This week's round-up: New music from Robert Jon & The Wreck, House of Protection and Nyah Grace

Southern California rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck continue to roll out their forthcoming studio album Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes with the release of “Better Of Me,” an upbeat, swagger-filled anthem that blends country rock grit with sun-soaked hooks. Produced By Dave Cobb, the track is available now on all major streaming platforms via Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records.

Driven by a stomping piano intro and crunchy guitars, “Better Of Me” captures the band’s signature blend of defiance and melody. Co-written with long-time collaborator Nick Foster, the track originated during a writing session while the band was on tour and found its final form under the guidance of producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Rival Sons).

“‘Better Of Me’ is a track co-written with our good friend and long-time collaborator Nick Foster,” shares guitarist Henry James. “Initially conceived from a Zoom writing session conducted while on tour, the song took on new life with Dave Cobb’s production genius. Led by some inspired piano riffing, it’s a jamming, rollicking tune that wears its heart on its sleeve and transports us back to some of our favourite albums like The Basement Tapes and Second Helping. The track is an empowering affirmation that talks about not letting anyone get the best of you and not caring what others think. It encourages the listener to move forward on their own path in life, unburdened by whatever obstacles may present themselves.”

Recorded in Savannah, GA, Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes is due out August 22nd and marks a defining chapter for Robert Jon & The Wreck. The band lived together during the recording process, giving the sessions a relaxed, communal energy that allowed each track to evolve organically under Cobb’s guidance.

“This record really represents who we are right now, both musically and personally,” says frontman Robert Jon. “We stepped away from our day-to-day and just focused on the songs, and you can feel that in every track.”

“Better Of Me” follows a string of acclaimed singles from the album, including the electrifying “Highway,” the smouldering “Long Gone” (co-written with John Oates), the reflective “Ashes in the Snow,” and the high-octane “Sittin’ Pretty.” Each release has showcased a different side of the band’s sonic palette—from heartland balladry to barn-burning rock—building anticipation for their most expansive and emotionally resonant album to date.

Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes captures the band at a creative peak, drawing from real-life experiences of love, loss, and redemption. Across ten riveting tracks, Robert Jon & The Wreck explore the full emotional spectrum, delivered with thunderous riffs, razor-sharp grooves, and some of their most compelling lyrics to date. The album reflects the band’s evolution while staying true to their roots, balancing high-octane rockers with soulful, introspective moments that highlight their range as musicians and storytellers.

Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes was mixed by Greg Gordon, whose past credits include Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and Rival Sons. The album will be available on CD, digital platforms, and limited-edition coloured vinyl, with special merch bundles including an exclusive shirt and bandana.

Heavy duo House of Protection today unleashed their third single this year, “I Need More Than This,” off their forthcoming EP, Outrun You All, arriving May 23. Coming off the explosive nature of their last track, “Fire,” the band eases into a slower- paced soundscape while maintaining the infectious energy they’ve become known for. “I Need More Than This” is equally as ethereal as it is powerful, demanding that “something better must exist.” The accompanying music video weaves together performance footage shot with a ‘90s grunge aesthetic.

“‘I Need More Than This’ is us exploring a mood between really heavy/fast and slow/chill,” House of Protection shared. “We don’t really have a song like this so it was fun to push ourselves in this way.”

Just a year after launching, House of Protection have quickly become one of the most exciting live acts to watch. Following a support run in Australia with Bad Omens and a feature on Architects’ single “Brain Dead”, the band wrapped an 11-city sprint across the US supporting Poppy on her ‘They’re All Around Us Tour’. Each night they earned new fans with their inclusive stage presence and exhilarating performances, serving a dose of chaos at every turn. Next month, they’ll bring the new EP to their hometown in Los Angeles for a special show at the iconic Roxy on May 24th, Aric and Steve’s shared birthday. T

House of Protection will go on to join Architects in October during their EU/UK run, sandwiching a slate of major festival plays in between, such as Download and Reading and Leeds. They’ll make a pit stop in London this August for the Heavy Music Awards, where they’ve been nominated for ‘Best International Breakthrough Artist’ and ‘Best Breakthrough Live Artist’. Their genre-spanning first EP, GALORE, earned critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Revolver, Rock Sound and more, achieving Luminate chart positions at #14 on Current Hard Rock Albums and #15 on Alternative New Artist Albums. House of Protection’s ability to vacillate between high-octane hardcore and atmospheric trip-hop without missing a beat is what makes Outrun You All an impressive follow up to their debut.

Nyah Grace has released a stunning live video for her new single ‘Only Mine’. The live take proves Nyah’s show-stopping vocals in a beautiful rendition of the new track along with her band.

Regarding the video Nyah says, “The live video was shot at The Yard in Manchester. It was important for me to have my full band and backing vocals for this, and it was amazing to have so many talented musicians involved who all also happen to be my friends! I’m very much looking forward to performing this live more in the future.”

‘Only Mine’ is taken from Nyah’s forthcoming second album Divinely Devoted out June 11th via Palawan Productions. The lead single was released earlier this month and quickly proved a hit receiving lots of radio play across Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing. It has also found home on a number of high profile streaming playlists including Spotify’s R&B UK, R&B Weekly, Fresh Finds R&B, Sweet Soul Sunday and more.

The new album Divinely Devoted births a new direction for Nyah Grace. Coming five years after her debut Honey-Coloured, Nyah now delivers a bespoke brand of smoky, sassy confessional R&B over 10 tracks, co-written and produced with De’Jour Thomas (Chlöe, Fousheé, Monaleo).

The stripped-down productions accentuate the purity of Nyah’s sensuous delivery. From the Lauryn Hill-styled opener ‘Back Of The Cab’, to the swaggering gospel of ‘Down’, through to the slow-burn R&B of ‘I Know’, the album exudes creative synergy and a lush mature sound helping Divinely Devoted stand proud alongside defining releases from neo soul greats such as Erykah Badu, India.Arie and Jill Scott.

Raised in a small farm town in Oregon, Nyah was a “big Disney Channel kid” who set her heart on a singing career aged six. In 2018 Nyah moved permanently to the UK and found her home in Manchester where she finished her schooling and completing her debut album at the same time.

Cooked up alongside producers Steve Chrisanthou and Michael Graves, the debut album Honey-Coloured peaked with whip-smart Corinne Bailey Rae duet ‘My Sista Told Me’ and racked up over 12 million streams. Last year’s single ‘More’, recorded with Jay Mooncie and Dayyon, was the first hint of her new direction, gaining support from Radio 1, Radio 2, BBC Introducing, Mi-Soul, Jazz FM, Smooth FM and many more.

Now as Divinely Devoted approaches not only does it display a more mature Nyah Grace, but it’s also Nyah at her most honest. “I’ve never written songs that I feel so connected to,” she says. “I don’t like drawing inspiration from my life, so in the past I would story-tell a lot. I’m not the kind of person that when something happens, I’m like, ‘Oh, I need to write a song about it’ – I just write what feels good. I’ve brought more of my personal life to the table here and I have so much belief in these songs.”