weekly spotlight
Calvero
it ain’t too late for one more ride
Calvero is maybe the purest incarnation of what being an independent artist means in 2025. He’s making nostalgic pop that shimmers and sticks to your brain, all huge hooks and rich arrangements. And he is an open book on social media, exposing the struggles and vulnerabilities, the heady mix of triumph and defeatism that plagues anyone trying to get people to give new music a chance.
Listen to “This Mess” and try not to be drawn into Calvero’s world. “Sometimes I look in the mirror, and I stare at the bald spot at the top of my head…” begins perhaps the catchiest tune on this album, an anthem of self-awareness and self-acceptance that gained him a decent amount of visibility and momentum on TikTok.
“Tell Me I’m Pretty” continues in the same vein. Both tracks are addictive and smile-inducing: either track would’ve been a great theme song for a TGIF sitcom, at turns recalling Huey Lewis or Go West. In fact, just as we’re writing this, a Calvero cover of “The King of Wishful Thinking” is now on our wishlist.
It gets really interesting as you get down the track list to “Not Crying” and “Do You Get Tired of Oblivion” when Calvero stretches out into more dramatic, theatrical pop.
All in all, it’s a phenomenal record, and there are precious few artists on Calvero’s level these days. He deserves to be much more widely heard, especially for anyone looking for something authentic and refreshing in the world of pop music.
Phil Cooper
playing solitaire
In the realm of folk / singer-songwriter music, there aren’t many people doing it at the level of Bristol’s Phil Cooper. His new album, Playing Solitaire, is a 10 song collection of spectacularly soothing, acoustic-driven folk pop reminiscent of icons like James Taylor.
Across this record, from the instantly memorable opener “Still Holding My Breath” to the Paul Simon-esque closer “Get It Right the First Time”, Cooper treats us to impeccable arrangements, beautiful finger-picking, smooth vocal performances, and lyrical phrasing that belies years of experience.
Nothing is out of place on this record, every word and phrase and note laying perfectly in the cracks and seams to serve the song. The effect is an album that feels timeless and deeply familiar.
I’d put this one at the top of the “get it on vinyl” list. It’s a perfect companion to a quiet Sunday morning, a fresh cup of something hot, and a comfortable chair.