This 4 piece grunge band from Toronto is starting to make a serious buzz. Currently making their way all the way through the USA right now; they get a brief break back home before heading to Europe in the New Year. I’m diggin’ their latest single "Desire" from their recently released album "Sore". This track just oozes 90’s rock n roll. Basically soft grunge with beautiful atmospheric 0ooh’s that would almost make Kim Deal jealous . You can tell they’re still just dying to unleash some intense overdrive all over the place. The track "Purple Rage" is a good example of this as they show off a little more anger although they never lose the tight rhythm and catchy melodies ….as I’m writing this I got completely off track while playing the video game on their website. Needless to say… Dilly Dally is doing some cool shit and you can see them live at the Horseshoe on November 27th.

While some bands of the emo-punk variety have the unfortunate tendency to let emotional expression get in the way of the quality of their music, this is not the case for Bostonian three-piece sports. This isn’t to say their music lacks feeling, but, rather, their tight sound lets the emotional qualities of their music shine, rather than being distracted or muddled by it. One key to this is that the instruments and vocals feed off of one another. As the guitar and drums transition to heavier sections, the lead singer is able to match them by going from mumbling to shout-singing whenever the music calls for it, or vice versa. Their latest release is a three-way split EP with Lions and Perspective and a Lovely Hand to Hold. they’ll play O’Brien’s Pub on 7/2. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber 

Throughout their more than decennial career as a band, Letters to Nepal have continuously redefined their sound, and they show no signs of settling. On past projects, the New Yorkers by way of Siberia have showed ambient post-rock inclinations, building atmoshperic arrangements to emphasize Evgeniya Kuznetsova’s mellow but vivid voice.  Their latest track, "TRICKY," shifts towards a sound that’s more electronic, with trip hop overtones (hence the title?). Kuznetsova’s vocals are pushed more to the forefront than ever before, her poetic lyrics meshing nicely with the tranquil electronic production.  "TRICKY" is a promising new-new beginning for Letters to Nepal. See them live at Rockwood Music Hall on 6/30. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

The Brooklyn-based four piece Warn The Duke is made up of members of River City Rebels and Big D & The Kids Table. Their debut release Ghost Be Gone is a lively punk rock album at once reminiscent of The Replacements and Husker Du. The band blends together the sound of 90’s emo and alt rock to create their catchy brand of melodic punk music. Tracks like “Henry O’Donnell” and “Noreaster” feature smooth melodies and high energy choruses that call to mind alternative punk acts of the early 2000’s like Sugarcult. The opening track “Coastline” (streaming) is characterized by heavy riffs and brash shouted vocals, while still maitntaing a sound that – within the punk rock realm – is softer and quite catchy. Warn The Duke will be celebrating the release of Ghost Be Gone tomorrow (June 29th) at Bowery Electric. – John Honan

Hailing from the coastal town of Virginia Beach, Turnover has charmed with spellbinding riffs and powerful melodies. Deriving its roots from pop punk, Turnover doesn’t shy from confronting the doubts and nuances that so often plague everyday life; questions of identity, insecurities, and love, which they so beautifully explore in their more indie centric Peripheral Vision. With reverb laden and treaded guitars they manage to evoke a sense of warmth and tenderness in each song tinged with a touch of melancholy and nostalgia through Austin Getz’s vocals. Turnover continue their transition into a gauzy dream pop and indie rock with their most recent single, Humblest Pleasure (streaming below), where it feels like being submerged in a memory of muted colors, speckled by brilliant bursts of vivid colors brought to life with the intricately beautiful guitar work. “What a thing it is to grow” Gretz sings, what a thing it is indeed. Turnover takes the stage tonight at Strange Matter so make sure to catch them! – Adriana S. Ballester

Hero House is the new indie pop project from singer-songwriter Jamie Bendell. Bendell, also a member of the band Plastic Cannons, released the first single off her upcoming EP ‘Pretty Tough’ at the end of 2015. Her music marries introspective lyrics and lush, hook-laden vocals with folk and soul influences. This first single also showcases a guitar sound very reminiscent of U2 from ‘The Joshua Tree’ era. Hero House will be playing Mercury Lounge on June 29th in support of Todd Lewis Kramer. – John Honan

