What does it mean for music to be “live” anymore? In an era of backing tracks, digital corrections, and performances polished to a frictionless gleam, the term has lost some of its meaning. It often signifies little more than the physical presence of a performer on a stage. But then, an album like Udeigwe’s "Live in Williamsburg" appears, and it serves as a powerful reminder...

San Francisco’s queer honky-tonk institution Country Risqué returns to announce their forthcoming sophomore album "As the Crow Flies", leading the charge with an irresistibly bouncy single called "Motorcycle Johnny". https://open.spotify.com/track/09mrnJCwv6Rf3ZNjlEazVv?si=b3b7ec5d8e08487a There is a strange, captivating alchemy to this band. The vocal friction alone is brilliant: Miles Gordon provides a rich, formally trained warmth, while Daniel Bromfield leans hard into a languid, almost defiant deadpan. Supported by...