New York City-based outfit Ecce Shnak has released their latest single off of their forthcoming EP titled Prayer on Love, meditating on the complexity of the word and all of its implications.
Subverting all concepts of genre and style while playfully embracing the full spectrum of sonic opportunities, Ecce Shnak is truly a one of a kind band. Based in New York City, their art-rock endeavors span pop, classical, punk, and beyond as they tackle the wide variety of ideas that capture their interests most.
Debuting in 2019 with Joke Oso with their second album Metamorphejawns soon to follow, Ecce Shnak has returned with the second pre-release single off of their latest project Shadows Grow Fangs.
Self-described as their most “whole-grain rock song to date,” “Prayer on Love” considers the concept of love in contrast to the conclusions drawn by today’s society.
Richly textured with guitars, snare drums, and distinct vocals, the track explores their ruminations on the topic above the group’s signature sound that subverts notions of style and is simply overflowing with dedicated creative care and complexity.
“It’s a meditation on the nature of love and its diverse manifestations. It honors the complexity of love without declaring that it ‘is all we need.”
– David Roush, frontman of Ecce Shnak
Defining love as not a singular necessity but a beautiful, intangible entity that coexists with the countless other aspects of life and in turn only making the others more precious, “Prayer on Love” is an entrancing contemplation whose deft lyricism lends itself to a rather poetic track at large.
Ecce Shnak has also published an official music video for “Prayer on Love” alongside the track’s release, featuring the members exploring their ruminations among a field of flowers and various eye-catching psychedelic visuals.
“Prayer on Love” is one of five tracks slated for release on the band’s upcoming EP Shadows Grow Fangs, which will reach the public on February 7.
For more information on their current endeavors, the upcoming Shadows Grow Fangs, and all things Ecce Shnak, be sure to check out their official social media pages here and here.
Albany indie-rock band Canella has released their latest single titled “Groomer,” a powerful track of resiliency and reclamation.
Based in and frequently performing throughout Albany, Canella is rooted in a shared love of creation. Written acoustically by lead singer and songwriter Juliana Castrillón, members Joe Taurone, Gabe Klingler-Horn, and Dan Carr expand each and every track to whatever extent they feel- whether that results in a song meant to make you laugh, or a track that’ll bring you to tears.
Having released their debut albumCan’t Make You Smile in 2023, Canella has returned with the second pre-release single off of their upcoming EP The Snake, the deeply personal and intense “Groomer.”
Penned after a turning point in Castrillón’s life, “Groomer” encapsulates the intense and complex emotions felt after she reconnected with a former music teacher from her adolescence, consequently uncovering an uncomfortable truth about her past.
With her perspective altered, Juliana was caught in a limbo of deep depression and months of silence. Unable to put the storm of emotion to paper, Castrillón would not be able to write again until 2024, driven by a mix of fear, anger, and shame.
Now, after years of processing and healing and in the wake of the 2024 election, Juliana is not only ready to share her story but is determined to do so in a show of reclamation, solidarity, and support.
“I didn’t realize how much I had blamed myself for being a victim of abuse,” says Juliana. “Now, taking back my story and sharing it is a crucial part of healing—taking my power back and feeling finally free and not alone.”
– Juliana Castrillón
“Groomer” is heavy, gritty, and full of sharp emotion. It’s always awe-inspiring to hear tracks full of pure emotion, but this track takes it to another level. The rage, disgust, betrayal, and defiance can all be felt palpably, an all-consuming experience with cutting vocals and aggressive instrumentals where words fail- perhaps the kind of all-encompassing emotion that can only be communicated through sound.
The track concludes with a powerful moment of pure guitar, drums, and bass- the kind of music felt down to the bones. “Groomer,” is a rallying cry just as much as it is a moment of emotional release. Intense, emotive, and guttural, Canella’s latest release is a striking example of shaping one’s darkest moments into something relentless.
Canella will be gracing the stage of No Fun in Troy on December 20 to celebrate the release along with support by Tula Vera and Rat Motel. Tickets are priced at $10 and are available here.
For more information on Canella, their upcoming EP, and all other future endeavors, be sure to check out their official website here.
Hudson Valley singer-songwriter Ginger Winn has released her newest single in honor of musical icon John Lennon, “Dear John.”
