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Country Maverick Gavin Adcock Celebrates The Classics On New Tribute Album ‘Country Never Dies’

Eric Alper
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Country Maverick Gavin Adcock Celebrates The Classics On New Tribute Album ‘Country Never Dies’

Gavin Adcock steps into the executive producer chair for the first time with ‘Country Never Dies,’ out now. The carefully curated eleven-track tribute album brings together nine of his artist peers, including labelmates Braxton Keith, Hudson Westbrook, The Creekers, and Austin Snell, alongside Jake Worthington, Ashley Cooke, Lanie Gardner, Vincent Mason, and Shelby Stone. Each artist takes on a classic, and the results are as diverse as the talent involved.

Standout moments include Lanie Gardner’s haunting rendition of the American folk song “Wayfaring Stranger,” famously performed by Johnny Cash, and The Creekers’ faithful yet powerful cover of Keith Whitley’s “Kentucky Bluebird.” Adcock closes the project himself with a spirited take on Merle Haggard’s iconic “Mama Tried,” a nod to one of his biggest influences and a fitting way to cap a record built entirely on reverence for the genre’s foundation. Listen here.

American Songwriter noted that Adcock “brings together some of country’s best,” while MusicRow recognized that he “mines some country music gold” with the project. Both assessments land. This is a record that honors the past while putting some of the most compelling voices currently shaping country music front and center.

Adcock arrives at this project with considerable momentum. His album ‘Own Worst Enemy’ debuted as the top new country album on the Billboard 200 Country Chart and crossed 25 million first-week US streams on release. He holds a RIAA platinum certification for “A Cigarette,” multiple gold certifications, and a New Artist of the Year nomination at the 60th ACM Awards. He joins Morgan Wallen as support on 16 dates of Wallen’s Still The Problem Tour 2026.

‘Country Never Dies’ Track Listing:

  1. “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line” – Gavin Adcock (orig. Waylon Jennings)
  2. “Slow Hand” – Hudson Westbrook (orig. The Pointer Sisters / Conway Twitty)
  3. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” – Jake Worthington (orig. George Jones)
  4. “Southern Nights” – Ashley Cooke (orig. Glen Campbell)
  5. “Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets” – Braxton Keith (orig. Johnny Paycheck)
  6. “Wayfaring Stranger” – Lanie Gardner (orig. Johnny Cash)
  7. “You Win Again” – Vincent Mason (orig. Hank Williams)
  8. “Kentucky Bluebird” – The Creekers (orig. Keith Whitley)
  9. “Simple Man” – Austin Snell (orig. Lynyrd Skynyrd)
  10. “Big City Blues” – Shelby Stone (orig. Keith Gattis)
  11. “Mama Tried” – Gavin Adcock (orig. Merle Haggard)

Ax And The Hatchetmen Announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ With New Song “Cheesecake”

Eric Alper
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Ax And The Hatchetmen Announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ With New Song “Cheesecake”

Ax and The Hatchetmen announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe),’ arriving March 27 via Arista Records, and drop new track “Cheesecake” to mark the occasion. The deluxe edition adds three previously unheard or rarely heard songs to their debut LP, including “French Press,” debuted on last fall’s tour, and the never-before-heard “Belt Loops.” “Cheesecake” is the one to hear right now, a shambolic, woozy late-night ramble backed by full-band handclaps, seesawing guitars, and expressive brass that lands somewhere between jangly and jagged. Listen here.

Axel Ellis lays out the scene: “‘Cheesecake’ is a night cap. It’s a late stroll through the lower east side of Manhattan, void of any good thought. It’s a bit drunk, a bit high, aimlessly looking for whatever there is to find. The only real certainty is that eventually the sun will have to come back around. At one point you’d walked the same streets with your hand in another’s, but this time Ludlow Street evokes a feeling of reckless abandon. Hoping someone might pick you up, take you where you want to be. Your suitcase is at your friend’s place, waiting for the early flight home.”

