In August, Jacksonville singer-songwriter rickoLus will embark on a tour of the Sunshine State with Orlando indie-rock band The Pauses. rickoLus is the longtime project of the multi-talented Richard Colado, who, beginning with the power-pop band The Julius Airwave in the early-aughts, has been an integral member of the Northeast Florida music scene for two decades now. For the upcoming …
Best Concerts in Jacksonville | Jul. 31-Aug. 6
Jazz, punk and everything in between
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning and are always available on jaxmusic.org. For the comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Jazz Blue Jay Jazz Jam – Tuesday, August 1 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach Every Tuesday, fun-sized Jax Beach venue Blue Jay Listening Room hosts a rotating cast of standout players …
New Music Friday | The best releases out on July 28
A year after releasing his last album — and becoming a dad for the first time — Post Malone is back with AUSTIN, a sprawling collection of intimate songs on addiction, afflictions and contradictions. On this week’s show, Atlanta-based culture journalist Gavin Godfrey, critic and reporter Cyrena Touros and writer LaTesha Harris, along with host Robin Hilton, look at the …
The Kids Are Alright in Weirdly Fun Comp of 20th-Century French School House Rock
The recently released compilation from French label Born Bad Records is a kind of object lesson in true musical innocence, primitivism and an innately non-pretentious DIY that adds up to one of the more unique releases barreling across the Jacksonville Music Experience radar. Recorded from 1962-1982, the compilation Prends Le Temps D’Ecouter – Musique d’expression libre dans les classes Freinet …
Stephen Steinbrink Shakes Free of Meaning on “Poured Back in the Stream”
In August, veteran Bay Area singer-songwriter and producer Stephen Steinbrink returns with his first new album in five years, and our latest preview of Disappearing Coin (Aug. 18, Western Vinyl) has arrived in the form of the zenned-out “Poured Back in the Stream.” In press materials, Steinbrink says that Disappearing Coin “feels like an integration of all of my past …
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor has Died at 56
Updated July 26, 2023 at 4:33 PM ET Sinéad O’Connor, the Irish singer known for her intense and beautiful voice, her political convictions and the personal tumult that overtook her later years, has died, according to a family statement released to the BBC. She was 56 years old. O’Connor’s recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U” was one of the biggest …
Dub Master Pachyman Brings His Vocals to the Front of the Mix on “Trago Coqueto”
As Pachyman, L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist Pachy García has proven himself a master of dub, the musical style first popularized in late-’60s Jamaica by King Tubby and the late, unimpeachably great Lee “Scratch” Perry. Like his dub daddies and forefathers, Pachyman has made the studio console his lead instrument, bending and transmogrifying recorded audio to his whims to create mesmerizing and enjoyably-chill-AF …
On ‘Peace Loving People,’ Pardoner Takes Aim at Late-Stage Capitalism with Slacker-Rock Gusto
San Francisco’s Pardoner unpacks late-capitalism with nostalgic slacker rock pleasantries on their latest, the sarcastically-named full-length album Peace Loving People (out now on Bar/None Records). Throughout the record, the quartet’s punk tendencies glitter lightly through a newfound tenderness. The group’s blasé sound changes as quick as an Internet trend, bursting into heavy bits of breakdowns and then snapping back into …
Should Artists Pay to Play? Upcoming Festival Employs Controversial Model For Booking Local Talent
The First Coast Music Festival is held on Saturday, July 29 at Underbelly and 1904 Music Hall in Downtown Jacksonville. The event will feature a lineup of 32 local artists and is being promoted as a showcase of the region’s “best independent artists” competing for a “cash prize.” The model the festival has employed to secure this lineup of local, …
Trumpet was Too Loud, Clarinet was Too soft — Here’s ‘The Story of the Saxophone’
Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome met at a “Purple Rain” party when they were 19 — sophomores at Pratt Institute. “I asked her to dance, and we’ve been dancing together ever since,” says James Ransome. Cline-Ransome was in the fashion department. Ransome was an illustration student. They began dating. “I think we knew we were a match because he would …
The Latest from Duval Rockers Ducats Stays Faithful to Their Lo-Fidelity Psych Sensibilities
The latest from Duval rockers Ducats takes the continuous-release, narcoticized-guitar maneuvering of peak My Bloody Valentine and halcyon days Teenage Fanclub well into the 21st century. “Painless” is stylized but hardly flatlined or constrained by any rockist demands. Wobbly guitar shimmers over, under and around vocals unintelligible to the point of any distinguishable words — and that is a compliment. …
Jason Aldean’s ‘Small Town’ is Part of a Long Legacy with a Very Dark Side
Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” which ignited controversy this week over claims that the song and its new video promote white supremacy and violence, is far from the first country song to attack cities using racist dog whistles. “Try That” is most clearly a descendant of Hank Williams Jr.’s “A Country Boy Can Survive” (1982), which claims, …
Best Concerts in Jacksonville | Jul. 24-30
John Fogerty, Goo Goo Dolls, Ulysses Owens Jr.'s Jazz Jam and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning and are always available on jaxmusic.org. For the comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Metal/Parody Steel Panther – Wednesday, July 26 Underbelly | Downtown Jacksonville Comedic glam band Steel Panther brings its hair-metal schtick to Underbelly on Wednesday. More Pop/Rock Goo Goo Dolls & O.A.R. – Thursday, …
On ‘Sunburn,’ Multi-Talented Florida-Bred Superstar Dominic Fike Shines Bright
Over the last few years, Naples-native Dominic Fike has found himself in rarified air: A bonafide, Florida-bred superstar. Perhaps more widely recognized for his role as Elliot on the HBO original Euphoria, before Fike was acting, he was making music here in the Sunshine State. In July, Fike released his third full-length album, Sunburn. Over the course of the record’s 15 …
Kate Teague Harbors a Broken Heart on New Single “I Feel Bad for My Dog”
Memphis, Tennessee, singer-songwriter Kate Teague has a new EP due out in under a month, and in the lead up to Loose Screw (Aug. 11, self-released), she shared its second single this week, the lovesick slow burn “I Feel Bad for My Dog.” Building from nothing but moody keys and Teague’s emotive vocal, the song finds the singer not only …
New Music Friday | The best releases out on July 21
NewJeans has only been putting out music for about a year, but is already taking a serious run at K-pop domination, partly by subverting the genre’s conventions. On the group’s second EP, Get Up, the songs do lean heavily into cute, sugary sweet dance pop, but leave the edges a bit more ragged with a warmer, more genuine sound. On …
Atmosphere Choose “Still Life” in New Video, Detail Tour De Friends
Atmosphere shared their umpteenth album in May’s So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, and this week, the Minneapolis indie hip-hop veterans followed their latest LP with a music video for standout track “Still Life,” plus a new set of November tour dates. Rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and producer Ant (Anthony Davis) collaborate with East London vocalist Murkage Dave on the …
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 …
Lincolnville Porch Fest, Record Fair and Night Market Added to Sing Out Loud Programming
Sing Out Loud, St. Augustine’s month-long music festival, has added three more free events to its 2023 programming: Lincolnville Porch Fest (September 16), the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Night Market (September 19) and the St. Augustine Record Fair (September 24). True to form, the folks behind SOL have packed the month of September with tons of music. Programming for SOL 2023 …
On “The Key to My Door,” Singer-Songwriter Tori Nance Proves She’s the Local Queen of the Breakup Song
The latest from Northeast Florida singer-songwriter Tori Nance aligns with her self-professed title of “the Queen of Breakup Songs.” Leaning into an indie-adult-album-alternative sound, “The Key to My Door” is an acrimonious anthem that is a minor-key delight for codependency and flat-out lovelorn listeners. Over the course of the song’s three and a half minutes, Nance doesn’t roll too far …
Best Concerts in Jacksonville | Jul. 17-23
Yellowcard, Young the Giant, Michael Franti & Spearhead and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning and are always available on jaxmusic.org. For the comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Rock Buckcherry – Tuesday, July 18 Underbelly | Downtown Jacksonville Hard-rock outfit Buckcherry, who had a handful of alt-rock-radio hits in the ‘90s, including “Lit Up,” play Underbelly on Tuesday. More Indie/Folk/Punk Emily …
The Latest from Guitarist Dominic Miller Maintains the Quality Control of Mercurial Label ECM Records
ECM Records remains an object lesson in autonomy, tenacity and true independence. Co-founded by bassist-producer Manfred Eicher in 1969 to highlight the then-under-looked European jazz scene, ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) has gone onto release more than 1700 albums. The now-80-year-old Eicher has overseen every release, and the label’s cover designs are as consistent as Eicher’s ethereal-meets-high-fidelity production approach. To name …
50 years ago, Teenagers Partied in the Bronx — and Gave Rise to Hip-Hop
When Jerry Leader was growing up, he made himself a toy set of DJ equipment. Two empty cereal boxes were the turntables. For the records, he cut circles out of cardboard. The needle, a plastic spoon. He would sing to himself, “mixing” the tracks. Leader grew up in an 18-story apartment building in the Bronx, New York City, during the …
Yo La Tengo Added to Sing Out Loud Lineup
