In the middle of July 2023 in a Los Angeles studio, Deep Sea Diver mastermind Jessica Dobson took a guitar solo but somehow felt nothing. Just days earlier, her Seattle band played a series of semi-secret shows for devotees at a hometown bar, de facto rehearsals for cutting a new record. The sets had gone well, but, almost immediately, the sessions didn't. The songs' essence seemed muddled, Dobson's conviction lost somewhere in the 1,000 miles between Southern California and the home studio she shares with partner, drummer, and frequent cowriter Peter Mansen. On that first night in Los Angeles, she broke down, wondering what she was doing there, what her band could do to fix it. For the first time ever, Deep Sea Diver retreated, heading home without an album. Did they need to scrap it all, to begin again with new material?

Not at all: Following a brief break, Dobson found a renewed sense of self, a trust in her vision for her band and songs and her ability to capture them. After that Los Angeles hiccup, longtime collaborator Andy Park asked Dobson how the new stuff was going over an early fall dinner. She admitted she needed help. In that humbling confession, she soon found ways of working that helped her reimagine and reinvigorate Deep Sea Diver and led directly to the power and brilliance of Billboard Heart, Deep Sea Diver's fourth album and first for Sub Pop. It is a coup, a triumph over self-doubt in which what first felt like failure became an opportunity to find new freedom, belief, and strength. You can hear it in each of these 11 songs, the beating heart that makes everything here feel like a new anthem for finding your own way forward.

The cocksure Bad Seeds swagger of Shovel, the tender mercies of Loose Change, the serpentine machinations of Let Me Go, where Dobson tangles with fellow guitar dynamo Madison Cunningham: Billboard Heart immediately puts Deep Sea Diver in the company of St. Vincent, TV On The Radio and Flock Of Dimes, bands that have found newly ornate and magnetic ways to make indie rock by discarding notions of how it must sound or what it must say. Dobson punches through her past here. As she howls during Billboard Heart's rapturous title track, she is "welcoming the future by letting go of it."

From end to end, the material on Billboard Heart is astonishing. The title track is the one song Deep Sea Diver actually finished in Los Angeles. It's a radiant and magnificent thing, the billowing synths of member Elliot Jackson and tunneling pedal steel of guest Greg Leisz pushing up an anthem for fearlessly advancing into the future, as best you can. Emergency links hardcore's famous vim to electroclash's instant allure, Dobson's italicized voice racing like a gust of wind. Her brief guitar solo at the end is an all-timer, a few hiccupping notes suddenly moving like a sports car in terrifyingly tight corners. Tender and vulnerable, Tiny Threads is a sweeping anthem for anyone trying to hold anything together—life, love, themselves.

Billboard Heart is the best Deep Sea Diver album yet, a defiant and brilliant exclamation mark at the end of a long period of wandering.

Long Beach, CA based Rockers OF LIMBO have released their new single Joke's On You, an acoustic ode to gaslighting in relationships. It's the first track from their upcoming Unplugged LP, which will be released this fall.

The song was self-produced and recorded at the band's home studio in Long Beach. The opening guitar line starts out with a slinky and contemplative tone and builds into righteous, smoldering anger driven by hand claps and intense, plaintive vocals. 

The band's Jake Davies says "Joke's On You is about recognizing gaslighting techniques in a relationship. You see the person feigning tears and storming off expecting you to chase after them. Most of us are all too familiar with these kinds of manipulative tactics by now. But when you first start to really recognize it, it's a relief and kind of empowering. Because you realize it's not you… It's all them." 

The band shot the video for Joke's On You entirely on an IPhone 14 at a park next to their mom's house in Australia, armed with nothing but a $20 LED from Amazon and a six pack of tall boys. Jake explains "We filmed this in the moment, just going with the flow.  he red and blue color overlays are meant to be a representation of being two faced."

The band has announced their first 2 tour dates in California, and will be playing a more extensive tour in support of the new music this summer. The band plans on playing live shows through the rest of 2025 into 2026.

OF LIMBO are brothers Jake and Luke Davies: raised in Melbourne, Australia, but relocated to Long Beach, CA to further their music career in the states. The band pride themselves on making every show a party with their unique take on Heavy Rock N' Roll. Kevin Martin of Candlebox says "OF LIMBO is the last dangerous Rock N' Roll band you f*&^rs will ever see live". OF LIMBO play 100+ shows per year, and have toured nationally with Wolfmother, Hinder, Candlebox, Buckcherry, Joyous Wolf, and Blue Oyster Cult, among others.  Their high-energy performances create an electric atmosphere that is infectious, making it impossible not to have fun.

