King Tuff — “Invisible Ink”
King Tuff plays the Palace Theatre in St. Paul on July 8, opening for Father John Misty — but the real story is MOO, the record he put out back in March. It’s his sixth album, cut on the same Tascam 388 he used for his 2008 debut, and “Invisible Ink” is the jangly, Lou Reed-leaning cut that’s been getting the love from critics even if it hasn’t caught fire on streaming the way “Sun Medallion” did. That’s the thing about King Tuff — the deep cuts are often better than the hits.
Paul Childers — “End of the World”
Paul Childers has a new album out, Everything’s Computer, and the standout track “End of the World” proves he’s still got range beyond the Hendrix-via-Motown guitar work he’s known for. Nashville can catch him at Cheekwood’s Thursday Night Out on July 9, and he’ll be back at Rudy’s Jazz Room on July 12 for an encore of “Jazz’s Greatest Duets” alongside Wendy Burns — a different side of him than his guitar-forward solo sets. From there he heads into Kentucky bourbon country, with stops planned at Woodford Reserve in Versailles, Castle & Key in Frankfort, and a Marion County Country Ham Days appearance in Lebanon lined up for later in the year.
Alien Ant Farm — “Reasons”
Alien Ant Farm released “Reasons” back in March, their first new song under Judge & Jury Records and the first taste of a full album due out this fall. Written with Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome, it’s a tighter, more direct pop-rock cut than longtime fans might expect — a song about owning your mistakes and asking for a second chance.
https://alienantfarm.bandcamp.com/track/reasons
Bebe Stockwell — “Ant Farm”
Bebe Stockwell dropped Volume 1 on June 26, the first half of a two-part project she’s releasing this year (Volume 2 lands this fall). The eight-song set leans into Stockwell’s knack for hooky, conversational songwriting, and “Ant Farm,” a duet with The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz, is the one worth starting with.
Chanel Beads — “Song for the Messenger”
Chanel Beads — the project of Brooklyn’s Shane Lavers — put out Your Day Will Come on June 26, sharing its title with his 2024 breakthrough on purpose. “Song for the Messenger” is the lead single, and it’s got that same tension Lavers does so well: nihilism and love sitting right next to each other and refusing to cancel out.
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A curated pick by Planet Mars Music Editorial Staff and crafted with the help of AI