Rock (All) charts

Review: After 2015, Bon Iver began to fuse ambient glitch with folk, a style which now reaches a head on his latest LP. It expands on 2024's taster EP 'SABLE' in the form of an 11-track sonic parable: waxing introspective on difficult themes such as memory and identity, 'THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS' and 'S P E Y S I D E' indulge typographic play and fragmental lyrics, the latter especially paradigm-shifting in lyrical perspective. 'Awards Season', also, deals in the problematics of recognition, peeking behind and thus part-dissolving the veil of success in public life. With signature passion yet quarrelsomeness, Justin Vernon has crafted yet another glistening, glitching folk odyssey for us to enjoy.

Review: Prog rock giants Genesis caught in live action in London in late 1973, a mere month after the release of their Selling England By The Pound album. This is what many claim to be the band at the height of their powers, with their highly celebrated Foxtrot album not long behind them, hitting their experimental, quirky time signature peak and with Peter Gabriel still commanding the microphone. Opening with the thrusting 'Watcher of the Skies', Tony Banks' keyboard stabs almost rave-like in their stabbing power, they hurtle through tracks from the latest offering ('The Cinema Show', 'Battle of Epping Forest' and the anthemic 'I Know What I Like') alongside Nursey Cryme album fan favourite 'The Musical Box' and a version of the epic 'Supper's Ready' that stretches to nearly 24 minutes here. 'More Fool Me', meanwhile, which sees drummer Phil Collins step forward to sing its folksy, almost Bee Gees-like pop strains, points to where the band would be in a handful of years' time.

Review: Rolling Recordings from Antigua makes its debut here with a first release under the guise of Rock Star Heroes who offer up a couple of hard-to-find and previously unreleased funky disco influenced club bound instrumentals of out and out rock classics from one of the worlds best known stadium bands. These are perfectly designed for the club and collide rock, funk, disco and more into fresh forms. Opener 'Undercover Of The Night' popular with the likes of DJ Harvey and is a slice of raw, hard-hitting groove magic with organic percussion and live drums laden with funky guitar riffs and lively chord work that brings the whole thing to life. On the flip is an instrumental version of 'Miss You' which still has all the swagger of the iconic original with sultry harmonica luring you to the floor where the masterful drums and guitars will keep you moving.

Review: Author and musician Julian Cope, formerly of Teardrop Explodes, is a leftfield national treasure. His books contain some of the funniest and most imaginative stories ever printed and as a musician he is the essence of rock n' roll. This latest album - the follow-up to 2023's excellent Robin Hood - is Cope at his most melodic. It contains nods to the likes of spook rocker Joe Meek, Velvet Underground and Krautrock, with a smorgasbord of guitar tones, mellotron and loose Moe Tucker-esque drumming. Cope's lyrics, with plenty of humour and off-kilter references, are a joy to dive into as they're cloaked in some of the best music he's ever composed.

Review: Turkish artist Peki Momes wowed listeners last autumn with her debut 45, 'Goc Mevsimi', and she now returns with yet another double-sider single promising such captivations of the cochlea once more. Here she brings a fresh spin on the classic Marcos Valle tune 'Estrelar' with 'Yildiz'; retaining the original's vibrant energy, her new Turkish-langauge rendition dreams of the stars, sun, and moon. 'Bahar', on the flip, offers a psychic disco anthem at the moon's noon, with its distinctive chorused, peak-vibrato high Rhodes helping transmute a theme of political strife into a tranquil midnight fandango.

Review: Grunge was already dominating the world by July 1993, when Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins released their second album, but Siamese Dream would point the way forward for the sound, and, racking up six million sales, it would also prove to be one of its most successful landmarks after Nirvana's Nevermind. It was that album's producer - Butch Vig - who took the helm on this album, and his trademark crunchy and compressed take on the loud/quiet light and shade of 'Today' and the gloriously sludgy 'Mayonnaise' had a lot to do with its success. That and, of course, Bill Corgan's distinctive and vulnerable vocal performances, which make this the missing evolutionary step between the Pixies and the next generation of emo kings like My Chemical Romance.

