Bodega step away from the minimalist post-punk of their early releases on “All Inside Aquarium”, embracing a broader, more melodic approach built on big hooks, guitar-driven energy and classic alternative rock influences. Drawing inspiration from the late-’80s and early-’90s sounds of bands like The Stone Roses and Jane’s Addiction, the album finds the group leaning into riffs, solos and expansive songwriting.
Lyrically, the record shifts focus too. Rather than tackling overtly political themes, songwriters Ben Hozie and Nikki Belfiglio explore more personal, playful and poetic territory, bringing a different perspective to the band’s sharp observational style.
Alongside the album, Bodega have created a series of companion singles featuring exclusive non-album B-sides unavailable digitally, reflecting the band’s enthusiasm for the art of the standalone single.
Following the back-to-back releases of Everything Must Go and Chain Yer Dragon in 2025, Goose return with “Big Modern!”, a vibrant next chapter that expands the band’s signature indie rock sound with neon-lit inspired synths, driving rhythms, and soaring anthemic hooks. New tracks like “Good2B” and “Good Times // End Times” arrive alongside fan favorites “Big Modern” and “Torero,” capturing Goose’s adventurous spirit while delivering some of their most bold and dynamic studio recordings yet.
Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), and Cotter Ellis (drums) — traverse genres with their unique brand of irresistible songcraft, fluid musicianship, and spirited improvisational performance.
Following the back-to-back releases of “Everything Must Go” and “Chain Yer Dragon” in 2025, Goose return with “Big Modern!“, a vibrant next chapter that expands the band’s signature indie rock sound with neon-lit inspired synths, driving rhythms, and soaring anthemic hooks.
New tracks like “Good2B” and “Good Times // End Times” arrive alongside fan favourites “Big Modern” and “Torero,” capturing Goose’s adventurous spirit while delivering some of their most bold and dynamic studio recordings yet.
Some bands are meant for the stage. Though their studio recordings are excellent as is, Philly alt-country outfit Florry are undoubtedly most at home under the lights—and we should all count ourselves lucky for it. The band’s third LP, the sparkly, down-home “Sounds Like…“, was released just last year, and it begs to be played in front of real people, with all the slip-ups and improvisations and idiosyncrasies that follow. But if you were unlucky enough to miss out on their accompanying tour, don’t worry. Florry’s gifted us the next best thing: an amalgam of intimate performances from New Hampshire, Ohio, and a few early pieces from Leeds and Philly, “Smells Like…Florry Live As Hell” is as much a celebration of the country-rock genre itself as it is the album in question.
Francie Medosch’s drawl, already a force of nature, is buoyed further by her live-performance crackles and whoops; John Murray’s slicing guitar riffs are even more impressive when steeped in the buzziness of an on-stage amp.
When “Sounds Like…” came out last May, there was little argument that it would be an instant classic—a. It was a fiery ball of energy, an ode to big band alt-country and a wrangling of the best and brightest of the DIY scene. Replete with pedal steel and harmonica, twinkly fiddles and warbled croons, it was the kind of sound that made you want to make your own life worth singing about. Guided by Alex Farrar’s expert hand, “Sounds Like…” was near-perfect. How, then, to improve upon an album that already strove to touch the sun?
I raise as my first piece of evidence two live renditions of my favorite single from the album: “Pretty Eyes Lorraine,” a well-worn, electric guitar-led, harmonica-heavy love song in the tradition of the modern troubadour. Ragged and sweet, Medosch’s nasal, Dylan-esque vocals shine as she screeches and crows with the heaviness of flailing love. The song, already off-the-cuff, spills out of its constraints entirely when lent the emotional landscape of a live performance. An acoustic version offered at the record’s end reins those emotions inward without dimming their fire. Plaintive and ecstatic, burning and soft, the pared-back tune takes on a new sense of pathos when stripped of its rip-roaring momentum.
The album features another dual interpretation in “Take My Heart”: one version a roiling, bluesy electric; the other a stripped-down acoustic, all harmonica and head-voice. Florry’s eclectic range feels inarguable; it’s a showcase of their ability to flip seamlessly between the raucous and the intimate, and, at their best moments, to squish the two together into something new and unique.
