Audio Antihero

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Author Archives: Jamie Halliday


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Frog’s ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song’ LP Out Now / Avery Friedman’s ‘New Thing’ Pre-Order

Frog’s ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song’ album is out now! Please buy and stream!

TONIGHT (Feb 14th): Frog will be interviewed as part of an album feature on WEGL’s ‘Beat Drop’ at 7pm EST!

MONDAY (Feb 17th): Frog will not only be interviewed for WKDU’s excellent ‘Music for Pseudo Intellectuals’ show (6pm EST), but will also participate in an AMA for r/indieheads at 12pm EST!

[AMA ANNOUNCEMENT] Frog on Monday, February 17th @ 12pm ET/9am PT!
byu/ReconEG inindieheads

MARCH: Frog will be interviewed for ‘THE EXEC SHOW’ on WVKR on the 1st (3pm EST), before playing sessions for WFMU’s ‘Material Eyez’ on the 18th. (3pm EST) and KEXP’s ‘The Afternoon Show’ on the 25th (3pm EST).

Tour Dates: Tickets & Info

  • 8 MARCH – Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, US
  • 18 MARCH – WFMU Radio Session, Jersey City, NJ
  • 22 MARCH – The Echo, Los Angeles, CA, US
  • 23 MARCH – Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA, US
  • 25 MARCH – KEXP Studio Session, Seattle, WA, US
  • 25 MARCH – The Black Lodge, Seattle, WA, US
  • 26 MARCH – The Fox Cabaret Projection Room, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 27 MARCH – Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR, US
  • 28 MARCH – Treefort Music Fest, Boise, ID, US
  • 3 APRIL – Bowery Ballroom, New York City, NY, US
  • 11 APRIL – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, US

Early Praise for ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song’:

“It’s the Year Of The Frog…Frog’s strength is their seemingly effortless ability to break your heart and make you laugh in the same breath.” – STEREOGUM (Album of the Week)

“From the jaunty piano on single “Just Use Yr Hips Var. VI” to the banjo in the background of “Mixtape Liner Notes Var. VII,” Frog go beyond the songwriting exercise to find something special.” – PITCHFORK (11 New Albums You Should Listen to Now)

“The NYC indie-folk duo’s sixth album is a wonderful rumination on the perceived limitations of songcraft, using its 11 tracks to demonstrate the infinite approaches to universal themes.” – FLOOD Magazine

“Swaying between vulnerability and playfulness, Frog’s exercise surely makes for an inviting listen.” – OUR CULTURE

“After spending a good deal of time in 1000 Variations on the Same Song, it’s now hard to imagine it sounding any other way–Bateman sounds almost divinely inspired…” – ROSY OVERDRIVE

Avery Friedman’s ‘New Thing’ Album Pre-Order + “Flowers Fell” Single:

Thrilled to also be working with Avery Friedman on ‘New Thing,’ her stunning debut album. Backed by James Chrisman (Sister. / CIAO MALZ), Ryan Rox (Club Aqua) and Felix Walworth (Florist / Told Slant), Friedman delivers a sonically deep and layered debut that sees Friedman explore her trauma and queerness with a raw open-heartedness.

The album will be released on cassette on April 18th, and pre-orders are live now.

Her next show is March 23rd @ Trans-Pecos in Queens, NY. She will in Austin for SXSW this year and is available for showcases (so please reach out).

Praise for the “Flowers Fell” Single:

“Singer-songwriter Avery Friedman delivers a potential cult classic with ‘Flowers Fell’.” – REAL GONE

“Having frequented bills with artists such as Sister. and Dead Gowns for the past year, Avery Friedman has consistently left an impression on those that have caught her sets, oftentimes performing solo, creating a space in which her vivid imagery and tender melodies greet new ears with welcome and understanding. Produced by James Chrisman (Sister.) and with contributions from Felix Walworth (Told Slant, Florist), “Flowers Fell” plays to the in-between moments as Friedman defines new beginnings.” – THE UGLY HUG

“There’s this beautiful feedback buzz coursing through, and then the bottom falls out, hurtling you into this beautiful dreamland of pop magnificence.” – AUSTIN TOWN HALL

