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BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 2/12/24


By Lazlo

originally published: 02/12/2024

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 new releases by Ali Zanders, RGD, and Sally Draper. Plus a look back at "Poet Of The Great Plains" by Christian Beach.

Ali Zanders - "i wish i was younger". Among the tags on Ali Zanders' EP, "i wish i was younger", are "bedroom-pop" and "nostalgia". Both are true, but "nostalgia" really speaks to the beauty of this collection of songs. The songs (consisting of just piano/keyboard and vocal) have sound like the innocence of childhood, with lyrics looking back on being younger, but with the reality that comes from being older. The result is something special.

RGD - "Survive". The latest single from RGD, "Survive", is a tasty treat of alt-garage-pop.

Sally Draper - "American Dream". It has been awhile since we last heard new music from Sally Draper. Their last album was in 2018. But they have returned with a magnum opus of an album, "American Dream". Introspective lyrics combine with punk rock, giving us a brilliant album.

Not New, But Memorable CornerChristian Beach - "Poet Of The Great Plains". In 2008 Christian Beach's self-titled solo debut album. Sure Christian had been around the local music scene in a myriad of bands, including Slave of Id, Artists That Kill, and Ton of Bricks, but this was a more introspective singer-songwriter project. "Poet Of The Great Plains", which opens the second half of the album, is an upbeat jangly tune, with lyrics that tell a story. Here we are nearly 16 years later, and this song still brings a smile to my face.




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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 be 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://gardenstate.social/@BlowUpRadio




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(BLAIRSTOWN, NJ) -- Roy's Hall presents singer-songwriter James McMurtry on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 8:00pm. He's been called "one of this generation's most unflinchingly potent and powerfully erudite recording artists" by American Songwriter.
State Theatre New Jersey presents Yellow Brick Joel: The Tribute Concert—Elton John & Billy Joel

State Theatre New Jersey presents Yellow Brick Joel: The Tribute Concert—Elton John & Billy Joel

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Yellow Brick Joel: The Tribute Concert—Elton John & Billy Joel on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 8:00pm. David Clark performs as Billy Joel along with Bill Connors as Elton John in a tribute show celebrating the two greatest piano men of our generation.
SOUP CAN Magazine to Celebrate Five Years With a Monumental Canniversary Event

SOUP CAN Magazine to Celebrate Five Years With a Monumental Canniversary Event

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- On Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 6:00pm, SOUP CAN Magazine will mark five years of magazine magic byhosting its annual "Canniversary" with a night engineered to feel like a main‑stage, stadium‑level celebration of the community that built it. Wild Air Beerworks will host the event, but the scale of the evening reaches far beyond the venue — this is a full‑force thank‑you to the readers, performers, and neighbors who transformed Soup Can from a DIY idea into one of New Jersey's most vibrant creative movements. In a show of collective power, the Canniversary aims to break their standing record of food donations by gathering over 1,100 pounds in a single night, all to benefit Mercy Center of Asbury Park.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents singer-songwriter Steve Forbert

Avenel Performing Arts Center presents singer-songwriter Steve Forbert

(AVENEL, NJ) -- Avenel Performing Arts Center presents singer-songwriter Steve Forbert on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. Limited tickets remain.
Prudential Center presents B2K and Bow Wow

Prudential Center presents B2K and Bow Wow

(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Black Promoters Collective presents B2K and Bow Wow with The Boys 4 Life at The Prudential Center on Sunday, April 5, 2026. The lineup also includes Amerie, Yung Joc, Crime Mob, Franchize Boyz with special guests Pretty Ricky.
MPAC presents Women of Americana: A Celebration of American Music

MPAC presents Women of Americana: A Celebration of American Music

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Coinciding with the United States' upcoming semiquincentennial, Women of Americana: A Celebration of American Music, produced by Eli Wolf, comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:30pm.
Morris Museum presents Cerus Quartet on April 9th

Morris Museum presents Cerus Quartet on April 9th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Morris Museum presents Cerus Quartet on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:00pm. Founded in 2022, the Cerus Quartet is dedicated to showcasing the dynamic and versatile sound of the saxophone quartet.
Newton Theatre presents GRUNGEFEST: Tributes to Pearl Jam & Chris Cornell

Newton Theatre presents GRUNGEFEST: Tributes to Pearl Jam & Chris Cornell

(NEWTON, NJ) -- Fans of grunge music will want to mark their calendars for GRUNGEFEST on Friday, April 10, 2026 at The Newton Theatre.  The Ledbetters will pay tribute to Pearl Jam and Superunknown will perform songs by Chris Cornell. Showtime is 8:00pm.
SOPAC presents Texas Flood - A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan

SOPAC presents Texas Flood - A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Texas Flood - A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan comes to the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:30pm.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS






 

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