First Listen: New Releases for 24 February 2023

Artist: Gorillaz
Album: Cracker Island
Quick Thoughts: Gorillaz struck so big early that, today, people (in the United States, at least) probably know Damon Albarn from Gorillaz more than Blur. If I'm being honest, I haven't found the last decade or so of Gorillaz output to be all that compelling, but Cracker Island feels surprisingly fresh in a time where it's becoming progressively more difficult to do so. The template hasn't changed all that much, but the title track sets a tone for an album we've been waiting years for. Make time.
Songs of Note: "Cracker Island," "Oil," "Skinny Ape"

Artist: Summer Flake
Album: One Less Thing
Quick Thoughts: In a week without a ton of highlights, it's great when an indie album comes out of nowhere to impress, and the indie rock stylings of Summer Flake really did the trick for me this week. I knew it was something special early, but when a song like "Barnicle Bill" comes along and stands on its own despite the title? You know you've got something special.
Songs of Note: "One Less Thing," "Barnacle Bill," "Outta Space"

Artist: En Attendant Ana
Album: Principia
Quick Thoughts: En Attendant Ana is one of those acts that I listen to and wonder why I don't listen to them more. Principia is a gorgeous, often subtle record that grows on you as you listen. I loved the title track especially, but the whole thing is worthy of your time and is by far the best listen of the week.
Songs of Note: "Principia," "The Cutoff," "The Fears, The Urge"

Of note:

* The Abruptors - Noticeably Cheerless (The ska revival lives!)
* Philip Selway - Strange Dance (Radiohead drummer with a lovely, light effort.)
* Bridal Party - Cool Down
* Unloved - Polychrome
* Begonia - Powder Blue
* mui zyu - Rotten Bun for an Eggless Century
* quinnie - flounder
* Miss Grit - Follow the Cyborg
* Death Valley Girls - Islands in the Sky
* Grave Babies - Death Will Kill Us All
* Only a Visitor - Decay
* Free Love - Inside
* Grand River - All Above
* U.S. Girls - Bless This Mess
* Gina Birth - I Play My Bass Loud
* Jenny O. - Spectra
* Tha God Fahim - Iron Bull
* Meemo Comma - Loverboy
* VERITE - Love You Forever
* Robin Kester - Honeycomb Shades
* Carol - More Than a Goodbye
* Veil of Light - Sundancing
* Sunnbrella - Heartworn
* Polinski - Telex from MIDI City
* Saint Abdullah and Jason Nazary - Evicted in the Morning
* Snow Ghosts - The Fell

EPs:

* Palm Ghosts - Cold Spells
* Channel Tres - Real Cultural Shit
* Black Honey - OK
* Faerie - dizzy spells
* Slotface - AWAKE/ASLEEP
* Loviet - The Nighttime is All In the Timing
* Abhi the Nomad, Kato on the Track - Abhi vs. Kato II: Gold Standard

Also out:

* David Brewis - The Soft Struggles
* shame - Food for Worms

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - "Heaving"

Photo by Holger Nitschke

"Heaving," the latest single from Berlin's Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, is an interesting mixture of sounds that might not seem like the best matches, but end up working out perfectly. The new song leans heavily into a New Wave and industrial sound. It's a beautiful but intense version that sounds very Depeche Mode to me. But "Heaving" feels more modern than 80's and early 90's New Wave, and has that alternative folk/rock/pop sound we love from artists like Lucy Dacus and The Beths. As dark as "Heaving" might sound, it does have more than a bit of a light and pop side. Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys have created this interesting sonic delight that embraces the past while moving towards the future.

You can watch the video for "Heaving" below. Heaving, the album, is due out April 7 on Unique Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, check out the artist's website.

KILL ME - "The Skin Left Behind"

Seattle's KILL ME keep in the musical tradition of their city while moving it forward. The duo's new single, "The Skin Left Behind," leaves grunge far behind and instead moves into a groove heavy version of hard alt-rock and even slightly into metal. As aggressive as the song is in parts, there is a surprising element of pop hooks within the song. It's reminding me a little of a combination of Queens of the Stone Age and Nirvana. "The Skin Left Behind" is a song that is heavy on the fuzz and the low end while dancing along the edge of being radio friendly.

