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Keb’ Mo’ has announced the release of his new album, The Breakdown, arriving August 21 via Concord Records. The 10-track collection marks a significant departure for the five-time GRAMMY winner, as it is the first album of his career built almost entirely around his voice and guitar, with select vocal contributions from the Soweto Gospel Choir and Take 6.

Recorded at his home studio outside Nashville, the album was written during a turbulent period in the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s life following life-saving open-heart surgery, the end of his nearly 20-year marriage, and a season of personal reflection.

“It felt like everything in my life was breaking down,” Keb’ reflects. “My health, my relationship, my whole world. The only way I knew how to respond was to break the music down, too.”

Alongside the album announcement, Keb’ Mo’ released the first single, “Fussing and Fighting.” The song explores conflict and reconciliation, themes that can apply equally to personal relationships and a divided society.

“Fussing and Fighting” sprang from the way relationships can suddenly go south. Sometimes things just don’t work out, and you’re left wondering, “What happened?,” he explains.

The Breakdown is Keb’ Mo’s first solo studio album since 2021’s GRAMMY-nominated Good To Be… and follows a serious health scare that nearly ended his career in 2024. While touring with Slash, he began experiencing shortness of breath that ultimately led to a shocking diagnosis.

“I was struggling to breathe and thought there must be something wrong with my lungs,” Keb’ recalls. “When I finally got off the road, I went to the doctor, and they sent me straight to the emergency room.”

Doctors discovered a leaking heart valve and an aortic aneurysm that required intensive surgery and an extended recovery period, forcing him to postpone numerous tour dates.

“It felt like death was tapping me on the shoulder,” Keb’ explains. “I’d been going around feeling healthy and strong all these years, and suddenly I had to face the possibility that I might not make it. I had to go through some difficult experiences to get these songs, but I learned a lot looking back on my life and my relationships and taking inventory of everything in a new light.”

The themes of mortality, resilience and gratitude run throughout The Breakdown, which finds Keb’ Mo’ confronting life’s uncertainties while remaining optimistic about the future.

“I’m turning 75 this year,” Keb’ reflects, “and I know I won’t be around forever. All you can do is make the most of what you’ve got and be grateful for every step of the journey.”

The Breakdown Track Listing

1. Fussing and Fighting
2. Every Step of the Way
3. They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To (feat. Take 6)
4. More Yesterdays
5. We Make Love
6. Walking on Water
7. Hand It Over (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir)
8. Living in the Moment
9. Stitched Up Heart
10. One Day Away

Keb’ Mo’ Tour Dates

06/08 – Dublin, Ireland – National Concert Hall
06/10 – London, United Kingdom – Union Chapel
06/12 – Paris, France – Bataclan
06/13 – Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot
06/15 – Mannheim, Germany – Alte Feuerwache
06/16 – Zurich, Switzerland – Kaufleuten
06/17 – Bern, Switzerland – Bierhübeli
06/19 – Bremen, Germany – Kulturzentrum Schlachthof
06/20 – Grolloo, Netherlands – Holland International Blues Festival
06/22 – Leipzig, Germany – Anker Connewitz
06/23 – Braunschweig, Germany – Schon & Frohlich
06/24 – Bochum, Germany – Christuskirche
06/26 – Vejle, Denmark – Vejle Musikteater
06/27 – Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset (DR Concert Hall)
01/09 – 01/15 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Sandy Beaches Cruise 2027 (full band)
01/16 – 01/23 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Big Easy Cruise 2027 (full band)
01/31 – 02/07 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise

The post Keb’ Mo’ returns after heart surgery with “The Breakdown” appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Petkun’s Bye!!! is a vibrant slice of modern indie-pop that blends infectious hooks, playful attitude, and effortless cool into a track that feels instantly addictive. Drawing from the laid-back charisma of contemporary alt-pop while maintaining its own personality, the song balances breezy melodies with a punchy rhythmic drive that never loses momentum. Beneath its carefree exterior lies a sharp sense of songwriting, delivering an anthem that feels equally suited for late-night drives, social media soundtracks, and repeat listens.

Catchy, confident, and packed with youthful energy, Bye!!! leaves a lasting impression long after its final goodbye.

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Protest The Hero have revealed the details of their new album, their first release in six years.

Titled ‘Within’, it will be released on July 17. It serves as the follow-up to 2020’s ‘Palimpsest’.

The band had this to say about what the record represents for them:

“Most people are pretty familiar with hermetic maxim “as above so below” but the entire passage isn’t quite as well known. ‘As above so below, as within so without, as the universe so the soul’. Obviously I focused on the middle portion of the quote. “Within” represents the individual inner world, which is largely defined by our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. The songs are all representative of how external factors affect our inner world.With that being said it’s probably the most personal stuff we’ve ever released.”

