The Best of August 2021

Groovy licks, spacious shoegaze, and vivacious bars make up the best releases of August.

Mud Whale - Everything In Moderation

Self-released

One indicator of a great band is how fast they can turn you into a fan, especially if you go into their record blind. I queued up Everything In Moderation on release day, not knowing what to expect. Once the opening track “Karmageddon” kicked in, I was sold within seconds. As the song’s tappy emo intro led to a Touché Amore-caliber scream, I knew I was in for a wild ride. The record has flavors of post-hardcore on “Haze Jude,” a Title Fight bent on “Scapegoat,” and even a jazzy little love song in “French Roast.” Whether through nifty emo noodling or barrel-chested bellows, Mud Whale’s debut is a beautifully polished and inventive record that’s packed with an impressive variety of sounds. 

Kississippi - Mood Ring

Triple Crown Records

Heartbreak is hard. That observation on its own isn’t compelling, but on Mood Ring, Zoe Reynolds manages to make it feel one-of-a-kind. Over the course of ten shimmering synthpop tracks, the record captures the life of a relationship from initial spark to inevitable heartbreak. There’s soaring jubilation and excitement on songs like “Around Your Room” and “We’re So In Tune,” but things begin to decay in real-time as you listen. By the time the closing one-two punch of “Big Dipper” and “Hellbeing” rolls around, the feeling of loss hangs heavy in the air. There’s catharsis to be had here in the form of big, singalong choruses that stick to your brain, much like the bubblegum depicted on the album’s cover. Whether filtered through a 1989-style pop music filter or celestial metaphors, Kissy’s emotions remain a powerful driving force throughout Mood Ring. Through this relatability, Reynolds provides the listener with a strong figure to aspire to, all but saying, “if I made it through this, then you can too.”

Ty Segall - Harmonizer

Drag City, Inc.

Being a prolific artist, while admirable, is not always enough on its own. Much like fellow psych-rockers King Gizz, Ty Segall is a textbook prolific artist; he releases solo albums, collaborations, and demos at a consistent clip that can sometimes feel more like an avalanche. I like Segall quite a bit, but I’ll admit I am not die-hard enough to sit with each of these releases long enough to do them justice. And they’re not all for me. Segall’s newest LP, Harmonizer, is definitively made for me. This record takes the chunky, funky, fuzzed-out riffs of Melted and lays Segall’s signature cocky, strut-worthy T. Rex-indebted vocals over-top for a groovy (and punctual) collection of tracks that will make you feel like a Robert Crumb cartoon. 

Snow Ellet - suburban indie rock star: re-release

Wax Bodega

When Snow Ellet dropped suburban indie rock star back in March, I never got a chance to write about it in a monthly roundup because, well, I slept on it until April. But now, with its re-release on Wax Bodega, I finally get an excuse to write about one of my favorite EPs of the year. In the time since suburban indie rock star’s initial release, the project has received Pitchfork reviews, Stereogum coverage, and even lined up a tour with pop-punk stalwarts Knuckle Puck, and it only takes one song to see why. Under the moniker Snow Ellet, Eric Reyes effortlessly delivers sunny Oso Oso vocals over slick riffs, all with the 90s alt-rock worship of Equipment’s All You Admire. This results in a distinct confluence of styles that Reyes self-describes as “pop-punk for the indie kids, indie rock for the pop-punk kids.” With a cover that screams ‘cassette by a turn-of-the-millennium indie band from the Pacific Northwest,’ it’s no wonder why this unique combination of sounds feels so tailor-made for me. Plus, now with two new tracks added onto the original EP, there’s never been a better time to jump on the Snow Ellet train. 

Indigo De Souza - Any Shape You Take

Saddle Creek Records

How are you doing? Like, how are you really doing? That’s the subtext that I read when listening to Indigo De Souza’s stunning sophomore album. At a certain point, Any Shape You Take feels less like a collection of songs and more like checking in on an old friend. The sentiments are honest, the topics are morbid, and the delivery is modest as if honed from years of familiarity. These lyrics are often placed over a controlled indie rock jangle but occasionally stretch to the outer reaches of the universe. For example, “Real Pain” begins at a subdued even keel but gradually erupts into a chaotic burst of noise and screams that track perfectly with the emotion of the song. Songs address complex and hard-to-pin-down subjects like breakups, aging, and finding comfort in closeness. All of this is tied up with a neat little bow on “Kill Me,” which is easily one of the best songs of the year. Any Shape You Take is a stunner of an album that helps me better understand the world. 

Farseek - Standstill

Self-released

Much like Oso Oso, Farseek feels like a project with a singular focus that can only be the product of an individual mind. Performed, written, and engineered by Cameron Harrison with friend Corey Jacobsen filling in on drums, the lineup and arrangement are almost identical to Jade Lilitri. Not only is that impressive, but it also takes a level of skill and vision that not many musicians have. It feels like every aspect of each song has been carefully considered. Every lyric, guitar lick, and drumbeat has been intentionally placed, resulting in five emo tracks that beautifully hang together and feel like a holistic experience. Standstill is tentpoled by “Crying” and “New Short Haircut,” both of which are energetic, dynamic emo songs that hang on beautiful details of fleeting moments. Clocking in at a lightweight 16 minutes, this is an unassuming emo release that will sink its hooks in and beguile you over time.

Wednesday - Twin Plagues

Ordinal Records

Wanna know how to suck me into an album instantly? Start with a lumbering, fuzzed-out riff. This approach is precisely what Wednesday deploy on Twin Plagues. After roughly a minute of swaying shoegaze, the opening title track bottoms out into an all-too-relatable bedroom indie rock verse. Soon enough, momentum takes hold once again, and the group swings back into the borderline-stoner rock riffage, combining these two elements in a whirlwind of raw feelings. This is the dynamic that’s constantly at play throughout Wednesday’s sophomore album, and it is nothing short of entrancing. The marriage of moody instrumental tone with the occasional country-flavored jangle and hyper-personal lyrics delivered in a disaffected style is an absolute revelation. 

A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Pono

Topshelf Records

Confession time: I’ve never listened to A Great Big Pile of Leaves before this year. They were one of those emo revival acts that just managed to pass me by, so I sadly couldn’t join in on the hype for Pono when it was announced but two short months ago. Now that it’s here, I’m simultaneously overjoyed and kicking myself for sleeping on this band for so long. I also felt the need to preface this write-up with my lack of AGBPOL history because everything I wanted to compare this album to came in their wake. It’s one of those instances where you don’t realize the breadth of a band’s influence until you discover them. Pono is a beautifully sunny emo-light record where groovy Turnover instrumentals merge with lackadaisical Seahaven singing and the occasional arid Balance and Composure guitar tone for a cosmic gumbo of dancy emo tunage. Much like Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Pono feels like it was released at the perfect time, effortlessly catching the post-summer glow of late August.

Big Red Machine - How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?

Jagjaguwar / 37D03D

I’m a Bon Iver guy from way back. I stumbled across For Emma, Forever Ago as it came out, and for a 15-year-old whose default mode was “pining,” that record spoke to me unlike anything I’d ever heard. Over time, I grew with Bon Iver, and I’d like to think that the project grew with me in turn. While nothing overtly revelatory, the first Big Red Machine album felt like a one-of-a-kind project when it dropped. That release saw Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (of The National) meeting at an intersection of their respective careers and feeding off each other creatively. The “concept” of the album is explained pretty succinctly in the opening paragraph of the Pitchfork review, but musically, the result was an experimental, hypnotic, bleary edible trip of an album that allowed both artists to indulge in some of their less overt tendencies. 