You can listen to "The Skin Left Behind" below. KILL ME's self-titled album is due out June 15, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on the band, check out their website.

Fruit Bats - "It All Comes Back"

Photo by Chantal Anderson

Fruit Bats (aka Eric D. Johnson) continue to make some of the most captivating mainstream neo-folk out in the world today. Their latest single, "It All Comes Back," is this warm folk/rock song that stands firmly in the world of the mainstream while having just enough of an almost experimental sound to keep things interesting. As with anything Johnson is involved with, "It All Comes Back" is a stunningly lovely track. It's the kind of song that could be good but middle of the road in another artist's hands, but Johnson just has this knack for being irresistible and elevating his songs to an entirely new level.

You can listen to "It All Comes Back" below. A River Running to Your Heart is due out April 14 on Merge Records. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Fruit Bats, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

3/16-17 – Austin, TX – SXSW
4/12 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi
4/13 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
4/14 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
4/15 – Maquoketa, IA – Codfish Hollow
4/16 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
4/18 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Phoenix Theatre
4/19 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
4/20 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
4/21 – Boston, MA – Royale
4/22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
4/25 – Carrboro, NC – Cat's Cradle
4/27 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
4/28 – Scaly Mountain, NC – Bear Shadow +
4/29 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
4/30 – Jacksonville, FL – Intuition Ale Works
5/10 – San Diego, CA – Belly Up Tavern
5/11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Theatre at Ace Hotel
5/12 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
5/13 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
5/14 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
5/17 – Austin, TX – Mohawk
5/19 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
5/20 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room
5/21 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm
5/24 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
5/25 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
5/26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Market
5/27 – Vancouver, BC, Canada – Commodore Ballroom

Live Shows: Talib Kweli and STL GLD, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA 2/23/23

Talib Kweli is an absolutely legendary MC, widely considered to be one of the best around. He's one of those artists I know I need to get more into, especially after seeing him do a few songs with The Soul Rebels back in March. Since I'm trying to get to The Middle East as much as possible before it most likely closes at the end of the year, and STL GLD were opening, the show last week became a must see.

STL GLD have to be a hard opening act to follow. Live bands always have an extra energy to them, and live they have more than a little bit of a punk and metal edge to them. Not that songs like "Wild Style" or "Resisting" have any rap rock in them, but there is an extra swagger to them live. Opening with "Shimmer," possibly their biggest song to date with Darlingside off last year's excellent Rock Boyega, STL GLD pulled out some absolute favorites like "The New Normal Pt. 1." Part of the appeal of their live show is the duality of Moe Pope's laid back but intense flow and Chris Talken's more hardcore screams. They will always be one of those bands that should be much bigger than they are, but for now they have a die hard local fanbase that knows every line to every song. 

Talib Kweli started off his set a little more slow and laid back, and slowly injected energy as it went on. It seemed more like pacing than anything else as he built an already hyped crowd into an ecstatic one. He's been performing for well over twenty years, so he definitely knows how to put on a show. He saved classics like "Get By" and "Definition" (I was hoping he'd pull out some Black Star that night, and of course he did.) 

One of my favorite things Kweli did was a segment of tributes to fellow MCs that have passed on. He did tributes to MF Doom, Guru, Phife Dawg, Trugoy, Bob Marley, J Dilla, and others. It's rare for an artist to cover another in hip hop, and Kweli changed that with his set. The only complaint that some of these tributes were little more than his DJ playing a song while Kweli just commented on the track occasionally. Tributes are great, but that did take up a good percentage of the night.

Wednesday - "Bath County"

Photo by Zachary Chick

Wednesday are quickly becoming a favorite here, and their latest single shows exactly why. "Bath County" is a glorious indie rock song in its most perfect form. It's a perfect loud/quiet/loud song filled with some of the best fuzzed out guitars this century. It's just oozing with mid-90's alt-rock joy, and Karly Hartzman's vocals have this fabulous 90's slacker with some alt-country twang peeking through. They even solidify their Drive-By Truckers connection on "Bath County" with the line "On the way home play Drive-By Truckers songs real loud." Wednesday are the type of band I'm starting to wonder if they truly exist or if my brain just made them up since they hit so many of my personal musical sweet spots.