Based in the Hudson Valley, Ginger Winn is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who was launched into the spotlight after a captivating performance at Woodstock Way Hotel.
Since this fateful performance, Winn’s folk-tinged guitar and melancholy-tinted vocals have captivated folks across the Hudson Valley and beyond- eventually resulting in a gig touring the west coast alongside Gipsy Kings.
Released earlier this year, Winn debuted with Stop-Motion, a ten track album that quickly set the tone for Ginger’s career as a promising one.
Returning with her latest work, Winn has released “Dear John,” a heartfelt single dedicated to John Lennon that was published on the anniversary of his untimely passing; a crestfallen letter to a hero she’ll never have the opportunity to meet.
“John Lennon has inspired me from an early age. I remember being about 12 and buying a magazine that told his life story. It taught me a lot about being an artist, following the path you feel is right, and making sure that path leads you to a destination that is best for you, which I’ve used as a guiding light in my journey. He’s a true creative who did whatever he wanted to do, no matter the consequences.”
– Ginger Winn
Co-written with Matthew Baione, co-founder of Keep Good Company Records, “Dear John” has its roots in Paul Goresh’s images capturing Lennon’s interaction with Mark David Chapman, Chapman’s manifesto, the moment in the Imagine documentary where John invites the stalkers on his property in for tea, and the famous image of Pope John Paul II forgiving his would-be assassin.
“The song is as beautiful as it is tragic and John has always been an inspiration; we share a birthday and I’ve always admired his audacity, creativity, search for interconnectivity in society, and his attempts at leading with love, especially near his life’s end. He was a dreamer.”
– Matthew Baione
Following this release, Winn will be performing “Dear John” and other works of hers live at two upcoming shows in New York City. She’ll be gracing the stage of the Bowery Electric on December 29, and Arlene’s Grocery on January 29.
For more information on these shows, Winn’s previous works, and to keep up with all of her future endeavors, be sure to visit her official website here.
New York City-based singer-songwriter Olivia Reid has released her latest work in the form of the beautifully nostalgic “Quite Simple”.
A singer-songwriter who’s been putting her proverbial musical pen to paper since just six years old, Olivia Reid’s indie folk anthems contain an undeniable yet intangible touch of vibrant humanity.
Capturing the human experience in all of its forms, Reid and her guitar formally debuted in her 2021 EP Earth Water. Since then, Olivia’s work has caught the attention of many through its appearances on television shows in the likes of Love Island Australia and several official streaming service playlists.
Returning for her latest release, Reid has decided to channel hopeful optimism into the single “Quite Simple” in the face of personal and global strife. Inspired by her strong relationship with and gratitude for her grandparents who have recently passed, Olivia reflects upon the wisdom granted by her elders and the inherent wisdom and fondness for life that comes with age and a retrospective understanding of life.
Through a nostalgically woven sonic soundscape and storytelling-style lyrics, Reid walks listeners through an enlightening conversation with an older man that reframes her entire understanding of the world, especially in the face of the busy mindset so many share today- life is, in fact, “Quite Simple.”
“In old age, it seems there’s so much to look back on fondly and so many experiences that you don’t even know are ahead of you. I wanted to write a song that gives people my age some optimism. We’ve got time.”
– Olivia Reid
Curating a beautifully nostalgic ambiance with its guitar plucking, vocal layering, and warm outro, “Quite Simple” captures the beauty found in taking life in the slow lane while also giving a nod to the kind of perspective on life that comes with age and wisdom.
To learn more about “Quite Simple,” her future endeavors, and all things Olivia Reid, be sure to check out her official website here.
The Brooklyn-based alternative rock band The Upstart Crows have returned with their newest single “House Fire” on the frustrations of the creative process ahead of their upcoming EP.
Rooted in Brooklyn, The Upstart Crows have brought their unique combination of folk, punk, and Americana sounds throughout New York City and beyond in live shows spanning haunting acoustic solo performances to the full effect of a rock unit.
Debuting in 2018 with a 12 track self-titled album, The Upstart Crows have been performing live shows and honing their sound among a small set of single releases since they formally emerged on the scene.
Now back and better than ever, the band has returned with new music in the form of the single “House Fire”.
Penned during the Covid-19 Pandemic, “House Fire” captures a unique frustration felt by creatives when it seems as though no part of the act of creation is going your way.
