When B.B. King passed in May of this year, guitars across the world wailed in tribute for weeks; many still do. Brooklyn rapper NOTAR, known to channel some blues into his swagger, has caught The King of The Blues’ spirit in his new album, ‘L.A.R.R.Y.’  Equal parts Kanye West and Citizen Cope, this album feels like NOTAR has finally reconciled an inner conundrum he’s been battling with for years. A concept album exploring a veteran’s return home from war, it is a deep and compelling work worthy of numerous close listenings. One of our favorite tracks, "Sacrifice ft. Adam Duritz," is streaming below. The King would approve. – BrokeMC

Country will meet city tonight when Virginia-based sextet Love Canon descends on Brooklyn Bowl for bluegrass renditions of ‘80s songs. The group has recently released its third album ‘Love Canon Greatest Hits III,’ which features covers of Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” and the Giorgio Moroder-composed “Danger Zone.” Also playing tonight is the Alex Borsody-fronted band Dancegrass with the Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter Seth Kessel, whose 2013 album with the Two Cent Band features such poignantly animated tracks as “Goodbye July” (streaming below). Next week will see more bluegrass as the Brooklyn-based Ryan Cavanaugh Band will play at Brooklyn Bowl on 9.6 as part of the venue’s Bluegrass Brunch series. – Zach Weg 

What band is “Like the Beatles on Nyquil,” inspired by Natalie Merchant, and sounds like a mix between Smog and Sun Kil Moon with a country twang? You probably didn’t guess Finchler, but that’s who we are thinking of. Since 2005, the band, which has produced a plethora of music in its time, hasn’t released anything since their 2012 album, Hair Gimmicks of Apathy. We can only hope that new music will soon be arriving. Finchler are pros at the anti-folk, self-deprecating, talkative lyric game. We find it endearing. Check out their song “Freaky Painting” below, and go see them live at Cake Shop on August 31. – Lauren Schechter

Brooklyn vocal marvel Jonathan Hoard conjures power from the depth of soul seldom explored on his new song, "Tidal Wave feat. Rabbi Darkside" (streaming below). With a powerful yet smooth voice somewhere between Stevie Wonder and Beyonce, the singer/songwriter/arranger has the acumen to match the energy of any track he tackles. As his harmonies swirl and pulse, it’s easy to get lost in the wave’s giant blue heart. Known to many from his accompaniment with the New York jam session known as The Lesson (led by the band Gentei Kaijo), Hoard smashes with his solo work. “Tidal Wave” also includes a ferocious verse from hip-hop ambassador Rabbi Darkside. Brace yourself. Jonathan Hoard performs tomorrow (8.28) at The Brooklyn Bowl as part of The Lesson. – BrokeMC

Back in May 2013, Brooklyn singer/songwriter Janet LaBelle released “Wide Awake Dreaming” (streaming below), a wistful piano track that Brian Wilson would approve of. Capturing a forlorn lover’s sleepless night with imaginative lyrics such as “The world’s an empty cup,” the song shows the merry LaBelle of “Just a Little Rain” or “You Don’t Get It (So Forget It)” as a melancholic nightingale here to coddle us back to rest. Reportedly at work on a new release, Janet LaBelle performs at Mercury Lounge on Sunday (8.30). – Zach Weg

Caverns is a NYC-based indie-rock band whose latest EP, ‘Tonche,’ seamlessly blends elements of psych-rock, prog-rock, and a bit of pop into a replay-worthy debut. The influence of classic acts on the group is undeniable. The EP’s third track, "Count to Five" (streaming below), opens with a psychedelically dark guitar riff that would feel right at home on a Pink Floyd record, and yet there’s enough of their own fingerprints on the music that it has a unique sound. The rest of the EP follows a similar pattern, succesfully blending a modern indie-rock nature with psych-and-prog-rock qualities. Caverns has made quite an impact with its debut record. The opening track, "Ghosts," already has over 30,000 plays on Souncloud, just 3 months after the EP’s release. The band is currently working on new material and you can catch them live at Knitting Factory on September 10. – Patrick Wolff

