Amoeba Music

Every once in a while, an album comes along that's such a surprising delight it goes into heavy rotation from the very first spin. That's Hard Light from Drop Nineteens. The Boston-based noise-pop/shoegaze band originally operated in the early '90s, eventually becoming something of a rediscovered cult sensation during the streaming era. Now, they're back together and writing new material that also deserves instant cult status. You'll find haunting, wistful, and catchy-as-all-get-out tracks here, with the otherworldly vocals of Paula Kelley alternating with those of fellow guitarist/vocalist Greg Ackell for a listening experience that'll keep you on your toes in the best way possible. An album to get lost in. Highly recommended. More

Chelsea Wolfe finds the beauty in pain on She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She . As expected, it's atmospheric, bristling, and otherworldly. Wolfe's voice moves between ethereal and enchanting, menacing and morose. The music seamlessly blends trip-hop, industrial, metal, avant-garde, and rock...if that sounds like an over-the-top combination, fear not, because listeners are in capable hands with Wolfe and producer Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars). The cathartic, sublime She Reaches Out is a career high for Chelsea Wolfe. More

No exaggeration: Sierra Ferrell's Trail of Flowers is a masterpiece. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter writes captivating, fresh songs inspired by classic country, bluegrass, and folk. These are ramblin', rootsy tracks that chronicle the excitement and disappointment of life on the road, gently make fun of Ferrell's ability to drive a suitor mad, and take a tongue-in-cheek look at romantic despair at a dive bar. All of which is to say that — woo boy — Ferrell has a voice, both in terms of her dulcet tones and her ability to weave a tale. An eclectic, electrifying indie country album that's likely to top many end-of-the-year "best of" lists. More

The Past Is Still Alive feels like a ray of sunshine on a dark day. In these songs, Hurray for the Riff Raff weaves threads of hope, joy, and love from the complications of the past and our messy present. The melodies are warm, folksy, wise, and moving, the lyrics celebrate queerness, finding a place to call home, and discovering wisdom through life's challenges. The Past features appearances from Anjimile, Conor Oberst, and S.G. Goodman. More

Enter the weird and wonderful world of rising star Faye Webster on Underdressed at the Symphony . Webster has gained a loyal following through tightly-crafted indie with elements of country and hip-hop. With these new tracks, Webster pushes the envelope of her sound, adding vocoder vocals and recruiting longtime friend Lil Yachty for a guest appearance on "Lego Ring." Underdressed at the Symphony has everything that fans dig: short but sweet, perfect indie gems that'll get stuck in your head and in your heart, enhanced by joyful musical experimentation, droll humor, and genre-crossing melodies. More

Charlie Parr's Little Sun is a questing, raw, and gripping album. The Smithsonian Folkways label is the perfect home for Parr's Northwoods take on the blues; the tracks are timeless, vividly-written, and rank among the genre's best. Whether Parr is getting celebratory on the rootsy, let-the-good-times-roll "Boombox" or leaning into the beautiful desolation of grey days on "Bear Head Lake," these tracks get to the heart of what it's like to be human. Little Sun is one of those albums that just might change your life. More

Waxahatchee's Tigers Blood finds Katie Crutchfield grappling with addiction issues and lost relationships and coming out on top. Sober since 2018, Crutchfield's songwriting is vulnerable yet bold, gritty yet graceful. Her lilting voice and easy-going Americana melodies bring sunlight to even the darkest corners, as Crutchfield moves from singing of tension and disappointment to belonging and welcome stability. Tigers Blood is summer day music: moving and magical, a moment to rest and survey the beauty in the world around you after the long metaphorical winter. More

Adrianne Lenker's Bright Future is a testament to growth, resilience, and the transmutation of emotions. That's transmutation in both the musical and the emotional sense: the second track is titled "Sadness as a Gift," if you needed a case in point. There's a tears-in-your-eyes clarity to the heartbreak detailed in these songs with their keening strings, tender guitars, and Lenker's sweetly bitter vocals. Bright Future is an album that finds meaning in the temporality of both pain and pleasure. An album that feels like a companion for the days you're looking for something or someone to hold onto. More

Cody Jinks has a rare gift for writing tracks that feel both contemporary in worldview and classic in sound. Change the Game is chock-full of authentic, evocative songs that find the outlaw country singer-songwriter reaching for the stars and grappling with the rock-bottom moments. "Outlaws and Mustangs" is impossible not to like, with scorching guitar licks, swooning fiddle, and a gospel-tinged finale. "Sober Thing" is raw, introspective, and deeply affecting. Change the Game is a solid album that proves once again nobody's doing it like Cody Jinks. More

