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Some songs tell a story. A rare few tell it the way a great short story does — through small, precise details that quietly break your heart. " The Smile of Rachael Ray " by David Mead is one of the rare few. The song follows a man stranded at an airport on Christmas Eve, watching Rachael Ray's face smile from a magazine cover — the embodiment of a life of domestic bliss that feels impossibly out of reach. It's a Christmas song unlike any other. Not celebratory, not nostalgic in a cozy way — but searingly honest about what the season feels like when things are falling apart. One critic (Ordinary Times) compared it to a short story by Raymond Carver — not because Mead was borrowing, but because he was channeling the same instinct: telling a largely unspoken narrative through striking, carefully chosen details of everyday life. That's an extraordinary compliment. And it's earned. NPR called it "the weariest holiday song this side of 'I'll...

 

 

Jacob Alon's In Limerence is a hauntingly intimate debut that establishes them as a striking new presence in contemporary folk.  In Limerence is a debut that feels quietly monumental. Its delicate arrangements cradle raw emotional confrontations, offering a poetic yet unfiltered glimpse into longing, identity, and memory.  While not every track pushes sonic boundaries, the motional cohesion and maturity Jacob Alon demonstrates already signal a distinct and compelling voice in contemporary folk. If you're drawn to artists like Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley or Sufjan Stevens, this album will resonate deeply - especially on standout tracks like "Confession", "Don't Fall Asleep", "Fairy in a Bottle" and "Liquid Gold 25." My personal favorite is "Of Amber." A confident, vulnerable, and quietly powerful debut. With Alon's storytelling and haunting vocals, In Limerence is an album that truly lingers.

Pulp's 'More': The Return Following a 24-year break, Britpop icons Pulp return with their eighth studio album, More , set for release on June 6, 2025, via Rough Trade Records. It marks their first full-length studio project since We Love Life in 2001. The album was recorded over the course of three weeks in late 2024 at Orbb Studio in Walthamstow, London, with James Ford handling production.   The Creative Process Pulp’s 2023 reunion tour rekindled their creative energy, with the spark first catching fire during soundchecks where they began working on a new track, “Hymn of the North.” This moment marked the beginning of a highly productive songwriting phase that continued throughout 2024. Interestingly, despite Jarvis Cocker’s use of AI in the video for the lead single “Spike Island,” the album itself was created entirely without the aid of artificial intelligence. Album and Track Details More comprises 11 tracks: ​ Spike Island Tina Grown Ups Slow Jam Farm...

Bandmates Taylor Locke and Ned Brower took the time to talk about a special chapter in the history of Rooney : the "lost" second album, Kids After Sunset ! I reached out to both of them separately and asked if they could answer a few questions - check it out below. Over the past 20 years, aplenty songs from this album surfaced online and were shared through blogs, fans, and social media. These were mostly demos or low-quality recordings, but in 2024, a seemingly final version of the album appeared on the internet! Kids After Sunset - cover art concept PPS:   Around 2004, Rooney recorded a significant number of songs for their intended second album,  Kids After Sunset - at least twenty-five tracks, as far as I know. The plan was for most of these songs to be included on the album. However, it is said that the record label rejected nearly all of them, claiming they didn’t like any of the tracks, and instructed the band to start from scratch with a completely new album. I...

Here's Riverbank ! One of my favourite songs from Pelle Carlberg - now upscaled in HD:

The self-titled debut album by Rooney , which was quite successful, was released in 2003. In 2004, the band recorded demos for at least twenty-five new songs. The plan was for most of these to appear on their second album, Kids After Sunset . However, the record label rejected nearly all of them. They didn’t like any of the tracks and essentially instructed the band to create a completely new album. Only four of the songs made it onto the official second album, Calling the World , which was released in 2007 (with three more as bonus tracks). The songs can be found on Youtube: Rooney - Kids After Sunset (Lost Album) Other songs from this session can be found here: Rooney - Kids After Sunset (Lost Album - Demos) A complete list the songs from these sessions are (as far as I know): Ain't Gonna Cut It Are You Through With Me (later released on "Calling The World") Don't Come Around Again (later released on "Calling The World") Enough's Enough G...