Funk & Soul

New EP: Crimson99 || Daredevil

Where the heart goes, the rest follows

By / / Alternative Rock, Funk & Soul, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

There’s something disarmingly open about Daredevil, the debut EP from Montreal’s Crimson99 aka Dominican-Canadian singer-songwriter Maria Brousseau-Labbé. Recorded live in a single day, these five songs are all about feel, with room for rough edges both musically and lyrically. We are taken on a journey from loneliness and self-destructive habits towards love and spiritual clarity (“The heart // Is the only place // Where the truth can find shelter // In this fallen world”—from Fix Your Eyes), stories that gain eloquence through distinctive, forceful vocals so magnetic that resistance is not an option. A comparison with Amy Winehouse, Adele, or Tami Neilson is probably appropriate, but here we are in other genres, a wonderful mix of dream pop and alternative rock, and yes, with a good dose of cinematic soul.


Daredevil—produced by Koko Love—is out digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The Best New Cover Songs Of September 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, e.g. as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range (only if supported by the artist, so no live videos filmed by the audience or anything like that), here are—in a kind of random order—no less than 40+ successful covers from last month.

Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) by Christina Jean & Her All Stars — digital track (Rum Bar Records)

Starry Eyes (Roky Erickson) by Veronica Falls — from upcoming S/T debut LP deluxe reissue (Slumberland / Bella Union)

The Best of My Love (Eagles) by Patton — from a digital 2-track EP with which the Pattons celebrate their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary (Radiant Radish)

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The Loose Ends || September 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / Leave a Comment

There are more wantlist-worthy releases than time to cover them all. Starting this year, Loose Ends is our monthly fix for the great records that slipped through the cracks. Expect a key track and quick take on each release, and a link to add it to your shelves.

Apeshit || Life! On TV
This Dutch band uses punk as inspiration not a rulebook, turning the genre on its head with their powerful full length debut.


Arab Strap || Half-Told Tales
Their ninth album finds Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton in a richly textured world where gallows humour and genuine hope somehow keep dancing together.

Kurt Baker || Wonder Woman
First taste of a record that Baker recorded during the pandemic but never got released. Sounds huge…and VERY promising.

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New album: Honeybear, the Band || The Cure

Keeping the old flame burning without getting stuck in the past

By / / Blues & Roots, Funk & Soul / Leave a Comment

There isn’t that much good new soul music these days, so fans of the genre have every reason to welcome Honeybear, the Band with open arms, as advocates of good new soul music. The Vancouver outfit take a well-worn path through vintage R&B, blues and roots, built around the warm chemistry of four longtime friends, expanded with keyboards, pedal steel, horns and backing vocals.

Their sophomore album The Cure is an eleven-song set—ten on streaming services; Easy Street is missing—that sounds rich without becoming overly polished. There’s nothing revolutionary here, nor does there need to be. These musicians understand that soul is less about nostalgia than about feel, and the new record has enough grit and groove to make this sound timeless.



The Cure—recorded by Jeff Zipp / John Raham—is out now streaming via Playmor. CDs and vinyl LPs are reportedly for sale at live shows. Featuring Ian Beaty (vocals, bass ), Colin Brumelle (guitar), Mike Kenney (piano, organ) and Timothy S. Watson (drums, percussion), with Cindy Fairbank (piano, organ), Geoff Hicks (drums, percussion), Scott Smith (pedal steel), Jerry Cook (saxophone), Jocelyn Waugh (trumpet), Adam Kyle (saxophone), Gregory Dent (trombone, trumpet), Dawn Pemberton (background vocals) and Colleen Rennison (background vocals) on select tracks.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || FFM

Dusted || The Best New Cover Songs Of August 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, e.g. as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range (only if supported by the artist, so no live videos filmed by the audience or anything like that), here are—in a kind of random order—a bunch of successful covers from last month.

Are You Sure (first performed by Tammy Grimes, later also recorded by Aretha Franklin) by Tami Neilson — from Songs from the Motion Picture “Holy Days” soundtrack (Outside Music)

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC) by City Kings — from Chainsaw EP

I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones) by The Offspring — digital track (Concord Records)

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The Loose Ends || August 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk, Surf / Leave a Comment

There are more wantlist-worthy releases than time to cover them all. Starting this year, Loose Ends is our monthly fix for the great records that slipped through the cracks. Expect a key track and quick take on each release, and a link to add it to your shelves.

ABAOAQU || BUDDHOD
Noisy, subtly mathy yet melodic indie rock from France. Consider us intrigued.

The Afghan Whigs || Soft Control
With visceral guitars, soulful intensity, and hard-won wisdom, these ten new songs find strength in embracing both the darkness and the light without losing sight of the absurdity in between.

Apes of the State || Nothing Makes Sense Anymore
Blending biting political rage, personal turmoil, dark humour, and genuine solidarity, these ten folk-punk songs turn a dysfunctional world into a surprisingly life-affirming celebration of resistance, friendship, and simply making it through another day.

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New album: Tan LeRacoon || We Didn’t Come Here Just To Be Nice

Enter the strange, anarchist glamster world of &Racoonery

By / / Alternative Rock, Funk & Soul, Glam Rock / Leave a Comment

Hamburg-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tan LeRacoon (aka Tanju Boerue) returns with a clear message: We Didn’t Come Here Just To Be Nice. The plural form reveals that we are dealing with a band effort here (namely &Racoonery), also featuring punk veterans Rudi Raschberger (guitar), Malte Mertz (bass), and Michael “Meng” Staats (drums). The nine songs they present are fueled by teenage angst, nihilistic anger, and activism, while gleefully refusing to stay inside any genre-shaped box.

Expect wonderfully unruly music that just as easily expands guitars and drums with horns, as it unites psychedelic punk rock with jazz or rhythm & blues influences, always energetic and imaginative. Closing track Needle Time Run needs just 28 seconds to cause trouble, while the almost 18-minute See Us All Rise (UP!) wanders towards the artist’s utopian Anarkopia, a self-proclaimed state of mind. In between, he hisses, growls, croons, and rants his way through stories of anger, loss, alienation, and societal decay, while searching for something better.

Glam, gloom, and glorious trouble, everything but just being nice. Quite right.



&Racoonery’s We Didn’t Come Here Just To Be Nice is out digitally and on vinyl LP through Tan U Sound / La Pochette Surprise.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || La Pochette Surprise

New album: The Wyldewood Green || Tales Of The Wyldewood Green

A crate-digger’s trip through heavy psych

By / / Funk & Soul, Psych / Leave a Comment

The Wyldewood Green’s debut full-length is the kind of instrumental trip that makes genre boundaries feel rather pointless. Hammond organ takes the lead, naturally, but beneath its swirling tones lurk gritty garage, deep funk, mod soul, heavy psych, and flashes of hard rock and prog. These eleven tracks are suitably unruly, with real drums, percussion, bass, and guitar providing a warm, vintage vibe that no programmed beat could replicate (passionate bandleader Marco Scarsone emphasizes that no samples, drum machines, or AI were used in this recording).

There’s plenty here for crate-diggers and fans of obscure 60s and 70s grooves (Scarsone himself is a rare vinyl DJ & collector), but the Los Angeles-based band never sounds trapped in the past. Instead, they turn their wealth of influences into a lively, fuzz-drenched soundtrack for moments that stem from questionable decisions. Although there is no singing or speaking, the cinematic and atmospheric character of this sound opens up a world of smelly emotions and colorful imagery.



Tales Of The Wyldewood Green—written, produced, mixed, engineered, and recorded by Marco Scarsone—is out digitally and on vinyl LP through LOTAH Records. Featuring Marco Scarsone (Hammond A-100, Mini Farfisa, piano, guitar, bass, tambourine, maracas, shakers), Jonathan Yang (drums), and Mike Davis (congas, bongos), with handclaps by Daphne Hsu, Yong Li, and Ria Reyes.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The Best New Cover Songs Of July 2026

By / / Alternative Rock, Blues & Roots, Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, e.g. as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range (only if supported by the artist, so no live videos filmed by the audience or anything like that), here are—in a kind of random order—a bunch of successful covers from last month.

I Fought The Law (The Crickets) by Park+Riot — digital track

Police On My Back (The Equals) by Parker Woodland — from Police On My Back: Singles Collection Vol. 1 EP (Flak Records)

Le Premier Bonheur du Jour (Françoise Hardy) by Fabienne Delsol — from Indigo Red LP (Damaged Goods Records)

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New album: Bywater Call || Broken Souvenirs

Heartfelt storytelling wrapped in powerful performances

By / / Blues & Roots, Funk & Soul / Leave a Comment

More than anything, Broken Souvenirs confirms that Bywater Call are at our service to make emotion feel tangible. The Toronto seven-piece capture their signature mix of Southern soul, blues, and roots rock into eleven warm, richly arranged songs where soaring horns, empathetic guitars, and Meghan Parnell’s commanding voice carry every note and word with conviction.

The band never loses sight of the human stories at its core; dedicated to two cherished lives lost, the album quietly reflects on grief, resilience and memory without becoming weighed down by them. Between the significance of heartbreak and the pull of hope lies the real magic: music performed with such honesty that it becomes both a refuge and a release.



Broken Souvenirs releases July 29 on CD and vinyl LP through Bywater Call Records / Continental Record Services.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Bywater Call || Discogs

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