Luke Tyler Shelton‘s debut EP, Blue Sky, is a folk country masterpiece, as Shelton successfully forges his place in the genre by maintaining balance between inspiration and innovation. Luke Tyler Shelton is based in Los Angeles and aims to inspire the same wonder he feels when listening to the music that inspires him. Shelton’s influences are obvious on the EP, but at the same time feel uniquely like Shelton himself, despite the similarities to artists like Neil Young and Don McLean.
Shelton’s ability to harness his influences into a work that is truly his, is because of his unique and rich vocals, and the superb band that is backing him throughout the EP. The EP starts with “Anna”, which is an acoustic track featuring finger picked guitars, which are airy and colorful. The 70’s influence is immediately apparent, and the chorus is an ear-worm for sure. The lyrics are melt in your mouth sweet, as Shelton sings, “Oh, Anna. My heart is high, in the wake of your tide.”
We see the talent of Shelton’s band immediately on “Ana” as the fiddle comes in and has it’s moment to shine and assist Shelton in expresses his deepened love. Because of the tightness of the song, it already feels like a well established classic—something your parents would play countless times on the way to school. Every aspect of this track is harmonious, from the vocals, guitar, fiddle, drums, and so on. Shelton’s voice cuts perfectly through the music to deliver an excellent and harmonious love song to our ears.
“Feeling Always Down” drops off from the high of “Ana” and slows us down to feel the sadness of the track. The electric guitar hums and rings subtly but vibrantly on this one, as it takes on an almost mourning tone. The guitar really gets a chance to shine mid song as the keys build to aid the guitar in singing out this sorrowful ballad. Where the lyrics repeat, the instrumentals most definitely don’t, as Shelton sings out “Feelings Always Down” and the band builds and builds til the very end of the track.
“Love On My Mind” is a classic 70’s folk country song. The song is upbeat and sweet, and the chorus uses layering to deliver the lyrics, “No one loves me like my lady, she’s my sweet one, she’s my baby”. The bass, electric guitar and acoustic guitar aid Shelton in singing mid-track as they shine and hum their rich tones. This album midway has proved itself to have an excellent blend of intricate instrumental melodies as well as rich and impressive vocal capabilities from Shelton.
“A Bus Ain’t A Home” uses a light and bouncy acoustic guitar and a flighty piano to emphasize the songs traveling themes. The electric guitar sings and cries, as a female backing vocal comes in and excellently blends with Shelton’s rich vocals. A twangy guitar bounces off the acoustic guitar, spotlighting both of their capabilities. Although Shelton is singing a traveling song, it’s subversive of the typical flighty and detached traveler as he expresses his excitement in seeing his lover again.
“Where The West Begins” is a light country track with inclusion of the harmonica! The firm drum beat makes it perfect for two stepping and dancing in a classic country joint. The bass and drums are the driving force of this track, as they aid Shelton’s lyrical delivery as well as the instrumental breaks. The harmonica is used almost to converse with Shelton as he sings lyrics about the unique experiences of being West.
“Hell Of A Ride” is a.steady rock country track with mid-tempo beat, almost like riding a horse. Shelton uses the steadiness of the song to profess his love towards his woman. The guitars are subtle but complimentary to Shelton’s voice. The piano comes in mid-track and provides a bright and open feeling to the song breaking up the steadiness. The bands builds at the end to give a firm and melodic ending to the track.
The EP’s title track, “Blue Sky” features darker guitar tones and finger picking guitars. It’s a classic folk country song as Shelton sings about missing his love, and dealing with loneliness. Subtle orchestral strings in the background give a deeper layer to the rich world that is created through the layering of the guitar strings. This track in particular is very reminiscent of Don McLean. As the song continues, the beat becomes firmer and steadier as the strings work together to give background to Shelton’s lyrics. His lyrics are earnest and hopeful, as he wishes to see the light shining through. It’s a hopeful note to end the EP off, and a really great combination of the aspects of the EP that Shelton and his band have excelled in.
Blue Sky was an amazing listening experience and it’s truly exciting to think about what the future holds for Luke Tyler Shelton. Shelton’s debut EP has the ability to capture both people that are unaware of classic folk and country anthems, as well as the people that grew up on them or experienced their release.The EP was instrumentally breathtaking and complex, Shelton’s vocals were both exquisite and raw, and his lyrics were universal and relatable to a variety of people.
