Nashville-via-Michigan performer D.L. Rossi is of the rare breed of songwriters that channels raw, unadulterated heartache through his music without eliciting any sort of pity or over-sentimentality. His 2015 release The Apartment EP catalogues a painful 2-year long marriage that ultimately ended in divorce, and he tells this story through gentle and honest lyricism. He is currently in the process of recording and releasing a follow-up EP called Crooked Love Vol. 1 & 2, a project that already has one released single: “First Time Around” (streaming below). This track offers more of the same subtle folk of his older releases. D.L. Rossi will be performing next at The Basement on September 6th at 9 pm. – Lilly Milman, photograph by Laura E. Partain

Watching LAPêCHE’s video for “Breaking Parts” (streaming below) is like traveling back in time to when there were still music videos on MTV and the lines between alt rock and mainstream were much more blurred. The single is a catchy chorus-driven ’90s flashback complete with intricate guitar lines, tight drums, and the slightly melancholic vocals of front-woman Krista Holly Diem (who is married to the bassist, Dave Diem, a last name to be… carped!) The Brooklyn four-piece is getting ready to play their record release show at the Footlight on September 8th. – Lilly Milman

When singer-songwriter Francesca Milazzo started her music career, she was leaving everything behind; she dropped out of college and abandoned a potential ROTC scholarship to begin writing and recording. Her sultry brand of blue-eyed soul draws inspiration from classic R&B and blues music, and finds its home comfortably in New York City, despite Southern musical influences. Her single “Little Boy” (streaming below) is just one example of this cool but classic folksy style. Catch her performing at the Rockwood Music Hall at Communion NYC on Stage 1 on September 5th. – Lilly Milman

For a band with only five released tracks, New York’s Obliques have certainly discovered a definitive sound. The genre-bending, groovy, alternative-pop takes cues from popular 80’s sophisti-pop, without getting overly saturated in nostalgia. Their newest track, “Are You Still Mine?” (streaming below), is a crescendo of supple harmonies, funky synth beats, and catchy, repetitive lyrics. The single is influenced by all of the best parts of the 80s, but there is one major difference between the two—Obliques exercise a restraint in their songwriting that strips it down from all the grandiose cheesiness that far too many 80s bands fell victim to. You can find Obliques playing their next live show at Baby’s All Right on September 5th at 8 pm. –Lilly Milman 

It’s hard to take your eyes off Sean McVerry’s new video for the track “Natalie” (streaming below)—but he can’t take his eyes off you, either. The singer maintains steady, deliberate eye contact with the viewer throughout the entire video. He doesn’t break the fourth wall; it just doesn’t exist. Between constant camera movement, sweeping color overlays, glitch effects, and sets, this video ushers the viewer into a space of alternate reality, all to the tune of McVerry’s unique, soulful voice, and a top notch semi-electronic production vaguely reminiscent of the glorious days of Peter Gabriel’s ‘So.’ Watch the premiere of the video below, and don’t miss his Sofar Sounds performance on September 20th. – Lilly Milman 

¡Luchadora! is the female-fronted grunge duo from Nashville you didn’t know you were waiting for. Their self-titled debut EP is a nod towards classic garage outfits, with just a little bit of country twang mixed in for good measure. The opening track “Fish” (streaming below) is an electrifying introduction to a punchy project that is filled with uncompromising vocals, crunchy guitars, dynamic arrangements, and tight percussion. The songwriting is intricate, while the performance is emotional—the best of both worlds. Catch their next live show on September 1st at 8 pm at The Basement. – Lilly Milman 

For Nashville-based four-piece The Middle Ground, holding back is not an option. Their 2016 LP Start Again is filled with anthemic, chorus-driven explosions of energy, like “The Edge” (streaming below) and “Lake Michigan,” among others. Their sound is like a cross between Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons, and something else that’s entirely their own (maybe it’s just something in the water in Music City.) They are currently in the middle of a long summer tour, with upcoming stops in NYC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and more. – Lilly Milman 

Lily Konigsberg (Palberta) and Andréa Schiavelli (Eyes of Love) have combined their respective songwriting skills on an upcoming release, Good Time Now, which is neither a conventional collaboration nor a split. Instead, Konigsberg and Schiavelli independently recorded their own songs while across the country from each other. The result is a compelling showcase of two very different songwriters’ interpretations of pop music. On their first joint single release (streaming), Konigsberg’s "Good Time" and Schiavelli’s "New Age Old Home" offer two notably different styles of songwriting that honor pop music’s golden rules of memorability and brevity. "Good Time" is a short, baroque-pop composition with elements of Frankie Cosmos and Sufjan Stevens, while "New Age Old Home" is a nod to Talking Heads and Joy Division, with its combination of the sardonic and the dull ache of quiet longing. The full album in is out on Bandcamp and available for digital pre-order via Ramp Local. – Ethan Ames

Jake Wesley Rogers‘ name may sound familiar for fans of America’s Got Talent; the singer, who was only 15 at the time, appeared on the seventh season of the show and was a crowd favorite despite getting eliminated in the quarterfinals. Now he’s back, five years later, serving up his infectious blend of pop and blue-eyed soul to anyone who will listen. His debut EP called Evergreen was released in June, and it’s clear that he has seriously honed in on his strengths since his reality tv appearance. His next live show will be at The Basement on August 28th, alongside Bre Kennedy and Hadley Kennary. – Lilly Milman 


Watch the music video for “The Ghost In You” streaming below.

Warning: the new single “Happy or Sad” (streaming below) by the Brooklyn trio Dead Stars might become your new slacking song of the late summer of 2017 – yes because late summers are the perfect time for slacking. Taking inspiration from classic ’90s outfits like Dinosaur Jr. and even Nirvana, the band integrates that distorted, loud-quiet-loud sound with pop-influenced, melody-driven choruses, creating self-deprecating songs you can dance to. The chorus of the single is infectious, as Jeff Moore sings “I know it’s really a drag, that I’m neither happy or sad” over completely fuzzed-out guitars. The song is an anthem for the ordinary—one that would even make Weezer proud. The band will be celebrate the release of their new full album Perfect Patterns at Sunnyvale on September 1st. – Lilly Milman

The new minimalistic video for “If I Lied” (streaming below) by singer-songwriter Los Angeles Police Department (aka Ryan Pollie) is cute, quirky, and makes the most of the little things in life (like watching the National Dog Show, or a great late show special) to tell a story about the bridge between reality and imagination. Pollie’s vocals carry the listener through a dreamy, melodic track that is both breezy and driven. Los Angeles Police Department will be playing his next show on September 8th at the Constellation Room, and then following up with a residency at Bootleg that begins on November 6th. – Lilly Milman

On August 26th, the artist-run venue National Sawdust in Brooklyn will be hosting the 18th installment of the monthly Revolution series—an event dedicated to fostering community by showcasing local performers from Brooklyn and Harlem. The three artists chosen to represent their respective genres this month are Valerie Orth, The Odd Hawk Orchestra, and Khemestry and The Harlem Society.

Headlining the event will be Harlem-via-Washington D.C. trumpeter Khemestry and his side project The Harlem Society, of which he is the bandleader. The Brooklyn 9 piece band The Odd Hawk Orchestra, led by Jacques Boudreau, will also be performing, bringing together international musicians to create music you can dance to. Producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Valerie Orth will provide a change of pace with her unique brand of feminist-influenced alt-pop. – Lilly Milman