The original ‘So Much To Tell You,’ released in October, was produced by Jake Sinclair (Panic! At The Disco, Weezer) and included the explosive lead single “Blurry Lights” featuring Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes, alongside the sunny “7×9,” built around a long-lost Rivers Cuomo demo. Atwood Magazine called it “a dynamic, exhilarating debut LP, a spirited coming-of-age record and love letter to all the band’s defining moments, blending seven years of camaraderie with playful storytelling, big-hearted hooks, and an infectious youthful energy.”

Upcoming live dates include back-to-back hometown shows at The Salt Shed in Chicago supporting Royel Otis, a set at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, and a slot supporting The Revivalists at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Axel Ellis also launched an on-screen career this year with a featured role in Amazon series The Runarounds.

‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ Tracklist:

  1. “Red Carpet”
  2. “Flagstaff”
  3. “Love Songs”
  4. “7×9”
  5. “Lucy”
  6. “Oasis”
  7. “Blurry Lights”
  8. “Hotel Room”
  9. “Model Citizen”
  10. “Sunscreen”
  11. “Stay // Honestly”
  12. “New Years”
  13. “French Press”
  14. “Belt Loops”
  15. “Cheesecake”

Ax and The Hatchetmen Live Dates:

Apr 02 – Sacramento, CA @ Sacramento State University

Apr 08 – West Lafayette, IN @ Loeb Playhouse

Jul 03 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

Jul 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (w/ Royel Otis)

Jul 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (w/ Royel Otis)

Jul 18 – New York, NY @ BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! (w/ Royel Otis)

Sep 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w/ The Revivalists)

Platinum-Certified DJ Duo ALTÉGO Kick Off A New Era With Dance Floor Single “CALL ME”

Eric Alper
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Platinum-Certified DJ Duo ALTÉGO Kick Off A New Era With Dance Floor Single “CALL ME”

ALTÉGO drop their new original single “CALL ME” today on Arista Records, the first release of 2026 from the platinum-certified UK-based DJ duo and a deliberate step into new territory. Built around an instantly memorable hook and loaded with up-tempo, feel-good energy, the track signals a fresh chapter for Michael and Lukas as they launch their second US tour.

The duo frames it directly: “Pick up the phone! Our first single of the year ‘CALL ME’ is loaded with up-tempo, feel-good, carefree energy and built around an instantly memorable hook. We wanted to create a song that gets stuck in your head after one listen and keeps you coming back for more and we’re excited to kick off 2026 with our second US tour and something a little different from what we’ve done in the past but equally as exciting. A new era of dance-floor ready energy.” Listen here.

ALTÉGO arrive at this moment with serious momentum behind them. Their “ToxicPony” mashup of Britney Spears and Ginuwine crossed 130 million Spotify streams alone and earned platinum certification in Canada and Hungary, with gold certifications across Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Turkey. “Couldn’t Care Less” featuring Gia Koka climbed Spotify’s Top 200 in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, earning IFPI Sverige Gold certification. Total worldwide streams now sit at over 250 million, with 17 billion views across social platforms.

Their recent sold-out headline show at London’s Roundhouse sold out in 48 hours, with additional sold-out dates in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Denver driving demand high enough to add Texas dates in Austin and Houston. With a country-twisted new project also in the works for 2026, “CALL ME” is just the opening move.

Veteran Singer-Songwriter Gary Marks Announces ‘Crossroads’ LP And Shares Lead Single “I Guess It Never Stops”

Eric Alper
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Veteran Singer-Songwriter Gary Marks Announces ‘Crossroads’ LP And Shares Lead Single “I Guess It Never Stops”

Gary Marks announces ‘Crossroads,’ a new LP due April 18th via Lantern Heights Records, and shares its lead single “I Guess It Never Stops.” The album gathers nine previously unheard songs alongside rare tracks spanning five decades of writing, with each side of the record running chronologically from 1976 through the 2020s. It is a significant body of work from a songwriter who never stopped creating, even after the industry stopped paying attention.