After eight years of silence, Paul McDonald has reemerged, not with polish, but with purpose.
The Alabama-born singer-songwriter who once charmed American Idol audiences with his gravel-coated vocals and signature Southern swagger makes a thunderous return with So Long to the Dark Side. A full-length testament to heartbreak, healing, and hard-won hope. This is not just another Americana record; it’s the kind of album you don’t write unless you’ve been through hell and made the long walk back.
“The last time I put out a full record was in 2018,” McDonald shares. “Since then, I wrote and recorded more music than I care to admit… whole albums, multiple times over, only to shelve them all.” After pouring his soul into chasing a sound that kept slipping through his fingers, McDonald found himself creatively exhausted and unsure if music was still his calling. So Long to the Dark Side is the sound of him finding his way back.
And it shows. There’s a rawness pulsing through every track that feels earned, not engineered. Opener “Dark Side” sets the tone with a gospel-tinged urgency, the kind of song that kicks up dust in your chest. You can almost hear the weight he’s carrying, and the light he’s chasing. That tension continues throughout the record, teetering between cosmic Americana and Southern soul.
“Rosemarie” shimmers with nostalgia, a smoky ballad about a love that lingers just a little too long. “Unwind” offers a gentler reprieve, like the first deep breath after a long stretch underwater. An ode to letting go of the hustle and leaning into grace. But it’s “What’s the Point?” that cuts deepest: a philosophical spiral into life’s meaning, anchored by the simplest and most profound answer: love.
Throughout the album, McDonald doesn’t shy away from the darkness, but he never lets it win. “Stardust” and “Star of the Morning” flirt with celestial themes, while “Forgiveness” dives into the messier parts of being human and trying to let go. On “Never Coming Down” and “Higher Power”, McDonald reaches for something bigger. Maybe faith, maybe clarity, maybe just solid ground. He closes things out with “Good Time,” a rollicking, full-circle celebration of the now. It’s not naive joy, it’s earned joy.
Though Paul McDonald once dabbled in shiny LA pop during a public-facing relationship with actress Nikki Reed, So Long to the Dark Side is a return to his roots. To the dive bars of the Southeast, to the soul-soaked storytelling of Petty and Parsons, to a sound that doesn’t chase trends, but reverberates with truth. With his band The Mourning Doves, McDonald has rebuilt his musical foundation in Nashville, not as a comeback, but as a continuation. His annual One Big Love festival has become a quiet fixture in the community, and his live shows are part revival, part rock séance. A full-body reminder that this man was never gone, just rebuilding.
So Long to the Dark Side is imperfect in the best way: raw, human, and gloriously alive. And just like the publication you’re reading this on, it knows that imperfection is the most honest form of art.
From the heart of Nashville, Grammy-nominated bluegrass band Sister Sadie returns with their fourth studio album, All Will Be Well. A sweeping, genre-blurring body of work that reaffirms their place not only as instrumental powerhouses but as storytellers rooted deeply in resilience, community, and emotional truth.
Out now via Mountain Home Music Company, All Will Be Well arrives on the heels of a triumphant award season for the group. With co-founder Deanie Richardson earning Fiddle Player of the Year and guitarist Jaelee Roberts taking home Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Association awards. The band itself, which formed in 2012 after a one-off performance at Nashville’s Station Inn, has long defied the limits of genre and gender in bluegrass, having been crowned IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year in 2020 and Vocal Group of the Year for three consecutive years prior.
What makes All Will Be Well especially poignant is its emotional and stylistic breadth. From the first notes of “Winnebago” to the soulful closer “Can’t Let Go of Your Love”, Sister Sadie pulls from a palette that fuses 90s country nostalgia with classic bluegrass instrumentation. Guitarist and vocalist Dani Flowers, who co-wrote over half the album, describes it best: “From the studio to the stage, the songs from this record have brought us back to life and connected us to each other in brand new ways.”
One of the most arresting tracks, “Let the Circle Be Broken”, tackles generational trauma and domestic abuse with raw honesty. It’s an exorcism wrapped in harmony, somber and unrelenting, yet ultimately redemptive. This willingness to marry vulnerability with musical precision is Sister Sadie’s signature, and it’s on full display throughout the album.