“A powerful debut single about change, growth, and resilience.…The song feels rooted in the raw emotional textures of artists like Adrianne Lenker or Babehoven, while its starry-eyed instrumentation harkens back to late ’90s pop-rock in all the best ways.” – WHERE THE MUSIC MEETS

“With her natural ability to channel personal chaos into compelling storytelling, Avery’s debut signals the arrival of an artist ready to make a meaningful mark.” – AMPLIFY THE NOISE

“She makes good use of this orbit to enlist some of New York’s most interesting musicians on the album. James Chrisman (Sister.), Felix Walworth (Florist/Told Slant), Ryan Cox (Club Aqua) and Malia DelaCruz (CIAO MALZ) all lend their talents, and together create a sound nuanced and ambitious enough to achieve Friedman’s vision.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES


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Frog Vinyl Pre-Order + New Magana EP

Yesterday was a big day with Magana completing her “Teeth trilogy” with the cosy core winter pop of the ‘Bad News‘ EP, and Frog launching vinyl and digital pre-orders for ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song.’ On top of that, Frog released the “MIXTAPE LINER NOTES VAR. VII” single.

Magana – ‘Bad News’ (Out Now)

‘Bad News‘ is Magana’s third solo release in a ten-month period, following the brilliant ‘Teeth‘ LP in March and the ‘DREAMS‘ multi-media project in October (available now from Hand Drawn Hand). Jeni wrote an essay about her “Ten Months of Teeth” for Atwood Magazine:

Essay: “Ten Months of Teeth” by Magana

We would also like to thank The Alternative for premiering the EP, and God Is In the TV for premiering her ‘Hold On’ lyric video. Everything is better with independent sites like these helping us to share our work.

EP Premiere: Magana – ‘Bad News’
EXCLUSIVE: Magana ‘Hold On’ Lyric Video Premiere

Bad News is available now via Bandcamp, Spotify, and all other services.

Frog: Vinyl Pre-Order & New Single

Frog’s ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song’ will be released on February 14th, and pre-orders for the digital and vinyl release now live.

The brothers also issued the ‘MIXTAPE LINER NOTES VAR. VII’ single, which Danielle Chelosky of Stereogum was super kind about:

“If the rest of the album sounds like this single, then I’m in. “MIXTAPE LINER NOTES
VAR. VII” is lo-fi greatness, the first verse name-dropping both My Chemical Romance and Big Star (taste). In the chorus, Daniel Bateman sings poignantly, “I can’t justify it, it isn’t rational/ I get high and cry it over broken Casios.” Amazing stuff!” – Danielle Chelosky (STEREOGUM)


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It’s Christmas Time (For God’s Sake)

Having just rushed out the surprise “DID SANTA COME” single by Frog, I wanted to share a little more seasonal activity.

Firstly, it was a pretty nice surprise to hear Nosferatu D2’s “It’s Christmas Time (For God’s Sake)“ on BBC 6 Music in 2024, so I wanted to send a huge thanks to Alexander Carson for the Freak Zone spin this week (listen again here). Kind of unexpectedly the song also got recent spins from WRCT, Radio Boise, BFF.FM, WKCR, KDVS, Radio Broskant, and Amazing Radio. Pretty neat for a DIY release from 2009.

If you’re a fan of Nosferatu D2, you can get some free Bandcamp downloads via GetMusic (along with other other Ben and Adam Parker projects like Tempertwig, Superman Revenge Squad, and My Best Unbeaten Brother).

In other news, CIAO MALZ (it’s her birthday today! Buy her new EP for $1!) put together a great musical Christmas essay which is up now on For The Rabbits:

A Musical Christmas Essay by Ciao Malz

Frog also did a little Christmas Q&A for Atwood Magazine’s Mistletones feature:

Atwood Magazine Presents Mistletones: 2024’s Best New Holiday Songs, Pt. 3!

The “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” film directed by Tyler Taormina (aka Audio Antihero alumni Cloud) was named the #2 movie of 2024 by Richard Brody for The New Yorker and it’s available now to stream too. I really recommend it.

