Welcome to another edition of What’s Going On, Biff Bam Pop’s weekly music rendezvous. We’ve curated the latest and greatest tunes designed to delight your ears. From tear-jerking ballads to blistering alternative pop-punk bangers to an imaginative cover of a beloved ‘80s classic, our roundup is your compass in the ever-evolving musical landscape. This is your gateway to the week’s most exhilarating auditory discoveries. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow the artists.
Wilderado – There’s big news for Wilderado fans! The band just dropped two brilliant new songs, “Sometimes” and “Tomorrow” via Bright Antenna Records. The songs serve as Wilderado’s first new music of 2024 and were written and recorded during sessions for the band’s upcoming sophomore album. Both tracks feature production from Chad Copelin (Sufjan Stevens, SYML) and James McAlister (Gracie Abrams, The National). You won’t have to wait long to hear these new songs live as Wilderado announced a June US headline tour, kicking off June 7th in Saint Louis, MO. For Canadian fans, they’ll be doing a Toronto date on June 11th at Horseshoe Tavern. Stay tuned to What’s Going On for more info on that to come.
“Sometimes” is a gorgeous acoustic ditty with wryly confessional lyrics. Wilderado’s lead vocalist Max Rainer describes the song as “This is a look into coping mechanisms. It’s something I’ve struggled with this year. I convince myself I need help calming down or being social at the right times. The first part of the song is indulgence, the second part is the reality of the situation and the ending is the honest bit.” On the flipside, “Tomorrow” is a leap forward and sees the band expanding their sound. “’Tomorrow’ came from a lost guitar part that we finally stitched into a song,” revealed Max, adding, “For some reason the body of music felt like a safe place to try and dive into my troubled faith. The further I went the heavier it got. Similar to the energy that builds in a frustrating conversation, I feel like the song helped me ride a motivation and spill my guts a bit.”
Photo Credit: Cass Mandel
Listen to the new Wilderado singles “Sometimes” and “Tomorrow” below.
Sofia Camara – Canadian songstress Sofia Camara is out now with “Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent)”, her first new single of the year via Universal Music Canada. Fans of the rising homegrown pop sensation have been eagerly awaiting the new song, with Camara’s teasers of the release amassing over 11 million views across various social media platforms. Co-written with Lowell, Nate Ferraro, and Mike Wise, “Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent)” further cements Sofia Camara’s place as one of the nation’s top balladeers. Fun fact: Ferraro and Lowell also co-wrote Beyoncé’s chart-topping country hit “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
“The process of writing this song is one I will never forget,” says Sofia Camara. “It brought me so much joy, while still healing from the hurt. I wanted this song to express the pains of such a deep love that you watched crumble in front of your eyes. A moment you never thought would come and when it all fell apart, you ended up losing a part of yourself. That’s the thing about love… you give so much of yourself without knowing what you’ll be left with when it ends, but things get better. You just need to be patient.”
Listen to Sofia Camara’s new single “Who Do I Call Now? (Hellbent)” below.
St. Vincent – Annie Clark, aka Grammy Award-winning artist St. Vincent, officially announced her seventh studio album All Born Screaming due out on April 26th via Virgin Music/Fiction Records. All Born Screaming holds the distinction of being Clark’s first self-produced record, thus allowing her to fully flex her visionary muscle. “There are some places, emotionally, that you can only get to by taking the long walk into the woods alone—to find out what your heart is really saying,” Clark says. “It sounds real because it is real.” The first taste of what listeners can expect from the album is the new single “Broken Man.” Dark, sultry, esoteric, and twisted. “Broken Man” is a ferocious rocker that serves as the perfect sonic introduction to this new era of St. Vincent.
Listen to St. Vincent’s new single “Broken Man” below.
Midnight Foolishness – Brooklyn-based rockers Midnight Foolishness are back with a bang, gearing up to unleash their latest sonic adventure upon eager ears. With their newest single, “Quitters Get Nothing” the band kicks off a new chapter in their career and showcases why they are a band to watch in the alternative pop-punk scene. The new song delivers raw energy and heavy unapologetic authenticity. The band faced immeasurable loss while recording and mastering their upcoming album Hands Up Chin Down, as the band’s bassist Brandon Infamy and frontman Robert Corbino’s ex-girlfriend both passed away. What’s the new single all about? According to Corbino: “It’s pretty much about a lot of my friends getting older and giving up what they love to do!”
Listen to Midnight Foolishness’ new single “Quitters Get Nothing” below.
Talia Keys – We love a great cover! Salt Lake City-based singer-songwriter Talia Keys is out now with a sizzling rendition of Eurythmics‘ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).” The cover produced by Talia Keys and Scott Campbell adds an industrial edge to the new wave classic. It also serves as a nod to Annie Lennox, an artist who has been an inspiration for Talia Keys. Speaking on the creation of the music video, Keys states: “We really enjoyed making this music video. Filmed in New Orleans, Joshua Tree and Moab, the video for my new single, a cover of “Sweet Dreams” takes you on a hazy journey. I wanted the imagery to match the mood of the song and there are hidden meanings. The glitz and glam and the goth. The darkness and the light. The masks we wear to adapt to our surroundings. The ways we hide and the ways we shine.”
Listen to Talia Keys’ cover of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” below.