The groovy, buoyant lead single arrives with a lyric that lands with the full weight of Marks’ five decades of writing about power, compassion, and freedom. He lays it out plainly: “We’ve been recalled to Eden, but somehow Eden’s not the same. Ancient rainforest chopped down, strip mined, carried off in trains. We all know we’re doing it as we tear down this place we’re in. See it in boardrooms as they divide their share of it. See it in classroom books with little lies built in. See fathers playing God, when children sin, they’re shocked. I guess it never stops.”

‘Crossroads’ has been selected as an official Record Store Day UK/Europe title for an April release, a vinyl exclusive tracing the continuity of a voice that has remained steady and powerful across generations. Lantern Heights presents some of Marks’ most musically masterful and lyrically pointed work, including rare tracks that have never been widely heard.

Refusing to tour, Marks kept writing long after the music industry moved on. ‘Crossroads’ is the record that makes the full arc visible, fourteen tracks that bridge generations and remind listeners why albums and ideas still matter.

‘Crossroads’ Track Listing:

  1. Castles
  2. Words / Reflections
  3. The Love We Take
  4. For Molly’s Sky
  5. The Elemental Line
  6. Every Man
  7. Signs
  8. Thoughts of Why
  9. Schoolyard Shadows
  10. The Grace to Be
  11. Looking Glass
  12. I Guess It Never Stops
  13. A Whisper Can Change the World
  14. Crossroads

Calgary R&B Heartthrob Kuzi Cee Digs Deeper Into Vulnerability With New Single “Rain”

Eric Alper
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Calgary R&B Heartthrob Kuzi Cee Digs Deeper Into Vulnerability With New Single “Rain”

Kuzi Cee drops “Rain” today on Universal Music Canada, his follow-up to the breakout hit “Rather Be” and another confident step from one of Canada’s most compelling young R&B voices. Produced by Aeon Wang and mixed by GRAMMY Award-winning engineer Teezio, known for his work with Chris Brown and Gunna, the single moves over moody, cinematic production with a controlled yet impassioned vocal performance that asks a simple, loaded question: will you stay when things get hard?

Kuzi speaks directly to the heart of it: “Rain is about loving someone the right way. Learning them, showing up with intention, and not running when things get hard. If it’s real, you stay, even when it isn’t easy.” Listen here.

“Rather Be” continues to climb at radio, marking Kuzi’s first entry on the Billboard Canada CHR/Top 40 Airplay chart and earning him an iHeartRadio Future Star designation. The single has crossed 2.9 million global streams and generated over 60 million impressions across social platforms. Today also marks the premiere of his Northern Touch Live performance, delivering both “Rain” and “Rather Be” backed by a full live band, a showcase of the stage presence and vocal control that set him apart in today’s R&B landscape.

Born in Zimbabwe and raised across New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Calgary, Kuzi draws from a globally informed palette shaped by icons including Usher, Ne-Yo, and Mariah Carey. He has shared stages with Nelly, G-Eazy, T.I., Ashanti, and Michael Bublé, and performed at SXSW and The Great Escape. Teaser content for “Rain” generated over 251,000 views ahead of release, with more than 200 TikTok creates before the single even dropped.

UMe Marks 40 Years Of Pretty In Pink With A Limited-Edition Color Vinyl Soundtrack Reissue

Eric Alper
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UMe Marks 40 Years Of Pretty In Pink With A Limited-Edition Color Vinyl Soundtrack Reissue

Forty years on, the Pretty in Pink soundtrack still hits. UMe marks the anniversary of the 1986 John Hughes classic with a limited-edition reissue of its iconic soundtrack, out now. The ‘Pretty in Baby Pink’ color vinyl LP comes housed in a gatefold sleeve with film photography and includes two bonus tracks previously unavailable on the soundtrack: Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” and Talk Back’s “Rudy.”

The original soundtrack was a defining cultural document of its era, and the tracklist holds up without apology. “If You Leave” by OMD, The Psychedelic Furs’ Top 5 title track “Pretty in Pink,” New Order’s “Shell-Shock,” Echo & The Bunnymen’s “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” and INXS deep-cut “Do Wot You Do” all appear, alongside contributions from Suzanne Vega featuring Joe Jackson, Jesse Johnson, Belouis Some, and Danny Hutton Hitters.

