By Tye Newton · 2026 · Rock
Self-recorded, -produced, and -mixed in Tye Newton’s Portland, Maine home from late 2021 to early 2025, and mastered by his brother Justin Newton at Jay Song Studio in Cincinnati, 'The future isn't what it used to be.' represents not only Newton’s first solo release, but also his first since learning to work around the voice limitations of a chronic condition that emerged through the 2010s. In Newton’s own words, "'The future isn’t what it used to be.' tells a half-decade story arc of finding home in another human followed by the traumatic loss of that vital connection. It’s woven with themes of hope, patience, and trust even amidst uncertainty, waves of disillusionment, and the many colors of grief before one can finally begin to heal. It is a deeply personal record, and yet the experiences that inspired it are now distant enough that my relationship to it feels more observational—like relating to someone else’s songs and story. It’s hard to express my mix of elation and relief to finally complete this collection and release it. I feel most alive making songs from my human experience and it’s good to be back in touch with that part of myself."
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