Bonny Light Horseman
Bonny Light Horseman’s new album, Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free, is an ode to the blessed mess of our humanity. Confident and generous, it is an unvarnished offering that puts every feeling and supposed flaw out in the open. The themes are stacked high and staked even higher: love and loss, hope and sorrow, community and family, change and time all permeate Bonny Light Horseman’s most vulnerable and bounteous offering to date. Yet for all of its humanistic touchpoints, Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free was forged from a kind of unexplainable magic. Written over five months in 2023, this third album began when the band’s core trio–Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman–convened in an Irish pub alongside beloved collaborators JT Bates (drums), Cameron Ralston (bass), and recording engineer Bella Blasko. Mitchell suggested the pub as their first recording location, based on her one conversation with owner Joe O’Leary. She had a feeling about the place, and was surprised by her bandmates’ enthusiasm for the idea. Stepping inside the pub’s aged confines, the trio felt an immediate connection to its palpable sense of community, and of family, forged over many decades. The pub was Levis (pronounced: “leh-viss”) Corner House, a century-old watering hole in Ballydehob, a tiny coastal village in County Cork, and its energy became a singular source of Bonny Light Horseman’s creative engine. The pub’s upright piano, which they lubricated with olive oil to quiet its creaking, became a sort of spiritual fulcrum, a single entity that embodied all of the album’s motifs: imperfection as a badge of honor; aging, endurance and the passage of time; how the simplest of acts can heal us. The analogs–between this century-old meeting place of local folk and this trio of American folkies–were undeniable. “It has this sense of history; it’s also small, and crammed with a bunch of stuff that’s spilling all over the place,” says Kaufman. “It was like the pub version of our band.” A painting that hung on a wall of the pub, which watched over the band during their time working, became the album cover. “I was making eye contact with that person for most of the recording,” Johnson said of the artwork. And there was a deeper connection. Before the band had even planned to record in the pub, the owner’s wife had named the woman in the painting Bonnie. There’s magic in a place like Levis Corner House, yes, but it takes the right wizards to wield it. At the center of Bonny Light Horseman is, always, the singular combination of three powerful and tender artists–artists who expertly dodge superlatives but are quick to acknowledge the ways they strengthen and enrich one another, and the bond that makes each one better, braver and more vulnerable than they’d be on their own. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the force of their voices together, which work with complete trust in one another through the gentlest moments and the most ruthless wails. The result can comfort and cradle listeners, but also leaves them rattled, wrecked, and reborn. Website | Facebook | Instagram
Gary Numan
May, 1979. It’s an ordinary Thursday evening, which means it’s time for Top of the Pops. Amidst a zeitgeist of punk and disco, the show suddenly appears to be interrupted by a transmission from the future. A luminous synth riff echoes out, a beat drives on and up steps an otherworldly figure – part robot, part alien – to deliver an enigmatic lyric depicting some kind of android existence in a dystopian future. It’s Gary Numan fronting Tubeway Army for their breakthrough hit ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’.Of the millions that are watching, few would’ve recognised that this moment foreshadows the shape of music to come, from synth-pop to industrial and alt-pop. That, however, can’t stop it igniting the imagination of an audience that would swell into a devoted following.Fast-forward to January, 2021. Numan’s first single ‘Intruder’ (from the Intruder album) pulsates ominously as if it’s soundtracking an imminent threat. As austere synths loom like shadows and industrial beats are detonated, the beguiling hook towers like a beacon in the darkness. It’s visionary and venomous, with a narrative that imagines the Earth growing angry at mankind’s actions, and more than willing to fight back. In the accompanying video, Numan looks even more out of time than he did back in 1979, like an intergalactic refugee fighting for his own existence.Those two songs show how Numan has consistently fought against the grain to stick resolutely to his creative vision. In a career that spans over forty years, the music evolves and the themes change. But fans remain fascinated by Numan for the very fact that he’s so uncompromising.Any story charting four decades will be a mixed blessing of momentous highs and meagre lows. The achievements are remarkable for someone who never made any concessions to mainstream success. Seven Top 10 singles, including ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ and the debut solo hit ‘Cars’; eight Top 10 albums, three of which topped the charts; and huge critical acclaim, most notably with the Inspiration Award at the prestigious Ivor Novellos.Naturally, there were times when Numan was very much not in vogue. Sure, there would be ripples of rediscovery but there were years when his increasingly conceptual albums were primarily embraced by hardcore fans. He wasn’t troubling the charts, but audiences were still flocking to see him perform – almost every UK tour would include a sold-out show at the 5000 capacity Hammersmith Apollo.Gradually, though, praise from Nine Inch Nails, Prince and David Bowie led to a reappraisal of his work. And that has been magnified in recent years with Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl citing him as an influence.And so, a new narrative emerged. An unlikely icon returned to the top while making music that was darker, fiercer and more inventive than ever.