If you are stuck with the notion that emo has become the unbearably whiny expression of spoiled suburban kids, enter Boston’s Bay Faction (who recently relocated to the NYC area) and  think again. Their 2015 three-track debut EP clearly carries the genre’s DNA, but slows down its BPM by a lot, makes a discreet if not spare use of distorted guitars, and puts a lot of sincere heart in it. Those early tracks resonated with a lot of kids and gathered over a million plays on Spotify, and so did following single Pendulum, dropped in 2017. After a dragged out recording process, the band is now ready to release their debut LP Florida Guilt, a record that expands the group’s sonic palette with a more varied production, without betraying the core qualities of their music. The first single It’s Perfect, streaming below, is to date their fastest and most driven track, but still stylistically hybrid, with the inwardly tortured voice of singer James McDermott adding oozes of character to vague lyrics related to the struggles of dating. The record is already available on Spotify, and fans of Pingrove and Forth Wanderers (two other bands that are taking emo in new directions) should definitely check it out.
Don’t miss the band’s release show at Elsewhere on December 21st. – Photo by Sam Colby

Earlier this year, Queue released “Float Away,” a single that accurately sums up the band both in sound and name. The melody seems to glimmer through a mist with reverberant guitar echoing alongside airy vocal harmonies. “Float Away” was the first track the band released after finding a united home in New York, members previously spread out across Philadelphia and D.C. It’s safe to expect a fair bit more from Queue in 2019 with the group currently spending time recording at Brooklyn’s Degraw Studios. But you can catch the band early in the year opening for CUTTS at Mercury Lounge on January 3. – Cameron Carr

After last year’s debut “Night Night at First Landing,” we were curious what direction Madeline Kenney’s newest album would take. Mercy me, we were not disappointed. "Perfect Shapes" is a multi-genre, multi-layered album with touches of synth infusions partnered with melodic bass lines and touches of shoegazy guitar melodies all grounded by that strong, twang-touched voice. A beautiful key to the success of Kenney’s latest is her ability to keep us moving with her throughout each song’s journey. Empowering snappy songs transition into melodic dreamy driftings that are in a land far away from rock n roll–kudos to the spaceship that flies into “Your Art”–but let’s be clear: this electric pop album is centered around solid musicianship, fantastic compositions and lyrics we can relate to. Brava, lady. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor 

Singer/songwriter Rachel Stewart is bringing her dreams to life in a very literal sense with her new project, Sedona. The debut of her first single “Call Me Up” was paired with an accompanying video (below) that paints this artist’s music into a dreamlike world—one that apparently consists of ornate fairy tree houses and vast woodlands. And what would a dream world be without setting yourself in it as a hit television sensation? Suddenly, Stewart’s enchanted fairy den becomes surreal as her character watches Sedona’s flirty pop music video on an vintage TV screen. The whole approach is DIY and otherworldly, which basically encapsulates the heart of this artist’s songwriting. Stewart’s methodology walks the line of escapism, with the intention of her music being to take you somewhere else, or at least a bit further from the reality you’re in. And this was just Sedona’s debut. Since then, she’s released the soulful single, “Same Sky” and has made plans to put out an audiovisual EP titled Home Before Dawn by this summer. Check out the music video for Sedona’s “Call Me Up” below don’t miss her playing live at Elsewhere 01.25. – Rebecca Carroll