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As Mouse On Mars, Jan St. Werner has been making forward-thinking, reality-altering electronic music with Andi Toma for well over three decades; he’s been pursuing similar aims in Microstoria with Oval’s Markus Popp for nearly as long. But St. Werner has also made solo records, sometimes using the alias Lithops, and his 2023 release Space Synthesis was a solo joint under his own name. That’s the case with his upcoming EP too, sort of.

The post Mouse On Mars’ Jan St. Werner Announces New EP <em>Squares Will Fall</em> Feat. Justin Vernon, Sufjan Stevens, Zach Condon, & More: Hear The Title Track appeared first on Stereogum.

Reclus.É, the new band from Daniel P Carter and Tummyache’s Soren Bryce, have revealed the details of their debut album.

The duo will release ‘The World Can’t Take Much More’ on November 13 via Rise Records.

Dan had this to say about what the record represents:

“This album is the sound of two people becoming friends through the collaborative, creative process of making a record. It’s a body of work that represents both Soren and Daniel, but also a third thing that is simply Reclus.É. Writing and recording the album was a process of learning what each other is about, honouring each other’s creativity, becoming friends, and celebrating the moments when ideas and opinions aligned. It’s a document of each letting go of the reins to allow them to find something neither would have made alone. Made in an era of great social turmoil, it’s a comment on life in current climes, at a time when the world can’t take much more…”


The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:

1. A Muted TV
2. Stain
3. Golden Radio
4. Isolationist
5. Headstart Season
6. With Fire
7. All Bark No Bite
8. Belly Of The Whale
9. Cold Candles
10. Honey From Lions
11. Dogs
12. Waste Not Want Not
13. Swarm

Opening track ‘A Muted TV’ is already out in the world, and it has been joined by ‘Belly Of The Whale’, a cortorting, haunting, angular piece of alternative flair and drama. Beautifully building and brimming with plenty of indie rock spikiness, it’s yet another stunning piece from the duo.

Soren had this to say about the themes of the track:

Belly of the Whale was heavily inspired by my relationship to religion. The first verse is about the community I found in my life wanting to ‘save me’ when I was younger, with the line about wearing the wire implying my role as ‘the informant’, the connection to the outer world, the person feeding back the modern life I was encountering outside of my schooling, and it being met with resistance.

“The second verse is referring to myself as Jonah, an isolated existence that instead traps me within this Bible story to avoid the conflict and backlash of questioning beliefs. The bridge is very much my anger toward this so-called ‘Christian’ community, seeing the hypocrisy and especially American fundamental Christianity having nothing to do with what ‘Jesus’ was actually like.  Overall, the song is to encourage the ability to question things that don’t sit right within your values and morality, and that to believe in something requires a thorough investigation of what it is you are supporting.”

The post Reclus.É Announce Debut Album ‘The World Can’t Take Much More’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

(written by Islander) On this day (a Bandcamp Friday for those who pay attention to such things) the Italian band Stygian are releasing a new two-song EP named Hunt the Divine. It follows their 2025 debut album Dreadlands, which we had the pleasure of premiering and reviewing. As we wrote then, Dreadlands presented “an intersection […]

The post AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): STYGIAN — “HUNT THE DIVINE” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

Bernard Allison will bring together family, friends and several notable guests on his new studio album, Loving You, due October 16.

The veteran blues guitarist and singer, son of the late Luther Allison, has spent more than three decades building his own career with a sound that combines blues, funk, R&B and rock. Loving You continues that approach while placing an increased emphasis on collaboration.

The 10-track album features guest appearances from Devon Allman, Larry McCray, Victor Wainwright, Matthew Curry, Matthew Mwangi and Heather Hardy. Allison’s nephew Jasper Allison and niece Lyndsey Allison contribute backing vocals, while rhythm guitarist Stephen Johnson, also known as Stevie J Blues, co-wrote five of the album’s seven original songs.

“I’ve always wanted to record an album, bringing family and friends together!! Loving You is simply showing my appreciation and respect for my family and friends. So, I decided to invite and collaborate with a selected group of musicians and family members. I placed them on tracks where I felt they could bring out their true emotions and musical passions. We created a well-rounded album full of surprises, while showing our appreciation to all of our musical influences and genres. We laid down my blues foundation, with a taste of Funk, R&B, and Rock!! And we did it, The Allison Way!!!,” Allison said.

