Best New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond
Every month our editors curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In April, we’re highlighting new tunes from Hurray for the Riff Raff and Daughter of Swords, plus a duet from Nathaniel Rateliff and Gregory Alan Isakov.
Hurray for the Riff Raff
“Pyramid Scheme”
Alynda Segarra, who performs as Hurray for The Riff Raff, released a gem of an album, “The Past is Still Alive,” last year, and now she’s back with a follow-up single. “Pyramid Scheme” is a catchy, jangly roots-rock tune with a message that carries more weight than the upbeat arrangement. “You can paint your portal on the wall with the intention to break through,” Segarra sings, lamenting how the internet diminishes the work of artists. “But every time you bang your head against it, tiny little pieces fall out of you.” – J.F.
Mason Via
“Fireball”
Reared in the Appalachian foothills in both North Carolina and Virginia, Mason Via boasts a pedigree that has him bound for Americana stardom. The son of David Via, a longtime touring bluegrass bandleader, Mason eventually became the youngest ever member of Old Crow Medicine Show and has collaborated with the likes of Del McCoury, Molly Tuttle, and Sierra Ferrell. “Fireball,” from his upcoming eponymous solo record, is an acoustic gem featuring Via’s smooth bluegrass tenor and some outstanding guitar handiwork. – D.S.
Friendship
“Free Association”
The Philadelphia-based indie folk-rock group led by singer-songwriter Dan Wriggins is back with a new album, “Caveman Wakes Up,” which comes out May 16 on Merge Records. Lead single “Free Association” is an idiosyncratic alt-country tune about humane interactions, both personal and random, that cradles Wriggin’s warm warble with oddly comforting sonic touches of synth bass and Mellotron sax. – J.F.
Galactic and Irma Thomas
“Lady Liberty”
The collaboration between Galactic and Irma Thomas represents the nexus of two of the Crescent City’s most notable musical natives. Thomas, an octogenarian known as the Soul Queen of New Orleans, shares her Grammy-winning vocals on nine tracks from Galactic’s new record, aptly titled “Audience with The Queen.” Supported by Galactic’s signature jazzy grooves, Thomas delivers a timeless performance on “Lady Liberty,” a blistering take, both musically and socially, on the current state of the Union. – D.S.
Nathaniel Rateliff and Gregory Alan Isakov
“Flowers”
Rateliff and Isakov—two powerhouse troubadours—first worked up this atmospheric ballad as a demo during sessions for the former’s 2020 album “And It’s Still Alright,” and now it’s been resurrected as a standalone single released on Stax Records. The collaborators trade verses and then join voices during the soaring chorus, delivering a stirring duet with lyrics, heavy on metaphor, about building tensions in a relationship. – J.F.
Daughter of Swords
“Money Hits”
Daughter of Swords (AKA North Carolina artist Alex Sauser-Monnig) pivots to eccentric alt-pop on this standout from their new album, “Alex,” out April 11 on Sylvan Esso’s Psychic Hotline label. “Money Hits” takes aim at the futility of striving for financial gain, with Sauser-Monnig reminding us via witty lines and airy, experimental arrangement that cash can’t buy happiness. – J.F.
The Wildwoods
“I Will Follow You to Willow”
Any band that draws vocal comparisons to such iconic groups as Crosby, Stills, & Nash and Fleetwood Mac is worth a listen. The Wildwoods, an acoustic folk trio hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, have found a harmonic pocket that justifies the praise and attention they are garnering. “I Will Follow You to Willow” is a gorgeous song, with the harmonies between Noah Gose, Chloe Gose, and Andrew Vaggalis flowing freely over pedal steel and a tight rhythm section that fills out the band’s traditional acoustic instrumentation. – D.S.
Billy Idol
“Still Dancing”
Fans of the perpetually sneering, fist-pumping Billy Idol, whose musical career dates back to the 1970s London punk scene before his rise to super stardom in the 1980s, will celebrate Idol’s first new record in over a decade. “Still Dancing,” with its driving rhythm, soaring guitars, and echoes of 80s synth rock, is vintage Idol. Chronicling the debauchery of his youth, Idol celebrates the reality that, despite his best efforts, the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee is still around to dance with the rest of us. – D.S.
Cover photo: Nathaniel Rateliff and Gregory Alan Isakov released the collaborative single “Flowers” in February. Photo by Devon Wycoff