The film itself starred Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy, with supporting performances from Harry Dean Stanton, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts, and James Spader. Directed by Howard Deutch and written and executive produced by Hughes, it remains one of his most enduring cultural touchstones. Pretty in Pink is also available now on digital in remastered 4K Ultra HD from Paramount Pictures.

The 40th Anniversary edition is released with the co-operation of the Hughes Company and Paramount Pictures. A standard black 1LP featuring the original tracklist is available alongside the color pressing.

Pretty In Pink 40th Anniversary ‘Pretty In Baby Pink’ Color Vinyl Tracklist:

Side A:

“If You Leave” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD)

“Left of Center” – Suzanne Vega (feat. Joe Jackson)

“Get to Know Ya” – Jesse Johnson

“Do Wot You Do” – INXS

“Pretty in Pink” – The Psychedelic Furs

“Try A Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding

Side B:

“Shell-Shock” – New Order

“Round, Round” – Belouis Some

“Wouldn’t It Be Good” – Danny Hutton Hitters

“Bring on the Dancing Horses” – Echo & The Bunnymen

“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” – The Smiths

“Rudy” – Talk Back

Indie Dream-Pop Duo Sunday (1994) Close The ‘Devotion’ Era With A Stunning Deluxe Edition

Eric Alper
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Indie Dream-Pop Duo Sunday (1994) Close The ‘Devotion’ Era With A Stunning Deluxe Edition

Sunday (1994) release ‘Devotion (Deluxe)’ today on Arista Records, adding three new tracks to their beloved debut album and closing the Devotion era with one final chapter. The band recorded everything in their one-bedroom apartment, writing on the road in London, in the rural Cotswolds, and at home in California. It is deeply personal work, and it sounds like it.

The band puts it plainly: “Three brand new songs and the final chapter in the Devotion saga. Written on the road in London, the Cotswolds in rural England and at home in California, and all recorded in our one bedroom apartment. This is us at our most personal. And now it’s yours. You’re born alone, you die alone and in between we’ll see you at The Fairground.”

The three new tracks are “Shame,” “The Fairground,” and “Darling, I’ve Done This Dance Before.” Focus track “Shame,” premiering on ALT Nation, layers angelic vocals over heavy lyrical territory as Paige sings “It’s such a shame / We wanna be lovers / But they want us dead.” The band describes the song as “when two heavenly creatures are forced apart by small-minded preachers, one takes matters into her own hands. Because sometimes life itself is sick in the head.” It is arresting and cinematic, exactly what Sunday (1994) do best.

The original Devotion was named a best new album of the week by NPR and drew praise from Far Out Magazine, PAPER, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and more. The band supported Phantogram on a Western U.S. run, headlined their debut U.K. tour (sold out), and delivered a standout set at All Things Go in Washington DC alongside Noah Kahan, Doechii, Clairo, and Remi Wolf. The Devotion era closes April 29th with a special evening at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Tickets are on sale now.

London-Based Indie-Pop Force Baby Queen Unleashes Euphoric New Single “Feel Something”

Eric Alper
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London-Based Indie-Pop Force Baby Queen Unleashes Euphoric New Single “Feel Something”

Baby Queen drops “Feel Something” today on Insanity Records, the second single from her not yet announced second studio album. It follows the scintillating lead single “I Hope You Don’t Remember Me” and announces itself immediately, opening in a whirl of 80s pop atmospherics before erupting into frenetic bass grooves, epic guitar lines, and propulsive drums. The hook is indelible. This is indie-pop with real force behind it.

Bella Latham speaks directly about the song: “This song took many months to write. It details the thrill of a forbidden romance wherein for me, desire is overriding common sense. It’s wild and free and perhaps more emotionally naive than the rest of the record, but there’s also a lot of tension and a deep sense of yearning in it. It has always felt like a kind of beginning to me narrative-wise, because everything starts with the inception of a feeling.”