It was clear from the first single (and became more evident each of the four subsequent singles) the second album from Big Red Machine was not going to be that inward. Instead, the sophomore effort from this indie-folk brain trust involved turning the project into a sort of Avengers of the music industry. While a far cry from the isolated-but-collaborative nature of their first release, How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? is a little muddled but still fun in a different way. It feels less like ‘two dudes hanging out making loopy shit in the woods’ and more like “Vernon, Dessner, and Friends,” which is still viable. Does it reach the artistic highs of Bon Iver or Sleep Well Beast? Nope. Will that stop me from keeping it on repeat all season? Not a chance. 

see through person - sun

Acrobat Unstable Records

Let me spit some phrases at you. Jail Socks. Dance Gavin Dance. Dogleg. Fatty basslines. Extra-chunky riffs. Thrashy drums. Killer screams. If this combination of sounds seems too good to be true, all you need to do is click play on sun to see the light. The three-track EP from the Florida emo act is an exercise in explosive instrumentation, soaring vocal melodies, and bombastic emotions. It may only be 7 minutes long, but when taken in alongside last year’s chariot, it’s easy to see the bigger picture. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that the vinyl collection of these EPs will achieve legendary status in a matter of years, if not months. 

Telethon - Swim Out Past The Breakers

Take This To Heart Records

Come for the features, stay for the rippers. That’s the motto on Swim Out Past The Breakers, the excellent sixth LP from Milwaukee-based indie rockers Telethon. Even a cursory glance at the album’s Spotify page reveals features from labelmates Future Teens, upcoming popstar Jhariah, and even handsomeman Chris Farren. This leads to a stacked DJ Khaled-esque lineup, the difference here being that Telethon are genuinely talented artists in their own right who are also pursuing a larger vision. On the opening track, “Shit (Jansport),” the band offers a crash course introduction to their Hard Pop style as they vault from over-the-top Glass Beach zaniness to a big top circus riff before launching into a crowd-churning breakdown. On paper, that’s a chaotic mishmash of incongruent sounds, but somehow the band manages to make it all click. Just to give a quick machinegun blast of the sounds and topics contained within this album, there’s jangly alt-country, AC/DC guitar licks, email-inflicted strife, Xenomorph encounters, Blink-182 interpolations, and an ‘80s-style TV interstitial. 

In one seventy-second stretch within my favorite song on the record, the band name-drops Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell, chiptunes act (T-T)b, My Morning Jacket’s hoedowns, and skatepunk icons PEARS as influences. And that’s just the instrumental which sits underneath a blistering punk verse courtesy of Intolerable Swill. In true emo fashion, about half of the songs on the album are punctuated by pop-culture samples that range from Tracey Ullman-era Simpsons to the Robin Williams classic Parenthood. Put simply, Breakers feels like a bunch of music nerds making songs for other music nerds, and I mean that in the best way possible. The album is a kaleidoscopic transfusion of pop culture references, out-of-this-world instrumentation, and impressive vocal performances. Honestly, what are you doing still reading this? Go listen right now.

Pink Navel - EPIC

Ruby Yacht

One of my favorite songs on EPIC opens with a Boxxy sample, then goes on to name-drop Dunkey and Scott the Woz before turning the titular “Ze Frank” into a tweet-worthy boast. If you understood any portion of that sentence, then it’s likely that this mixtape is made for you. On Pink Navel’s eighth album, rapper Devin Bailey infuses hard-hitting beats with obscure pop culture samples and hyper online lyrics, resulting in a project that feels wholly unique and extraordinarily personal. 

The opening to “GRATEFUL BARD” comes across as a sort of manifesto for the project as Bailey raps, “I don’t like that quiet serious musician attitude / If you are a grateful bard then you should change the magnitude / Of how you magnify or flatterize all your disaster tunes / To get a group of kids to feel the same brand of the sad as you / What, uh, is that too much for an opening bar?” Not only do these lines deliver a clear modus operandi, but they’re also punctuated by a wink that hits you on multiple levels at once. 

The penultimate track, “AN INVOCATION FOR BEGINNINGS,” turns the record into an inspirational affirmation both for the listener and Bailey as they shift into a preacher’s cadence while reciting Ze Frank’s piece of the same name. This leads closing track “R U BASHFUL?” to feel more like a victory lap, a self-exultation that closes out 30 minutes of explosive creativity. Bailey says EPIC “encapsulates a release of frustrated energy at the world and at the web, in response is unfiltered positivity and joy, with a light shining so bright, the smug can only look away, or embrace it's wide, warm arms” and embrace the light we shall. Quick Hits

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I am officially abandoning this section of one-sentence reviews because they’re just too much work to keep interesting. However, if you’d like to see my favorite song off every release I listened to this month, here’s a Spotify playlist. 

If you’re looking for even more tunes from August aside from the albums listed above, we also published standalone reviews for the new Catbite, Pet Symmetry, and Killers albums. 

The Best of July 2021

Emo and indie rock remain ever-present forces in our monthly roundups, this time flanked by some sweet, sweet pedal steel and slide guitar. 

Jodi - Blue Heron

Sooper Records

Sometimes a single thing can prod you into checking out an artist; a well-written review, a compelling performance on-stage, or maybe the recommendation of a friend. For Jodi, it was this Stereogum article where writer Chris DeVille compared the former Pinegrove member to Wilco, American Football, Phil Elverum, Slaughter Beach Dog, and Lomelda over the course of just a few sentences. Aside from this lovely roster of soft-inspiration, Blue Heron is an album chock-full of slide guitar, and if I’ve learned anything about myself this year, it’s that I can never get enough slide guitar. Armed with little more than that country-indie-rock-bent and a heart full of emotions, Nick Levine explores the complexity of life throughout Blue Heron’s ten breathtaking tracks. There are lovely contributions from a half-dozen other members of Levine’s folk-rock inner circle, but for the most part, these songs center around giving voice to one person’s struggle through life. On a more personal note, I’ve leaned a lot on this record over the past month, and I’m immensely grateful for it appearing in my life when it did. 

Runner - Always Running

Run For Cover Records

Even though half of Runner’s new album is comprised of year-old songs, that doesn’t make the overall package any less enticing. There’s twangy guitar, lush horns, and even a wild Thundercat cover. I’ll admit I’m a sucker for some banjo and slide guitar, but Always Repeating is a half-hour excursion that feels tailor-made for me. This is a record I can throw on at any time, in any mood, and become completely swept up in. It’s as easy and breezy as an afternoon spent lazily floating down a river with friends by your side and a six-pack within arm’s reach. Pure summer bliss. 

Gang of Youths - total serene

Mosy Recordings

Based solely on the internet’s reaction to “the angel of 8th ave.” dropping back in June, it was clear that Gang of Youths fans were starved. This was the first we’d heard from the Australian indie rockers in earnest since 2017’s Go Farther In Lightness, and fans weren’t hiding their near-half-decade of hunger. Despite having never heard of this band, I saw the hype, decided to give the song a listen, and it quickly became one of my favorites of 2021. I might not have a years-long connection with Gang of Youths, but I still recognize “the angel of 8th ave.” as a scientifically perfect heartland rock song. This lead single has a great build, a soaring melody, swaying guitar, and anthemic chorus of “there is heaven in you now!!” which feels primed for shouting out your car window as you fly down some stretch of desert highway at 90 miles an hour. From there, the group hits the listener with a great cover of an Elbow song that sounds downright National-esque. Finally, “unison” wraps things up with a reflective, sax-laden track in the style of classic indie rock. It may only be three songs long, but total serene is allegedly just a prelude to a full album coming out later this year. I may have gotten to Gang of Youths late, but now that I’m on board, I couldn’t be more excited to join the hype train with everybody else. 