You can watch the video for "Bath County" below. Rat Saw God is due out April 7 on Dead Oceans and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Wednesday, check out the band's website.

Libby Rodenbough - "Easier to Run"

Libby Rodenbough is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Durham, NC. She's a member of Mipso and also a solo musician. Her most recent solo single, "Easier to Run," definitely fits into the folk/Americana category despite not quite fitting into that genre. "Easier to Run" has all of the qualifications of being a folk song. It's a relaxed song using acoustic folk instruments, and it's not as if Rodenbough is making an experimental song with this one. It's pretty straightforward, but it just doesn't exactly fit into any of the existing folk categories. "Easier to Run" just does its own thing, in a lovely and appealing kind of way.

Libby Rodenbough says of her upcoming album:

“I wrote most of these songs in the period where my mom was very sick and immediately after she passed away, but I wouldn’t say they’re grief songs. Mostly they’re about trying to keep the faith—believing life can be new and even better."

You can listen to "Easier to Run" below. Between the Blades is due out May 12 on Sleepy Cat Records. The album can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp. For more on Libby Rodenbough, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram.

Bella White - "Break My Heart"

Photo by Bree Fish

Bella White has been experimenting with different shades of Americana and roots music, and expanding on her sound since 2020's outstanding Just Like Leaving. Her latest single, "Break My Heart," is pure country. This is the kind of classic country sound that you heard back in the 80's and 90's. It may have some slight pop leanings, but White is hardly pop country on this one. It's an upbeat sounding song that's about heartbreak (obviously, based on the title). White just has such a natural twang to her voice that a song like "Break My Heart" might be the perfect style for her. 

Bella White says of the new song:

"Out of all of the songs I’ve written, “Break My Heart” is probably the most explicitly about getting dumped. I wrote it with no intention of ever sharing it. I didn’t even feel any particular emotional attachment to it like I do with my other songs, because it was such an isolated experience, zooming in on one specific moment in time. That said, bringing it to life by turning a valley into a peak felt deeply cathartic. It’s a heartbreaker that I hope will at least get you moving."

You can watch the video for "Break My Heart" below. Among Other Things is due out April 21 on Rounder Records. For more on Bella White, check out the artist's website.

Sunshine Riot - "So It Comes"

Photo courtesy Sunshine Riot

A lot of music gets labeled grunge these days, and most of it is just 90's influenced alt-rock and not actual grunge. Boston's Sunshine Riot is actually grunge, or at least alt-grunge. Their new single, "So It Comes," has that growl mixed with fuzzy guitars that is truly required to be grunge. There is just a certain style of guitar fuzz required, and they nail it. Plus, Jonny Orton has more than a little of Kurt Cobain's snarl in his vocals. "So It Comes" is a little poppier than a lot of 90's grunge, but it does include some psychedelic elements which makes it more along the lines of The Gits or Mother Love Bone. This is the kind of song that is going to elicit some nostalgia even though it's brand new.

Jonny Orton says of the new song:

"It's a song about the human condition, and the speed with which a person can change from one mood to the next. There is this wonderful Buddhist saying that I heard recently that really struck me -- and which I'm probably not characterizing exactly right -- but it goes something like: 'The changes are but the weather, I am the sky'. The song parallels that idea of multidimensionality of the human condition with city life itself."

You can listen to "So It Comes" below. The Steve Albini recorded Loud, Bright and Violent is due out in April. For more on Sunshine Riot, check out the band's website.

