THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE

The ever-evolving musical vehicle for notorious psych-rock musician Anton Newcombe, the Brian Jonestown Massacre has endured numerous phases and iterations since arriving in the mid-'90s, becoming something of an independent institution in the process.

Early highlights like 1996's Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request showed Newcombe's propensity for melding late-'60s psychedelia with textured shoegaze, while later standouts like 2015's imaginary soundtrack Musique de Film Imaginé took a more cerebral and experimental approach. Undoubtedly, the band's most visible period followed the release of the 2004 documentary film DIG!, which focused on the contentious relationship between Newcombe and Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor. With the film criticized by members of both groups for what they considered to be an unfair portrayal, the Brian Jonestown Massacre nonetheless survived the media attention and moved into a particularly fertile period of creativity throughout the 2010s. The band's first release of the next decade was 2022's Fire Doesn't Grow on Trees, quickly followed by 2023's Your Future Is Your Past.

Al Nicol (aka Alex Nicol), the rising Nashville-based folk/psych-Americana artist, continues the rollout of his forthcoming album Only Hoping with the release of his third single, “Marylebone,” out now on all streaming platforms. Accompanied by a hypnotic visualizer—watch it here—the new track deepens Nicol’s growing reputation for pairing disarmingly honest lyrics with expansive, mystical songwriting. The album, produced by Hiss Golden Messenger, arrives October 2.
“Marylebone” is a gently psychedelic voyage that builds on the spiritual undertones of Nicol’s earlier singles, channeling both dreamlike whimsy and grounded emotional weight. The title—a word Nicol had never heard before it mysteriously appeared in a writing session—led him to discover it was the London neighborhood where fictional detective Sherlock Holmes resided. As the song evolved, Nicol unearthed deeper personal connections to the name, including his late grandmother Mary and her influence on his creative life. “It felt like the universe was writing with me,” he said.
Following “You and Me” (feat. Erin Rae) and the wistful “Missing You,” “Marylebone” showcases the album’s rich, organic instrumentation and Nicol’s cosmic lyrical lens. Only Hoping was recorded in Durham, NC with members of Bonny Light Horseman, engineered by Chris Boerner, and mixed in the Mojave Desert by Nicolas Vernhes (Deerhunter, Animal Collective). Hiss Golden Messenger’s MC Taylor not only produced the album but contributes vocals, guitars, and spiritual guidance throughout the project.

Nicol’s path to Only Hoping has been as surreal as it is inspiring—guided by shamanic prophecy, unlikely collaborations, and transformative moments in the studio and desert. Now residing in Nashville, he will perform at Ottawa’s CityFolk Festival and Alberta’s Canmore Folk Fest this summer, before heading out on a fall 2025 U.S. East Coast tour with dates in Chicago, New York, Toronto, and beyond.