I’d also like to dust off this gloomy guest feature I did for Various Small Flames last year:

I Just Can’t Love Christmas: A Holiday Mix by Audio Antihero’s Jamie Halliday

Lastly, I’ve made a wee Christmas playlist of songs by Audio Antihero artists and alumni.


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OUT NOW: Frog – “DID SANTA COME” Single

Frog just released a surprise Christmas single. Thanks to you for supporting it, and folks like Pitchfork and Stereogum for covering it.

Following the critical and commercial success of their 2023 ‘Grog’ LP, cult New York Indie duo Frog have returned with a festive new single and announcements for a new LP and their largest tour to date.

“DID SANTA COME” single is the first preview of Frog’s upcoming sixth album, ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song,’ which will be released in February and followed by a North America tour in March and April. 

Frog have touched on the sadness of the holidays in the past with songs like “Wish Upon a Bar” and “Space Jam,” but new single, “DID SANTA COME,” leans into the season with newfound enthusiasm and naiveté, inspired by Daniel Bateman’s young son:

“This song is about my son when he was two years old at Christmas time. Every morning for 2-3 weeks after, he would wake up and ask, “Did Santa come?” Seeing the world through the eyes of your children makes it all very beautiful.”

Since Frog returned from hiatus in 2023 with the addition of Daniel’s brother Steve Bateman on drums, they’ve received significant critical acclaim and enjoyed a run of sold-out shows in the Tri-state area. These 2025 dates will see the band joined by Frog co-founder Tom White on bass and will take them to cities like Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Boise (Treefort Music Fest), and more for first-time-ever shows.

2025 Tour Dates: Tickets & Information

  • 8 MARCH – Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, US
  • 22 MARCH – The Echo, Los Angeles, CA, US
  • 23 MARCH – Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA, US
  • 25 MARCH – The Black Lodge, Seattle, WA, US
  • 26 MARCH – The Fox Cabaret Projection Room, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 27 MARCH – Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR, US
  • 28 MARCH – Treefort Music Fest, Boise, ID, US
  • 3 APRIL – Bowery Ballroom, New York (NYC), NY, US
  • 11 APRIL – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, US


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OUT NOW: CIAO MALZ – ‘Safe Then Sorry’ EP

Super happy to release this gorgeous ‘Safe Then Sorry‘ EP from CIAO MALZ today.

It’s $1 on Bandcamp, plus available wherever you stream. Your support would mean a lot to us.

Thanks to Under the Radar Magazine for premiering the EP yesterday. That was exciting.

Praise for CIAO MALZ:

“Expertly crafted pop songs…It’s a real gem, and it already seems likely that DelaCruz has a big future.” – KLOF MAG

“It’s an EP that rewards careful listening, with the kind of nooks and crannies that only can come from an artist approaching their work with a sense of exploration rather than a paint by numbers fealty to any particular genre or sound. It’s the kind of project that invites multiple listens, and when you check it out you’ll want to make sure that at least once that you listen with headphones.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“The EP is a work that celebrates restlessness and idiosyncrasy. DelaCruz’s songs are slight and sometimes sparse, yet they are never boring. Her melodies rarely move as expected, darting and drifting atop hypnotic mazes of instrumentation. Some of the record’s most blissful moments come as these tracks’ knotted guitar work resolves into soaring choruses, pivoting between unconventional indie melodicism and clear-eyed pastoral pop songcraft.” – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

“I gotta say I dig the vibe so far. I’m not sure whether to call it twee rock or indie pop or just straight up indie rock, but the execution is crisp, the emotion is raw, and I find myself enjoying the song every time it comes on.” – INDIE SHUFFLE

“The EP feels grounded, raw, and real—a snapshot of an artist in motion, unafraid to lean into the messiness of creation. It’s an honest, emotionally open debut that leaves you wanting to hear what’s next.” – GOD IS IN THE TV


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OUT NOW: “Two Feet Tall” by CIAO MALZ + ‘Safe Then Sorry’ EP available for pre-order

Audio Antihero is very excited to be working with CIAO MALZ, the NYC-based project from Malia DelaCruz with James Chrisman (Sister.), and Felix Walworth (Told Slant / Florist). If you’d like to say “hi!” to Malia, all her links are here.