Gnawing - You Freak Me Out

Refresh Records

Psst. Hey kid, ya like Dinosaur Jr? Of course you do! Well, I got a record for you, and no, it’s not the new Dinosaur Jr (as good as that album is), it’s this band called Gnawing. Seriously, there were moments in listening to You Freak Me Out that straight-up I forgot I wasn’t listening to Dinosaur Jr. That’s not to say that the Virginia-based rock band is a one-trick pony; it’s just that lead singer John Russel’s voice is so close to the scratchy velcro drawl of the iconic 90s band. There’s plenty of variation on this record, from jaunty country-flavored excursions to high-powered guitar solo freakouts. A joyous debut album that builds off the group’s previous releases and pushes them into exciting new territories that are as comforting as they are exhilarating. 

skirts - Great Big Wild Oak

Double Double Whammy

Remember how I said I liked pedal steel and slide guitar? Well, Great Big Wild Oak has tons of it. At a certain point, the debut from Alex Montenegro feels less like an album and more like an experience. You press play on the first song and watch as the release slowly envelops you. As Great Big Wild Oak unfolds, it begins to transport you. The songs unfurl one at a time resulting in one, long naturalistic 30-minute journey that makes it feel as if you too are in the lush, tree-dotted lake depicted on the cover. The record is adorned with rural Texas imagery and touted as a “convergence of Southwestern folk-rock, contemporary percussion, and piercing guitar licks.” The result is a relaxing and meditative listen that feels like the auditory equivalent of a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.

Lakes - Start Again

Know Hope Records

Lakes feel like a revelation. Even though there’s nothing overtly world-shattering about the UK-based outfit, the group manages to marry tappy and technical emo with a particular blend of powerful, reaching mid-aughts indie rock, and they do so to an impressive effect. While the record’s singles (“Start Again,” “Matches,” and “Retrograde”) prove to be an excellent sample platter for the band’s music, they also managed to save some of the best cuts like “Mirrors” and “Talk!” for the album, which is something that I always appreciate. A marvelous merging of styles that result in a sweeping, emotional LP that will comfort and console.

Bad Luck - Summer Of Pain

Take This To Heart Records

Just as You Freak Me Out made me want to go and listen to Dinosaur Jr, Summer of Pain compelled me to queue up Save Face. I don’t think it’s always accurate or healthy to compare bands to one another like this, but if a Save Face fan is reading this and hungry for similar tunes, there’s no better accolade than evoking the sharp bellows and neat guitar licks of Tyler Povanda. That’s not to say that Bad Luck can’t stand on their own; just one listen to Summer of Pain reveals a wonderfully talented band with a knack for catchy hooks, shreddy instrumentals, and relatable lyrics. A fast, fun, frenetic listen that will charge you up and set you off.

Midwife - Luminol

The Flenser

What does despair sound like to you? To me, it sounds like Midwife. Having first popped up on my radar with last year’s Forever, Midwife became one of those projects like Julien Baker or Mount Eerie that I adore but can only bring myself to listen to every once in a while because they’re just so crushing. Embracing a self-described genre of “Heaven Metal,” Midwife crafts a dense, moody, loopy mix of slowgaze and drone that tackles topics too heavy for everyday life. While Forever eulogized a friend, Luminol is an angrier record that recons with the seismic changes and universal unrest that we’ve all felt over the past year. A cataclismic experience. 

Quick Hits

Sorry, but I couldn’t find the energy to keep a list of one-sentence reviews for everything else I listened to this month. Here’s a playlist of my favorite songs from each new release I heard in July as a replacement.

The Best of June 2021

A (slightly delayed) roundup of the best releases of June from ska to stoner rock, plus a couple of easy album of the year contenders. 

Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee

Dead Oceans

Listening to Jubilee is like eating a cheesecake; it’s sweet, delicate, and best enjoyed when you savor every morsel. This is not a dessert to be scarfed down in one sitting over the kitchen counter, but a delicacy where each bite delights your palette in different ways. While Psychopomp was a brief but impactful album that saw Michelle Zauner grappling with the loss of her mother, Soft Sounds From Another Planet was a coping mechanism where that grief was filtered through a sci-fi lens and beamed in from some distant corner of the galaxy. By contrast, Jubilee sees Zauner trading the far reaches of space for a more grounded sense of serenity. However, joy, while hard-fought and well-earned, cannot exist in a vacuum. In order to genuinely experience happiness, one must open themselves up to a full range of emotions. Even with the record’s relatively sunny disposition, Zauner is realistic in the strides she attempts to make. Perfection is too far away, but lines like “I want to navigate this hate in my heart... somewhere better” illustrate an achievable middle ground. After two records of grief and self-consolation, Zauner is ready to reclaim her joy.

We Are The Union - Ordinary Life

Bad Time Records

You wake up to an empty apartment in Pasadena. You are trans, and the world is not your oyster. Ordinary Life follows We Are The Union singer Reade Wolcott’s gender transition and details all the feelings, events, and dynamics that come in the wake of such a seismic personal change. This is a story that’s told beautifully on-record but also through the band’s fun-loving music videos. From burying your old self to removing labels, each outing is a vibrant and lighthearted helping of summer ska. Ultimately, despite all the consolatory cigarettes, side-eyes, depression, and dysphoria, Wolcott achieves peace through the realization that she is “anything but ordinary,” and that is not only worth celebrating but worth every ounce of strife encountered along the way. 

Read our full review of Ordinary Life here.

ME REX - Megabear

Big Scary Monsters

In a landscape dominated by substanceless viral singles, blatant streaming bait, and otherwise uninspired artistry, sometimes you have to do things differently to stand out. What’s more, sometimes you have to be realistic about your listener. Not everyone will listen to your album, and those who do might not even make it all the way through. Maybe that’s why Megabear is such an exciting album. The debut record from the UK indie rockers is comprised of 52 different song “segments” that can be shuffled together in any order to form an infinite, endless loop of songs. It sounds like a gimmick, but the amazing part is that it actually works. Most of the tracks are sub-one-minute excursions, but that doesn’t mean there’s any lack of personality or charm. In a world where the concept of the “album” changes on a seemingly daily basis, it’s interesting to see an artist lean into breaking old formats and doing it so effectively.

Parting - Unmake Me

Count Your Lucky Stars

Unmake Me is an unassuming little album. A lightweight seven tracks clocking in at a collective 18 minutes and 23 seconds, it might be easy to mistake for an EP. What’s hiding behind the new band name, goofy song titles, and the swan-adorned cover is the musical talent of an emo supergroup composed of members from iconic acts like Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) and Dowsing. Together they join forces to craft a compelling narrative of loss and conflict in classic fourth wave emo style. The members’ tenure in other bands is impossible to miss; the instrumentals are tight, and the lyrics stick to your brain like glue. It’s easy to listen to Unmake Me and see “just another” emo album, but just a few spins will soon reveal the powerful force of humanity at its center.

Read our full review of Unmake Me here.

