Pop & Indie
CONCERT: 5/30 – Kate Stephenson @ Space Ballroom
Ellie Rowe, an artist I discovered through TikTok and former American Idol contestant, released a single titled “fentanyl and wedding rings”. I really enjoy this song as it covers some of the anxious feelings I constantly experience. She says, “I’m not scared of many things, just fentanyl and wedding rings.” Rowe goes on to list more things she is or used to be scared of. I think this song really captures the anxiety that a lot of people have. Rowe made it to the top twenty on her season of American Idol, and her voice definitely reflects that accomplishment. She’s a young artist just starting her musical career, and I am excited to keep up with her journey.
Pop-country artist Maren Morris released a new single, “carry me through,” and I LOVE IT. It’s a gorgeous, slow song with amazing vocals. Morris hasn’t released a full album since 2022, and a new one, “Dreamsicle,” will be released this May. I’m really excited about the rest of this album, and I’m hoping for more great singles.
Lucy Dacus, a member of the now defunct band boygenius released her long awaited album last week titled “Forever Is A Feeling.” I enjoyed the instrumental opening track, I think it set the tone for the rest of the album. My favorite track was definitely “Most Wanted Man,” followed by the opening of “Big Deal” and “Bullseye.” The album flows really nicely, each song’s sound is similar to the next.
Ariana Grande released the deluxe version of her last album, “Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead.” The new tracks are great, and she definitely deserves a *toss toss.* I honestly haven’t listened to Ariana in a very long time, like when Radio Disney was still a thing. I feel like I should probably catch up after listening to this album.
Punk & Alternative
CONCERT: 7/10 – Winona Fighter @ Mercury Lounge, NY
Linkin Park is back with a new single, even though it feels as though the band released “From Zero” just a few weeks ago. The new track, titled “Up From the Bottom,” is the first single to be released from the Deluxe version of the band’s latest album. Releasing in mid-May, the Deluxe Edition will feature three new songs, including “Up From the Bottom,” bringing the total number of tracks to 14. As a deluxe track, this new release sounds very similar to the rest of the album. It isn’t anything particularly special, but it’s nice to be getting more new music from the reinvented band.
Ontarian rock band Sum 41 released a single in partnership with Spotify this week, the band released a new version of its song “Landmines” from its 2024 “final” studio album, “Heaven :x: Hell.” This new release appears to be a stripped back, acoustic version of the original song. When I first listened to this track, I knew I had heard it before, even though I’m not a Sum 41 fan. I was convinced it must’ve been one of the band’s classic hits—turns out, it’s from the band’s most recent album. To me, that means that Sum 41 has continued releasing quality music, despite being past its 2000s punk-rock prime.
A congratulations to Evanescence for its first appearance on the Punk and Alternative section of WQAQ Weekly. The band released its first new track in five years this week, “Afterlife,” a song made for a Netflix show, “Devil May Cry.” While the show hasn’t been released yet, fans are talking online about how pleased they are with the song. Lead singer Amy Lee notes that the band’s new music will “take inspiration from past work.” A sentiment that is incredibly notable in this release—I would even say that this single sounds similar to Linkin Park’s new sound. Fans are calling it the “best Evanescence song in years,” and if that doesn’t draw you into this amazing track, I don’t know what will.
Cleopatrick’s newest release makes two Ontarian bands on the Weekly this week. The band’s newest single, “TALK DOWN,” comes just two weeks after the band’s newest album, “FAKE MOON.” This, of course, raises questions as to why the song wasn’t included on the album, especially because snippets of the song were teased just months before the album’s release. The song has a unique contrast of loud, heavy electric basslines that fade to soft, almost whispering vocals and acoustic guitar. The track balances the two styles effortlessly, making for a unique, back-and-forth listening experience.
Folk & Country
CONCERT: 8/8 – Jordan Davis @ Mohegan Sun
Released on March 28, Chaparelle’s latest single, “Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks,” continues to build anticipation for the band’s debut album, “Western Pleasure.” The alt-country supergroup, comprised of Zella Day, Jesse Woods, and Beau Bedford, has a distinctive sound that blends old-school country aesthetics with contemporary sensibilities. Every track they’ve released has been a hit in my book, and “Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks” is no exception. With traditional country motifs and a modern flair, Day and Woods’ harmonies weave a tale of risk, reward, and heartbreak. The song’s instrumentation is equally striking, featuring a pedal steel twang that perfectly completes the atmosphere. It’s the kind of track that feels like a dusty honky-tonk bar with a flickering neon sign. As the latest in a string of well-received singles, “Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks” is a strong indicator that the trio is poised to make Western Pleasure one of the most compelling releases of the year.