The band also invited a stellar lineup of collaborators to join the journey. Steve Earle lends harmony on “I Wish It Would Rain”, while legends like Russ Pahl (pedal steel), Catherine Marx (keys), and Dave Racine (drums) elevate the record’s sonic landscape. With these contributions and performances from musicians like Seth Taylor and Mary Meyer, each track is layered with texture, intention, and deep musical kinship.
Standouts like “Make Me Stay or Make Me Go” and “The Devil Don’t Care” offer blistering instrumentation and bold vocal performances. “Orphan Train” and “Prodigal Daughter” lean into narrative balladry, while “This Is Me (You’re Not Talking To)” feels like a line in the sand. Through it all, the band’s vocal chemistry remains unshakable, each harmony feeling earned and essential.
It is a damn good record. But more than that, it’s a generous one. The kind that opens its arms to long-time fans and newcomers alike. Whether you come for the bluegrass chops, the country soul, or the stories that settle in your bones, All Will Be Well is a celebration of Sister Sadie’s evolution. Because in their world, harmony isn’t just a sound. It’s a promise.
On Independence Day 2025, Kesha detonated a firework of her own: . (PERIOD), her long-anticipated sixth studio album and the first released under her own label, Kesha Records. It’s more than an album. It’s a neon-lit middle finger to expectations and a joyride into the unruly, emotionally raw depths of her artistry.
With . (PERIOD), Kesha returns not just unfiltered, but unshackled. This 11-track collection explodes with irreverence, vulnerability, and a high-octane celebration of freedom. Featuring hit singles like “JOYRIDE.”, “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” (featuring T-Pain), and “BOY CRAZY.” The album is stacked with unapologetically bold anthems that demand to be blasted at full volume, with glitter smeared across your cheeks and a scream in your throat.
Born in Los Angeles but spiritually stationed somewhere between a dancefloor and the desert, Kesha has long transcended pop stardom. She’s a cultural icon, a survivor, and a provocateur and with . (PERIOD), she’s steering the whole damn ship. Co-produced and co-written by Kesha herself, the album pulls from electro-pop, country, house, and punk, yet feels cohesive in its chaos. It’s as if each song is a new face of the same disco ball, fractured but blazing with light.
The opening track, “FREEDOM.” sets the tone with a thunderous, rallying cry for autonomy. From there, “JOYRIDE.” (released exactly a year prior) feels like a literal ignition. Its video, where Kesha races through the desert dodging helicopters and hitmen, has nearly 2 million views and encapsulates the album’s energy: rebellious, cinematic, and on the run.
Then there’s “BOY CRAZY.”, an infectious dance track paired with a chaotic, sex-positive video that sees Kesha surrounded by scantily clad men. It’s ridiculous. It’s hilarious. It’s art. Co-directed by Kesha herself alongside Brett Loudermilk and Zain Curtis, it’s clear she’s taken the wheel creatively as well as musically.
“YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” is perhaps the wildest track of the bunch. A yeehaw-worthy country-pop fusion featuring T-Pain and remixed by A.G. Cook. It’s absurd in all the right ways. Kesha even brought it to Coachella and Stagecoach in two wildly different live renditions that perfectly capture her range and reinvention.
And if there’s one ballad on this record that cuts deepest, it’s “CATHEDRAL.” A lush, gospel-tinged closer that aches with hope and grief. Kesha’s vocals, often buried under glitter and grit, shine in their full, earnest power here.
But beyond the music, . (PERIOD) is a reclamation. After years of public legal battles and creative restrictions, Kesha’s independence is no longer symbolic; it’s literal. Released through her own imprint, on her own terms, this album reaffirms her role not just as a pop star but as an artist. It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s half-joke, half-confession, and it’s the most Kesha she’s ever been.
Currently on her largest headline run to date, The Tits Out Tour. Kesha is lighting up arenas across the U.S., with sold-out shows at iconic venues like the Kia Forum in LA and Madison Square Garden. Proving once again that Kesha has always had her glittered finger on the pulse of pop culture.
. (PERIOD) is the sound of an artist who’s lived through hell and come out ready to dance on its ashes.
Susannah Joffe’s newest EP, Cult Leader, is full of Americana inspired pop ballads and represents the lengths that love and heartbreak brings us to. Susannah Joffe is a singer-songwriter originally from Austin, Texas. She has had recent success on social media, particularly with the song, “Die Your Daughter”, which was on her last EP, Your Mother’s Name. But, Joffe has taken a new look on life on Cult Leader, and it’s full of spite, lovelust, heartbreak, and reflection.
