HCTF premiere - The Meadowlark Lemons: Meet Me At The Sidebar

Chris Neville (vocals, B3 organ), John Fournier (saxophone), Jon Paul (bass), Fran Banish (guitar), and Kevin Brunson (drums) have been bringing the funk, soul and old school R&B to the windy city for longer than they care to remember. They got together and started recording an album in fits and starts as The Meadowlark Lemons.

Now, after five years their self-titled album is finally good to go and it will be released on March 27. Lead single Meet Me At The Sidebar is a sunny-side up invitation to forget about everyday worries and dance the night away on a Friday night, with the band playing up a storm on a cramped stage.

The Wedding Present: North American tour dates

English indie darlings The Wedding Present will playing their Seamonsters album in full during their upcoming North American tour, plus a deep dive into their extensive back catalog. They also have a new EP, Maxi, with six high energy songs about driving. The title is a nod to their Mini EP, with tracks about automoiles that was released in 1996.

Maxi will get a Stateside release on April 3rd via Happy Happy Birthday to Me records (vinyl, CD, digital).

Steven Wilson: binaural mixes of "Happy Returns / Ascendant Here On...", "Time Is Running Out" and "Luminol"

Steven Wilson has posted binaural mixes of Happy Returns / Ascendant Here On..., Time Is Running Out and Luminol on YouTube. Listen with headphones! The clip for Happy Returns / Ascendant Here On... was directed by Youssef Nassar.

» stevenwilsonhq.com
» Headphone Dust

Sean Thomas Gerard: Stay In Your Light

Singer-songwriter Sean Thomas Gerard's safe space is his garage, where he can record his music: Americana with a seasoning of symphonic melodic indie pop. His new album Stay In Your Light is basically a love letter to his wife and two daughters, one they can listen to for many years to come - maybe even after when he is no longer alive.

That sounds like a tall order, but he carefully sidesteps the pitfalls that would have made it overblown, rose-tinted exersise. By applying some slightly skewed keyboards and going for chord changes that haven't been be played to death the Wilmington, NC based artist created his own unique sonic textures that might sound familiar, but turn out to be far more complicated upon closer inspection.

Craig Benedict Valentine Badynee: Don't Leave Your House To An Amateur

Chicago based musician Craig Benedict Valentine Badynee is on the fence between art and baroque pop on his Don't Leave Your House To An Amateur, collecting the singles he starting releasing in 2024, plus two new songs: Blackamailer, Blackmailer and Everybody's Talkin' For Me..

He does some serious soul-searching about failed relationships, unuseful but well-meaning advice, and being freed from the shackles of parenting, softening the blows that life has dealt him by wrapping his music in lush arrangements and channeling the phrasing of his favourite jazz vocalists.