New Music Releases: From Cassadee Pope and Subb & Mudie to Ghost X Ship and Natalie Gray
New Music Releases is a column that keeps abreast of all the news from the music industry that often flies under the radar. Keep up-to-date with the underground and independent scene and find your next favorite band or singer-songwriter right here.
Las Cafeteras announces release date for third full-length album 'A Night In Nepantla'
East Los Angeles' Las Cafeteras has announced the release of their third full-length studio album, 'A Night In Nepantla', to be dropped on May 10, and featuring a synth-laden fusion of traditional Mexican folk and electronic dance beats for fans of Latinx music to enjoy.
Las Cafeteras enlists an array of collaborators and producers to masterfully share their stories of longing and love while putting the spotlight on pressing issues affecting their communities. A Night In Nepantla features Las Cafeteras alongside David Garza (Fiona Apple), Moises Baquero (Los Abandoned), Sergio Mendoza (Natalia LaFourcade, Calexico, Mexican Institute of Sound) and LA-based DJ/Producer David Cardena.
Frontman and singer Hector Flores, says, "As a band, we deeply resonate with the land of 'Nepantla' and feel that we live in the middle of multiple worlds, sounds and identities, and this album brings people together to sonically join us in our joy, grief, struggle, and liberation in Nepantla." Denise Carlos adds, "We welcome our fans into a different world, and it's a profound experience for all of us. We create a space where we can connect, share, and celebrate our common humanity."
Cassadee Pope drops latest single, announces date for new album 'Hereditary'
Grammy-nominated, Platinum-certified singer-songwriter, Cassadee Pope has announced the release of her upcoming album, 'Hereditary', out July 12. The album marks 'The Voice' winner’s first full length following her shift from country back to her pop punk roots. The announcement pairs with the release of her latest single and music video for 'Three of Us'.
As the voice behind the iconic 2000s pop punk group Hey Monday, the dynamic songstress known for her country crossover success makes a triumphant return to her roots with 'Three of Us'. Released just in time for Mental Health Month, Cassadee invites listeners to confront the darkness of addiction and embrace the power of empathy, compassion and community.
“'Three Of Us' is about how heartbreaking it is to watch someone you love struggle with addiction. It’s a subject I’ve never written about but feel ready to share with my fans. And unfortunately, I know many of them have experienced something similar,” says Cassadee, adding, “my new album Hereditary offers a soundtrack to navigate the complexities of life with authenticity and courage. I couldn’t think of a better backdrop for these lyrics than pop/punk and I hope this album gives people permission to feel everything!”
Prog rockers Refestramus drop single and video 'Smiling' from upcoming album
Refestramus’s has released the new single and accompanying video 'Smiling' from album 'Intourist' which will drop Saturday May 4. Directed by Anna Fokin, the video for 'Smiling' features Romanian actress/actor Monica Pop as Agent M. Refestramus’s drummer/songwriter/Wizard Derek Ferguson discovered Fokin’s work on YouTube, where she has “the absolute best video series for learning Russian”.
Derek loves “recurring characters, like 'Aqualung' and 'Cross-Eyed Mary,' which appear in multiple Jethro Tull songs. "Combined with my belief that Prog needs to be more photogenic, I created the character Agent Mikrovolnovka, which is a joke. 'Mikrovolnovka' sounds mysterious and alluring, but it is actually the Russian word for 'microwave oven',” says Derek.
Both the song and video for 'Smiling' are about maintaining other people’s happiness by not expressing your own displeasure. There’s a bit in the middle of the video and song where the music stops, the aquarium breaks, and all the water breaks loose, and that's a metaphor for bottling things up and then having them all spill out.
Montreal icons Subb and Mudie pay tribute to the late great Kim Shattuck
A one-of-a-kind collaboration between two mainstays of the Montreal punk rock scene, Subb and Mudie (Hugo Mudie, The Sainte Catherines) join forces to pay homage to the late Kim Shattuck of The Muffs. 'Cat Songs' showcases Subb and Mudie covering The Muffs songs ‘Outer Space’ and ‘End it All’, with the second half of the EP featuring the Montreal vets covering each other.