The EP’s title track, “Cult Leader”, sets up the theme as Joffe plays spacey pop with a dark country twang. Joffe’s airy vocals sing about americana ideals and tropes while she professes her love-hatred for an ex-lover and his new flame.
As she sings about her confidence in her superiority, a deep jealousy underlies within her words and sets up a complex narrative of love and the inability to move on. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star of this track as her voice ebbs and flows throughout the verses and chorus (reminiscent of Lana Del Rey), and the instrumentals take the backseat to fully allow Joffe to have her moment.
“Antler Queen” keeps up the spaciness that is a mainstay throughout the EP, moving further away from country influence. It’s a bittersweet romance ballad that explores unrequited love and yet again the struggle to move on. The chorus is infectious with a driving drum beat and Joffe’s love proclamations such as, “I’ll shoot you up, Get high on reluctant love.”
The instrumentals on “Antler Queen” are extremely chill with sweet guitars and a stable percussion section to pick up the chorus. As she concludes the song, she reinforces her love’s bittersweetness as she says, “I pledge my heart to you my antler queen.”
“You’d Kill Me If You Could” is a stripped back ballad that sonically serves as a break in the EP’s sound and leans into a 90’s sound. Joffe has given up the loud emotions present in the previous two tracks, and has become sorrowful and reflective. The heartbreaking lyrics portray a harmful relationship and her dealing with the emotional aftermath.
The echoey vocals, acoustic guitars and stripped back percussion, make the song feel like it could’ve been written 30 years ago. Bright synths work with Joffe in the bridge, as she repeats, “Like mother, like daughter.” The phrase is almost a mantra, increasing in intensity the more Joffe says it, and deepens the song’s meaning when you consider the cycle of abuse and what people pass down with them.
“Shit Out Of Luck” is a hazy heartbroken ballad that speaks to unfulfillment and unresolved promises. It is threatening, vengeful and passionate, as she sings, “I’ve got passion and I’ve got a gun.” Electric guitars squeal in the background and Joffe employs a strong percussion section yet again. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star on this track as she uses layered harmonizations to sing words of spite and biblical musings.
“Sofia Coppola” went mildly viral on social media and is a bright lesbian pop power ballad. The song is flirty and full of lust and unabashed attraction. The prechorus is infectious and feels almost like a nursery rhyme, which leads into the double infectious chorus in which she professes, “Idolize you, My Sofia Coppola.”
The bridge is wonderfully layered and Joffe’s vocal capability is put right on display in this track. “Sofia Coppola” is a gorgeous listening experience and uses a blend of strings, synths and percussion, which culminates into a twinkly and magical song about bright eyed love and attraction.
Joffe leans into another consistent trope present on the EP as she writes about a love-hate relationship in “Call Me Pretty.” It’s a complicated dynamic of wanting to both be devalued but cherished as she sings, “I’m your dog and nothing more.” It’s a casual relationship gone wrong, as she invests more than her lover. Her breathy vocals in contrast to the heavy electric guitars build power and tension in the song. The guitars aid Joffe in relaying the final rendition of the chorus and concludes the heartbreakingly honest and self deprecating track.
The EP finishes off strong with the final two tracks, “Stillborns and Six Lane Highways” and “Horses Can’t Outrun Me.” “Stillborns” discusses biblical conflict and terror, as she speaks directly to the people that peddle hate singing, “Heaven hates you” repeatedly. The melodic guitars backing instrumentals are stunning as the beat uplifts the depressive nature of the song. Her echoey and hazy vocals blend amazingly and the rich instrumentals coupled with the lyrics behind create a complex and enjoyable listening experience.
“Horses Can’t Outrun Me” is an excellent end to the EP and is a highlight of the tracklist. Joffe’s bright vocals begin the song as she sings the chorus. A deep electronic bass beat is introduced as she sings of feeling freed of a suffocating relationship and environment. She strips it down and speaks in the pre chorus and then dives into her airy vocals once again.
There is a deep, radical sense of freedom as the lightness of her vocals and the bright guitars, keys and drum beats feed into the energy of the song. As Joffe sings, “Heaven’s where you can’t reach” she ties all of the themes on the EP into one reflecting upon freedom, religious ideation, relationship issues, love, and heartbreak. We are allowed the opportunity to watch Joffe grieve, grow, and change, as we watch her learn and reflect upon her experiences and heartbreak.
