By Lazlo
originally published: 12/12/2022
Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at releases by Tony Lio, Funny Fuel, Jason Didner, Samuel Vincent, Renee Maskin, tiyu (ft. eleanor forte), thin ear, Zachary West & The Good Grief, JEFFREY, Long Neck,and Omen and the Possum.
Tony Lio - "Kaleidoscope" [single]. Tony Lio's colorful new single is a beautiful, poetic, indie rock ballad.
Funny Fuel - "Get Told". Funny Fuel's new release is called "Get Told", but currently only contains one song, "Future Self", which is a rather catchy piece of mid-tempo bedroom pop. Hoping there is more on the way!
Jason Didner - "When The Time Came" [single]. Jason Didner's latest single, "When The Time Came", is a beautiful song about growing, changing, leaving the past behind, and finding some peace and happiness. Something we all aspire to!
Samuel Vincent - "Deadlock" [single]. A lot of hip-hop incorporates numerous loops, effects, and all sorts of gimmicks, often burying the lyrical content, but the first single from Samuel Vincent's upcoming EP is all about a simple drum & bass beat where the lyrics can be heard loud and clear.
Renee Maskin - "Dreams a River". Listening to Renee Maskin is like getting in a car, heading out to the middle of nowhere and driving towards the skyline. It is not about the destination, it is the journey, and, as Renee always does, "Dreams a River" is a wonderous journey!
tiyu (ft. eleanor forte) - "another summer..." [single]. "another summer" from tiyu (ft. eleanor forte) is an amazing retro sounding synth-pop-disco-lite tune, that evokes the days when ABBA were the band the DJ played at the local roller rink. This tune was fun!
thin ear - "Your Mind Walked Away". Jon Gonnelli, of Rye Coalition & The Black Hollies, uses thin ears as his songwriter project, and the new EP "Your Mind Walked Away" showcases four different varieties of indie rock. Definitely check it out!
Zachary West & The Good Grief - "Head Empty". It is ironic that my favorite track on Zachary West & The Good Grief's amazing new EP, "Head Empty" begins with the line, "I'm so sick of nostalgia". Their anthemic alt-pop-punk/modern rock sound has a certain bit of nostalgia to it. Not sounding specifically like any one band that came before them, but capturing the essence and spirit of a bygone era. I freaking love it!
JEFFREY - "JEFFREY". The harmonies on JEFFREY's self-titled album are chill inducing, and the music is all around wonderful alt-dream-pop!
Long Neck - "Live from Kaleidoscope Studios". Long Neck's music is always amazing, albeit it often lyrically depressing, but the live energy in this recording just brings the songs to a new level!
Omen and the Possum - "Omen and the Possum". Omen and the Possum's self-titled album is beautifully crafted mellow, singer-songwriter indie-rock.
That's all for this week.
Remember BlowUpRadio.com, plays these and many other New Jersey based artists on our internet radio station, so please check us out. #SupportGoodMusic - If you like any of the above artists, please purchase their music from their site. And if you would like to part of BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable, please send downloads or contact Lazlo at Lazlo-at-BlowUpRadio-dot-com. We're also on Mastodon at https://mstdn.social/@BlowUpRadio
EVENT PREVIEWS
WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach series presents Nicole Atkins on August 27th
(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:00pm. Cory Blair will open the night. The free outdoor concert takes place at the Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach. ** The show was rescheduled from July 16th due to the Air Quality Alert issued across New Jersey.
51st Annual New Jersey Folk Festival to Take Place August 29th
(SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Folk Festival (NJFF) is back for the 51st year on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Davidson's Mill Pond Park in South Brunswick. The event is free and open to the public. It runs from 11:00am to 5:00pm.
The Strand presents Matt Stone as Elvis on August 29th
(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Most 22-year-olds are chasing the next trend, scrolling through TikTok, and binging Love Island. Matt Stone has spent the last decade looking in the opposite direction.
McCarter Theatre Center presents Mei Semones on September 4th
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Mei Semones in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. Drawing on her background in jazz guitar and her Japanese heritage, she blends inventive harmonies, intricate rhythms, and bilingual lyricism into a sound that is both intimate and exploratory.
51st NJ Clearwater Festival to Take Place Labor Day Weekend in Asbury Park
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Friends of Clearwater invites everyone to start their Labor Day Weekend at its free 51st Annual Clearwater Festival Saturday September 5, 2026, a late summer, family-friendly celebration of great live music, Mother Earth and more in Sunset Park near the ocean in Asbury Park.
The Machine performs Pink Floyd at The Newton Theatre on September 5th
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Machine Performs Pink Floyd on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at the Newton Theatre. The band has forged a nearly 40 year reputation of extending the musical legacy of Pink Floyd. Showtime is 8:00pm.
MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on September 9th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:30pm. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America's favorite female singers for more than two decades.
Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th
(NEWARK, NJ) -- It's been a landmark year for Ella Langley. Fresh off a sweep at the ACM Awards where she won all seven awards she was nominated for, two recent American Music Award wins, and being the soundtrack of the summer for a trio of German fans on Twitter traveling through America during the World Cup. Ella continues one of the most dominant runs in music. She brings The Dandelion Tour to the Prudential Center in Newark on September 10, 2026 at 7:00pm. Special guests ERNEST and Gabriella Rose will open the night.
The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music's Role in Post-9/11 America at the Lacey Library
(FORKED RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Patriot Day, the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will host "The Soundtrack of Resilience: Music and 9/11" on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Tony Award Nominee Joshua Henry to open Kean Stage's 2026-2027 season
(HILLSIDE, NJ) -- Kean Stage is thrilled to announce that Joshua Henry, three-time Tony nominee and star of Lincoln Center Theater's Ragtime, will open their 2026-2027 season with two performances of his show Get Up, Stand Up! on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm at Enlow Recital Hall (215 North Avenue) in Hillside.
FEATURED EVENTS
