FEATURED Archives - Rock Oracle

The current tour is built around a new album called The Charmer. It was released on May 1, 2026, via Spaceflight Records, and it is their first full-length studio release in nearly a decade. Produced by the late Steve Albini in 2024, the 13-track album features a raw, fast-paced sound born from “pandemic-era introspection”. Frontman Vaden Lewis had said in a statement, “This album has been a long time in the works, and it’s such a joy to see it come together, we went back to basics for this session: all analogue, live takes, high energy.” Drummer Mark Reznicek added, “I’ve been a fan of Steve Albini’s since I first heard the albums he recorded with the Pixies and PJ Harvey, so being able to record with him is really a dream come true. In fact, when we first signed with a major label, they asked us who we would like to work with and we all said “Albini!” Well, for whatever reason, the label didn’t go for it. And now 30 years later, it finally happened!”

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

May 2, 2026 Jason Shrum

Rock and Roll in East Nashville

If you are looking for some good old rock and roll music in Nashville, then The Cobra on the east side of town is definitely a spot that you’re going to want to check out. The Cobra is a great venue to hear anything from punk to country and everything in between. They have a kick ass staff, and the smaller space creates great sound and a stellar vibe. The show we are talking about now fell right into that classic sound with three artists lending something, each a little different. The bill on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, was Leilani Kilgore, Catchfire and Cordell Winter.

FEATURED INTERVIEWS

April 29, 2026 Melinoe Macaria Mourningstar

Artist Spotlight on Dolly Cash

I grew up in Abingdon, VA. It was a small historic town in South-Western Virginia, in the Appalachians. But after graduating High School, I bounced around the US in the army. Maryland, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Afghanistan. It was in North Carolina, more specifically Fayetteville, that I began to hone my music skills. The community within the city was very rooted in the arts. I’d crash on my friend’s couch and cut songs with like 5 or 6 different people. They would put on cool local shows and really push each other to create. I got out of the Army in 2016 and moved back to Abingdon. After a year of couch surfing and job hopping, I applied to go to The University of Tennessee. That’s how I ended up in Knoxville. While here, I met my wife, and realized Tennessee was now home. While here, I got back to my mountain roots, fell in love with mountain music, as well as the Goth culture. I believe traveling to the US and war-torn countries has given me an appreciation of where I live.

FEATURED INTERVIEWS MUSIC NEWS

April 28, 2026 Melinoe Macaria Mourningstar

TreeHouse Nash Queen, Mar Lamar has an Album in the Works

This leads into the Sol purpose Artist Spotlight. Not only do I want our readers to know more about her and TreeHouse Nash, Mar Lamar is Crowd Funding her next Album. A solo project that is near and dear to her heart. Listening to her passion, and witnessing her vulnerability within her content humbled me to say the least. I have found a new awareness within how much of my own passion and vulnerability I have kept buried beneath my surface. A fear that continues to lurk within my young/naive phase of life. A commonality for Aquarian folks. Often priding myself at how open I can be, not realizing that there could be so much more of myself I could offer to the world. Not for myself. Not solely for humanity. But for the Circle of Life. The give and take that is required for evolution, progression and harmony within society, civilization, and more intimate communities. Mar Lamar has granted me a gift of evolution spiritually, astrologically and creatively.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

April 25, 2026 Jason Shrum

A Night at the Popera

An evening of beautiful music happened as The Vinyl Lounge played host to what was dubbed “A Night at the Popera”. Four classically trained opera singers gathered for a genre-bending, theatrical live show. Powerful women with formidable voices brought pop, folk, synth-pop, hyperpop, and pop-punk to the stage and mashed it up with definitive sounds that you don’t normally hear together. What happened was a gorgeous moment in time. Meghan Pulles, Arily Michelle, Sunshine Scott and Cassandra Pinataro electrified the space with a magnificent showcase of unbridled force. Armed with their voices and the will to be heard these women grasped the attention of their onlookers to deliver messages of courage, femineity and individuality. A Night at the Popera grew out of music but created and curated a likeminded community that thrived in the mantras of these fabulous musicians.

ALBUM REVIEWS FEATURED INTERVIEWS

April 20, 2026 Melinoe Macaria Mourningstar

Garrett Hendricks: Northwest & SouthBound

Throughout the Album I wanted to do nothing more than dance with aloud and proud group of friends. To be lost in my own world. I felt passion. Wielding emotion within a rhythm. You could say there was a hypnotic Siren call within Garrett’s voice. At the very least, he has a message to share, and initiation to bestow. Puppeteer-ing us all into various states of flow, freedom and serenity. Regardless of the theme within the songs, there was a peace that was encouraged to be felt. A steadiness to life and the approach to emotion, inspiration and human connection. I thoroughly enjoyed the works that Garrett Hendricks has created. He is the real deal. Not only is he sweet on the eyes, but he is sweet on the ears.

ALBUM REVIEWS FEATURED MUSIC NEWS

April 17, 2026 Jason Shrum

Why You Should Be Listening to Mr. Dinkles

The group features Mac Rettig on vocals and guitar and Rocco Ramos on drums and doesn’t need much more of anything. In fact, I told my 13-year-old nephew, who is an aspiring drummer, to listen to Rocco and learn his technique which controls the tempo with simplistic approach. Sometimes less is more and that is absolutely a good thing when it comes down to a band of two. Mr. Dinkles has that feel of The White Stripes or Twenty One Pilots, but it’s a lot of their words that are making the underground headlines. For such a young band they have their finger on the pulse of what going on and are not afraid to speak out about the atrocities that are framing our current society. That’s what punk is. And this old punk feels good.