Bethany Thomas has released a new single called “DE-ESCALATOR”. This is the actress and songwriters’ second single of 2019 following up, "I’m Not Sorry and I’m Not Scared” which was released back in September.

Instrumental Metal group Farseer has released their self-titled debut album. This is the work Brendan McCarthy (Guitar), Ted Ballantine (Guitar), George Burrows (Bass), and Kyle Curtis (Drums).

Pop Punk group Cliffhanger has released a new single called “After Sunrise”. This is the first new music from the band since their 2017 EP, “Old Wounds”.

Jazz Rock group Marbin has released their latest album, Strong Thing. This is the band’s Eighth album and follow-up to 2018’s Israeli Jazz.

Marbin is the work of Danny Markovitch (saxophone), Everette Benton Jr. (drums), Dani Rabin (guitar), and Jon Nadel (bass)

You can catch Marbin at John Brown’s On The Square in Marion on January 10th.

J.Soliday released a new collection of computer music last month called Music for Speech Synthesis. This is "real time manual and generative manipulation of digital speech synthesizers” and a truly unique approach to sound and music.

Three piece instrumental rock group Graphics is preparing to release their debut cassette, Meaninglessnessless, this weekend via Planted Tapes. Earlier this year the trio released a live recording called “Orotund” which can give you sense of the complex rhythms they manage to create on just guitar, bass, and drums.

You can help Graphics celebrate the release on December 12th at Cafe Mustache with Norman Long and Drosophila.

Axons are preparing to release the first single from their forthcoming album, I Object to Everything. This is the trio’s first album since 2014 when this was just a solo project of Adele Nicholas. Axons is now the work of Adele Nicholas (songs and guitars), Neal Conrad (drums), and Princess Ojiaku (bass).

Below is a demo of a song called “Past, Present and Future” to give you sense of what can be expected from the new album.

You can catch Axons on December 14th at Tone Deaf Records (4356 N. Milwaukee) with Jessica Risker and Thomas Comerford Band.

The Darling Suns recently released a new single called “Afterglow”. This follows the release of the band’s 2019 album, Midnight Feelings.

You can catch The Darling Suns on January 18th at Emporium Arcade Bar with The Cordial and Tiny Kingdoms.

V.V. Lightbody (aka Vivian McConnell) recently released a video for “Baby, Honestly”. This was one of the two single Lightbody released this year, and the video was directed by Alex Babbitt.

You can Vivan performing on December 20th at Sleeping Village as part of a new duo called Valeboi with Daniel Villarreal of Dos Santos. She will also be performing with V.V. Lightbody on January 17th at Lincoln Hall as an opening act for Stella Donnelly, and as a part of Tomorrow Never Knows.

Over the last two year Mending, Kate Adams and Joshua Dumas, has told a story that spans decades through their beautiful blend of folk and drone. This week they released the final installment in the nine part series, “Christopher at The End”.

Here is the brief overview of where the story is as it ends. In year 39-40, safe among family and friends in his home, six-year-old Christopher tries to make sense of his rapidly changing world. But unmitigated climate change with increasingly volatile weather, and a militarized authoritarian government threaten the sanctity of Wakerobin Hollow. This chapter, told entirely through the eyes of this young child, filtered and abstracted by his naïveté, joy, and fear, brings us to the conclusion of Book 001.

You can catch Mending opening for Dried Spiders at Middle Brow Bungalow on Dec 29 for free.

Power Pop trio El Gato Roboto has released a new single called “Merry, Merry Christmas”. This follows their 2019 debut album, Heavy Petting, which was released back in February.

This is the work of Brian Demski (drums, guitar, organ, percussion), Jennifer Thornbury (vocals), and Patrick Thornbury (bass).

You can join El Gato Roboto for a Christmas celebration on December 20th at Montrose Saloon with John San Juan and Band Black.

Andy Grozier recently released a new single called “Don’t Forget The Lights”. This is the songwriters first release since his 2018 album Close To Midnight. Grozier, originally from Scotland, has embraced Chicago and the Alt-Country sound.