‘Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)’ set the ball rolling by peaking at #20 in 2013, its precise, post-industrial sound delving into Numan’s experiences with depression. He started a new deal with BMG in 2017 and released ‘Savage (Songs From A Broken World)’, an album which depicted earth as a barren wasteland in which humanity and culture had been largely crushed by the effects of global warming. ‘Savage’ hit #2 in the UK charts. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Youtube
Winter
The singer-songwriter and guitarist has been a mainstay in Los Angeles’ music scene for over a decade, carving out her own niche of gloriously detailed and eclectic dream pop under the name Winter. After growing up in Curitiba, Brazil and playing in her first bands in Boston, she relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 and fell in love with the city. She found a sense of belonging in its DIY rock community—the basement of her longtime Echo Park home was host to countless shows and even Winter’s first practices—and she grew attached to L.A.’s cosmic, inspiring aura. But at a certain point, Samira was craving a change of scenery to facilitate self-growth, a painful, but necessary realization that brought about a move to New York City. Leading up to her emotional coast-to-coast move, she spent roughly two years writing songs in a transitory state: often in between tours, in different cities, and in various sublets. The resulting 13 tracks became her new LP, Adult Romantix—her Winspear debut, the follow-up to 2022’s landmark What Kind of Blue Are You?, and a goodbye love letter to her time in L.A. What Kind of Blue Are You? was, in her words, “a total reset”—a dark, healing, and intensely personal record that cemented Winter’s unique musical language. As Samira began to confront the end of her decade-plus in L.A., she was overcome by waves of memories and nostalgia, which stirred feelings of pure-hearted reverence for her 20s—catching shows at The Echo, driving through Southern California, and soaking in the blistering sun for so long that you start to feel existential and an impending sense of doom. So, instead of exorcising inner demons, this time around, Samira visited the ghosts of heartfelt memories, which had spilled into her present reality. She describes Adult Romantix as “a tunnel of summers and memories,” inspired by romantic-period texts like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, as well as ‘90s rom-coms—indulging in heady melodrama and romantic and platonic longing, while also embracing a lighthearted, youthful innocence. To go along with these meditations, Samira channeled a textured, yearning indie rock sound that squared with her vision of “a lost L.A. summer”—a departure from the electronic experimentation of her 2024 EP …and she’s still listening, penned around the same time. While What Kind of Blue Are You? was inspired by ‘90s dream pop classics, Adult Romantix was influenced by touchstones like Sonic Youth’s Rather Ripped, the forlorn acoustic rock of Elliott Smith, the slippery electronic-rock of Dean Blunt, and California shoegaze à la Further and Starflyer 59. Marked by swirling, drive-pedal squalls and open-tuned acoustic guitar, there’s a palpable bittersweetness to these raw, lovesick tunes. Blurred daydreams and a sense of brooding introspection pervade the record—from dizzying tape echo and icy breakbeats to Samira’s androgynous, pitched-down, cigarette-glazed vocals. Vacillating between dewy, strummy ecstasy and moody, nighttime desire, Adult Romantix thrives on escapism, always delightfully in the clouds and often sonically peculiar. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Soundcloud | TikTok
Jukebox The Ghost – The Phantasmagorical Tour
Piano-rock trio Jukebox the Ghost formed in 2006 and has been a steadily growing cult favorite and a globally touring band ever since. Composed of Ben Thornewill (piano/vocals), Tommy Siegel (guitar/bass/vocals) and Jesse Kristin (drums/vocals), they have played over 1,000 shows around the world over the course of their career. In addition to countless headlining tours, they have also toured as openers alongside Ingrid Michaelson, Ben Folds, Guster, Motion City Soundtrack, A Great Big World and Jack’s Mannequin, among others. In addition to festivals like Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Bonnaroo, and Bottlerock, Jukebox the Ghost has also performed on The Late Show with David Letterman and Conan. Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify
Michael Minelli
When Michael Minelli sings, you know it’s him. With show stopping delivery, dynamic range, and timeless panache, the Connecticut born & raised entertainer immediately sets himself apart. If you’ve ever seen Michael live, you know the energy he brings is 1 of 1. For Minelli, it’s all a matter of soul. “Soul is the core of everything” he affirms. “It’s that thing you can’t put a finger on. Anytime somebody hears my music, I want them to immediately say, ‘That’s a Michael Minelli record’.” With over a decade of experience as an entertainer, Minelli seems to finally have hit his stride gaining over 200 million views across social media platforms, over 2 million followers and more than 30 million streams on his music. Michael set the foundation in 2024, doing 3 support tours for Anees, Marc E. Bassy & SonReal. Now in 2025, it’s time Minelli hits the road, but as a headliner. One thing is for sure, this tour will be unlike any other before. Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube
Sydney Sprague
Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona – a city known for its triple-digit temperatures and the kind of existential dread that can only come from living in a giant oven – Sydney moves through life with guitar in one hand and an anxiety disorder in the other. Her debut album, maybe i will see you at the end of the world, released in 2020, earned glowing reviews from publications like NPR, Refinery29, Guitar World, and other outlets that sound very impressive when listed all together like this. Critics praised her for her honesty, wit, and ability to evade an impending mental breakdown by instead writing a really good song. Sydney has had a busy five years since then, writing and releasing her second album somebody in hell loves you in between a relentless touring schedule – supporting bands like Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, The Front Bottoms, Oso Oso, Spanish Love Songs, and Michigander. With songs that pair unforgettable melodies and sick guitar riffs over the general feeling that you left the stove on, Sydney has been quietly building a discography that speaks directly to the overthinking masses. Website | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Spotify
Dead Sea Sparrow, MEGABITCH, Kial & The MuseZac
Dead Sea Sparrow Dead Sea Sparrow is a Durham based folk-rock band made up of members Matt, Alison, Bradley, JD, Chris, Ben and Dave. As a collaborative project their inspirations come from different areas, featuring strong lyricism with a blending of folk, country, rock, and indie genres. With their entrancing jam-forward songs and melodic harmonies they tackle all subjects of “humanness”. Their different areas of expertise meld to create music that is representative of their talent, dedication, and passion for what they make. Website MEGABITCH MEGABITCH is a queer indie-groovy rock quartet based in Durham, NC. Their music will make you dance, thrash, and cry—hopefully all at once. With influences of grunge, disco, and raw emotion, MEGABITCH brings an unforgettable energy and joy to every performance. Do not operate heavy machinery while listening. Instagram Kial & The MuseZac Kial and the MuseZac is a married duo blending their classical roots with a love for all kinds of music. Kial and Zac share heartfelt originals and fresh takes on favorite covers—always honest, always in harmony.
MICO
In a digital era where everyone wants overnight success, alt-pop rising artist MICO showcases that great music and consistency can win the race. Starting as a 16-year-old singing in Discord servers and Twitch streams, MICO (now 22) continues to connect with new listeners one-by-one, paying off in a cult fanbase of 1.6 million digitally (known as the “amicos”), generating over 100 million global streams and selling out North American and European tours — all independently without major label help. The last two years have catapulted MICO to new heights — earning a top 20 radio hit (“cut my hair”), selling out three headline tours throughout the US and Canada, and sparking viral hits that have become staples in his discography (“HOMESICK,” “TV” and “Senses.” For MICO, the Internet isn’t something to be overthought — it’s like his second home. In 2024, he released his highly anticipated fifth EP, “Internet hometown hero” accompanied by his Cancel your plans tour — selling out dates in the US and Toronto and breaking his own streaming records. And 2025 is all gas, no brakes for the rising phenom as he fresh off his first-ever EU/UK tour (100% sold out), supported Nightly on a few US dates, coinciding with additional US headline shows in May (100% sold out) and will perform on his first festival ever at Lollapolooza in Berlin this July — all while releasing the deluxe version of his 2024 EP — “Internet hometown hero (+DLC)” on May 2, featuring “I’d hate to be my friend” and “Don’t you cry (w/ vaultboy). Website | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Soundcloud | TikTok
Carbon Leaf
Carbon Leaf’s fifteenth studio album, Time is the Playground is both a call to action and an embrace of the moment. Marrying nostalgic storytelling to nuanced, folk-infused indie rock, the Richmond, Virginia band embroiders heartfelt melody and harmony with acoustic and electric instrumentation to create a 12-song rumination on time, love and personal growth that’s equal parts urgent epiphany and contented exhalation. “Everybody says people don’t listen to albums anymore,” mulled Carbon Leaf frontman Barry Privett, holed up in a coastal cottage. “So, the challenge for us was to make something that felt good to get through from beginning to end … to listen to like a story.” Originally formed as a college cover band in 1992 and with over 3,500 famously enthused live shows together, Carbon Leaf helped to define the aughts indie rock that they ultimately outgrew and outlasted. They first earned national recognition with “The Boxer,” a song that won the American Music Awards 2002 New Music Award and made Carbon Leaf the first unsigned band to perform before millions on the AMAs. “The Boxer” entered regular radio rotation, Carbon Leaf’s tours grew bigger