Waterford, Connecticut’s Anna May, takes her time, she allows the full sonic embrace of her new record I’m still thinking of you to grip, to heal. “I believed” is the long track that welcomes you to a world formed by Anna’s light acoustic guitar strums, rich vocals, and heartfelt, succinct lyrics. Tracks like “Velvet and gold,” tell through upbeat folk music stories of people you may want to know, precious individuals, as precious as they are described. “Where I belong” is the type of country-style song that is as sincere in its storytelling as it is pleasant in sound. There is a soothing nature that exists in the picturesque tales Anna presents; in times of uncertainty, music, and tales are exactly what we need. Stream the title track below for a glance at the imagery the music elicits. – Rene Cobar

Boston’s Alex and the People are grooving their way toward the light at the end of the tunnel, loud as can be. The group has a dual single release that is one side dance-crazed rock ‘n’ roll and one side folk acoustic serenity. One could say the music provides a much-needed duality for the varying mood shifts we face these days. “Waitin’ for My Train to Come” is short and sincere, revealing in each lyric patience and acceptance that only wisdom grants. “Broken Elevator” is a heightened song, laced with funky electric guitar riffs and even funkier rhythms. The song is an anthem for whatever you want to relate it to, with slick solos for your imagination. The release, begs you to choose your current mood, for us, it is “Broken Elevator” streaming below. – Rene Cobar

For the bad news, some good music is in order. Cap’n Marble’s new record Come 2 California is an easy-listening psych-pop experience lightly sprayed with surf rock for an exquisite mixture of sounds. The opening title track whisks you away to your place of comfort; the music is a little hot and humid with its lingering harmonies and semi-spooky synths that contrast sparkly acoustic guitar embellishments. “In Too Deep” boasts an irresistible bassline, for your most exciting fantasies while “When the Sun” has a rhythm that is sultry and vocals like a cool breeze you can feel brush over your senses. We dare say that “Evermore” has an alluring, start-of-evening feel to it that fits as a finale to an album tailored for your worst and best days. Stream the title track from this Boston duo below for a hint of clarity from the confusion that saturates the air. – Rene Cobar

Rhode Island may be small, but it is big with talent, and that is evident in artists such as Austin Bullock, who detonates inside your speakers with sick bravado. The Providence resident recently released Wasted 8, an album that pays tribute to garage rock and all its gritty complexities and simplicities. Tracks like “Don’t Be Like That” are easy-going in the verses, featuring cheery acoustic guitar strums that slowly disappear into the distortion that permeates the choruses. “Halo” features a slow-slithering bassline underneath hot vocals and psych-tinged ambiances that anesthetize away worries. “Not for Sale” accelerates into a beautiful mix of ‘70s punk and early ‘00s revival: past meets present and it rocks. The record has fight in it and that we need right now indeed; stream “Not for Sale” below for a trip well worth the time. – Rene Cobar

We all need to disconnect a bit these days, and with some extra time on our hands, we can do just that. Manchester, NH resident, and prolific guitarist, Scott Geraci offers us just that in his latest record, Wander. The nearly 100-minute album is a sonic spiral staircase that one can ascend or descend in solitude or fellowship, each track glistening with worldly acoustic guitar compositions. The influences range from Spanish in ”Solitary” to tribal in “Sun Lover,” and each is brilliantly layered so that the experience is satisfyingly transportive. Geraci is timely in his delivery of a record that demands you nix crude noise and surrender to something far more sophisticated. Stream the peaceful track “Abundance” below for your racing thoughts. – Rene Cobar

Welcome to Muse of Fire, Act 1, the first installment of Connecticut group Farmertan’s latest album. This first entry is charged-up and bursting at its seams with gritty tunes, dirty, so easy to enjoy. “Automation” contrasts crisp-clean electric guitar riffs ascending against a sonic canvas of energizing distortion. “Mud Season” showcases vocals that have more than a tinge of spice, a type of been-there-done-that attitude that fits with the fortitude of the music. The drums on the track erupt, lead, and accompany the song’s guitar solo to its summit. “Sleepwalker” keeps the intensity going and leans a bit indie with its reverb-heavy chorus lines and rich bass subtleties. This is a modern rock ‘n’ roll record at its purest, introduced by a group of gents always prepared for the long haul. Stream “Mud Season” below and stay tuned for the next act from these CT artists. – Rene Cobar