Update: This show has been postponed. Yo La Tengo provided the following message to Sing Out Loud. “Hi everybody – it pains us to write this message (in Georgia’s case, literally), but we have no choice except to postpone our September dates until early 2024. A knee that’s been bothering Georgia for years has gotten bad enough that she’s going …
Bobby Kid Singer and Guitarist Anna Lester Shares the Highs and Lows of Writing her Song “Seeds”
Welcome to Jacksonville Music Experience’s Songwriting School, where we talk to local songwriters about how they wrote one specific song. Jacksonville-based songwriter Anna Lester has been recording and performing music since 2017 under the name Bobby Kid, an indie rock band she started with her husband, drummer Brian Lester. In March, Bobby Kid released their second album, Babyface. This long-awaited …
On “Agradecido,” Emerging Duval Indie-Pop Artist Huan Pens a Sincere Song in Spanish
Huan, the Jacksonville-based purveyor of dreamy indie-pop has released his latest single, “Agradecido,” an open thank-you note to his mother, and his first single in Spanish. “This is my love letter to her while leaving a digital footprint at the same time,” Huan said about the song in an email. “Her name and voice deserve to live forever. I didn’t …
Playlist | Best New Music of July
Featuring a few dozen new tunes from local, regional, national and international artists, our Fresh Squeeze playlist includes the best new music emanating from Northeast Florida and beyond. Handpicked by our team of contributors, there are no rules or genre restrictions; just songs we thought were worth a share. Our latest Fresh Squeeze includes new music from wholly original acts Blonde …
Rahill’s ‘Flowers at Your Feet’ is a Sunny, Experimental-Pop Trip
You may already be familiar with the work of multi-disciplinary artist Rahill Jamalifard, a founding member of Brooklyn garage-rock faves Habibi. That familiarity, however, won’t likely prime you for the enjoyably avant-garde pop on Rahill’s debut solo LP, Flowers at Your Feet. Through the development of Habibi’s music to her solo debut, the 2022 EP Sun Songs, Rahill has displayed …
Best Concerts in Jacksonville | Jul. 10-16
TIna & Her Pony, Duane Betts, Dierks Bentley, K. Michelle and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning and are always available on jaxmusic.org. For the comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Pop/Rock Louis Tomlinson – Tuesday, July 11 The Amp | St. Augustine Former One Direction member, the UK pop-star Louis Tomlinson performs on Tuesday at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. More Indie Rock Harbour …
New Music Friday: The best releases out on July 7
Electro-pop singer Aluna Francis first made her name as one-half of the hit-making duo Aluna George. Now, her second album as just Aluna, MYCELiUM, finds her working with the worldwide artistic community she’s built in the last few years. With an emphasis on queer and/or Black artists from many different countries, she’s built a powerful statement about claiming your power …
For the Jacksonville Music Scene, Little Alley Shows Offer Intimacy and Discovery
Proprietor Emily Moody is already a key figure in local music history, in her own right–not as a performer, but as a facilitator. “Jacksonville has a long history of great music,“ she says. ”It has always been a mission of mine to highlight and celebrate music created right in our city.” She’s done just that, for almost every notable local …
Duane Betts Finds Serenity and Soul in His ‘Wild & Precious Life’
When Duane Betts and his band Palmetto Motel hit the stage at Downtown Jacksonville’s Intuition Ale Works on Sunday, July 16, they’ll be performing mere miles from where the Allman Brothers Band formed more than fifty years ago. As the son of founding ABB member Dickey Betts, the now-45-year-old Duane was born within a direct lineage of that elder band’s …
Meridian Brothers | Tiny Desk Concert
You gotta love a band that names itself after siblings that don’t exist, and under a name that doesn’t match anyone in the band. At least I do. I’ve been a fan of the edgy sonic traditions of the Meridian Brothers for a while now, and jumped at the chance to bring the duo’s space age cumbia direct from Bogotá, …
Juvenile | Tiny Desk Concert
NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we’ve never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk’s unique way of showcasing that talent. “WTF …
Killer Mike at the Top of the Mountain
“I’ve never really had a religious experience, in a religious place,” the Atlanta rapper Killer Mike says to begin the title track of his 2012 album, R.A.P. Music. “Closest I’ve ever come to seeing or feeling God is listening to rap music. Rap music is my religion.” The intent in his voice doesn’t read as blasphemy. It’s more a confession: …
Flying Lotus, Ty Segall, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Beach Fossils and More to Play Austin’s Levitation Festival
Levitation music festival organizers unveiled the first wave of a mind-melting lineup earlier this week, ahead of the event formerly known as Austin Psych Fest returning to the Lone Star State capitol on Halloween weekend, Oct. 26-29. “Eclectic” is one of few words rangy enough to wrap its arms around Levitation: The four-day festival’s 2023 iteration will feature headliners Unwound, …