If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Suz Slezak Album : Our Wings May Be Featherless Quick Thoughts : It's impossible for us to be objective about one half of David Wax Museum, so I'm not going to even try. Suz Slezak's first solo album is a really gorgeous folky poppy effort, with a few songs that, were there any justice in the world, would sit comfortably on the radio. If you're a fan of David Wax Museum, you'll find a lot to love here, and if you're not, you'll still find a lot to love. It's easily a favorite of the year so far. Songs of Note : "Beautiful Mess," "Blaze of Gold," "Now It Is Morning" Artist : Luna Li Album : Duality Quick Thoughts : Luna Li has been on my radar for a bit, but even this album surprised me. This has a lot of interesting songs, and it's got a bit of an edge to it, too - the song with beadadoobee in particular is a highlight, but her mix of styles and themes makes her stand out in ways other efforts don't...

Photo by Ian Laidlaw Australia's The Weeping Willows are doing Americana as good as any American band out these days. Their latest single, "House of Sin," has that modern folk dabbling in classic folk feel we love around here. It's definitely not a traditional sound, but it leans much more traditional than some of the more mainstream folkies out there by adding in a tiny bit of rock and roll. It also has a certain darkness and menace lingering below the surface. "House of Sin" reminds me of the mellower side of Shovels & Rope combined with the dark, gothic cabaret of Charming Disaster.  You can watch the video for "House of Sin" below. You Reap What You Sow is due out March 4 on Compass Bros Records, and can be pre-ordered or pre-saved here . For more on The Weeping Willows, check out the artist's website .