Music is our catharsis
With spring in full bloom and the semester behind us, it’s time to unwind. Get in your car, roll your windows down, play your music loud and leave your stress behind.
Local
Diego Kjelland, Give A Lil Love
This is one of the most joyful things we’ve seen during these stressful and chaotic times. Some of Missoula’s favorite artists (Diego Kjelland, Elijah Jalil and Kyle Robinson) remind us to spread love with this house track and some sick dancing.
Jay Alm, To The Moon In Your Skull (Live)
Jay Alm might not *technically* be a Montana local, but he’s from Wyoming and has played in Missoula so many times that we count him anyway. This live album is a great example of how storytelling can push music along. Each funky, rootsy song feels like a stand-alone record.
New Albums
Theresa Sweetheart, 20 minutes of pure TS
Theresa Sweetheart has released a record that makes us want to have fun while still diving deep into issues surrounding gender, capitalism and life post-COVID. The lyrics are insightful and clever. Combined with a professional synthy production, Sweetheart creates a catchy album.
Rabii Harnoune & V.B.Kühl, GNAWA ELECTRIC LAUNE
Rabii Harnoune and V.B.Kühl combine elements of North African Gnawa music and Euro-club with astounding effectiveness. The duo combines tradition with modernity, creating a sound that has old roots with a new electric face.
Johanna Warren, Chaotic Good
Album titles rarely reflect the actual vibe of a record. However, Johanna Warren’s “Chaotic Good” does. Darkness constantly lingers below the surface of this mainly acoustic record. But despite that, despite the unease, sadness or guilt, this record leaves us feeling hopeful.
Hayley Williams, Petals For Armor
Paramore’s Hayley Williams first solo album meets our expectations and exceeds them. “Petals For Armor” has the angst Williams was formed on. But the soft and slightly eerie production turns into something that sounds like power. It’s entirely different.
New Singles
Lycio, Somebody
Lycio turns heartbreak into empowerment on “Somebody.” The lead vocals soar over with persistence, reaching deep to convey emotion through intense vocal chops. Distorted synth and cymbals sit underneath the harmonies.
Barbarossa, Always Free
This new single has the slightest tinge of an electronic jam on it, never choosing a side of softness or hardness, but still giving us something to dance to. This track is about freedom, the kind that we can only find in our own heads.
Drew Davies , X and Y
This song reminds us of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey without sounding anything like Nick Cave or PJ Harvey. Davies gets a distortion on his voice that gives it an edge reminiscent of Bowie’s “Lazarus,” but this track isn’t nearly as gloomy.
Becky Bowe, Getting Older
This soft and soulful song is easy listening with a punch. Becky Bowe laments about the growing pains involved with getting older. The simplicity of the track, with straightforward beats, work to showcase Bowe’s voice and the message behind her lyrics.
Matt Costa, Avenal
This single is great gentle listening for a lazy weekend. It reminds us of quiet drives with friends right before dusk. It swings from low-fi beats to mellow guitar harmonies, giving us something to sway to with however much energy we want.
Kyva, Dollar Sign
Imagine if Prince and The Cure got together and sang about late-stage capitalism and the allure of materialism. That’s Kyva’s “Dollar Sign.” It’s got almost-punk guitar riffs and the hunger of Prince and Frank Ocean.
Assembled by music director Meghan Jonas.