Lucy Dacus - Home Video

Matador Records

Aside from being one of the best albums of 2018, the last LP from Lucy Dacus centered around the idea of being a “historian.” Throughout the album, she uses the term to describe both herself and members of her lineage capturing each other’s lives through words and experiences. On her newest album, Home Video, Dacus puts this idea into practice with a collection of tracks that see the singer-songwriter holding her past up to the light and letting it bounce off like a disco ball. These memories take the form of basement makeouts, abusive parents, and friends settling in their relationships. All of these tales are delicately woven through Dacus’ velveteen voice, masterful guitarwork, and dynamic instrumentation in what is an easy shoo-in for one of the best records of 2021. 

Newgrounds Death Rugby - Pictures of Your Pets

Suneater Records

I’m a simple man; when I hear a good riff, my brain is happy. Luckily, Newgrounds Death Rugby is here to supply the serotonin for me and every other emo like me with Pictures of Your Pets. The release opens with a mellow little guitar lick and toy piano, which welcome the listener into the record with a sense of childlike wonder. Soon lead singer Danny Jorgensen enters with vocals that feel reminiscent of long-lost emo side project Adventures. Overall, the songs on Pictures grapple with the same sense of innocence lost as many other emo records of its ilk, but through some combination of sincerity, charm, and technical skill, Newgrounds Death Rugby manage to make it all feel fresh.

Iceburn - Asclepius

Southern Lord

The invitation was simple; “feel it’s mammoth power,” read the tweet from Southern Lord records. It turns out that was all I needed. A tweet from a label that I love promising mammoth riffs? Say no more. Even though it’s from a band I’ve never heard of, Asclepius delivers on every possible front. Containing two tracks clocking in at just under 20 minutes each, both songs on this album pummel the listener with dense, fuzzy stoner rock riffs that will have you bobbing your head along with the all-powerful groove. I discovered upon doing just a minimal amount of research that Asclepius is the tenth release from Iceburn and the first in 21 years. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the sand-covered Mad Max world of stoner rock, a reunion album that shreds this hard is worth your time. The riffs speak for themselves. 

Pom Pom Squad - Death of a Cheerleader

City Slang

For nearly one century of media, the cheerleader has been one of the most persistent tropes in pop culture. Cheerleaders are always depicted as the most popular, attractive, and dominant forces in any school. They sit atop the social hierarchy and look down upon their fawning masses with a strange mix of pity and admiration. For a school full of teenagers, the death of a cheerleader would be tantamount to England losing their queen; it’s a loss that would make their respective domains stand still. Death of a Cheerleader takes this dynamic and upends it in a collection of 14 poppy indie rock tracks that reframe this all-too-familiar narrative with a definitively queer perspective. 

In its best moments, Cheerleader feels like an assembly of cult faves funneled through a pastel-colored pep rally lens. Whether taking visual inspiration from films like Heathers and The Virgin Suicides or channeling iconic left-field creatives like John Waters and David Lynch, the album still feels like it was created with a holistic perspective. Song topics range from things as heavy as questioning gender roles and weathering abusive relationships but still maintain the energy of a cheerleader facing the crowd during the first homecoming game. In the album’s most simple moments, the songs can feel like a reminder to allow yourself to indulge in rage or simply feel emotions in the first place. Most notably, a cover of “Crimson and Clover” sits smack dab in the middle of the tracklist, echoing Joan Jett’s famous gender-swapping cover from 40 years earlier. Whether consumed in one sitting or snacking on the album’s bite-sized singles, Death of a Cheerleader is an undeniable new landmark for queer poppy indie rock. 

Quick Hits

Holy Profane - Jettison Yr Dreams - The latest album from Holy Profane tackles disillusionment, disjointed memories, and the hangover of youthful folk punk idealism.

Danny Elfman - Big Mess - Essentially the closest we’ll ever get to a Nightmare Before Christmas sequel.

Sleater-Kinney - Path of Wellness - A back-to-basics course-correction after 2019’s disastrous The Center Won’t Hold.

Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend - Explosive and ever-shifting, Blue Weekend effortlessly winds its way from heartfelt ballads, soaring indie rock, and sneering punk rock with impressive finesse.

Migos - CULTURE III - The third entry in the Culture series comes after a trifecta of solo albums and omnipresent trap features over the last few years. It’s unwieldy, but it ticks all the boxes.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Butterfly 3000 - In their second album of the year, the Australian rockers lean far into the synthy side of their spectrum for an MGMT-like psych record. 

Portugal. The Man - ULU Selects Vol #1 - Three stripped-down live cuts and an Oasis cover from the recently-ascendant Alaskan indie rockers. 

Dating - I Would Prefer Not To - Part shoegaze, part post-rock, part emo, part post-hardcore, the first album in eight years from the Swedish quartet sits at an intersection of genres that feels tailor-made for me. 

heavenly creature records - 1980 something: an 80s cover comp for no more dysphoria - A compilation of DIY greats covering their favorite 80s songs with all funds going to No More Dysphoria.

Good Beats Records & Ear Coffee - Simple Demands: A Hop Along Tribute - A collection of Hop Along covers with all proceeds will going No More Dysphoria and The Jim Collins Foundation.

Fuckin Whatever - Fuckin Whatever - A wonderful little EP from a supergroup comprised of Anthony Green (Circa Survive), Adam Lazzara, and John Nolan (Taking Back Sunday).

Rostam - Changephobia - The expansive and exploratory sophomore album from the ex-Vampire Weekend member.

Sufjan Stevens - Convocations - Returning to his earliest electronic tendencies, everyone’s favorite indie sadboy dropped a massive 49-track, five-part computerized release that stretches from inward meditations to outward celebrations. 

Slow Fire Pistol - Rabbit Town Blues - A five-track hardcore release that contains one of the coolest riffs of the year so far. 

Dikembe - Game Over - A career-spanning collection of 8-bit remixes from one of Florida’s forefront emo bands. 

Terrible People - Home, In A Way - An EP-length Singaporean emo album that will undoubtedly scratch that Hotelier itch.

COWBOY BOY - GOOD GIRL - With vocals that sound like Retirement Party’s Avery Springer, lyrics as relatable as Future Teens, and instrumentals that bring the bite of Diet Cig, GOOD GIRL is a catchy, anthemic, and personable collection of 12 songs. 

Options - On the Draw - Wrote and recorded in just a week, On the Draw is beautifully roomy with wonderful, dancy indie rock sensibilities.

Turnstile - TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION - A pack of three-and-a-half shredders from the hardcore punk act.

Angel Du$t - Bigger House - The once-hardcore band pivots further into softer 90-alt-rock-inspired sounds to great effect. Beautiful summer bops capped off with two remixes. 

The Mountain Goats - Dark in Here - John Darnielle and co. create another darn good Mountain Goats record that possesses a hunkered-down-in-the-bomb-shelter feel. 

Beabadoobee - Our Extended Play - Beatrice Laus teams up with The 1975’s Matty Healy for a bite-size EP of 90s alt-pop bangers.

Pure Noise Records - Pure Noise LoFi Punk Chill - Pop-punk goes lo-fi-hip-hop-beats-to-study-to featuring the best of the Pure Noise roster from Knocked Loose and Seahaven to Just Friends and The Story So Far.

Free Throw - Piecing It Together - As Free Throw approach their first decade together as a band, they continue to crank out high-energy emo that’s as moshable as it is relatable. 

Slow Pulp - Deleted Scenes - The porch-beer-friendly indie rockers revisit and reimagine two songs from last year’s excellent Moveys. 

Modest Mouse - The Golden Casket - A multicolored acid trip that grinds its way from off-kilter to optimistic in classic Modest Mouse fashion.

Jungheim - Songs That Piss Men Off - Nayla Maya continues to prove herself as one of the sharpest and most creative musicians with this collection of five loosely country-themed songs.

