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 …
EARTHGANG’s ‘Ghetto Gods’ looks for divinity in Atlanta’s dichotomies
“Got a $20 bill? Get your hands up / You survived last year? Get your hands up.” This lyric, from EARTHGANG’s new sophomore album Ghetto Gods, is conceivably how the Atlanta hip-hop duo can hype up crowds on its upcoming tour. But it also highlights a central theme of the new record: how committed EARTHGANG is to representing and celebrating …
‘Jagged’ is a Long-Overdue Look at Alanis Morissette’s Groundbreaking Opus
You oughta know more about ‘Jagged Little Pill’
A few years ago, while perusing the CD selection at the Goodwill store near my house (yes, I still buy CDs; they are usually $1 at thrift stores and my car is old enough that it still has the capability of playing them), I was intrigued to find a copy of Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette’s mega-selling 1995 album. The …
Mark Lanegan, Screaming Trees singer and voracious collaborator, dies at 57
Mark Lanegan, the versatile rock musician and Screaming Trees singer, died Tuesday of unspecified causes at his home in Killarney, Ireland. His death was announced in Facebook post from Lanegan’s official account: “A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician, he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time. We ask: Please …
Local Spotlight | 3 Northeast Florida songwriters you need to hear right now
New tunes from CS Hickey, DL is Ok and Pineapple Peace
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 songs by local singer-songwriters that we think you’ll really dig. Let’s dive in. “Youth Crescendo” by Pineapple Peace “How do you fall in love?” sings Jax singer-songwriter Lauren Chase on …
Just Announced | The War on Drugs to play St. Augustine Amphitheatre in October
Rock torchbearers The War on Drugs will make a stop in Northeast Florida this fall
Throwback American rock band The War on Drugs have announced new dates in support of their latest full-length, 2021’s critically acclaimed I Don’t Live Here Anymore, including a stop in Northeast Florida at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in October. Led by singer-guitarist Adam Grunduciel, The War on Drugs emerged from the late-aughts red-hot Philadelphia indie-rock scene, performing synth- and guitar-forward …
Jax’s Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks Join Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones to Rework a Crowd Favorite
Even in a band mired in both cultivated and imprinted mystery, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin is one of its more inscrutable, un-trackable members. Jimmy Page lives a life of inviolable privacy, which is hardly surprising. Although Page advanced guitar exploration and music production by light years, he’s routinely click-baited as a Satanic hedonist. While gentler around the edges …
Is Music Getting Old?
Old music squares off with new music in Jacksonville
The music industry has been on shaky ground of late. From a pandemic-initiated halt to touring and logjams at vinyl record pressing plants, to a push for more equitable revenue models from streaming services (and artists pulling their music from Spotify) to private equity’s new interest in the songbooks of legacy artists, the entire premise of music as business is …
Black Voices in American Music: The Playlist
Black voices created some of the first truly American music – the sorrow songs and spirituals of people in bondage, singing of freedom and hope. Along the winding road of American history, Black artists have leaned into the power of music as an expression of progress and protest, joy and pain, courage and conviction. This playlist, and the stories behind …
New Mix | Soulful bliss and downtempo grooves in the Electro Lounge
A new mix of tunes from Karminsky Experience Inc., Marvin Gaye, Curtis Harding, Hil St Soul, JAFFA and more
Looking for an escape? The Electro Lounge has your Departure ticket –– a new mix of ultra-chill tunes. Featured on this week’s playlist: New Age UK duo Karminsky Experience Inc., Marvin Gaye, Curtis Harding, UK singer Hil St Soul, James Bright, electronic duo Blank & Jones with mezzo-soprano Rachel Lloyd, JAFFA and more. We’ll keep things interesting with cuts from …
Go | The best concerts in Jax this week
Lucinda Williams, Tank and the Bangas and a big, free indie music fest in Downtown Jacksonville
The Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series continues with Tank and the Bangas (and more) and, finally, Winterland IV is here. The free, locally founded two-day music festival will kick off in Downtown Jacksonville on Saturday and Sunday, for two days of family friendly, big-time indie energy. The JME team will be there. Here’s a list of everything else the JME contributors …
Fresh Rotation | 3 songs you need to hear right now
New tunes from Chicago's Dehd, Austin's Carson McHone and obscure garage-psych from the UK
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 …
Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series honors the African American Heritage of the Oldest City
America's oldest art form takes center stage
