Today, the weather radar shows a storm warning for Boston Harbor with South winds 25 to 35 kt, gusts up to 55 kt and waves 5 to 8 feet. It seems life is a little stormy these days from Oscar digs to an MGM Music Hall, Fenway concert full of Drop Kick Murphys fans of all ages blowing back hard against the sh*t happening in our country and the world right now. I was at a neighbour’s party this weekend and people were sharing something that they are celebrating right now as an exercise of hope. A common theme was: the longer days, the birds chirping, buds beginning to stick their soft little fuzzy noses out into the air into the sunshine, and the snow rapidly melting away. Nothing is stopping all those little joys from happening despite “oh the humanity!” seemingly everywhere else.
On My Radar
New Releases
I noticed a few trends on my “release radar”, which are perfect for this warmer weather.
- I don’t know if it is this warmer weather, brighter light even on a rainy day, or the sunny hot day we had as a teaser recently, but a few of these new songs are definitely, roll down the window, feel the wind on your cheeks, and sing out loud kind of songs.
- Maybe it is just who I have been listening to lately, but a few of these bands are giving full fledged 1960s early days of rock ‘n roll sounds. Then, there are a whole bunch of new-to-me bands that I have started listening to that have throwback, jazzy moods, which seem to be increasingly popular.
- Thanks mostly to flipturn’s new album the number of collaborative songs on my release radar has shot up. I’m not typically listening to flipturn but there are a couple pairings that definitely caught my attention.
The Roll Down Your Window + Feel Alive Songs: for better or worse
The first time I heard Charlotte Cardin, we were in Lac Superieure, Quebec for the summer. Cardin came on the radio with “Confetti” and I was hooked. I have since listened to maybe every single song she’s put out, and been to her concert with my daughter. So, of course when I heard “The Way We Touch” (3/13/2026) I was already dancing behind the wheel and rolling down the window -rain be damned-. Charlotte Cardin’s music is the perfect dance around the kitchen music too. She has a lot of humour and sensuality in her songs. They aren’t fussy. They’re just fun, and if you don’t start feeling 100% more yourself with her music on, then turn up the volume.
Much more chill but perfect for those bouts of spring fever, is Arlo Parks‘ “Get Go” (3/10/2026). You may want to close your eyes for a minute at the stop sign and feel the warmth of the sun on your cheeks as you take a deep breath and sing.
I knew we had it from the get-go
And I don’t wanna let go
Yeah, I don’t wanna let gochorus from “Get Go”, Arlo Parks
You can’t get much more literal if you want to take a ride with your windows down than the new collaborative song with Arkells and Grouplove, entitled “Ride” (3/11/2026). It is the kind of song that if it comes on you’ll find yourself singing along even if Grouplove and Arkells is not your usual vibe.
Another great literal (although one should always be reading between the lines), feel the air on your face, song is Sweet Pill’s “Sunblind” (3/13/2026)
“Lez Go!” (3/4/2026) is a fab fun collaboration with G Flip! and The Beaches for those days you pile in the car and scream “Let’s go girls!!” and head to the mountains, the beach, or that field you like to frolic in.
Boys Go To Jupiter have this great Broadway show kind of storytelling and energy. You might find yourself throwing up the shades, slipping out onto the porch barefoot and singing out to the world. “Sunshine: never trust anyone named jeanette” (3/5/2026)
Oh but the birds keep chirping
And the leaves keep shaking
And the dawn each morning
Like your heart keeps breaking“Sunshine: never trust anyone named jeanette”, Boys Go to Jupiter
If you want some windows down music to groove to without lyrics, then Parlor Greens “Emeralds” (3/10/2026) is the groove you need. I first caught them at Newport Jazz Festival last summer and I was a fan within a few notes.
Throwback Sounds/ New Releases
I have been having a lot of fun listening to alt rock band Brigitte Calls Me Baby. Their music had a very retro sound that I’m enjoying right now. The song may seem upbeat but the lyrics are quite devastating. “I Can Take The Sun Out of the Sky” (3/10/2026) The weight of the lyric: “Now I’m begging to do/What you want me to do” gets heavier as the song goes on.
The Lemon Twigs have a distinct retro sound. They are a pair of brothers who are vocalists, multi-instrumentalists and songwriters. Their new song has the complete opposite tone (lyrically speaking) from the previously mentioned song. Another upbeat song, with sad lyrics, “I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You” (3/11/2026).
