T-Rextasy’s brand of pop-punk has always slanted toward the pop end of the spectrum, driving home affecting and candy-coated hooks that always have a fierce bite. But just below the surface of the political lampooning on many of their songs are moments of emotional poignancy and surprising sentimentality. And with their newest single “Girl, Friend”, the band have continued to hit that sweet spot between charming, quaint and moving. Streaking guitars and up-tempo drums set the scene for a ballad about charting the unexplored territory of determining a potential partner’s sexuality. While the call and response between Lyris Faron and the faux valley girl of the song’s story can be humorous, it’s the earnest delivery of lines like “Just be my friend, be my girl, friend” cut to the heart of this song’s driving theme: a desire for real connection with another person in a world full of uncertainties. T-Rextasy’s style of punk is vital for the current age and live show at Elsewhere on August 30 is a must-see. You can stream “Girl, Friend” below. –Tucker Pennington

Folk music as of late has gotten the reputation of being intertwined with indie rock, relying on quirky personalities or opulent production that makes it easy to place each artist in identifiable boxes. Characters like Joanna Newsom and Sufjan Stevens have changed what folk means in the 21st century. Then there are artists like Samuel Campoli, who don’t easily fit into the standard of modern indie folk. His voice is low key, but his singing never feels phoned in. The production in his latest release Claverack EP isn’t especially lo-fi, but there are moments where the fuzz gently overtakes the instruments that shifts the momentum and emotion of the track. The arrangements are rather simple, with songs like opener “Caroline” and the interlude “Didit” able to generate woeful moments of longing. These six compositions that comprise this release feel like they could be somewhat standard songs under anyone else’s execution, yet it’s Campoli’s ability to smear his colorful creations into shadowy creatures that feel at once homey and close to the unknown that makes Claverack EP a welcoming excursion away from folk music’s new traditions. You can stream the EP below and catch Campoli live at Elsewhere on August 28. –Tucker Pennington

If you make hip-hop in 2018, it seems like there are two paths for you to take: you can follow the SoundCloud rapper trends and find a young audience willing to ignore rapping ability in favor of catchy hooks, or you can hone your technical skill and storytelling craft at the cost of sounding overly nostalgic. S’natra is one of the interesting up-and-coming rappers who doesn’t seem to be committing to either of these camps. Over the 10 songs off his latest release Subject to Change, the Harlem rapper confidently switches up styles while maintaining a glamorized and distinctly New York style of hip-hop. Tracks like “Off Key” offers up tales of trapping and police brutality over syrupy and snappy production, while “Can’t See Me” is a gritty and grand take on the more soulful stylings. The title of this project is more than a motto; it’s a creed that sets out to find the balance between old and new schools of thought. The melodies and drum selections are obviously more modern, but the way they blend and transition to verses featuring engaging recitations of the past is a talent of a bygone era. S’natra is one of the few emcees who is simultaneously fighting against and indulging in contemporary techniques, and it’s a winning combination. You can stream the entire release below and catch him live at Baby’s All Right on August 25. -Tucker Pennington

Urgency can be communicated in a variety of ways; not every song will rush forward energetic instrumentation and an extroverted mood to convey its pressing importance. Maxband’s lead single “Means To An End” is the first song released from their upcoming album Perfect Strangers. Clocking in at just under six minutes, it can feel like a song that takes its time at first, but slowly finds its groove on the build up to the first chorus, unveiling a series inventive sonic ideas in a style reminiscent of the NYC post-punk era. After years spent working with other bands like Parquet Courts, A Beacon School, Bluffing and Bob Dylan Death Watch, this group of musicians seem to have compiled a collection of their favorite unused songs and blended them into a wholly unique new project. The length and tempo may not suggest it, but “Means To An End” is song that uses its verses and bridge to create a dynamic song that eases into change with comfort and precision, stressing how much they have to say without resorting to giving it all away at once. Maxband’s debut album will release August 24 and you can listen to the single below. -Tucker Pennington

There are some albums that feel like spiritual excursions the moment they start, transfixing us instantly at the right time and place. Amen Dune’s fifth record, Freedom, is one such record. The introduction informs us that the time is now, and it belongs to Damon McMahon and his finely tuned songwriting. Each track is impeccably produced, precise and imperious, as synths and bass lines appear on the horizon before shimmering out of view. The interplay between each instrument is like multiple generations of mirages materializing at once, and McMahon’s vocals sit in the center commanding attention with assured confidence in the stream-of-consciousness lyrics. Freedom was released wholly realized, yet it’s the undefinable aspects that assert why it’s an intoxicating and infinitely rewarding album. -Tucker Pennington

Kaleidoscopic R&B songstress Bell’s Roar finally released her debut album We Carry Us back in January, and the 10-track composition is perfect for hazy July nights. “This is my debut full-length album and it’s the beginning of how I see myself functioning in the music industry,” Bell — real name Sean Desiree — said in a statement. “I want to use my music as a direct action to support other QTPOC (Queer Trans People of Color) artists… I want to use my concerts as a platform to rally to the community and create a new model for how we can sustain ourselves.” The project is vast in its experimentation, combining empowered lyrics with vibrant soundscapes. “Celebrate all you do, go beyond what comforts you,” Bell sings on the lush “Celebrate.” The album shifts between foggy electronic samples and soulful choruses. “We will not be silenced,” Bell coo’s in the background of “Defiance,” instruments swelling around her and inevitably swallowing her in the track’s final, glitchy moments. While Sean Desiree is certainly a leader and an activist, the singer seems to understand the gravity of the fight she’s consumed by, constantly pushing back against a loud, disorienting backdrop. “There’s reasons why I slowly built this wall, becoming clear,” Desiree sings. “It’s not for nowhere, it’s hard to hear, but this is worth the fight.” You can hear the full album below. – Mackenzie Cummings-Grady