St. Augustine is presenting a series of fundraising concerts that honor and celebrate the cultural heritage of the city while also carrying on the musical traditions of jazz and blues: genres that are commonly accepted as uniquely American art forms. Over the course of two weekends, from Feb. 18-26, the Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series features five performances, including …
Game was her middle name: The world was never ready for Betty Davis
One of my favorite recordings of Betty Davis isn’t a song. In the summer of 1974, the funk singer/songwriter appeared on Al Gee’s Rap N’ Rhythm, a nationally syndicated interview program that was regularly pressed to vinyl and sent to radio stations by the U.S. Army Reserve. Betty had just turned 30 and was about to start her first tour …
Hip Hop, Hooray | Downtown Jax’s JWJ Hip Hop Festival celebrates a distinctive culture and a true American art form
“Hip Hop”, as we know it today, was officially born in the Bronx, NYC, in September of 1973. As we approach the 50-year anniversary of the world’s most dominant cultural asset, the influence of hip-hop has spread into virtually every aspect of American life. That is just as true right here in Northeast Florida, which has nurtured its own dense …
Go | The best concerts in Jax this week
Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series kicks off in St. Johns County
The much-anticipated Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series kicks off this Friday. From the 18-piece swing of the Count Basie Orchestra on Friday, the powerful roots music of Amythyst Kiah on Saturday, to Downtown Jax’s celebration of hip-hop on Sunday, here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The …
Fresh Rotation | 3 new songs we really like
Lucy Dacus, Evan J Cartwright and Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton
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 …
Ian McDonald, founding member of King Crimson and Foreigner, has died
The English multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald died Wednesday at age 75. He was a founding member of prog-rock titans King Crimson and the hugely popular Foreigner. His son Maxwell announced his death on social media, saying that his father had been battling cancer. McDonald first came to renown as an original member of King Crimson, which was founded in January 1969. …
Betty Davis, funk pioneer and fashion icon, dies at 77
The incandescent, influential funk musician Betty Davis, who made a string of albums in the mid-1970s that helped to shape stylish, Afrofuturist strains of funk and hip-hop, died on Wednesday in Homestead, Penn., where she had lived since childhood, according to a statement from her record label. Danielle Maggio, a friend of Davis and a producer of Betty Davis: They …
Sound & Vision | Jax visual artist Sheila Goloborotko shares the music that fuels her practice
Jax multimedia artist shares a playlist of Brazilian pop, Argentinian rock and Billie Eilish
Sound & Vision is a semi-regular feature that examines how music influences Northeast Florida artists. Accompanying playlists for each Sound & Vision feature can be found on JME’s spotify channel. Creativity, activism, community and a surrender to the Other converge in the work of Sheila Goloborotko. The Brazilian visual artist and educator makes multimedia pieces that she describes, in part, “as a …
I thought Encanto’s songs were forgettable. So I went back to see what I was missing
Back in November, I hosted an episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour about the Disney movie Encanto, which I found to be visually lovely and charming but ultimately somewhat minor. Worse, in what would prove to be an absolutely massive time-release self-burn, I declared the songs to be “forgettable” and groaned about the ubiquity of Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose contributions had …
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 …
San Francisco’s Hunx and his Punx Added to Winterland IV Lineup
The indie supergroup steps in for La Luz after singer-guitarist Shana Cleveland's breast cancer diagnosis
San Francisco indie-rock supergroup Hunx and his Punx has been added to the lineup of Winterland IV, the locally founded music festival taking place on February 26 and 27 at Riverfront Plaza in Downtown Jacksonville. The announcement comes after indie rock group La Luz revealed that singer and guitarist Shana Cleveland was diagnosed with breast cancer, and cancelled their winter/spring …
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 …
10 Jacksonville Artists to Watch in 2022
These Northeast Florida artists are poised for a breakthrough
So, The Beatles are the most talked-about band in the world. Vinyl records are the most popular way to consume music. People are talking about Limp Bizkit. Taylor Swift’s Red, originally released in 2012, sits near the top of the charts. Kanye, Drake, J Cole, Adele and Tyler, The Creator have new music out. Oh, and Bob Dylan may have …
Go | The can’t miss concerts of the week in Jax
Citizen Cope, rickoLus and Angel Garcia, Symphony in 60 and the first stop of the JME Showcase Series.