With fast-paced and hard hitting drums, insistent guitar lines, and vocals that compliment the oscillating bass line, “House Fire” is a stellar example of how indulging in the negative can not only relieve personal stress but result in a work exploding with emotion.
“The song is about the self-doubt doom spirals we all face when we are working on something… Where you start to question your own taste and ability to make something good.”
One of many parts of the Crows’ upcoming EP slated for the spring, “House Fire” marks a promising start to the next era of The Upstart Crows.
For more information on this release, the band’s upcoming endeavors, and all things The Upstart Crows, be sure to check out their official website here.
Long Island native Roger Street Friedman has released his newest americana single, “Banks of the Brazos.” The track is a powerful ode to the “Sugarland 95,” a group of Black convict laborers sentenced to brutal work in Texas sugarcane fields in the post-reconstruction era.
“Banks of the Brazos” is the third single from his upcoming album Long Shadows, due out January 24, the song is a powerful and evocative story that looks into the hidden history of the “Sugarland 95,” a group of African American men who were often victims of unjust laws designed to control the lives of newly freed people.
When the bodies of the Sugarland 95 were unearthed along the banks of the Brazos River, Roger Street Freidman was inspired to write a song from the perspective of one of these laborers. The song aligns with a viral TikTok that Roger posted last year, garnering nearly a million views, resonating with audiences for his honest storytelling.
The song holds a strong outlaw americana feel. The western country flare paired with the dark nature of the song’s backstory sets the listener up to feel it in their heart. Each strum of the guitar shows Roger Street Friedman’s passion and grit for music and exposing history’s many injustices. The track is dynamic, with many changing musical tides throughout the track, but with a meaningfully brawn backbone allowing for wide arrays of sound.
Even the opening sounds from the electric and acoustic guitars simultaneously made me feel something. Followed by the consistent, strong kick and snare, this track immerses the listener from the very start. Both Friedman’s hearty solo vocals and the powerful harmonizing vocals truly touch the heart and soul of whomever may be listening, especially when you factor in how Roger is soulfully expressing his outlook on the horrible enslavement of the Sugarland 95. The track sees a phenomenal climax with soaring vocals followed by a spirit-touching finish that brilliantly yet softly wraps up the hearty ode.
For more information on Roger Street Friedman and his latest single, “Banks of the Brazos,” click here.
On Nov. 13, Gina Birch, founding member of influential punk band The Raincoats, released a cover of Yoko Ono‘s “Listen, The Snow is Falling” through Jack White‘s Third Man Records.
The single, written by Ono and recorded with the Plastic Ono Band, was originally released as the b-side of John Lennon’s 1971 single “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” This single marks Birch’s first release since her solo debut album, I Play My Bass Loud, in 2023.
In 2023, Birch, with bandmates Marie Merlet and Jenny Green, chose to play “Listen, the Snow is Falling” at Tate Britain during the Yoko Ono exhibition. Birch thought it would be great to play one of Ono’s songs during the performance even though it was August.
Feeling particularly connected to Ono at the time, Birch selected the song for its haunting beauty, noting that it was released as a b-side. “Who doesn’t love a b-side?” she remarked. Birch had also been asked to write about Yoko Ono for the Tate magazine and had recently painted a full-length portrait of her for her exhibition featuring “Goddesses and Inspirations” at Gallery 46.
Inspired by the performance, Merlet suggested they record the song as a Christmas single. Birch noted that she had never made a Christmas single before, making it feel particularly fitting. They recorded it in Birch’s basement, collaboratively coming up with ideas. The track was mixed by Merlet and then mastered by Warren Defever at Third Man Mastering in Detroit.
In addition to a headlining tour in the UK, Birch has supported artists like Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, and This Is The Kit. She was also part of Tate Britain’s high-profile exhibition “Women in Revolt,” which celebrated 20 years of feminist art and activism. Her piece, “3 Minute Scream” (1977), was showcased as the poster image for the exhibition.
“Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace. All we need is love. I believe it. It’s damn hard, but I absolutely believe it… We’re carrying that torch, passing it from hand to hand, to each other, to each country, to each generation. That’s our job.”
There is no better way to capture the whit of music legend and galactic dreamer, John Lennon, than amidst his own words. In hindsight, a dramatic quote proves ever important on the icon’s 40th death anniversary. His words spark a flame in young and old, seasoned and aspiring; to carry on a tradition, to be one, to share your quirks through this thing we call music. It’s why you’re here, reading.