Stevie J Blues, a Jackson, Mississippi native and former member of Bobby Rush’s band, also joins Allison’s core band alongside bassist George Moye, drummer Sam Butts Jr. III and keyboardist Eric Roberts.

Loving You opens with “Left Me With My Guitar,” a funk-driven electric blues number centered on Allison’s relationship with his instrument. Victor Wainwright joins Allison on vocals and piano for “4 O’Clock In The Morning (Waiting On You),” while Larry McCray and Matthew Mwangi contribute guitar to “Time Traveler.”

Allison keeps things soulful on “Slide On Over,” which features backing vocals from Jasper and Lyndsey Allison along with Stevie J Blues. The record then moves into rock territory with a new version of Rick Derringer’s “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo,” featuring Matthew Curry on guitar and vocals.

Devon Allman appears on guitar on the title track, “Loving You,” while Larry “Doc” Watkins contributes handclaps. Heather Hardy adds violin to “Pay What You Owe Me,” which also features Jasper and Lyndsey Allison and Stevie J Blues on backing vocals.

Other songs include “Busted & Disgusted,” “Should I Wait” and album closer “Blues Thang.”

Allison emerged as a solo artist during the 1990s after previously playing guitar in his father’s band. While Luther Allison remains a major influence, Bernard Allison has also cited guitarists including Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan among the musicians who helped shape his approach. Over the course of his career, he has released more than 20 albums while touring extensively in the United States and Europe.

Loving You continues that career with an album built around the musicians and family members Allison has developed relationships with along the way.

TRACK LISTING

1. “Left Me With My Guitar” – 3:31
2. “4 O’Clock In The Morning (Waiting On You)” feat. Victor Wainwright – 4:20
3. “Time Traveler” feat. Larry McCray and Matthew Mwangi – 4:26
4. “Slide On Over” feat. Jasper & Lyndsey Allison, Stevie J Blues – 3:21
5. “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” feat. Matthew Curry – 3:48
6. “Busted & Disgusted” – 6:13
7. “Loving You” feat. Devon Allman and Larry “Doc” Watkins – 3:53
8. “Should I Wait” – 3:17
9. “Pay What You Owe Me” feat. Heather Hardy, Jasper and Lyndsey Allison, Stevie J Blues – 4:01
10. “Blues Thang” feat. Stevie J Blues – 4:03

The post Bernard Allison announces “Loving You” appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Our 10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Needing Help looks at a musical genre that has always dug deep into themes of needing help. Ask yourself how many times you have gone to music for salvation. Whether it’s reaching out for emotional support, battling personal demons, or simply crying out for connection, classic rock is full of songs that explore vulnerability, struggle, and the desire for rescue. Many of these songs are not just about individual cries for help but also about artists searching for ways to change the world, a topic that we found in many of the most

The post 10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Needing Help appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

It’s the Friday before Labor Day weekend, and summer is pretty much over now even if it is still oppressively hot outside. That means it’s a great time to let a sighing cascade of blurry synths hit your ear. So it’s good timing that the always-evocative retro-indie maximalist M83 just dropped the first single of his upcoming album.

The post M83 – “Blister Sunrise” appeared first on Stereogum.

Prince may not be on this mortal realm with us, but he left behind an immense archive of work that is still being released to the public, reminding us of the limitlessness of his creativity. Last week, his estate released the album Timeless, which has sparked some controversy with its album credits.

The post Prince’s Label Clarifies Controversial “Calabama” Credits appeared first on Stereogum.

Pyroclast – Fractured State (Furious Music)

Before the fame, sold-out arenas, private jets, and platinum records, many of rock’s biggest stars were working ordinary jobs just to pay the bills. Some cleaned floors, some worked in factories, and others took whatever jobs they could find while chasing a career in music.

Looking back, those early jobs make their later success even more interesting. In a few cases, the work even shaped their personalities, skills, or musical careers in unexpected ways. Here are 14 rock stars and the surprising jobs they had before becoming famous.

1. Noel Gallagher: Roadie

Before Oasis exploded onto the Britpop scene, Noel Gallagher was working as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets. Gallagher’s time as a roadie was marked by his distinctive fashion sense, claiming he was “the best-dressed roadie in the history of music.” This job kept him close to the music scene, laying the groundwork for his future success with Oasis.

