by Sharon Gissy

Texas alternative rock band the Unlikely Candidates are releasing their six-song EP Bed of Liars today. Their single "Ringer" is currently enjoying play at top 35 of alternative radio. The EP will be available for download on all major music streaming sites today. 

Also beginning today, the popular band will kick off their "The People's Choice" tour in Tulsa, OK, which will include a stop at Chicago's Beat Kitchen on March 9th. The band's catchy sound has been described by Vanyaland as "...a better, cooler Kings of Leon" and by Perez Hilton as "...Mumford and Sons with a bit more fun!"

More Unlikely Candidates tour dates are listed below.

​The Unlikely Candidates Tour Dates (More TBA):
February 17 @ The Vanguard - Tulsa, OK
February 18 @ Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS
February 23 @ Sam’s Burger Joint – San Antonio, TX
February 24 @ Stubb’s Jr - Austin, TX
March 01 @ George’s Majestic Lounge - Fayetteville, AR
March 8 @ Bootleg - St. Louis, MO
March 9 @ Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL
March 16-19 @ SXSW - Austin, TX
March 23 @ Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
March 24 @ Moxi Theatre - Greeley, CO
March 25 @ Lost Lake - Denver, CO
March 30 @ Dada - Dallas, TX
April 01 @ House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
April 05 @ High Watt – Nashville, TN
April 07 @ Vinyl - Atlanta, GA
April 08 @ The Rabbit Hole – Charlotte, NC
April 14 @ Gasa Gasa - New Orleans, LA
 
Other Tour Dates:
March 11 @ Energy Square Parking Lot – Dallas, TX (With Jimmy Eat World, Rooney)
April 15 @ Buzzfest / Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
May 14 @ Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD (DC101 Kerfuffle)

by Sharon Gissy

Baltimore country punk rockers Western Star are gearing up for their biggest year of touring yet. Formed while working together on the Jeffers cattle ranch in East Texas, the band made waves with their debut album Fireball, released on Saustex Records. Fireball blends punk, country and rock n' roll in a high-energy output of driving rhythms, guitar, and passionate screaming produced by Ken Bethea of the Old 97's. The album can be listened to on Soundcloud here, and you can check out a music video to their title track here. 

After a lineup change and a limited range of touring in 2016, Western Star is back with a powerful DIY tour through March with Baltimore rockabilly legend Rodney "Pie-Man" Henry of the Glenmont Popes, stopping in Chicago at Reggies on March 9th. The group combines their East Coast edge with true southern roots, continuing to help with construction projects on the Jeffers family ranch in Tyler, Texas, and rehearsing there in a little white house. 

by Sharon Gissy

Alabama rock group the Dexateens are on a three-show tour in support of their latest record Teenage Hallelujah on Cornelius Chapel Records which includes a stop at Chicago's Hideout on February 24th. The band is set to record a follow-up record at Dial Back Sound, which is owned by Dexateen/Drive By Trucker Matt Patton.

Since 1998, the Dexateens have released eight critically acclaimed records, all showing a garage and indie-rock influence steeped in the sounds of country, soul, and blues. The current lineup includes Elliott McPherson on guitar, singing, songwriting, and bass guitar by the Drive-By Truckers' Matt Patton, Brian Gosdin on drums, and Brad Armstrong (13Ghosts) and Taylor Hollingsworth (Conor Oberst, Mystic Valley Band, Dead Fingers) on lead guitar.

The Dexateens plan to release their new full-length Struggler on Cornelius Chapel this summer, and to continue to tour in support of both releases. Their live rock show is not to be missed, and can be caught at 10:00 p.m. at Chicago's Hideout on February 24th.

 by Sharon Gissy

​Chilean singer-songwriter Yael Meyer will release new music this year and play SXSW as well as select dates throughout the U.S. in 2017. This comes as a welcome announcement after she has garnered praise for her fusion of electronica, pop, and folk music. Some of the critical acclaim for her record Warrior Heart, released on her own label KLI Records, included NPR's Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd listing it among "musical treasures we've uncovered," Rolling Stone Argentina naming her "one of the five female Chilean musicians to know," and her native Chilean El Mercurio naming her one of the 100 most influential young leaders.

Yael Meyer broke out on the strength of several singles and videos. Entertainment Weekly premiered the video for bouncy electropop track "Human Divine," which you can watch here. Haunting song "The Hunt," with its video shot in the Andes, premiered on the CW show Reign and can be watched here. 

Meyer's new music should be arriving later this year, and she is working again with producer Bill Lefler (Dashboard Confessional, Ingrid Michaelson), who she worked with on Warrior Heart. She says "This album is much more raw, much more guitar heavy, with bigger distortions and disruptive sounds, while still maintaining the quality that I have always wanted to generate with music which is to take people through different emotions and hopefully inspire some interesting visuals in their minds."