Yarn - "Cocaine Bear"

Photo by Eric Rayburn

Yarn wrote their latest single back in 2019, but there's no better time to release a song called "Cocaine Bear" than on the release date of a much anticipated film called Cocaine Bear. Yarn's song recounts the story of Cocaine Bear, aka Pablo Escobear, who was found dead after ingesting cocaine that was dumped from a plane near the Georgia/Tennessee border back in the 1980's. Despite being a novelty song, "Cocaine Bear" works perfectly by how seriously Yarn take the subject matter. It's done in the style of vintage 70's country, and, if you're not paying that much attention to the lyrics, you'd just enjoy it based on it being a killer country ballad.

You can listen to "Cocaine Bear" below. For more on Yarn, check out the band's website.

Me:You - "Crawl on yer belly"

Photo by Nat Cherry

LaToya Kent and RA Washington are part of Mourning [A] BLKstar (an ensemble out of Cleveland) and have formed a new project, Me:You. "Crawl on yer belly," the new single from Me:You, is hard to describe. It's a buzzing swirl of noise that is like a crossover of Peaches and hip hop. It's dissonant and most certainly not for the more mainstream listeners out there, but these is something almost accessible in "Crawl on yer belly." But just barely. 

LaToya Kent and RA Washington say of their new project and upcoming album:

"Field Tapes in the Trash is a testament of its maker's experience of analog, digital, grandma’s Saturday morning records spinning and leather Cadillac back seats stuck to the thighs. Angst that never let go amidst a world against brown skin coupled with praise of its musings and rapture.

"See, when you feel it all, everything shows up in the story. The narrative wild and pulsing with its own blood. The stage a display of interpretation moving with those that witness it.

"Presenting a piece that will wear in with time. A loop that will circle around and back again. And again and settle into it. 

"ME:YOU is her and him. 

"If he is the beat she is the heart. Together they stay alive as the nucleus of their mission to sound. 

"Can you stare into the sun?"

You can listen to "Crawl on yer belly" below. Field Tapes in Der Trash is due out on April 21 via American Dreams, and can be pre-ordered here. 

Fishbone - "All We Have is Now"

It's been a long, long time since we've heard from ska lifers Fishbone. It's been six years since we had a new song from them, but Fishbone just released a new song, and their first with Charlie Down in nearly thirty years! "All We Have is Now" might be a bit more mellow than classics like "Bonin' in the Boneyard" and "Party at Ground Zero," but aren't we all these days? This new song seems to be a bit more traditional ska than ska-punk or ska-core. It's a fun and positive single, and a wonderful return for one of the most influential bands in ska.

You can watch the video for "All We Have is Now" below. The song is part of the Bottle Music for Broken People compilation available now on Bottles to the Ground. You can find the compilation here. For more on Fishbone check out the band on Facebook and Instagram.

FAIM - "Opus"

There's nothing quite like discovering a band just as they're breaking up. Denver's FAIM have announced that they're upcoming album will be their last, and they've released another single off of it. We don't normally cover a lot of hardcore, but something about "Opus" just works. FAIM's latest is heavy and full of screaming vocals, but somehow it isn't quite as abrasive as hardcore normally is. There's just something about "Opus" that is sucking me in. I think there's just enough of a sense of melody here to soften the blow just enough. And when I say there's just enough melody, I mean barely any sense of melody. This is definitely a hardcore song, and not a melodic hardcore song.

You can listen to "Opus" below. Your Life and Nothing Else is due out March 3 on Safe Inside Records. The album can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp. For more on FAIM, check out the band's website.

deathcrash - "Duffy's"

Photo by Kaye Song

London's deathcrash have released a new single perfect for fans of slowcore, and a possible jumping on point for those who don't know the genre. "Duffy's" is almost a folk song for a good portion of its four minute length. Or, at least, it could easily get played at the Newport Folk Festival these days. It's an almost painfully quiet song that just plods along at its own pace, kind of like a Slint song, but even slower. As it is a slowcore song, it eventually does get louder towards the end and bursts into a glorious finale of contained (and lovely) noise. Somehow this is the kid of song that is both cold and warm at the same time.

Bassist Patrick Fitzgerald says of the new song:

“It alternates between very sparse slowcore sections and more open, catchy melodies and riffs. It’s not in a rush, but it does give in to something, a lightness maybe."

