Festival and touring season is ramping up and we are excited because that typically means new music. And we got some releases from some heavy hitters this past weekend. Philip Bowen, Sam Eplin and Adam Yokum all put out new singles while Alabaster Boxer dropped a new EP. We spoke with was singer Nick Durm about the project and what’s next. Listen to the new releases below.

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BB: Nick, “Mix Tapes To Die To (Side A)” has this strong nostalgic vibe with a modern raw approach to the production. What’s one key memory or feeling that kicked off this EP?

 I think collectively we all just had a lot to get out and express. It’s absolutely a weird blend of all of our influences and one in which we’re not worried about fitting into a particular genre anymore. Just a true face value of what you hear is what you get with us.

BB: How was working with Matt Patton of Drive By Truckers and Starlin Browning on this EP? 

Oh I was absolutely very nervous about working with someone you look up to but do not know very well. Recording is such a sensitive moment of time and if you don’t gel or vibe with your producer, it just isn’t going to work. Plus we were so far away from home there was no turning back once we were there. Luckily all that nervousness and worry lasted about ten minutes upon our arrival and Dial Back Sound quickly became a second home for us. Just being there you can feel the energy and musical brilliance that has filled the rooms over the years. It was very inspiring. Starlin was an absolute brilliant monster with getting us dialed in, set and quickly ready to capture whatever energy came out. Matt was also very easy to work with and for. He has an uncanny ability to bring out the absolute best in you. I’ve never done a final vocal in one take and we captured one for this EP. It’s more of the raw and vulnerable side of our sound as there is absolutely 0 correction on these tracks. Kinda weird in 2025 right? 

BB: Alabaster Boxer mixes raw energy with vulnerable lyrics. Where do you think the band leans most on this EP, and how has the songwriting approach changed that balance?

I’d honestly say it’s a perfect blend of the both. It’s the most energy we’ve had with songs and also some of the hardest/deepest lyrics we’ve ever put out. This collection is absolutely a game changer for us and 100% a group effort. Our sound kind of evolved A LOT through this writing process. Jason wrote a lot, I wrote a lot, we’d have songwriting sessions together and then just dial it all in at a rehearsal. The bones were there but nothing was really “complete” until everyone got to touch it. Very proud of what we did with these songs as a group and hope listeners will connect with them. 

That title, “Mix Tapes To Die To (Side A),” is intense. What’s the story there, and what feeling do you want listeners to get from these songs? Any hints about a “Side B”?

 So the title comes from lyrics in the opening track Two Sides Of The Same Coin and pulls from my youth memories. Being dumb innocent kids and growing up in an era where everyone made mix tapes, gave them cool or witty titles, and then passed them around their circle of friends. At the time I can recall actually making a mix tape of songs that would be “play this at my funeral” or “while I’m on my death bed” ala witty title Mix Tape To Die To poorly written in sharpie somewhere on the tape/CD. I never really thought much of it at 14-15 (although probably not healthy thoughts haha very pre-emo) but reflecting on that memory during the writing process of this album it hits a WHOLE lot harder now at the checkpoint of mortality. I’m not sure there is a narrative directed towards the listener other than what they can take away from these songs for themselves. We’ve written a lot about getting older, more mature thoughts and the idea of how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned. Not taking things as much for granted these days as we did during our youth mix tape days. But I love hearing different viewpoints from listeners and having any connection at all to our songs is the greatest compliment we’ll ever receive. It doesn’t have to match the exact emotion I felt or Jason felt, when we were writing lyrics – but just feeling something…that’s the beauty of music isn’t it? 

Side B is already in the works and we’re planning more of the same sound you hear in Side A. This is kind of where Boxer has settled and we’re all extremely excited about settling into it. 

Check out “Bought And Sold” from Mix Tapes To Die To (Side A) below and stay tuned for Side B!