Sending us to a much-needed weekend, Boston’s Bees Deluxe jams something sweet in the group’s new single “Nitro” featuring the chops of drummer, producer, composer Poogie Bell who keeps a delicious groove going. “Nitro” features bluesy guitar licks and smooth vocals that soothe and mesmerize, something like sparkly spilled honey. The track has a fun Southern feel to it: a relaxed summer single that whisks us away to a place of comfort, maybe somewhere where we can dance alone. Is the world a better place with music in it? When you listen to “Nitro,” it sure seems that way; stream the new single below for a better weekend. – Rene Cobar

To say 2020 feels like a glitch in the system would not be a stretch of the imagination: it has all the qualities of disruption indeed. Golden Rose Boy, a chiptune artist from Manchester, NH, gets the tone just right in his May release Floppy Disk which takes the synth-arcade sounds we recognize and morphs them into something sinister and entertaining at once. Tracks like “Lofi Music To Die To – Rest” have a cold ambiance to them, robotic, yes, but also very much grounded in a dark type of biological-sounding atmosphere. “A Summoning – The Inevitable” feels like the anthem to the marching parade of your nightmares, it swells and growls in a manner that excites the imagination. Overall the short entry is something bizarre and welcomed, all at once, it fits the mood of the year; Stream “Golden Rose Boy – Victory Lap” below for something outside your comfort zone. – Rene Cobar

If you need a breather from the tension of 2020 that seems to not let up, we got New Haven’s John Spignesi Band to help you relax for a while with a new EP titled three.. John Spignesi, the talented guitarist and vocalist of the band, has assembled a group of gents that know how to jam, sticky-good: Chris Mitchell provides the ambient keys in each track, Matt Alling some lightning-fast drum fills in “For you” and new bassist Joe Jeffery a growling bass intro in “The Bottom Line.” John Spignesi leads the way, in the way a jam band leader should, with a sense of fun above seriousness in performance, pressing importance in instrumental execution. In soulful rock tracks like “Make It Count,” it is easy to imagine a world connected, in the enjoyment of kind spirits and good stories. For the open road or the afternoon at home, there is three. streaming below. – Rene Cobar, photo by Isa Rose 

Diversity above all else, production and delivery excellent—that is the motto of Salem, Massachusetts’ Big Finny, and it shows in his new collaborative single “Back in The Woods.” The new 3LTHEGOD x Ran-produced song has Finny’s addictive brand of melody stamped on it, accompanied by a flow for flow performance with Boston area rappers Tyre$$e X, Genuine and Jdot. Arpeggiating piano notes chart the path for each of the artists to tactically deploy their pressing thoughts, stinging and reminding the listener, in rhythm, that New England can be a hot spot for the genre too. Genuine’s Spanish verse adds to the trap beat a hint of reggaeton’s hot commodities; each rapper takes its time on the mic, heating up and transferring that energy to the next performer with fierce intent. “Back in The Woods” is a power move and paid tribute to the New England rap community, performed by a group of young artists on the rise; we are thrilled to premiere “Back in The Woods” below for you. – Rene Cobar

Kerrin Connolly gives us something sweet to chew on, something excitable to muse over with the release of her fun indie-rock record Almost. The new compilation of tracks by this talented Weymouth, Massachusetts resident is a blast from start to finish: tracks like “It’s a Conspiracy,” and “Planesong” blend ukulele strings with slightly overdriven electric guitar riffs and bop-pop drums for a chill type of entertainment. “Contagious”  is true to its namesake: funny, catchy, and almost theatrical in its presentation. The title track features a groovy bassline, slow dance-inducing, and Connolly’s impressive vocal elevations reaching falsettos that soothe ears with their lovely warmth. “Thanks for Playing” is intimate and honest, like the whole record, and that is the charm that Connolly can’t separate from—thank goodness for that. Stream “Contagious” below for a style you won’t soon forget, for an artist destined to be a part of your playlist. – Rene Cobar

This past April, Boston’s Woundikin released a gritty folk single that seems to float, smoky and soothing even. “So It Goes” lets its acoustic guitar arpeggios fly, and the lead vocals linger to form a melody that comes from reflection, understanding, and acceptance for the unknown things of this world, as beautiful as they can be. Woundikin, like many of us, is making the best of his time in quarantine and so we have this gift for the weekend ahead. Check out Woundikin’s Tiny Desk Contest 2020 performance of the song streaming below. – Rene Cobar

