Baby Shakes have been perfecting their jangly power pop rock and roll since 2004, and in 2015 they self-released their long awaited second full length Starry Eyes. Its spirited pop melodies combined with its gritty and raw punk attitude are enough to appeal young rebels in the market for party time, while carrying on the tradition of celebrated vintage acts such as The Ramones and The New York Dolls. The quartet’s layered harmonies and poppy vocals shape their fun summery vibe with simple lyrics that celebrate the freedom and light heartedness of youth. Baby Shakes just finished playing some shows in China and Italy, and will be performing at Berlin on September 3rd! – John Honan

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Animal Flag have been around the Boston music scene for a while now, dropping their first album in 2009. Late last year the band released their latest EP 2 via Broken World Media and 1997 Recordings. It takes a much darker and heavier approach than their previous EP, which had a more upbeat and folky sound. The opening track “Jealous Lover” demonstrates the tonal shift by channeling the haunting guitars and drums of Devil & God era Brand New. The lyrics are wonderfully crafted by singer Matt Politoski as he explores themes of religion, family, jealousy, and lost love. Instrumentally, the album is very breezy and quiet, but there are sudden bursts of noisy cymbal crashes and blaring guitars over Politoski’s impassioned vocals. Animal Flag will be playing Great Scott in support of Violent Soho on September 11th! – John Honan

Listening to Yohuna, the Brooklyn-based project of Johanne Swanson, might make you feel like floating through space – like the moon. Maybe that’s why one of her uber-dreamy singles is titled “The Moon Hangs In The Sky Like Nothing Hangs In The Sky.” The track’s hypnotic melody gives us a sneak peak into her upcoming album “Patientness” to be released on September 9th and produced by Montreal based composer Owen Pallett (once known as Final Fantasy). In the few songs currently available for streaming, Swanson employs a varying instrumentation to forge muted and muffled songs that seem to evoke the hazy perception of Hypnagogia – the experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep.  Yohuna is about to kick off a primarily East Coast tour (with a couple stops in the Midwest) in Boston to promote her new record.  Make sure to catch her at Silent Barn, where she has been an artist-in-residence, on September 16th. Check out below her grainy video (featuring Swanson playing an invisible piano in the middle of a lake) for single "Golden Foil," also included in the upcoming LP.  – Madeleine Grossman

Richmond-based indie pop band Big Baby released their debut EP Dumb Guys right before the summer in May, and while it only consists of three tracks, they serve as a wonderful introduction to the three-piece’s dulcet lo-fi bubblegum pop. The trio makes use of their short runtime with shining guitar tones and steady drumming that lay the foundation for the record’s cheerfully upbeat mood. Frontwoman Ali Mislowsky’s sweetly hushed vocals create delightfully poppy melodies reminiscent of twee pop artists such as Talulah Gosh. Big Baby will be playing Strange Matter on September 24th in support of Crying! – John Honan

It can be universally agreed upon that sometimes we just need to dance it out.  The Brooklyn-based band, LEGS, is here to provide a cure for those days when we’re feeling the urge to move. Their single, “Top of The World” holds true to its name, with its six minutes of infectious, mood lifting disco and synth beats.  Channeling some nostalgic dance vibes from the ’70s yet infused with a modern aesthetic, Legs is guaranteed to cause the tapping of feet.  The band also claims to make you feel anything from “athletic” to “sexy” to “nocturnal,” which bodes well for a night out – the next opportunity to see them live is at Mercury Lounge on September 10th. – Madeleine Grossman

Boston’s Paper Citizen are preparing to release their debut EP Postcards in Transit on September 1st, and have recently shared its lead single “Anywhere We Want To”. It is a smooth track driven by twinkling guitars and keys and front-woman Claire Goh’s warm and delicate vocals. Goh reflects on the delight of meeting someone who she quickly wants to spend all of her time with, staying up late and wandering the city streets. The song’s gentle instrumentation puts the focus on Goh’s vocals before eventually unfolding into a vibey guitar solo towards the end. Paper Citizen just recently played the Quincy Arts Festival and will be playing the Midway Cafe on September 17th! – John Honan

