From Blue Collar to Mainstream: Dexter and The Moonrocks Release 'Like You (Like You)' Before Austin City Limits

Ahead of their set at Austin City Limits, country-rock group Dexter and The Moonrocks released “Like You (Like You)”, their first release since their sophomore EP, Western Space Grunge. Drawing inspiration from artists that range from Noah Kahan to Pink Floyd, the group finds their niche in “sad cowboy songs,” taking a modern, alternative rock approach to the sounds of classic country.

Backed in rich electric guitars and dynamic vocal layering, “Like You (Like You)” has the sincerity that makes it sound like it belongs in a garage jam session but the finesse and quality that bring the band their mainstream success. The band is composed of lead singer and guitarist James Tuffs, lead guitarist Ryan Anderson, bassist Ty Anderson, and drummer Ryan Fox, who come from humble beginnings; all formerly employed in blue collar industries in a small town in West Texas who started playing country western music together (as one does in small town West Texas) and quickly began to be influenced by the rock and grunge music they heard their parents playing at home.

Now with two EPs behind them, “Like You (Like You)” is the start of a new era for the band. The track opens with a bass-heavy riff, lyrically touching on finding independence and the fear associated with paving your own way. Dexter and The Moonrocks is unafraid to strip away the stigma of standing your ground: “You like to grow you like to change/I think I like to stay the same/Things that I have left to prove/Are the things I’d like to lose.”  

The band also makes it clear that they're no stranger to the pressures of social conformity and isolation. There's a "Like You (Like You)" lyric for that too: "I don’t wanna go again/I’m doing better living in my head/Don’t wanna go again/Be just like you.”

With a naturally talented vocalist, a modernized classic sound, and enlightened lyrics, Dexter and The Moonrocks is a band with the potential to make garage bands the next big thing in the realm of country-rock. With "Like You (Like You)" and a set on the Austin City Limits Stage, the band shows that they know the value in what they bring to the music scene – and they aren’t afraid to have fun while they show it off.

INTERVIEW: Zedd is Embracing Artistry & Freedom from Expectations on his First Album in 9 Years, Telos

If you've dipped your toe into pop-dance/EDM music in the last decade, it's hard not to have heard the work of globally successful music producer and DJ, Zedd. From early 2010s hits like 'Clarity (feat. Foxes)', 'Break Free (with Ariana Grande)', and 'Stay The Night (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore) to more recent breakthroughs like 'Starving (with Hailee Steinfeld & Grey),' 'Stay (feat. Alessia Cara),' and 'The Middle (feat. Maren Morris),' Zedd's work in the domain of singles and collaborations has achieved longevity and commercial success that's almost unheard of for DJ/producers.

Zedd has now spent the last four years pursuing something he hasn't in almost a decade - the production of a full-length album all his own. Telos, released August 30 via Interscope Records, brings to fruition an ambitious and intricately crafted music-listening experience that sees Zedd embracing his own artistic freedom.

"The true form of artistry is to do what you as a human being, as the artist yourself, whatever that is that you want to do."

In between dates of the Telos Tour, Zedd sat down for a lengthy chat with music journalists partnered with UMG Music's 1824 Collective. Radiating comfort with the group of fellow music-lovers on the call and an almost childlike excitement to share his journey in the creation of Telos and its tour, you'd never connect the down-to-earth persona of the artist on screen sharing stories about his work with the worldly-known brand of Zedd who has Grammy awards and Billboard Top 10 hits on his resume.

Telos sees Zedd in a position to explore the artist he wants to be in the next decade of his career, rather than relying on the formulas that have granted him commercial success. While the album still makes it incredibly apparent that his expertise lies in EDM, his reinvention of Jeff Buckley's 'Dream Brother' and the cinematic, alt-rock-inspired closer '1685 (feat. Muse)' reiterate that Zedd isn't chasing another Top 10 hit. "As a human being, I love everything and I love all sorts of music. And ultimately, the true form of artistry isn't to make what people expect you to make and what you're known for," Zedd says. "There's a lot of Zedd's along the way. The true form of artistry is to do what you as a human being, as the artist yourself, whatever that is that you want to do."

