BIG STIR RECORDS is delighted to break away from our album release schedule for a very special double single from RICK HROMADKA of Maple Mars (among other beloved LA pop scene bands). “Are You Magical?” backed with the virtual B-side “My Son” hits streaming services and the global indie pop airwaves on June 12, and the two-track pairing is up for preorder and pre-save now:
https://orcd.co/rickhromadka-magical
RICK HROMADKA has long been a major player on the LA power pop scene, from his early days fronting DOUBLE NAUGHT SPIES in the '90s through the 25-year (and counting!), four-album run of the mighty psych-rock and power pop quartet MAPLE MARS. Most recently heard from on the hit 2022 album SOMEONE'S GOT TO LISTEN and last year's special Anniversary Single, Maple Mars is still going strong, but it's far from HROMADKA's only musical venture. Recent years have seen creation of his occasional sunshine pop-oriented side project RUBY FREE, and he's always maintained a solo career with album releases in 2014 and 2020, as well as occasional standalone singles including one each for the Christmas and Halloween seasons, both now firmly enshrined as perennial holiday favorites.
It's to those solo endeavors that the singer-songwriter returns on the new double single, pairing AM Gold vibes with a touch of psychedelic melodicism on “Are You Magical?” and mining real life experience on the sweetly whimsical B-side “My Son.” Of the lead track, Rick says: “This song was originally written and recorded for the first Ruby Free album. I’ve always loved the tune, but because the album was self-released, I felt it never reached the audience it deserved. That inspired me to revisit the song, re-recording it with new musical parts and updated lyrics. I also wanted to involve family members, especially my kids! The song is about meeting someone very special, but hoping the love is real, and not just some grand illusion!”
If the B-side “My Son” brings not just a smile but also a hint of cinematic origins, that's down to Hromadka's other job in the movie industry. “While doing sound design on Dog Man for DreamWorks Animation, which went on to be the number-one box office film for two weeks in 2025, I noticed the story carried a strong father-and-son emotional thread. During one of the early animatic screenings, an older song I had written years ago suddenly came back to me. 'My Son' was originally written shortly after my oldest son Dylan was born. I decided to revisit the song and record it with a cinematic, film-score-inspired feel, hoping it might eventually find its way into the film’s end credits. Unfortunately, the director was also a musician and already had several of his own songs featured in the movie, so there simply wasn’t room for another track. I played all the instruments on the recording and brought in my stepdaughter, Kylah Langevei – a tremendously talented singer – to add the background vocals.”
Together, “Are You Magical?” and “My Son” reflect two of the many sides of RICK HROMADKA as a singer, songwriter and all-around musical talent... and there's more to come, so stay tuned!
Expected release: June 12, 2026