Released on March 28, Kashus Culpepper’s latest single, “Southern Man”, seamlessly blends country, blues, and rock into a powerhouse track. Hailed as one of the most exciting voices in country music, Culpepper teams up with acclaimed guitarist Marcus King to create a song that feels both timeless and fresh. Recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals, where icons like Aretha Franklin and Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded, the track is full of classic Southern rock elements, featuring gritty guitar riffs, pounding drums, and a vocal performance full of soul. The lyrics celebrate the South and its deep-rooted musical traditions, while King’s masterful guitar work elevates the song with electrifying solos that perfectly complement Culpepper’s voice. Following the success of “Talk With Me,” Culpepper continues to prove he’s a force to be reckoned with. With the release of “Southern Man,” Culpepper has cemented his place in the new wave of country rock revivalists.
Released on March 28, Lord Huron’s latest single, “Nothing I Need,” is an exploration of desire, loss, and uncertainty. Following January’s cinematic release “Who Laughs Last?” featuring Kristen Stewart, this track strips things down, exchanging grandeur for quiet introspection, with wistful vocals over a swelling arrangement of guitars and percussion. The song captures a bittersweet contradiction, exploring the weight of paths taken and those left behind. The band describes it as a reflection on whether one can ever truly know what they want. Musically, “Nothing I Need” feels like a return to Lord Huron’s roots while still pushing their sound and storytelling forward. There is a maturity and restraint that highlight the band’s evolution, with each note and lyric carrying weight, allowing listeners to sink deeper into the song. Once again, Lord Huron proves why they remain one of the best bands in modern indie folk. This song also sets the stage for an exciting year ahead as they prepare for their largest headlining tour yet. Listen to “Nothing I Need” now and stay tuned for more from Lord Huron in the coming months.
Hip-Hop & R&B
CONCERT: 4/26 – Youth Lagoon & Memory Pearl @ Space Ballroom
I’m a little late to Saba and No ID’s March 18 release of “From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID,” but as a huge fan of Saba in particular, I had to go back. His 2018 album, “Care For Me,” is one of my all-time favorite albums, and while this most recent one doesn’t touch those heights, I was a fan of a lot of the songs. Saba teamed up with fellow Chicago native No ID, a relatively underground producer who included a lot of elements that are unique to Saba’s music. He moves from using more lo-fi beats to using real instrumentation and soul samples, which compliments his diverse rapping styles. One of my favorite examples is “Westside Bound Pt. 4,” which is the latest in a series of songs in tribute to Chicago. A lot of Saba’s music has to do with the importance of family and embracing your roots, so this album had lots of them. “Westside Bound Pt. 4” was especially great, thanks to the beat. The way it builds with the horns and drums hits perfectly at about a minute in. There’s also a beat switch halfway through, switching toward a softer sound led by a fantastic funky bassline. Saba songs aren’t known for their horns or bouncy baselines, but both of these elements made “Westside Bound Pt. 4” one of my favorites. This album was also stacked with features, many of which I didn’t recognize. I’ve already talked on the Weekly about the four fantastic vocalists on “head.rap” when that single dropped, but they were abundant on this project. Pivot Gang (Saba’s group) member Joseph Chilliams and another Chicagoan, Jean Deaux, lent their talents for “30secchop,” along with another Pivot Gang member Frsh Waters helping out on “She Called It.” If you’re a fan of soul sample-heavy midwest rap, I cannot recommend this one enough.
If you’re not tuned into Little Simz, it’s a shame how late you are to one of the most authentic voices in rap. Her 2021 masterpiece, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert,” pushes the boundaries of the genre like few have before her. In her newest single, “Free,” she glides across a beat that feels like it was constructed by a 10-piece band. There are several layers of drums and percussion, the soothing guitar, hard-hitting string accents, and even a harp in some bits. When rap catches a lot of flack for being a genre of little lyrical substance, Little Simz flips this narrative on its head. She gets incredibly introspective, rapping about how fear stifles freedom and how we need to truly love ourselves to find it.
Yung Lean just dropped his second single of 2025 titled “Babyface Maniacs.” His style is electronic and weird, dare I say, even whiny. I don’t necessarily think it’s bad, but I’ve tried to get into Yung Lean and the rest of his group, Drain Gang, for years and years, and it’s never clicked. The production is so cool, and the distortion on the synth that Yung Lean uses is pretty unique, but beyond that, this song didn’t really hook me like I hoped. The string outro is awesome, of course, but unfortunately too little too late in my eyes. If you’re a fan of Drain Gang at all, though, I definitely recommend you check this out.
