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 Weftin, Lupe Dragon, The Antoine Poncelet Band, Battleviews, Sean Kiely, The Break Plans, and Marco Sepe. Plus a look back at "Trump Card" by Joker's Republic and the new book "Sensation Blues" by Bennett Kelly.
Weftin - "State of the World". For a lot of us this week was gut punch, and we are worried about what the next four years will bring. Weftin are the first (I've heard at least) to encapsulate their feelings into song. This is not "shiny happy people holding hands", this is "I can't believe what we're witnessing is real". If you're looking for angry song to work through your feelings, highly recommend.
Lupe Dragon - "swaylinks". Released on World Mental Health Day last month, Lupe Dragon latest single "swaylinks", is a powerful, powerful song. It also may be Lupe's most personal song. At the end of the video for it it says, "it's taken me a long time to put into words how I've felt internally... hopefully this song makes you feel less alone". An important song at any time, but probably even more so after the election. Take care of yourself.
The Antoine Poncelet Band - "Live For The Night". The Antoine Poncelet Band's latest single, "Live For The Night", is best described by themselves when they called it, "A rock n' roll anthem for all creatures of the night". Hell yeah it is!
Battleviews - "Two Ghosts (First Singles)". Husband and wife duo Battleviews release, "Two Ghosts (First Singles)", are two Indie-Folk/Americana-Pop tunes, one upbeat and poppy, the other more laid back. Both are very enjoyable and have me eager to hear their second, third, fourth, etc., singles.
Sean Kiely - "Postcards of the Reckoning". Sean Kiely's press release describes his new album, "Postcards of the Reckoning", as, "comprised of eight quietly devastating songs for starting over." This album of indie-folk feels so personal. It is compelling and powerful.
The Break Plans - "Mistakes Are A Friend Of Mine". I don't listen to a lot of commercial radio stations, so I don't know if Adult Contemporary stations still exist like they did in the 90's. If they do, The Break Plans debut EP, "Mistakes Are A Friend Of Mine", should be all over it. They are masters at melodically catchy pop rock.
Marco Sepe - "King De Soleil". "King De Soleil", Marco Sepe's latest single, is a beautiful song. The story in the lyrics, told in Marco's falsetto, with just the right musical accompaniment, is just magic to my ears.
Not New, But Memorable Corner
Joker's Republic - "Trump Card". Joker's Republic put out their song "Trump Card" in 2019 on their "Falling Behind" album (2 years after an acoustic version appeared on a BlowUpRadio.com benefit compilation). Sadly, given the election this week, this pollical ska-punk song is as relevant as ever.
Special Book New & Notable
"Sensation Blues" by Bennett Kelly. I don't know if I've written about a book since I had to do book reports back in school. Don't get me wrong, I read books, though with limited time to do so it takes me a month or two to finish a book. And most of the books I read are non-fiction.
But when local music journalist Bennett Kelly sent me his debut novel, "Sensation Blues", I was intrigued.
Many first novels are based on one's life, but as Bennett is from New Jersey, and this book is set in the contemporary Mississippi Delta, I doubt it is directly autobiographical, though he does say, "I set out to write a blues novel to honor the blues and the mythological figures that excited me as a kid."
He does that quite well, via a coming of age story of a teenager whose older brother just left for college, leaving the younger teen trying to figure out who he is without his older brother around. His uncle starts teaching him blues guitar and about the blues, and he takes to it and becomes obsessed with it.
It took a dozen or so pages for me to get into this book (maybe because I don't red a lot of fiction), but once I did I found the characters and story engrossing. By the time it got to the end, I was thoroughly entertained, and wanted the story to continue. If that is not a ringing endorsement for checking this book out, then I don't know what you need.
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 (and bridged on BlueSky)
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