What began as a mystery novel has evolved into a fully realized musical world. The Lost Songs of Katy Shayne, out today, is produced by Blue Élan Records founder Kirk Pasich and Colin Devlin (The Devlins), bringing to life the music from Jim Fusilli’s (author, songwriter and longtime Rock & Pop Critic for The Wall Street Journal) acclaimed novel A Song for Katy Shayne. The result is a vivid, fully formed collection performed by Suzanna Spring and the Black Canyon City Band.
Out today, “Misery” marks the first release from the upcoming MPLS Unplugged album from Soul Asylum, due later this summer. MPLS Unplugged celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band’s legendary MTV Unplugged performance in 1993, recorded live nearly 30 years later to the day at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 20, 2023. For the first time in decades, the band is captured stripped back and unplugged—echoing the spirit of their original MTV Unplugged session in 1993—while remaining deeply layered, expansive in feel, and emotionally resonant.
Los Angeles–based keyboardist and longtime session player Sasha Smith steps into the spotlight today with the release of his instrumental album New Leaves, out now. An accomplished session and touring keyboardist who has supported artists like Cat Power, Ariana Grande, Everclear, Sia and The Wallflowers, Smith now delivers a deeply personal body of work that marks his first release with the label.
Acclaimed soul outfit Mamas Gun release their uplifting new single “Joy” today, the latest offering from their forthcoming album DIG!. Recorded to analog tape and driven by the band’s signature groove and warmth, the track captures the emotional clarity and soulful musicianship that have become hallmarks of their sound.
Man Boy Brown — the alter ego of Raul Pacheco, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and co-founding member of the three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning Los Angeles mainstay Ozomatli — releases his new single, “Golden Ride,” a buoyant, rhythm-forward track that channels nostalgia, freedom, and the pure medicine of music.
With “Cruisin’,” Sam Morrow steps into a decisive new chapter, marking his first new music since 2024’s On the Ride Here (Copaco/Blue Élan Records). Long celebrated for his swampy blend of country funk and roadhouse blues, Morrow now signals a pivotal shift — trading in the Americana-leaning palette of his earlier trilogy for something grittier and more direct – raw, Texas-bred southern rock that sounds exactly like what it is — Sam Morrow, confidently evolving.