Canadian punk outfit Takes an Army are sharing their most motivated and spiritually grounded work yet: Rise Up. The EP showcases the band’s signature blend of pop-punk, third wave ska, and emotionally honest lyricism, brought together by years of growth, setbacks, and relentless hope.
Rise Up is born of adversity but filled with triumph. Thematically, the EP explores faith, healing, and resilience in the face of life’s unexpected turns. Whether you’re chasing goals or recovering from setbacks, Rise Up is a reminder that you’re not alone in the struggle—and there’s always room to get back up again. The project’s explosive title track, “Rise Up,” serves as both a sonic and thematic centerpiece. A fusion of fast-paced drums, ska-influenced guitar chops, and a vocal punch that opens each verse, the song takes on the often-unpredictable road of adulthood and delivers a call to surrender to something bigger – faith, purpose, and the journey itself.
Lil’ Red & The Rooster’s latest single “Stack ‘Em Up Baby” is a whole vibe. A low-slung groove with a wink in its eye and a strut in its step, the track oozes vintage soul and playful cool while bringing something unmistakably fresh to the table.
From the opening piano flourish, you are unmistakably dropped into a smoke-filled jazz lounge where every note has purpose and every phrase is dressed to impress.
This is retro-modern blues at its finest. Jen “Lil’ Red” Milligan’s vocals glide with a feline style finesse – cheeky, sly and drenched in charisma. In this son, Lil Red is not just singing about stacking ’em up, she is the dealer, the mood-setter and the ringleader of this cinematic scene. Her delivery evokes the smoky sophistication of Rickie Lee Jones, with the soul deep phrasing of vintage jazz and blues greats, filtered through her own unique sass.
Pascal Fouquet, the “Rooster” in this bluesy power duo, brings his signature elegance on guitar.
His touch is tasteful and timeless, letting each note breathe and smolder, and skilled application of tone, groove and a deep understanding of the genre’s roots. His playing is the slow burn to Lil’ Red’s flickering flame, and together they create a dynamic that is impossible to fake.
And then there’s the not-so-secret weapon – Grammy-nominated keyboardist Bobby Floyd (Ray Charles, Count Basie Orchestra, Dr. John). His B3 and piano work provide that plush, cinematic backdrop for this slow-burner, anchoring the whole production in something rich and luxurious. His presence is testament to the band’s commitment to real musicianship, deep soul, and that indefinable thing we call “feel.”
“Stack ‘Em Up Baby” leans into a nostalgic groove dripping with class and intention, much like the theme song to a 1960’s detective film that never got made but should have. There’s drama, there’s flirtation and there is an undeniable joy in how the band navigates the space between blues, jazz and retro soul. It’s as much a mood as it is melody.
And this track kicks off off a waterfall release schedule, leading up to the release of the duo’s upcoming album called “7”. If this track is the opening move, consider us all-in.
“7″ promises to explore themes of freedom and rising from adversity – core values that have always quietly pulsed beneath the surface of Lil’ Red & The Rooster’s work. But here, with “Stack ‘Em Up Baby,” those themes get dressed up in velvet, high heels and attitude.
Lil’ Red & The Rooster have never been content to just rehash the blues. They really embody the blues. And with this new era, they are showing that the blues is thriving and ready to seduce a new generation.
So go ahead. Put it on. Stack ’em up, press play and let this tune swagger into your soul.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Kate McDonnell is set to release the stirring music video for her song “Step Right Up” in recognition of Gun Violence Awareness Month. The video will premiere on Wear Orange Day, Friday June 6, a nationwide movement dedicated to honoring victims and survivors of gun violence. The track is featured on McDonnell’s latest album, TRAPEZE, which delves deeply into themes of hope, loss, and perseverance in contemporary American life.
“Step Right Up” is a poignant and powerful piece that highlights the devastating impact of gun violence. The video, shot in stark black-and-white, masterfully intertwines scenes of McDonnell performing live with her guitarist Jimi Woodul, alongside deeply symbolic imagery of a lone child walking deserted streets. The narrative builds to a captivating sequence on an empty playground — a chilling reflection of innocence lost and lives forever altered.
“This song screamed for a video. My sister called me after she heard the song to say the same, although I didn’t need convincing. I love that the producers from Neighborhoods Apart in Nashville Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard decided to produce this in black and white. It’s even more powerful than my version in my mind’s eye,” Kate shares.
“Step Right Up” profiles the lives of children tragically lost to gun violence, underscoring the need for empathy, awareness, and action. The video’s raw visual style enhances the song’s emotional intensity, drawing viewers into a space where grief, memory, and reflection collide.
