There's a lot to love about an artist who can sound completely like themselves while still finding new ways to surprise you, and "Alienate" from JJ's Music Retaliation does exactly that. This is a classic entry in his catalog in a lot of ways, but there's also plenty here that keeps it feeling fresh and had us guessing!
The absolute thrill in hearing a band throw a bunch of different ideas into one song and somehow making it all work is so beyond risky. However, "The End" from PROJECT: Beyond makes it work on a song that literally made the hair on our arms stand up. This Bergen, Norway based DIY alternative pop-rock outfit has built something genuinely powerful here, a track that refuses to sit still and rewards you for staying along for the ride.
There's something so lovely about songs built around memory and reflection, like the kind that let you sit quietly with a moment long after it's passed. This brand new one, "Under the Cherry Tree" captures that feeling in such a bright way. Rafael Montecruz, a singer, songwriter, and storyteller whose work has always centered on love, family, and personal experience, delivers a genuinely lovely piece of indie pop here. Trust us when we say it’s chill and understated in the best possible way.
Hearing an artist step out from behind old projects and finally take full ownership of the spotlight is such a beautiful thing! As the new solo venture from the former frontwoman of Oxford's The Courtesy Kill and At Risk, CAT NOVA arrives here with a single called "I F L Y” that feels perfectly cinematic, dark, and completely her own.
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Pond has a legitimate claim to being the best live band working today and their show at Austin's Mohawk did everything it could to prove the case. Even with the Texas heat bearing down on the outdoor venue, the crowd never let up, matching the band's relentless energy song for song in a set that balanced deep-catalog rarities with the freshest cuts from their new album, all building toward a closing moment nobody in that crowd will forget anytime soon. Truly, the best night ever.
Bleachers kicked off both a new tour and a five-night residency at the legendary Troubadour, and the sold-out crowd packed into that tiny West Hollywood room got something genuinely rare…a massive, arena-caliber band playing like they had nothing to prove and everything to give, in a space that barely holds a few hundred people. It's the kind of show that reminds you why intimate venues exist in the first place and why a band this good in a room this small feels like catching lightning before it escapes back into the sky.
The Mars Volta chose the Majestic Ventura Theater to launch their Fall tour, and a sold-out, packed house got proof almost immediately that this band sounds even better in person than on record. In a tight, no-filler set that ran just over an hour and 15 minutes, the group tore through more than two decades of material with a hunger that made it clear everyone on that stage was operating at their absolute A-game.
The Mars Volta have never been a band content to sit still, and their newest single proves it yet again. "Reina Tormenta / Enlazan Las Tinieblas" arrives as a searing preview of the group's forthcoming album, dropping just as the iconic outfit gears up to launch a North American tour that promises to be one of the most anticipated runs of the fall.
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Automatic have spent the last few years building one of the tightest, most confident live shows in the current wave of post-punk-adjacent rock, and their Saturday afternoon set on the Panhandle stage at Outside Lands was proof the trio's new record only sharpens that reputation further. Touring behind Is It Now?, Izzy Glaudini and Halle Saxon brought a set that balanced synth-driven cool with real physical urgency, and Golden Gate Park was fully locked in from the first note.
Fresh off the release of their newest record, Joy Next Door, one of our absolute favorite bands of all time The Maine is back and better than ever. With a tour planned and on the way (tickets here!), we got the unique opportunity for a lengthy Q&A with the band’s own Garrett Nickelsen. Make sure to check out the record and head to a date, but also to learn a little more about the album and the band’s storied history below.
After nearly two decades away from the album format that first defined them, The Format have reemerged not as a nostalgia act, but as a fully revitalized creative force. With the release of Boycott Heaven on January 23, 2026 via The Vanity Label, the duo of Nate Ruess and Sam Means have delivered a record that feels both rooted in their past and sharply attuned to the present. We can sincerely say it’s our album of the year and nothing else that gets shared this year will even come close.
Whitney have always had a gift for turning the everyday into something luminous, but Small Talk feels like the album where they’ve distilled everything they’ve been chasing since their debut into one cohesive statement. Set for release November 7th on AWAL, the Chicago band’s fourth record is not just their most affecting to date, it’s arguably their best, full stop. If their past albums flirted with brilliance, this one weds it, an effortless blend of their signature soft-focus soul, shimmering folk-rock warmth, and tenderly crafted pop that glows from the first note to the last.
Portola Music Festival is back on San Francisco's waterfront for its fifth edition, and this year's lineup might be its most ambitious yet. Set for Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th at Pier 80, the 2026 edition pairs generational pop icons with electronic music's most respected architects, all across one of the more distinctive festival grounds in the country.
Ultra Music Festival is looking back before it looks ahead! The world's premier electronic music festival has released SYNCHRONICITY, the official aftermovie capturing its sold-out 26th edition, and simultaneously opened the waitlist for its 27th installment, set to return to Downtown Miami's Bayfront Park from Friday, March 26 through Sunday, March 28, 2027.
Goldenvoice has just given fans their first real glimpse of what's coming to the desert this October, unveiling High Scream's stage concept for Head Trip, the one-time-only event taking over the Empire Polo Club in Indio on October 10-11. Built for two nights, one stage, and a lineup assembled just this once, the production was designed from the ground up to create something that could only exist here, right now.
Some festivals feel like a grind to get through. Just Like Heaven feels like a party you never want to leave. Goldenvoice's one-day indie showcase returned to Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for its 2026 edition, and from the moment the gates opened at noon until the final notes rang out well after dark, it reaffirmed exactly why this has become one of the most beloved single-day festivals anywhere in the country.
It has been five years since Taylor Swift last toured for her album Reputation. Five very long years if you ask me! Since her last tour, there have been four new additions, as well as three re-recorded albums, to her “family,” Lover, folklore, evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). After months of anticipation, she finally brought The Eras Tour to Seattle, WA on July 22 and 23.
Mac DeMarco graced the stage at The Ford in Los Angeles for the first of his three sold-out nights, treating fans to an unforgettable concert experience. Despite facing a disrespectful crowd, DeMarco's incredible performance and dedication shone through, as he played a mix of beloved old songs, exciting new tracks, and even performed his record “5 Easy Hot Dogs” in its entirety.
Arguably the best of the three nights, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard rolled into the great venue on the planet, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and delivered a three hour marathon set that we truly haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Please read on for our full review of the night’s events below.
There's a real charm to a song that sounds like it was pulled straight out of a different decade while still feeling completely alive today! Their latest, "Honey", from LUNA & The Gents captures that magic beautifully. This Swiss “virtual music project” has built its entire identity around what they call Swingin' Vintage Pop and this track is a fantastic showcase of exactly what that sound is all about.
There's a lot to love about an artist who can sound completely like themselves while still finding new ways to surprise you, and "Alienate" from JJ's Music Retaliation does exactly that. This is a classic entry in his catalog in a lot of ways, but there's also plenty here that keeps it feeling fresh and had us guessing!
The absolute thrill in hearing a band throw a bunch of different ideas into one song and somehow making it all work is so beyond risky. However, "The End" from PROJECT: Beyond makes it work on a song that literally made the hair on our arms stand up. This Bergen, Norway based DIY alternative pop-rock outfit has built something genuinely powerful here, a track that refuses to sit still and rewards you for staying along for the ride.
There's a real charm to a song that sounds like it was pulled straight out of a different decade while still feeling completely alive today! Their latest, "Honey", from LUNA & The Gents captures that magic beautifully. This Swiss “virtual music project” has built its entire identity around what they call Swingin' Vintage Pop and this track is a fantastic showcase of exactly what that sound is all about.