For their first new material in 15 years, Subb went strong with their rendition of Mudie’s ‘Post-Pyong’, resulting in Subb's first-ever song in French. Closing this improbable release is Mudie knocking it out of the park with his version of Subb’s ‘Rodney Dangerfield’.
Limited to 300 1-sided 12” colored vinyl records cut at 45 rpm, including a silk-screen printed tribute to Kim Shattuck on Side B. Everything wrapped up in a boutique barn door sleeve, printed inside and out with art from Hugo Mudie.
The Dreaded Laramie's release power pop single 'Life Is Funny'
Nashville femmecore four-piece The Dreaded Laramie has shared the anthemic power pop shredder 'Life Is Funny'. The Dreaded Laramie’s also announced their debut full-length album, 'Princess Feedback', will arrive on July 5 via Smartpunk Records.
The feelings at play in 'Life Is Funny' swirl around an experience with a crush that led Dreaded Laramie frontwoman MC Cunningham from initial rejection to growing discomfort. She explains: “At one point, I tried to make a move, and he politely turned me down (reasonable), but then starting that night at about 3AM flooded me with a ton of very cryptic text messages, including the title, ‘Life is funny'.” She continues, “It’s very confusing to be both sad that someone has rejected you and uncomfortable with the advances he makes following the rejection. I am still friends with this person, but he texts me a lot less now, and only during business hours."
Carly Cosgrove release single 'You Old Dog' off upcoming album ‘The Cleanest of Houses Are Empty’
Philly indie rock/emo band, Carly Cosgrove, have revealed details surrounding their new full-length album ‘The Cleanest of Houses Are Empty’ out June 14 via Wax Bodega. The first single and music video off the album 'You Old Dog' is out now. The song “describes the apparent futility of breaking a habit, delving into the conditions that made me so stubborn and unchanging”, says singer/guitarist Lucas Naylor.
‘The Cleanest of Houses Are Empty’ is the follow up to the band’s 2021 debut ‘See You In Chemistry’, which found the band tracing personal growth through anxiety, depression, indecision, and, ultimately, self-actualization. It was mentioned by writers AV Club, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan and others who marveled at the band’s “unbridled ambition”.
Carly Cosgrove just wrapped up the Wax Bodega tour with Arm’s Length, Ben Quad and Saturday’s At Your Place. They are confirmed to perform at the upcoming Excellency Festival on August 3 appearing with bands like Free Throw, Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Palette Knife, Retirement Party and more.
Society of the Silver Cross drop lyric video for latest single 'By The Millions'
Musical duo Society of the Silver Cross have dropped a brand new lyric video for their latest single, 'By The Millions'. 'By The Millions' is the latest track to be shared from the group’s forthcoming album 'Festival of Invocations', set to be released on Friday, June 14.
"’By The Millions’ emerged as a reflection of the uncertainty and fear that gripped us at the onset of the pandemic,” the band says. “Confronted with the prospect of an unknown and potentially catastrophic future, we both grappled with the overwhelming sense of isolation and abandonment.”
They continue: “The lyrics convey our profound sense of vulnerability, as we felt like nameless shadows left to our own survival. The instrumental sections carry a lumbering quality, evoking a reluctant march of millions one by one, while amplifying the peculiar parallel of solitude amidst the shared experience. As the song concludes, it felt natural to steer the tale towards a more open, uplifting ending into a place of hope.”
Ghost X Ship releases first new music in a decade with single 'Ties That Bind'
Hardcore group Ghost X Ship has released their new single 'Ties That Bind'. The song comes on the heels of the band’s return in 2023 and marks Ghost X Ship’s first new music in a decade.
“We meet a lot of people and make friends for many reasons in our lives. But certain things connect us at a much deeper level,” says vocalist Keith Allen. “Hardcore and punk rock has created bonds of friendship and family that run deep. Even when we don’t see each other for years, those bonds are still there…It’s pretty fucking cool.”
'Ties That Bind' showcases the band’s evolution over the last ten years, capturing Ghost X Ship’s live energy, while highlighting their growth as people and musicians. The song was engineered, mixed and mastered by Jason “Jocko” Randall (Architect, Engineer, Forfeit, Unholy, Freya) at More Sound Studios in the band’s hometown of Syracuse.
Pocketboy Solid drops another single off their upcoming self-titled debut album
Pocketboy Solid has dropped the music video for the new single 'Reprieve', the latest sampling of the band’s upcoming debut self-titled album, out June 14.
