LET'S DANCE at The Underfront Co. in Wilmington NC on Saturday, Oct 4thh

LET'S DANCE is a Vinyl DJ Night hosted by Fort Lowell Records, featuring a variety of music — Pop, Disco, Boogie, Indie, Hip-Hop, R&B, Electronic, etc. — including the latest hits and spanning the past five decades. 

LET'S DANCE is held monthly at The Underfront Co. on the Saturday following every First Friday — AKA: RizzyBeats' Hip-Hop Fridays. Dancing starts at 8:00pm and goes all night. A $5.00 cover charge will be collected at the door upon entry paid via Cash, Credit Card, or Venmo.

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for October 4th

Best Of Phoenix 2025 | BEST ALBUM: JPW & Dad Weed Amassed Like a Rat King

[Repost from Phoenix New Times; September 25, 2025]

BEST ALBUM: JPW & Dad Weed Amassed Like a Rat King

Like chocolate and peanut butter cozying up in a candy bar, the union of musicians JPW (Jason Patrick Woodbury) and Dad Weed (Zachary Toporek), who created this fantastic offering, also results in a sweet treat. Released in April on Fort Lowell Records, the 11-song "Amassed Like a Rat King" sounds and feels like the intersection of several pertinent moments in music: the breezy spirit of '70s light rock, gritty '80s radio rock a la Tom Petty, and those jangly moments of R.E.M. before they emerged from the shadows. We felt like pulling out some Posies records after the first listen. Instead, we simply took "Amassed Like a Rat King" for another few spins. It may be loaded with a variety of inspirational influences, but don't try pinning it to any one style. These expert music-makers crafted a group of tracks brimming with great melodies and catchy riffs and topped them with JPW's rich, earnest vocals. At times, you catch a laugh or feel a spark that underlines the pair's chemistry. We hope a sophomore effort is in the works.

New EP: Kim Ware and the Good Graces || Grand Epiphanies

[Repost from Add to Wantlist; by Dennis, September 24, 2025]

Gifted songwriter bares her heart once again

Nearly twenty years after Kim Ware first picked up a beat-up guitar and started writing songs, the Good Graces return with the Grand Epiphanies EP, their tenth studio release—five folky indie pop tracks that wrestle with regret, resilience, and connection. We already knew the only cover, of Jeff Fortgang’s Some Guys Have All the Luck, from the 2023 Homely LP, but it returns here in a different version.

As always, the storytelling of the self-penned tracks is unsurpassed: “There’s a red bird just outside the door // I can’t say what he was sent here for // Maybe he is checking in on me // Bringing me a sense of freedom and serenity” (from Old/New). All those beautiful lines—sung heartfeltly—are framed in warm, full-band arrangements of guitar and piano. A fertile ground to emerge some unexpected truths.

The Grand Epiphanies EP, produced by Steven Fiore and Justin Faircloth, is out now digitally via Fort Lowell Records; a CD version is available through the band itself.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp (Fort Lowell) || Bandcamp (The Good Graces)

REVIEW: Kim Ware and the Good Graces – Grand Epiphanies

[Repost from The Shrieking Fox; by Ms. Fox, September 18, 2025]

Coming out on 9/23/2025 digitally, it’s the newest EP, “Grand Epiphanies.” And, yeah, holy shit, I’m in love. Take the best of jangle pop, add a twang, a dash of nostalgia, indie rock, and a smidgen of country, and you get this absolute dream of an EP. Like, yeah, it’s that good (like HELL YES!). There’s something so soothing about the vocals, and the lyrics are superbly crafted and straightforward. Need I mention that the cover of, “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” is hands down the best I’ve ever heard? Where has this record been all of my life? Where has this band been all of my life? They’ve been around since 2008, so I’ve got a back catalog to explore! Get into them!

https://fortlowell.bandcamp.com/album/grand-epiphanies

REVIEW: Blase – Somewhere Out There

[Repost from The Shrieking Fox; by Ms. Fox, September 18, 2025]

Releasing on 10/24/2025 on vinyl and digital, it’s the new LP, “Somewhere Out There,” by Blase. Fort Lowell Records again delivers us a killer artist that excels at creating a rich, unique sound. Indie pop, dream pop, psychedelic, electro rock, synth chill, jangle and so many other genres get blended up, resulting in a dreamy sound, somewhere between the Flaming Lips, a mellower MGMT, M83 and REM. This is intoxicating. Hazy, mellow, and dreamy, the tracks elevate the listener to a surreal headspace. The lyrics are catchy, and I’ve found myself singing along after just two listens. I’ve no doubt you will find yourself doing the same. This album was a real treat. Personal, heartfelt, catchy, and cosmic, it’s a release you won’t want to skip.

https://fortlowell.bandcamp.com/album/somewhere-out-there

OUT NOW: Kim Ware and the Good Graces 'Grand Epiphanies' [Digital EP]

Kim Ware and the Good Graces — who have shared the stage with artists such as Indigo Girls, Sierra Ferrell, and The Love Language — have released their tenth studio offering titled Grand Epiphanies [Digital EP] and it is available today everywhere and anywhere!

LISTEN NOW

OUT NOW: Blase "Dirt Into Gold" [Digital Single]

Chicago-born and Wilmington-based multi-instrumentalist Blase unveils his most expansive and heartfelt project yet with Somewhere Out There, released through Fort Lowell Records. Known for merging shimmering synth layers with warm indie pop foundations, Blase has evolved from his early days as a Chicago drummer into a solo artist who transforms fleeting feelings into vivid musical worlds. Inspired by a transformative journey traveling across the entire United States, the album captures the essence of wide-open landscapes and the quiet revelations found on the road.  With Somewhere Out There, he invites listeners on a journey that feels both personal and universal — an exploration of solitude, connection, and the unexpected places where we find meaning. The record balances quiet vulnerability with uplifting energy, making it his most immersive and captivating work to date.

"Dirt Into Gold" the fourth and final single from Somewhere Out There by Blase is out now on all platforms.

LISTEN NOW | PRE-ORDER VINYL RECORD

REVIEW: Kim Ware and the Good Graces "Missed the Mark"

[Repost from If It's Too Loud; by Ken Sears, September 12, 2025]

Kim Ware started off as a punk drummer, and started the Good Graces after purchasing a beat up acoustic guitar in 2006. Her latest single, "Missed the Mark," is a laid back singer-songwriter track with a gentle country lilt. It has some of that 90's mainstream alt-rock sound from artists like Liz Phair and Lisa Loeb, and doesn't shy away from its country side at all. It's also the perfect song for this time of year, where summer isn't quite ready to die and fall is slowly asserting itself. "Missed the Mark" is also the kind of song that you end up loving more with every listen, as a simple song starts revealing more of itself to you with repeated listens.

You can watch the video for "Missed the Mark" below. Grand Epiphanies is due out September 23 on Fort Lowell Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Kim Ware and the Good Graces, check out the artist's website.