You can watch the video for "Duffy's" below. Less is due March 17 on untitled (recs). The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on deathcrash, check out the band's website.

Taylor Ashton and Rachael Price Cover Cyndi Lauper

Taylor Ashton is a Canadian born musician currently living in Brooklyn. For his upcoming covers EP, he recruited his wife for a duet of Cyndi Lauper's iconic "Time After Time." Considering his wife is Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive, you can't go wrong. Their version of the song is a stripped down version of the song accompanied with guitar, piano, and saxophone. "Time After Time" is just one of those songs that you simply can't go wrong with. It's the rare pop song beloved by virtually everyone, and Taylor Ashton and Rachael Price do Cyndi Lauper proud. You don't want to skip this one.

Taylor Ashton says of his cover of "Time After Time":

“Rachael and I generally keep our musical lives separate, but we’ve been asked to sing together at a few friends’ weddings and 'Time After Time' is a song we love to pull out in that context. I feel like I could live an entire lifetime just inside the phrase 'suitcase of memories.'”

You can watch the video for Taylor Ashton and Rachael Price's take on "Time After Time" below. Pizza Tickets due out March 24 on Signature Sounds. The EP can be pre-ordered here. For more on Taylor Ashton, check out the artist's website.

Girl with a Hawk - "Same Stars"

Photo by Kelly Davidson

The latest from Boston's Girl with a Hawk is a stunning power pop ballad that's beauty hides a heartbreaking tale. "Same Stars" is about singer Linda Viens' brother, who was sentenced to a Connecticut prison for eleven years for holding up a convenience store with a toy gun while suffering from heroin addiction, and how much it affected their family. The song is filled with fuzzy and droning guitars, and has a little bit of a Wilco meets The Velvet Underground sound. You can still feel the pain in Viens' voice all of these years later.  "Same Stars" is a powerful piece of art that is still uplifting in spite of the pain it reflects.

Linda Viens says of the new song:

“There are times, lucky times, when songs come through the ether to the writer fully formed. ‘Same Stars’ is one of those songs. In the middle of the night as I tossed and turned, feeling my brother’s body and mind and spirit simultaneously  tossing and turning and trying to get comfortable on a jail cot, in a metal cell, where the lights never went dark, and the cries and complaints of men could be heard all night long, I got up and picked up the guitar and the song emerged. Songs that come like this are not difficult, they are a gift, a release, and a relief.”

You can watch the video for "Same Stars" below. The single is available now via Red On Red Records, and can be downloaded through Bandcamp. For more on Girl with a Hawk, check out the band on Twitter and Instagram.

Lady Lamb - "Between Two Trees"

I know I've heard "Between Two Trees," the latest single from Lady Lamb, before. I'm not sure if I've heard it at live shows, or if it was on an album I bought years ago on Bandcamp, but I know this one. According to a Facebook post announcing the new song, Aly Spaltro comments that the song "... has been looking for its place for a very long time." I'm glad it found it's place. "Between Two Trees" melds pre-Ripely Pine Lady Lamb with her more recent music. It's a simple (but intense) folk song with accompanying strings that truly flesh it out. The song shows an artist looking back into her past and ahead into her future at the same time. There may be a slight darkness to "Between Two Trees," but it's a gorgeous song you won't be able to resist.

You can listen to "Between Two Trees" below. In that same Facebook post, Lady Lamb says there is more coming. For now, check out the artist's website for more information.

David Wax Museum - "Luanne"

If you've been a fan of David Wax Museum for a while, you'll know that there's an almost mythical unreleased album that they've been waiting to release until they felt they could fully tour behind it. Ok, it's not really mythical since they've talked about it a bunch, but we've been waiting for years to hear this album. The great news is that it's finally getting released. And, after hearing the first single off of this album, it's going to be great. "Luanne" is almost a thowback to when I first discovered David Wax Museum. It's a giant, celebratory song rooted in traditional folk while being more of a modern neo-folk song. Lately, they've been a little more quiet and even experimental. "Luanne" is a back to roots song that is just begging to be played at large outdoor shows this summer. If this is just the first taste of the album, we're thrilled we only have three more months to hear the rest!

