As lead singer for Hoboken’s Best Ex, Mariel Loveland wasn’t always such a “Good Girl.” When we covered Best Ex in 2023, she was promising to ruin your life and the picture accompanying our story back then made it seem almost worth it. Now, though, she is, indeed, a “Good Girl” and it’s the irresistible title tune of her band’s upcoming album on Iodine Records to be released November 6.

Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist Jesse Malin will be the subject of a new 26-track double-album tribute September 11. Friends of Jesse Malin: I Would Do It For You, Volume #1 features Gogol Bordello, Dead Milkmen, Bebe Buell, Sami Yaffa, James Maddock, Valley Lodge and others. Eighty songs were recorded so expect more.

They’re calling the 11 originals on Willow Layne’s new album “a heartfelt Americana collection of hope, healing, roots, family, faith, love and loss.” The Roots Run Deep (Bongo Boy Records, out of Blairstown in Warren County), is heavily influenced by the sounds Layne—real name: Lisa Benedetto—grew up with in West Orange as her parents turned her on to Glen Campbell, Bobbie Gentry, John Denver, The Everly Brothers and Frank Sinatra.

All you cat lovers out there should know that on October 10 and 11, The Jersey Sound will be the sound of meow, the universal language that cats make when they want to talk to people. Please note that cats do not meow at other cats, only at people!

Cancer has claimed vocalist Jeanie Bryson—the only child of Dizzy Gillespie—at 68.

Gar Francis Songbook Volume #2 (Bongo Boy Records), by Sapphire Star (who doesn’t really exist), hits streaming platforms TODAY. The 12 Gar originals includes one he wrote for his band, The Doughboys, in 2010 (“Turn Your Love On Me”). 

A documentary film about the scandalous Sunset Marquis Hotel, If These Walls Could Rock, opens August 14. For a time, it was Rock Star Central, filled with drugs, sex and rock’n’roll by the biggest names in the business:  Bruce, Little Steven, Sheryl Crow, Morrissey, Ringo, Billy Bob Thornton, Slash, Dave Grohl, Cyndi Lauper, Roger Daltrey, Julian Lennon, John Oates, Nile Rodgers, Darius Rucker, Gene Simmons, Nancy Wilson and many more.

It’s been seven years since the promising PURGE debut of Berlin-based Dis Fig (who graduated from Randolph High School in Morris County when she was only known as Felicia Chen). Thrill Jockey is getting ready to finally release her follow-up, What To Make Of These Mortal Hands, on October 23. In the meantime, its first single, “The Account,” points to even more of an avant-garde presentation as it opens, not with her voice, but with the spoken words of the poet known as the wind between.

Futura is the name of an alien girl from a far-away planet who rebels against her parents and travels to Earth in search of love. It is also the name of a new comic book written by singer-songwriter-producer Rexxy from Peru who has five albums under her belt of romantic heartbreak synth-pop.

Sixteen years ago, Danzig put out his self-produced ninth album, Deth Red Sabaoth, with drummer Johnny Kelly and guitarist Tommy Victor backing up his vocals, compositions, guitar, bass and piano. It only reached #45 but on August 21, Cleopatra Records will re-release it.

Jersey City Mayor James Soloman, in conjunction with the Jersey City Public Library and Liberty State Park have announced the 51^st Annual Summer Fest at North Cove Field Sundays at 6:00 p.m.

The Jersey Sound in Montclair at 1 Lackawanna Station on August 8 will be the sound of barking dogs. It’s called Barknic and it’s the largest fundraiser to date of Wise Animal Rescue. Housed indoors from noon to 5:00 p.m., adoptable canines, local vendors, activities, photo opps, raffles and music will be the order of the day with all proceeds supporting Wise, the volunteer-run foster-based rescue mission and all the pups in its care.

Julien’s Auctions—the leading pop-culture auction house—will hold “The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation 2026 Auction” in Los Angeles on August 11 to benefit the Houston estate’s foundation.

The second annual Soulstice Music & Arts Festival will take place on the last day of July and the first two days of August. The Peace Love Music Movement—an organization that describes itself as supporting “independent musicians, small venues and local culture by producing live events that celebrate authenticity, diversity and artistic freedom”—is producing the event with the Asbury Park entity known as Pattenburg House. There will be a “Kid Zone,” food/drink vendors and “health activities.”

“The thing that’s most important to me about Bill Evans is not a style. It’s not the way that he plays, or the devices that he uses. It’s the sound of the piano, and that’s something that comes from deep inside. So I made sure to hone in on my own sound for this album.”—Randy Ingram

It’s been 46 years since Bil Evans died but tributes to the legendary New Jersey pianist have continued to be released in 2024, 2025 and now, with the appearance of Sound Within: A Celebration of Bill Evans (Chill Tone Records), 2026.

There will be several New Jersey artists performing at the Union Jazz Festival this year on August 21, 22 and 23:  including sax men Don Braden (Boonton) and Bruce Williams (Montclair), plus guitarists Dave Stryker (West Orange) and the gypsy jazz of Stephane Wrembel (Montclair). Plus, keyboardist Leonieke Scheuble (Kearny) is back from headlining in Japan. There will be both free and ticketed shows both outside and inside at the Union Arts Center at 1980 Morris Avenue.

The eighth annual Sea.Hear.Now Festival will take place on three stages September 19 and 20 in Asbury Park.

They came out of Plainfield 30 years ago all spit and sweat. Five albums later, FABCOM! Records released Rising on The Fourth Of July. Two of the songs were recorded and produced by Feelies guitarist Glenn Mercer who strums here with drummer Rob Takleszyn and bassist Bob Torsello. Unfortunately, original founding member Jay LoRubbio died in 2018 at 61. Silence ensued. Work on what would become Rising came to a dead halt. Enter Feelie Mercer who encouraged them to continue.

Forever King Clark’s You’re Not There came out last Friday. It continues the upward spiral of last year’s Five Dollar Yacht Club (). The new EP covers some interesting topics, mainly ghosts, fast-food jobs and crippling social anxiety. Singer-Guitarist Bobby Kallok reached out to say, “we wanted to create a release that was like discovering a lost cassette from a past that never existed.”

Bruce Springsteen: Finding America In Song