Three days later, Lennon was shot dead in the archway of the Dakota apartment building, in New York’s upper west side. Living with wife Yoko Ono, and inseparable, they were on their way back from a recording session when Lennon was pointlessly gunned down.
John Lennon – December 5, 1980.
“Welcome to the inner sanctum!”
Lennon’s words in comparrison were wilful, he knew exactly what he was doing. Even pro-Beatle Lennon, wanted to get away from any grounds on his blooming self exposition. It’s a continuous flow of self exploration that Lennon created over. It seems overly introverted, yet Lennon learned about himself in a roundabout, extroverted way. “We write lyrics, and I write lyrics that you don’t realise what they mean until after… like ‘Walrus.’ The whole first verse was written without any knowledge, and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows‘— I didn’t know what I was saying, and you just find out later.”
As we delve into Lennon interviews over the years it is clear why he has reached monumental stature. According to Writer Jonathan Cott, Lennon was unlike almost any other artist, “he allowed himself to be interviewed at crucial points in his life in order to reveal and, perhaps, define for himself where he was in his world,” Shadow In The Night.
Jann Wenner said his interview with Lennon was “The most important, and the peak, of the whole concept of the Rolling Stone Interview. He [Lennon] went all the way to the theory of it, to the hilt.” Wenner never did another one, except with the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia.
John Lennon’s Self Portrait elusive in value, yet monumental in pop-culture.
Mark Chapman, a troubled American “Beatles fan” had travelled from Hawaii to NYC. After Lennon kindly signed his copy of Double Fantasy, Chapman would seek out the star and fire five hollow-point bullets from a .38 special revolver. Four hit Lennon in the back. Chapman claimed he was angered by Lennon’s lifestyle and public statements, thus remained at the scene, reading The Catcher in the Rye until he was arrested. Lennon was pronounced dead on scene. The world was devastated.
Yoko: There’s no bullshit.
John: There’s no bullshit.
But, this was bullshit.
It wasn’t until ten years ago that these last interviews began to see light. With each passing year Lennon would grow stronger in our hearts. His music, and moreover, his philosophy would continue to inspire for generations to come.
“Ive never claimed divinity. I’ve Never claimed purity of soul. I’ve never claimed to have the answer to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can, but only as honest as I can—
John Lennon, Dec. 5, 1980.
With earlier Rolling Stone interviews, on Sept. 17 and 18, 1968, John Lennon was much less raw in his response. His light and airy nature was apparent, walking around the room of his apartment, singing “Hold Me Tight,” and sitting on the floor to chat, despite two hours’ sleep.
Still distinctively Lennon, he remised about his past and heightened personal nature of his work. Lennon is direct. It’s wasn’t a child’s feeling, it was mine. “It was writing about my past, so it does get the kids because it was me at school, my whole bit,” on “Good Morning, Good Morning,” and the same with “Penny Lane.”
“We really got into the grove of imagining Penny Lane— the bank was there, and that was where the tram sheds were and people waiting and the inspector stood there, the fire engines were down there, it was just reliving childhood.”
“I don’t like the Blood, Sweat and Tears shit. I think all that is bullshit. Rock & roll is going like jazz, as far as i can see, and the bullshitters are going off into that excellentness which I never believed in and other going off… I consider myself in the avant grade of rock & roll.”
Here John begins, and was the only to explicitly, demystify his Beatles persona. “We were like kings of the jungle back then,” and later on when asked if Lennon would take it all back he says: If i could be a fuckin’ fisherman, I would. If I hat the capabilities of being something other than I am, I would.
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy
Nothing you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy
A mass of John Lennon interviews is worth the read. Don’t listen or analyse too much, just be free in the moment like he was. Put a record on and recount Lennon’s LSD trips, gripes with The Beatles, his love for Yoko and pure artistic outlook on the world. It’s enlightening.
John Lennon is the musical equalizer. He says it how he sees it, and sadly he unexpectedly paid for those words 40 years ago today. The simple minded Lennon (in principle) fancied classic rock like “Spirit in the Sky,” and was “influenced by acid and got psychedelic, like the whole generation, but really, I like rock & roll, and I express myself best in rock.
