MUSIC REVIEWS

“Summer Before The Fall” drops on the world as something quietly powerful, a great country duet that transforms the final golden stretch of summer into an emotional reckoning, delivered with striking sincerity by Chris Chitsey and Bee Smith. The song doesn’t simply document a season; it captures the particular weight …

Deer Fellow is a unique music project calling to mind some of my favorite acts, Down Like Silver and Bon Iver coming to mind. The duo behind Deer Fellow hail from Austin, Texas, which seems only fitting given the Bon Iver reference, along with the alternative pop sound they embrace …

Hecojeni is one of those new musical acts that’s genuinely exciting in an era dominated by electronica, catchy hooks, and soulless melodies. They’re semi-acoustic, straightforward, and have this genuine desire to entertain. Their new single, titled Riding the Merry Go, continues this tradition. The song is stripped down to bare …

Fred Presley is emerging as a formidable presence in the folk, country, and bluegrass-adjacent music scenes. It’s exciting to see an artist rise who doesn’t feel referential, firmly carves their own path courtesy of sheer merit, and produces music that balances the contemporary liking of entertainment value and quality being …

Jim Duff’s new musical project is titled More than Love, a sort of auditory love letter to times of old, a sense of community oft lost, and a sense of almost melancholic nostalgia. Listening to a Duff record doesn’t qualify as an easy listen, but rather firmly planting you in …

The Grunions are back with their edgy, distinctive, sometimes lo-fi album Chrono Echo. Listening to these guys conjures up memories of some of the countercultural greats of the seventies, acts like The Band coming to mind. The differences is The Grunions specialize in instrumental music. The result is a record …

UniversalDice is a band that refuses to settle into predictable lanes. Their sound, while rooted in a sleek fusion of contemporary and classic rock textures, carries an undercurrent of ambition that stretches far beyond surface level appeal. There’s an intentionality in their work, songs that don’t just aim to entertain, …

Essence & Gold Country’s Father’s Daughter doesn’t announce itself so much as it settles in. It’s an album built on patience, on the energy of an artist who no longer needs to chase significance. The sensibility finds its clearest expression in “Good Mom,” a track that doesn’t try to dominate the record …

Following many years of recording and performing, Chicago natives Go Time! return with 11, their tenth full-length release, a milestone that highlights both their longevity and creative energy. The lineup consists of Scott Niekelski (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steve Grzenia (drums, backing vocals), Paul Schmidt (guitar, backing vocals), and Mark Marketti …

Emerging from Damascus and later shaped by her time in Montreal, Anour is a singer and songwriter whose work inhabits the space between cinematic pop and emotional storytelling. Her music captures the complexity of modern existence, blending delicate, floating vocals with moody electronic arrangements and deeply reflective lyrics. The result …