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

“THERE'S A BOMB IN MY CAR." Had these words been uttered by anyone other than Cameron Winter, there would likely be room for alarm, but the Geese frontman is well known for screeching deafening lyrics like these. In Getting Killed, Geese delivers absurdly enchanting lyrics and bombastic instrumentation with sincerity. It is a record measured in its zaniness and uncompromising in its need to be genuine and singular.

Force , the debut EP from Melissa Chilson aka Melissuh, is a prism carefully etched and inscribed with somber poems we’re invited to trace with our fingers as we rotate it in our hands. And in a remarkable 17-minute runtime she manages to use it as a refracting device for absolute loss, the borders of identity, and the sense that these things can be transcended. The total effect is something ghostly and innocently hopeful, like a conversation with an inner child. Because of

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

Belong , the newest album by Los Angeles’ Jay Som, is an ever-moving body, tinged in nostalgia and decorated with hard edges. It finds the songwriter behind the project, Melina Duterte, turning over concepts like acceptance, rejection, and the ever-elusive search for sureness in one’s identity and work in her hands, folding them in with everything from touching ballads to edgy pop-punk. This record marks Jay Som’s first record since 2019’s Anak Ko , but Duterte has stayed pl

Nashville-based indie rock outfit, Connor Kelly & the Time Warp released their third studio album, “This Egg,” back in March in a graceful and delicate fashion. What feels like a jam band experience is reconstructed with extremely catchy hooks, and powerful one-liners. It’s full of soul, from the rhythm section to the hickory-smoked vocals of Connor Kelly. The title track is either an exquisitely expressed retrospective on our own youth, or an extremely depressing song about

This expansion upon the band’s previous work has brought them into a space that is all at once familiar and adventurous. It was quite easy to worry how they would continue to adjust to their view and create greater art, but Wednesday did just that with Bleeds.

Sandwiched in between classic country conventions and hints of something truly special, Flat Tired’s debut album Better Part of the Year weaves loss, emotional growth and no small amount of heartbreak together into a package that occasionally feels like a sun-bleached 8-track tape. In comparison to 2024’s Other States EP, Better Part of the Year sees the band taking a few more risks and fleshing out textures they’ve previously found a decent degree of comfort within. Many cor

Athens-based indie artist Bea Porges’ new EP, The Cure, The Cause, The Killer , takes a break from the jazzier textures of her 2023 EP space & time , offering instead bittersweet moments of contemplation and reflection mixed up into sweet indie-pop morsels. The EP prioritizes introspection over elaborate stylization, but that’s not to say the songs are any less well crafted. There’s a distinct breeziness running through the whole thing, carrying the feelings of longing, loss

In their new EP, Bad Times, Stay Here uses a dose of real life cynicism to push their sound deeper and more demanding in its intention

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

It seems like yesterday that we were all witness to the timelessness of Atlanta rock band Honeyknife. At the same time, the music feels like it’s been here forever. Vocalist and songwriter Luke Latimer has graced us with his prolific performances of hits and originals for years. However, in late 2023, the pent-up energy that Luke had stored within a hard drive somewhere began making its way to grungy drums, fuzzy and beaten guitar, and straight gas pedal rhythms. The band has

It’s time to wake up. Shed yourself from the comforts of your own bad habits and take the first harsh breath of real air. But know that once you do, there is no checkpoint to return to. No save point in this atmosphere to try again. ATL metal band BACKTOEARTH asks the million-dollar question: Would you like to continue without saving? BACKTOEARTH has emerged from a well-kept secret in the local scene to a fully-fledged arm of tenacity. Their sophomore LP, “CONTINUE WITHOUT

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.

Aestrea pushes the dreamy foundations that she is known for further with her debut ep, "Cold Eyes."

Is it hardcore? Is it pop rock? Is it metal? Who cares? Turnstile vocalist Brendan Yates puts more emphasis on community than instrumentation with their new record, “NEVER ENOUGH”. The LP is a beautifully mixed goody bag of synthy sweetness, salty and simple guitar riffs, and sour drums. Turnstile has pushed the bar again, stretching their signature hardcore sound with more of the ambience and atmosphere of their previous record, “GLOW ON”. Photograph by Kyle Myles While most

Atlanta native Atticus Roness is no stranger to the grind. A fervent and feverish drive to self-sustain through the subgenre of power-pop has guided Roness to relative successes most locals dream of. Fresh off of his endeavors with the pop rock sibling duo The Corduroy Blue, “Power Pop World Domination” is a tongue-in-cheek dispatch of fleeting thoughts, existentialism, and overall songwriting prowess. Direct in his messaging, he leaves no stones unturned in this retrospectiv

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

There’s no countdown to detonation when you press play on “Plastic,” the newest single from Atlanta’s own punk dynamo, Upchuck. A pair of drum hits ushers in distorted guitar before lead singer KT joins in, starting in on a blistering dissent against the inauthenticity of modern living. Like much of the band’s previous discography, it’s tough as nails and bursting at the seams with energy. Upchuck at Athfest 2025 \ Photo: Mary Beth Bryan Upchuck have made themselves one to w

From the ashes of tumultuous change and the pandemic, rises a phoenix in the shape of The Bebop. Atlanta post-hardcore band Cascadent has been a local staple for many in need of a break from your run-of-the-mill barre chord rockers. Guitarist Jonathan Lee spent the better part of the pandemic quite literally locked in his bedroom. However, it wasn’t just the various intros on Crunchyroll being blasted from the hallway. Jonathan was collecting vital signals from the aether and