“Because that’s what’s happened, all these songs just came out of me. I didn’t sit down to write. They all came out , like the best work that anybody ever does, wether it is an article or what, it’s just the best ones that come out.”
The dream is NOT over.
Why Can’t Lennon be alone, without Yoko?
I can be, but I don’t wish to be. Theres is no reason on earth why I should be without her. There is nothing more important than our relationship, nothing. We dig being together all the time, and both of us could survive apart m but what for? Im not going to sacrifice love, real love for any… 🙂 …
Rest In Peace John Lennon: to the one you loved most and to a world you continually inspire.
Months earlier marked Lennon’s 80th birthday. On October 9, a live stream from London’s Hard Rock Hotel celebrated the 2nd annual Dear John concert. The event supported a heartfelt charity, War Child U.K., an organization that helps impoverished families across war zones throughout the world.
Blurred Vision frontman, Sepp Osley, hosted the virtual show featuring tributes from Peter Gabriel, Richard Curtis CBE, Maxi Jazz of Faithless, Lindsay Ell, PP Arnold, Lawrence Gowan (Styx), Andy Fairweather Low, KT Tunstall, Larkin Poe, John Ilsley of Dire Straits, Nick Van Eede (Cutting Crew), Mollie Marriott and Laura Jean Anderson.
The date Dec. 8, 1980 will be remembered infamously throughout history as the night John Lennon was shot outside his New York City apartment. The Beatles member and songwriter was returning home from the Record Plant recording studio with his wife Yoko Ono, fresh off their recently released collaborative album, Double Fantasy, when tragedy struck.
Left: John Lennon, Right: Christine Lavin – photos via CNN and Fleming Artists
Lennon was shot four times in the back and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Fans mourned his death afterwards gathering outside The Dakota, the apartment building where he lived and outside of which he was killed.
Double Fantasy, album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released 1980
Four years later, Lennon’s tragic murder was recalled by Christine Lavin, a long-time folk singer-songwriter and guitarist in her song, aptly titled “The Dakota.”
Newspaper headline in Liverpool Photo, Dec. 9th, 1980 via rarenewspapers.com
The song is the final track on her 13 song, self-produced album, Future Fossils, released in 1984. “The Dakota” was actually written a year or two following Lennon’s death, the song inspired by Lavin being stuck in rush hour traffic in NYC as “Imagine” happened to play on the taxi radio.
Album art for Fossil Fuels by Christine Lavin, released 1984
Lavin never actually mentions Lennon by name in the song, alluding to his death primarily through her imagery of the events that unfolded outside of the Dakota. Lavin spent much of her professional career playing venues in New York City and lived only a few blocks away from the Dakota at the time Lennon was killed.
To see one of her musical idols, murdered in a city she called home, was shocking she said in an interview with NYS Music. “That night is burned into my memory,” she said. “To this, day I can’t walk near the scene of the crime without thinking about it.”
In her song, the building serves as an unmoving reminder of that horrific night, a symbol of senseless death that is difficult to escape.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono outside the Dakota – Photo via Getty Images
The chorus finds herself reflecting on the night of Lennon’s death with soft emotion and heartbreak as Lavin sings:
“Every time I see the Dakota, I think about that night. Shots ringing out, the angry shouts, A man losing his life.”
“The Dakota” – Christine Lavin
The closest Lavin comes to referencing Lennon himself is by quoting one of his most popular and enduring songs, “Imagine.” In a unique twist however, Lavin takes the familiar, hopeful tune and bitterly exposes the unrealistic idyllic world, Lennon so vividly painted.
I don’t believe in coincidence So why then on the radio Did an old familiar voice Echo back from not so long ago? “Imagine all the people Living life in peace.” Well, it’s hard to do When you are on this blood-stained street.
“The Dakota” – Christine Lavin
Lavin’s grief and anger over the famed singer’s unnecessary death reaches its peak at this point, the bridge and climax of the song. The lyrics play out like a conversation with herself, as a harmony of voices sing Lennon’s famed lines, and Lavin replies with her honest answer.
Album art for Imagine by John Lennon
“It was just the way I felt at the time,” Lavin explained. “Imagine is so optimistic but it’s almost too optimistic in ways when we think of how the world is today. And it is harder to [be optimistic] when your on that street because to think the man that wrote those lines had such a tragic and violent end doesn’t make sense. Its such a contradiction.”
