movement’, ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’, ‘Low-Life’, and ‘Brotherhood’, each pairing a newly remastered original album on disc one with bonus material on disc two. These editions mark the first time the remasters and additional tracks appear on CD outside of the Definitive Edition box sets and arrive with booklets featuring liner notes and archival photography.

Select albums also receive Blu-ray Audio releases, with ‘Movement’, ‘Low-Life’, and ‘Brotherhood’ presented in Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound, 2024 stereo mixes, and instrumentals by Steven Wilson. While multitrack master tapes for “As It Is When It Was” and “Broken Promise” are no longer available, those tracks have been carefully upscaled from the 2024 stereo remasters to closely match the immersive Atmos and surround experience. The result offers a detailed and expansive new way to hear New Order’s early catalogue, balancing technical clarity with the band’s unmistakable emotional charge.

Movement (Expanded Edition)

CD 1: Original Album, 2019 Remaster

  1. Dreams Never End
  2. Truth
  3. Senses
  4. Chosen Time
  5. ICB
  6. The Him
  7. Doubts Even Here
  8. Denial

CD 2: Extras

  1. Dreams Never End (Western Works Demo – Take 2)
  2. Homage (Western Works Demo)
  3. Ceremony (Western Works Demo)
  4. Truth (Western Works Demo)
  5. Are You Ready For This? (Western Works Demo)
  6. The Him (Cargo Demo)
  7. Senses (Cargo Demo)
  8. Truth (Cargo Demo)
  9. Dreams Never End (Cargo Demo)
  10. Mesh (Cargo Demo)
  11. ICB (Cargo Demo)
  12. Procession (Cargo Demo)
  13. Cries And Whispers (Cargo Demo)
  14. Doubts Even Here (Instrumental) (Cargo Demo)
  15. Ceremony (1st Mix – Ceremony Sessions)
  16. Temptation (Alternative 7” Mix #2)
  17. Procession (Rehearsal Recording)
  18. Chosen Time (Rehearsal Recording)

Power, Corruption & Lies (Expanded Edition)

CD 1: Original Album, 2020 Remaster

  1. Age of Consent
  2. We All Stand
  3. The Village
  4. 5 8 6
  5. Your Silent Face
  6. Ultraviolence
  7. Ecstacy
  8. Leave Me Alone

CD 2: Extras

  1. Age Of Consent (Writing Session Recording)
  2. The Village (Writing Session Recording)
  3. 5 8 6 (Writing Session Recording)
  4. Your Silent Face (Writing Session Recording)
  5. Ecstacy (Writing Session Recording)
  6. Leave Me Alone (Writing Session Recording)
  7. Turn The Heater On (John Peel Session)
  8. We All Stand (John Peel Session)
  9. Too Late (John Peel Session)
  10. 5 8 6 (John Peel Session)
  11. Too Late (Instrumental Rough Mix, John Peel Session Outtake)
  12. Thieves Like Us (New York demo #1)
  13. Thieves Like Us (Writing Session Recording)
  14. Murder (Writing Session Recording)
  15. Blue Monday (Writing Session Recording)
  16. Blue Monday (1982 Writing Session Recording)
  17. Blue Monday (Instrumental Outtake, Album Session Recording)

Low-Life (Expanded Edition)

CD 1: Original Album, 2023 Remaster

  1. Love Vigilantes
  2. The Perfect Kiss
  3. This Time Of Night
  4. Sunrise
  5. Elegia
  6. Sooner Than You Think
  7. Sub-Culture
  8. Face Up

CD 2: Extras

  1. Love Vigilantes – TV Pitch Instrumental Edit (mono)
  2. The Perfect Kiss – Writing Session Recording
  3. Untitled no. 1 – Writing Session Recording
  4. Sunrise – Instrumental Rough Mix
  5. Elegia – Full Length Version
  6. Sooner Than You Think – Album Session Unedited Version
  7. Sub-Culture – Album Session Early Instrumental Version
  8. Face Up – Writing Session Recording
  9. Let’s Go – Album Session Instrumental
  10. Untitled no. 2 – Writing Session Recording
  11. Sunrise – Writing Session Recording
  12. Love Vigilantes – Writing Session Recording
  13. Sooner Than You Think – Writing Session Recording
  14. Skullcrusher – Demo

Brotherhood (Expanded Edition)

CD 1: Original Album, 2024 Remaster

  1. Paradise
  2. Weirdo
  3. As It Is When It Was
  4. Broken Promise
  5. Way of Life
  6. Bizarre Love Triangle
  7. All Day Long
  8. Angel Dust
  9. Every Little Counts
  10. State of the Nation

CD 2: Extras

  1. Shellshock (AOR Version)
  2. State Of The Nation (Japan Demo)
  3. Paradise (Robert Racic Remix)
  4. As It Is When It Was (Japan Demo)
  5. Broken Promise (Instrumental)
  6. Bizarre Love Triangle (Stephen Hague 12” Remix)
  7. All Day Long (Instrumental)
  8. Evil Dust
  9. Every Little Counts (Full Length)
  10. Salvation Theme
  11. Skullcrusher (Full Length)
  12. Touched By The Hand Of God (Salvation Version)
  13. Let’s Go (Salvation Version)
  14. Sputnik
  15. Blue Monday 1988 (Michael Johnson 12″ Remix)

