The lads of Rend Collective have enough collective (see what I did there?) energy as a band to power their own live shows; lights, speakers, videos and all. And this energy is not limited to the stage either. The band is almost in a constant state of creativity, and the traditional album release cycle is no match for the output that these fine fellows are capable of. According to the band’s social media page, the new EP, The Evergreen Season, is a collection of odds and ends created in the last year that needed somewhere to go. But far from a thrown-together collection, Evergreen feels cohesive and zesty at the same time. The Irishmen of Rend Collective have always been a rambunctious bunch, but this collection of songs may be their most high-spirited one yet...

Reunion shows can be a tricky highwire to balance. They will often attract a loyal, long-term fanbase for attendance, and many of these fans will have seen the band or artist back in their prime and have memories of past shows to compare the present version of the band to. And a bit of rust is to be expected. Older songs will often have their keys lowered to accommodate vocal ranges that have dropped over the years, and stage chemistry will not be the same as the version of the band that spent WAY too much time together on stage and in the bus / van together on those long trips between tour stops many years before. But nothing beats a reunion show in the hearts of fans, long-term and new alike...

I know I'm not alone when I say that John Van Deusen has become one of my favorite artists in the modern era, thanks in part to the high quality of each and every album he's released so far. And he keeps pumping out great music on nearly an annual basis at this point. After his aggressive rock album, Anthem Sprinter, in 2024, Van Deusen took a sharp left turn last year, delivering his first ever CCM-style worship album. Unsurprisingly, and despite the album having 18 tracks, he somehow had more ready to go, which now comprise this year's offering, As Long As I Am in the Tent of This Body I Will Make A Joyful Noise Pt. 2...