Audio Antihero

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OUT NOW: Tiberius – ‘Troubadour’ / Leilani Patao – ‘Red Hair Dye’

Two new November releases from Leilani Patao and Tiberius!

Tiberius‘Troubadour’:

Bandcamp / Streaming / Linktree

Leilani Patao ‘Red Hair Dye’ with iyrliaes and Benjamin Shaw Remixes + New Music Video:

Bandcamp / Music Video / Taken from the ‘daisy’ EP / Linktree

“That intentional willingness to create in contradictions and even be inscrutable at times makes the moments when Patao lets their pop instincts take over even more effective, as with the plaintive vocal performances on “BIRD WHISTLE.” In that vein, “portrait” begins as a stripped-back lo-fi bedroom pop detour, centering on Patao’s bass playing before exploding into a dazzling climax. Finally, Patao closes with the glitch pop of “Cut,” which once again drenches their vocals in autotune and clashing effects, but now pairs them with a host of coruscating pop melodies.” – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

“Wonderful.” – KEVIN SUR (KEXP: SOUNDS OF SURVIVANCE)

“The tension between the accomplished writing and singing and the DIY recording ethos is a high-wire trick that makes Daisy seem like such a fully-formed and consistently interesting release.” – KLOF Mag

“This young Hawaiian American artist seemed to strive to become unrecognisable on their label debut. Originally entering the industry through musical theatre as a celebrated mezzo-soprano, Leilani now obscures their rich range through distortion and chopping. Similarly, those who might remember their cutesy performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Kimmel would struggle to recognise the Leilani shown in the music video for lead single “Cut”, in which they’re seen drenched in blood.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“The song goes down easy. Patao has a knack for melodies, and “Red Hair Dye” displays that from the jump.” – THE ALTERNATIVE

“Brooklyn artist Leilani Patao is determined to get out of cyberspace and into the real world, one zine and one single at a time. We talk their upcoming EP daisy, and how they are building a world we all want to live in. – RAINBOW RODEO


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New Releases & Live Events from Frog, Josaleigh Pollett, Tiberius, The Noisy, and Leilani Patao

OUT NOW:

Josaleigh Pollett“Radio Player” (Digital Single)

“Radio Player” is a haunting and inspired new single from Salt Lake City’s Josaleigh Pollett, who is making their debut for Audio Antihero.

FFO: Sharon Van Etten / Half Waif / Why Oak

The Noisy‘The Secret Ingredient Is Even More Meat’ (Cassette & Digital)

A deluxe, expanded edition of the cult Philly group’s debut album.

FFO: Japanese Breakfast / Jay Som / Chappell Roan

The Noisy Live: Nov 2nd @ Liminal Space, Philadelphia, PA / Nov 5th @ PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA (Philly Tenants Union Fundraiser) / November 9th @ Launderette Records, Philadelphia, PA (Album Launch)

Frog‘THE COUNT’ (Vinyl & Digital)

Frog return with their second full-length album of 2025.

FFO: Twilight Singers / Modest Mouse / Daniel Johnston

Frog Live: Nov 13th @ Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY

PRE-ORDERS:

Nov 7th: Leilani Patao‘daisy’ (CD & Digital)

Glitchy Indie artist Leilani Patao shuns streaming and the algorithm on their gorgeous label debut.

FFO: Grumpy / Katie Dey / Caroline Polachek

Leilani Patao Live: Nov 8th @ The Living Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (EP Launch / DiskDrive Physical Media Celebration)

Nov 14th: Tiberius‘Troubadour’ (Cassette & Digital)

Non-binary-led Boston-based “Farm Emo” group mix Alt energy with rustic warmth on their label debut.

FFO: Greg Freeman / Frog / Pinegrove

Tiberius Live: Nov 13th @ Radio Bean, Burlington, VT / Nov 14th @ The Apohadion Theater, Portland, ME (W/ Dead Gowns & Bagcatcher) / Nov 15th – Warehouse XI, Boston, MA (Album launch W/ Winkler) / Nov 20th – A.I.R., Albany, NY / Nov 21st – The Rug Club, Philadelphia, NY / Nov 22nd – Cassette, Queens, NY (W/ Paper Lady & Dolly)


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PRE-ORDER: Tiberius – “Troubadour” (Nov 14th) + “Sag” Single

Boston-based “Farm Emo” band Tiberius will be making their label debut with Audio Antihero with November 14th’s Troubadour LP. Cassettes and downloads are available for pre-order via Bandcamp, as well as streaming pre-save.