Victoria Hetherington’s ‘The Friend Machine’ Examines AI Companionship And The Changing Shape Of Human Connection

Eric Alper
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Victoria Hetherington’s ‘The Friend Machine’ Examines AI Companionship And The Changing Shape Of Human Connection

The Friend Machine by Victoria Hetherington is out now, offering a clear-eyed exploration of how artificial intelligence intersects with loneliness, intimacy, and modern relationships. The book opens by situating AI companionship within a broader cultural moment shaped by isolation, then expands through interviews with scientists, social critics, and experts across disciplines, grounding the conversation in lived reality and informed analysis.

Hetherington moves fluidly across philosophy, psychology, ethics, economics, and biology, connecting abstract questions to real human experiences. The most striking chapters center on individuals from varied backgrounds who turn to AI for companionship, approached with care and attentiveness rather than spectacle. The book brings sharp focus to how technology reshapes emotional life, documenting a shift already underway and reframing how connection, closeness, and presence are understood in a machine-mediated world.

Away Fans Blur Dancefloor And Guitar Lines On “Keeping On” With Club-Ready Intensity

Eric Alper
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Away Fans Blur Dancefloor And Guitar Lines On “Keeping On” With Club-Ready Intensity

London indie-rock four piece away fans return with their new single “Keeping On,” a track that pushes their sound deeper into electronic territory while keeping the pulse of a live band front and center. Built on pre-programmed drums blended with live performance, the song threads jungle and drum and bass breaks through sharp guitar lines and propulsive rhythms. Backing vocals from SEY.MOUR. add warmth and texture, amplifying the emotional core of a song rooted in post-argument tension and the urge to reconnect. Inspired by the collision of rave culture and rock lineage associated with Primal Scream and The Prodigy, “Keeping On” moves with restless energy, murky post-punk attitude, and London dancefloor grit, delivering a tight, high-impact rush that thrives on momentum and movement.


Zac Brown Band Expand ‘Love & Fear’ With “Hard Run” Featuring Marcus King And “The Sum”

Eric Alper
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Zac Brown Band Expand ‘Love & Fear’ With “Hard Run” Featuring Marcus King And “The Sum”

Zac Brown Band have shared two new singles, “Hard Run” featuring Marcus King and “The Sum,” both taken from their album ‘Love & Fear,’ out now. Following earlier releases including “I Ain’t Worried About It,” “Let It Run” featuring Snoop Dogg, “Butterfly” featuring Dolly Parton, and “Give It Away,” these tracks highlight the band’s wide emotional and musical range. “The Sum” leans into warm harmonies and reflective songwriting, while “Hard Run” charges forward with grit and Southern rock fire, anchored by King’s searing guitar work. Together, they sharpen the contrast and cohesion at the center of ‘Love & Fear,’ revealing a band stretching comfortably across groove, soul, and hard-earned clarity.


Bre-Z Opens The Door With “Bleed” And A Clear Vision For ‘In Plain Sight’

Eric Alper
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0
Bre-Z Opens The Door With “Bleed” And A Clear Vision For ‘In Plain Sight’

Rapper, actress, and creative Bre-Z returns with her new single “Bleed,” out now via 7th & 22nd. The track leans into lived experience, with Bre-Z reflecting on loss, personal history, and the pressure that comes with visibility. Her delivery stays direct and controlled, balancing emotional weight with sharp lyricism and a clear narrative voice.

The accompanying video sharpens that focus through stark silhouettes and intimate framing, opening and closing with a brief interview moment that places authorship front and center. “Bleed” stands as a defining statement, grounded in honesty and conviction, and it signals the creative direction behind her forthcoming EP ‘In Plain Sight’. The record moves with clarity and confidence, marking a moment of arrival built on truth rather than image.

Gavin Williams’ ‘Format Friction’ Book Traces The Shellac Disc’s Global Journey And The Sound Of Early Listening

Eric Alper
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Gavin Williams’ ‘Format Friction’ Book Traces The Shellac Disc’s Global Journey And The Sound Of Early Listening

Format Friction by Gavin Williams is out now, offering the first book-length study to treat the shellac disc as a truly global format. Centered on the rise of the gramophone around 1900, the book follows the seventy-eight rpm shellac disc as it moved across continents and cultures, becoming the dominant sound medium of the early twentieth century while reshaping how music was made, circulated, and heard.

Using friction as both a physical force and a conceptual lens, Williams connects sound reproduction to labor, environment, and power, beginning with South Asian knowledge systems that underpinned the format’s development. Material history, political context, and music history intersect throughout the book, reframing a familiar object through the realities of extraction, industry, and listening practice. The result sharpens how technological culture is understood, grounding early recorded sound in the tangible conditions that made it possible.

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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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