You can listen to "Luanne" below. You Must Change Your Life is due out May 5 and can be pre-ordered here. For more on David Wax Museum, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Sun, Feb 26 - Charlottesville, VA - Paramount Theater - supporting Los Lobos ​

Mon, Feb 27 - Winston-Salem, NC - The Ramkat - supporting Los Lobos ​

March 16 - Austin, TX - Continental Club at SXSW - w/ Fruit Bats + Matthew Logan Vasquez

Wed, May 3 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge ​

Thu, May 4 - Somerville, MA - The Armory ​

Fri, May 5 - Washington, D.C. - The Hamilton ​

Sat, May 6 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern ​

Sun, May 7 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s​

Wed, May 17 - Chicago, IL - Golden Dagger ​

Thu, May 18 - Milwaukee, WI - The Backroom at Colectivo​

Fri, May 19 - Minneapolis, MN - Icehouse ​

Sat, May 20 - Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall (outdoors)

Tiny Ruins - "Dorothy Bay"

Photo by Frances Carter

Tiny Ruins, the musical project of New Zealand's Hollie Fullbrook, is back with a new single, "Dorothy Bay." The band's upcoming album, Ceremony, is comprised of songs making up chapters of a saga set on Tamaki Makaaurau's Manukau Harbor. "Dorothy Harbor" mixes Fullbrook's Neil Young influence with the current crop of indie rock meets indie pop musicians coming out of New Zealand and Australia these days. It's the kind of song that feels like floating, with fuzzy guitars combining with Fullbrook's vocals to create something beautiful and more than a little melancholy. As downbeat as the song can be, there is a strong bassline that adds an unexpected groove to it. This is a fascinating and captivating new single that's going to have you dying to hear the rest of the album. 

You can watch the video for "Dorothy Bay" below. Ceremony is due out April 28 on Ba Da Bing. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Tiny Ruins, check out the band's website.

John Shakespear - "Sound Museum"

Photo by Tory Corless

In a very short time, it was announced that Boston would be virtually without rehearsal spaces for musicians. To say that a major American city that has long prided itself on being a place for musicians to thrive to suddenly be without rehearsal spaces is disappointing is a gigantic understatement. John Shakespear recently came back to Boston from Nashville and has released a new single about that. "Sound Museum," named after the long term Allston rehearsal space that is scheduled to close next month, sees Shakespear switching to a more indie pop sound than the folk/Americana of 2019's Spend Your Youth. It's an ode to Boston's DIY communities which are becoming more vital as the city's more traditional musical outlets get more limited seemingly every day. It's taking soul crushing news and finding something to celebrate, and we could really use that these days.

John Shakespear says of the Sound Museum:

“It was in those spaces, and in Somerville’s Pink Noise Studios, that I made some of my best friends and figured out who I wanted to be as a person. I wanted to see if I could put that into a song–the way a room with a couple amps and half a drum kit in it can save your life.”

You can listen to "Sound Museum" below. On February 22 John Shakespear will be holding a single release show/benefit for Art Stays Here Coalition at Atwoods Tavern in Cambridge, MA. For more on John Shakespear, check out the artist's website.

First Listen: New Releases for 17 February

Artist: Hansan
Album: Blod eller bläck
Quick Thoughts: We loved Hansan's debut record a few years back, and getting a new album from the duo of Sofia Talvik and David Floer is a very nice and welcome surprise. Blod eller bläck, translated as (I believe) "blood or ink," is as dark and mysterious as you might imagine. It's also as gorgeous as their debut and feels a little more stable and present, if that makes sense. I loved this, I'm glad it's in the world, I'm glad we got another album, make some time for it.
Songs of Note: "Ett steg fram och tva tillbaks," "Om vi inte"

Artist: Screaming Females
Album: Desire Pathways
Quick Thoughts: Can someone please tell me why Screaming Females aren't the biggest band in the universe? Screaming Females have been awesome for a while, but this album takes it to another level. Every song is a banger, and they're somehow leveling up with Desire Pathways in a way I didn't see coming. This album is outstanding and deserves to be in the conversation as to one of the best releases in the young year so far.
Songs of Note: "Brass Bell," "Desert Train," "Let You Go," "Ornament," "Titan"