“Dip Myself In Like an Ice Cream Cone,” track two on the live album, is a sugary-sweet tune bolstered by Medosch’s effortless, lilting twang and Murray’s searing guitar. Its joyous, loose progression is that of a band becoming itself. “I was hoping to use this song to talk about / Something that had been going on but I could not get it out,” Medosch croons as pedal steel and drums blossom behind her. It’s a lovely, self-possessed tune—an encapsulation of ease and the joy of performance. That clear love of craft shines through each of the album’s fourteen tracks (the last of which, in true DIY fashion, is only available on cassette). Other highlights include: two NRBQ covers and a potent, stripped-back performance of “Drunk and High.”
“Smells Like…’s reaches a zenith during “First it was a movie, then it was a book,” an Odyssean journey that shrieks through almost eight minutes of heat and shows off the band’s technical prowess. Sliding guitars, silky-smooth hammer-ons, and easy, expert enunciation all make for a live performance so messily perfect it feels near-miraculous. The boiling, buzzing song rolls through hills and valleys, giving space to each band member’s unique skills. It’s so replete with sound, so full and alive, that it’s hard to imagine the walls of the venue weren’t vibrating with sheer energy. It crescendoes and explodes and spirals into itself like a black hole, a star collapsing. It makes you want to be a middle-aged guy with a long, scruffy mustache. It makes you want to learn two-step. It makes you want to buy a truck.
Florry is a heart bursting at the seams, a late summer afternoon where the sun never sets, a weird Tuesday at a shitty dive bar. The group has a singular ability to convey a feeling of youthful expanse, especially when stripped of their post-production bells and whistles. That the tape is only available (for now) on Bandcamp only adds to its homespun ethos. Florry boasts generational talent, with or without the accoutrements of the modern musical landscape. They’re this decade’s Crazy Horse—Shakey harmonicas, slippery chords, Econoline van, and all. On “Smells Like… Florry Live as Hell“, they make that impossible to forget. [Dear Life Records]
While Florry’s 2023 album “The Holey Bible” literally sounded like people sitting around a campfire and singing folk and country songs together, this year’s “Sounds Like… Florry!” captures the energy of this live rock band that’s been on the road these past couple years, and it’s the best representation of their sound yet. The jammy, guitar-solo-happy band sound like the Grateful Dead and Crazy Horse at their scrappiest, with a little bit of Dinosaur Jr’s sludgefeast in the mix, and they’ve got the memorable hooks to bring those instrumental freak outs back down to earth. (There’s some Bob Dylan in there too.)
If that combo of bands sounds a little like MJ Lenderman & the Wind on paper, it may come as no surprise that The Wind member Colin Miller (who also released a great solo album this year) co-produced and engineered the album at the MJ Lenderman/Wednesday crew’s go-to studio Drop of Sun, and they also finished writing the album during a three-day session at the now-defunct Haw Creek compound where Wednesday/Wind members used to live.
The promise of a Florry show, a now familiar caravan that has been honed over ambitiously trekked zig zags across America and Europe since the release of Dear Life Records debut “The Holey Bible”, is the redemptive promise and prodigal joy of rock and roll guitar music. Bred in the crackling warmth of the Philadelphia DIY scene, and forged with the alloys of community action, queer liberation, and bedroom poetry, bandleader Francie Medosch and her absolute unit of collaborators have put in the work of sharpening their homespun tools to take up the mantle of the great lip-puckering rock and roll tradition pioneered by the likes of The Band and the Rolling Stones, but with proudly displayed Aimee Mann and Yo La Tengo bumper stickers on the rusty frame of the truck.
At any second, the wheels could come off but they are steering just fine. For “Sounds Like..”., Florry’s sophomore effort as a fully realized band, Medosch and co. decamped to Drop of Sun studios in the nest of the Blue Ridge Mountains to record with Asheville wunderkind Colin Miller, a critical voice behind the records of MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, and Merce Lemon and a powerful songwriter in his own right. Three powerhouse days in late 2023 solidified writing work done by the band earlier that summer in the now defunct Haw Creek compound under Miller’s guiding suggestion.
The result is a portrait of a ripping band cresting towards the height of their powers, uniquely equipped to capture a wildly loving, barn-burning camcorder clip of a turbulent trip with your best friends, without dipping into nostalgia bait. Lyrically, Medosch’s utterances are both careful and excessive, the product of sifting through the rubble of classic good-time media, and finding what works for both her and her community to reach the heights of abandon.
“The Holey Bible” sounded secluded from the world, but “Sounds Like…” is a melting pot of all the influence you absorb and all the places you go as a traveling band.