The “Sag” single is out now, and is accompanied by a fun, goofy green screen music video.

You can also catch Tiberius on tour in August. Follow them on social media to keep up with all the dates and new activity.

Early Praise for “Sag”:

“Why we love it: Remember that time you first heard your favourite band? Remember the prickles on your neck and the rising chills and waves of euphoria that seemed to crash against each other? Remember playing that one song over and over, pausing it to catch the lyrics so you could sing along? Tiberius is your new favourite band. ‘Sag’ is that song.” – GOD IS IN THE TV ZINE

“The new lineup of the band is gearing up to release their first LP altogether (Wright’s fifth as Tiberius overall), and they’ve adopted an earthy, alt-country inflection that suits Wright’s tremulous voice perfectly. Troubador‘s rollicking lead single is called “Sag,” and it’s an absolute knockout, carrying that same rootsy spark that once made Cardinal such a hit.”THE ALTERNATIVE

“In “Sag” Wright distills the agony of band life–the tantalizing proximity to success, the toll it can take on your psyche–into punchy couplets. There’s a great line about “dragging amps and dragging ass,” and once it’s time to “play a show, play a show, play a show,” they sound utterly exhausted.”ALLSTON PUDDING

“The blistering spool of alt-rock catches vocalist and guitarist Brendan Wright “aggrandizing self-importance,” thrashing to the sound of their own existential unease.” – VANYALAND

“Boston’s Tiberius have developed a style of music they call ‘farm emo’. A combination of indie rock, punk and psychedelic sensibilities tied together by alt-country twang and as capable of rich ambient drift as it is punk fury or confessional emotion.”VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES

“Whatever it is this is a fine fine song, a piece of music full of warm emotion, three cheers indeed, a crafted piece of music that builds so well, a piece of music that has us wanting to hear more of the forthcoming album.” THE ORGAN

“Bostonian indie band Tiberius is the brainchild of Brendan Wright, who mixes grunge of the Pearl Jam variety with a bit of college rock to end up with something called “farm emo”.”HERE COMES THE FLOOD

“Making melodic rock with a load of heart, their music is often softly spoken, until it needs to be something else, something more.”ANALOGUETRASH


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WATCH: The Noisy Debut for Audio Antihero with Vampy Music Video”Twos”

Philly dream pop/synth rock band The Noisy announce signing to Audio Antihero (Frog / Avery Friedman / Magana / CIAO MALZ) with Twos,” a vampy, queer, and silent-movie-esque new music video from director Sam Cush, which teases The Secret Ingredient is Even More Meat,’ an upcoming deluxe edition of their debut album.

Featuring practical effects and vampire makeup by Philly drag talent, “Twos” channels gothic-glam in the spirit of vintage cinema, dripping with theatrical flair and midnight movie camp. Starring local icon Miss Thing, the video follows the success of Violet Lozenge,” The Noisy’s most recent drag-forward release, which WXPN praised as “glamorous, retro, and proudly queer.”

Front-person Sara Mae Henke (they/them) comments on the upcoming music video for “Twos:

I wrote this song like a pop song but wanted the production to bend towards Mannequin Pussy with sludgy guitars and twinkly keys. The music video literalizes the too much-ness of the story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Grey Gardens meets two dates to the prom.

The Noisy got its start in Knoxville, Tennessee, as a project of award-winning poet Sara Mae Henke. In spring 2023, after evolving from a solo project to a full band, they released Morricone with a Strega Nona meets Clint Eastwood music video, launching a crowdfunding campaign for their debut album, ‘The Secret Ingredient is More Meat.’ The band sold merch, raffled a cowboy hat, and ran a GoFundMe alongside a month-long tour, raising over $3,000 to bring this debut to life—an album for their queer community.To celebrate the first anniversary of ‘The Secret Ingredient is More Meat,’ Audio Antihero will be issuing a deluxe edition entitled ‘The Secret Ingredient is Even More Meat,’ which will include new and reimagined songs.