and better, and within a couple of years they quit their day jobs and inked a record deal. The band’s fanbase snowballed, drawn to their infectious spirit of commitment, empathy, communion, and self-reliance – not to mention supremely crafted songs with ultra-relatable, thought-provoking lyrics. After a trio of charting albums for Vanguard Records, multiple songwriting awards and headlining shows, Carbon Leaf opted to return to the complete creative control of their indie roots. Guitarist Terry Clark, who co-founded the band with Privett and multi-instrumentalist Carter Gravatt, converted his garage into the band’s Two-Car Studio, where they’ve recorded releases for their own Constant Ivy imprint ever since. Carbon Leaf’s DIY spirit even extended to re-recording their three Vanguard albums in order to regain the rights. Due in September, Time is the Playground is Carbon Leaf’s first full-length album in a decade, during which they released two EPS and a 27-song live performance album and Blu-ray. Time is the Playground gathers the best of songs written, in fits and starts, over 15 years, alongside brand new ideas. Privett dusted off old demos and shut himself away for months to finish their stories, while also honing recent compositions. With Clark engineering, Carbon Leaf – completed by longtime bassist Jon Markel and drummer Jesse Humphrey – spent a year and a half recording and mixing the resulting songs. “Thinking about these disparate pieces of music, I began ruminating on time itself,” Privett recalled. “The band’s been together a long time. You mature a bit and see yourself in place on the timeline … rolling around the scenes of love and growth.” Masterfully melding saturated AC/DC guitar and squelchy Cars synth, “Backmask 1983” is a fun flipbook of evocative era emblems – Farah Fawcett, “Satanic Panic,” Time Life Books, Bigfoot and more – that traverses the simultaneous nexus of Privett’s childhood/adolescence and the world’s analog/digital ages. It’s about morphing into a new person and a new planet with wide-eyed wonder and a longing to believe. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
Rio Romeo Good Grief! Tour
Rio Romeo is a force of nature whose open-book honesty and unbounded curiosity have made them a 2020s cult hero. They’ve amassed more than 713,000 followers on TikTok, and their breakthrough single, the longing “Nothing’s New, ” has racked up more than 308 million streams on Spotify. With their new album Good Grief, they’re taking stock of their whirlwind last five years, which have included cross-country relocations, a new romance, a horrifying accident that resulted in brain and hip injuries—and the support of a fanbase that’s helped them not just survive, but thrive. Good Grief brings together nine songs from Rio’s last five years. A companion piece to their 2022 EP Good God!, which contained “Nothing’s New, ” Good Grief shows how Rio’s songwriting and vocal skills have blossomed—their genre-fluid songs possess a musical-theater grandness while also vibrating with punk vitality and the righteousness of queer folk. “I’ve been waiting forever to put this project out,” they say. “Forever” could mean all the way back to Rio’s childhood, when they were a fervent journaler who—because of their religious, homeschooled upbringing in southern California—quickly developed their autodidactic side. “It definitely was an isolating experience, but it was creatively motivating, ” Rio recalls of those early years. They were exposed to musicals at a very young age (“I now Identify as an escaped theater kid, ” they note) and eventually enrolled in an art-focused high school in Pomona, where they began focusing on their visual art practice while also realizing that they were “not the same, gender-wise, as other girls. “Rio then applied to and was accepted by the scene design program at DePaul University’s Theatre School. “I ended up moving to Chicago at 18—and mind you, this entire time I’ve been living in a very conservative Christian environment,” they say. “Being gay was simply not an option. I get to Chicago, and I’m like, ‘Holy shit, this is so cool. I have independence. For the first time, I really get to figure out who I am and what I want and the people that I want to be friends with. ‘ I had some queer friends growing up, but it’s a red bubble within the larger blue California, so, I knew very few queer people.” While Rio’s world had blown open in Chicago, they ultimately decided to leave university after a quarter and move home—until their parents found out that Rio was gay and kicked them out. Following a stint of couch-surfing and living in their car, Rio moved back to Chicago. Having lived in California all their life, Rio realized, led them to having “no fucking idea what people do in the winter” in sometimes-frigid Chicago. So Rio spent time back at DePaul, waiting for their friends to finish classes in piano-equipped rehearsal rooms on campus. “I ended up playing the piano a lot, and coping with this really fucked-up situation—all of this transition and loss—through writing songs,” they say. Being able to write on their own and share songs on their own terms was liberating: “There was this secrecy that I could have with my music, where I could only choose to share it with people when I wanted to,” they say. “It was really empowering to be able to have choice, after not having any choice. “Rio recorded a project in 2018 but ended up not telling anyone about it. “It was there mostly for me to listen to and be like, ‘Yeah, I did this.'” Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify