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is a bit more like this:

1. Mouthpiece
2. Fishhook
3. i. above
4. Grandfather’s Axe
5. The Orchard
6. ii. below
7. Liberty Spike
8. The Mariner

The band have also shared the album’s opening track, and what a beauty it is. A spiralling, shimmering, sensationally constructed mesh of progressive riffs, guttural barks and gorgeous crescendos, it is everything that is incredible about the band, but enhanced to a new shiny level. Complex, daring and, more than anything, brilliantly fun, it’s also a pleasure to hear that they still have it in them push to the boundaries.

Vocalist Rody Walker had this to say about it:

“On the record focused on the micro, Mouthpiece is the only song from a macro perspective. This is not without reason. It is about the controlling powers that have convinced us that everything needs to be divided into binaries despite the fact that very few things truly exist within them. It describes a world of brilliant colour reduced to black and white by charlatans like podcasters and corporate media. It suggests the only true binary we should pay attention to is the very wealthy and everyone else.”

The post Protest The Hero Announce New Album ‘Within’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Yesterday, Primavera Sound kicked off in Barcelona at Parc del Fòrum, and it was not a great start. Bad weather was to blame for canceled performances. “Please remain calm and follow the instructions of the festival’s security and staff teams,” screens read on the main stages. “Stay tuned to the festival screens and official channels for further updates. Thank you for your cooperation.”

The post Doja Cat, Massive Attack, Alex G, & More Primavera Sound Sets Canceled Due To Weather appeared first on Stereogum.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. Or in some cases, if you want something done at all, especially when everyone backs out last minute, do it yourself. The Trump-aligned Freedom 250 organization has been trying to put together a concert series called the Great American State Fair. Many of the initially announced performers — Martina McBride, Young MC, the Commodores, Bret Michaels, and Morris Day & The Time — dropped out. Now, there’s a new update: The headliner of the “rally to end all rallies” is Donald Trump himself. He will be introduced by country singer Lee Greenwood.

The post Trump Replacing Failed ‘90s Nostalgia Fest With Himself And Lee Greenwood appeared first on Stereogum.

Steve Lacy’s new single “The Feeling” sounds like a stagnant wound. Like he was getting open heart surgery and they just left him on the operating table. The latest preview of his third album Oh Yeah?, which he announced last August via a Rolling Stone interview and the lead single “Nice Shoes,” comes alongside the official release date for the follow-up to 2022’s Gemini Rights, which yielded the surprise #1 hit “Bad Habit.” Turns out Oh Yeah? is dropping July 17, the same day his Internet bandmate Syd will release her own new album Beard. Earlier this week, Lacy shared the album cover, which was shot by Gus Van Sant.

The post Steve Lacy – “The Feeling” appeared first on Stereogum.

Italian death metal heavyweights replace Lividity

Brutal death metallers Gorge also join July line-up

Manchester, UK – 5 June 2026: Offal Fest has confirmed that Italian horror-infused death metal titans Fulci have been added to the line-up as Sunday co-headliners. They replace Lividity, who have had to cancel their appearance at the 2026 festival due to unavoidable personal reasons. To maintain a packed final day, organisers have also added slamming death metal group Gorge to the Sunday roster.

While Lividity expressed deep regret over missing the July gathering, they intend to make it up to their British fanbase with a future UK visit. Their replacement, Fulci, arrives fresh from a highly successful tour alongside Sanguisugabogg earlier this year, and the trio will close out Sunday night in their signature horrific fashion. Joining them on the upgraded stage is Gorge, whose groove-heavy brutal death metal style earned significant praise during a Manchester appearance this past April alongside Disgracing. 

Rancid Offal Promotions, the organisers behind Offal Fest and Goremageddon, have also announced a schedule and lineup alteration for Heat 2 of the Battle of the Slams tournament, which now takes place thisSunday, 7 June 2026, at Junior Jackson’s in Manchester with free entry.

The adjustment to the Battle of the Slams schedule became necessary following an external venue double booking. Moving Heat 2 back by one day resulted in a revised performance roster for the showcase. This Sunday, the bands Asbestosis, Cerebral Autophagy, World War Three, and Gutspill will perform to secure a spot at Offal Fest. This round is decided completely by audience votes on the night, with only two acts progressing to the final. The organisers have urged the local music community to attend the free gig and support the underground scene.

More info about Battle of the Slams: https://battleoftheslams.com/

Dedicated to the most extreme facets of gore, grind, slam, and brutal death metal, Offal Fest has solidified its status as a vital fixture in the international metal calendar following its sold-out 2025 edition. The 2026 festival, scheduled for 24-26 July at its new Manchester home, Boundary, is headlined by two major UK-exclusive performances from genre pioneers Devourment and Ohio powerhouse Regurgitation. The latter making their debut appearance on UK soil.

Now, Fulci join Regurgitation as Sunday co-headliner. The comprehensive lineup features a global roster including New York legends Immortal Suffering, Japan’s Butcher ABC, and Korea’s Fecundation, alongside a formidable domestic contingent headlined by the “wobble-box” specialists Crepitation and the official reunion of Infected Disarray. Bolstered by further international talent such as Guttural Slug, Unbirth and Darkall Slaves, Offal Fest 2026 aims to build upon the momentum of previous years, which saw exclusive sets from acts such as Skinless and Wormed, to provide a definitive weekend of brutality for the extreme music community.