Artist: Blues Lawyer
Album: All in Good Time
Quick Thoughts: Power pop lives! Or something close to it, I guess - this gave me the same feelings that the Apples in Stereo did all those many years ago, and this is the same kind of joyous lo-fi indie music that I love so much. The songs are wicked catchy, and there's a lot to love here, so put it in your rotation.
Songs of Note: "Chance Encounters," "Return Policy," "I Won't," "Nowhere to Go"

Artist: Cat Clyde
Album: Down Rounder
Quick Thoughts: Absolutely the roots listen of the week. I don't know Cat Clyde very well, but these songs have a great classic country feel. I didn't want this to get lost in the shuffle, so check this out.
Songs of Note: "Mystic Light," "I Feel It"

Artist: Glume
Album: Main Character
Quick Thoughts: Glume is an enigma for me. She is clearly working under a specific aesthetic that is impossible to ignore, and the weirdness she exudes in the face of a very particular and calculated presentation makes this a compelling artist no matter what. Main Character is certainly a conceptual piece in many regards, but straddles that line between the conceptual pop music foundational to the weird that sets her apart. This is a great listen, but might be divisive to some.
Songs of Note: "Do Me a Favor," "Wedding Cake Shop"

Artist: Lisel
Album: Patterns for Auto-Tuned Voices and Delay
Quick Thoughts: Also wanted to highlight this one, as it is maybe the most interesting electronic/ambient listen I've recently encountered. Real brain-tickling stuff here. Check it out.
Songs of Note: "Plainsong"

Of note:

* Lowly - Keep Up the Good Work (Pretty solid electronic effort.)
* Krakow Loves Adana- Oceanflower
* Orbital - Optical Delusion
* New Pagans - Making Circles of Our Own
* Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
* @ - Mind Palace Music
* Jennifer Touch - Midnight Proposals
* kolezanka - Alone With the Sound the Mind Makes
* Korine - Tear
* Free Range - Practice
* Steady Holiday - Newfound Oxygen
* Anna B Savage - in|FLUX
* Winkler - For You, Now
* Khotin - Release Spirit
* Conic Rose - Heller Tag
* Ron Sexsmith - The Vivian Line
* The Pomps - Bottom of the Pomps
* Chosta - Twilight Transmission

EPs:

* Slow Fiction - Slow Fiction (This is really great.)
* Qveen Herby - The Muse
* Kylie V - The Runaway EP
* Rianne Downey - Come What May
* Girl Scout - Real Life Human Garbage
* Tiffany Day - The Gratitude Project
* The Dahmers - Ghouls in the Garage
* Princess - Princess

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* MAITA - Loneliness (Acoustic versions of many of her songs.)

Also out:

* Pile - All Fiction
* Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Land of Sleeper

Molosser Crude - "At My Feet (Hounds of Hell)"

The latest single from Swedish duo Molosser Crude is more of the heavy blues/stoner rock we discovered with "Twin Moons" back in January, but "At My Feet (Hounds of Hell)" has a bit of a different sound. This new song might be even heavier, and is a mix of the original metal of Black Sabbath, jazz, and noise rock. Itb was recorded live in one take, and it's an absolute beast of a song. "At My Feet (Hounds of Hell)" is a dark, menacing song that makes you want to groove as hard as you can headbang to it. You're going to want to crank this one up and give it as many listens as you can handle.

Drummer/vocalist Tess says of the new song:

“I really don’t like talking too much about my lyrics. That might stop people from finding things I didn’t know were there, and that would be a pity. When it comes to ‘At My Feet’, though, I can tell you that it’s about facing the dark side rather than turning a blind eye to it. It’s when we pretend that the dark stuff is not there that the really nasty things start to happen.”

You can listen to "At My Feet (Hounds of Hell)" below. The song is currently available on Bandcamp. For more on Molosser Crude, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram.