We recently announced the addition of Zook to the YK Records roster and I’m overjoyed to add to that good news that his new full-length album will be here before you know it.
Evaporating is due out on Nov 7th and you can listen to the first track from it starting right now. “Absolute Misery” is streaming everywhere at this very moment. Don’t let that title fool you, it’s a joy to listen to.
Zook’s new record is his third full-length overall but, in many ways, is a reinvention of his approach and his sound. He’s always had a great penchant for blending styles but with Evaporating you will hear a uniquely special blend of pop, psychedelic, shoegaze, indie rock and a host of styles that fit in such a way that only Zook could create them.
November 7th is very soon! So, you won’t have to wait long to hear more from this record.
Evaporating will be available on streaming, download and in limited edition physical formats!
Canary Yellow Vinyl – we pressing 100 of these and they sound fantastic.
Black Shell Cassette – our friends at Second Floor Recording Co made a short run of tapes that will go fast.
In July of 2024, Meadownoise released their album The Foam Alone. Except, what you heard online wasn’t truly the album. What was posted to Bandcamp, Ampwall and all streaming services was a collection of reactions, recreations or remarks about the album but not the songs themselves. In one case, it was some quiet time doing some laundry.
If you wanted to hear The Foam Alone, you needed to get your hands on a USB stick dangling gracefully inside of a medicine bottle. Maybe you’d get this from Matt Glassmeyer himself at a show. Maybe you’d get it from a friend of a friend. Or maybe you’d be daring enough to find it in public and put it in your computer, unprompted.
It was a grand experiment and one that worked. We distributed the album to friends and family. They redistributed to their friends and family. We heard appreciation and insights from those that were listening offline to the songs in a covert and concentrated way. Streaming numbers be damned, the album was making its way into the world.
Two hallmarks of multi-instrumentalist, composer and expert improviser Matt Glassmeyer’s project Meadownoise are his tendency for ingenious and thoughtful experimentation and his appreciation for grooves of all kinds. Those are in effect in a big way on his latest record. The album is also a playful experiment in disrupting the way that streaming isolates listeners.
We’re happy to announce the end of that experiment. The songs from The Foam Alone are now available in their original form on all the various platforms. For those of you that heard the Reaction Version, this will reframe the experience entirely. For those that heard the USB versions, these will be familiar and convenient. For those that heard neither, you’re welcome to a new experience.
The versions on Ampwall and Bandcamp contain both the album versions and the reactions. It may be interesting to listen to them on shuffle.
On Oct 15, 2025 there was a fantastic record release celebration from Trash Man for his sophomore EP, Cool Until It’s Not. Fortunately for all of us, a camera was setup on the side of the stage to capture the entire performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pJ7CeuxGNw
Since Trash Man never played a release show for the first EP, Moment of Bleakness, this show served double duty. Clocking in around 20 minutes, Trash Man plays 10 songs covering the entirety of both EPs.
Great to hear these songs performed live and equally as rewarding to see the live band lineup of Taylor Lowrance (guitar), Deezy Youngdahl (bass), Z. Swann (keys), Peter Mercer (drums) and, of course, Alex Mojaverian (guitar and vocals).
Hopefully more Trash Man shows coming up in the future but, regardless, we’ve got an excellent document to relive this one over and over.
Finding your voice in the performance arena is often a musician’s hardest task. Fortunately for Jessica Breanne her literal voice carved a path for her to stand out immediately. Back in the early aughts, Breanne fronted a soulful rock band called The Electric Hearts, bringing infectious, rootsy, rock songs garnering comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday.
Seeking to explore fresh opportunities and more diverse sounds, she collaborated with producer Jake Davis (William Tyler, Emily Nenni, Skyway Man) to create a lush collection of classic country-tinged songs with 2021’s Rosebud Queen. These songs were an ode to resilience, the ability to overcome the darkness. Again Breanne’s voice soars through the deeply personal songs, inspiring the Nashville Scene to call it “a cinematic and very Southern soundscape.”
Continuing to diversify her palette, Breanne has now released Electric Heart, her second solo album and a reclamation of the namesake she started with. The album breaks from the mold of one specific genre and blends together the psychedelic, the soulful, rootsy and, above all else, infectiously memorable sounds that inspire her. Zillions Magazine remarked her work is “a delicious reminder that music at its best is not only about sound, but also about memory, emotion, and the bravery to remember where we have been.”
The path through self-discovery is a lifelong journey. Breanne has continuously explored new ideas, evolved her sound and embraced her unique and uncontainable voice. Electric Heart is the most realized version of her depth of songwriting and diversity of style yet.
Sixteen years ago, Shaboi released their one and only album Curse Walk. It’s 19 minutes, 10 songs and more genres than any album should reasonably be able to handle. It is, without a doubt or the slightest amount of hyperbole, The Greatest Halloween Album Ever Made.
I can safely say that over the last sixteen years, I have listened to this album hundreds of times. I can also confidently confirm that I will listen to it hundreds more as the years go on. The brief runtime mixed with the eclectic variety of styles ensures its place in Heavy Rotation; particularly during October.