It’s an exciting high to leave off on and leaves us wondering what will Joffe take on next in her musical journey? Cult Leader asks a lot and leaves behind very little, as Joffe proves her vocal and musical capabilities and has created a piece of work that is sonically and narratively consistent and clean.
Buick Audra, Nashville singer/songwriter and guitarist, released her fourth album Adult Child on June 13th. She writes for both herself and other artists, and is half of the musical duo Friendship Commanders with Jerry Roe. Her music has a unique style that emphasizes her written lyrics in a way that is reminiscent of something like spoken word poetry. For example, her third album Conversations with My Other Voice was released with a matching memoir of essays. But the production doesn’t suffer for this, instead changing intensity and even genre to match each song.
Adult Child continues this style, never staying in one place for too long. The album mostly fits into the indie rock genre, but songs such as “It All Belonged to Me” are more folk-inspired. Songs like “Birthdays & Bullshit” are full of rage and dominated by drums, but there are several moments on the album where it’s just Audra and her vocals.
At its core, Adult Child is about family and relationships, and the patterns and cycles that we repeat in our lives from our family. But the takeaway from the album is that our origins don’t define us, and we can choose to form an identity all our own. Buick Audra touches on her own estranged relationship with her family, and the album’s title Adult Child reflects the expectations and responsibilities that were placed on her as a child.
“The Worst People Win” is the first track on Adult Child and “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior” is the lead single off of the album. They serve as the intro into this album for us listeners, and these two songs are instantly relatable to almost anyone. “The Worst People Win”, like it sounds, is about the “fact of life” that the worst people in life are often the most successful. That is insanely relatable to myself, and I’m sure that almost everyone has had a moment in their life where this “fact” comes up. “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior” looks more inward, questioning why we as humans repeat behaviors that hurt us–also probably a relatable idea for many. These songs also provide an introduction to the indie rock production of the album, which is mostly drums and guitar. Both songs utilize these instruments to provide tension to match the themes of the songs.
“Yellow” takes a turn away from the first two songs to look at Audra herself, and about how she’s internalized what other people have said about her. Again, the production echoes this shift, as the focus is more on Audra’s vocals, and the end totally strips the production down to just a percussion beat and Audra’s vocals. The lyrics repeat three times, with each repetition increasing the layers of her vocals.
“One-Step Close-Up” goes in a different direction again, being a more upbeat song off the album. It uses photography imagery to convey the theme of Audra prioritizing herself rather than others. The fifth song “Birthdays & Bullshit” is the epitome of female rage. The drums are loud, louder than the rest of the album. The song is about the responsibilities that women are expected to have, like being in charge of birthdays. Like the rest of the album, these two songs reflect on Audra’s experience as an adult child and the difficulty that comes with breaking those expectations and relationships.
For me, “It All Belonged to Me” is one of the most devastating songs on this album. The beginning is almost ethereal, all plucky strings and humming, but it isn’t light at all. In this song, Audra writes about where she grew up, and about how she doesn’t go home anymore. “Losing My Courage” is also an emotional song and contains only Audra’s vocals. This song is about just wanting to be listened to–and by design, you as the listener will listen to Audra. It’s truly a beautiful and powerful effect.
As the only acoustic song on the album, “Firstborn” starts to close out the album on a more hopeful note. Like earlier songs, “Firstborn” touches on Audra building a life of her own separate from her past and her family. And like a mantra, the phrase “I got here on my own” is repeated several times. It’s a nice statement for the last “real” song of the album.
“A List” is not a song. Instead, we just hear Audra speaking. This track was recorded on a tape recorder, which does add another layer to her voice here. “A List” is directly about the two pieces that make up this album: Audra’s past and her future. The end also fades into “The Worst People Win,” a nice touch to wrap up this album.
This album serves as a reflection into what being an adult child was like for Buick Audra, and how it still affects her. However, within this reflection, there’s hope that she can and has built her life and identity on her own. The five stages of grief are a cliche idea, but they’re all present in this nine-song album, with acceptance being an essential part of Audra’s journey here. “A list” ends Adult Child with the click of a tape recording. Audra leaves uswith a sense of finality and the hope of moving forward.