BOOM! POW! KABAM! That is how the music of Hartford’s Aunts cracks, and more so in their latest record The Last Great Place. “Open Space” erupts in such fashion that nothing is missing: from the revved-up electric guitars to the classic pop-punk screams that move in unison with the powerful rhythms of the track, all exists vivid as can be. “Canon” brews for a while, very hot and all, as it eventually pours out a furious drum pace sizzling. “Zihuatanejo,” an ode to the band’s last EP, lets the softer side of pop-punk show with sweet hooks that beg you join in. Overall the record is a refreshing listen for all who love this brand of alt-rock worth discovering time and time again; stream “Canon” below for a punchy good time. – Rene Cobar

Alternative hip-hop has always been the main artery supplying the life of mainstream rap trends. So, if you are to look into the future, you may wish to appreciate Boston/NH rap group Pomagranite whose new record Supply has something refreshing and addicting in each track. The use of smooth-sinister electric guitar riffs in tracks like “Too Much” and “Linens” draw attention to pulsing drums and festive flows that combine bravado with street class. “Look at You” leans on R&B, but its cool hip-hop retains its grit and danger, using the collective performance as an unpredictable variable hard to resist. Pomagranite has a record to be proud of and a piece of knowledge about where hip-hop is going: the collective, and the experimental. – Rene Cobar

Some tracks just cannot be denied, and that is the case with Mike Dubb’s latest effort “Regular.” The new song, and accompanying visual, are wacky-good with a beat that is hard to resist and anime-style graphics that take the Boston-based artist from our reality into his own. It is in the fierce verses of the song where Dubb’s skill is showcased, flowing with a combination of fun and fury that is contagious as can be. “Regular” is short and sweet; the song makes a hard statement that this is a dude you want to keep an eye on. Stream “Regular” below for an unexpected but sick weekend firestarter, it will carry you through. – Rene Cobar 

Emo music seems a rarity in the days of overproduced dream-pop hits, and so an EP like Sprues & Runners’ Trips To The Caribbean takes on the form of a treasure chest found in a cove breezy with 2003 winds. The furious pace of “Red Teeth,” with its serrated screams and eruptive drums, comes after a curious serenity where surf-rock influences sway you gently, and then ultimately swing you violently. “The Opening” lets the instruments fly, and embraces that thin film of garage comradery that also propelled emo to the top of the charts oh not so long ago. There is no doubt that there are still treasures to be found out there in the sonic isles of the modern world, here is one that Providence’s Sprues & Runners are offering a clear map to. Listen to the euphoric breakdown in “Cactus” streaming below. – Rene Cobar

Nothing stirs emotion quite like a serene country twang paired with honeyed vocals, both telling a story of gratitude and love, that is exactly what Liz Bills’ “Mama’s Song” does, and it does it so well. In the new music video for the song, photographs of families, and of course of mothers flash across as Liz contemplates through music and lyric the importance of being grateful for the sacrifices mothers make; those very sacrifices make tributes all the more necessary. Released yesterday to commemorate Mother’s Day, the brand new song is a message that hits home. Haverhill’s Liz Bills keeps things simple with delicate guitar string plucks and a vocal melody that is quite smile-inducing, quite fitting for a story to relate to. Stream “Mama’s Song” below for a good start to the week. – Rene Cobar, photo by Carissa Johnson

Like a cup of black coffee, New Hampshire’s Zero Front keeps things quite simple but oh so good. In his new EP, Static Faces, the singer/songwriter/loop perfectionist mixes clean electric guitar strums with modernist sound loops that create an environment fit for both an existential contemplation or escapism rejecting the former idea. “Cold Coffee” is groovy, with sustained sounds like robots conversing. Where “Vanity Plates” is as serene as a walk among a familiar place, “Sea of Tranquility (The Moon Song)” is the wrong turn that ends up being not the wrong turn, almost psychedelic in its slow nature. Zero Front has created a piece of work that feels like it was meant to belong only to him but has accidentally become something for all to enjoy and understand. Stream “Cold Coffee” for a simplicity that just feels and sounds like what you need this weekend. – Rene Cobar, photo by Ryan Burnham