Amoeba Music

Lonnie Holley’s Oh Me Oh My is healing, transcendent, cosmic, and cool. “I am a part of the wonder,” Holley intones on the second track, setting the tone for an album that finds the sacrosanct within the everyday, the beauty that remains after the dissolution of pain. An eclectic, all-star cast of collaborators appears to buoy Holley’s vision, with contributions from Michael Stipe (“Oh Me, Oh My”), Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (“Kindness Will Follow Your Tears”), Sharon Van Etten (“None of Us Will Have But a Little While”), Moor Mother (“I Am Part of the Wonder,” “Earth Will Be There”), and Rokia Koné (“If We Get Lost They Will Find Us”). Produced by Jacknife Lee (REM, The Cure), Oh Me Oh My is both a testament to Holley’s artistry and to the wonders of life.

Without the benefits (or confines, depending on your view) of a major music scene in their small Vermont hometown of Brattleboro, Thus Love DIY’d everything and paved their own road to an exceptional debut album, Memorial. They have embraced the past with a sound that would fit right in with the post-punk era ‘80s, yet maintains a light, joyous modern vibe throughout. The tone that lead singles “Inamorato” and “In Tandem” set for this album is solid and marks a dynamic first outing for the trio.

Raye should be a superstar. The release of her debut, My 21st Century Blues, has yielded some of the most innovative, heartfelt, stone-cold killer cuts you'll hear this year. (And yes, we know the year is still very young.) The British artist swims deftly from one genre to the next, from dark R&B to throwback soul to electronic, as she sings of addiction, insecurity, escapism, and sexual assault. Yet the album never feels heavy. The songwriting has gravitas and intelligence; the music is glossy and glittering on the surface, with enough emotion and imagination to keep listeners coming back for more. 

Fantastic new album from Haitian-American singer-songwriter Leyla McCalla (member of Our Native Daughters: Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell).

These two legends of soulful American music combined forces to record this live date back in 2011 (just a year before Helm passed away) and it is truly sublime. Her voice takes the lead throughout most of these 12 tracks, with Helm’s earthy harmonies backing her beautifully. The rootsy band numbers over a dozen musicians, including Levon Helm playing his perfectly simple style of groove on drums. The music isn’t flashy but it’s always solid, and the tune selection is excellent as well. Standout cuts include “This Is My Country” by Curtis Mayfield, and a powerful a capella version of gospel classic “Farther Along” by W.B. Stevens. A rousing rendition of The Band’s own masterpiece “The Weight” caps things off with a bang as Helm takes his only turn on lead vocals. A life affirming document from two monumental artists.

These two legends of soulful American music combined forces to record this live date back in 2011 (just a year before Helm passed away) and it is truly sublime. Her voice takes the lead throughout most of these 12 tracks, with Helm’s earthy harmonies backing her beautifully. The rootsy band numbers over a dozen musicians, including Levon Helm playing his perfectly simple style of groove on drums. The music isn’t flashy but it’s always solid, and the tune selection is excellent as well. Standout cuts include “This Is My Country” by Curtis Mayfield, and a powerful a capella version of gospel classic “Farther Along” by W.B. Stevens. A rousing rendition of The Band’s own masterpiece “The Weight” caps things off with a bang as Helm takes his only turn on lead vocals. A life affirming document from two monumental artists.

When you burst onto the scene (any scene) with a viral video, the pressure’s on to prove your success wasn’t just a one-time hit. With the release of Growing Up, fans of The Linda Lindas can breathe easy knowing that these ultra cool teens and pre-teens truly deliver. That is, if you can breathe at all with all the head banging you’ll be doing to this killer album. “Racist, Sexist Boy,” the song that ignited the storm of attention the LA quartet would receive, is a let-‘em’-burn banger and worth the price of the album alone. But it’s not the only bravura performance on Growing Up. Each short-but-sweet track tears into your headphones with gleeful intensity, whether the band is flexing its pop muscles or creating riotous, no-holds-barred classic punk. Turn this one up loud—the Linda Lindas are the future of punk.

Inspired by old western film scores and vintage Latin American sounds, Hermanos Gutierrez's new Dan Auerbach-produced album, El Bueno Y El Malo, takes listeners on a hypnotic and sensual instrumental journey through a haunted landscape, where the haze of the desert meets the blue of a Kodachrome ocean.

The Interrupters continue their reign as the ruling torch-bearers of old school ska-punk on their excellent new album, In The Wild. This is a band that knows their musical history—they wouldn’t sound out of place next to classic ’70s/early ‘80s acts like The English Beat—and understands how to inject a contemporary vibe into the mix that keeps the proceedings feeling fresh and exciting. Produced by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong (who also splits guest vocals with Rhoda Dakar on the second track), the album also features appearances from The Skints, Alex Desert, and Greg Lee. Spirited, upbeat, and rich in the original socially-conscious spirit of the genre, In the Wild is guaranteed to energize your day.

The Interrupters continue their reign as the ruling torch-bearers of old school ska-punk on their excellent new album, In The Wild. This is a band that knows their musical history—they wouldn’t sound out of place next to classic ’70s/early ‘80s acts like The English Beat—and understands how to inject a contemporary vibe into the mix that keeps the proceedings feeling fresh and exciting. Produced by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong (who also splits guest vocals with Rhoda Dakar on the second track), the album also features appearances from The Skints, Alex Desert, and Greg Lee. Spirited, upbeat, and rich in the original socially-conscious spirit of the genre, In the Wild is guaranteed to energize your day.

