Experimental-pop musician, and critical darling, Jean Dawson is known for his creativity as both a producer and songwriter. On “Die for Me,” a simmering, inventively-produced R&B slow jam from his hotly anticipated new album, Glimmer of God (due out in October), Dawson puts his deft and agile vocals front-and-center. Recommended If You Like: Blood Orange, Yves Tumor, Sampha Spotify | …
Electro Lounge Playlist | August 31
The Electro Lounge is back and rolling out weekly dreamscapes — it’s an eclectic hour of chillout, downtempo songs, curiosities and deep cuts every Saturday at 10 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9. Listen here. Here’s what we played on August 31. Electro Lounge airs Saturday nights at 10 p.m. on WJCT News 89.9 and re-airs on the Independent 89.9 HD4 on Sundays at …
Jax Music Hour Playlist | August 31
On the Jax Music Hour (Saturdays at 8PM on WJCT News 89.9 FM), we got hyped about an upcoming show at the Bierhall at Intuition Ale Works on October 27: Jacksonville indie-pop group Coyboi will open for Athens pop rock act Of Montreal, and we think Coyboi is up to the task of matching Of Montreal’s freak. Get tickets to …
Song of the Day | “Earthling” by OSEES
Nearly three decades after emerging from the then-teeming Bay Area garage-rock scene, iconic San Francisco band OSEES (formerly The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, etc.) continue to experiment with great enthusiasm. The group’s latest full length, Sorcs 80, resumes many of the industrial and dark wave explorations of 2023’s Intercepted Message. On the mercurial “Earthling,” bandleader Jon Dwyer swapping his …
11 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Faye Webster, Cedric Burnside, Sing Out Loud Local Showcases and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Electronic Akasha System – Wednesday, September 4 The Walrus | Murray Hill Tampa eco-techno artist Akasha System headlines a …
Jax Indie Singer-Songwriter Erica Reese Has “Breakfast for Dinner,” Introspection for Dessert on Dreamy New Single
Jacksonville-based indie singer-songwriter Erica Reese (Coastal Creature) is back with another new track, “Breakfast for Dinner,” the dream-pop sound of a vicious cycle—and, just maybe, an epiphany. Assisted by producer Patrick Taylor (Trash Panda, Lazuli Vane), Reese crafts a complex instrumental that’s closely attuned to the song’s rugged emotional landscape. Bouncy synth bass and drum machine rub elbows with a …
The Neighborhood Playlist | August 24
Hey Neighbors! Hope your August has been a blessing to you and yours. This past Saturday was an easy walk through the neighborhood and we complemented the cruise with an eclectic mix of tunes. The next two shows will have interviews and we will be showcasing new tunes that will be great for your fall playlists. Enjoy the tunes below …
Song of the Day | “What’s Fair” by Blondshell
As Blondshell, LA singer-songwriter Sabrina Teitelbaum broke through last year with her grunge-y self-titled debut, and has since released a duet with fellow angsty rocker Bully. On “What’s Fair,” Teitelbaum returns to the soft-loud dynamism that made her an indie standout for a song about the complex relationship between mother and daughter. Recommended If You Like: boygenius, Veruca Salt, Alanis …
7 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Buffalo Nichols, Pylon Reenactment Society, Leela James, Bush and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Jangle Pop/New Wave Crowded House – Thursday, August 29 The Amp | St. Augustine Hey now. Hey Now! Eighties …
Beaches Psych-Rockers Killer Larry Serve Up a Bona Fide Marsh Stomper with Latest Release, “Swamp Rascal”
It’s a peculiar time for what is loosely codified and described as “psychedelic guitar music.” On one extreme, acoustic-framed artists attempt to emulate and propitiate the ‘60s excursions of unplugged pioneers like John Fahey, the Incredible String Band, Robbie Basho et al. Meanwhile, the electric hardliners are drinking from the same greasy and battered goblet of bands as disparate as …
Veteran Art Rocker Vanessa Briscoe-Hay of Pylon on Honoring Music Legacy Through Reenactment
Any well-versed music fan is aware of the unmistakable impact the Athens, GA art rock scene has had—not only on rock music, but on culture as a whole. Bands like The B-52’s and R.E.M. sprung out of the small college town in central Georgia in the late-1970s and early ’80s. Another incredible band established during the earliest days of the …
Jax Music Hour Playlist | August 17
Last week on the Jax Music Hour (Saturdays at 8PM on WJCT News 89.9 FM) we showcased a mix of shows coming through Jacksonville, including jazz songstress Samara Joy and veteran irreverent rock outfit Jane’s Addiction. On the local side of things, we spun a mix of songs with rich and contemplative lyrics, including “Scorpio Ascendant” from NBC’s The Voice …
Song of the Day | “Metropolis” by Kit Sebastian