Neil & Rachel are delighted to announce the reissues of the remastered Mojave 3 back catalogue via 4AD Records on 24th July !. Remastered at Abbey Road, “Ask Me Tomorrow” (1995), “Out of Tune” (1998), “Excuses For Travellers” (2000), “Spoon and Rafter” (2003) and “Puzzles Like You” (2006), will each be available digitally, on Standard Black LP and CD, and as a 4AD exclusive slipcase comprising all five albums on Clear LP with a 8×10” print.
“Ask Me Tomorrow” features newly updated artwork of photographs by Colin Gray, while all other albums are presented with their original artwork.
Born from the ashes of Slowdive in 1995 by former members Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell, and newly acquired drummer Ian McCutcheon, Mojave 3 began by recording six sparse, acoustic, vocally-driven tracks that stripped away the swirling guitar distortion that had once cloaked their singing in a veil of mystery, leaving Neil and Rachel’s vocal harmonies to stand fully exposed. The six-track demo sufficiently impressed 4AD label head Ivo Watts-Russell and Mojave 3 were signed to a five-album deal, with the original demos becoming the foundation of debut album and fan favourite, “Ask Me Tomorrow”.
Mojave 3’s debut, “Ask Me Tomorrow“, was a refreshingly stripped-down collection that changed little from the original demos. Halstead’s melodic, folk- and country-tinged songs drew favourable (if lazy) comparisons to Nick Drake, Cowboy Junkies and Bob Dylan.
Three years later, “Out of Tune” continued where the first album left off and showed a group that had grown in both confidence and cohesiveness. Third album “Excuses For Travellers” contained some of the most ambitious Halstead compositions yet. “Spoon and Rafter” followed three years later marking another shift for the band. While still containing echoes of singer-songwriters and alt-country, the record represents a technicolour expansion of their palette that utilises electronics, glockenspiels, melodica, and Beatlesque production.
Their final album, 2006’s “Puzzles Like You” is a positively bright and fun record that feels right at home next to indie rock contemporaries like The Shins and Band of Horses, while sounding nearly unrecognizable next to the band they were on “Ask Me Tomorrow”.
An exclusive box set of all five albums limited to 1500 copies will also be available.
2026 remastered vinyl and CD editions of celebrated alt-country band Mojave 3‘s studio back catalogue Ask Me Tomorrow (1995), Out Of Tune (1998), Excuses For Travellers (2000), Spoon and Rafter (2003) and Puzzles Like You (2006).
Consisting of former Slowdive members Neil Halstead (vocals, guitar), Rachel Goswell (vocals, bass) and Ian McCutcheon (drums) alongside keyboardist Alan Forrester and former Chapterhouse guitarist Simon Rowe, the band were one of 4AD‘s most cherished 1990s signings.
All five records by Mojave 3 will finally be back in print from 24th July, some of 4AD’s most requested reissues of the last decade. Available digitally, on Standard Black LP and CD, and as a 4AD exclusive 5xLP Slipcase on Clear Vinyl + 8×10” print.
Joe Bonamassa has officially released “The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork”, a powerful live album and concert film celebrating the music and enduring legacy of Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher. Available now via J&R Adventures, the project captures Bonamassa’s sold-out tribute performances in Cork, Ireland, where Gallagher’s influence remains woven into the fabric of the city itself. Alongside the album release, Bonamassa has also unveiled the epic live performance video for the project’s emotional centerpiece, “A Million Miles Away (Live).”
Recorded with the blessing of Gallagher’s family and performed before passionate hometown audiences, “The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork” documents what many in attendance described as a once-in-a-lifetime musical event. A lifelong admirer of Gallagher, Bonamassa approached the material with deep reverence, bringing together a band capable of honoring the fire, spontaneity, and emotional honesty that defined Gallagher’s work while allowing the performances to breathe with their own energy.
Rory Gallagher remains one of Ireland’s most beloved musical figures, revered worldwide for a style that fused traditional electric blues with hard rock intensity, Celtic influences, and fearless improvisation. His distinctive guitar tone, expressive slide work, and deeply emotional performances inspired generations of players, including Bonamassa himself. Together, the album and film capture both the scale of Gallagher’s influence and the deep personal connection his music continues to inspire among musicians and fans around the world.
At the heart of the release is “A Million Miles Away,” one of Gallagher’s most beloved and emotionally resonant compositions. Originally released on 1973’s “Tattoo” and a legendary extended rendition on his “Irish Tour ‘74“, the song captures themes of loneliness, longing, and emotional distance, pairing poetic imagery with one of Gallagher’s most vulnerable vocal performances. Joe’s DVD bonus features include a special interview with Rory’s brother, Donal, who recounts the story behind the song’s creation and visits the dramatic Irish cliffs whose rugged beauty helped inspire its emotional power.