Review: Make A Dance brings their official remix of Django Django's 'Don't Touch That Dial' to vinyl and in the process create a dancefloor bomb. Already a club-ready original, the remix transforms the original into an electrifying body-shaking anthem with Yuuko's vocals taking centre stage but nicely complemented by glitchy synths and acid elements. This version is a full-throttle, infectious banger and on the B-side you will find a vinyl-only dub mix that amplifies the electro grooves allowing Yuuko's vocals to subtly loop in the background. This is one of those records that Das of all genres will be reaching for to get things going to the next level.

Review: Chapman's magnetic voice and stark storytelling create an atmosphere both intimate and politically charged on this, her 1988 self-titled debut, made famous by hit single 'Fast Car', but ultimately a far deeper affair. Songs like 'Talkin' Bout a Revolution' channel the protest spirit of folk legends like Woody Guthrie, delivering an anthem for those marginalised by economic inequality. Her blend of folk, blues and rock feels timeless, with lyrics that still moves listeners today. The haunting 'Behind the Wall', can move one to tears for its raw portrayal of domestic violence and the systemic failure of the police to intervene. Chapman's trembling contralto gives life to the repeated line 'Last night I heard the screaming', transforming it into a powerful condemnation of indifference. In contrast, 'If Not Now...' is a personal perspective, urging listeners to live and love in the present with its delicate acoustic arrangement. Chapman's storytelling is a triumph of nuance, balancing bleakness with hope. Decades later, Tracy Chapman remains a powerhouse in songwriting, deserving renewed attention. It is not just an album of its time but a work of enduring relevance, offering a poignant reminder that music can still be a catalyst for change.

Review: A nostalgia-packed journey through one of pop music's most exciting years, featuring an impressive lineup of extended and remixed tracks from the decade's biggest stars. This four disc collection brings together a mix of chart-topping anthems, cult classics and dancefloor staples, each in its extended 12" glory. Things start with Wham!'s infectious 'Freedom' (long mix) and keeps the energy high with Culture Club's politically charged 'The War Song' (Ultimate dance mix). New Order's 'Thieves Like Us' and Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder's 'Together In Electric Dreams' add a synth-laden sheen, while Eurythmics' haunting 'Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)' is a bold statement piece. As the tracklist moves on, iconic tracks like Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Relax' (New York mix) and Duran Duran's 'The Reflex' (dance mix) capture the decade's indulgent soundscape. Meanwhile, softer gems like Talk Talk's 'It's My Life' (extended mix) and Echo & The Bunnymen's 'Silver (Tidal Wave)' provide balance. Closing with Paul McCartney's heartfelt 'No More Lonely Nights' (extended) and the ever-catchy 'Somebody's Watching Me' by Rockwell, this compilation offers a comprehensive snapshot of 1984's pop brilliance. Having these extended versions together in one set is more than a greatest hits package - it's like having all the maxi singles together like an experienced DJ ready to rock a party.

Review: A pair of Cure singles, one a classic from the 80s and the other more of a deep cut from the 1996 album Wild Mood Swings, caught here in the live arena on turned into two sides of a rather nifty 7" picture disc. 'The Walk' is one of the Crawley crew's most electronic moments, a Japanese-slanted retort to New Order's huge 'Blue Monday' single a more cynical observer might be moved to admit. It's immediately nevertheless one to transport you back to the lazer-peppered, smoke machine-swathed dancefloors of the era, with its concluding line "I remember everything" seeming particularly apt in hindsight. 'Mint Car', while less well known than many other Cure 45s, was nevertheless one of Robert Smiths' favourites. He, apparently, couldn't fathom out why it only charted in the low 30s when 'Friday I'm In Love' smashed the top ten. Perhaps the outbreak of utter cheeriness - "I really don't think it gets any better than this/vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss" - was disconcerting considering the band's pretty much unrivalled reputation as the popes of mope, but its charms are undeniable and definitely due a restrospective reappraisal.

Review: Indie singer-songwriter and folk experimentalist Bon Iver follows up his 2024 EP 'SABLE', expanding upon the EP's concept with a full-length in 11 tracks. Diving into themes of memory, longing and transformation, the record feels like a deciduous psychic regrowth, processed and refined from an initial uncontrolled burl of raw feeling and expression. Layering experimental sounds and organic textures, it hints at Iver's change in direction kept steady ever since 2016's Jagjaguwar debut 22, A Million. The style was continued and redeveloped on 2019's fourth album, i,i, and now returns in its fullest resplendency, with modern symbolic bricolage of effulgent soundscapes and querulous singing. This is the latest in a string of records that cements Justin Vernon stature as an artist and not a mere musician: increasingly, we hear the work of someone clawing back greater and greater shares of aesthetic control.