I am no country music expert, and only recently started listening to it at all, but as far as I can tell Sierra Ferrell has a very “old school” country sound in all her music. This is doubly old made new because it is a cover of the 1958 song “I Still Miss Someone”. This version of “I Still Miss Someone” (3/13/2026) is a collaboration between banjo player Tony Trischka and Sierra Ferrell.
There is something very “old soul” about Allison Russell and it comes through in her music. “Rainbows” (3/13/2026) is no exception. This can also be a good, chill, driving-with-the-windows-down song. I would have my arm out with my hand riding the wave of the air flow to this one.
I recently got to see moondoggy live at Warehouse XI. Their music gives an old school indie rock sound from the melody to the voice of lead singer Jakob Matanowitsch. They’ve got a nice groove, some much loved saxophone action, and nice guitar riffs too check them out starting with “Cut and Dried” (3/6/2026) off the new album Around The Fire.
I can’t tell you how many times I stayed up all night listening to the Portishead cd Dummy through high school and university. I was unsure what to expect when I went to see Beth Gibbons at The Orpheum last April, and it ended up being one of the best concerts I have been to in the last few years and I have been to many great ones. The song “Sunday Morning” (3/6/2026) is deeply thoughtful and immersively haunting in that characteristic Beth Gibbons way. It was released as part of the HELP(2) War Child Records album.
Unlike many of you, I still haven’t learned to speak Spanish despite my love of Bad Bunny’s new album. Super nostalgic for me, is also Cypress Hill. I spent almost as much time listening to Black Sunday as Dummy so of course I needed to see what “Wacha Trucha” (3/6/2026) was all about. It is a classic Cypress Hill sound, but in Spanish this time in collaboration with Mexican rapper Alemán.
“Wacha Trucha” is not just a comeback single. It’s a reminder of the cultural DNA that Cypress Hill has carried since the beginning.
Frontman B-Real describes the song as something bigger than music. In his words, the track is meant to remind fans that Latino culture in hip hop is not a trend. It’s a legacy.
Collaborations Galore
There are so many collaborations in my release radar, I’ll just share a few and you can pick as many as you like to listen to.
- “Sunlight (Reimagined)” flipturn, Jack Van Cleaf
- “Ain’t That Fine-Davis” I’m With Her, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins
- “All I Did Was Dream of You” beabadoobee, The Marias
- “SLOW LIGHTNING” Conner Reeves, Joss Stone
- “Losing Everything‘ Donovan Woods, Anaïs Mitchell
- “You’ll Be The Proof” Forest Blakk, Joy Williams
- “Madeleine” Katherine Priddy, Torres
- “Black Boy” DOE, Jon Batiste
- “Blue Lights- Remix” Jorja Smith, Havoc
- “The Joy of Love” Brian Lynch, Sam McPherson, Samara Joy
- “Texas City Remix” DRAMA, GUDFELLA
- “Rodeo Clown (Reimagined)” flipturn, Odie Leigh
- “Honeycrash-Angie McMahon cut” SASAMI, Angie McMahon
- “Gloria” Shai Maestro, MARO
- “In Death We’veJust Begun” Ryan Lott, Poppy, Son Lux
- “I’ll Be Here With You” Shania Twain, Drake Milligan
See Them Live in Boston
Sweet Pill
March 17th 2026, The Sinclair
Boys Go To Jupiter
March 26th 2026, The Sinclair
Jon Batiste
May 12, 13, 14 2026 with the Boston Pops, Boston’s Symphony Hall
Brigitte Calls Me Baby
May 15th 2026 Red Room Café
flipturn
June 4th 2026, MGM Music Hall
Poppy
July 11th 2026, Roadrunner
Sarah McLachlan, Allison Russell
July 10th 2026, Leader Bank Pavilion
Louis Tomlinson, The Beaches
July 14th 2026, TD Garden
I’m With Her
August 15th 2026, Groton Hill Music Center
Arlo Parks
September 1st 2026, Royale
Sierra Ferrell
September 5th 2026 Thompson Point, Portland, ME
September 6th 2026 The Pines Theatre at Look Park, Northampton, MA
MARO
September 24th 2026, Brighton Music Hall
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