SPELLLING - The Turning Wheel - FKA Twigs, but witchy. 

Kevin Devine - No One’s Waiting Up For Me Tonight - Tender and wistful sentiments lie coiled at the heart of Kevin Divine’s new folky back-to-basics EP. Read our full review here.

Owen - The Avalanche Remixes - Emo Godfather Mike Kinsella turns his 2020 LP over to a host of conspirators and collaborators ranging from Jay Som to NNAMDÏ.

Olivia Kaplan - Tonight Turns to Nothing - Finally, Mermaid Rock is here, and it’s a glorious genre. 

Skatune Network - Burn The Billboard - Ska covers of pop songs, alternative rock hits, and ringtone rap. Checker-patterned chef’s kiss.

Tyler, The Creator - CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST - Tyler, The Creative drops the lounge singer heartbreak found on 2019’s IGOR and returns to the golden era of early 2010’s mixtape bars.

Faye Webster - I Know I’m Funny haha - Hushed vocals, slide guitar, and sentimental feelings are the foundation keeping Faye Webster’s excellent fourth album afloat. 

Wild Pink - 3 Songs - Another three songs from the heartland indie rocker who has already gifted us one of the best albums and some of the best covers of the year. 

Maple Glider - To Enjoy is the Only Thing - Naturalistic indie rock fit for the backdrop of campfires, lakeside chats, and beachside sunsets. 

Hiss Golden Messenger - Quietly Blowing It - Despite the objectively hilarious title, the umteenth record from Hiss Golden Messenger is a pleasant, unoffensive, and laid-back listen.

Drug Church - Tawny - Eleven minutes of borderline-post-hardcore that will satisfy all your brawny Title Fight desires. 

Squirrel Flower - Planet (i) - From desert flora to the far reaches of space, the latest from Squirrel Flower is a miraculous indie rock record.

Hurry - Fake Ideas - Somewhere between porch beer albums and emo rock exists bands like Sinai Vessel, Trace Mountains, and now... Hurry. 

Covey - Class Of Cardinal Sin - Personal tales woven into an emo-tinted singer-songwriter blanket.  

The Best of May 2021

Easily the most stacked month of 2021 thus far, May saw oodles of emo, heaping helpings of punk, and even a few fantastic folk releases. Of course, we also threw in some blues and metalcore for good measure, plus an actual grunge album to top it all off.

Stars Hollow - I Want to Live My Life

Acrobat Unstable

The Iowa emo trio moves from licking their wounds on Happy Again and arrested development on “Tadpole” to active progress on their debut album. Capturing equal parts self-discovery, self-destruction, and self-improvement, I Want to Live My Life is one person’s journey from passive complacency to active betterment. This story is soundtracked by tappy guitar licks, emotive screams, and killer drum fills. As the listener stitches together the threads connecting each song, putting the pieces together results in one of the most satisfying emo experiences this year. 

Read our full review of I Want to Life My Life here.

NATL PARK SRVC - The Dance

Self-released

The Dance sounds like mid-aughts “classic” indie rock in the best way possible. Seven members deep, complete with a horn section and occasional strings, NATL PARK SRVC sounds like they could have opened for Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene at the peak of those band’s respective Pitchfork-fueled successes. The Dance feels like a hidden gem you’d stumble across in a record store circa-2003 and would obsess over for years. It sounds like the cassette you’d find in the car of your best friend’s cooler older brother and would have an immediate respect for based on that association alone. This is a high-flying, highly-polished indie rock album that arrives to us fully formed. While the record comes with familiar trappings, it feels like NATL PARK SRVC have already carved out their own corner of the world in just 48 minutes and 7 seconds. 

The Black Keys - Delta Kream

Nonesuch Records

I’ve been a fan of The Black Keys for as long as they’ve been around. In retrospect, picturing myself as a pre-teen listening to Junior Kimbrough covers and songs like “Grown So Ugly” is objectively hilarious but made all the sense in the world as an accompaniment to my rabid White Stripes fandom. Watching the band evolve from sleazy, sloppy garage rock into a poppier and poppier version of themselves has been one of the great displeasures of my music listening career. That said, I don’t begrudge the band for chasing success, even if it means becoming synonymous with car commercial music in the process. 

On Delta Kream, The Black Keys genuinely get back to their roots with 11 covers of blues greats ranging from R. L. Burnside to John Lee Hooker. This record captures my favorite version of the band; it’s the one that I first fell in love with and one that I never thought we’d see again. The guitar tone is muddy, the vocals are mumbled, and the songs feel like they have space to breathe. This album is a direct contrast to 2019’s “Let’s Rock”, which feels like a collection of blues-rock songs that were bitten by a radioactive Subaru Outback. Delta Kream may not get a sold-out tour or million-dollar placements in commercials, but I’m glad it exists, and I know I’m not alone. 

Smol Data - Inconvenience Store

Open Door Records

As explained by the band themselves on Twitter, Inconvenience Store is a collection of songs about the “insane little art community you made the center of your universe as a teenager.” More specifically, the album is about aging out of that community and trying to figure out where the hell you’re supposed to go next. That’s a pretty universal experience every music-adjacent creative feels growing up, and the songs reflect that universality whether it’s through the poppy hums of “Salaried (Bankruptcy Eve)” or the ska-flavored “Bitch Store.” The record stakes out a space that melds the personable, eccentric indie-pop of Illuminati Hotties with the wholistic world-building of Glass Beach, and that is a Venn diagram I can one-hundred percent get behind. 

Just Friends - JF Crew, Vol. 2

Pure Noise Records

Just Friends is serotonin in audio form. Just Friends is pure adrenaline packed with a punch of love, acceptance, and good vibes. Following an excellent three-pack of songs from earlier this year, the band is back with another stack of fun-loving funk-rock tunes. Opening track “Sizzle” is a 100-mile-per-hour banger that sees lead singers Sam Kless and Brianda "Brond" Goyos Leon vivaciously trading bars. As Brond delivers a series of spitfire boasts with Sam as her hypeman, the song eventually breaks down into a stank-face-inducing stoner rock riff. The grooviness doesn’t stop there because this opener gives way to a Lil B remix and a fantastic No Doubt cover in the proceeding tracks. Three songs, no misses. With this EP, Just Friends once again prove that they are a reliable supplier of feel-good ass-shakin’ tunes… as if there was ever any doubt.

The Devil Wears Prada - ZII

Solid State Records

Back in 2010, The Devil Wears Prada were riding high. They had just released (arguably) the best album of their career one year prior, then they dropped a zombie-themed EP at the undeniable height of the early-aughts zombie zeitgeist. Aside from being a collection of six fantastic songs, in retrospect, it’s impressive how well the band was able to strike while the iron was hot. The Walking Dead was just revving up on TV, the video game world was inundated with games like Left 4 Dead and Call Of Duty, and films like Zombieland were doing gangbusters at the box office. Over the next decade, the band became a little shakier. They got heavier and darker with Dead Throne in 2011, they lost a founding member in 2012, and then released the middling 8:18 in 2013. The group seemed to be righting the ship in 2015 with Space EP, a similarly committed concept EP about the dangers lurking in the sci-fi corners of space. One year later, they delivered the massively underrated Transit Blues in 2016, then released the somehow even more underrated The Act in 2019. With ZII, the band is signaling that they’ve finally returned to the heights they achieved over a decade ago. 