The indie rock and black metal worlds don’t come together often, but Imaginary Hockey League have proven that when they do, it can be a wonderfully weird combination. On their album We’ll Get Better One Day, the outspoken transgender punks ambitiously mix pop-punk, emo, black metal, and hardcore. I Promise. Most of the songs are over the four minute mark and are packed with tonal shifts that feel extremely natural even when they shouldn’t. The opening track, and shortest track, starts off with an instrumental post-rock vibe similar to Explosions in the sky before spiraling into a poppy punk track that examines vocalist Chaz Monroe Atkinson’s desire to watch anime in bed instead of growing up and build their resume. The most interesting track on the album “Six Feet Under Frost” begins as strict black metal track with harsh vocals and speedy drums until it slows down the tempo with clean vocals and guitar tones. Imaginary Hockey League experiment with many different genres on the record, and they make it work in a natural way that never feels forced. They will be playing Braceface House in Laurel, MD on September 19th. – John Honan, photo by Daniel Cannistra.

Punks have always been the misfits and outcasts of society screaming for change, so it’s no surprise that in 2016 some of the best punk bands are writing about gender, race, and sexual identity. Brooklyn’s Aye Nako tackle these issues on their latest EP The Blackest Eye through the pop punk lens, which has been long dominated by white males. Released on Don Giovanni Records, the four-piece’s new EP features subtly catchy punk songs while addressing deeply personal and important themes about society’s views on the LGBTQ community, sexaul abuse, and the white dominated society. Instrumentally, the band pulls from 90’s grunge and lo-fi acts such as Sebadoh, making use of off kilter melodies on the track “Kill Switch” and “Human Shield” to create a jumbled disorienting effect while still employing melodic hooks. Aye Nako will be playing Market Hotel on September 15th, and will be appearing at the New Alternative Music Festival in Asbury, NJ on September 16th! – John Honan

Pete Curry is a Richmond-based lo-fi pop artist whose latest EP Doin’ Nothin’ delivers six jangly pop tracks to set the mood for the summer. Curry makes use of acoustic guitars and keyboards on the record to capture the fun summer vibe, which serves as a departure from the garage-pop featured on his debut Advice on Love. The album’s title track takes a cheerfully goofy approach to Curry’s songwriting as he sings about sneaking into pools, doobies, and summer BBQ’s. Final track “Summer’s In My Head,” instead, slows down the pace with its dream folk sound. finding the singer reflecting on a summer love that he can’t get out of his head. Pete Curry will be playing Strange Matter on September 1st in support of Buffalo Rodeo! – John Honan

If music could be comfort food, then early 90s punk rock is my chicken and biscuits. There’s something about fast power chords, distorted guitar and raspy vocals singing to me about things that suck that pierces straight through the most tender parts of my crusty little heart, and lights me up like a tree on Christmas. Brooklyn-based punk trio Fat Heaven happens to be one of those bands that hits me right in the soft spots. Their recently released track "Nowhere" is a ballad for kids in ripped jeans and no place to go, and is just as hard hitting as its late 20th century predecessors. Clean, but not poppy, "Nowhere" is anthemic in tone, high energy in rhythm, and could easily be a closer at your local DIY basement show while dodging bodies and bottles. Check them out at Aviv on Sept 1 with Last Minet, Red Arkade and Learning Curve, and be sure to listen to the track below. – Olivia Sisinni 

The brainchild of musician Nicole Mercedes (who released this album under her own name in 2012), Flocke is feel-good chamber pop for the soul. Amidst a gentle orchestration involving acoustic guitars, droney orchestral elements, light percussions, ukuleles and xylophones, in her only single currently available online entitled “Venice” (streaming below) Nicole adopts stream of consciousness lyrics, taking us along with her on this mental journey, and occasionally declaring “Venice is a state of mind.” You can catch her at Union Pool with Gingerlys, Wilder Maker, and Friend Roulette tonight (August 31st) where she’ll be sure to play more than just one single. – Madeleine Grossman

Richmond’s Camp Howard was formed through Virginia Commonwealth University’s art community in 2014, and released their debut self-titled album in March of 2016. Their breezy rock ‘n’ roll pairs frontman Nic Perea’s laid back vocals over melodic, distorted guitars and sluggish drums. While the album draws heavily on relaxed vibes of indie rock acts like Mac Demarco, it features darker, grungier moments that take influence from acts such as Alice in Chains. The record’s lead single “Veins” creates a dreamy atmosphere driven by its fuzzed out guitars and washed out vocals. The haziness from these moodier tracks is carried over onto tracks like “You’ve Been Misled” and “Anybody”, which have a more upbeat tone. Camp Howard will be playing Strange Matter on September 1st! – John Honan