We Speak Music
NAME DROPPERS NEW SINGLE”LET’S LIVE TOGETHER”
The Name Droppers are dropping more than names this Spring with the release of
their new single, “Let’s Live Together,” on HMG Recordings. The Connecticut
based blues band’s new track is available now, and comes in advance of their 4th
album of the same name, on HMG Recordings due out this summer. The band’s
last three albums have seen consistent radio play and chart action on blues shows
and blues radio across the country and in Europe.
The Name Droppers features singer/songwriter/guitarist Rafe Klein, keyboardist
Ron Rifkin, drummer Bobby T Torello, and bassist Scott Spray. Both Torello and
Spray are former members of Johnny Winter’s band, and both have been inducted
into the New England Music Hall of Fame. Torello has also performed with
Michael Bolton and Grace Slick. Spray played bass on Winter’s final album, “Step
Back” which won the Grammy for Best Blues Album in 2015.
“Let’s Live Together” also features the vocals of Simone Brown who has sung
background on the band’s two previous releases “Cool Blue Shoes,” and
“Starshine,” and is featured prominently on the new album.
“The whole band is excited about releasing our 6th studio album,” says singer and
guitarist Rafe Klein. “It may be our best one yet. It’s soulful blues with a touch of
R&B. Simone Brown, our backing vocalist, is fantastic, and on this album she
shines.”
The album was produced by Vic Steffens, who is a two time New England Music
Awards winner for Producer of the Year.
“Let’s Live Together” also features the world renowned musician Crispin Cioe on
saxophone. As a member of the Uptown Horns, Crispin has toured and recorded
with a list of artists that shaped rock & roll history like the Rolling Stones, James
Brown, Peter Wolf, Joe Cocker, the Ohio Players, Tom Waits, and the list goes on.
Crispin is also noted for his sax solo on the James Brown smash, “Living In
America.”
Make sure you keep an eye out for the Name Droppers new single, “Let’s Live
Together,”, available on all streaming outlets and digital stores. Don’t forget the
band’s full length album, available in June on HMG Recordings.
We Speak Music
The Songs of Butler & Cupples Prioritise Craft on Intimate New Single ‘Better off Lost’
Following the momentum of their first three breakout releases earlier this year, genre-fluid project The Songs of Butler & Cupples have returned with ‘Better off Lost’. A stripped-back, intimate offering that further sharpens their songcraft-first ethos, the release reinforces the duo’s position as one of the most forward-thinking, emerging songwriting projects operating outside the traditional band framework.
Conceived entirely as a vehicle where pure songcraft remains the central focus, The Songs of Butler & Cupples was formed in direct response to a contemporary music landscape increasingly shaped by image, algorithms, and visual perception rather than musical composition.
Led by two highly experienced industry songwriters, the project is intentionally fluid. It allows musical ideas to dictate their own final form without being restricted by rigid genre conventions or commercial chart expectations. With ‘Better off Lost’, the pair turn inward, embracing an acoustic-led direction underpinned by Americana-leaning textures and delicate, emotive vocal arrangements.
Sonically, the track marks a further evolution in their rapidly expanding creative palette. Built around a gentle acoustic guitar foundation, ‘Better off Lost’ foregrounds vulnerability and vocal performance above all else. The raw emotional delivery is elevated by subtle, layered harmonies and understated pop sensibilities that give the track its modern, polished edge.
The duo’s stylistic range has already drawn comparisons to boundary-pushing artists such as Miley Cyrus and Kacey Musgraves, whose recent celebrated works have helped reframe contemporary Americana within the broader pop landscape. Like those icons, Butler & Cupples demonstrate a versatile range that fiercely resists easy categorization.
Across their 2026 discography, they have proven comfortable shifting between entirely different sonic worlds, including: Electronic-Leaning Production: Utilising sleek, modern digital textures. Experimental & Rock Influence: Embracing grittier, guitar-driven edge and unpredictable structures. Acoustic Minimalism: As heard on the new single, proving that a strong emotional through-line remains intact regardless of the instrumentation.
Rather than chasing viral TikTok trends or tailoring their masters for playlist algorithms, the project remains deeply rooted in strong structural songwriting, genuine emotional resonance, and absolute creative freedom.
At its core, The Songs of Butler & Cupples functions as an open creative framework without built-in limitations or outside expectations. ‘Better off Lost’ stands as another clear statement of intent from the duo: that well-crafted songs, when given proper breathing room and unfiltered honesty, still possess the power to cut through the modern noise.
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