The Devil Wears Prada may have undergone lineup changes and indulged in new sounds that didn’t always pay off, but now they are venturing back into the zombie world they began to flesh out back in 2010, and this time it’s not a gimmick. The band is able to pick up right where they left off on the first Zombie EP as if the intervening years happened in the blink of an eye. The band sounds as sharp, and the screams sound as ferocious as they did a decade ago. The lyrics faithfully stick close to the horror theme but still leave room for compelling narratives and bits of songwriting to occur without being overshadowed by a sense of novelty. For those who have been “tuning out” of the metalcore scene for the last few years, this EP is an appeal directly to you. For most fans, it was clear that the band was achieving new artistic heights with their last full-length, but this EP is an affirmation. It’s a signal to grab your old metalcore tee out of the closet and break it out one last time for 2010’s sake. 

Mannequin Pussy - Perfect

Epitaph Records

Mannequin Pussy are masters of the punk craft, and with each release, the band’s skills have only sharpened. The group’s newest EP, Perfect, is a five-song master class in the punk genre. The emotions have become more fierce but also more controlled. The choruses have become catchier but don’t forfeit their deep-rooted rage. Every type of Mannequin Pussy song is represented here. “Control” hones in the poppier chorus-driven side of the band’s spectrum, “Perfect” is the fast, thrashy punk song, and “To Lose You” is the mid-tempo rocker that pulls at your heartstrings ever so slightly. While each track is fantastic in its own right, the two biggest surprises come at the tail end of the release.

“Pigs Is Pigs” sees Missy handing vocal duties over to bassist Colins "Bear" Regisford for a Turnstile-esque track that tackles police brutality. Based on Ellis Parker Butler’s short story of the same name, “Pigs Is Pigs” encapsulates an all-cops-are-bad-narrative by illustrating how bureaucratic, systematic violence by the cops will never truly end by weeding out the “bad apples” and calling it a day. Bear uses this short story as an analogy for the dire need to defund the police as well as the ideology and policy set during the days of slave patrolling which formed the force from the inside out. As policing has become more assertive, expansive, and militaristic, the techniques have become more violent, punitive, and discriminatory, leading to extreme cycles of violence and death. Furthermore, as the rules behind policing become more violent and fascist, the general public has continued to fear the cops and act within privileged safety nets. On this song, Bear reminds the listener that these rules ascribed to us are only disguised as “right” to hide the violence and injustice behind them. This challenges all of us to decide what is actually right. Is the pervasive narrative good for your community and humanity, or are you just listening to what you’re being told? Mannequin Pussy tells us to pick a side: fear or fight. 

Closing track “Darling” is a soft-spoken confessional ballad with an electronic beat, understated guitar, and even delicate bells which carry the release out. Over its 14 minutes, Perfect sees hardened punk perfection slowly unraveling to reveal a tender core. Closing out a rager of an EP with a muted love song follows the sentimental theme found on the closing track of 2019’s Patience, and it is as poignant as it is lovely. 

Fiddlehead - Between the Richness

Run For Cover Records

When Fiddlehead dropped their debut album back in 2018, I went in completely blind. I hadn’t heard the band’s ep from three years prior; I wasn’t even familiar with the member’s other projects, Have Heart or Basement. Nevertheless, I checked the record out solely because Springtime and Blind was being put out on Run For Cover, and that was a label I trusted implicitly. My trust paid off, and that album became my favorite of 2018. 

After a brief pitstop in 2019, Fiddlehead is back with another 25 minutes of careening and grief-ridden post-hardcore. While Springtime and Blind saw lead singer Patrick Flynn reckoning with his father’s death, Between the Richness is a markedly more optimistic record about centering yourself and finding peace in between the ambivalent chaos of life. While Between The Richness may be more uplifting, that doesn’t mean the band has made a complete sonic shift. Luckily, this record bears the same throat-shredding bellows as the group’s previous work. The choruses are sticky and primed for anthemic sing-alongs in a crowd full of sweaty strangers. Richness is life-affirming rock music that comes from a deep and genuine place. Being able to venture into this world for 25 minutes at a time is an absolute miracle. 

Bachelor - Doomin’ Sun

Polyvinyl Records

My first listen of Doomin’ Sun happened in a cabin on a farm tucked far up in the mountains of Colorado. This first listen came at the tail end of a long day spent hiking, taking in the natural world, and feeling appreciative of the love I’m able to share with my partner. It turns out that was the perfect way to first experience the collaborative album from the minds behind Jay Som and Palehound. Doomin’ Sun is an album made for porch beers and long drives through the mountains at sunset with the person that matters most to you. It’s laid-back, easy-going, and emotionally forthright. I look forward to this record soundtracking many more sun-drenched memories over the coming months and years. 

Downhaul - Proof

Refresh Records

Much like the debut album from Stars Hollow, Proof is a record about personal growth as measured through one person. Throughout its ten songs, we watch our narrator work his way from hollow connections to genuine betterment. However, unlike most albums centered around this topic, Proof recognizes that the most challenging part of personal progress isn’t always growth itself, but admitting you need it in the first place. Proof is an album about wrestling with the almost imperceptible seismic shift that happens once you fully own up to the weight of your existence in every form.

Read our full review of Proof here.

The Give & Take - Great Pause

Knifepunch Records

After a five-year hiatus, Expert Timing drummer Gibran Colbert revives The Give & Take to deliver a collection of five excellent songs about uncomfortably growing into the first real adult phase of your life. These songs focus in on physical manifestations of adulthood like a gifted briefcase that has fallen into disuse. They also pan out to address more universal issues like religion, isolation, and mental health. Colbert describes the band as “twinkle country” with inclusive, positive vibes, and the release reflects that, even in its moments of vulnerability. Songs like “Settled” possess an easy-breezy porch swing sway, despite the topic of not quite being where you want to be. The release finds peace in what might make others uncomfortable, all leading up to the last two tracks, which form an emotionally resonant one-two punch that gives this EP the heft of a full-length album. 

Gulfer, Charmer - Split

Topshelf Records, No Sleep Records, Royal Mountain Records

Ever since I heard the first chaotic yelps of Dog Bless, I knew there was something special about Gulfer. They were an emo band that knew how to mix humor and levity with the usual overwrought sentiments of the genre. Their instrumentation was tight, their vocals stuck, and they were on a legendary emo label to boot. Oppositely, Charmer’s self-titled record was a slow-burn that worked its way up from standard emo fare to an album I’d consider “perfect,” even if only within the bounds of the genre. Charmer had choruses for days, and the band’s songs never overstayed their welcome. Sprinkle both of these releases with well-placed instrumentals, short run times, and excellent production, and you have two modern emo classics. 

Last year, both bands released excellent follow-ups to their respective landmark albums that flew (relatively) under the radar in emo circles. Now, they’re back, and they’ve teamed up for a split of two songs that see each band indulging in the best aspects of their respective styles. Gulfer jolts the listener with a jagged instrumental barrage on “Look,” while Charmer croons over guitar tapping on “Diamond (Sprinkler).” This split may only be two tracks, but it’s a team-up that feels tailor-made to me and every other emo out there in need of six minutes and 35 seconds of deep human connection.

Jimmy Montague - Casual Use

Chillwavve Records

While the music world was focused on the middling new 70s-inspired St. Vincent album, Jimmy Montague surprise-released a 70s-indebted record of his own. While it’s easy to listen to Casual Use and hear the classic rock inspiration, it’s something that can sound great on paper but easily fail in execution. So how do I know that Casual Use is the real deal? Well, I sent it to my father, who came of age when this type of music was in its heyday. My dad’s review? “Very good tunes” that will “probably be a regular” on his playlists. That endorsement says more than I ever can. 

