A healthy dose of wide-eyed Kubrick stares, scattered hand-drawn animatics, and sunburnt, borderline cacophonous guitars characterize “Ordinary Woes,” the new video by NYC indie performer Luke Rathborne, evoking both the unpleasantry of a psilocybin mushroom trip and the quotidian struggles of being a working artist in the city. While the former of these two experiences was a direct inspiration for Rathbrone’s forthcoming LP Again, the latter is best communicated through the song itself — freeform word associations with combined with a wailing chorus against a breakbeat fuzz-laden instrumental backing places his workmanship somewhere between the scuzzy lofi surf punk of outfits like Wavves, with a distinctive drawling vocal performance that’s reminiscent of 90s slacker rock. Give it a watch and listen below, and keep an eye out for his new LP dropping this June.

It’s hard not to have fun when listening to Hounds, the debut EP by Brooklyn soft grunge four piece Tetchy. This isn’t to say that the subject matter present on the release’s five tracks are trite or nonserious — quite the opposite, in fact, given that its introduction details the pangs of human intimacy and the pervasive rise of right wing politics in the United States (“Emotional Labor”and “Fascist”). Rather, its enjoyable quality is derived from the band’s insight to contemporary issues, and their ability to make inane universal bullshit tolerable through exciting, guitar-driven grooves. Few bands can render feelings of inertia as triumphant (“The Fool”), or the celebratory defiance of laughing at the universe’s indifference towards pain (“The World”) in a way that’s as cathartic as it is listenable, imbued with an indie rock sound that’s accessibly rough-around-the-edges, an equal mix of grit and sweetness. Give it a listen below, and catchy Tetchy at Our Wicked Lady on March 5th for their EP release show.

It’s easy to lose oneself in the forlorn music of folk songwriter Dan Miraldi — his minimalist guitar arpeggios, soothing baritone register, and penchant for reverb-laden backing vocals create a listening experience that’s as self-reflective as his lyricism. Latest offering “Just Thought You Should Know” is Miraldi at his most accessibly plainspoken, offering honeyed melodies and a simple-yet-thoughtful approach to the singer-songwriter genre that eschews the extraneous: just a man, a guitar, and a story to tell. Such a barebones approach combined with his ability to render sorrow sweetly makes his music perfect for fans of Jason Isbell or James Taylor — give it a stream below if you’re in need of some meditative self-care, and keep an eye out for his forthcoming EP Mood Music For Introverts out March 6th.

The thunderous four-piece Aubrey Hays Band, led by none other than its titular member, just released her first single, "Isn’t It Enough." Produced at King Electric Studios by engineer/producer David McDonald, the song is an ethereal, vulnerable glimpse into a tender heart, one unsure of where she stands in her lover’s life, and even more unsure of her own sense of belonging. Despite its angst-ridden subject matter, "Isn’t It Enough" shimmers with an ineffable feeling of hope, as if, just maybe, things are going to be okay.

Hays’ voice is an instrument unto itself, full of rich, varied tones, technical dexterity, and bursting with emotion. As a singer and a songwriter, she’s prolific, and a force to be reckoned with on the Austin indie scene, and beyond even that, soon enough. Listen to the single below! – Ethan Ames