Effortlessly cool releases
It doesn’t matter if you’re a garage band or a cowboy or a hipster icon, cool is cool. These releases prove it.
Local
Shahs, Nice Flex
“Nice Flex” is weird. It sounds otherworldly, the lyrics are odd, and the slightly strained vocals mix with synth to create an alien sound. But that’s what makes it so fun to listen to. The whole record is an unexpected treat.
Earl vs The Internet, Werzz
This record reminds us of all the house shows that we miss. It’s experimental without it seeming like it’s trying too hard or trying to prove that Earl vs The Internet is cool. Being cool without trying to be is the ultimate level of coolness.
New Albums
Ray LaMontagne, Monovision
There’s just something about Ray LaMontagne that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. Maybe it’s the soft voice, maybe it’s the soft instrumentals, maybe it’s the soft lyrics. Even with the more energetic tracks, that velvet fluidity flows through. Either way, “Monovision” sounds like bliss.
Corb Lund, Agricultural Tragic
Have cowboys infiltrated KBGA? Perhaps. But it does seem like Corb Lund could fit in anywhere, and KBGA is no exception. His voice has a dive-bar grunge quality that makes his lyrics seem even more relatable as they hover over classic honky-tonk guitar.
HAIM, Women In Music Pt. III
The new HAIM record is groovy, it’s fun, and it’s everything we would expect from the trio. The occasional horn section makes us nostalgic and the casual R&B influence is a welcome respite. The harmonies, as always, soar.
New Singles
Jake Jacobson, Always the Good Guys
Can we interest you in some more country music on this fine day? We don’t know about you, but summer doesn’t feel like summer until you hear some dude in a truck blasting a country song. This is the track we WISH they would play (so we’ll play it instead).
Let Man Loose, Victory Lap
“Victory Lap” is fuzzy, with biting vocals and heavy guitar riffs. This grinding rock track is ironically a love song, juxtaposing the usual soft and flirty feelings of love with formidably tough influences.
Olivia K & the Parkers, Power
This smooth track features all the things that make a jazz track good: horns, powerful vocals, and rhythm. But “Power” feels more important than the typical jazz single. Olivia K sings about race, voting rights, history, and untapped power to produce something that truly feels important.
Hoops, Fall Back
Did someone say “fun indie music for a fun indie summer”? No? Just us? Anyway, this track is what breezy, teen movie soundtracks want to be. You know the type, scenes with people in the back of a truck, lake days, some sort of haze over the whole thing. That’s this, in music form.
Songhoy Blues, Worry
This song came out of Timbuktu (literally) and we’re loving it. Songhoy Blues was formed in Mali after fleeing civil war and unrest at home, making this hopeful track even more hopeful. Gnarly guitar licks and harmonies play off the group’s strengths.
Assembled by music director Meghan Jonas