Carey Ott & The Hard Ways’ "Sittin’ On Top" from the band’s new EP Scratcher is a song that evokes all kinds of pleasant imagery- an arm around a lover, the beginnings of a sunset, a smooth cup of black coffee… whatever makes you think of an easy-going Sunday. A group-vocal chorus and punchy rhythm section are some highlights in this song. "Sittin’ On Top" isn’t a tune you’ll want to listen to on the couch, rather, it’ll have you dancing in your living room. –Geena Kloeppel

 Get ready for some of the most savage lyrics of the summer: "When the bathroom drugs run out, and the barkeep’s taking up her count / And you find yourself alone, with the strangers in your phone /  Are you happy now? I have my doubts." Jet Setting is a hard-rock band that isn’t afraid to tell it like it is- which means, they’re ready to expose the shady exes that need to be exposed. "Less Than Nothing" is a pretty harsh song title, and the distorted electric guitars, heavy bass sound and crunchy drums are in full support of that grim tone. Singer Logan Coats’ vocals are spitting and spiteful, just the way you’d sound if someone had betrayed you. Jet Setting nailed the subject matter with the most savage sonic wall of thrashing rock that you always wanted. –Geena Kloeppel

"On the night of the election, I put my daughter to bed and I walked in to find my pregnant wife. We sat together and cried. We thought, ‘We’d better sleep, because tomorrow the real work begins." Bill Eberle’s statement describing his upcoming record Soft Light (9/18) is a sentiment that rings true for many. "Soft" is strangely soothing- not quite the way you’d imagine a protest song to sound. Eberle seems to find solace in the fragility of the world and asserts the healing power of music during darker times. The abstract, old-timey music video highlights the spacey, open-ended textures of the song, taking the fragmented state of the world and turning it into a visual. Bill Eberle plays the Cobra on 8/12. –Geena Kloeppel

 You guessed it- "Natalie Cole" is partially about the death of singer and actress Natalie Cole (yep, that’s Nat King Cole’s daughter.) Indie folk rockers Forlorn Strangers have built a funky, folksy arrangement (featuring a mellotron?) around what could be a pretty dark song. "I don’t wanna feel this anymore / all the things I ever loved before / are slipping through my hands" is a relatable lyric in the singable, hooky chorus. But even the most existential lyrics are paired with bright melodies and warm chord progressions. -Geena Kloeppel

 "My hometown is losing pride / there’s some folks ’round here tryna skin it alive" sings Emily Kohavi of Wildeyes on the band’s new single "Tennessee Is Alive." But the song doesn’t sound like an accusation. There’s a sweetness to it, perhaps a subtle challenge- for said "folks" to try harder to be better. All that aside, the Americana arrangement of the song is full of beautiful, genre-specific moments: the words where Kohavi’s drawl rings through, the groove of the bass, the band’s wall of harmonies, a fiddle solo… "Tennessee Is Alive" is truly gorgeous. The band’s next show is at the Station in Louisville on 7.27. –Geena Kloeppel

David Smalt’s vocal timbre alone is so enchanting, with a stunning mixture of grit and tenderness, that I had a hard time paying attention to the words he was actually singing the first time listening to "Grand Theft Cosmos." Then I listened again, and still found myself entranced by Smalt’s voice. He could sing the phonebook and it would sound good. Without giving too much away about the song (you should really just listen), the lyric "Since you stopped by, star-bright / I am frozen sunshine" absolutely took the air out of my body. Though it’s hard to pinpoint where exactly the sound of "Grand Theft Cosmos" evolved from, it’s reminiscent of Bon Iver, Bob Dylan and James Taylor- there’s a great guitar line, a sweet piano thrown in toward the end, simple percussion. David Smalt’s new record Fragile Magick is out 9/7. I can’t wait. –Geena Kloeppel

 "Do you remember when we traded double dutch for pearls / started straightening our curls just to look like all the other girls?" If there are two things Kaycie Satterfield knows how to do, it’s how to tell a story, and how to harmonize. "Paper Cranes," the soulful singer-songwriter’s newest single is a whimsical ode to girlhood, carefree summers and most importantly, friendship. The song sounds downright pleasant– Satterfield’s voice sits atop a beautifully jazzy soundscape of groovy guitars/bass and finger snaps and the chorus of harmonies sounds almost angelic. The Nashville artist will be playing at PIANOS in New York on 9/1. –Geena Kloeppel

 "I’m paralyzed by the thought of you just passing by…" Freddy and Francine put into song that wonderful feeling of the early days of being completely in awe of another person. "Half A Mind," the duo’s latest single is a soulful, rhythmic, twang-infused love tune. Perhaps the best part of the song is its slow build, beginning with a bass line and vocals, then adding percussive textures and layering on the harmonies like layering a decadent chocolate cake with frosting. But when it really comes down to it, the song is sparse and restrained in all the right places- it could build into something like a full-band/drum kit throw-down, but it doesn’t. Perhaps the arrangement is a metaphor for those early days of a love that isn’t quite reciprocated yet. If "Half A Mind" doesn’t convince the other party to take the leap, then I’m not sure what will. –Geena Kloeppel

 If you’ve been listening to Sylvan Esso lately, or perhaps Oh Wonder, or you just really like electronic music with thoughtful, evocative lyrics, you should be listening to You Drive’s first single called "New." Beware- on first glance, "New" is disguised by its simplicity. But if you take apart each synth, each hit on the driving rhythm, and really listen to what singer Jasmine Kaset is trying to say, there’s a depth and complexity that feels unparalleled in today’s electronic music scene. You Drive’s album is out August 3rd, and we’ll be listening to all of it with the same devotion as "New." –Geena Kloeppel

 If you don’t shed a tear (internally or externally) listening to Maybe April’s "You Were My Young," you’ve probably not had a high school romance. Nonetheless, this song is a gorgeous, melodic swan-song for a teenage romance that anyone can enjoy. Honeyed nostalgic imagery are no doubt this band’s strong suit. Kristen, Katy and Alaina’s voices blend together creating a lovely anchor for the song atop a rhythmic acoustic guitar and drum country arrangement. The video, albeit a bit cheesy, makes me wish I were young and in love again. Be sure to check out the band on tour this summer. -Geena Kloeppel 

 Nikki’s Wives’ new EP Motor Court is actually so savage you might have to stop to catch your breath. In a good way. "Stop giving ultimatums if you trust me" and "too close, Romeo" are some of the very clever, tongue-in-cheek lyrics from their song "Breaking Up." The arrangement is the ultimate anthemic rock middle-finger to whomever hurt frontwoman Nikki- let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be that guy. But Nikki (and her band) won’t let any boys bring them down, so if you’re feeling a little hurt by an SO in your life, be sure to listen to this EP. You won’t feel bad for long. Nikki’s Wives plays High Watt on 7/26. –Geena Kloeppel

 "Good Girl" sounds like a song that’s about to explode. The chorus builds with a pulsing eighth-note stomp-y kick-drum and a hefty load of guitars mimicking that same rhythm. It sounds a bit like sneaking out of the house on a summer night, driving a getaway car to the outskirts of town with that person your parents told you to stop seeing. Cave Mode Shake are able to keep you interested and on the edge of your seat for a full four minutes, even with a sparsity of lyrics and tangible melodies. The band has inserted a certain urgency into a genre that sometimes feels generic and is produces bands that sound like they’re trying too hard. While the title of the song feels a bit outworn, "Good Girl" actually has a giddy effortlessness to it, like a ticking time bomb ready to burst. –Geena Kloeppel