Praise for The Noisy:

Dynamic sound, charming energy, and a confessional tell-all spirit that’s as charismatic as it is irresistible.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE

Glamorous, retro, and proudly queer.” – WXPN

“The Noisy’s sound isn’t exactly noisy in the abrasive sense, but it is boisterous, embracing the crunch of grungy pop rock and the twang of Sara Mae’s Knoxville roots to create a muscular and freely associated alt-country belter.”POST-TRASH

“It sounds really formative. Being “sixteen and see-through” is such a vulnerable feeling, one that “Grenadine” captures really well.”THE ALTERNATIVE

“Their work examines the surreal, the uncanny, body horror, and intimacy.…Their album The Secret Ingredient is More Meat is an intoxicating experience.” – RAINBOW RODEO

Rich, polished pop-rock sound with pieces of dream/chamber pop, synth pop, and even a bit of electric alt-rock thrown in.” – ROSY OVERDRIVE

Unconventional at every turn, with Sara Mae’s background as a poet coming through in their unique, free-form writing style.” – TROPICAL GOTH MAG


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Frog KEXP Session + Avery Friedman Updates

Excited to share some updates from Frog and Avery Friedman!

Frog KEXP Session:

The video of Frog’s KEXP session for The Afternoon Show with Larry Mizell Jr. is live now! It even features an unreleased new song.

Frog’s 1000 Variations on the Same Song is available now on Bandcamp and Spotify. Vinyl and t-shirts are also available.

The response to the record has been brilliant with sessions for WFMU and KEXP, interviews with R/Indieheads, WKDU, WZBC, WVKR, The Hobbyist, If It Be Your Will, and more. Plus, killer reviews from Pitchfork, Stereogum (Album of the Week), FLOOD Magazine, Post-Trash, The Alternative, and more.

Avery Friedman Updates:

We’d also like to thank KEXP for putting Avery Friedman’s New Thing into rotation! Avery has been pretty busy since the release of her acclaimed debut album with a sold-out release show at Union Pool (Brooklyn can catch her again on August 10th at Elsewhere [Zone One] with Thomas Flynn and Hudson Freeman), and heaps of press and interviews.

Recent highlights have been an interview with Joseph Jr. Mastel of Out Front Magazine, the second-oldest independent LBGTQIA+ publication in the USA, and a wonderfully in-depth radio feature with Windsor, Ontario’s CJAM courtesy of Absent Sounds.

Plus, lots of great stuff you might have missed with The Line of Best Fit, Beats Per Minute (Track-by-Track), Atwood Magazine, Rainbow Rodeo, WNYU, Rockerilla (Italian Print Magazine), AnalogueTrash (Guest Mixtape), Love Music; Love Life (Influences Feature), Spare Notes, If It Be Your Will, OMSB Podcast, The Ugly Hug, and many others.

‘New Thing’ is out now on Bandcamp and Spotify. Cassettes are shipping now, and vinyl pre-orders (co-released with Softseed Music) will be shipping at the end of July.

Praise for ‘New Thing’:

“If you’re into intense, dreamy, subtly imaginative singer-songwriter-ly pop, people like Squirrel Flower or maybe the softer moments of Big Thief, don’t miss the debut album by the Brooklyn singer Avery Friedman. Her songs are a cocktail of anxiety and uneasy beauty with chiming, ringing arrangements that really get under your skin.” – NPR MUSIC (All Songs Considered)

“New Thing is going to be one of our albums of the year.” – ANALOGUETRASH

“Her full-length debut, New Thing, is a work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

“The promise you are left with as a listener, that there is a beauty in uncertainty and becoming, that flowers that die will surely grow again.” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“It’s not PR spin when I tell you that’ll be a contender for a spot on my AOTY list.” – ON REPEAT RECORDS

“Damn, I adored this record. I loved the writing. So image-rich and vivid, each song feels like its own universe. This is to say nothing of the diversity of soundscape – truly felt like a Writers Album.” – HANIF ABDURRAQIB

“New Thing, the scarily accomplished debut album from Avery Friedman, is all about change and growth…Friedman inhabits a complex emotional realm where nervousness can coexist with (and inform) ideas of sexiness, sadness, tenderness. Her world is fragile but appears to have arrived fully-formed.” – KLOF MAG