The video’s release during Gun Violence Awareness Month emphasizes the role that artists can play in driving social change. By combining music with powerful visual storytelling, McDonnell aims to ignite conversations about the urgent need for stronger safety measures and violence prevention efforts.
The haunting imagery of the empty playground serves as a stark reminder of the countless young lives that have been needlessly cut short, calling viewers to reflect on the broader impact of gun violence in their communitie
McDonnell’s latest album, TRAPEZE, features 14 original songs written during a prolific three-year period. From navigating heartbreak and self-sabotage to embracing humor and finding resilience, TRAPEZE delivers bold melodies and thought-provoking lyrics.
A seasoned performer with an illustrious career, McDonnell has shared stages with legends such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Kathy Mattea. Her distinct style — playing her guitar upside-down and backwards — has become her signature, adding a unique flair to her emotionally charged performances.
About Wear Orange Weekend
Wear Orange Weekend (June 6-8) is observed annually to raise awareness of gun violence in America. Originating in 2015 to honor the life of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old who was tragically killed by gun violence, the movement has grown into a nationwide call for safety, remembrance, and advocacy.
About Kate McDonnell
Baltimore-born and now based in upstate New York, Kate McDonnell has captivated audiences for decades with her introspective songwriting, intricate guitar work, and powerful stage presence. Her career has seen her perform at the Newport Folk Festival, Mountain Stage, and the Kennedy Center, among many others. With six solo albums to her name, McDonnell’s storytelling continues to resonate deeply with listeners across the globe.
Indie artist goodheart returns with “Stuck in a Cloud,” a restless, upbeat reflection on emotional limbo. Blending shimmering indie-rock with raw lyrical honesty, the track captures the feeling of being somewhere between apathy and angst – what goodheart calls “a total blah.”
“I wrote ‘Stuck in a Cloud‘ on a day when I was home alone for a week,” says goodheart. “I was feeling stir-crazy, but also too apathetic to do anything about it. I had set out to write a different song, but this one came out of nowhere – fast and fully formed.”
The title flips the expression “on cloud nine” into something more ambiguous. “Clouds can represent joy or gloom depending on the context,” she explains. “To be stuck in one is to hover in between – not exactly happy, not really sad either.”
Originally imagined as a slower acoustic piece, the track evolved in the studio thanks to drummer Connor, guitarist David, and bassist Ryan, whose bouncing bass line helped push the song into more dynamic territory. “That indie-rock backbone gave it a pulse we didn’t know it needed. Once that clicked, everything else came to life,” she says.
Tell us the story of this song—why did you choose to visualize this one specifically?
“Stuck in a Cloud” felt like a good choice to bring to life visually because it captures such a specific kind of emotional grey zone that I think a lot of people recognize, but rarely articulate. It’s about those days when you’re feeling stuck—emotionally, physically, existentially—but you’re also too worn out to do anything about it. I wrote it in a weird state of cabin fever/apathy after being stuck inside my apartment for a week, and the song came to me pretty quickly. It felt natural to give that feeling a face through a video. There’s also something fun and kind of ironic about making a whole visual production out of not wanting to do anything, and I loved leaning into that.
What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The video takes place in this empty, slightly surreal apartment setting—because that’s where the song was born: in my apartment, mid-existential crisis, counting cars out the window and googling weird conspiracy theories. We wanted the visuals to mirror that foggy, detached feeling of being inside too long, where time blurs and you start asking yourself unhinged questions like “Is this the end of something, or just the start of a spiral?” A lot of it plays with stillness and restlessness at the same time—sunglasses inside, laying on the floor, kind of glamorizing the funk in a fun way. I also loved pairing the more existential themes with visuals that don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s messy and has some humour in it, because honestly, I think that’s what life feels like most of the time.
What was the process of making this video?
Honestly, very very scrappy—in the best way. One Friday my friend Bryce (Bryce Mercier, Director) hit me up and said his friend had an empty apartment that we could shoot in, but that we’d have to do it in the next two days. We had no concept, limited gear, and two other friends who were down to help out. We made it up on the day as we shot, just responding to the space and the mood as we filmed. Dre (Andre Schumann, DP/Gaffer) handled lighting and created a really cool colour story that matched the EP, and Matty (Matt Adams, Photographer) captured some killer shots and helped out a lot on set. It was definitely one of those ‘use what you have and make it work’ kind of shoots, which I love—it mirrors how the song was created too. The whole thing was just a group of friends trying weird things in a small space and making something bigger out of it. Very DIY, very heart-forward.
