HiddenTracks

The decade-long journey of Southern California recording artist Presence (a.k.a.
Jonathon Martinez) began as a therapeutic exercise to help an anxious, insular 12-year-old discover their true sense of self. Martinez’s aspirations for both confession and catharsis evoke his roots as a rap fan in Camarillo, California.
Starting at the age of 14, Martinez snuck his first “Presence Raps” video onto the internet, freestyling over “Ten Toes” by BubbaGotBeatz which got him grounded when his parentsfound out. Not long after, Presence went truly viral for the first time with a remix of XXXTentacion’s “Jocelyn Flores,” the success of which placed him at a crossroads, where he had to decide whether his music was a lark or a true artistic pursuit. Now, after building his fanbase as a true DIY auteur with two dozen singles, over 100 million streams, and delivering a TEDTalk titled “The Power of Authenticity and the Internet,” the difference between Jonathon Martinez and Presence lies in a newfound confidence to open his artistic process to collaboration. The story told on his new body of work resonates on a truly personal level, claiming a bold future for Presence.

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Graham Ereaux, who makes music under the alias, Devarrow, is a Canadian musician and producer celebrated for his songs reflecting on small-town joys, personal introspection, environmental and social concerns, and(on this new album)the unique love affair with his converted school bus turned music studio. Despite his seemingly bustling life in rural coastal Canada as a carpenter, surfer, and nature lover, his latest album, Heart Shaped Rock, defies any notion of musical complacency. Opening with the lines, “Every morning I just wake up and I just wash my face. Go downstairs and make some breakfast, coffee and some bacon and eggs,” there cord offers a refreshing take on life's simple pleasures, injecting vitality into a folk genre that can often lean towards melancholy. Devarrow's music is a heartfelt ode to rural life, drawing inspiration from his activities, interests and shared communal moments. Rooted in a deep appreciation for simplicity, he finds solace in stepping away from technology, relishing the quiet moments with morning coffee by his wood stove, and expressing his thoughts on a vintage typewriter. This record is a poignant exploration of the beauty found in life's simple pleasures, influenced by the wisdom of literary works such as "The Unsettling of America" and "The Encyclopedia of Country Living." Through Heart Shaped Rock, Devarrow enthusiastically embraces the mission to revitalize the folk genre, acknowledging his own troubled relationship with it. It is a captivating journey through love, loss, and self-discovery. The title track epitomizes the album's core theme, finding beauty in life's simplicity. Throughout the album, three songs feature toe-tapping whistling, while others incorporate tambourine, shaker, and an upbeat tempo, creating an atmosphere that feels light and airy amid the prevailing tones of folk music. Underneath its friendly and accessible folk-pop facade, Heart Shaped Rock retains moments of profound introspection. Personal stories unfold, from the poignant "Pictures" to the metaphorical love affair with solitude in “Bus Baby.” The album navigates emotions, from the abstract lyricism of “Falling Into Pieces” to the social commentary of “Help Me,” addressing climate and social collapse. At the core of Devarrow's music lies vulnerable lyrics, offering an unfiltered yet relatable glimpse into the life of a millennial navigating meaning in small-town Canada. Rather than shying away from the depth of folk music, Devarrow navigates it with respect and a desire to bring new perspective to the genre, along with a hope that we all somehow, get to a place where we collectively care less about things that don’t actually matter, while somehow caring more about things that do.

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From oblivion to chaos; ride the change. For DIVIDED HEAVEN singer-songwriter Jeff Berman, much has changed since the release of 2022's Oblivion: a relocation from Hollywood, California to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, two new children, a new career in the music industry that isn't touring 6 months out of the year, dare-we-say... normalcy. When the road-warrior Jeff Berman parked the tour van in favor of established residence, the change brought a fresh perspective to Berman, his songwriting and his approach to art. This change in songwriting trades tropes of unity, decency and politeness for the vitriolic, the dirty, and the politically fierce; as clearly exemplified in the provocative new single "Living Funeral". "Living Funeral" wastes no time introducing itself with palm-muted guitars as the song chugs along with force putting Jamie Woolford's amazing production on display. It's quite the departure from the tranquil approach on Oblivion and using rock and roll as the vehicle to get its message out feels very intentional.

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Ben Hughes wrote and recorded a solo record back in 2013 and didn't want to release it under his own name. So, he called the project NIGHT WINDOWS to pay homage to one of his all-time favorite bands, The Weakerthans. This did two very important things: (1) allowed him the freedom to be a band or a solo artist, or both at the same time (2) gave him a unique name to release music under - there are a surprising amount of people with the same name, and it feels like half of them are active musicians. Ben brings us on a journey through his life surrounded by music, its healing powers and destruction. 

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Having formed less than a year ago, Boston’s Massive Nightmares is already on their way to making waves in the independent music scene. On September 6th, 2024, the band will released their debut EP, recorded with Trevor Reilly of A Wilhelm Scream fame. The result is a self-released five track EP that serves as an amazing introduction to the band. An appetizer, if you will.

