If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Geowulf Album : The Child Quick Thoughts : Geowulf's debut has been long-awaited for me, and it absolutely delivers. It's a bit of country-tinged indie rock with so much going for it - great songwriting, great production, great everything. It has so many solid moments, too - "Dolly," in particular, has been in heavy rotation for me for months now. Don't miss out on this one, a great time. Songs of Note : "Can't Read Your Mind," "Dolly," "The Child" Artist : Ex-Void Album : In Love Again Quick Thoughts : I won't lie, the Ugly Kid Joe aesthetic Ex-Vöid is going for with this album is more than just looks. Each song is like a slice of grunge from the early 1990s, and songs like "Swansea" and "Down the Drain" became instant classics for me. A great alt-rock record for the start of the year. Songs of Note : "July," "Swansea," "Pinhead," "Down the Drain...

November 11 : Artist : Smut Album : How the Light Felt Quick Thoughts : Smut is the sort of comfortable indie rock that I love, where it's not doing anything particularly revolutionary but is still doing what they do better than anyone else in the moment. Don't overlook this listen, there's a lot of great music to love in here. Songs of Note : "Soft Engine," "Believe You Me," "Morningstar" Artist : Delivery Album : Forever Giving Handshakes Quick Thoughts : This album has a lot going for it, and its refusal to conform to any specific genre is a benefit when many acts could treat it as a drawback. This album won me over right away, and will likely win you over, too. Songs of Note : "Poor-to-Middling Moneymaking," "Baader Meinhof," "No Homes," "Good" Artist : A7PHA Album : II Quick Thoughts : I wanted to highlight this because it's great, but also because it reminds me a lot of when Tric...