Review: The Sunday was a beloved late 80s/early 90s indie rock band that released three acclaimed albums in both the European and US markets. Their debut, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, was released in 1990 and became a chart success worldwide, riding on the success of their 1989 breakthrough hit 'Here's Where The Story Ends'. Lead singer Harriet Wheeler captivated audiences with her distinctive voice while the band delivered captivating hooks and grooves to complement her vocals, clocking in somewhere between the jangle of The Smiths and the darker hues of The Cure and the sonic sparkle of Cocteau Twins. After three albums with Rough Trade, Parlophone, and Geffen Records, they disappeared from the scene following 1997's Static & Silence. Now, a limited edition 180g black vinyl of Reading, Writing & Arithmetic is available having been remastered from the original analogue tapes.

Review: You can probably work out what's going on here from the title: a superb collection of reworked Hall & Oates classics inna reggae style. They are the fine work of Black Market Dub who likes to reimagine classic sounds through a 70s Jamaican lens. The techniques used throughout are superbly authentic with hissing hi-hats, lazy tumbling beats and snaking baselines. The vocals remain in their original, often polished, falsetto style and extra horns are added for a lush sunny impact. Great fun, but also great quality.

Review: Songs of a Lost World, The Cure's first studio album in 16 years, marks their highly anticipated 14th release. Written and arranged by Robert Smith, who also produced the album with Paul Corkett, it sees the band return to form with Smith's unmistakable vocals and instrumentation, alongside the long serving Simon Gallup on bass, Jason Cooper on drums, Roger O'Donnell on keys and Reeves Gabrels on guitar. Recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, the album's cover art, designed by long-time collaborator Andy Vella, features Janez Pirnat's 1975 sculpture 'Bagatelle'. This limited edition comes pressed on grey marbled 180g vinyl.

Review: For this outing, the mighty Dusty Donuts crew return to Queensbridge where they cross paths with a 'Lost Girl' which featured on a legendary mixtape by one of QB's finest. The bouncy, choppy Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night Remix is guaranteed to energise any crowd with its well-programmed beats. On the flipside, the vibe shifts from Queensbridge to Staten Island and brings a unique sound that woos in a different fashion. This heavy soul classic arrives in true Shaolin style with dark, choppy soul chords and classic hip-hop beats. Both of these tracks command attention with powerful drums while the synths connect with both mind and soul.

Review: The Newcastle five-piece double down on doom, derision and distortion in their most scathing record yet. Death Hilarious flails between cosmic thrash, anxious noise rock and Sabbath-sized sludge, driven by Matt Baty's sneering vocals and a rhythm section that sounds like it's eating itself alive. 'Blockage' bursts out the gates like an angry sermon, while 'Toecurler' stretches into hypnotic, post-metal territory. 'Stitches' has a twisted glam feel, like a battered Motorhead tape rewound with cheap synths, and 'Glib Tongued' throws a curveball: a blistering feature from El-P over jagged guitar loops. The band's sharpest move here is restraintipiano motifs and synth lines creep in under the wreckage, giving moments like 'Carousel' and 'The Wyrm' a strange solemnity. It's unrelentingly heavy but never cartoonish, embracing dread with clarity, and proof Pigs x7 are still levelling up, even as they gnaw at their own nerves.

Review: BC, NR are now onto their third album. The Ninja Tune-signees gained attention for not posing as if they're in a band, but looking like an ordinary group of students, or twentysomethings house-sharing. Their bold look, where they're smiling in the press pics, as opposed to donning a moody pout, has thankfully been backed up with some terrific music. Their debut, For The First Time, earned them favourable comparisons to post-rock trailblazers Slint and their second album Ants From Up There is the Gen-z equivalent of Arcade Fire's Funeral, thanks to its grandiose anthemics. Famously, singer and lyricist Isaac Wood left the band on the even of the release of their second album, which sparked outcry and paranoia from their ever-growing army of fans about what that might mean for their future. But the band have kept at it and the remaining six members have chosen to share frontperson duties, thus relieving the added pressure that comes with being a designated frontperson. This third album - and first post Isaac Wood - is proving to be a striking new chapter, with the lead single, 'Besties', an immediately likeable way of introducing it to the world. Georgia Ellery, also of Jockstrap, takes lead vocals here and offers an unforgettable off-kilter indie pop cut reminiscent of Aldous Harding. Zutons-y sax stabs scattered in make for a beautiful touch and leave us feeling that this is the album that's going to send BC, NR onto a stratospheric level, where they're spoken about in the same breath as Radiohead as one of Britain's finest bands.