Bernard Allison puts his own spin on his father Luther Allison's oeuvre via Luther's Blues . This is a scorcher of an album, fusing Chicago blues with hard and heavy, almost psychedelic rock 'n' roll. Luther's Blues is thoroughly enjoyable, a high-octane thrill ride that sounds like the wildest night of your life. Turn this one up loud and crank the AC because things are about to get sweaty. More

The inimitable Mitch Ryder delivers on a dose of what makes his work so unforgettable on The Roof is on Fire . This essential double live album features covers (Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues") and Ryder classics ("Betty's Too Tight"). The melodies are blistering, gritty, and guaranteed to turn up the heat. Ryder is a legend and The Roof Is on Fire is a fitting celebration of his storied career. More

The soft, sweet indie of Katy Kirby's Blue Raspberry feels as lovely and easy-going as a summer's day. But these tales of love, growth, and questioning are no syrupy fun fair concoction: there's a lot of depth to these low-key charmers. The melodies are playful, the lyrics thoughtful. ("Party of the Century" ponders the ethics of having children in this world.) It's a celebration of queer love, an evaluation of how romance and challenge work — or don't work — together, and a masterful release from an ultra-talented singer-songwriter. More

Ghalia Volt has to be one of the most electrifying, innovative artists working in blues today. On Shout Sister Shout , the Belgian-born guitarist and singer creates smokey, scorching hot tracks that'll keep listeners coming back for more. The album calls to mind some of the all-time great modern blues artists while adding some distinctive, unexpected flair all Volt's own: it's perhaps no surprise she grew up listening to punk before getting into rockabilly and psychobilly and discovering the blues. Shout Sister Shout is guaranteed to heat up your day. More

Sampha's Lahai works some powerful sonic magic. These underground R&B meets electronic tracks are the type of low-key feel-good tracks that up the mood for any occasion...but this listening experience is no short-lived high. Inspired by the passage of time and by finding joy and creativity in the midst of chaos, the South London singer/songwriter/producer brings curiosity and beauty to the everyday. These songs feel sensual, comforting, and optimistic. On Lahai , Sampha seems to be marveling at the wonders of a day-to-day that may at first seem anything but marvelous when you're in the thick of it. Put this album on and you'll be able to transmit some of that wonder into your own environment. More

Sufjan Stevens's Javelin is a beautiful heartbreaker. These tracks feel like some of his deepest, most vulnerable, devastating work, yet this album is no downer. Buoyed quite literally by the lovely backing vocals of his five-part vocal choir of friends (adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, Pauline Delassus, Megan Lui, and Nedelle Torrisi), the tracks embody the incredible human ability to reach up from the gutter, towards the stars. Javelin is a soft-voiced companion for tough times, gifted with a sense of the sacred and sublime. More

The enigmatic new album by Explosions in the Sky is a loud, dramatic, wild rumination on life and death. Melding the quiet restraint and crushing feel of the band's early releases with the sonic texturing and ornate experimentation of their later releases, End is also influenced by everything from classical to soul to experimental ambient music. More

Grunge. Alt-rock riffs. Punk influences. Angsty, guitar-fueled ballads. Teenage Wrist's Still Love is everything you love about the '90s. On their third full-length, the band sounds better than ever. The songs are tightly-crafted, with melodies that'll knock you out emotionally and keep you coming back. Still Love is a record that feels written from the heart, the type of album that reminds you of the power of music to capture our most inexpressible thoughts, wants, and needs. Featuring guest appearances from SA Martinez of 311, Softcult, Sister Voice, Fear Before The March Of Flames, and Heavenward. More

Taking its name from the infamous Georgia recording studio, Capricorn is a big step in the evolution of Atlanta bluesman Eddie 9V. Whether it’s the N’awlins funk of lead single “Yella Alligator” or the simmering ‘70s soul of “Are We Through” or “How Long,” Eddie 9V spreads his wings and flies across the genres and decades on Capricorn . More

Certified at 12x platinum, this best-selling compilation is the definitive collection of Rolling Stones hits! Whether it’s the iconic album cover or the mind-blowing tracklist, this remastered 2CD release of Hot Rocks is a must for any Stones fan, new or old. More

Philly four-piece Soul Glo have created a beast of an album with their first for Epitaph, Diaspora Problems . This is hardcore in the purest sense of the genre: all rage, frenetic riffs, abrasive vocals, relentless percussion, and incisive takedowns of politics, society, and oppression from a Black punk POV. The record isn’t just radical politically, it’s also radical in its vulnerability and its honesty. Loud, fast, and infuriated, Diaspora Problems is one of the year’s best. More