From their forthcoming and fittingly-titled full length, New Internationale, the London-formed duo of Kit Sebastian – K. Martin and Merve Erdem – have shared “Metropolis,” a delightful and sonically-nomadic single that fuses elements of Turkish psych, Brazilian Tropicalia, French pop and American jazz. Recommended If You Like: Altin Gün, Françoise Hardy, Los Bitchos Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Pop/Yacht Rock Train w/ Yacht Rock Revue – Thursday, August 22 Daily’s Place | Downtown Jacksonville Pop-rock icons Train …
Song of the Day | “Alesis” by Mk.gee
Though the new full length from Mk.gee (pronounced Mick Gee with a hard “g”) has blown up in the U.K., the New Jersey-born, LA-based singer and guitarist’s music is just starting to penetrate the U.S. market. Yet, he can already count an impressive roster of all-stars among the growing list of arrivistes, including Tyler, The Creator, Justin Vernon (AKA Bon …
The Neighborhood Playlist | August 10
Neighbors and Groovers! Hope you are doing well and you enjoyed the tunes this past Saturday. If you missed out, no shame. I’ve got you covered. On this walk, I played three new tunes that are sure to end your summer perfectly and start your fall season in order. The wordsmith and crooner Phonte released his new EP Pacific Time …
R.A.P. Music Tour Highlights Riverside’s Rich Musical Heritage with Multi-Venue Festival Featuring Local Artists
Nearly two-dozen local artists will perform on or in several non-traditional venues — think homes, yards, parks and businesses — near Riverside’s WIllowbranch Park for the inaugural Riverside Avondale Preservation Music Tour on October 12, 2024. The Music Tour is spearheaded by Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP), the nonprofit neighborhood organization of the historic, Downtown-Jax-adjacent district. RAP designed the festival-like happening …
Song of the Day | “No Problems” by Ginger Root
A multi-instrumentalist and noted polymath, Cameron Lew (AKA Ginger Root) makes polished, DIY synth-pop, fused with alt-disco, boogie, soul and (as evidenced on the new single “No Problems”) Japanese city pop. Tapping into Ram-era Paul McCartney, with endearing and bright chord progressions and an orchestra of ambient synths, Kew builds a lively atmosphere on “No Problems,” waxing self-consciously about a …
Jacksonville Rockers Carmen Grab Onto Radio-Ready Hard Rock on New Single, “Tear My Arms Off”
With “Tear My Arms Off,” local band Carmen grab onto radio-ready hard rock and, over the course of the song’s four minutes, don’t let go. The song is the first single from Carmen’s forthcoming new EP, Oh Well. The band—vocalist Chad Villarroel, guitarist Grant Nielsen, bassist David Johns and drummer Jack Ringca—features some well-known players in the Jacksonville indie scene. …
7 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
311, Blue Jay anniversary, Bold City Circuit and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Folk Songwriters Night – Thursday, August 15 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach Local singer-songwriter Andy Zipf hosts …
Song of the Day | “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All” by Father John Misty
Less than 15-years into his solo career, the loquacious, often cynical bard, Father John Misty, has certainly released enough music to warrant a greatest-hits album. Taken from the just-announced new collection of “hits,” the single, “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All,” is a loungy, verbose, nearly nine-minute ditty befitting an artist who has never seemed at a …
Jacksonville Indie-Pop Singer Caitlin Mahoney Feels Free on New Single
There’s clear Adele influence in the warm, inviting delivery of Beaches-based indie pop singer-songwriter Caitlin Mahoney’s lyrics. The Jacksonville artist’s new single, “Feelin’ Free,” sounds more like if Adele allowed herself to just let loose and have a little fun. Bright synth tones and a poppy beat set the stage for this earwormy single, followed up by a healthy mix …
Jax Singer-Songwriter Chris Rudasill’s Solo Effort is Full of Deep, Ruminative Melancholy
Taken from Blood on Blood, the debut EP from local singer-songwriter Chris Rudasill, “Carver’s Gap” is a worthy and rolling ballad that sounds submerged in a deep pool of ruminative melancholy. That’s not to say there isn’t hope at play. Over parallel finger-picked acoustic guitars, Rudasill sings lyrics sketching out some bucolic, ethereal place “Where the wind and snow calls …
Song of the Day | “Aftertaste” by Katie Gavin
Songwriter Katie Gavin broke big in 2022 as a member of MUNA. The indie-pop trio’s joyous post-major-label, self-titled release landed the band in exalted territory, on stage with Taylor Swift and boygenius. With “Aftertaste,” Gavin has shared a preview of her debut solo effort, What A Relief. The acoustic-forward love song stands on a solid foundation of ‘90s-pop-radio production, a …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
UB40, Hawthorne Heights, Tori Nance, Yesterday's Clothes and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Yacht Rock Christopher Cross – Wednesday, August 7 Florida Theatre | Downtown Jacksonville Soft-rock legend Christopher Cross – whose …
