There are a lot of rules in the era of COVID-19. Don't gather with your friends. Don't go outside (unless you're looking for TP or sustenance). Don't touch your face. Don't you dare eat that unwashed apple! Although we can all agree that these temporary guidelines are for the greater good, this strange new world can feel pretty oppressive at times. You might even go so far as to compare it to the humorless town from the ’80s flick Footloose, where dancing, teen hijinks, and general fun had been all...

TENNIS Swimmer (Mutually Detrimental) As Tennis, husband-and-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley make dreamy indie-pop with a heavy nod towards nostalgia. Their music is warm and breezy, strongly influenced by 1970s AM Gold songwriters like Carole King and the Carpenters, yet bolstered by modern electronic-leaning production, harmonic keyboard and guitar riffs, and their own unique creative flair. On their fifth studio album, that creativity manifests in unexpected ways, like a surprise tempo change in the soulful “Need Your Love” or a swirling synth-driven outro in “Matrimony II.”...

As the world faces a pandemic head on and folks across the globe start to practice social distancing in order to prevent further spreading of COVID-19, many are stuck inside with nothing to do but try to focus on work and read a book for the first time in months. For some, the cabin fever is already setting in. And what are three things that can help when one starts feeling angry, anxious, and a little bit crazy? Music, dope women artists and screaming. As we...

JORDAN MACKAMPA  Foreigner   (AWAL) On his debut album, Jordan Mackampa navigates love, letting go, and life in London. Easy listening, but emotionally deep diving, each track is a soulful exploration of his surroundings. With an acoustic guitar and warm, buttery vocals, the Republic of Congo-born singer-songwriter finds a cozy place for the heart and head to land. On the title track he softly sings, “No matter where I go/I know where I came from,” and I believe it. Never trying too hard, there’s strength and a...

PORRIDGE RADIO  Every Bad  (Secretly Canadian)     Born in Brighton, England’s DIY community, Porridge Radio’s debut is self-aware, lo-fi garage rock and indie-pop (but without the cute, twee overtones). Frontwoman Dana Margolin has said that she struggles with vulnerability, but Every Bad feels like an exercise in open, raw emotion. “Pop Song” is surprisingly spare for its title, and “Lilac” shows that there is power in desperation, while “Born Confused” recognizes the liberation of someone leaving you. The heaviness of the content is sometimes brightened with synths and...

Folks, Demi Lovato is officially back in the game and more badass than ever. After taking a break from making music for around two years, the pop singer returned at the beginning of this year with the powerful “Anyone,” a song written just before her overdose, which she beautifully performed at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. And yesterday, she released a brand new single and a music video to match titled “I Love Me.” Suffice to say, it’s the self-love ballad we all needed. With a...

CAROLINE ROSE Superstar(New West Records) Caroline Rose created her fourth full-length, Superstar, amidst an aggressive tour schedule for her beloved 2018 release, LONER, recording from green rooms and her small home studio. She was inspired by cult films and the question, “Just how much can you make from nothing?” (Rose worked for years to promote Loner before it achieved critical acclaim.) The album is built in linear fashion, and it plays like a movie—weaving a partly satirical/partly personal tale of the climb to the top, and...

I have been a Dixie Chicks fan practically since birth (the theme of my third birthday party was Little Ole Cowgirl, named after one of their songs). I am also from Texas, meaning I feel a certain kinship toward the band which intensified after Natalie Maines uttered those immortal words — “We’re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas” — at a concert in 2003.  Now, the group that is tied with Destiny’s Child for the title of “Best Texan-Born Musical Trio With the Initials...

If you close your eyes and turn on Cry All the Time, the new LP by Impulsive Hearts, the surf-rock band’s sound will transport you to a gloomy beach, where you’ll want to dance, reminisce, and of course, cry. But the Chicago-bred band’s music will do more than take you to the water — it will help the Chicago community. We're excited to premiere the music video for "Telephone Girl," one of the band's new tracks. A portion of the vinyl sales will go to Girls...

On Instagram Live this Sunday, Houston rapper and world-renowned Hot Girl, Megan Thee Stallion told fans that her label 1501 will not let her release music anytime soon because she asked to renegotiate her contract. She explained close to tears that she was really young when she signed the contract and that she was signed to independent labels. Megan said, “Anything you see me do, it’s because I woke up and did it that day.” Megan addresses how her label, ‘1501’ isn’t allowing her to release...