Alternative rock artist Jimmy & The Veil explores themes of regret and self-forgiveness in his newest single, Weightless featuring Andrew Wells of Dance Gavin Dance. The emotionally charged single grapples with mental health and the journey of accepting oneself despite past mistakes.

Jimmy & The Veil delves into the raw essence of the human experience with Weightless, a poignant track that explores the universal struggle of grappling with regrets and the path toward self-forgiveness. "I think we all have regrets that we wrestle with—those lingering feelings that no amount of forgiveness can fully erase," says James Wright, the artist behind Jimmy & The Veil. "To me, that defines the human condition. It's proof of an innate sense of morality and goodwill." Through this single, Wright encourages listeners to extend the same compassion and understanding to themselves that they would offer to others. Collaborating with Andrew Wells of Dance Gavin Dance brings an extra layer of artistry to the song. "I was stoked to have Andrew work his magic on this track with me," Wright shares. "He's one of my heroes in the scene—a true artist and an incredibly hard worker." The result is a powerful, introspective song that resonates with anyone navigating the complexities of self-reflection and personal growth.

Jimmy & The Veil, the solo project of Virginia-based artist James Wright, delivers raw emotional depth to the indie alt-rock scene, uncovering life's genuine truths behind its facades. Inspired by artists like Kurt Travis, Jimmy Eat World, and Moxy the Band, Wright channels personal battles with mental health, societal challenges, and faith into introspective, relatable music. His journey began as a high school lyricist and evolved through college as he honed his guitar skills, but it wasn't until adulthood that he fully committed to his craft. After playing in various bands, Wright launched Jimmy & The Veil in 2023 as a passion project, quickly gaining recognition with his debut single, Diamonds. With further praise from Kill The Music and New Noise Magazine, and most recently being named one of the Hot 100 Artists of 2024 by Music Connection Magazine, Wright's heartfelt storytelling and mature, sometimes cynical outlook position Jimmy & The Veil as a rising force in the scene.

Weightless ft. Andrew Wells reflects on the anxiety of past mistakes and the importance of self-forgiveness as part of the human experience. Stream and download Weightless now on all platforms, and follow Jimmy & The Veil on Instagram @JimmyAndTheVeil.

Blurry Paige is releasing the official music video for her latest single, Reaper, a rock track that blends funky instrumentation with bold vocal performance, celebrating individuality and challenging societal norms.
The Reaper music video highlights Blurry Paige's ability to merge raw vocals with dynamic rock sounds, using playful visuals to amplify the song's message.

"This is a carpe diem song," Blurry explains. "My vision for the video was to portray Death living life in a theme park." True to the song's spirit, the video captures an adventurous and spontaneous vibe, enhanced by impromptu scenes.

Blurry Paige is a captivatingly talented multi-instrumentalist and producer whose soulful melodies and poignant lyrics have set her apart from the crowded soundscape of today. With a voice that effortlessly blends raw emotion with a subtle elegance, Blurry paints relatable stories through her music, inviting listeners on an intricate journey into the depths of her personalized human experience.

As a young artist in an ever-changing industry, Blurry Paige is unafraid of pushing boundaries while challenging traditional conventions. She believes that music is a powerful platform for growth, and she uses her voice to amplify messages of empowerment and self-discovery. In a world that continually seeks to categorize and file everything away into convenient little boxes, Blurry and her music are certainly the exception.  Her music is often described as gritty yet soft, approachable yet defiantly unapologetic. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of styles and genres, she molds her influences into a message that is distinctly her own by combining raw authenticity with an almost surreal delivery.

Blurry's musical journey is a testament to the transformative power of music, reminding us to be unashamed of who we are and to always stay true to self. That while sometimes chaotic, beauty can be found in the harmony of melody and emotion. She is an open book whose tattered pages and evocative storytelling leave an indelible mark in the minds of those fortunate enough to experience her artistry firsthand.

How would you define The Wild Feathers? Some may immediately check a box for Americana –and they wouldn't be wrong. Others may lean on a version of rock: country-rock, folk-rock, heartland rock. They'd all be right, too. Blues? A Southern flare? Occasional punk attitude? It's all in there. Now, it's time to hop on the bus and sing along.

The longtime Nashville band returns this year with Sirens, a new LP of road-worn, sharply-woven tales chronicling a life worth living, love worth holding and the hard-earned lessons found along the ride.