Formed by members of bands like No Trigger, Great Lakes USA, Save Ends, and David New Joy, Massive Nightmares comes from amazing stock. The music delivers a definite power pop and alternative meets 2000s melodic punk vibe. Think Lemonheads and The Menzingers meet Gaslight Anthem and The Bronx.

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When guitarist/vocalist Kevin Day was seeking a quieter songwriting vehicle from the fuzzed-out pop-punk of his band Aspiga, he started Graduation Speech.

The New Jersey-based musician called on friends to add different instruments on 2021’s Maintenance Required EP, which found Graduation Speech's sound being fleshed-out and veering away from the singer-songwriter hushness of the earlier material. 

Graduation Speech is Kevin Day along with guitarist Billy Bollinger (Crucial Dudes), bassist Brandon Iacometta (Crucial Dudes), and drummer Pat Pie. 

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New Jersey has a solid reputation for raising successful singer-songwriters, with Sam Krajkowski aka Sammy Kay as another proof. Ten years after his debut album Fourth Street Singers and five years after his most recent full-length civil/WAR, he goes back to basics with a new LP called July 1960. It concerns ten stripped down punk-folk songs with imaginative storytelling about the finer details of life (as the musician explains: “This is me navigating being in my mid-thirties, chasing some kinda hope, and trying to get my thoughts off my chest while understanding who I am”), with a sparse instrumentation of pianos, pedal steel guitars and strings, and always those amazing gravelly vocals. Impressive and irresistible.

July 1960, produced, engineered and mixed by James Duckworth, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Sell the Heart Records (US) and Engineer Records (UK). Featuring Sammy Kay (vocals, acoustic guitar), John Calvin Abney (pedal steel, electric guitar, piano, mellotron, harmonica), Cory Tramontelli (upright bass) and Collin Thompson (trombone).

PS  Sammy Kay has much more to offer; earlier this year he released a nice debut EP with his new ska project The Kilograms, which also includes Joe Gittleman (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones), Mike McDermott (The Bouncing Souls) and J Duckworth (Newport Secret Six).

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Hailing from New Jersey, meyerman delivers hard charging pop with power. "The brainchild of guitarist and vocalist Theo Meyer, meyerman raises the ante on the quality of modern powerpop to spring out of New Jersey. Along with his bandmates, Jeff Preischel on bass and vocals, Rob Sadowski on lead guitar and vocals, and Danny Diaz on drums, these guys prove you don't need facial hair, tattoos, or ironic T-shirts in order to rawk." Relying on the tried and true method of encasing a sweet center with crunchy power chords,meyerman cook up all kinds of ear candy. One of the themes explored on the record is music and the music business itself, underscoring the commitment these guys have to their craft - music is truly in their blood. Meyer's vocals are modestly scratchy with a nasal delivery, making the band sound like The Thornbirds or even Enuff Z'Nuff at times.

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Once in a while, you find a band that just does everything right. Western Massachusetts band THE GLAD MACHINEhas all the right elements, the big hooks, big guitars and the reliable rhythms that make it a joy to discover. The band is helmed by vocalist Brad Thayer with Neal Robinson (Bass), Greg Saulmon (guitar) and Mike Franklin (drums) Tommy Pluta (2nd guitar/vocals). The list of influences is a who’s who of power pop; Cheap Trick, The Posies, Jellyfish, and Superdrag.

It's been a long time since The Glad Machine's self titled album, but thankfully the quartet from Northampton Massachussets have lost none of their chops. Indeed, there's even more variety on "Hey". The group sound and blend as well as ever and the diversions are interesting and beautifully played.

Brad Thayer is still well in Robin Zander territory and the band's default is somewhere between Cheap Trick and Sloan, but the subtleties are more evident on "Hey." Eight songs, eight big choruses, wonderfully produced, "Hey" is an album of songs that rock out, but also two slower affairs that show a very different side of The Glad Machine. The best part is that we have even newer music to look forward to from THE GLAD MACHINE!!!

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Music has been a part of Alexandra's life ever since she started playing violin as a four-year-old in Toronto. As a teenager she was already an old soul; falling for the power of greats like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. You can sense these influences in the heart wrenching arc of her voice as it haunts the spaces between analog soundscapes. In live performances her brother joins her onstage playing the french horn. Alexandra's cinematic, invitational narrative melodies creep under your skin- whispering lyrics that are endlessly relatable.

Alexandra's work is a reflective act; she wrote the songs on Luna after the sudden death of her mother. Her musical narratives explore caves of loss and grief with rare openness. But Alexandra's music is full of lightness too- with tracks like Every Winter allowing room for us to fall in love and somehow laugh at life. When not writing she finds joy in the little things- walking in High Park, taking baths, reading mystery novels and eating candy. In this way, she is well versed in the joys and trials of life. Her music brings something rare and powerful to the table: wisdom.

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