The gorgeous “Two Feet Tall” single is out now as a free/pay-what-you-want download, and is streaming everywhere. It’s taken from the December 6th ‘Safe Then Sorry’ EP, which you can pre-order via Bandcamp for $1 and pre-save to your app of choice.

Released just 1.5 weeks ago, we’ve been thrilled with the response for the single, which has been put into rotation by KEXP, as well as receiving airplay from BBC 6 Music (New Music Fix), BBC Radio Scotland (Roddy Hart), NPR: WFUV (NY Slice), and found national airplay on Kosmos 93.6 (Fresh Unlimited).

Press has been brilliant too, after initially premiering the single with God Is In the TV, CIAO MALZ has been picked up by sites like Indie Shuffle, The Alternative, HighClouds, KLOF Mag, The Autumn Roses, Loud Women, AnalogueTrash, and Various Small Flames, which has helped her reach the #1 spots in both the “Popular Now” and “Most Posted Artists” charts on Hype Machine.

We’re also really happy with all the new listeners the single has found on Spotify (follow here / stream here), and we’re mad grateful to people like BIRP!, Grimy Goods, KEXP, Indie Shuffle, WFUV, Gunk, One Chord to Another, GRRRL Music, David Dean Burkhart, and many others for helping to make that possible.

I initially met CIAO MALZ in 2023 via this lovely cover of Frog’s “You Know I’m Down,” and while it’s horrifying to be old enough to release records influenced by the records I’ve released, it’s also a pretty special thing too.

Having returned from hiatus at the end of 2023 for ‘Grog‘ by Frog, and been inundated since with with life changes, an insane pet cockatiel, and Antihero PR campaigns, this new Audio Antihero is a work-in-progress, and adding the first new artist to the label’s roster since 2016 (unless you count the different projects of Ben and Adam Parker), feels really really good.

As ever, if you’d like to potentially review/interview/feature CIAO MALZ then contact me via Antihero PR!

Early Press for CIAO MALZ:

“Expertly crafted pop songs…It already seems likely that DelaCruz has a big future.” – KLOF MAGAZINE

“Over propulsive drumming from Told Slant’s Felix Walworth, DelaCruz laments her ability to “find new ways to disappoint her,” but I’m not sure overcompensation has ever sounded so good.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“Malia DelaCruz is gearing up to release Safe Then Sorry in early December, and I gotta say I dig the vibe so far. I’m not sure whether to call it twee rock or indie pop or just straight up indie rock, but the execution is crisp, the emotion is raw, and I find myself enjoying the song every time it comes on.” – INDIE SHUFFLE

“The winning combination of voice, lyrical content, and overall atmosphere makes the likes of British indie-folk visionary Richard Dawson a fitting musical comparison for MALZ’s approach as the well-considered stylings of Elliott Smith and Jordana.” – ANALOGUETRASH

“The Ciao Malz sound pairs equal parts upbeat energy and probing introspection to explore themes of identity and love in young life….Lead single ‘Two Feet Tall’ introduces the project to the uninitiated, embodying the release’s unguarded nature with lush textures and a binding sense of forward motion.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES

“CIAO MALZ has also dropped the fiery debut single, “Two Feet Tall,” a breakneck indie rock anthem fueled by frustration.” – HIGHCLOUDS

“It ripples with glistening guitar motifs, twitchy percussion, and bittersweet vocal melodies that bristle with an undercurrent of longing and frustration. It’s a delicious earworm, ripe with glowing homespun melodies that approach tender feelings at a cautious angle.” – GOD IS IN THE TV


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OUT NOW: My Best Unbeaten Brother – ‘Pessimistic Pizza’

Excited to share that My Best Unbeaten Brother’s ‘Pessimistic Pizza‘ is out now. You can get it on Bandcamp, and all other services. It’s a special kind of full-circle moment for Audio Antihero to work with Ben and Adam Parker again, having launched in 2009 around Nosferatu D2, and later releasing music by The Superman Revenge Squad Band, as well as Tempertwig.

