The climactic peak of “You Know You’ve Not a Thing,” the first single from Paper Fairy’s debut album, may be the drum solo-like bridge two-thirds of the way through the track. Up to that point, the song seems to plod through an obstacle course of noise and silence, as if restrained to simmer but never boil. Twitching instrumentals back dark lines where Chris Gaskell, the Brooklyn musician leading the project, repeats the title phrase: “you know you’ve not a thing to rely on,” “you know you’ve not a thing to hold on to,” but the track doesn’t peak until that middle section where distorted drums battle with chaotic jolts of sound. It’s a fitting introduction to Paper Fairy’s debut album, Haunter Haunted, which Gaskell describes as a horror concept album. Haunter Haunted will be self-released on October 26. Listen to “You Know You’ve Not a Thing” below, and check the project out live tomorrow (09.18) at Sunnyvale. – Cameron Carr

Among the tracks on Kissing Is A Crime’s self-titled LP, released by Don Giovani in 2017, “Noise At Night” stands out among the jangly, punk-tinged guitar pop for it’s dark minimalism. The verses are driven by bass and a simple drum beat while lead vocalist Matt Molnar steps back to allow bassist/vocalist Beatrice Rothbaum to take the reins. Kissing Is A Crime’s new video for the single matches the mood of the track perfectly, with director Assal Ghawami providing a dark affair intentionally reminiscent of work by Luis Buñuel and David Lynch. Among the surrealist, frequently black and white imagery Ghawami fits a cameo by Sunflower Bean’s Julia Cumming, who’s been known to join the band from time to time in recordings and live performances. Watch the video for “Noise At Night” below. – Cameron Carr

Between Gold Child, Stranger Cat, and Chad Valley there’s a range of styles: folky songwriting, electronica arrangements, and swelling alt-pop. But between the three artists there’s a certain similarity. Each aspires toward arty pop music that’s simultaneously memorable and creatively minded. It can be heard in the shimmering synthesizer worlds of Stranger Cat as well as the spacious arrangements of Gold Child. That similarity makes the artists a perfect match for their performance together at Knitting Factory on September 8. It’s a lineup with diversity yet a string of resemblance throughout. It’s pop music built with care and precision. – Cameron Carr

Big Bliss has long carved its place in the dark, tense world of post-punk but the trio’s latest single sees the group continuing to develop upon that sound. “Surface” plods along with a drive reminiscent of fellow New Yorkers Interpol and British ’80s band Psychedelic Furs. The melodic bass, dour vocal delivery, and sparkling guitars atop don’t veer far from the group’s previous sound, but it’s a welcome polishing up. “Surface” serves as the first single to announce Big Bliss’ new album At Middle Distance, due October 19 via Exit Stencil Records. The release party is scheduled for October 20th at Alphaville, but they’ll be performing before that on September 5 at Union Pool. – Cameron Carr

Building off a repeated chant of “they want you” Birch creates a stirring ode to the feminist movement on new track “femme.two.” The single takes inspiration from the 2017 Women’s Marches and lays out a view of the current struggle for continued rights that’s both honest and inspiring. The music flows darkly, mirroring the tiresome work of feminism today rather than preaching plain optimism. On top stuttering backing beats the chords progress from minor to major as Birch’s Michelle Birsky sings with reverence. “I don’t wanna wait for the tide to change / listen to my voice and you’ll feel the same.” Musically, it’s fairly minimal and almost dreary at times but that only serves to give more power to Birsky’s voice and lyrics. – Cameron Carr

Fall and the cold weather that follows are beginning to loom over the city, but don’t worry, summer isn’t over quite yet. For anyone in need of a power-up to boot and rally into the final round of warm weather, Frills has something valuable. The Brooklyn duo’s latest single “Drunk Girls, Drunk Boys” is a towering electro-pop track wearing its intentions on its sleeves. If the title doesn’t make it clear, the sing-a-long chorus and night-out verses will: this is music for letting loose and not caring. "Drunk Girls, Drunk Boys" follows a similarly excellent summer single "She’s Got Love" which the group released in May with an accompanying music video. – Cameron Carr

After the initial warped drum beat, it only takes 8 seconds for Future Generations to kick in to full alt-pop shine on new single “All The Same.” The track is the first from the Brooklyn group’s newly announced sophomore album, Landscape, out September 13 via Frenchkiss Records. “All The Same” moves Future Generation’s sleek alt-pop into more synth and electronics heavy sounds than the band’s 2016 self-titled full-length. The highlight of the song comes in the form of a arpeggiated synth melody that floats the chorus. Listen to “All The Same” below. – Cameron Carr

Read this interview about gear with Future Generations on Delicious Audio.

