With “Island Lantern Festival”, Tony Frissore manages to soundtrack a specific kind of mental vacation I didn’t realize I was overdue for taking. Ostensibly an instrumental nod to the Lunar New Year and the hopefulness of renewal, this piece operates less like a celebration and more like a gentle exhalation. https://open.spotify.com/album/3n43BcxSnavYKC0wt28GNu?si=E_50eQ_lQomyHT1RsD2Jrg It starts wet with the actual crash of ocean waves before slowly drifting inland. I...

So, Brendan McKinney and the 99 Brown Dogs drop "Fashion Magazine" into the world, and honestly, the title itself throws you for a loop before a single note plays. Expecting glitter? Nope. This thing lands with the satisfying thud of a well-made boot hitting packed earth. It’s got that signature tight, chewy groove they’re known for – a compelling shuffle somewhere between Americana grit...