Angela Saini returns with “Puzzle Piece,” a bright, roots-pop anthem about finding confidence in being different and celebrating the bold colours that make us who we are. With folk-pop charm, catchy melodies, and an empowering message at its core, “Puzzle Piece” affirms what Saini has long been known for: heartfelt storytelling with a big, beaming smile.
“Puzzle Piece” is about being unapologetically you – even if that means standing out instead of fitting in. “As a bi-racial kid growing up, I never felt like I fully belonged anywhere,” says Saini. “But I realize now that my uniqueness is a strength and every experience of not fitting in has shaped who I am. This song is a reminder that every piece matters – the picture needs you to be YOU to make it complete.”
Written from deeply personal experience and produced to reflect Saini‘s genre-blending style, the track leans into alt-country twang, pop polish, and acoustic sincerity. It was crafted to feel like an anthem – uplifting and confident, a musical nod to dancing to your own beat.
1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? “Puzzle Piece” is about embracing individuality and celebrating our uniqueness that contributes to life’s bigger picture. We are each meant to be exactly who we are, with all our unique colors and edges, which make the puzzle complete. Metaphorically, the song reminds us that every unique piece matters—and together, we create the bigger, more beautiful picture. So, of course, I had to create a puzzle!
2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)? In the spirit of the song, I created a puzzle of the song artwork, with the intention of getting a whole bunch of people to come out and put the puzzle together, celebrating our own uniqueness in front of the camera. Each person was invited to pick a puzzle piece, and dance or pose for the camera, sharing their unique self. The director Rebecca Madamba really captured everyone’s unique essence as we had optional props to choose from, as well as had each person sing “I’m the missing puzzle piece” to share their voice to the story of the song.
3. What was the process of making this video? I did a public call -out for volunteers who wanted to put together the puzzle and be in the video, to meet in Kensington Market (in Toronto) at a specific time. Kensington Market is a very vibrant neighbourhood, and there is a huge Goddess mural that was decided as the background for the video. Once we started shooting, with each person picking a puzzle piece, dancing and/or shining for the camera, passersby started getting curious and we had other people from the street participate as well. It was fun and there was a real sense of community! At one point, there was a big circle of people on the street watching and would clap and cheer after each person had done their part and sang “I’m the missing puzzle piece.” It was so fun and we really got to celebrate everyone’s individual essence that they contributed to the whole project.
“After a show, someone approached us and said our set sounded like ‘lost songs from an unidentifiable 80s college rock band’. We’d heard this before. The New Yorker had made a similar ‘80s college rock’ reference when trying to categorize Wormburner. Yes, our music might sound vaguely familiar, but no one has ever quite put their finger on it. I like to think we are students of our record collections, and we welcome it when listeners search out our influences when hearing our songs,” explained Hank Henry, lyricist and lead vocalist.
Wormburner’s new album has been released today, June 6th,. Based in Brooklyn, this is a band whose prior LP was praised with a very high grade by such legendary critics as Robert Christgau. Tour dates have landed Wormburner as far from home as the Pacific Northwest, where KEXP in Seattle has twice honored Wormburner with” Song of the Day” accolades and has hosted the band in KEXP’s live-in-the-studio performance space.
Titled Last of the Winter Light, the new album finds Wormburner at the peak of their powers to-date. With narrative lyrics as vivid as you’ve come to expect from the Wormburner canon, these newest songs are populated by fringe figures, frozen and stranded, but somehow persevering in stark settings where the way forward is marked only by winter’s diminishing daylight.
Wormburner has shared stages with The War on Drugs, Violent Femmes, The Hold Steady, The Walkmen, Old 97s, Dean Wareham, Deer Tick, Pansy Division, Tommy Keene, Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom, Cracker, and Camper van Beethoven (David Lowery produced Wormburner’s debut album). Legendary VJ Matt Pinfield once hosted Wormburner vocalist Hank Henry for an in-depth interview on MTV’s 120 Minutes. But the band remains an outlier. And despite limited commercial response to their work, Wormburner continues to release time-tested material that is filled with personality and heart.
Mixes for the new album were handled by Phil Palazzolo (Okkervil River, New Pornographers, Neko Case, Ted Leo + Pharmacists). Wormburner recently expanded to a six-piece lineup, propelling their already-electrifying stage show to a decidedly higher level of execution.
On Thursday June 12th at New York City’s Mercury Lounge, Wormburner will celebrate their album release by sharing the stage with the acclaimed Cincinnati band Wussy.
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