Stove is the new solo project from Connecticut native, Ovlov member Steve Hartlett and other friends mostly based in Brooklyn. The band released its debut album Is Stupider in November of 2015 on Exploding in Sound, opffering a brand of slacker rock heavily influenced by ’90s acts like Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement. Catchy melodies and memorable choruses abound in tracks like “Wet Food” and “Dusty Tree," and so does the tendency towards introspective and self-deprecating lyrics. “Dusty Weather” (streaming) is the cleanest sounding track on the album, deviating from the band signature sound, until the fuzzy burst of melody at the end. Stove will be playing Shea Stadium on July 4th. – John Honan

Happy Lives – the rather unpredictable indie pop duo who recently relocated from Brooklyn to LA – are back. and this time they’re trying an "alt soul" hat on for size. Having done their own spin on Beck-era "caucasian rap" a year ago," on "Sick Love," the two return with their usual appraoch of stripping down songs to their core and then adding in elements from other genres (synth-pop on this track). The result is a rather convincing song about break-ups that, despite its minimalist arrangements and simple back-up vocals, feels filled to the brim with emotion. With their outright refusal to stick to a consistent genre, it’s honestly hard to tell with these dudes whether they’re taking their craft seriously or simply just trying to have a good time, however, with the consistency of their recent releases it’s easy to keep any skepticism at bay — for now. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Human People are a Brooklyn-based band who describes their music as "sloppy poppy punk." Their debut EP Sleep Year was released back in March and features slacking attitude paired with witty and charming lyrics. On the opening track “In My Speakers," lead singer Hayley reflects on a past lover who left her feeling like crap as she sluggishly sings “I’m feeling weaker than last year”. The track “Cell” (streaming) is a more upbeat track that features pop hooks and fuzzy guitars that refuse to be ignored. The band will be playing the Silent Barn on 6.28 in support of Russel the Leaf. – John Honan

If asked to name a band that could be representational of what’s popular in indie music today, Amherst’s Calico Blue could serve as an unlikely, if not interesting answer. They have a dreamy, nostalgic sound based on pristine guitars, minimalist tendencies á la The XX, and deeply sad vocals reminscent of a lo-fi version of Lana Del Rey. Their self-described "surfer blues" is able to capture vintage elements and conteporary influences and coalesce them into something new and intriguing. Their 2015 self-titled album drags the listener down with heavy lyrics while also keeping them afloat with light guitar work. You can check them out at O’Brien’s Pub on 7/1. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Brooklyn-based bands Dead Painters and Plates of Cake (pictured) are taking the stage together in July in support of Transcendental Telecom. Dead Painters’ sophomore LP Aluminum Gold was released in the fall of 2015, and it is a relatively placid record that glides between tuneful instrumental interludes and mellow vocal deliveries. The track “In the Chrome” highlights the band’s serene nature with the use of a steady drum beat and peaceful guitars until the tension is raised towards the end with a sudden burst of crashing drums and fuzzed out guitars. Plates of Cake’s sound is somewhat similar, but ventures into more psychedelic and even orchestral territories. “She Wants to Disappear” (streaming below) off their latest LP Becoming Double, is characterized by its sparkling guitars and dreamy vocals. The band’s warm guitar tones are reminiscent of 70’s power pop acts like the Raspberries, while their breezy harmonies, specifically on the track “Boyfriends”, make their music incredibly pleasing. Check out both of these bands at the Cake Shop on July 6th, and stream “Semi-Criminal” from Dead Painters and “She Wants To Disappear” from Plates of Cake below! – John Honan

Paperhaus’ “Silent Speaking” (streaming below) beckons you in unabashedly with chaotic rumblings resembling a stampede of cymbals, hi-hats, batucada-esque drumming, and jittery bursts of guitars. The arrhythmic clamor works at once both with and against one another before evening out and transforming into a high energy tune of angular riffs and melodic shifts. The Virginia based band, whose previous work gives a hearty nod towards psychedelic blues with hints of math rock, finds itself leaning ever further into the angular soundscapes of the latter with its most recent single. However, the fervent energy that made their self-titled debut so dynamically spectacular remains ever more present in their sound. If this single is any indication of what we should expect from Paperhaus in the future then color me intrigued. Definitely keeping an eye out for them! Catch Paperhaus on July 13 at DC Nine. – Adriana S. Ballester