The sensorial world here is disorienting, spiraling, cyclical. Drums clash in time with a riffing guitar, striking like the second hand of a clock. It breaks down and rebuilds itself repeatedly, balancing chaos and calm on a knife’s edge.

Lunar Vacation (Photo: Nancy Gutierrez) WREK 91.1 honored its long-held tradition of showcasing a diverse range of musicians that—as their slogan would suggest, you don’t hear on the radio. In their annual WREKTACULAR Music Festival, a student-led event, a thoughtful curation of up-and-coming bands from all over the country came together to put on an unbelievable show of eclectic sound, this year at Variety Playhouse. With 8-highly acclaimed bands, including Atlanta’s own Lun

After quite a tumultuous pre-release period, Atlanta musician Parker Wierling and director Rubnogs have managed to work things out and deliver the “Blur of Love” music video to the world today. “Blur of Love” is the first single from Wierling’s upcoming debut album. It’s a surprisingly danceable tune whose bass and guitar riffs are hidden amongst the reeds of an unsuspecting acoustic melody. The single is a balanced and easy listen, giving us a taste of the nostalgic alternat

Microwave in Atlanta (Photo: Sam Kapoor) This September will mark 10 years since the southern-fried rock band from Atlanta released their sound defining sophomore album Much Love. Songs like "Lighterless" and "Dull" are what set Microwave apart as one of the hottest bands representing Atlanta's sound and they proved that to still be the case by selling out the biggest room at The Masquerade (Heaven) this past weekend and they plan to do it there again in a month. (Photo: Sam

It’s a fun process to guess and try to geolocate bands based on what they sound like. Don’t attempt this with Recess Party. This Must Be will have you dead wrong about where and what this band comes from in the best way. Fortunately, the UGA alumni (Go Dawgs) and Atlanta band are closer than you think. That’s right. You don't have to drive to Ohio or Indiana to witness the best parts of that sound with an undeniable southern intensity. Recess Party (Photo: Rayna Sklar) This

Featuring Zoe Bayani, Wieuca, Sword II, Stay Here, Improvement Movement, Silly Goose and more

Penelope Road is back with an EP full of heart and pocket. The Atlanta feel-good band has reached a sense of virality with their videos performing in their bedrooms. It’s no surprise that they will be opening for Atlanta soul phenom Teddy Swims on December 11th. The dedication and process to this work yields inevitable successes. It’s an antithesis to their work’s title, Chance Encounter. Inside are four songs diligently devoted to the longing of love that hasn’t happened yet

Time is a funny thing. Maggie Schneider and Alex Downtain watered the musical seeds planted before the pandemic into a strong tree. They occasionally picked the fruit over time, knowing what the Atlanta pop rock duo had to offer. Over the last couple of years, it seems the tree was left to bear the fruit of every facet of their talents. The Art Of Shattering is a culmination of that photosynthetic growth packed into an undeniable first LP. Maggie Schneider shot by Hanna Midd

Atlanta rap-rocker outfit Silly Goose isn’t asking for much. They only want the heavyweight title with their LP Keys to the City. The irreverent riff and rhyme masters check in with an intensity that I haven’t seen since Don Broco played Warped in 2018. With the dynamic vocal pushes from frontman Jackson Heaton, it’s a well-rounded compilation of what this band is capable of.

Be warned, the spit coming off of the songs on I’m Nice Now is liable to hit you through the mesh of whatever sound system you happen to be listening on. Fervent as ever, Upchuck’s latest, caustically named effort is another dose of well-deserved fury from Atlanta’s favorite punk band. Track one, “Tired,” opens the can of worms on what the record is about: how the world seems to be falling apart at the hands of oppression and inequality everywhere you look, the relentlessnes

Night two of 'Covered in Blood' on Halloween presented by Nobody's Booking and Speakeasy Promotion featured: Drugula as Black Sabbath; Zoe Bayani as Hole; Doud as Stone Temple Pilots; Posture Clinic as No Doubt; and Made Up as The Replacements.

Atlanta local staple Jake Chisenhall has been applying his signature around for over a decade now, but their latest offering aims to bring an entire ecosystem of genres together. Be Steel, My Heart is an aptly titled EP full of wonder and nuance. The fluidity of Jake’s melodic narratives provides more than an extended play. It’s an extended world. Those familiar with Chisenhall know that the songwriting takes all kinds of whimsical turns and is filled with vibrant colors from

There are a lot of flavors on Catcher, the sophomore album from Jacksonville-born, Atlanta-based musician Siichaq. Following up 2024’s My Dog Ate My Patriotism, Catcher sees singer-songwriter Kennie Mason embarking on a balanced exploration through the depths of her own mind and the full range of indie tastiness, from languid balladry to sleek pop to abrasive noise. Siichaq is pulling back the reins from her debut, which made shreds of the American political landscape and th

Elijah Johnston’s latest album, “Stupid Soul”, sees the Atlanta singer-songwriter inhabiting some of his most commercially agreeable moments. While this makes for a little less memorable of an experience than his other projects, he injects just enough dissonance to keep us hooked.

Review: Improvement Movement's polyrhythmic sounds benefit from being forced into the tight format that is their new ep, My Team.

It’s always a good day to enjoy the classics like hot dogs, screened in porches, and country-fried mathcore band, The Callous Daoboys. Sure, your neighbors may be a little confused. As if the cracked drums, napalm guitar riffs, and pop breaks weren’t enough; The Atlanta-based sextuplet takes a deeper stab into the taboo and avant-garde imagery with their new album titled “I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven." The LP begins with an introductory message from The Museum of Failure

Lunar Vacation masters the art of organic collaboration in their sophomore album, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire. The album title, which also serves as the thesis for the work, is succinctly captured in just nine tracks.