Haley Heynderickx Chooses Hope on “Seed of a Seed,” Her First New Single Since 2018
Portland, Oregon, singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx shared her first new song in more than six years this week, the serene “Seed of a Seed,” heralding a return that has been much anticipated since the 2018 release of her acclaimed full-length debut, I Need to Start a Garden, via Mama Bird Recording Co. “Seed of a Seed” centers Heynderickx’s purposeful vocals and …
Jax Music Hour | July 27
Last week on the Jax Music Hour (Saturdays at 8PM on WJCT News 89.9 FM), we kicked off the hour with Faye Webster, who’ll be at the Florida Theatre on September 9. Later on, we heard from some truly summer-y touring acts, including SOJA and 311. But it was the local artists who made this hour of tunes truly great, …
The Neighborhood Playlist | July 27
Neighbors! We are at the end of July and it’s been a sizzling month. I’m looking forward to the cool breeze and light sweaters, but I’ll enjoy the remaining days of summer. Hope you’re enjoying the downtime and are getting prepared for football and autumn leaves (do we get that in Florida?!) Below is the playlist of songs that were …
Song of the Day | “Super Breath” by Karen O and Danger Mouse
One of the truly iconic frontpeople of the Meet Me in the Bathroom era, Karen O has returned with new music, swapping out her Yeah Yeah Yeah compatriots for super-producer Danger Mouse (Black Keys, Beck, A$AP Rocky, Jemini) for their first collaborative single since 2019’s critically acclaimed Lux Prima. A compelling, minor key, eerie-R&B ditty about unrequited love, “Super Breath” …
‘Exile in Americana,’ the Latest from Duval Musician Roy Peak is a Raucous Response to a Nineties Indie-Rock Classic
You might not know his name, but if you’re a performer or fan of the Northeast Florida music scene, you’ve heard the sound or felt the presence of Roy Peak. A decades-long participant in whatever alt-music scene that Jacksonville has had, Peak is a bassist and song-songwriter, as well as an in-demand sound engineer-producer (doing live sound for musicians including …
Jax Bands Souvineer & Light the Moon Long for Belonging on “Blank Page”
A pair of interconnected Jacksonville acts bring their creative bond to bear on “Blank Page,” the new track from folk-rock outfit Souvineer and indie-pop project Light the Moon. Since its inception in winter 2020 and the 2021 release of their debut Snowglobe EP, Souvineer has grown from singer-songwriter Alissa Leonard’s (formerly of Isabella Parole and Manatella) side project into a …
Song of the Day | “Kiki, You Complete Me” by Los Bitchos
Los Bitchos certainly march to the tune of their own drummer (that’s Nic Crawshaw, if you’re wondering). That tune often carries a tinge of cumbia but not always. London-based. Internationally assembled. Los Bitchos is a super group of seriously shredding players (Serra Petale on guitar, Agustina Ruiz on synths, Swede Josefine Jonsson on bass), fusing turkish and surf rock with …
Song of the Day | “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Icons of Americana and modern keepers of the folk tradition, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings have shared “Empty Trainload of Sky,” a single from the forthcoming full-length, Woodland, the latest entry in the duo’s two-and-a-half-decade-spanning career. Recorded in Welch and Rawlings’ own Woodland Sounds Studio in Nashville, “Empty Trainload of Sky” features the duo’s trademark tight-and-somber vocal harmonies, lyrics evoking …
Flipturn, St. Paul & the Broken Bones Highlight this Year’s Two-Day Florida Fest in Jacksonville Beach
Now in its fourth year, the locally-produced Florida Fin Fest returns to Jacksonville Beach to offer a two-day lineup of eclectic indie-leaning music with an honorable intent to raise awareness for ocean conservation. Presented beaches-based apparel-lifestyle company, Natural Life, the festival includes partnerships with likeminded businesses and organizations to offer a family friendly event that includes an educational village, speaker …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Dylan LeBlanc, Chief Keef, Switchfoot, Slightly Stoopid and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every week. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Want our concert picks delivered to your inbox every Tuesday? Sign up of the JME Live newsletter and never miss a show. Indie/Folk Dylan LeBlanc – Tuesday, July 30 Intuition Ale Works | Downtown Jacksonville Louisiana-bred alt/indie singer-songwriter and guitarist Dylan …
UK Shoegazers Slowdive to Kick Off New Fall Tour at St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Shoegaze titans Slowdive will tour North America this fall in support of their latest album everything is alive, with a stop at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre among just 10 Stateside headlining dates. After early-November sets at Mexico City’s Hipnosis Festival and Austin’s Levitation Festival, the band will play a pair of Mexico shows before crossing back into the States for …