Derrick Lee
Dogstar Return With “All In Now”: Keanu Reeves and Band Tap Into Gritty 90s Alt-Rock Energy
LOS ANGELES, CA- For years, Dogstar was one of those bands I never really gave a fair shot. Not because I disliked the idea of them, but because I had already formed a lazy assumption about what the experience might be like. I’ve always…
VIAL’s “Infected” Channels Punk Fury and Social Frustration on the New Album HELLHOUND
LOS ANGELES, CA- Sometimes you just need music that lets you be angry for a few minutes. That was my immediate reaction after hearing Minneapolis punk trio VIAL’s track “Infected,” a bruising cut from their album HELLHOUND. Some bands write songs you analyze. Others…
Kimiko Glenn Launches Music Project KIMIKO with Synth Pop Single “Emotional Whiplash” Ahead of Debut EP Modern Dance
LOS ANGELES, CA- For performers who spend their careers in front of cameras and on stages, the line between artistic disciplines can often blur. Actors become singers. Musicians turn into actors. The creative instinct that drives one form of expression often spills naturally into…
Angèle and Justice Ignite French Touch Energy on “What You Want”
LOS ANGELES, CA- There’s something uniquely satisfying about listening to music in a language you’ve spent years studying. It turns a song into more than just a vibe. It becomes a quiet test of memory, instinct, and fluency. I studied French for years, and…
RAYE’s Nightingale Lane and the Evolution of Romantic Symbolism in Modern Pop
LOS ANGELES, CA- There was a time when the nightingale meant magic. In the classic jazz staple “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”, the bird is not just wildlife. It is a signal that something extraordinary has happened. Two people meet. London glows. Even…
GENA Debut The Pleasure Is Yours Review: Liv.e and Karriem Riggins Craft a Neo-Soul Masterclass
LOS ANGELES, CA- GENA (the newly formed duo of Liv.e and Karriem Riggins) have officially arrived with their debut album The Pleasure Is Yours, out now via Lex Records. And for those of us who’ve been following Riggins’ work for years, this collaboration feels less…
Instant Crush Ignite with “Grudge” on Deluxe Edition of I’m Sorry I Didn’t Bite My Tongue
LOS ANGELES, CA- Seattle has always had a way of sharpening its edges in public. From the city’s grunge mythology to its modern indie underground, there is something about artists from the Pacific Northwest that feels wired for intensity. Enter Instant Crush, a Seattle-based…
Valley Boy Announces Debut Album Children of Divorce and Releases “Diana Gets an Email”
LOS ANGELES, CA- There is something disarming about the way Valley Boy sings. The first time I heard his voice, I was hooked. There is a soulful glow to his tone that feels lived in rather than manufactured. It is not engineered for algorithmic…
Inside The Swamp: Inner Wave, Sobriety, and the Long Road Home
LOS ANGELES, CA- On a weekday evening, I found myself driving through a quiet residential pocket of Inglewood. Wide streets. Parked cars. The calm familiarity of a neighborhood settling in for the night. The address I had been given didn’t lead to a commercial…
Grace Ives Returns With Electrifying New Single “Stupid Bitches” Ahead of Girlfriend
LOS ANGELES, CA- There are certain artists whose names hover in your peripheral vision for a while before you finally lock in. I had heard the name Grace Ives before, but it wasn’t until I pressed play on her new single “Stupid Bitches” that…