Off the Record Press

Aug 21 Written By Brooke Shapiro Westside Cowboy. Photo by Clementine Schneidermann via Pitch Perfect PR. Halfway through Westside Cowboy’s performance of “Kick Stones (The Boys)” on Later… with Jools Holland, the band makes its ethos clear, their unadulterated mirth on full display as they jam together with hearts on sleeves.

Aug 19 Written By McKenzie Blasi Balu Brigada mastered the art of making emotional turbulence sound completely effortless. On “Bed Head,” the New Zealand-bred, Brooklyn-based duo double down on their signature self-described “groove-pop,” delivering a track that feels like stepping out into the crisp morning sun while your mind is still spinning from the night before.

Aug 19 Written By Emily Cheyne After much teasing of a return, Fontaines D.C. has released a new single, along with the announcement of their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber. Set to release October 16 of this year, their first sneak peak “Marianne” is a cinematic ballad that keeps you begging for more. The opening eerie, chiming melody feels like the depths of a Depeche Mode song. Followed with a soft but prominent drum beat, it paves the way for the vocals of Grian Chattan.

Aug 19 Written By Kate Kotlyar Los Angeles, California - August 13, 2026 An excited and welcoming audience is what every musician wants. And lucky for Tig3r Lewis, the crowd at the Moroccan Lounge on Thursday night was giddy and ready to shout along to his sold-out EP release show. Tig3r released his debut EP, Mr. Right Now, on August 14 at midnight, and the celebrations started the night before at the Moroccan Lounge for an EP release show.

Aug 18 Written By 35mmrock Washington, D.C. - August 15th, 2026 Just a few blocks from D.C.’s U-Street metro stop, fans gathered at the Black Cat for a psychedelic and groovy night of music from Argo and the Violet Queens. Upon entering the venue, the audience was thrown back in time. The floors were a 1950s black-and-white checkered pattern, and jazz music hummed in the air, creating a buzz of excitement. The Black Cat is a significant and historical part of D.C. culture.

Aug 17 Written By Cassidy LaPointe Few artists have mastered confessional songwriting quite as well as Phoebe Bridgers. The alt-rock titan’s sophomore album, Punisher, is widely regarded as one of the founding sad-girl texts for its melancholic instrumentals and sharp ability to capture the ugliest parts of humanity; those aspects persist in Lost Weekend, but it’s immediately clear that Bridgers’ third album is an expansion both sonically and lyrically.

Aug 16 Written By Emily Chen Los Angeles, California - August 9, 2026 When people make art, it’s clear whether they are creating from a place of fame-chasing or from passion, expression, and pure love for the game. Against an audience’s free will, a great artist makes you feel something. One thing is clear: EJEAN is in it for the love of the game.

Aug 15 Written By Madelyn Aiken Fresh off a summer tour with Racing Mount Pleasant, isobel is proving to be a wiry voice cutting through the arguably oversaturated noise of indie pop in 2026. Her sound, entirely self-produced alongside her frequent collaborator Kole Laviolette (kidlucky), seamlessly stitches the mature instrumentation of Fiona Apple with the layered experimentation of Björk into a modernized version.

Aug 14 Written By Sullivan Jordan There was nothing but excitement in the cold, misty air at Golden Gate Park on Sunday, August 9, for the third and final day of Outside Lands. Crowds filtered in from the various park entrances and navigated toward their preferred stage for the day’s openers. The barricades at Lands End were already filling up with fans eager to catch Rüfüs Du Sol up close as they were set to close out the festival later that evening.

Aug 14 Written By Allie Van Meerten Chicago, Illinois — August 13, 2026 On another dreary day of rain in Chicago, Big Thief brought a night of sweet relief as they hit the Salt Shed’s stage. Following the release of their latest album Double Infinity, the indie folk-rock band began their Somersault Slide 360 tour last September. Following earlier runs in North America and Europe, they are now in their second North American leg of the tour.