Connecticut never stops surprising with its immense pool of talent, musicians of all genres, ever-growing. Paul Michael is swimming in that pool, and boy does he set himself apart with a delicious brand of EDM that is mint-modern and scented with touches of the French invasion of DJs that included David Guetta and Bob Sinclar. In his record Pain & Love, Michael showcases tracks like “Real Fantasy,” which are sensuous, silky, and powered by heartbeat-like rhythms to close your eyes to and surrender. Tributes are alive and well in songs like “Keep” whose synths peacock the pseudo-futurism of the ‘80s. “Some Things You Cannot Hide” has hints of pop, sticky-good, and very 2020. The record is an escape route that beckons; stream “Let Go of Me” below for a taste of something uplifting. – Rene Cobar

Anxiety is normal during uncertain times, but the remembrance of one’s blessings like family, a home, and humanity united should always triumph over fear. As we sit and reflect, thoughts may feel like thunder rumbling in a storm of maddening, pouring news; on the other side of the tempest is a better tomorrow still and good music to enjoy. Searching the endless talent pool of New England, we stumbled upon an October single that feels like it fits the mood. Pattern Addict, from Vermont, embraces the highs and lows of life, and well highlights them, in its single “One Eye Open” which alternates from serene verses to furious choruses comprised of tough acoustic guitar riffs, swift keys, sharp drum snaps, and a sweet arpeggiating bass. The song’s final minute is an instrumental treat that is both bluesy and indie, perfect for a much-needed escape. Not much more to say these days: stream the single below and hang in there, folks. – Rene Cobar

Strange times, folks. For those of us who are finding time at home a bit of a blur, there is always music to liven things up. Boston’s Yavin provides a refreshing hit of electro-pop to romp in earnest. “Bitter” has all the sheen of sweet modernism: richly-layered hooks, a thumping bassline, and a much-desired summer evening vibe that feels so not far away. The young artist’s entire aesthetic is fit for the chaos and beauty of these present-day junctures; one can expect Yavin to become a talking point of the year, his single is just an intoxicatingly melancholic announcement too upbeat not to let loose to. Stream Yavin’s latest single below and stay healthy, New England. – Rene Cobar, photo by Eric Magnussen

The man, the traveler, the folk singer-songwriter you got to check out is Chance Emerson. Shifting his time from Concord, NH to Hong Kong to Providence, RI, and beyond this artist has crafted a sonic journal of his travels titled The Raspberry Men, and wow does it tell a story. The new record has a worldly feel from the start as “How Can I” showcases toxic rhythms often found in Africa and some parts of Latin America; Emerson’s rich choruses are grandiose and provocative. Songs like “Annabelle” are rooted in modern melancholy: the feeling of missing someone real among the many faces in our various phone apps. “Coming to Japan” is an atmospheric tour of Emerson’s experience abroad as well as a confession, as he says, “No, I’m not from anywhere, I’m a nowhere man at heart.” Each song is a fantastic chapter in the life of an artist that dares to see the world for what it is, and he for what he could be in it. Stream the laid-back and oh-so-honest track “It Won’t Be Pretty” below for the midweek vibe you deserve. – Rene Cobar

Boston’s Vundabar is set to release Either Light on March 13th and how excellent it promises to be. That promise exists in the deliciously retro indie-pop track “Burned Off,” which takes the listener on a speedy sonic roller coaster that cascades past a pulsating bassline, a crisp drum pattern, candy-sweet vocals, oh and guitar riffs so 2003. Brandon Hagen, Drew McDonald and Zackery Abramo continue this project that is quickly escaping our stratosphere on here as the group is touring the country throughout the spring with a show on April 24th at Paradise Rock Club for our New England folks. If the new record has more of the exquisite falsettos, and atmospheric breaks, featured in the single streaming below then wonderful it will be. – Rene Cobar

Last November, a Boston collective called The Shallows released a shoegaze treat quite transportive. Arsonist is all that is good about the ethereal genre, why with tracks like “Beginners,” whose guitar chords linger splendidly, elegant vocals enchant, and reliable rhythms impress, there is little not to enjoy. The overdriven bass that leads the title track adds a rock edge to the floating arpeggios that explode into tough fuzz-rich strums in the choruses. “Glacial Lakes” pays homage to the genre’s ‘80s U.K origins with its pure dream-pop elements while “Charmed” coasts to a soothing end somewhere far from where your emotions were before the start of the record. Stream the title track of this new EP below for a quicker way to get to your weekend. – Rene Cobar