Offal Fest is taking place on 24-26 July 2026 at Boundary (part of The Union) in Manchester. Purchase tickets here: https://offal-fest.com/tickets

Friday 24 July
Crepitation
Infected Disarray (Official Reunion)
Scordatura
Coprocephalic Mutation
Ovulating Cadaver
Dissolving Entity

Saturday 25 July
Devourment (UK Exclusive)
Immortal Suffering (UK Exclusive)
Unbirth (UK Exclusive)
Butcher ABC
Epicardiectomy
Kakothanasy (UK Exclusive)
Inverecund
Strangle Wire
Disgracing

Sunday 26 July
Regurgitation (UK Exclusive / First UK Show)
Fulci
Embryectomy
Guttural Slug
Twitch of the Death Nerve
Fecundation
Darkall Slaves (UK Exclusive)
Laceration
Gorge
Repulsed
Lymphoeadema

OFFAL FEST FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1023493716320558/

OFFAL FEST FB: https://www.facebook.com/OffalFest

OFFAL FEST IG: https://www.instagram.com/offal_fest/

Source: 3nation

Lou Monroe‘s Corpus Callosum is an ambitious and deeply introspective work that transforms neurological complexity into a compelling musical journey. Moving through multiple distinct phases before culminating in a powerful finale, the track mirrors the fractured yet interconnected nature of the human mind itself. Blending emotional vulnerability with cerebral themes, Monroe explores the relationship between pain, consciousness, identity, and the paradox of a brain attempting to understand its own suffering. Rich in atmosphere and dynamic progression, Corpus Callosum rewards patient listening, gradually building toward an epic conclusion that feels both cathartic and profoundly human.

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Every now and then, a band will release an album that takes them from being mere contenders to cementing them as genre heavyweights; for Manchester’s metallic-hardcore five-piece Guilt Trip, ‘Armour Of Angels’ is one such LP. Whilst only being the band’s third full length release, ‘Armour Of Angels’ finds the quintet brimming with strident confidence and a flawless set of songs that easily match up to bands such as Malevolence and Bleed From Within.

From the moment opening face-melter ‘One By One’ unleashes its fury, ‘Armour Of Angels’ is an unrelenting assault of ferocity and show-stopping musical technicality. The guitar work by Jak Madden and Sam Baker is heartstopping throughout the entire album, as intricate and tightly played chugging riffs are interspersed with effective sprinkles of harmonics and death metal like squealing solos, as heard on the ripping brutality of ‘Suffer Me’ and the melodically rich ‘Blood Atonement’. The band’s first album since signing to Roadrunner Records, ‘Armour Of Angels’ is notable for hearing Guilt Trip’s nu-metal influences peak through too, like on the Korn-esque spooky cleans of ‘Veins’ and the raging, groove-ridden ‘Resurrected’, which features a guest spot from Sonny Sandoval, frontman for genre veterans P.O.D. These touches only serve to enhance the band’s sound, lending them their own unique identity, standing out in what can often feel like a crowded field. 

As well as a stronger focus on technical playing this time around, ‘Armour Of Angels’ also finds vocalist Jay Valentine venturing further out of his comfort zone, with more clean singing featured here than on any other Guilt Trip release. Always a divisive decision, the use of cleans only serves to lend the album a richer emotional palate, like on the catchy single ‘Dirt’ and the aforementioned experimental stylings of ‘Veins’. These are used sparingly and effectively, whilst his harsh shouts sound more commanding than ever before. Noteworthy too is the faultless work by drummer Tom Aimson and bassist Lily Kilcoyne, who hold down the low-end with flawless efficiency, demonstrated on the infectious grooves of ‘No Love Lost’, ‘Burn’ and epic closer ‘The Banner Of Heaven’. 

The production on ‘Armour Of Angels’ is a highlight too; crisp and clean without feeling sterile, everything shines a touch brighter than it did on 2023’s ‘Severance’, doing so without losing any of the band’s raw energy or hardcore integrity.

So whilst ‘Armour Of Angels’ doesn’t necessarily rewrite the band’s sound, it certainly sees them elevate it to jaw dropping new heights and delivers the strongest, most mature and technically proficient set of songs Guilt Trip have released to date. Very much all killer no filler, be prepared to see ‘Armour Of Angels’ on many 2026 Album Of The Year lists.

ADAM FIRTH

 

Ein unverkennbares Riff, eine besondere Melodie, ein Scream, der unter die Haut geht oder diese eine Note im Basslauf, die man einfach nicht mehr aus dem Kopf kriegt – manche kleinen Dinge machen aus guten Songs ganz besondere Songs, die man nie wieder vergisst. Und es gibt Dinge, die ein großartiges Festival zum Besten werden lassen, das ihr je erlebt habt. 

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