If you’d like to get the full story on this debut, I recommend the great Track-by-Track feature that Ben Parker wrote for The Alternative:

Track by Track: My Best Unbeaten Brother – ‘Pessimistic Pizza’

We’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of wonderful press and airplay recently courtesy of folk like Post-Trash, WKDU, WIDR, RRR FM, Start-Track, Austin Town Hall, Various Small Flames, For the Rabbits, God Is In The TV, Sweeping the Nation, MP3hugger, and many others.

“It’s a refreshing plea in a world obsessed with irony and curated authenticity…There is an urgency to take care of the people around us, rather than a navel-gazing angst.” – POST TRASH

“My Best Unbeaten Brother triangulates a space between the baritone-led post-punk revival of Alligator, the quirked-up indie pop of Waited Up Til It Was Light, and the math-tinged emo of Charmer. In other words, Pessimistic Pizza is an absolute must-listen.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“…Laconic vocal delivery against the spiky, agitated riffs that made The Fire Engines 1980’s Postcard Records legends as the tight angularity simply heaves with the best kind of faux jangle.” – JANGLEPOPHUB

“For anyone who’s ever stood at a crossroads, contemplating the leap into the unknown, let this album remind you that your choices are valid, your doubts are shared, and your paths are worth treading with a soundtrack as thoughtful as this one.” – JESSE’S BASEMENT

“The main point to take away from Pessimistic Pizza is that life changes; it has its difficulties, but it also has beautiful moments where we thrive and grow, with every story being different. That’s the beautiful part of being human.” – DISTORTED SOUND MAGAZINE

There’s also a number of great interviews and features with the band on sites and radio stations like Resonance FM, Music N Gear, Abominations, and more:

Pod’n’Play: 29.06.24 – ft. My Best Unbeaten Brother

I Cling to Faith in People: An Interview with Ben Parker of My Best Unbeaten Brother
The music that influenced My Best Unbeaten Brother’s ‘Pessimistic Pizza’
A CONVERSATION WITH…My Best Unbeaten Brother

We so appreciate everyone’s support. If you’d like to say hello to the band, you can find them via Linktree.


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NEWS: My Best Unbeaten Brother singles + Magana Features (Post-Trash / BBC Scotland / For the Rabbits) + An Old Pal

MY BEST UNBEATEN BROTHER (featuring Ben and Adam Parker of NOSFERATU D2 / TEMPERTWIG / SUPERMAN REVENGE SQUAD) have released two more singles form their upcoming debut mini-album ‘Pessimistic Pizza‘ (which you can pre-order/support here for $5 or get a free/pay-what-you-want single here).

We were lucky to premiere both singles with two great independent music sites. “Extraordinary Times” was first shared by GOD IS IN THE TV:

EXCLUSIVE: My Best Unbeaten Brother ‘Extraordinary Times’ Single Premiere

And “Blues Fatigue“ was first streamed yesterday on FOR THE RABBITS:

[PREMIERE] My Best Unbeaten Brother – Blues Fatigue

The band also recorded an exclusive session for Mark Whitby on Dandelion Radio this month, the show airs daily for all of June or you can listen on demand here.

MAGANA PRESS:

MAGANA has been continuing to get really excellent press for her recent ‘Teeth‘ album. The first of these that I’d to share is her brilliant interview with Giliann Karon for POST-TRASH:

She was also recently the “Me In 3” guest on BBC RADIO SCOTLAND with Jill O’Sullivan (thanks to Roddy Hart and Richard Bull):

She also wrote a brilliant retrospective on her debut album, ‘You Are Not A Morning Person‘ for FOR THE RABBITS, and spoke to Edinburgh’s LOVE MUSIC; LOVE LIFE about some of the songs which inspired her genre-bending latest record.