Zedd in front of his "Telos" album cover - Nick Walker/Interscope Records

Those artistic choices were clearly still at the forefront of Zedd's mind even in the aftermath of Telos's release. When asked about what pushed him to defy the expectations of his previous work, his response was simple: "What does the song, the composition, scream it wants to be? And whatever that is, it will be." He illustrated that the process also wasn't just about the creation of individual songs, but rather about the album as as complete project. "The choices I then started making, where in the album does it sit, what function does it have, what song is before and after. In the case of 'Sona', that kind of song would be awesome to lead into 'Lucky', which was a cornerstone of the album, so I wrote it in the key to perfectly transition into 'Lucky.'" While 'Lucky (feat. Remi Wolf)' is arguably the most commercially successful track from Telos, 'Sona' is a far cry from a radio hit; it's a fully orchestral track, incorporating Irish whistles and live drums coupled with Zedd's synthy signature. "Those were the decisions that I then made as sort of the utility to get the song to be functional within the album. But artistically speaking, it's like whatever BPM the song is, it is. Whatever time signature it is, it is."

His peace with the interwoven quilt of genres is apparent all across Telos, from sunny, pop-orchestral 'Out of Time (feat. Bea Miller)' to groovy, electro-riff-studded 'Automatic Yes (feat. John Mayer).' He uses this blend of musical styles to create an album-lovers dream, where songs seamlessly blend from one to another. "I've loved albums that are journeys. One way to get somebody to listen to the whole album front to back is by making it better than a playlist," Zedd reflects. Zedd knows a thing or two about playlists too, having spent much of his career producing collaborations that get added to Top Hits playlists and being sent to radio. But Telos proves that he also knows how to shape the music to portray his own journey. "What a playlist can't do is intelligently morph into the next song. It can connect the songs, but one thing you can do when you write an album is connect one song to another while not forgetting that breaks are incredibly important."

The album title, Telos, is derived from Greek, meaning the ultimate aim or end of an artistic endeavor. To Zedd, the album's creation was a goal-directed process. He had a few different goals in mind. Musically, he was aiming for an artistic accomplishment, "it felt like an album where things are truly connected and not just glued together, but actually musically connected. Something really cinematic. Genre-blending." But Telos meant something even more to Zedd personally: "I decided this isn't going to be a commercial album for everybody, this is going to be a work of art [for] 20 years from now. I decided to make that kind of album and I took that time and I'm really, really proud of it. The goal was completion. To me, that was all I wanted and I can't believe I finally did it."

Thanks to 1824 - UMG's Creative Solutions team.

INTERVIEW: charlieonnafriday on Macklemore, His Debut Album, & Heading Out on His First Headlining Tour

American singer-songwriter/rapper charlieonnafriday is making a bold entrance into the pop scene with his debut album, WILD CHILD. charlieonnafriday had his big break into the mainstream music scene through his ongoing partnership with fellow Seattle-based rapper Macklemore, and opening for popstar Tate McRae on her Are We Flying Tour. WILD CHILD, the follow-up to his project ONNAFRIDAY, was released on August 23 via Island Records. In a press conference to celebrate the album’s release, charlieonnafriday spoke about the creative process behind the album alongside his artistic inspirations for his upcoming first headlining tour.

Via charlieonnafriday on YouTube

WILD CHILD by charlieonnafriday captures the artist's journey over the last few transformative years, with some tracks crafted two years ago and others wrapped in the last few months. Following their collaboration, Macklemore’s influence on Charlie both as a musician and a performer is evident. Charlie described multiple experiences related to Macklemore’s live concept and fan interaction as inspiring to his own growth as an artist. As charlieonnafriday continues to grow, his next dream collaboration is with none other than Post Malone. This hints at an exciting future for Charlie’s career as he continues to push boundaries, and hopes to turn his influences into his collaborators. One of the later tracks on WILD CHILD, ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Downtown,’ stands out as a heartfelt acoustic ballad about healing. Written during a late Nashville night, it captures the raw realization that there isn’t always escape in escaping if you have the right company. 

What experiences shaped the concept for your upcoming live shows?

Charlie: “I think I go back to that Macklemore tour, honestly. Like I think that when I was doing shows early on when I was like 18, 19, I don't think I was very good at talking to the crowd or when things did go wrong. I didn't really know what to do. He’s really, really good at being very comfortable on stage and talking to the fans.”

What are your favorite things about your fan base?

Charlie: “They're rowdy, very rowdy. I think I just love the vibe they have. They just want to party. They want to have fun. I love that.”

What song(s) from the album are you looking forward to playing for fans?

Charlie: “I think the first song on the album - it's called 81 Camino. I think it's going to be a really crazy live song.”

How do you hope people feel walking away after listening to your debut album?

Charlie: “I just hope they feel good!”

This article is cross-posted on Musically United, thanks to 1824 - UMG's Creative Solutions team: https://musicallyunited.squarespace.com/freelance/charlieonnafriday