Clearly there is bias here! Curse Walk was the fourth release from YK Records and that alone gives it a special place in the pantheon of releases. Fortunately, the music – not the nostalgia – is what makes this one stand the test of time.
The day has arrived! The newest EP from Trash Man is here! Cool Until It’s Not is a big riff blast of rock seeped in existential pondering. With a runtime under 10 minutes, you’d think it would be hard to fit in a lot of big questions but Alex Mojaverian tackles some big topics without losing sight of keeping it catchy.
Tower Defense has a long history of writing songs that, aurally, function as big blasts of rock. They embrace harmonies from all four members, massive drum sounds, walls of guitar and, of course, the delightfully unique double bass. Lyrically, they don’t shy away from insightful critiques of the world around them; generally Nashville specifically but often applicable to a wider systemic problem.
With “Fit for Purpose,” the band gives us the first peek at a lot of new songs that they’ve been working on in the last year. It’s a song that you should crank to the loudest volumes and let wash over you. It’s also a song inspired by Urban Heat Islands, a phenomena in urban areas where large swaths of blacktop and concrete will absorb and radiate heat. As Nashville grows, it is grappling with an epidemic of parking lots. These cash grabs are aimed at monetized tourists but often impact locals. More frequently than not, they result in no one using them at all. Big empty squares doing nothing but sending out heat.
Tower Defense is remarking on Nashville but these issues apply to any area experiencing growth at any cost. Maybe it’s happening in your town too?
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both
Wrong! You can take them both! Here are two very different treats for you that you should partake in at your earliest convenience. No choosing, just indulge!
Jessica Breanne has released the animated video for the third (and final) preview single for her sophomore album Electric Heart. “Hungry” is a dark and psychedelic journey that finds Breanne’s vocals completely unfurled. It’s a different side of her songwriting and performance abilities that you’re not going to want to miss.
The animation is from Skybone Studios; a duo that took the psychedelic vibe much further with their accompaniment. Play it fullscreen. Play it loud.
Ever have a conversation with a friend about the state of the world and they say something like “I dunno, man, things aren’t so bad for me. I think it’s all gonna work out.” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Well, with “Cool Until It’s Not“, Trash Man poses the question – what if things aren’t going to work out!? It’s a distinct possibility.
The new EP, Cool Until It’s Not, is available on limited edition blue cassette! You can order it now and we’ll ship it ASAP. Get it in the YK Shop, Bandcamp or Ampwall.
Trash Man returns this October with a brand new bombastic EP, Cool Until It’s Not. Five new tracks of razor-short melodies about existential dread, emotional coping and disparity wrapped in delightful bursts of catchy pop/rock.
The first single, “Eventually,” is out today with an accompanying video.
If you recall the video for “Ruin It” – you’ll know Trash Man (Alex Mojaverian) enjoys a cooking video, so why not make one yourself for your own music video? He embraces the art of the hoagie on this one and the results are delicious.
The track is streaming everywhere today. Hear it on your favorite streamer.
The new EP is available on limited edition blue cassette and will start shipping in early October. You can pick it up in the YK Shop, Ampwall or Bandcamp.
Big announcement day in the world of Jessica Breanne as we have three substantial announcements to share.
First up, new music! “Winning Hand” is the second single from the forthcoming Electric Heart album and the first track on the album. It’s also available everywhere today.
It’s a song about about the power of connection with an accompanying music video filmed inside Nashville’s 100-year old iconic art house movie theater, the Belcourt. Directed by Jessica herself and collaborator Kevin Doyle.
Of the song, Jessica says:
“I was in a dark place without a lot of hope. I started writing letters to a person in my life I really admire and am inspired by. Letters I would never send. These letters were a confession to myself and the universe which led me to getting very honest about the circumstances I found myself in. I kept thinking, ‘What if we’d met earlier in life? Or maybe we can meet in another life and give it a try?’
The song was born from there and helped me make some necessary decisions to shake things up in my life.
You really never know what a kind gesture can do for another person. You may never know the impact but there’s always a possibility it can give someone hope.
That’s worth it right there.”
Filmed inside the historic Belcourt theater here in Nashville, TN – the video finds Jessica connecting with the myriad of songwriters and performers that have come before here on that same stage. It’s a reminder about the connection these sorts of sacred spaces contain.
Second bit of great news – Electric Heart is available for preorder starting right now! Pressed to beautiful gold vinyl tucked inside of artwork by Jon Keller featuring photos by Brooke Bernard & Kevin Doyle. Oh, and a special insert zine featuring all the credits and lyrics.
It’s a beautiful record visually and aurally. Pick it up in the YK Shop. (Also available on CD!)
Last but certainly not least, Jessica will be playing her album release show for Electric Heart on Sunday, October 19th at The Basement in Nashville, TN. Having heard these songs performed previously, I can attest to how powerful and immersive they are to hear live.
Don’t miss this one. Get tickets from The Basement!
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