The single arrives after Baby Queen’s recent return to the live stage at London’s Hoxton Hall, where she made a grand entrance on a horse-drawn funeral carriage, a symbolic tribute to the death of her ego. She debuted new songs alongside fan favourites, backed by musicians from the new album, including producer Alex Casnoff on keys.

The new record was born out of a starkly emotional period. Latham left London for New York and then LA, where she connected with Casnoff and found a collaborator who instinctively understood her creative vision. Their sessions across LA and London capture an artist leaning into a visceral, raw new sound that feels immediate and uncompromising.

Baby Queen’s previous credits include the breakout “Colours of You” for Netflix’s Heartstopper, a tour with Olivia Rodrigo, and her critically acclaimed Top 5 debut album ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ in 2023. “Feel Something” is out now.

Punk Provocateurs The Medicine Dolls Get Ferocious On New Single “Tip The Waitress”

Eric Alper
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Punk Provocateurs The Medicine Dolls Get Ferocious On New Single “Tip The Waitress”

The Medicine Dolls are one of the most visually and sonically distinct underground rock acts working today, and “Tip The Waitress” makes that case without apology. Out now on Just Music, the new single is a snarling, glam-soaked punk track recorded at Atomic Studios in Cape Town with long-time producer Matthew Fink. It lands with the kind of unhinged energy the band has built their reputation on.

Formed in 2018 by vocalist Gory Guttersnipe and bassist Bex Knickerless, the four-piece later locked in guitarist Slava Nikonov and drummer Callula Jane Clay-Smith. Drawing from cult touchstones like The Cramps, The B-52s, Nina Hagen, and modern provocateur Ashnikko, the band fuses punk grit with campy theatricality and dark glamour into something that feels both vintage and futuristic.

The accompanying music video was directed by South African filmmaker Ryan Kruger, known globally for his surreal, grindhouse-inflected visual style and the boundary-pushing feature film Fried Barry. Kruger’s direction leans hard into the Dolls’ signature aesthetic, pushing their punk sleaze and subversive imagery into even more daring territory. The result is a visually explosive piece that matches the song’s ferocious energy beat for beat.

“Tip The Waitress” is The Medicine Dolls at their most unapologetic, a reminder that the most exciting rock coming out of South Africa’s alternative scene right now has a Cape Town address.

Jack Harlow Drops Fourth Studio Album ‘Monica’

Eric Alper
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0
Jack Harlow Drops Fourth Studio Album ‘Monica’

Jack Harlow is back, and he made this one in New York. The GRAMMY-nominated, diamond-selling rapper releases his fourth studio album, Monica, today on Atlantic Records. Nine tracks recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios, where the history of the building became part of the process. This is Harlow recharged and working at a level that matches the room.

Monica arrives with a producer list that means business: Aksel Arvid, Jermaine Paul, Clay Harlow, Angel “BabeTruth” Lopez, and Hollywood Cole all contribute, bringing a range that gives the album room to move. Featured artists include Robert Glasper, Ravyn Lenae, Omar Apollo, and rising Louisville R&B talent James Savage. The tracklist opens with “Trade Places” and closes with “Say Hello,” nine songs that reflect Harlow’s time living and working in the city.

The album follows Jackman., which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart. “Lovin On Me” recently joined Spotify’s Billions Club, making it his first solo song to reach the milestone, joining billion-stream collaborations “Industry Baby” and “3D.” Total global streams now sit at 32.4 billion.

Beyond music, Harlow founded the annual Gazebo Festival in Louisville and established The Jack Harlow Foundation in 2023, distributing funds and product donations to Kentucky organizations. He also appeared alongside Matt Damon and Casey Affleck on screen, and collaborated with Jil Sander and Marni in 2024.

Monica is out now on all platforms here. The official vinyl is available for pre-order.

Monica Tracklist:

  1. Trade Places
  2. Lonesome
  3. Prague
  4. My Winter
  5. Move Along
  6. All Of My Friends
  7. Living Alone
  8. Against The Grain
  9. Say Hello
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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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