Palette Knife - Ponderosa Snake House and the Chamber Of Bullshit

Take This To Heart Records

Ponderosa Snake House and the Chamber Of Bullshit is an album whose DNA is composed of equal parts Studio Ghibli sentimentality and Vine-era internet humor. It’s a collection of 11 caring, cathartic, and catchy songs, all fueled by the satisfying effervescence of LaCroix. Ponderosa Snake is an exceptionally crafted emo release that ticks all the possible boxes that the genre offers. Tappy guitar parts? Check. Immaculate production? Check. Fun choruses punctuated by brutally honest verses? Double fucking check. 

Superbloom - Pollen

Self-released

A grunge album released in 2021? It’s more likely than you think! The first song on Superbloom’s Pollen is titled “1994,” which is either incredibly apt or incredibly on-the-nose, depending on who you ask. Regardless, “1994” serves an important purpose of setting the listener’s expectations before they even click play. Upon entering the album, you’re met with a wall of sludgy guitar tone, and raspy mumbled vocals that sound about as close to Kurt Cobain as that AI-created Nirvana song from earlier this year. Taking all the best lessons from the Stone Temple Pilots and the Soundgarden’s of the world, Superbloom effortlessly blends together a wide swath of 90s sounds into one throwback release that speaks directly to my inner 90s kid. There are hooks worthy of a Nirvana song, guitar tones akin to a Smashing Pumpkins track, and self-loathing only bested by the aforementioned Stone Temple Pilots. Lead singer Dave Hoon has a voice that sits somewhere between Cobain and the nu-metal bands who took up the mantle of grunge in the early 2000s. 

With Totally 90s™ song titles like “Whatever” and others that nod to influential acts of the time like Built to Spill, it can sometimes feel like the band is merely cosplaying this era of music à la Greta Van Fleet. Even if that’s true, the songs end up coming off as more admiration than emulation. Pollen feels like a release from a bunch of 20-somethings who grew up spending hours with their Smashing Pumpkins CDs, and I respect that because, hey, me too. Pollen sounds like an album lost to time and only recently uncovered. It sounds like time traveling back to Portland in the 90s. It sounds like grunge. 

Quick Hits

BUG MOMENT - BUG - The 100 gecs-ification of bedroom rock is here, and I adore it. 

Pearl Jam - Deep - A gargantuan, too-big-for-any-normal human 5504 song collection of bootleg live recordings taken from 186 shows across Pearl Jam’s decade-spanning career. 

Angel Olsen - Song of the Lark and Other Far Memories - Angel Olsen closes out her current era with a collection of her last two records capped off with new songs and remixes.

St. Vincent - Daddy’s Home - After an exhausting album cycle, Annie Clark finally drops her woozy 70s-indebted record that attempts to recapture the grit of New York at its most mystical and drugged-out.

Pet Fox - More Than Anything  - A three-pack of poppy and impeccably put-together shoegaze tracks via Exploding In Sound records.

Fiver - Fiver With the Atlantic School of Spontaneous Composition - Spacious indie rock with a country tinge and Fiona Apple-like vocals.

Marble Teeth x Riddle - Split 7” - One of my favorite lyricists in the midwest teams up with a friend from his hometown in this lovely little four-track split. 

Weezer - Van Weezer - Initially intended to be released around the same time as last year’s ill-fated Hella Mega Tour, the newest LP from Weezer sees the band going full over-the-top 80s guitar-shredding in this album-length genre pastiche. 

SeeYouSpaceCowboy x If I Die First - A Sure Disaster - A short split (and fun video) from two of the bands bearing the torch of Rise Records-style Mallcore in 2021.

Skatune Network - Greetings from Ska Shores - The ever-prolific god of upstrokes drops a collection of Animal Crossing songs, all rendered in a sunny ska style.

Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR - If the plodding ballads from Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher traded LA-Brain for the suburbs and then went to go karaoke Lorde songs. 

Good Sleepy - everysinglelittlebit - 30 minutes of cleanly produced, emotionally messy tap-heavy emo. An impressive debut.

Babe Rainbow - Changing Colours  - Sunny vibe-filled music primed for beachside hangouts, midday beers, and watching summer sunsets from the comfort of a lakeborne boat.

Missing Life - DEMO - A shoegazy four-song demo from one of the minds behind Mover Shaker that sits somewhere at the intersection of Slowdive and Snow Patrol.

Boyish - We’re all gonna die, but here’s my contribution - Beautifully emotive and inward bedroom indie that cuts straight to the heart of relationships.

A.G. Cook - Apple vs. 7G - An album from the hyperpop head of PC Music collecting remixed tracks from last year’s fantastic Apple and the seven-disc-long 7G.

Pomegranate Tea - Life Is Getting So _____. - Six emo songs with the potential to come to life in small basements and sweaty bars. 

Beatricks - Razzle Frazzle - A series of compelling bleeps, bloops, screams, and strums that make you feel like you’re about to set the world on fire. 

Hot Mulligan - i won’t reach out to you - Emo stalwarts Hot Mulligan release a short addendum to last year’s fantastic sophomore album you’ll be fine. 

.michael. - Secret Handshake - 100 cute and surprisingly well-crafted songs all written in five minutes or less. 

Green-House - Music for Living Spaces - Relaxing synthy songs designed to “hit that part of the brain that’s affected by the emotional state that you’re in when you perceive something as cute.”

The Best of April 2021

Porch beer indie rock, surprise-released ska, and apocalyptic anti-capitalist sentiments make up the best releases of April.

Ratboys - Happy Birthday, Ratboy

Topshelf Records

For a day typically filled with fibs, fakeouts, and general tomfoolery, Happy Birthday, Ratboy is no joke. Surprise released on April 1st, the fourth album from Ratboys is a celebratory and reflective recreation of their debut EP RATBOY. There are gorgeous pedal steel contributions, well-observed slice-of-life portraits, and tales of elderly neighborhood cats. The second side of the album finds the band collecting long-unreleased tracks and rarities, all capped off by a sunny new song, “Go Outside.” Happy Birthday, Ratboy is continuing proof that ten years in, Ratboys are some of the greatest (and hardest working) ever to do it. 

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! 

Constellation Records

Godspeed You! Black Emperor has always been a punk band in spirit disguised as a post-rock band in practice. While they are technically instrumental rock, the message behind their music was always lying in plain sight in the form of sampled field recordings, album art, coded song titles, and the occasional interview. In the case of G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!, the group released a manifesto featuring a list of demands ranging from dismantling the prison system to taxing the rich. They’re anti-establishment, anti-capitalist, and anti-authoritarian, and those topics are a lot to break down without any concrete lyrics. 

Despite their status as the favorite band of Rate Your Music Boyfriends® the world over, Godspeed really is that good. They’ve become a benchmark for an entire genre, and that doesn’t happen by accident. The group’s latest album is centered around two twenty-minute tracks, each punctuated by shorter six-minute songs. The result is a powerful and moving 52-minute run time that ends on a delicate but (surprisingly) uplifting note. 

Wild Pink - 6 Cover Songs

Royal Mountain Records

I love Wild Pink. I also love a good cover song. Throughout 6 Cover Songs, Wild Pink bandleader John Ross culls together a half-dozen tracks that suit every style and tempo of music captured on A Billion Little Lights from earlier this year. Following up one of 2021’s best heartland indie rock albums with a collection of covers two mere months later is an unexpected move, but I suppose in retrospect, 2016’s 4 Songs and 2019’s 5 Songs had set out a clear pattern. What’s more, the song selections are nothing short of excellent. There are some artists who feel like a shoo-in for this type of thing: Springsteen and Coldplay, echoing recent covers by Waxahatchee and Hovvdy, respectively. There are also some batshit crazy wild swings like Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen that appeal to my inner poptimist and are pulled from various comps over the years. Perhaps most notably, there’s a 49-second cover of the Jeopardy theme song plopped smack-dab in the middle of the tracklist that acts as a sort of pleasant, wandering interlude. Show me any other artist who can do that.