Bonamassa’s interpretation embraces that emotional core. Filmed in front of a packed Cork audience, the performance unfolds with patience and restraint before building into a soaring guitar statement that reflects both Gallagher’s influence and Bonamassa’s own musical voice. The result serves as a fitting centerpiece for a project built on admiration, respect, and a shared love of the blues.
What began as a single tribute concert ultimately grew into a three-night sold-out run in Gallagher’s hometown, with fans traveling from around the world to celebrate the music. The atmosphere throughout the performances was electric, creating what Bonamassa describes as one of the most meaningful experiences of his career.
Early praise has already begun to reflect the significance of the project. Guitarist Magazine praised the release, writing, “Joe does his hero proud…a very fitting affectionate tribute to one of the most notable blues guitarists of our age.” Blues Matters hailed “The Spirit Of Rory “one of the finest live albums ever produced,” while Powerplay awarded the project a perfect 10/10, writing that “Bonamassa has captured Gallagher’s genre-defining influence and honoured it with flawless perfection.”
Across fourteen carefully selected songs, “The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork explores the full breadth of Gallagher’s catalogue, from explosive live staples like “Walk On Hot Coals,” “Bullfrog Blues,” and “Bad Penny” to deeply personal performances including “Tattoo’d Lady” and “I Fall Apart.” The broader setlist was also inspired in part by the spirit of Gallagher’s legendary “Irish Tour ‘74” era, which first introduced many listeners, including Bonamassa, to Gallagher’s singular live power.
The project also includes several moments of special historical significance, including Bonamassa’s performance of “As The Crow Flies” on Gallagher’s own 1930 National Triolian resonator guitar, generously loaned by the Cork Public Museum. Additional DVD and Blu-ray bonus features include The Inspiration of Rory, featuring conversations with Brian May and Slash, along with Rory’s Acoustic Guitar and Ballycotton – A Million Miles Away.
Joe Bonamassa Releases ‘A Million Miles Away (Live’ From Tribute To Rory Gallagher Album
Lily Seabird is on a roll. Her third album in as many years, “Lightspheres On Their Way”, was just announced, and with it came “Election Day,” an ode to being trapped between a rock and a hard place that, pardon my French, simply fucking rips. As much as I loved last year’s “Trash Mountain“, I’m over the moon that “Election Day” finds the Vermont singer-songwriter in a mode she hasn’t occupied since 2024’s “Dirge”: riotous distortion, screeching guitars, downright wails. Seabird’s voice is as songbird-clear as ever, cutting into the chaos with the precision of a canary’s warble.
But there’s an edge there, too—moments her vocals snag on the emotion of the words, ripping open ever so slightly, sharp and jagged. She’s long excelled at the art of the slow-burn, so it’s only fitting that she’s come to conquer the art of immediacy next. But don’t worry, this isn’t Seabird slotting herself into the rather redundant post-punk of the past few years; her own alt-country sensibilities are still on full display, the lilt in her voice and the twang of her sound palpable even through the din. It’s an Americana headbanger, a mosher’s gateway drug into folk—and it’s addictive.
“Election Day” is from Lily Seabird’s “Lightspheres on Their Way“, out September 4th 2026 via Lame-O Records
Oklahoma City’s favorite sons Chat Pile have announced that their third LP, “Who Loves the Sun”, will arrive on September 4th via The Flenser. “This record focuses on my grievances with the modern world,“ said the band’s vocalist Ray B of their follow-up to last year’s full-length Hayden Pedigo collaboration. “AI, genocide, climate change, the power elite, $$$$ hoarding pigs—all that shit fucks up your life and mine. The band is definitely stretching out their abilities on the album and I too felt inspired to go further—as a huge fan of Boston, I like to think Brad Delp is somewhere up there, smiling down, as I take the layering to new heights, but who can say? We have fun with it.”
Regarding first single “Deep Blue,” bassist Stin said: “This is the first track we wrote for the album and the one that helped set the tone for the whole thing. I personally love this because it sounds like Chat Pile doing a Billy Squier song. It’s our ‘Lonely Is the Night,’ which is actually a fake Led Zeppelin song so who knows what the hell we’re actually doing here?”
The Fat Angel Sings 