Still, Lavin said she tries to use her power as a songwriter to find a glimmer of light in a dark situation.
“As songwriters anything we can right that can help us to overcome the dark side of our nature I think we owe to the world,” she said. “It’s acknowledging the world we live in, but knowing we can do better and that it is our duty to do better.”
Lavin said the decision not to mention Lennon’s name in the song was purposeful – she didn’t want to look like she was exploiting the situation. Quite the contrary, Yoko One ended up publishing Lavin’s lyrics in a book she edited about John Lennon.
Memories of John Lennon by Yoko Ono, the book Lavin’s song is featured in
As the song continues, Lavin reflects further on her anger, asking for peace of mind.
I wish I had the answer To the simple question, ‘Why?’ … I wish I could take these bitter thoughts And just shake them from my mind
“The Dakota” Christine Lavin
In what would be Lennon’s last interview before his death, he talked with a crew from RKO Radio in his home in the Dakota. Eerily enough, at one point during the conversation, Lennon pondered themes of death and getting older.
“When we were kids, 30 was death, right?” he said. “I’m 40 now and I feel just … I feel better than before.” He later added, “I consider that my work won’t be finished until I’m dead and buried and I hope that’s a long, long time.”
The Dakota as seen from Central Park West – Photo via Wikipedia
Even in 2022, memories of Lennon’s death haunt the state of New York. Although, The Dakota has undergone extensive renovations, it still maintains its signature gothic architecture and remains home to numerous celebrities, thanks to its prime location facing Central Park.
Lennon’s killer, now 67, also lives, albeit behind bars at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York. Just this September, he was denied parole for the 12th time. Yoko Ono, has historically sent a letter to the parole board every two years to request her husband’s murderer remain in prison, CNN reported.
Despite the painful reminders, Lennon’s legacy and hope for a better world persists long after his death as well.
An annual tribute concert is held in Lennon’s name in NYC bringing together famous musicians and celebrities in a night of song and remembrance. Proceeds also go to supporting songwriting programs in elementary schools. One selected artist is also awarded with the John Lennon Real Love Award, this year given to Joan Osborne.
Joan Osborne to receive this years John Lennon Real Love Award
Lavin’s final lyrics capture the conflicting emotions around wanting to forget the tragedy but remember Lennon’s greatness as she closes out the chorus singing:
“Well, it’s something we shouldn’t dwell upon But it’s something we shouldn’t ignore Too many good men have been cut down Let’s pray there won’t be any more.”
“The Dakota” – Christine Lavin
John Lennon is memorialized in “Strawberry Fields,” a section of Central Park across the street from the Dakota that Yoko Ono landscaped in honor of her husband.
On Nov. 15, Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Ciao Malz (Malia DelaCruz) released her newest single “Two Feet Tall.” The single is the first from her debut EP, Safe Then Sorry, to be released via Audio Antihero on Dec. 6.
The memorable melodies and infectious chorus sticks in your head long after the song ends while the emotionally rich lyrics leave you with much to think about. In true Bedroom Pop fashion, the cheerful verses are complemented by thoughtful, albeit pessimistic, moments of sheer honesty as the chorus comes back around.
Each time the tempo slows, the song avoids hitting a resolving note until it returns to the verse. As the song ends, DelaCruz’s repetition of the phrase “I can never tell” hits home in a genuine way that most songs lack. The production on the song is top-tier and makes the track fit comfortably on any college radio rotation, or indie pop playlist you can imagine. All this, combined with the thematically resonant vocal delivery and wobbly guitars, strikes a distinct note, helping “Two Feet Tall” quickly become her most-streamed song since its release.
Ciao Malz draws inspiration from artists such as Elliott Smith, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Men I Trust, blending witty introspection with a dynamic musical style. While her self-released demos garnered attention from NPR, WFUV, Loud Women, and others, this latest work is her most mature, eclectic, and polished to date.
Her music first reached the Audio Antihero label when she issued a cover of Frog’s “You Know I’m Down” in 2023, and the label then offered to work with her on this debut. In addition to numerous other collaborations at her Lower East Side studio, Malia DelaCruz has also been played bass for the acclaimed Sister.group (with Hannah Pruzinsky, Ceci Sturman, and James Chrisman).