Jeff Rosenstock - SKA DREAM

Polyvinyl Record Co.

Jeff Rosenstock announcing a ska rendition of his latest album on April Fool’s Day was funny. Actually following through and dropping it on 4/20 was even funnier. Falling back on the ska-based instincts from his Bomb The Music Industry days, SKA DREAM is a complete track-for-track re-recording of 2020’s NO DREAM, and it’s glorious. For what could have just been a fun, jokey novelty, the songs work shockingly well in this new context. There are skank-worthy “pick it up’s” on “Airwalks (Alt),” a woozy dub breather in the form of “Horn Line,” and even a Grey Matter-esque hardcore breakdown on “S K A D R E A M.” Plus, with guest contributions ranging from PUP and Deafheaven to ska mainstays like Jer Hunter and Fishbone, SKA DREAM is impressively diverse, shockingly faithful, and wonderfully inventive. 

Remember Sports - Like a Stone

Father/Daughter Records

The resting state for the fourth album from Remember Sports is unwavering boppy indie rock. As they grew from emo basement shows and rough-around-the-edges recordings, Like a Stone sees a band evolving into a finely-oiled version of what came before. Thriving in the space between the jangly country-tinged Ratboys and the confessional bedroom rock ethos of Adult Mom, this collection of tracks strikes a perfect mix between emotional and easy-going. It’s breezy springtime music that isn’t afraid to shy away from the harder feelings of life. 

Spirit of the Beehive - ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH

Saddle Creek

The world is sick, and we are the ones who have poisoned it. More specifically, capitalism has taken in, used up, and discarded Mother Earth for its short-sited pursuits. These heartless, unfeeling corporations have perverted and discarded our home, all in the name of profit and appeasing shareholders. Much like the new Godspeed record, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH is an album mired in the failings of the modern world. It’s a disorienting, uneven, and uneasy listen designed to emulate the feeling that comes from thinking too long about the system in which we are forced to exist. As sampled commercials punctuate the band’s electro-psych indie rock, one can’t help but wonder if we’re witnessing the death throes of a dying empire. By the time the record is over, it genuinely seems like death is letting the system off easy.

PONY - TV Baby

Take This To Heart Records

When I first heard “WebMD” back at the end of 2020, all I could think was, ‘where has PONY been all my life?’ Effortlessly catchy, disarmingly personable, and scarily relatable, PONY spends a vast majority of their debut album cranking out tightly-refined grunge-pop tunes in the vein of Charly Bliss or Colleen Green. The songs glitter and glisten, accurately reflecting the album art’s sugary sweet bubblegum pink color. The combination of Sam Bielanski’s sharp vocals over the fuzzed-out guitar proves to be a beguiling mix that will keep you coming back for more like a bowl of candy that you just can’t seem to keep yourself from snacking on by the handful.

BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

RCA Records

Even BROCKHAMPTON themselves wouldn’t deny they’ve hard their fair share of ups-and-downs. After a prolific three-album-run in 2017 led to high-profile lineup changes and a couple of rocky follow-ups, America’s favorite boyband is back and better than ever with ROADRUNNER. Welcoming a host of collaborators from Danny Brown to JPEGMAFIA, this record sees the collective leaning into a more West Coast style of rapping that suits them well. Each member has enough space to croon, spit bars, and produce without stepping over each other fighting for the spotlight. The result is arguably the most cohesive and crafted collection of songs the group has ever put out. 

Hey, Ily - Internet Breath

Lonely Ghost Records

When I sat down to listen to new music on Thursday night, I started with Internet Breath. That’s the kind of blind faith jump I like to take every once in a while, and boy did it pay off in spades here. Bearing a unique style of chiptunes-flavored emo, Internet Breath Is a six-track 17-minute excursion that defaults to catchy singalong hooks but occasionally vaults all the way up to a hard-hitting wall of distorted screamo. While emo can quickly wear out its welcome (even in 17-minute chunks), the electronic elements give this record a unique angle that feels refreshing from what’s going on in the rest of the scene. As the chiptune beats and autotuned singing depict a world of digital heartbreak, the electronics deftly shift between supplementary elements within the tracks to vital driving forces. A necessity.

Quick Hits

Noods - Blush - Effortlessly charming indie-pop bangers.

Lil Yachty - Michigan Boy Boat - An ice-cold, offbeat, and feature-packed “for the streets” tape from everyone’s favorite bead-adorned rapper.

Young Stoner Life - Slime Language 2 - Another collaborative compilation from Young Thug’s record label with Young Thug and Gunna serving as the Iron Man and Captain America-like figureheads. 

Taylor Swift - Fearless (Taylor’s Version) - A complete re-recording of the seminal pop star’s sophomore album with bonus tracks acting as the cherry on top of a (slightly tiring) near-two-hour listen.

Portugal. The Man - Oregon City Sessions - A long-lost 2008 concert film from Portugal. The Man comprised of one-take-only live tracks from their first three albums that did my PTM fanboy heart good. 

Sharon Van Etten - epic Ten - Disc one, a tenth-anniversary celebration of Sharon Van Etten’s sophomore album. Disc two, a track-for-track version of the same album with covers from everyone to Fiona Apple, IDLES, Shamir, and more!

Field Medic - plunge deep golden knife - It’s more Field Medic. 

The Berries - Throne of Ivory (Singles & B​-​sides) - Jaunty, jangly indie country that pairs perfectly with porch beers and wistful summer evenings. 

4AD - Bills & Aches & Blues - In celebration of their own 40th birthday, the longstanding indie label released this comp featuring current signees covering classic hits from alums.

Tilian - Factory Reset - The Dance Gavin Dance frontman takes center stage on his fourth alt-rock solo outing.

Trousdale - Look Around - Gorgeous harmonies and delicate sentiments make up this four-track folk-pop outing.

The Armed - ULTRAPOP - The once-anonymous punk band from Detroit that isn’t afraid to show their teeth while flexing their muscles on this bristling and artsy hardcore release. 

Dinosaur Jr - Sweep it Into Space - a shreddy, distorted return to form from one of the last(?) bastions of the grunge era. 

(T-T)b - Suporma - The first time I ever heard chiptunes, the genre blew my mind. Rock music and video game sounds? Suporma recaptures that magic with a slight emo twist. 

Origami Angel - Gami Gang - The sophomore double album from the emo duo with one of the strongest discographies in the scene. 

Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks of God - Sad indie rock for emo dads.

Rosie Tucker - Sucker Supreme - Chill, folky, Sunday morning indie that (shockingly) wound up on Epitaph. 

Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade - Illusionary tunes oscillating from laid-back Silver Jews Americana to dirty garage rock.

girl in red - if i could make it go quiet - Norway’s answer to Billie Eilish unleashes her long-awaited debut album packed with heartfelt bedroom feelings. 

Gojira - Fortitude - Fist-balled, horns-in-the-air rock from the French metal quartet. 

DJ Khaled - Khaled Khaled - Look man, it’s DJ Khaled. There will probably be some breezy summer hits, some cool features, and some obnoxious adlibs.