Review: It has been some five-plus years since the last full Bon Iver album but the wait has been well worth it. This one follows the introspective SABLE, a sparse, vulnerable EP born from isolation and inner turmoil. Where that was shadow, this is light-a lush, radiant celebration of love, connection and emotional rebirth. Written at April Base in Wisconsin with collaborators like Jim-E Stack and Danielle Haim, the album leans into clarity and intimacy and gets rid of the signature dense abstraction for more honest and heartfelt pop. The vocals are delivered with openness and purpose as they explore desire, hope and devotion. While still acknowledging lingering shadows, this full-length is a story of growth that isn't about fairytale endings, but about the lessons love teaches.

Review: You might think that you could cop a copy of New Order's seminal hit 'Blue Monday' fairly easily and cheaply given its ubiquity over the years. But no, copies in good condition still fetch around 50 quid, so this remastered reissue is well worth a cop. The single's iconic bassline and twitchy synth modulations very much soundtrack a generation, if not an entire youth revolution, but still enliven any dance floor many years later. What's more, the de-humanised vocals will always provide real singalong joy. On the flip is a 'The Beach', which is drenched in echo and reverb and general sonic filth.

Review: This special reissue of David Bowie's Young Americans album drops on the exact day of its Golden Jubilee. It was the late, great creative maverick's nine studio album and as always found him broadening his musical horizons. He embraced what he described "plastic soul" and it worked as this album gave him his first ever number one in the US with 'Fame' which was co-written with John Lennon and Carlos Alomar, who at the time played guitar with Bowie. It has been remastered for this reissue and cut at half speed so you can really luxuriate in the details.

Notes: Our Spring/Summer '25 issue features a deep dive on Madonna's New York nightclub roots and her links with the dancefloor ever since plus a rare interview and photo shoot in LA with DJ Harvey and our third cover is the super cool Marie Davidson.

Plus we have features on Auntie Flo, Pan Amsterdam, Ela Minus, Tryouts, Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke, DJ Koze, Andy Bell, Everything Is Recorded, The Sabres of Paradise, The Wild Bunch, Kevin Saunderson, HAAi and lots more.

184 pages of quality music journalism by the world's best music writers plus beautiful photography and design in a glossy print magazine.

*** This magazine has three different covers - we can't guarantee which one you're going to get! ***

Review: English new wave popsters Wang Chung return with a brand new career retrospective, reenlightening us as to the very best of Nick Feldman and Jack Hues' patented blend of disco-baller new wave and dance pop. Though packed with easily recognised hits like 'Everybody Have Fun Tonight' and 'Dance Hall Days', this record also makes light of the band's lesser known favourites while arranging each in curatorial fashion, striking a balance of chronology and versatility: Wang Chung were known for their inspirational garrulity, channelling a seemingly endless array of international stylistic curiosities into their pop music: from Burundi shuffle to electronica to Motown to prog, this mix of both radio hits and deeper cuts makes for a desultory listen, where many influences are often reeled off in the space of a single track.

Review: Swedish theatrical death-rock icons in the making, Ghost, dropped one of the most ludicrously entertaining metal releases of 2022 with, 'Impera'. Now, while initially released in 2019, Tobias Forge (Papa Nihil during this incarnation) and his horde of nameless ghouls, have opted to re-distribute their excellent (and brilliantly titled), 'Seven Inches of Satanic Panic', EP. Credited as "two special tracks from the 1969 archives", even though the group formed in 2006; both the anthemic crunch of, 'Kiss the Go-Goat', and fan favourite, 'Mary On A Cross', have become essential staples of the Ghost banner, while the project served as a much-needed building block and source of replenishment following 2018's Prequelle.