“New Thing is as much about community as it is Friedman’s individual journey. The album will thrill those who yearn for the days of sad indie bands in Williamsburg clubs. While Friedman and her band might be further along on the L train, they’ve moved past the detached melancholy of that cohort and instead utilize the same musical strains to confront and move beyond the pain that holds them back.” – NO DEPRESSION

“Friedman captures the uncontainable mess of being alive – the beautiful, brutal blur of becoming.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“If you’re looking to fill your musical roster with one of our favorite up and coming indie pop artists, look no further than Avery Friedman!” – THE HONEY POP

“Hidden gems occasionally shine brighter than polished diamonds. Enter Avery Friedman, who’s debut LP New Thing presents itself as a labor of love. Plenty of stakes present themselves in debut efforts, but Friedman stands before audiences fearless – 5/5” – NEW NOISE MAGAZINE


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Out Now: Avery Friedman – ‘New Thing’ (Debut Album) + Live Shows

Avery Friedman’s gorgeous debut album, New Thing,’ was released on Friday. After premieres with Under the Radar, Atwood Magazine, and The Alternative, we’re so excited to finally share it all with you. The early response has been pretty amazing, and we deeply appreciate any and all support.

Tapes, Vinyl, and Lossless Digital are available via Bandcamp + the album is streaming on Spotify & everywhere else. We’re co-releasing the vinyl edition with Softseed Music, who have an exclusive variant edition available on their store too.

There’s also some great new features with Avery if you’d like to learn more about her: The Line of Best Fit (Interview) / WNYU (Radio Interview) / Atwood Magazine (Interview) / OMSB Podcast (Interview) / Spare Notes Podcast / Beats Per Minute (Track-by-Track).

Praise for Avery Friedman’s ‘New Thing’:

“If you’re into intense, dreamy, subtly imaginative singer-songwriter-ly pop, people like Squirrel Flower or maybe the softer moments of Big Thief, don’t miss the debut album by the Brooklyn singer Avery Friedman. Her songs are a cocktail of anxiety and uneasy beauty with chiming, ringing arrangements that really get under your skin.”NPR MUSIC (All Songs Considered)

“Her full-length debut, New Thing, is a work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

“The promise you are left with as a listener, that there is a beauty in uncertainty and becoming, that flowers that die will surely grow again.”THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“Damn, I adored this record. I loved the writing. So image-rich and vidi, each song feels like its own universe. This is to say nothing of the diversity of soundscape – truly felt like a Writers Album.”HANIF ABDURRAQIB

“New Thing, the scarily accomplished debut album from Avery Friedman, is all about change and growth…Friedman inhabits a complex emotional realm where nervousness can coexist with (and inform) ideas of sexiness, sadness, tenderness. Her world is fragile but appears to have arrived fully-formed.” – KLOF MAG

“New Thing is as much about community as it is Friedman’s individual journey. The album will thrill those who yearn for the days of sad indie bands in Williamsburg clubs. While Friedman and her band might be further along on the L train, they’ve moved past the detached melancholy of that cohort and instead utilize the same musical strains to confront and move beyond the pain that holds them back.” NO DEPRESSION

“New Thing is going to be one of our albums of the year.”ANALOGUETRASH

“The influence of artists like Adrianne Lenker, Squirrel Flower, and Babehoven can be felt, but Friedman’s voice doesn’t mimic—it emerges from the same headspace, full of static, heat, and careful tension.”IDIOTEQ

“Its sophistication is simple: circling emotion without trying to pin it down, finding meaning in what’s left unsaid. The sort of record that doesn’t insist on being heard, but ends up being remembered.” GOD IS IN THE TV

“Friedman captures the uncontainable mess of being alive – the beautiful, brutal blur of becoming.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE

“Hidden gems occasionally shine brighter than polished diamonds. Enter Avery Friedman, who’s debut LP New Thing presents itself as a labor of love. Plenty of stakes present themselves in debut efforts, but Friedman stands before audiences fearless – 5/5NEW NOISE MAGAZINE

“So powerful…New Thing is an album that wants to scratch under the surface, to look at and feel the sensations of the unknown whether it hurts or not.” POST-TRASH

“Hard to describe, hard to predict, and it definitely feels fresh. New Thing was something I didn’t see coming. But it’s not PR spin when I tell you that’ll be a contender for a spot on my AOTY list.” – ON REPEAT RECORDS