Originally formed in Vermont, Alpenglow, the now Brooklyn-based band, is dropping its old “atmospheric folk” sound and exchanging it for one with more sonic vibes. This band is blasting off. Their latest EP, ‘Chapel,’ which still encompasses their old sound, can be defined as the word Alpenglow itself: “the rosy light of the setting or rising sun seen on high mountains.” Lead singer Graeme Daubert’s shifting vocals and unforeseen relatability manage to give listeners the sense that they are on one of those mountains. Recently, Alpenglow added some singles to their soundcloud that we recommend you listen to. "Dreaming Too Much" (streaming below), for instance, encompasses the space vibe they claim to be working towards. The band should be previewing some of their work at Rough Trade tonight, August 28th. – Lauren Schechter

SIRENS aka the "ghost pop" project begun by Brooklyn artist Paris Mancini is a dream vibrated to life through disembodied vocal harmonies and churning bass loops. As her voice swirls into the air, the audience is drawn toward her as if to a flurry of crystal balls, omens, fates, furies, and fragile promises. In the new video (streaming below) for the song “LA” from her forthcoming album ‘The Perfect Door,’ SIRENS strolls through a haunting realm of desert palaces, pyramids, and caverns. You might find your own dreams if you could only look away from hers. – BrokeMC

High school buddies turned New York rock trio Foxtrax zinged an electric bolt earlier this week with “Dark Of The Night” (streaming below), a single off their forthcoming debut EP ‘The Cabin.’ With its imagistic title and theme of longing, the track may seem to be something out of a blues songbook but the Long Island-hailing guys’ synth-lined sound is actually a compelling marriage between The Killers’ epic rock and Future Islands’ dark pop. For a band that formed only this year, Foxtrax snakes through genres and plays with a tightness that’s very impressive. Foxtrax will have an EP release show this Friday (8.28) at Mercury Lounge. – Zach Weg

 

Earlier this month, New York singer/songwriter Rachel Ana Dobken released “Ability to Memory” (streaming below), a movingly raw love song. Over elegantly chimerical guitar work that would make Andrés Segovia smile, the Bard College-educated musician tells of a broken romance with a novelist’s eye, subtly revealing the remnants of a once full love. Dobken’s voice is a lover’s, though, and she only mines heartbreak in order to illuminate its ultimately wondrous transience. Rachel Ana Dobken plays 10.17 at Leftfield. – Zach Weg

“Mike Comite is your Old Best Friend. He lives in Brooklyn. Come over and he’ll cook you a mediocre dinner sometime.” True words from the bandcamp page where the Brooklyn-based one-man band Old Best Friend’s music resides. Having released his first full-length album ‘Living Alone’ this past June, Old Best Friend seems to still be figuring out his style. His album is a tumultuous mix of loud-ringing punk rock splattered with some more delicate indie-folk. Like an old best friend, the album leaves us wanting one more second and then has us turning it down the next. Old Best Friend will be playing at Cake Shop Thursday, August 27th. Based on the exciting unpredictability of his music, it should be a show you won’t want to miss! Listen to one our favorite songs, “The Truth,” from his new album below.

There’s a certain light-heartedness to the experimental music of Brooklyn based indie-rockers The Roofer’s Union whose debut full-length album, ‘By Degrees,’ was released just last year. On the record, the group blends elements of psych-rock, surf rock, and, occasionally, hip-hop ("Godzilla Does Dallas") into 40 minutes of infectious indie rock that’s rife with sparkling synths, bright guitars, and eccentric lyrics. Their willingness to experiment with a variety of genre and instrumental combinations results in a unique sound and a solid debut that really sets them apart. "Man Kills God, Man Creates Dinosaur (streaming below)" is one of the stand-out tracks from the album, complete with catchy vocal and guitar melodies, synth hooks that fit just right, and a beat that’ll have you tapping your foot the whole way through. You can catch The Roofer’s Union on September 14 when they’ll be playing at Knitting Factory. Don’t miss out! – Patrick Wolff