The Ritualists  Take Flight with New Album Too Pure to Cure   Led by the soaring focus track, “King of Air,” the gothic art-rockers embrace dreams, defiance, and dramatic melodies The Ritualists - "King of Air" YouTube (video): https://youtu.be/6HvyZj1txtY?si=VrAZbveHcyXeYH_a “I keep having this dream where I’ve figured out how to fly—some kind of breathing method. I spend all this time trying to teach everyone, but no one believes me. I end up just floating alone,” says Christian Dryden, frontman and songwriter of NYC’s gothic art-rockers The Ritualists, about “King of Air,” the hypnotic centerpiece of their new album Too Pure to Cure, out today via Suite484Music. “I think the dream relates to a desire for recognition, while also feeling very misunderstood. Maybe it’s about wanting to be heard without slipping into narcissism.” “King of Air” reflects The Ritualists’ heightened artistry on Too Pure to Cure, their most ambitious and cohesive album to date. Recorded at Clive Davis Studios in Brooklyn and co-produced by GRAMMY®-winner Mario J McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails), the album is steeped in lush textures, soaring melodies, and emotional excavation. “We’re all really excited for this release,” Dryden exclaims. “Every album is a learning experience. Working with Mario really pushed me to simplify the groove pocket and embrace melodic elements I might’ve overlooked. That opened a lot of creative doors for us.” While earlier releases were more solitary in conception, Too Pure to Cure is a true band record—built on the growing chemistry between members and a more collaborative spirit. “This album, more than our previous ones, was a reaction to the interplay within the band,” says Dryden. “I was writing parts with everyone’s individual styles in mind. It was a shift in mindset—and a lot more fun.” The Ritualists Photo credit: RP  Songs like previous single “The Wake”—a shimmering ode to ‘80s dark fantasy and New Romantic pop—showcase that range. Written initially as a vocal melody in the shower, it evolved into a cinematic track with synth-laced atmospheres and an infectiously melodic bassline inspired by John Taylor of Duran Duran. “At first the guys weren’t sure about the pop direction of the song, but Jeffrey [Andrew, keyboards] really leaned in, layering these incredible synth arpeggios. Eric [Kuby, drums] grounded it all with this tight, disciplined groove.” Elsewhere, the emotionally loaded “Every Thread” plays with contrasts: “Ultra mellow verse meets bombastic chorus,” says Dryden. The track’s outro introduces an entirely new melody—an homage to the songwriting playbook of tracks like “Hey Jude.” Another standout, “The Plastic Crusade,” channels social media-fueled outrage into a fiery, riff-driven release, while “Sweet Despair” emerged only after countless rewrites—its evolution echoing the emotional complexity embedded in its title. Lyrically, Too Pure to Cure threads together love longing, digital alienation, and existential dread. “There’s this endless, empty feeling that comes from aimless scrolling at 3am, looking for something that doesn’t exist,” says Dryden. “That kind of emotional void ties back to this ancient terror—realizing just how insignificant we are in the grand scheme. The album plays with that—alongside simpler themes like infatuation, envy, and hypocrisy.” The record’s title encapsulates its ethos: a defiant embrace of authenticity. “It’s not a protest. It’s more of a shoulder shrug. Like, yeah, this is it. This is who I am. If the feeling is pure, there’s nothing that can ‘cure’ it,” says Dryden. Too Pure to Cure  Tracklist:  (Album artwork: hi-res) Side A:  "The Wake" "You Know Better" "King of Air" "1,000 Tears" "Too Pure to Cure" Side B:  "Every Little Thread" "Sweet Despair" "Eroticallyl Erratic" "The Plastic Crusade" "Play the Sparrow" The Ritualists have cemented themselves as a cornerstone of NYC’s East Village underground ​rock and g​lam scene​, alongside subculture peers like Michael T and the Vanities, The Cynz, and The Sic F*cks, to name a few. ​Embracing the vocal prowess of UK powerhouses David Bowie, Simon Le Bon, Bryan Ferry, and Marc Bolan, Dryden found his musical tribe in the city’s Lower East Side venues and clubs​ with like-minded artists.  The Ritualists are Christian Dryden (vocals, bass); Jeffrey Andrew (keyboards); David Andreana (guitars); and Eric Kuby(drums). Their new album, Too Pure to Cure is available now via Suite484Music. The Ritualists - "The Wake" DSP: https://orcd.co/bqjx3qo YouTube (audio/video): https://youtu.be/9-zgmoXBx-s?si=SVjFu77aA0lzAhMh The Ritualists - "You Know Better" The Ritualists - "The Plastic Crusade"

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Ashley Monroe - The Touch (feat. Marty Stuart) [Official Visualizer]

