Author: Amy Lordan-Tripp

Pop culture omnivore | Ehlers-Danlos syndrome zebra | Dynamically disabled

Bandcamp Friday Picks: May 1, 2026

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn MusicLeave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I sure did miss there being a Bandcamp Friday last month! This month’s Bandcamp Friday falls on May 1, the day before the hallowed holiday Free Comic Book Day/Comics Giveaway Day! Make sure you visit your local comic book shop! I hope to stop by my shop, The Outer Limits in Waltham, MA, where they often carry used CDs and vinyl.

But back to Bandcamp! My favorite place on the internet to buy music. Here are my latest picks:

  • Amazing Royal Crowns – Payback Live Now available exclusively on Bandcamp,
    the Crowns’ live album, recorded in 2000, is now available for purchase as a digital album. Payback Live is not on any streaming services, so make sure you snap up this live, rockabilly delight.
  • Lime Garden – Maybe Not Tonight I fell hard for the single and album opener “23.” Then I attended their virtual listening party (on Bandcamp) and needed to pre-order the album on midnight blue vinyl. Recommended if you like Elastica or solo Charlotte Hatherley. (I like this album so much, this is the second time I’ve picked it! When I wrote about it before, it hadn’t yet been released.)
  • Miss Grit – Under My Umbrella A thrumming, gorgeous album. I listened to it multiple times in a row when I first got it. Margaret Sohn, AKA Miss Grit (they/she), has combined dreamy vocals with a trip hop sensibility. Think Chrystabell meets Massive Attack.
  • Die Feen – A Night at the Golden Nugget Lose yourself in this cool, goth, darkwave EP from the DC-based Die Feen. It has hints of Bauhaus, Gary Numan, and The Sisters of Mercy.
  • Failure – Location Lost Another gem from Failure. I’m positively obsessed with the closing track “Moonlight Understands.” Paramore fans will want to take note: Hayley Williams features on “The Rising Skyline.”
  • Altın Gün – Garip The Dutch/Turkish psych-groove act takes on the songs of Neşet Ertaş with their sixth studio album. It’s sultry and Arabesque. My favorite track is “Bir Nazar Eyeldim.”
  • Burned As Witches – Burned As Witches Ash drummer Rick McMurray’s killer side project is doom-y and riff-tastic. Recommended for fans of Queens of the Stone Age.
  • Brigitte Calls Me Baby – Irreversible BCMB’s Irreversible is filled with jangle pop that’s infectious. Sure, singer Wes Leavins sounds eerily like Morrissey. But has Morrissey ever name checked a David Lynch movie? They hooked me with: “I bought Blue Velvet on DVD | I brought it to the slumber party.” And really, Leavins sounds like Gene’s Martin Rossiter. I have room in my heart for more than one crooner. Besides, Morrissey has broken my heart.

‘Cherry Baby’ by Rainbow Rowell: Book Review

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn BooksLeave a comment

I devoured Candy Baby. Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors, whether she’s writing young adult, comics, or adult. Cherry Baby falls decidedly into the adult category. It can be deliciously spicy! And in this case, the spice includes a gorgeous, self-proclaimed fat girl, with an enviable wardrobe.

Cherry’s life gets turned upside down when her husband’s webcomic becomes an international hit in print. And then becomes a movie! He’s spending all his time in Los Angeles while Cherry is in Omaha with “his” dog, Stevie Nicks. Things go awry and Cherry finds herself separated and on the road to divorce. But then her dashing college crush, Russ, appears!

Rowell does a great job of navigating body positivity and what it’s like to be a fat person in our new Ozempic world.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Publication Date: April 14, 2026

New Single From Burned As Witches

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn MusicLeave a comment

That’s right! Burned As Witches, the side project of Ash drummer Rick McMurray, has released a banging new single entitled “Hold Your Nerve.” It’s from the forthcoming self-titled album due out April 17. For tour dates and to sign up for the mailing list, visit the Burned As Witches website. The video, directed by Anthony Neale, is a fun one with Ash’s Mark Hamilton as “The Reaper Cop.”

Bandcamp Friday Picks: March 2026

On By Amy Lordan-TrippIn Music, Pop CultureLeave a comment

It’s another Bandcamp Friday! That means Bandcamp waives their revenue share and passes the funds directly to artists and labels. It’s one of the best ways to support those artists you love. According to Bandcamp, over $120 million has gone directly to labels and musicians since Bandcamp Friday’s inception in 2020.

Here are my picks for this Bandcamp Friday:

  • Black Cross Hotel – “Rebel Yell” The Chicago outfit brings an industrial/darkwave flare to the Billy Idol classic.
  • Various Artists – HELP (2) This all-star compilation from War Child Records features Pulp, The Last Dinner Party, Depeche Mode, Blur, Beth Gibbons, and so many more greats. Your purchase supports humanitarian efforts in Gaza, Yemen, Ukraine, and Sudan.
  • Yeah Everything – Better Than I Remember EP Infectious indie rock from New Hampshire.
  • The Early Years – Modern Moonlight (Pre-order) Soaring British rock. Echoes of Embrace but with a modern, electronic breadth.
  • Ora Cogan – Hard Hearted Woman (Pre-order) Cogan’s debut for Sacred Bones Records. It’s got a baroque-folk-gothic vibe. I’m quite in love with the track “Division.”
  • The Cybertronic Spree – ANYTHING! This Canadian band had the catalytic converter stolen out of their touring RV. They are serious fun.
  • Good Day Father – “Sonic Amadea” I am completely obsessed with this gorgeous single by Brian Futter of Catherine Wheel with Tanya Donelly of Belly. It’s exactly what you’d want from the two.