Sour Ops latest album X was released in April and contains ten tracks of bombastic rock songs, unfurling with loads of big riffs from start to finish. Their latest single for “Now You’re Gone” takes a different tact, showcasing the bands diverse songwriting abilities. The track is gentler than anything on X but, paired with the video, perhaps more sinister.

The press release for the track tells us that the song was inspired by a “1924 John Crow Ransom poem about the untimely death of a young girl. The narrator is forced to face the present by these circumstances while being overwhelmed by ghosts of their shared history.” Listening to the song solo, you can certainly feel this melancholy as it is underscored by the sweeping strings and frontman Price Harrison’s longing vocal performance.

However, the video turns that melancholy on its head. The story portrayed is one of exploitation, empowerment and a dash of murder. The narrative itself isn’t entirely clear on why these murderous undertakings are happening but there’s no denying that the juxtaposition of the lyrical delivery and the visuals is quite compelling.

Sour Ops continue to bring plenty of surprises to the table. X is a substantial rock record worthy of note but “Now You’re Gone” proves they aren’t just a one trick pony. Their visual presentation across album art and videos is impeccable to boot. By and large, they’re one to keep an eye on.

Back in 2010, Caitlin Rose released her debut album Own Side Now, a critically acclaimed blend of classic country with accessible pop sensibilities laden with brilliant lyricism. Now, ten plus years on, she’s announced an anniversary re-issue of the album that comes coupled with a bonus 7″ featuring two new tracks.

One such track is “Whatchoo” – a b-side that we captured on WOTT Music back in July of 2020. We absolutely loved the track then and have a hard time understanding how it could ever have been considered a b-side! Regardless, it’s exciting that the track found a permanent place in the world as part of this reissue. The accompanying karaoke style video from Sarah Goldstein is a calming bit of VHS warping paired with some sing-along lyrics.

If you haven’t heard it, give Own Side Now a listen and consider ordering one of the vinyl packages. Oh, and follow Ms. Rose on the socials, you certainly don’t want to miss out on any future announcements.

Collaboration has always been King when it comes to hip-hop. The earliest days of the genre established sampling as an extremely valid form of creation and no other genre has been more open to “featuring” like-minded artists on one another’s tracks. Lately Nashville’s been seeing these types of collab’s taken to the next level. The latest from BeHoward and FU Stan, entitled “Dope Boy“, finds the two talented emcees not only working on a track together but an entire short film.

“Dope Boy” as a standalone track is a deep bass extravaganza that gives plenty of room for both BeHoward and FU Stan to shine on their individual verses. It’s an enjoyable listen that takes on entirely different meaning when paired with the official video, in which BeHoward and FU Stan portray Claude and Ray, two elderly gentleman looking to make a buck off a bottle of pills. They stumbled their way through a possible exchange before completely botching a sympathy purchase by over-asking on the price of the goods. No description of the piece could do it justice as the absurd acting and improvised exchanges between the two just simply must be seen to be understood. The duo’s ineptitude undermines the lyrics of the track which are primarily aimed at the cunning lifestyle of a dealer. Claude and Ray are anything but cunning.

It’s unclear if the track was meant to be satire paired with the video but, regardless, it’s a brilliant turn of play made even more impressive by how ridiculously enjoyable the characters are. As luck would have it, this isn’t a one off track. There is a full release between BeHoward and FU Stan looming on the horizon in the form of a Claude and Ray EP. If we’re lucky, there will be more videos following all sorts of additional bumbling misadventures. BeHoward and FU Stan are setting a new bar on what collaboration looks like.