Review: It's hard, if not impossible, to separate Lord Huron from the deeply heartrending Netflix show, 13 Reasons Why. 'The Night We Met', which closes this, the band's second studio album, features prominently in the series about teenage suicide. It also defines many of the emotions characters are left with, and universal feelings many of us experience at some point or another. That deep regret at not having done more, having done too much, got too deep, or stayed in the shallows and missed what could have been. It's a sad, sad song, make no mistake, twangy guitars and timeless Americana lyrics calling to mind a century or so of forlorn guitar balladry. Is it the best thing on here? Maybe. Maybe not. As a record, Strange Trails more than lives up to its title, taking us by the hand, leading us out into some Pacific Northwest wilderness and inviting us to stay in the patient quiet of deep personal reflection.

Review: New wave icons The Jam performed Boston in what would become their final year as a group. The set was part of their Trans-Global Express tour, which was put together to promote their penultimate studio album The Gift. The band were at the peak of their powers at this point having been on the road for months. The setlist is a career-spanning joy with some of their most-loved numbers, including 'That's Entertainment', 'Pretty Green' and 'Carnation'. Of the material from The Gift, the single 'A Town Called Malice' is an era-defining banger that can't help but induce a giddy sense of joy and the title-track is full of snarl and bite and a perfectly rowdy way to close the set. The shade of green that this vinyl has is perfect - you wouldn't want it looking any other way.

Review: Recorded for BBC Radio In Concert during Can's 1973 UK tour, this exceptional live performance showcases the cult favourite band at their peak. The five-piece group did their usual trick of expertly weaving together repeating themes and riffs while responding to each other in real-time. The dynamic interplay between keyboards from Schmidt, guitar from Karoli and Suzuki's vocals is driven by the powerful Czukay and Liebezeit rhythm section. Featuring comprehensive sleeve notes and full recording details, this release includes all tracks written by Can members Czukay, Karoli, Liebezeit, Schmidt and Suzuki, all of which were captured live at The Paris Theatre, London on February 19th. A great bit of Can history.

Review: It's hard to fault the work of the Original Gravity crew and when the tasteful London label's All Stars assemble it's even more important to take note. It is they who kick off 2025 with a classic funky break that is topped with spoken word samples from an MC at a big fight event (though it's not Michael Buffer, the man behind these famous words, because he has a strict copyright on them). The beats are as fiery as a heavyweight showdown with plenty of punchy horn stabs. On the flip, 'Rumble In The Jungle' is a similar sound that makes just as much impact.

Review: The fourth edition in Original Gravity's Down In The Basement series, which gathers instrumental soul and swing cuts onto worthy 7" slabs, resounding the fervent 1960s decadal gap in which mod reigned supreme. With juleps flowing and kneecaps knocking, Abramo & Nestor bring newfangled electric pianistic swing with 'Dig It!', while a twinned "hit it!" injunction is heard from Floyd James & The GTs on the reissued 'Work That Thang'; James' voice is tubed and speed-delayed to terrific effect, achieving a sprung intonation. Curtis Baker brassifies the bonanza with the lively 'Fried Fish 'n' Collard Greens', while The Native Yinzer's exiting excitation 'The Hip Strip' quilts our ears with a mnemic, down-feathery Hammond-breaks bit.

Review: The film score to Kelly Reichardt's understated modern buddy movie classic, Old Joy, was composed by Yo La Tengo; one of the band's many soundtrack works, in addition to Shortbus, Junebug and Game 6, the Old Joy soundtrack was born of a years-long friendship held between the director and members of the band. Apt, since the film itself concerns the innate strength of amicable male bonds, maintained for years, even decades. This is also the most pensive and ruminative of all of Yo La Tengo's soundtracks, coming marked by montaging, repetitious guitar licks and pedal tones; excursive feels all round, matching the film's sombre and contrite climax. Now reissued for the first time on vinyl.

Review: Images & Words remains one of Dream Theater's most defining moments, blending the technical precision of progressive metal with rich, lyrical depth. 'Pull Me Under' is, of course, the standout, its intricate guitar work matched by an anthemic energy that never loses its grip. But it's tracks like 'Another Day' and 'MetropolisiPart 1' that reveal the band's ability to juggle complex arrangements with emotional resonance. The remastered vinyl brings a fresh clarity to these multifaceted compositions, allowing each layer of sound to breathe without losing the album's raw intensity. For anyone looking to delve deeper into Dream Theater's world, this reissue offers a chance to experience it in all its dynamic glory.