Pocketboy Solid is the combination of Chicago's dreamy-math-pop duo OK Cool and psychedelic-folk-rock saviors Joe Baughman + The Righteous Few. 'Reprieve' was written while Baughman was suffering from a debilitating neck injury, and playing piano again was a major motivator in his recovery. It’s also one of the reasons the song was written to be so physically demanding to play.
“It's kind of like thinking about divorce on your wedding day,” says the band. “This song conveys how a pessimistic dwelling on potential negative outcomes prevents a person from experiencing joy in life.”
The release of 'Reprieve' follows the lead single 'Close Encounters of the Richard Kind', which came with its own incredible music video where the band perform and otherwise run amuck in various locations including a supermarket and a grade school play.
Aussie trio Yours Truly release single 'Sour' off upcoming album 'Toxic'
The Sydney alternative trio Yours Truly has announced their brand new album 'Toxic', set for release on August 16 via UNFD. Led by a star turn from vocalist Mikaila Delgado, the 10-track album is an "open-vein, open heart diary of personal crisis". Following up from the brooding pulse of 'Call My Name', the band has also released the single 'Sour'.
"’Sour’ was written during a session after I was feeling extremely burnt out," says vocalist Mikaila Delgado. "We had come off extensive touring and quite a turbulent time not only for the band but personally as well. I was just feeling so bitter towards everything and trying to force writing when it just wasn’t naturally flowing made me so angry. We got to a stage as a band were had a lot of people in our ear telling us what to do and how they thought we should do it. I just thought ‘fuck this, this is our fucking band, I’m going to do what I want!’"
Fans in North America can look forward to seeing the band live this fall as they hit the road with Enter Shikari and You Me At Six. The tour kicks off on October 9 in Dallas, with stops to follow in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Vancouver, and more.
Natalie Gray drops new single 'Last Orders' and promises to bring the 1980s back
Natalie Gray has released her latest single 'Last Orders'. 'Last Orders' "embodies the sassiness of Madonna and Pink with strong powerful vocals inspired by Kelly Clarkson and Whitney Houston".
Written with life long friend and producer Jack Craig, the brains behind Natalie’s previous releases 'The Me I Pretend To Be' and 'Live in Love', 'Last Orders' brings you a song to scream out in the mirror with your hairbrush as well as dance till you feel better in your PJs. A message for those who feel like they don’t belong in society but covered in 80s guitar licks and an infectious bass line.
Australian phenomenon Kaiit release new single 'Space'
After four years Papua New Guinean-born, Narm-based neo-soul singer-songwriter Kaiit – hailed as one of Australia’s leading voices who already has early co-signs from Erykah Badu and Jill Scott to her name – has released a new single and video for 'Space', out now on her new independent label Big Sis Energy Records distributed globally via The Orchard.
Co-produced by Kaiit with Anthony Liddell, 'Space' marks the first single from the Aria Award winner’s upcoming transformative album, which signifies a rebirth for the indigenous artist who has shared stages with the likes of Chaka Khan, SZA, The Internet, Nile Rodgers, and Masego to name a few.
Speaking about her first new single in four years, Kaiit says: “When we’re alone is usually the time we are reflecting, thinking, deciding… in that place before taking action. That’s where I found the inspiration to create ‘Space’ - literally and sonically. I was mentally exhausted and couldn’t share what I was going through as I was living it. I needed a bookmark, an audio reminder, of the lessons I had learnt in those moments – so when I start getting into old patterns I play this song."
Jae Soto releases single 'Honesty' off upcoming album 'Leave the Light On'
Jae Soto, the Brooklyn-based innovative musician known for her blend of indie-pop and experimental soundscapes, has announced the release of her latest single, 'Honesty', from her upcoming album 'Leave the Light On' out June 25 on Switch Hit Records.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind 'Honesty', Soto says, "The song explores the struggle between craving transparency from others while grappling with our own reluctance to confront our inner truths. It's about the tension between embracing uncomfortable realities and clinging to more comforting narratives."
"The album is a warm embrace," says Soto, "one that offers both cautionary tales and reassuring messages about maintaining perspective even when the world seems to be crumbling around you."