LVL UP, a longtime hallmark of the New York indie rock scene, announced earlier this week that the members would be retiring the project. In a statement shared on social media they referred to the band as “an extremely rewarding journey beyond anything we could have ever realistically imagined.” In the post, LVL UP shared a final single, “Orchard,” and farewell tour dates that will have the band travelling from coast to coast for one month. All of the members have other projects including guitarist Mike Caridi’s The Glow, bassist Nick Corbo’s Spirit Was, and guitarist Dave Benton’s Trace Mountains which features drummer Greg Rutkin—Rutkin also played in Cende, another indie rock favorite that recently called it quits. LVL UP will play a final show at Bowery Ballroom on September 28. – Cameron Carr

Newcomers to the King Pizza Records family, PowerSnap play a raucous breed of garage rock that fits right in with the label’s taste for punk-tinged rock ‘n’ roll. Leading up to the release of the trio’s debut EP, Delatency, PowerSnap have previewed two singles: “Pink Diamonds” and “Chemistry.” On those tracks a rock ‘n’ roll swagger propels sneered vocals and guitars just past the point of distorted breakup. For the EP’s release show at Gutter Bar on June 30, PowerSnap will be joined by members of The Rizzos and The Mad Doctors—both bands have previously released music with King Pizza. – Cameron Carr

On June Gloom’s latest release, a split EP with Rock Solid entitled Subletter/Something Solid under Exploding In Sound Records, the Brooklyn songwriter ventures into softer folk territories. On previous releases, June Gloom—the solo moniker of Jesse Paller, who also serves as drummer for Tall Friend—played into a leisurely slacker tradition of ‘90s guitar rock. On these songs take a more intimate approach that brings Elliot Smith comparisons to mind. Paller’s arrangements, minimal as they may be, still employ electric guitar, with arpeggios that reach almost dream pop layers at times, without the heavy use of effects. June Gloom will perform on Saturday June 30 at The Glove to celebrate the EP’s release. – Cameron Carr

Nothing about Jerry Paper’s “Your Cocoon” is totally out of the ordinary, but it also never quite reaches ordinary. From the starting temp rev up that seems to transform into synths restarting at every chord all the way to the honking melodic shadow that doubles the song’s closing lines the music is slightly unusual, determinedly modern. Almost every sound in the song comes warped, transformed, edited into something new. Unlike the titular cocoon that will eventually fall away and reveal itself to be something else, Paper has morphed the instruments into something else that wraps and covers the original sounds. “Your Cocoon” will be released as a 7” in July by Stones Throw Records. For now, listen to the track below and catch Jerry Paper headlining Baby’s All Right on June 30 with Dougie Poole and Jennifer Vanilla. – Cameron Carr

In 2017, Wilder Maker released a two-track 7” with Saddle Creek Records featuring “New Streets” and “Only Child.” Those two tracks saw the group tightening up it’s ‘70s and roots rock inspired sound with the crisp vocals of keyboardist Katie Von Schleicher (who performs under her own name as well) coming more to the forefront. On Wilder Maker’s newest single “Drunk Driver”—which comes ahead of the band’s upcoming full-length Zion, out July 13 via Northern Spy Records—Von Schleicher’s voice leads the way again with excellent results. Over a hypnotic build Von Schleicher delivers lyrics with an emotional weight that sounds effortless: “I loved her with no thought for me, reckless as a drunk driver exhales and turns the key.” The motion of the arrangement toward an ending swirl of keys and guitar pairs well with the single’s video which plays an intimate party in reverse from the sleepy subway ride home through the pizza and shared drinks to the first greetings before sunset. Watch the video below. – Cameron Carr