Last April, Brooklyn jangle rockers Holy Tunics put out their excellent debut LP entitled Butter Dish. On that album the four-piece breeze through ten tracks in a way that feels effortless, but never sloppy. Blending the warmth of college rock and the loose, airy melodies of more contemporary indie pop, Holy Tunics sound  familiar and fresh in a way that’s reminiscent of bands like The Feelies, Real Estate, or even early R.E.M. On Butter Dish, some guitar parts are unambiguously twangy while others can veer into the more distorted direction of garage rock—but almost each track on this record is a real jam in its own right. You can catch Holy Tunics live on October 18th at Alphaville, where they’ll be playing alongside Your Dream Coat, Joy Cleaner, and Algebra II. – Sara Nuta

Sir Babygirl’s recent debut has already caught the eyes and ears of the queer community with her coined ‘hardcore bubblegum’ pop and transgender diva attitude. Positioning herself as a voice for LGBTQ individuals, this artist uses her shamelessly effervescent sound and relatable content as a tool to disrupt our culture’s binary view on gender. Her songs provide tastes of her own conflict with identity, using her music as a medium to reach those grappling with similar issues. The lyrics in debut singles “Flirting With Her” and “Heels” teeter between exposing the insecurities of transitioning and divulging candidly about queer romances, appealing to both sides of the emotional spectrum. “Heels” shimmers with hope and insight, intertwining lyrics such as, “I know it’s hard when you think you’re the only target, the mind’s a funny fruit to sell at the market” with passionate vocal swells, all wrapped in a package of cheerful, pristine pop. This artist has created music that shows the extent to which the pop genre can serve as a platform for community and activism, and intends to harness it. Listen to Sir Babygirl’s new material below, and keep an eye out for her full-length album Crush On Me, set for release January 1. -Rebecca Carroll

It’s hard in our contemporary technological landscape to appreciate all of the new music released on a daily basis; existing artists roll out albums with increasing speed, and it’s never been easier for new bands to release music independently. Sam Barron, frontman and guitarist of New York post-punk (or maybe post-garage?) trio The Come On can relate in a personal capacity – fueled by an anger of necessary breakneck art consumption, he wrote the band’s newest bop, “Checker Charlie,” simultaneously lashing out at society’s lessened attention spans and smartphone-induced social habits. Fittingly, “Checker Charlie” is a scorched-earth scream into the heart of darkness that is the recording industrial process, a track bolstered by discordant guitar riffs and sing-speak lyrics by both Barron and keyboardist-vocalist Mimi Oz. It’s an earworm rebuke of the present made stronger by the track’s reliance on classic rock and roll energy.

If you also share a strong desire to abandon social media and destroy your iPhone, you can catch The Come On at The Bowery Electric on 10.18. Before you do that though, watch their video for "Checker Charlie," directed by Dylan Greenberg, below. – Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)