“I learned how to play guitar watching Tiny Desk concerts,” Wednesday‘s lead singer Karly Hartzman says in the band’s performance. Specifically, she says, by way of Mitski‘s scream-filled 2015 set. “The chords to these songs are pretty easy, if you want to mirror ’em.” The Asheville, N.C., rock band is constantly on the road, supporting Rat Saw God, which made …
Under-the-Radar NYC Artist Farrah Hanna’s “TMILTM” is ROYL beabadoobee, Lomelda, Slow Pulp, etc
Brooklyn-based indie singer-songwriter Farrah Hanna serenades listeners with her latest single, “TMILTM,” a heartbreak ballad that asks a former lover the questions left unspoken. Originally from Virginia, Hannah’s making a mark on the Big Apple’s big indie scene, recently performing at the beloved Bushwick art-and-performance hub Rubulad with Jacksonville-bred artist Brianna Maclean (Primary School). “TMILTM,” is the first single released …
Sufjan Stevens Is So Back with ‘Javelin,’ Lead Single “So You Are Tired”
Like a tireless explorer laying new eyes on familiar horizons, the great Sufjan Stevens has announced his first album “in full singer-songwriter mode” since 2015’s acclaimed Carrie & Lowell, detailing Javelin (Oct. 6, Asthmatic Kitty) and releasing its lead single “So You Are Tired” on Monday. After nearly a decade of collaboration and experimentation, with a particular focus on the …
On the Frolicsome “Before,” Experimental Trio Blonde Redhead Celebrate Youthful Intransigence
The death of Joan Didion in late 2021 spawned innumerable thinkpieces and essays seeking to both track the influence of Didion’s writing and style, and lionize the already-lionized American author. It was a predictable and totally appropriate exercise. “No one essay writer, except James Baldwin and George Orwell, has spawned more imitators,” Jay Caspian King wrote in the New York …
Interview | Young The Giant’s Sameer Gadhia Talks About His Efforts to Make Alt More Inclusive
Popular and enduring indie/alt-rock quintet Young The Giant plays the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Thursday, July 20. The group’s latest release, 2023’s Both Sides EP, features live and acoustic recordings. A few months back, former First Coast Connect host Melissa Ross spoke with the band’s lead singer, Sameer Gadhia, about the show, the group’s new music and his efforts to …
Retro L.A. Rockers Allah-Las Return with Vintage Glam-Rock Bop, “The Stuff”
Notable Crate-diggers, Los Angeles retro-rockers Allah-Las are back with “The Stuff,” an enjoyably simple mid-tempo taste of Zuma 85 (out October 13 via Calico Discos / Innovative Leisure), the group’s first full-length album since 2019’s LAHS. A sarcastic – although by-and-large unoffending – lamentation of the state of modern music in the form of a glam rock bop, sonically “The …
Jax Indie-Band Teal Peel Packs an Ocean’s Worth of Character Into New Song “Sandy”
Can’t stand the sight of seagulls They freak you out and they’re kinda annoying as hell So says Jax musician Taylor Paul Neal on the latest Teal Peel single, “Sandy.” Fans of Pavement and Mercury Rev are bound to appreciate the cheeky lyricism of the local indie rock outfit’s new songs. I mean, who among us here in Northeast Florida …
On New Live Release, Electropop duo Sylvan Esso Expand, and Redefine, the Parameters of ‘No Rules Sandy’
I relish any opportunity to hear revised in-studio tracks, and I don’t think there’s a better venue for that than Electric Lady’s live in-studio session series. Last month, Durham electropop duo Sylvan Esso released five Live At Electric Lady renditions of tracks from their 2022 record No Rules Sandy (in addition to a cover of Low’s “Will the Night”). The …
On “King Kong,” Jax Duo Jawberry Unleashes a Monster Mashup of Indie, Grunge and Hip Hop
The latest from Jawberry, the collab project from local indies Huan (aka Juan Mallorca) and Rockbot Studios owner Josh Cobb, “King Kong” mashes up prominent ‘90s guitar-slack-and-hip-hop styles into three-minutes of casually retro-vibed, upbeat rock, with a riff that is maybe one chord from a “Smells Like Teen Spirit” lawsuit. A minor sin, considering the legion of songwriters that have …
Jax Indie-Rock Band flipturn on the JME Soundstage
Indie-rock band flipturn is ascendant. The Fernandina-founded, now-Jax-based quintet is probably the biggest Jacksonville-music success story since Black Kids blew up in the early aughts. Watch flipturn, as well as performance videos of other local and nationally touring artists on our NPR Live Sessions Page On the strength Shadowglow, their debut for unimpeachably cool boutique label Dualtone (Shovels & Rope, …
Jax Indie-Folk Faves Bobby Kid Return Just In Time with the Tearjerking “Ten Minutes Late”
Get the tissue box ready before listening to Bobby Kid’s newest single. On “Ten Minutes Late,” the popular local indie-folk band — made up of Anna Lester (vocals and guitar), Brian Lester (drums), Phillip Hess (lead guitar), Daniel Hubert Jr. (bass) and Caleb Hollan (pianist) — tells a story of familial loss, love that was once shared and the reminiscence …
Eclectic Alt-R&B Group Moonchild Announces Tour Stop in Jacksonville in April
Moonchild, the popular LA trip that fuses jazz with R&B, soul and more, has announced an April tour of the East Coast, Southeast and Midwest, with a stop in Jacksonville. The group plays Underbelly in Downtown Jax on Tuesday, April 18. Wikipedia describes Moonchild as an “alternative R&B band”, but that description, much like their entry on the site, barely …
