Blindside is so back! "Dead Weight" is everything fans love and could have hoped for from a new single from the Swedish alt-metal band. This single hits all the right notes, delivering a sauntering intro that builds into an infectious melody, a pounding bassline that drives the song forward, and a pre-chorus that culminates in a cathartic, passionate chorus. The instrumental guitar breakdown is pure ear candy, adding the perfect touch to this three-and-a-half-minute track...

I decided to get off my high horse and give Kevin Michael McKeehan (aka TobyMac) the flowers he deserves. Why? Because being a fan is more fun, and the dude turns sixty-one this year. There aren't many men in their sixties doing what he does, and that's worth celebrating. Now, in year twenty-four of his solo career, and with album number ten, he's back with more of his signature "gumbo" of hip-hop, pop, funk, and soul. After facing significant personal loss in recent years, listeners will find Toby reflecting once again on the afterlife, aptly titling his latest release Heaven on My Mind. Just like with his iconic trio in the '90s, each new solo album has been an event I've eagerly anticipated. Even though he's moved away from the rock-driven sound of his earlier years (and with it, my fandom has waxed and waned), he still manages to release a handful of songs on every album that find their way onto my playlists...

JOHNNYSWIM's fifth studio album, When the War Is Over, is a soul-stirring testament to resilience, vulnerability, and the hard-won peace that follows life's battles. The husband-and-wife duo have crafted an 11-track journey that feels like a late-night conversation on a comfortable couch with an old friend -- the kind unafraid to show their scars, offering you a healing balm in return. The album's lyrical thread weaves a story of both emotional and physical struggle, leading to the quiet triumph of pressing on. Musically, it leans into an old-school, stripped-down approach, recorded live in the room, where every instrument brims with the human touch -- flaws and all. This raw authenticity is a defining part of the record's charm...