Ashley Monroe Returns with a Celebration of Life, Love and Resilience on New Album Tennessee Lightning Out August 8 17-Song Collection Features Special Guests T Bone Burnett, Marty Stuart, Brittney Spencer, Karen Fairchild and More Smoldering New Single “The Touch” (feat. Marty Stuart) Out Now (Album Art) Ashley Monroe announced her sixth studio album Tennessee Lightning will be released August 8. Recorded in the wake of Monroe’s transformative bout with cancer, the 17-song collection documents her remarkable journey as a celebration of life, love and the healing power of music. Along with the announcement, the 3x GRAMMY nominee shares her new single “The Touch” (feat. Marty Stuart), a smoldering love song complete with a dreamy guitar riff from Stuart on guitar and Shelby Lynne on bass. In the spirit of true collaboration, Tennessee Lightning also includes contributions from special guests T Bone Burnett, Brittney Spencer, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson, Butch Walker, Karen Fairchild and Armand Hutton. “‘The Touch’ is the first song I ever wrote with the incredible Marty Stuart,” says Monroe. “It was storming so loud that day, and we could feel the electricity just hanging in the air. He played that guitar lick, and my heart melted. I’ve always been a fan of timeless love songs. So honored to have Marty write this one with me and play on it! I’m also so proud to have Shelby Lynne on bass! What a band!” Stuart added, “‘The Touch’ is a majestic song. When Ashley and I were recording the words and music onto our cell phones moments after we'd finished writing it, the Nashville sky filled with thunder. The windows in the room where the song came to life rattled like bones. We laughed and took that as a sign that God liked the song. Lightning in a bottle if you will. I didn't think any performance of the song could get any better than our inspired working version. Ashley's formal recording, however, takes the song up into the clouds and commands time to stand still. The harmonies are glorious. ‘The Touch’ is four minutes and fifty-one seconds of pure magic. The kind of song we long for.” Co-produced by Monroe with GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Gena Johnson (John Prine, Jason Isbell), Tennessee Lightning is a sprawling epic spanning from the innocence of childhood and the grief of loss to the thrill of romance and the joy of motherhood. Teaming up once again with Johnson, the pair weaved together strands of country, folk, blues, soul and dreamy bedroom pop. The result is a rich, multifaceted meditation on identity, purpose, and meaning from an artist who’s learned to see herself — and the world around her — in a whole new light following a life-altering diagnosis. “When I got diagnosed with lymphoma and started my treatment, I stopped writing, I stopped hearing melodies, I stopped thinking about songs at all,” Monroe recalls. For six months, she focused almost exclusively on her recovery and her family as she underwent a grueling regimen of injections and transfusions. “When I finally went into remission, I could feel the life and the music start flowing in my veins again,” she explains. “It was like a flood, just this rush of inspiration.” Along with that inspiration came a newfound clarity and gratitude, as well as a vision for this new album. “I feel like I’ve emerged from these last few years with a pretty profound perspective shift. I’ve learned to be more in the moment, to appreciate what’s right in front of me and enjoy every second I get to spend doing what I love with the people I care about.” In the end, that’s what Tennessee Lightning is all about: transcendence in the face of struggle, community in the face of isolation, love in the face of fear. “The Touch” follows the release of three album tracks including the ethereal “There You Are,” the revved-up “Hot Rod Pipe Dream” and the shimmering “Risen Road.” Monroe’s recent work has been lauded by American Songwriter, CMT, Stereogum and People Magazine, who interviewed her about this musical “fresh start.” Tennessee Lightning follows Monroe’s 2021 album Rosegold, which received widespread acclaim from the Nashville Scene, No Depression, Vulture, Paste Magazine, Garden & Gun, Stereogum and many more.  On July 25, Monroe will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her GRAMMY-nominated 2015 album The Blade with a one-night-only show at Nashville’s The Basement East, where she will perform the record in its entirety. For tickets and more information, visit ashleymonroe.com. Tennessee Lightning: 1. I’m Gonna Run (feat. T Bone Burnett) (Ashley Monroe, Sally Barris) 2. Risen Road (Ashley Monroe, Brendan Benson, Waylon Payne) 3. Closer (Ashley Monroe, Ashley Ray, Ben West) 4. The Touch (feat. Marty Stuart) (Ashley Monroe, Marty Stuart) 5. Magnolia (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson) 6. My Favorite Movie (Ashley Monroe, Vince Gill) 7. Hot Rod Pipe Dream (Ashley Monroe, Brendan Benson) 8. Amen Love (Ashley Monroe, Ashley Ray, Summer Overstreet) 9. Moth (Ashley Monroe, Carter Faith, Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander) 10. Bitter Swisher Sweet (feat. Brittney Spencer) (Ashley Monroe, Emily Landis, Logan Wall) 11. You and Me (Jay Robinson) 12. Recover (feat. Karen Fairchild) (Ashley Monroe, Karen Fairchild, Ashley Ray, Andrew Petroff) 13. There You Are (Jessi Alexander, Margaret Findley, Sally Barris) 14. Blown Away (feat. Brendan Benson) (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty) 15. That’s No Way To Say Goodbye (Leonard Cohen) 16. Moon Child (Ashley Monroe, Andrew Petroff, Meg McRee, Tenille Townes) 17. Jesus Hold My Hand (feat. Armand Hutton) (Albert Brumley) Ashley Monroe: Website - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter Credit: Erika Rock

 