"As a band, we feel like Sirens has captured the musicality of the band more than any other record. In a time where there are very few bands in general, this album sounds like 5 people creating a collective vibe. Where each member has moments to shine and can't be replicated without the time, place and personnel"

To cut the follow-up to 2021 album Alvarado –the band's debut on independent label New West Records– The Wild Feathers decamped from Music City, U.S.A., to Los Angeles for sessions with producer Shooter Jennings (known for his work with Brandi Carlile, Turnpike Troubadours and Tanya Tucker, among others) at Dave's Room in North Hollywood.

Listen intently and without genre in mind. Because when the so-called Sirens make their sound on this new album, don't worry about how to define it. Just enjoy the ride.

The Veer Union have released new single Empirical on Rock Shop Records. The song is the first track from their upcoming album Welcome To Dystopia, which is slated to be released in the 4th quarter of this year. Empirical is a plea for us to not lose our humanity in the face of an overwhelming amount of rapidly advancing technology that threatens to take over our lives - if we let it.

The band says "As we face innovation and the rapid advancement of technology, we in The Veer Union retain a profound sense of hope that humanity unites in its pursuit of freedom and individualism, continuing to champion the spirit that drives us to overcome challenges and strive for a brighter future."

The Veer Union is a Vancouver, BC, Canada Hard Rock/Metal band that released their 1st album independently in 2006. They landed a record deal with Universal Records USA in 2008 and garnered their 1st Top 10 Active Rock Radio Single with their critically acclaimed song Seasons in the US and Canada. Since then The Veer Union has amassed 350,000+ social media followers and has collectively sold over 200,000 Albums and has over 180 Million Streams Worldwide. They have achieved 12 Top 40 Singles on the Billboard Rock Radio Charts, and have 10 million cumulative video views on YouTube.

The Veer Union is known for their dynamic live shows that have seen them regularly playing over 100+ shows per year - opening for RED, Puddle Of Mudd, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Hinder, Saliva and Alesana, among others.  A spring 2025 North American Tour is planned with dates to be announced in the 1st quarter.

Her Leather Jacket has released their latest EP, The House That Chaos Built, a dynamic, blazing collection blending pop-punk and alt-rock swagger. This EP sets the rock scene ablaze and marks a bold new endeavor for the band, experimenting with powerful musical genres and demonstrating their lyrical growth. The House That Chaos Built is available to stream and download on all digital platforms.

The House That Chaos Built explores themes of self-improvement, love, and personal moments, drawing inspiration from the band's past while pushing musical boundaries to create an eccentric sound. The hook-heavy melodies and infectious choruses on the record were brought to life by producer Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and The Almost. "Working with Aaron on this EP was outrageous," the band shares. "He's versatile, and it comes naturally. He really helped break through our barriers on this one." The EP features previously released singles Cloud 9, a rock love anthem, Ever Been, a fan favorite featuring Gillespie on vocals, Cut Me Up, an emotionally charged track about feeling inadequate, and Famous, an introspective song highlighting the emotional toll of trying to make it in the music industry. Additionally, the EP includes an unreleased track, Nirvana and Cigarettes. This nostalgic song captures their cheerful, carefree childhood years. "Nirvana and Cigarettes is such a fun, reminiscent song about the simpler days as kids," they explain. "Just you and your friends hanging out without a single worry in the world!" The House That Chaos Built was mixed by Matt Huber (Smallpools, Boys Like Girls) and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Adam Grover, who has worked with icons like Green Day and Zach Bryan. With talented assistance from these creatives, Her Leather Jacket promises a high-quality listening experience.

Based in East Nashville, Her Leather Jacket is rapidly gaining recognition for its fusion of pop-punk and alt-rock. The band has shared the stage with artists like The Almost, Emery, and Smallpools, has received praise from New Noise Magazine, antiMusic, and Kill The Music, and has garnered over 1.2 million streams on Spotify. Having previously found success in country music, lead singer Manny Blu was inspired to create a band with the music he envisioned since his move to Nashville in 2018. Blu found the perfect match in drummer Wes Snyder. Influenced by iconic bands like Blink-182, The All-American Rejects, and All Time Low, the duo's debut self-titled EP, released in Fall 2023, embraced the pop-punk genre. Now, in 2024, Her Leather Jacket enters their 'Fuck You' Era with a long-awaited chaotic new EP. The band's mission appears evident: "Make good fucking music and have a good fucking time."

Join Her Leather Jacket on their captivating musical endeavors by streaming The House That Chaos Built on all digital platforms. Stay updated on their latest news and upcoming shows by following them on Instagram @HerLeatherJacketOfficial and visiting their website, HerLeatherJacket.com.