2. Ozzy Osbourne: Abattoir Worker

3. Kele Okereke: Cinema Attendant

Bloc Party’s frontman, Kele Okereke, worked at the Curzon cinema in Soho, selling popcorn and snacks. Despite Bloc Party’s ‘Silent Alarm’ being voted NME’s album of the year in 2005, Okereke needed this job to pay the bills. This humble beginning contrasts sharply with the critical acclaim and success Bloc Party would later achieve.

4. Brandon Flowers: Bellboy

The Killers’ Brandon Flowers had a stint as a bellboy at the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas. A huge Morrissey fan, Flowers once rummaged through a bag belonging to Morrissey’s guitarist, Boz Boorer. This job, rooted in the service industry, was a far cry from the glitzy world of rock stardom Flowers would later inhabit.

5. Mick Jagger: Hospital Porter

Before the Rolling Stones became rock legends, Mick Jagger worked part-time as a porter at Bexley Psychiatric Hospital. This job saw him lose his virgi**** in an unlikely place, marking a stark contrast to the international s** symbol he would become.

6. Courtney Love: Exotic Dancer

Before she became the famous singer and actor that we know today, Love was an exotic dancer at places like Jumbo’s Clown Room and Seventh Veil. This was before she married Kurt Cobain in the 90’sSpeaking to LA Weekly, Love said that she used to earn $300 a day. With the money she earned from working, Love was able to create her band, Hole.

7. Colin Meloy: Author

The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy is not only a musician but also a published author. Before his music career took off, Meloy inked a three-book deal for the Wildwood Chronicles. This creative outlet outside of music showcases the diverse talents many musicians possess.

8. Debbie Harry: Playboy Bunny

In the early 70s, Debbie Harry worked as a Playboy bunny, a job that required her to deal with “dirty old men.” This experience, while challenging, didn’t deter Harry from pursuing her music career, eventually leading Blondie to international fame.

9. Freddie Mercury: Market Stall Owner

Before Queen’s meteoric rise, Freddie Mercury owned and ran a stall in Kensington Market, selling his artwork and second-hand clothes. Even after Queen released their first album, Mercury continued running the stall, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit.

10. Tony Iommi: Sheet Metal Worker

While many know him as the Co-founder of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, Tony once worked as a sheet metal worker. When he was 17, the future Black Sabbath guitarist worked at a sheet metal factory in Birmingham. He lost the tips of the middle and ring fingers on his right hand thanks to a horrible accident on his very last day on the job. The prosthetic ‘thimble’ he had to wear helped him develop that unique doomy style we all know him for today.

11. Sting: Schoolteacher

Before Sting became the voice and bassist of The Police, he spent two years working as a schoolteacher in Cramlington, Northumberland. After qualifying as a teacher, he taught at St. Paul’s while continuing to perform with jazz groups during evenings and weekends. His official biography notes that he eventually left teaching and moved to London, where he formed The Police with Stewart Copeland.

It is an amusing career switch considering the rebellious image rock musicians would develop in the late 1970s. One day Sting was standing in front of a classroom; a few years later, he was singing “Roxanne” in front of packed audiences around the world. His pre-fame résumé was even broader than that, including spells as a bus conductor, construction laborer, and tax officer.

12. Jon Bon Jovi: Recording Studio Gofer

Long before Bon Jovi became one of the biggest arena-rock bands on the planet, Jon Bon Jovi landed a decidedly less glamorous job at New York’s legendary Power Station recording studio. After finishing high school in 1980, he contacted his cousin Tony Bongiovi, who worked at the studio, and was allowed to work there running errands as a gofer.

The job might have involved mundane tasks, but the surroundings were anything but ordinary. Bon Jovi found himself watching major artists pass through the studio while learning how professional records were made. More importantly, access to the Power Station allowed him to work on his own recordings during downtime, putting him in exactly the right environment to chase a music career.

It was essentially the rock-and-roll version of starting in the mailroom. Instead of remaining the guy fetching things for famous musicians, Jon eventually became one of the musicians everyone else wanted to meet backstage.

The post 12 Boring Day Jobs That Rock Musicians Had Before they Were Famous appeared first on Metal Shout.