TRACY BONHAM Refuses to Be Your “JUMPING BEAN” NEW SINGLE & MUSIC VIDEO (And Mini Doc) From upcoming album  SKY TOO WIDE Out June 6th   Announces Album Release Show w/ Fred Armisen Tracy Bonham "Jumping Bean" ‘JUMPING BEAN’ is about the inner strength and belief in oneself needed so that we can stand up to anyone who tries to limit, diminish or categorize us,” says indie rock maven TRACY BONHAM about her new single. “This is written from a woman's perspective but can be applied to anyone who feels marginalized.” Taken from her upcoming album SKY TOO WIDE which will be self-released on June 6, 2025 via A Woody Hollow, “Jumping Bean” is a reimagining of a guitar track that she released in 2000 off of her album Down Here.  This struggle against patriarchal thinking is nothing new, of course, but for Tracy, she felt it firsthand in the music business. “This was a growing awareness I had, as my world expanded from being a young woman treated as a subordinate and dealing with sexist bosses, to sitting in boardrooms and business dinners with 'powerful' men in the music business who thought nothing of telling me what to wear, how to pose, and how to step out of the way,” she describes. While it may have the same lyrics, it is now coming from a place of liberation rather than a feeling of helplessness... Releasing the spunky energy from the original, the 2025 version of the song trades in the vigorous abandon for a much more confident and deliberate control, displaying a healthy dose of female agency and power. The accompanying video which was premiered by Rock And Roll Globe [will hyperlink article] was filmed with the Eugene Ballet, featuring choreography from the acclaimed choreographer Suzaane Haag. “This live performance exemplifies what it is to dissent as a female artist working in a traditionally misogynist art form; classical ballet,” Tracy says. “For a big part of it, Suzaane used literal choreography from some of the oldest, most classic ballets (La Bayadère, Paquita, Swan Lake, and Giselle). Mini Doc: “Jumping Bean Collaboration - Tracy Bonham and Suzanne Haag” Link/Embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBM6GarNmO0 Tracy's embrace of ballet reflects the artistic path she is currently blazing. While primarily known for her initial indie rock entrance into the mainstream, she has evolved her music by embracing the classical structure she was trained in, as well as adding in elements of jazz rhythms. Part of this transformation is due to her current band, Rene Hart on bass and Alvester Garnett on drums, both of whom are experienced and respected jazz musicians. “I had been playing ‘Jumping Bean’ solo - just guitar and vocals - with a PJ Harvey-esque bluesy vibe for many years,” she explains. “When my rhythm section joined me, they added a rhythmic element that transformed the choruses into a rock-blues anthem that is incredibly unique and powerful.”  Coupling the release of Sky Too Wide with a record release show at New York City’s Joe’s Pub on June 10th, Tracy will be joined by a good friend who just happens to be comedian, actor and musician, Fred Armisen. “Fred and I met 23 years ago when U2 came over the Manhattan Bridge on the bed of a flatbed truck to ultimately play on a stage set up in Fulton Park in DUMBO. Fred came up to me and the first thing he said was ‘you’re great,’” Tracy recounts. “It was 2002 so I had to wait until I got home to look him up on the computer… Since then Fred has always been gracious and kind and he helped me make a video for a crowdfunding campaign back in 2017… All he needed was the main idea and he took it from there. It was impossible not to laugh when filming with Fred.“ Tracy's breakthrough debut album The Burdens of Being Upright (1996, Island Records) spawned the massive #1 alternative chart-topping single "Mother Mother."  A classically trained violinist and pianist, and twice GRAMMY™ nominated, Tracy spent the following 27 years evolving as an artist through her albums and live performances. That debut album catapulted Tracy into the spotlight with MTV fame, major radio play, and more, continuing relevancy until even recently, when “Mother Mother” was featured in Showtime’s Yellow Jackets (Season 1 Episode 2). Tracy continues to meld her 90’s songs with her outlook as a self-actualized person and artist today, and her wide breadth of work continues to resonate. TRACY BONHAM Photo credit: Shervin Lainez