There’s lots of great live music on this week’s concert calendar. From enduring songwriter Citizen Cope at the Florida Theatre to the Jacksonville Music Experience’s showcase of local talent at Blue Jay Listening Room, here’s a list of what JME contributors want to see and hear in and around Jacksonville this week. NOTE: The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors …
Local Spotlight | Listen to 3 new tracks from Jax artists out now
Fresh new tunes from locals John Aloszka, LRK Chronicle feat. Mr. Al Pete and BeBe Deluxe
We’re always keeping our ear to the ground in order to put the spotlight on the beautiful noise emerging from Northeast Florida and reverberating across the globe. This week, Jacksonville Music Experience contributors share three great new tracks by local artists out right now. Let’s dive in. “Simple As That” by LRK Chronicle (feat. Mr. Al Pete) With laid-back flow …
Ultra Music Festival Returns to Miami in March
The world will again descend on Miami for the premier electronic music festival
Miami’s Ultra Music Festival is back after a two-year hiatus. And the lineup looks about what one would expect from an event that bills itself as the “world’s premier electronic music festival.” This year’s Ultra line-up reads like a veritable who’s who of EDM artists. The world’s number-one DJ (according to DJ Mag’s 2021 Top 100 DJs Poll) David Guetta, …
Intuition Ale Works to host Soccer Mommy, Reverend Horton Heat, Luna Luna and more
The winter/spring live-music calendar is filling up at Intuition Ale Works
Among Jacksonville’s many topnotch venues, Intuition Ale Works’ winter/spring concert calendar might offer the most exciting indie-focussed lineup of all. Notable acts visiting the Bier Hall inside Intuition’s downtown taproom include Nashville singer-songwriter Sophia Regina Allison’s project Soccer Mommy, the godfather of modern psychobilly Reverend Horton Heat and Latinx indie pop quartet Luna Luna. In recent weeks, GRAMMY-nominated all-female string …
Listen | A warm mix of Electro Lounge chill
A new mix of ultra-chill cuts from Frou Frou, Bonobo, Nicola Conte, Sia, Curtis Harding, Club Des Belugas and more.
With a chill in the air, the Electro Lounge is the place to stay warm. Culled from the current rotation on Electro Lounge Radio (89.9 HD4), our latest playlist offers ultra-chill cuts from British electronic-duo Frou Frou, multi-instrumentalist Bonobo, Italian producer Nicola Conte, Australian avant-garde pop artist Sia, slop ‘n’ soul songwriter Curtis Harding and Nu jazz lounge act Club …
Crosby, Stills, Nash follow Young in removing music from Spotify
CSNY reunites in spat with popular streaming platform
David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash have joined on-and-off collaborator Neil Young in removing their music from Spotify over the music streaming giant’s refusal to remove podcast host Joe Rogan’s program from the platform. The comedian and actor, whose podcast is one of Spotify’s most popular, has been criticized for spreading coronavirus misinformation. Young made headlines when he issued …
Just Announced | Jax River Jams returns to Downtown Jacksonville
Spin Doctors, Boys II Men, Carly Pearce and Manchester Orchestra
After a successful first year, the month-long, multi-genre series of free shows, Jax River Jams, will return to Downtown Jacksonville’s Riverfront Plaza in April, with another bananas list of headliners including ’90s pop-rockers Spin Doctors, iconic vocal group Boyz II Men, country star Carly Pearce and Atlanta indie-rock darlings Manchester Orchestra. The announcement from the City of Jacksonville, Downtown Vision …
Want to play your own Tiny Desk concert? Enter the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest
The Tiny Desk Contest – NPR Music’s annual nationwide search for the next great undiscovered artist to play a Tiny Desk concert – is back for its eighth year. We’ll begin accepting entries next Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. ET. We’re thrilled to announce our panel of judges – the folks who will be selecting the 2022 Contest winner. …
On ‘Pompeii,’ Cate Le Bon makes meaning from the opulent and absurd
The literary term anti-mimesis describes when life imitates art, instead of the other way around. When critics use the term anti-mimesis these days, they are usually talking about work — be it literature, fine art or music — that gives off a nonsensical vibe — you know, it’s free associative, too weird to actually happen. Donald Barthleme, patron saint of …
Listen | February’s Fresh Squeeze features the best new music
Cate Le Bon, Aldous Harding, Madi Diaz, Robert Glasper and tons of new local tunes
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 …
Just Announced | JME Showcase Series puts the spotlight on Jacksonville artists
WJCT Public Media and the Jacksonville Music Experience are putting the spotlight on the artists making noise in Northeast Florida, presenting three unique nights of music at three different venues around Jacksonville. Since we launched JME in the summer of 2021, our team of local contributors has been cranking out content, including curated playlists, reviews, profiles, industry news, think-pieces, concert …