Last year, Providence-based singer/songwriter Krista Baroni released ‘The Alabaster Girl,’ an album that quietly revels in a kind of sleepy beauty. Comprised of such guitar-plucked tracks as "I’m Not Myself Today" and "Joanna," the folk-based effort transports the listener as a children;s book would while impressively portraying the hardships of adulthood. The former song, for example, depicts an emotionally wounded soul striving for serenity amidst the noise of modern life, soft guitars cooing the listener to calm. Krista Baroni plays at AS220 in Providence, Rhode Island on Thursday (1/14). – Zach Weg

Last month, Boston duo LOVESWORDS shared its roughly pretty second release, ‘LOVESWORDS TWO.’ Featuring such punk-inflected blues songs as "Ode to the Strong" and "Tired Bull" (streaming below), the five-track effort pleasantly recalls such celebrated acts as The Black Keys and Sublime while humbly exhilerating with its passionate musicianship. The second half of the latter song, for example, has singer Kyle Henrickson calling out a lover’s "lies" as drummer Skye Mazuroski’s hard taps mount ferociously towards the roof. Henrickson and Mazuroski are reportedly childhood friends and, in these raw tracks, one hears the unadulterated joys of youth. LOVESWORDS plays at Middle East in Cambridge, MA on Wednesday, 1/13.-  Zach Weg

Two months ago, New Jersey-based musician Donna Missal released the instantly memorable “Keep Lying” (streaming below). Roped through with breaking guitars, the bluesy song truly impresses thanks to the singer’s voice and delivery. A deeply strong howl-yelp – it surges forth just when a stop or fade seems sensible – Missal’s desire to not learn of her addressee’s true feelings is so impassioned that nothing will get in the way. Such ferocious suspense gives "Keep Lying" urgency, as Missal sounds out the blues with raw heat. Donna just announced a show for Communion Music on February 2nd at Rockwood Music Hall – if soul is your thing, do not miss, there is obviously a lot of potential here. – Zach Weg

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

Bookended by the guitar-strummed memory songs “Picking Up Speed” and “Cash” (about the titular musician and his brother) and including the drum-surged track “Not the Books to Read” (streaming below), ‘Deep Peace of the Singing Earth’ by Providence rock quartet The Attending is a piercingly moving album. As The Antlers did on ‘Hospice,’ The Attending bravely unburies pain on this March-released effort but also allows for a catharsis that perhaps only music can provide. The Attending plays at The Met in Providence on January 8th. – Zach Weg

This past October, Hartford improv jam rock quartet Mclovins released its breezily warm self-titled album. Purveying such guitar-zipped songs as “Talk About It” and “Regulars” (streaming below), the 2008-formed band pleasantly recalls such beloved jammers as Phish–lead singer Jake Huffman does even sound a bit like Phish’s Trey Anastasio–on this release while compelling the listener with its tales of young love and summery fun. McLovins plays Grizzly’s in Stratton, Vermont on January 9th. – Zach Weg

This past August, Connecticut fuzz-pop quartet Furnsss shared ‘New Moves,’ its bruised yet romantic latest effort. Comprised of such guitar-grained songs as "Jansport" and "Slow Dark Water" (streaming below), the brisk release radiates with longing for love and inner peace while admirably accepting current duress and frustration. Angst does seem to be a preoccupation of Furnsss (who previously released their full-length, ‘Silent Gold,’ last year) but, with their welcoming aura, a sense of ease prevails. While the band doesn’t currently have forthcoming shows listed, keep posted on their Facebook page. –  Zach Weg

Just a month ago, Boston “sad math” trio Du Vide released its ferociously minimal latest effort, ‘clutter.’ Comprised of such genre-melding tracks as the jazz-bedroom pop blend, “the hell it is” and the folk-inflected “a sharp inhale” (streaming below), the intriguingly murky piece shows Du Vide to be a group who, as Youth Lagoon did on his brilliant debut, ‘The Year of Hibernation,’ conveys inner ennui with compassionate force. Du Vide plays Middle East-Upstairs in Cambridge, Massachussetts on Tuesday, 12/22. – Zach Weg

Although released back in 2010, Brooklyn trio Corporal’s self-titled album still intrigues with its smooth aggression. Fronted by the deeply talented actor Michael Shannon, Corporal gracefully melds the genres of rock, folk, and Americana on the 10-song effort, recalling other bands while still sounding fresh. From the propulsive, Heatmiser-like “Glory” (streaming) to the tumbling, Tom Waits-esque “Let Me Eat It,” Corporal is both proof of Shannon’s several talents and an elegantly compelling re-discovery. The band plays Baby’s All Right on Saturday (12/19). – Zach Weg

As heard in the songs “How to Stop” and “Waste Time” (streaming below), Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Hannah Sumner’s November-released effort, ‘To the Almost,’ is stubbornly beautiful. Impressive in its graceful gathering of folk, minimilasim, and pop, these drum-based tracks ferociously blast the soul’s inner blues while providing uplift in their very passion. The elegance of such contemporary acts as Doe Paoro and Dirty Projectors may be an influence on Sumner but her ability to update Fleetwood Mac’s wildness is possibly more remarkable. While Hannah Sumner does’t currently have forthcoming shows listed, keep posted on her Facebook page. – Zach Weg 

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

As heard in the songs "Sometimes My Wine Becomes My Lover" (streaming below) and "St. John’s Cemetery," Worchester, Massachussetts-based psych-rock quartet Secret Lover released its deliriously joyful self-titled album this past September. The tremulousness of such classic ’60s tracks as Jefferson Airplane’s "White Rabbit" is palpable on these fuzzy guitar cuts but, largely due to the macarbe yet fun lyrics ("In the prison of passion’s ancient vision,/Sometimes my wine becomes my lover”), they transcend homage to become markedly vivid. Secret Lover plays at Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachussets on Sunday (12/13). – Zach Weg 

This past August, Providence synth-pop trio Triangle Forest shared "Pluto" (streaming below), an aptly-titled song of outer space solitude. Listening to the drum-hopped track, one may hear the forlorn jumpiness of such ’80s hits as The Human League’s "Don’t You Want Me?" but it has an underlying poignancy that still resonates in the 2010s. As the chorus of “Pluto” goes, "All this time,/We’ve been out in this cold," but the frigidness of the titular planet can be made warm. Triangle Forest plays AS220 in Providence, Rhode Island on 12/19. – Zach Weg

Just yesterday, Somerville, Massachussetts alt-folk act Minor Moon released its rather sublime debut full-length, ‘A Whisper, A Shout.’ As heard on the guitar-curled second track "Futon" and in the plaintive drum clasps of later song "Wild" (streaming below), this album revels in an affecting combination of masterfully refined instrumentation and bold emotional depth. Project mastermind, Sam Cantor, does, in fact, bare his feelings on the latter song, expressing inner struggles as he searches for a potentially transcendant peace. Minor Moon will have an album release show on Saturday (12/12) at Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachussetts. – Zach Weg