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 Greg McGarvey, Jason Ager, The Lonesome Pines, Fear of Falling, Jeremy Abrams, Surfing For Daisy, Batstow, Neon Rayon, Sad About Girls, and Katye Kellye and The Interruption. Plus a look back at "in three days time" by thieves guild local 42.
Greg McGarvey - "Mrs. Tyler" & "Put The Needle Down". The first two singles from Greg McGarvey's forthcoming album, "Crickets Surround", showcase two very different sides off his music.
"Mrs. Tyler" is a pretty indie-folk type of tune, while "Put The Needle Down" is a psychedelic rocker.
Both tunes make me want to hear the rest of the album.
Jason Ager - "Pity". Singer-songwriter Jason Ager blends some blues and soul into his pop sound on his latest single "Pity". Pardon me for paraphrasing Mr. T, but I "pity the fool that don't like this song."
The Lonesome Pines - "Abeline". The Lonesome Pines list their influences as, "Rock, Country, Rockabilly, and traditional acoustic Americana." Their latest single, "Abeline", shines brightly combining those influences into a catchy tune. Buck Reid from Lyle Lovett's Large Band, adds some lovely pedal steel guitar to the song.
Fear of Falling - "Speak Low". When Fear of Falling released their first new single in nearly 30 years in March 2023 ("Looking Out For Number One"), I was stunned. Not at how good the song was, but that they reunited after all these years (you can read about what led to their reunion in an interview from last year).
A second single came out in October 2023 ("Keanu Reeves"), and earlier this year a third ("Hands On Me (feat. HOLDN)"). Now they have compiled those three singles, with 2 additional excellent songs, into the EP, "Speak Low".
Jeremy Abrams - "Who Am I?". Jeremy Abrams', "Who Am I?", is a damn near perfect pop rock tune, almost masking the the more personal existential crisis in the lyrics.
Surfing For Daisy - "i like drinking". Surfing For Daisy releases another incredible Roots/Americana/Folk Rock with a hint of soul, song with "i like drinking". I like Surfing For Daisy!
Batstow - "Only You". "Only You" from Batstow, is 21 minutes of chill, dreamy, indie songs. Relaxing and highly entertaining.
Neon Rayon - "Arrival". I did not know I needed Industrial-Synth-Rock music in my life, but Neon Rayon's aptly titled debut EP, "Arrival", is glorious!
Sad About Girls - "Sad to Go". Tom Lucas is the singer-songwriter behind Sad About Girls (with some songs co-written by Rob O'Connor). The latest EP, "Sad to Go", showcases a mix of indie-pop-rock and power-pop. The EP opens with the powerful song "No Peace in Sleep", which seems to speak to the anxiety & dread many of us feel on world events. The EP then goes from mid-tempo, to power-pop, and closes with a fun cover of The Kinks', "Better Things". You'll be sad if you sleep on this EP.
Katye Kellye and The Interruption - "Tell Me". Hello earworm! "Tell Me" is the latest single from Katye Kellye and The Interruption, a peppy, fun tune that the band says is about celebrating, "finally being able to settle down and have a nice, normal, quiet relationship after years of drama with serial 'Mr. Wrongs'"
Not New, But Memorable Corner
thieves guild local 42 - "in three days time". 30 years ago I was doing a local music show at WMCX, when the kidneythieves album, "tea and apologies" came out. I really enjoyed their mellow alternative sound, and regularly played songs from the album on my show. In 2000, when I started BlowUpRadio.com, "in three days time" from that album was a regular part of our playlist. At that time the kidneythieves were involved in a lawsuit with a major label industrial band that started using the same name years after the New Jersey band. The lawsuit was settled out of court and New Jersey's the kidneythieves soon after broke up. But recently they have reformed as thieves guild local 42, and set up a Bandcamp page where they are not just reissuing albums like "tea and apologies", but also state that, "new material coming soon". I can't wait!
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