Katie Crutchfield and Jess Williamson Tell Their Truth Plainly
The duo embraces classic country sounds on 'I Walked With You A Ways'
At the heart of I Walked With You A Ways, the debut album from Plains, there’s a sense of freedom. It’s the freedom of driving fast down an enormous, dusty road: “tak[ing] the quickest route on this 4-lane highway,” but also “crying on the highway with my windows down.” It’s the kind of liberation that comes from finding your own …
Local Spotlight | New Tracks by Jax Artists Out Now
Animal Clinic, Visitation, Crescent and Jay Myztroh
We’re all about music discovery here at the Jacksonville Music Experience. As we unearth new tunes from artists around the globe almost daily, we love to shine the high beams of our Local Spotlight series on the beautiful noise emerging from Northeast Florida. This week, we’ve got four great new tracks by Jacksonville artists. Let’s dig in. “Heart Beats You …
Local Spotlight | 4 New Songs by Jax Artists Out Now
Tai Boujie is "So Florida." And so are the rest of these Duval artists.
We’re all about music discovery here at the Jacksonville Music Experience. As we unearth new tunes from artists around the globe almost daily, we love to shine the high beams of our Local Spotlight series on the beautiful noise emerging from Northeast Florida. This week, we’ve got four great new tracks by Jacksonville artists. Let’s dig in. “Nature Boy” by …
Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ ‘Cool It Down’ is an Exhilarating Yet Unhurried Return
The audacity, to be an artist who waits nearly a decade to release a project — to sit out the conversation that long. The news cycles that whirr by, the social feeds left to rot on the vine. The refusal to chase the currency of constant, insistent relevance. It’s jarring nowadays. And when that artist is, say, a beloved rock …
Playlist | The Best New Music Out Now
September's Fresh Squeeze is here!
Each month JME contributors pick the juiciest noise emanating from Northeast Florida and beyond for our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Featuring a few dozen new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists, there are no rules or genre restrictions; just songs we thought were worth a share. This month we’ve got a ton of great new music in rotation, including tracks …
On ‘No Rules Sandy,’ Sylvan Esso finds freedom outside the formula
Sylvan Esso‘s fourth album ends in a manner almost antithetical to the duo’s original musical impulses, putting the band’s early-days and present versions on opposite shores. As they’ve recounted, it all started when folk singer Amelia Meath — then best known as a member of the choral-forward group Mountain Man — conscripted electronic music producer Nick Sanborn to remix her …
Luna Luna | Live on the JME Soundstage
Watch Austin indie-pop band Luna Luna perform at WJCT
Attempting to label Austin, Texas band Luna Luna using any contemporary sonic descriptor — say: indie, dream pop, fusion, retro dance pop, etc. — is a reductive exercise. The band draws on such a wide array of influences to craft their sound, that striking a bullseye with an apt characterization can feel like trying to hit a moving target from …
Playlist | The Best New Music Out Right Now
The freshest new tracks for July
Each month, JME contributors pick the juiciest noise emanating from Northeast Florida and beyond for our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Featuring a few dozen new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists, there are no rules or genre restrictions; just songs we thought were worth a share. This month we’ve got a ton of great new music in rotation, including tracks …
Just Announced | Tampa post-punk band Glove returns to Jax in August
Still basking in the buzz generated by their 2022 full-length album, Boom Nights, and their newly minted status as festival-main-stage mainstays, synthy post-punk Tampa band Glove will return to Jacksonville in August, performing at Jack Rabbits in San Marco. Never Miss A Show. Checkout our comprehensive community live music calendar. Before teaming with Cage The Elephant’s Brad Schultz (production credit …
Ada Lea | Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space. Ada Lea‘s Tiny Desk (home) concert opens just as her 2021 album, one hand on the steering …
Go | Bright Eyes at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Indie-rock darlings visit The Amp
Icons of the early 2000’s indie-rock scene Bright Eyes continue their current tour, with a Northeast Florida at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Saturday, May 28 . A band of multifarious musicians, Bright Eyes was founded by singer and guitarist Conor Oberst in the mid-90s, and features multi-instrumentalists Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, as well as a rotating cast of …
Fresh Rotation | 4 new songs we’re listening to right now
New music from Wilco, King Gizzard, Moonchild and Kikagaku Moyo
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to add to the rotation on The Independent 89.9 HD4 (and to our tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our monthly Fresh Squeeze playlist). Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least …
On ‘Eureka Springs’ Cory Driscoll Chronicles a Physical and Emotional Journey
Jax singer-songwriter on how a road trip to America's heartland inspired his latest concept album
