Amoeba Music

SPELLLING proves once again she's a powerful force in music, magic, and the space in between. On her latest for Sacred Bones, SPELLLING & The Mystery School , the experimental pop artist reimagined studio tracks from the length of her career, spotlighting the ways in which they've grown and morphed. The songs are sparkling with life, at times witchy and enchanted, at times earthy and comforting. There are elements of disco, trip-hop, and grandiose '80s-style fantasy pop. It's an intoxication potion that showcases the power of art and the remarkability of the creative process. More

Sleater-Kinney's Little Rope is a remarkable album. Written in the wake of the deaths of Carrie Brownstein's mother and stepfather, the arrangements are sparse and meditative, intense and careening — much like the process of navigating loss itself. Through the comfort and challenge of songwriting, Brownstein and Corin Tucker transmute grief into striving, sympathetic, transcendent songs. Little Rope feels like a companion, a friend, someone to walk beside you on a long, dark road. Because isn't that what music, at its best, does? More

The mighty IDLES find power in love on TANGK . (Pronounced "tank.") The best British post-punk band in modern music can always be relied on for intelligent lyrics, punishing riffs, and no holds barred truth-telling, but whereas on earlier releases the band directed their talents at taking down the failures and apathy of society, now they're funneling that same forceful sound into the not-so-simple act of perseverance. The band's inimitable stomp is present on "Dancer" — even as the song intros with golden age of Hollywood cinematic strings — before segueing into a bold, brutal melody. On "Grace," those pounding basslines and fierce drums are toned down in an aural echo of the title; this anthem for communal love and solidarity feels both open-eyed and comforting. An essential album for rough times, TANGK is some of the most intriguing material from the ever-excellent IDLES. More

Scuzzy, hedonistic, and ridiculously fun, Push is Sextile's first release for Sacred Bones. Long an LA underground mainstay, the band sounds better than ever as it descends in darkly pleasurable new directions, cranking up the volume on an unholy mixture of '90s Manchester, bigbeat, breakbeat, acid, post-punk and punk rock. This is music for 3am, with all its possibilities, wooziness, latent drama, and the inevitable comedown. Sextile has always received a serious amount of buzz, so if you're one of those people that gets turned off by hype, you'll just need to hear this one to believe that it's well-earned. A breath of fresh night air. More

Health's RAT WARS is some of their most intense, heaviest songwriting yet. The band artfully blends metal, hardcore, electronic, industrial, post-punk, and noise into tumultuous, tortured tracks that do, often, ultimately find redemption. The full-on sonic assault of RAT WARS feels justifiably angry and heartbroken, sometimes weary and broken — the album is like a mirror held to the exhausting, seemingly endless slog of bad news and bad times. But in those dark moments, Health always finds the tiniest sliver of light, which imbues these songs with an emotional resonance and power that makes them simply unforgettable. A bold, brave album that's ready to soundtrack your roughest times and remind you that hope is always just on the other side of the night. More

Glen Hansard's All That Was East Is West of Me Now is a record about realizing your days are numbered, making the most of what's to come, and honoring what's in the rearview. Perhaps not surprisingly, it's an album of emotional highs and lows, the mood shifting between meditative and resolute. Hansard gets sweepingly romantic on the Leonard Cohenesque "Sure as the Rain." On "The Feast of St. John," Hansard brings authenticity and to Springsteen-like guitar grandiosity. "Bearing Witness" is powerfully raw, an ode to making the most of the hand you're dealt and not looking back. An excellent, moving album from one of modern music's most treasured songwriters. More

Future Islands have just released one of the best albums of their career. The songs on People Who Aren't There Anymore are totally bops, the type of ear worm tracks that become instant favorites. At the same time, there's a sense of emotional exploration to these songs that gives them real heft — Future Islands has gotten introspective in these slowed-down jams, delivering songs that feel like companions for the most uncomfortable moments of change and growth in life. It's a lovely album that will linger in your mind longer after the last note fades out. More

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