“Crisp and serene, self-assured and steady…that sense of reclaimed power is palpable in New Thing’s subtle, gentle sway.” THE ALTERNATIVE

“Avery Friedman steps into the spotlight with New Thing, a debut album that crackles with the light and dark of new experiences, passions and self-discovery.” – JOYZINE

“New Thing works so well because of how direct and electric it sounds–music like this often falls into the realm of “bedroom folk”, but Friedman and her collaborators give it a strong, confident, full band delivery.” ROSY OVERDRIVE

“Stunning debut album…Impossible to fathom that Friedman is a new artist. She speaks from such a deep, resonant place that transcends the here and now….New Thing arrives as a stack of Polaroids, a cluster of memories and ideas that stick to the brain like pins to a corkboard. Avery Friedman lets the songs rise and fall, as she bares her soul in crisp detail, and as the listener breathes them in, we slip into those lived-in experiences along with her. It’s hard to imagine where she’ll go next, but what is most evident is that she’s a thrilling, astute artist with plenty more to say.” RAINBOW RODEO

“If you’re looking to fill your musical roster with one of our favorite up and coming indie pop artists, look no further than Avery Friedman!” – THE HONEY POP

“How these frustrations are navigated is what comes to mark the record. A combination of patience and burgeoning trust. Be that in the very ability of a person to come back to life, or else in the humble loves that make such a goal worthwhile.” VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES

“It’s rare that a debut presents us with an artist operating at this level and making something so fully realized. When we get a record like this one, it’s worth cherishing…” SWIM INTO THE SOUND

Avery Friedman Live in April and May:

Avery will be playing at the Crossroads: Springing Indie showcase at SOBs in Manhattan on Thursday, April 24th (Tickets/Info).

The ‘New Thing’ album launch will take place on May 15th at Union Pool in Brooklyn with support from Dolly and After Hours (Tickets/Info) + she’ll be playing her first show in Massachusetts at the Tourists hotel in North Adams on May 18th for Sing for Your Slumber (Info).


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New Avery Friedman Single + Vinyl & Cassette Pre-Order

Avery Friedman’s “New Thing” single was just released (Bandcamp / Spotify), and we’d like to thank Caleb Campbell and Under the Radar Magazine for premiering the song for us.

“Her full-length debut, New Thing, is a work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

Pre-Order: Vinyl / Cassette / Digital

We’re excited to share that Avery Friedman’s ‘New Thing‘ album will be released on cassette and vinyl (a co-release with Canada’s Softseed Music). It is also available as $5 digital download. Full details are available on the Audio Antihero Bandcamp page.

In addition to these transparent yellow cassette and clear blue vinyl editions, Softseed Music will also have an exclusive variant version available on their website. Cassettes will begin shipping at the end of April, and vinyl will begin shipping end of July.

In the meantime, I’d love to ask if you could pre-save ‘New Thing’ on Spotify, follow Avery on social media, and check out this wonderful interview with she did with Shea Roney for The Ugly Hug.

Praise for Avery Friedman:

“New Thing moves forward with a steady percussive stomp, building upon its foundation of churning guitars with chiming harmonies and swirling effects. Friedman makes the track’s later moments feel like a dissociative blur, adding new layers to the winding chord progressions until it turns from a reflective meditation to an elliptical folk rock spiral. Meanwhile, the lyrics mirror these undercurrents of creeping anxiety.” – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

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

“If you’re looking to fill your musical roster with one of our favorite up and coming indie pop artists, look no further than Avery Friedman! ‘Photo Booth’ is somehow only Avery’s second release, and it already sounds so much like she’s come into her own as an artist. We can’t wait to see what’s next!” – THE HONEY POP

“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“Photo Booth represents a bit of a shift for Friedman. It’s a more electronic, chirpier sound, her take on alt-pop. It’s still sparse and whispery, but there’s some energy beneath her voice, and the hook is sneakily catchy. It’s a great song.” – THE ALTERNATIVE


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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 DREAMSmulti-media project in October (available now from Hand Drawn Hand). Jeni wrote an essay about her “Ten Months of Teeth” for Atwood Magazine:

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.

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:

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

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:

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


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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