In an era in which music streaming services seem to encourage consumption of singles, Jax-based singer-songwriter Cory Driscoll writes tunes based around a theme in order to create an entire body of work –– it’s called an album, kids. Driscoll’s been in several musical projects over the years, but his first record under his given name, 2018’s Tropical Depression, was …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new tracks JME Contributors think you should listen to
The Stroppies make uncool cool, Mark Turner turns jazz on its ear and Angel Olsen soars above the fray
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to add into our tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our monthly Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are three …
Local Spotlight | 3 fresh tracks from Jacksonville artists
New music from Leo Sun, Ducats and Left on High
We’re always keeping our ear to the ground in order to put the spotlight on the beautiful noise emerging from Northeast Florida. This week, Jacksonville Music Experience contributors share three new songs by local artists that we think you’ll really dig. Let’s dive in. “Tomorrowland” by Left On High Duval punk overlords Left On High have wasted no time in …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new songs we really dig
A sonic trip with Lala Lala, a pipe-organ-fueled ride with Anna von Hausswolff and Alex Cameron's solitary "K Hole"
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to add into our tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our monthly Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are three …
Just Announced | The Lumineers at Daily’s Place
Ho Hey! The Lumineers will bring their folk-rock stomp to Jacksonville in May
Indie-folk darlings The Lumineers have announced a four-dozen-plus-date North American tour, kicking off at Daily’s Place amphitheater in Jacksonville in May. Founded by vocalist-guitarist Wesley Schultz and multi-instrumentalist Jeremiah Fraites, the Denver-based band emerged from the coffee shops, storming the pop-music charts with their GRAMMY nominated 2013 self-titled offering, which featured “Submarine” and the anthemic “Ho Hey,” both of which …
Mitski’s ‘Laurel Hell’ confronts the wild complexity of feeling
All over the world, every day, people are losing it. It happened to me just last Tuesday, driving onto I-40 on my way back from Trader Joe’s. Phoebe Snow’s 1974 seduction “Poetry Man” turned up on my playlist and suddenly I was sobbing so aggressively I nearly had to pull over on the freeway on-ramp. That song’s a masterpiece of …
Listen | New year, Fresh Squeeze
The best new music handpicked by the JME team
Each month, JME contributors pick the juiciest noise emanating from Northeast Florida and beyond for our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Featuring a few dozen new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists, there are no rules or genre restrictions; just songs we thought were worth a share. Follow the Jacksonville Music Experience on Spotify and our Fresh Squeeze playlist to keep your …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new tunes for your playlist
New music from Girlpool, Big Thief and Tonstartssbandht
Each and every week the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists to concoct the tasty, tall-glass-of-a-listening-experience that is our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here are three new songs …
Local Spotlight | “Every Excuse” by Jesabel
Ambitious pop from talented Jacksonville-based singer-songwriter
Since the release of her 2020 debut single, “Forgiveness,” Jacksonville singer-songwriter Jesabel has continued to crank out the kind of ambitious indie pop that’s more easily suited for FM radio than open-mic nights at coffee houses. Her latest, the lush and cathartically sung “Every Excuse,” is packaged for comparable grandeur. “Every lie, every break, every second that you take is …
Local Spotlight | “Stay in L.A.” by Howdy
Jacksonville indie-folk cowboy says "Aloha" to the West Coast
California retains a mythical quality in the hearts and minds of East Coasters. Los Angeles, too––despite its labyrinths of on- and off-ramps, fire hazards and (now) mosquito problems––can weigh heavy on the imagination of a right-coast romantic. A West Coast pilgrammage, then, is a must; if only to realize the grass is always greener. On “Stay in L.A.” Jax Beach-based …
Go | The best concerts in Jax this week
A good week for fans of college radio
There was a time when the term college radio was used to describe any rock music that was just outside the mainstream. Bands like R.E.M. and the B-52’s wore it like a badge of honor. The Replacements glorified such “Left of the Dial” music in song. Today, the term is used to describe a much broader array of artists working …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new songs we can’t stop listening to
New music from Wet Leg, serpentwithfeet and Shannon Lay
Each and every month the JME team handpicks the juiciest new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists and creates the tasty listening experience that is our Fresh Squeeze playlist. Each song is chosen with intention. And so we often feel like they are worthy of a broader discussion (or at least a bit of context). Here’s three new …
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