Retrospective: Magana – You Are Not A Morning Person
Magana | 5 tracks that influenced ‘Teeth’

OTHER ELECTRICITIES LABEL FEATURE:

You might recall that Audio Antihero co-released the gorgeous ‘Last‘ LP by LOW LOW LOW LA LA LA LOVE LOVE LOVE with OTHER ELECTRICITIES back in 2015. Label owner (and LAS NUBES drummer) Emile Milgrim has been deservingly featured on START-TRACK via their “Introducing Labels” feature today:

Introducing labels: Other Electricities


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NEWS: My Best Unbeaten Brother (Nosferatu D2 / Superman Revenge Squad / Tempertwig) / Magana

My Best Unbeatean Brother Single + Mini-Album Pre-Order:

My Best Unbeaten Brother are back with “Time on Our Hands, Spider-Man,” the lead single to their ‘Pessimistic Pizza‘ debut mini-album (pre-order it here). The band features Ben and Adam Parker (Nosferatu D2 / Tempertwig / Superman Revenge Squad) and Ben Fry (The Jonbarr Hinge).

The first new music from the Parker brothers since 2013, it’s a bit of a wild full circle moment for Audio Antihero, since the label was started around Nosferatu D2’s classic debut album back in 2009 (there’s a lovely Public Radio International story about that).

My thanks to Austin Town Hall, Zone Nights, Jesse’s Basement, 1st 3 Magazine, Amplify the Noise, and others, for supporting the single so far. Say hi to the band.

Press for Magana’s ‘Teeth’:

Released on March 25th, it has been wonderful to see so much great press continuing to come in for Magana’s stunning ‘Teeth‘ album. If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, then the following sites have you covered:

Artists You Should Know: Magana
You Got Shit to Do: a Magana Retrospective By Audio Antihero Records
https://marcschuster.wordpress.com/2024/05/06/all-moons-have-nicknames-an-interview-with-magana/
Crítica de ‘Teeth’, el nuevo LP de Magana

Plus, there’s more more lovely features, interviews, and reviews available now from I Enjoy Music, We All Want Someone To Shout For, Brainrot Radio, No Frills Reviews, Start-Track, For the Rabbits, Blood Makes Noise, A Grrrl’s Two Sound Scents, and many others. Keep your eye on the Audio Antihero twitter feed because there’s more cool stuff coming up for Magana on Post-Trash, BBC Radio Scotland, For the Rabbits, and B-Sides & Badlands.


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NEWS: Magana’s ‘Teeth’ is this week’s Roddy Hart Show (BBC Scotland) “Record of Note”

Magana’s ‘Teeth‘ was the “Record of Note” on BBC Scotland’s Roddy Hart show last night. Roddy played three songs from the album and said a lot of lovely things about it. If you missed it live, you can listen to it via BBC Sounds.

Something extra nice about it was that Roddy and his producer (The Raging Bull) had clearly done their research and pulled some great stuff from the Jeni’s track-by-track feature for The Alternative:

Track by Track: Magana – ‘Teeth’

If you’re enjoying Magana-centric radio, then please remember that her session for Leo Gilbert is airing all month long via Dandelion Radio and Mixcloud:

Plus, there are numerous new audio interviews with Jeni available via CJAM FM, Resonance FM, and the If It Be Your Will podcast.

If you’re more of a reader, then Atwood Magazine, The Alternative, Firebird Magazine, Various Small Flames, Amplify the Noise, Joyzine, Thoughts Words Action, Ever Metal, Music N Gear, and The Daily Music Report have got you covered with interviews and features.

More interviews still scheduled to come from Post-Trash, Brainrot Radio, I Enjoy Music, Love Music; Love Life, A Grrrl’s Two Sound Scents, Abominations, B-Sides & Badlands, Blood Makes Noise, and BBC Scotland, so please keep an eye on Magana’s feeds for news.

She also got a very nice review from Ljubinko Zivkovic for The Spill Magazine:

“Lyrically, Magaña visits some stark and dark places, describing it as “witchy rock,” but it all fits so well with her song constructions and her quite warm, subtle voice, making an excellent musical and lyrical contrast, as a cup of hot coffee and cold sparkling water do.”

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAGANA – TEETH

‘Teeth’ is out now on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Thank you so much for helping us to spread the word.