Review: House lover and studio wizard Qwartz has been at it again, with 'it' being editing some classic rock tunes into club-ready sounds for DJs and dancers. This time he tackles 'Baba O' Riley' firstly with an extended mix that brings all new life into The Who's original. It has a prickly low end with eerie guitars and disco motifs making it a raw, heads-down sound. The dub remix brings a little extra low-end weight.

Review: On March 31, 1964, The Beatles recorded seven songs for the BBC's Saturday Club. Three of them were covers of American rock 'n' roll and country songs. The final segment aired on the BBC's General Overseas Service and earlier that day, the band filmed a live performance at the Scala Theatre in Kings Cross for their upcoming film, A Hard Day's Night. This EP includes 'The Hippy Hippy Shake', recorded for Saturday Club and originally broadcast on February 15, as well as the catchy 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby' and 'Long Tall Sally'. The band's tight musicianship can be heard throughout this record, which serves as a great example of The Beatles' dynamic early sound during their rise to global fame.

Review: Byron Bay 60s-psych revivalists Babe Rainbow are the first band to be signed to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's newly created p(doom) Records. When they announced this album at the end of 2024, with the release of single 'Like Cleopatra', it was the label's inauguration. The mystery in all of this, though, is how one earth does King Gizzard find the time to run a label when they release album as quickly as Mo Salah scores goals? Anyways, they clearly have a great ear as they've done the right thing in putting out this album of psychedelic acid pop, with its lysergic jams 80s synth-funk workouts. For all its nostalgia, there are parallels to more modern neo-psych bands that are really appealing, too. 'Aquarium Cowgirl' could have been a great release for the now disbanded London-based band Childhood, thanks to the reverb-y transcendental falsetto and floaty layers of dreamy guitar. Ultimately, this is a great, uplifting mood antidote to all the post-punk and shoegaze that's cornering the market at the moment.

Review: One of the most beautifully constructed and hugely acclaimed albums that was first released in the late 1990's is reissued here and is a reminder of a magnificent selection of music by Mercury Rev that the listener can never tire of. From the sweeping orchestral opening track Holes all the way through to the bouncing Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp this album provides songs the listener will fall in love with one by one and never turn their backs on. Following on from the brilliant shambolic early releases by the band, Deserter's Songs was made by the band as a swan song of sorts. They were a chaotic outfit at the time with a changing and insecure line-up that finally managed to settle themselves down after the release of this and to end up with a new beginning and an existence that still remains today. Hints of jazz, folk and 60s psychedelia can be found hidden modestly within these melancholic tracks that have influences that can commonly be heard in a lot of albums other bands have released since this first came to the public's attention. Sweet, sad and tender vocals provided by founder member Jonathan Donahue make this an easy listening lovable album that deserves to be in everyone's collection and it's one that once there is guaranteed remain for years to come.
Produced by original bass player and founding member Dave Fridmann this album was recorded around the same time and in the same building as The Flaming Lips legendary Soft Bulletin album (also produced by Fridmann) and albeit a slightly different sounding album to Deserters Songs marks that period of time in The Catskill Mountains (100 miles NW of New York) as one of the most musically rewarding moments of time during the 1990's.
Goddess on a Highway was first conceived by front man Jonathan Donahue almost a decade earlier whilst he was a member of The Flaming Lips and the song was resurrected from an early demo he dug up. The songs' chorus of 'I know...it ain't gonna last' was probably the only thing they got wrong with this masterpiece. This album sounds just as fresh as it did three decades ago. It's been said that Deserters Songs could be one of the best albums ever made. Who are we to argue?

Review: Michael Grigoni and Pan•American's latest collaboration is a series of contemplative reflections on the isolation, fractures and uncertainties that define today's world. The album delves into the emotional landscape shaped by political divisions, personal solitude, and the lingering aftereffects of the pandemic. Through its fusion of folk, country, bluegrass, and blues elements, paired with a modern, ambient atmosphere, the sound is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Tracks like 'Sun Morning Sun' and 'Silver Streams' carry a sense of quiet introspection, while 'Black River Song' and 'Mirage/Afternoon' showcase the duo's ability to merge organic instrumentation with spacious, textured soundscapes. The album's exploration of personal and collective experience creates a reflective space, asking listeners to pause and engage with the complexities of modern life. A musical journey that speaks to the heart of the American experience, offering an emotional response to an uncertain future.