Robert Glasper delivers another career-high album with Black Radio III. The talented pianist conjures up multi-faceted moods, with a sense of yearning and hope emerging from his assured, elegant keys. Glasper's brought some heavy hitters to the proceedings, too, with Killer Mike, Big K.R.I.T., and BJ the Chicago Kid appearing on the brilliant "Black Superhero." H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello appear on the addictive, achingly beautiful "Better Than I Imagined." Elsewhere on the album, Q-Tip, Common, Ty Dolla Sign, Esperanza Spalding, Jennifer Hudson, Yebba, and Ant Clemons make excellent contributions. Black Radio III is straight up fantastic and will probably land on many year end "best of" lists.

Live a Little is the haunting, ethereal, accidental new LP from Sam Gendel & Antonia Cytrynowicz. Why accidental? The recording sessions started out as a lark, with multi-instrumentalist Sam Gendel jamming out with his creative and life partner Marcella’s then-eleven-year-old sister, Antonia Cytrynowicz. Fully improvised and recorded in one session, the songs feature Antonia’s fairy-like, youthful vocals and Gendel’s experimental jazz. The collaboration brings to mind the work of Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland in its folkloric strangeness, gentleness, and ephemeral beauty. Dreamy and lovely, Live a Little feels like the court music of another, enchanted realm.

Robin Carolan & Sebastian Gainsborough’s score for Robert Eggers’ early Norse saga The Northman is evocative and epic. Out via Sacred Bones, the album traverses deep psychological territory and sweeping terrain, calling to mind mind majestic northern landscapes, harrowing human acts of violence, and swirling supernatural occurrences. The tracks seamlessly slip from bristling, percussion-driven tense atmospherics into a sort of medieval psychedelia and into an icy, anticipation-heavy avant-garde. Keening strings and awe-inspiring choral vocals add emotional and sonic layers to the folk meets ambient soundscapes; it’s a stirring listen, as crystalline in its beauty and brutal in its nature as the North itself.

Florida’s hottest has returned with his most reflective and ambitious effort yet. Waxing nostalgic with nods to classic cinema and Star Wars, Denzel Curry has recruited a solid guest list that includes T-Pain and Robert Glasper, while Thundercat, JPEGMafia and more handle the beats and production.

The multi-talented Camae Ayewa conjures a dense, otherworldly sound combining poetry, free jazz, soul, experimental music and more. Decidedly avant garde but still lush and melodic, Jazz Codes features guests like Fatboi Sharif, Wolf Weston and Mary Lattimore.

Jim Lindberg trades black leather for dirty denim on his new acoustic album, Songs from the Elkhorn Trail. The Pennywise singer has always been a nimble, thoughtful songwriter, and it's very cool to see how he applies those skills to a more rootsy folk-punk sound. These songs could hold their own among the story-driven workingman's rootsy rock of Lucero or Drive By Truckers--although Lindberg's vibe is a bit more upbeat, his choruses sometimes more anthemic. Gritty, authentic, and approachable, Songs from the Elkhorn Trail feels like an old friend.

Last year, Australian psych-rockers Pond released the excellent, eclectic 9. Now they’re back with a souped-up deluxe version, featuring four new tracks. The album kicks off with bewitching female vocals and hypnotic melodies on “Song for Agnes,” before moving into the funked-out danceable grooves of “America’s Cup” and transitioning into soaring, symphonic mode on “Take Me Avalon I’m Young.” The album slips into and out of genres and moods with ease, taking listeners on an intriguing, serpentine journey to the new bonus tracks. This deluxe segment of the LP starts with the desperate and driven “Lights of Leeming,” a tribute to the chaotic desire to break the monotony of suburbia by any means necessary. If you’ve been sleeping on Pond, 9 should wake you right up.

Genre-bending post-rockers High Pulp’s new album, Pursuit of Ends, is an enlivening, dynamic listen. The Seattle group paints in bold brushstrokes, with vivifying colors—there’s no snoozing your way through this album, no putting it on in the background as light party music. Drawing sonic inspiration from Miles Davis’ Second Quintet and creative concepts from ideas about magic, the will, and the individual, Pursuit of Ends’ joyous spirit and colorful palette demands to be heard. Close your eyes and let your imagination run free to the lush soundscapes provided by this inspired collection of songs.

On her sophomore album, Samia deftly blends introspective lo-fi indie with upbeat alt-pop. She chronicles bad nights out, the process of moving on (or not) from relationships, and wondering where you stand. Samia isn’t afraid to get super specific and that’s when she’s at her most relatable. Fans of confessional guitar chanteuses will dig this one, as will aficionados of sing-a-long ready pop numbers with a nice layer of self-deprecating darkness.

Sleaford Mods return with another confrontational banger, the aptly named UK GRIM. The post-punk duo provides the perfect soundtrack for an era of cultural malaise, political turmoil, and an unrelenting tide of grim events. They sound as abrasive as ever, both in their propulsive riffs and tell-it-like-it-really-REALLY-is lyrics, this time incorporating some stripped-down electronic beats to the punk rock proceedings. These are strange, disquieting times we’re living in, and Sleaford Mods don’t blink. UK GRIM is no ode to easy living, yet this tough, truth-telling album is easy to love.