If one were to describe a sound that is ABBA meets the Doors meets Freddie Mercury, you’d be left with… Creamer. Or, at least, Creamer’s new visual for their song "Drugs No More," which features a naked headless mannequin, the use of green screen, and frontman Philip Creamer in a mighty strange disco prince costume… and all this is set on a fake tv show. There’s plenty of room for missteps here, but the band’s new music video is honestly one of the most authentic visuals I’ve seen in quite a long time. The nostalgia is so palpable that it’s genuine, and Creamer’s passion and honesty shines through from start to finish. –Geena Kloeppel

 Okay, okay, perhaps the title of this post is a little bit clickbait-y, because making sense of words without a lyric sheet is tricky, but in my opinion, "Runaway" is definitely about unrequitted love. And it’s also definitely an indie rock anthem that everyone should be getting down to. "Runaway," Yearløve’s debut single, is fast-paced from the start- you’ve gotta applaud drummer Austin Way and vocalist/bassist Kenny Walker for two top-notch performances. "It’s 2am and I don’t know what else to do" is the last line of the song, and one of the most relatable. This is a song to blast at 2am, speeding down a deserted highway on a summer night, tears streaming down your face. –Geena Kloeppel

 When I first heard Ayanna Jahneé’s voice, I thought she must be at least 30 years old- the singer has already developed the confidence and self-assurance of an artist who has been singing for what sounds like eons at only 22. On "Mind Games," Jahneé flits between tempos like an agile cat dancing with a mouse, but slows down the pace and switches gears emotionally with her EP’s title track "Unfinished Business." Some artists can convey sadness extraordinarily well, others are more geared towards revenge songs and others sing great upbeat, happy tunes. But it is rare to find an artist that can so deftly tap into many different emotions and nail them all. We can’t wait to hear more from this artistic powerhouse. –Geena Kloeppel

 Umm, I need a second. Trey Hill’s voice just washed over me like warm milk and honey, and that’s not an easy feeling to recover from. The arrangement on "Fearless", mixing and all the performances on this song are downright breathtaking. Let’s take a second to appreciate that beautifully, fearlessly-played (no pun intended) drum part, the vocal harmonies, and the plucked guitar licks. Bravo to the instrumentalists and to Hill- a stunning piece of musicianship. –Geena Kloeppel

 The intro of "11:59" instantly reminded me of something Adele, something Florence + the Machine. But alas, it is MOLLĒ, a woman with a voice full of strength, grit, and a side of sweetness. The arrangement is delightfully built- synth-y, but also heavily reliant on a guitar-like riff and layers of vocals. MOLLĒ is an artist shrouded by mystery and intrigue- I scoured her various social media pages for a first name and couldn’t find one. But what I can tell you is that "11:59" has a strange and unexpected depth to it. Whomever MOLLĒ is, we’re here to listen. –Geena Kloeppel

 Robinson has got the whole hook-thing down. Their new song "Souvenirs" has hooks galore- vocal hooks, guitar hooks, their verses are catchy, their choruses are even catchier… And on top of that, the song is tastefully produced, helped along by a lovely rhythm section and some ethereal, washed-out guitars. Be sure to check out the rest of their latest album, Another Life, which offers up more of the same easy-going, silky pop/rock. I’ll be humming "Souvenirs" all week, and that’s more than okay. –Geena Kloeppel

 Ellen Angelico’s voice is an eyebrow raiser- it’s incredibly blunt, a little sarcastic, but mostly, Angelico is so self-assured that she’ll make you smile. "The Left Lane Is for Passing" is not only a country bop, but also features a choir, a jazzy upright bass line and this sly lyric: "The left lane’s for passing / the right lane is for asses like you." The whole song is really just a burn disguised as a country tune, and I’m here for it. Angelico’s full record Haven’t Changed Much is out tomorrow, 6/25. -Geena Kloeppel

 Welles is from a very small town in Arkansas called Ozark, which gives context for the nostalgia at the forefront of his song "Seventeen." It starts small, with Welles’ voice accompanied by an acoustic guitar, but builds into a gritty, anything-goes rock chorus that feels like it represents the emotional conundrum of being a teenager. "I can see past your short hair / tellin’ me that you don’t care / he ain’t here but he’s somewhere / I’m all fucked up so I don’t care" are some of my favorite lines in song to date. A little honesty goes a long way. Catch Welles live at the Basement 6/28. –Geena Kloeppel

 Beth White’s record Soul Evolution is lush, sweet, and warm. "Work This Out" makes use of a tasteful horn section and showcases a gospel choir, and "If It Makes You Happy" is so delightfully serene that it made me smile. But easy-going songwriting and arrangement aside- White’s voice is stunning. It’s powerful but not in an intrusive way, and her vocal runs are nuanced and stretched so that you just want to hear more of them. White takes influence from Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse, but infuses a dose of sunshine. She plays the Douglas Corner Cafe tomorrow, 6/22. –Geena Kloeppel

 Roanoke is a delightful folk collective with a luscious new music video out called "Silent Films." The video incorporates double-exposed clips of the band and nostalgic scenes of highways and countrysides. "Imagine what we’d see in our own silent films" is sung in exquisite two-part harmony by Taylor Dupuis and Joey Beesley, two voices blending like lovers falling into each others’ arms. Simply mesmerizing. Catch the group’s release show for their new record Where I Roam next week at the Basement, 6/23. –Geena Kloeppel

 "Love has nothing to say about it now" sing Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven in unison, until de Vitry’s voice vanishes into the distance with a repeated "nothing to say about it now…" The new Stray Birds’ (de Vitry, Craven and Charlie Muench) single "Nothing To Say About It Now" creeps up from behind and pulls at your heartstrings unexpectedly. Somewhere between a crystal clear electric guitar that repeats the main vocal melody and a subtle acoustic guitar that drifts into the ether, this song completely stole my breath away. I’m surely not the only one eager to hear the band’s new album Let It Pass, out 9/7. –Geena Kloeppel

 VALA doesn’t only sound cool as a cucumber, but their visuals are pretty badass too. These three women (Marie Hines, Kristen Rogers and Holley Maher) released an incredibly hooky, self-assertive self-titled record last month. Its lead single, "I’ve Got Me," is about not needing anyone else, just yourself. This is especially refreshing in today’s pool of love songs. VALA is synth-y, reverberous, rhythmic and danceable. It’s been a few decades since the Spice Girls ruled the pop scene, so it’s high time for girl groups to make a comeback. I sure hope it’s VALA. –Geena Kloeppel