It can be easy to take the music of Lindsey Rae Radice, also known as PYNKIE, on face value. Just glancing at the SoundCloud page for half a second can give you a lighthearted and sweet impression of this New Jersey indie pop artist. There are cutesy emoticons and descriptors, smiley old photographs and an album cover that features a picture of a baby with a guitar drawn into his/her hands. It’s after your first listen of the album neoteny do you get a clearer idea of the kind of depth she is offering and the importance of this aesthetic. The warm guitar tones and soft drumming create lullaby-like atmospheres, quaint tunes like “Dog in the Sun” are full of sun-gleaming vocals and genuine affection in the lyrics. But there are turns when Radice points this bright outlook inward and lets the radiance fade. Her music is full of bewilderment, anxiously trying to maintain childlike exuberance as the grown-up world continues to push “maturity” through you. It leads to moments like the outro to “~Ghost~”, where the gorgeous acoustic arrangements become ghostly, alien sounds that, after so many upbeat songs, assume an uncomfortable aura. Stream PYNKIE’s album below and catch her performing at Baby’s All Right on August 13. -Tucker Pennington

The crux of horror-punk’s ability to be taken seriously is that it takes menacing imagery that may have lost its potency and makes it sound horrifying and threatening – without altering the B-movie inspiration. Darkwing seems to have learned this important lesson on their latest single “Ignorant Ghost”, an anxious and ethereal grunge anthem. Vocals slathered in echo drone on about a relationship souring as pummeling drums implode. Leather jackets and smoking weed in bed are more in tune with stoner rock ideals, but the imagery of ghosting–ditching a relationship without a response and transforming into a literal specter–is amusing at first and haunting after repeated listens. The distressed energy of the songs is stretched ad infinitum during the instrumental bridge, where the guitar and bass interplay between Sharif Mekawy and Richard Rodgers feels like industrial machinery reaching its breaking point. Darkwing’s take on relationship death could have quickly become a joke song with a title like “Ignorant Ghost”, but it’s the atmosphere and sounds the band crafts surrounding these motifs that make it a unique blend of horror punk and grunge angst. You can stream the single below and catch the band playing at Alphaville on July 28. -Tucker Pennington

National Sawdust’s monthly premiere of emerging local artists called The Revolution is set for its 29th iteration on Saturday, July 28 with a variety of new bands. The three local acts juxtapose each other in genre and songwriting, yet their sounds are engaging in their own distinctive way. Bonomo’s laid-back, silky jazz compositions are wonderfully playful and find grooves that slither around without becoming monotonous, and his somewhat subtle music contrasts his two contemporaries. Cape Francis brings subdued indie folk that transforms murmuring guitars into a roar of organic energy, whereas Hannah Sumner’s ethereal walls of synth pop wrestle with her restrained yet impassioned voice in a combination of natural and synthetic energies. These artists offer wildly different appeals and styles, doubling down on The Revolution’s commitment to diversity in sonic palettes. The show begins at 10 p.m. and you can listen to The Deli’s playlist featuring these acts below. -Tucker Pennington

It can be embarrassing listening to previous generations of artists create songs they envision as teenage anthems. Not only is it impossible to create that intangible feeling of what it’s like to be a teen when you’re so far removed from it, but who honestly wants to be a teen again after you’ve lived through it once? That question is quickly answered by indie-pop wunderkind Harrison Li, who performs under the Harry Teardrops moniker. Many of Li’s songs operate within very traditional realms of pop, dreaming of idyllic scenarios in the city with your crush, going on drives and truly living life. These themes may sound trite on paper, but it’s the modern production flourishes that make these vicarious adolescent excursions so intoxicating. The newest release from Harry Teardrops is titled “Mercedes Benz” and it perfects this unique formula. Bedroom pop never sounded so glamorous in its youthful longing; stylish guitar riffs and trap-inspired drum patterns create a snapshot of what it’s like to be young through the morose and crystalline prism of Li’s summery hooks. “Mercedes Benz” is a wistful digital collage of exuberance and heartbreak and arguably the best Harry Teardrops song to date; you can catch him performing at Baby’s All Right on August 2 and stream his music below. -Tucker Pennington

Sometimes it can feel like shouting into an endless void trying to get your music heard. There are thousands of new artists each day and there are even more who give up before they find an audience. Bands like Big Bliss have tapped into that raw overwhelming feeling with their spectacular and concise style of post-punk. Comprised of a simple three-piece, this outfit takes the simple components that make tight-knit, reliable rock and loosen some of the constraints to unleash a bolder statement. On their most recent single “Contact”, the reverb-soaked guitars and unrestrained drums form this bright, shimmering wall of sound that claws its way upward with each ascending repetition of the chorus. The bass is the steady hand that drives this track forward, halting any detours that could lead this song astray toward a more dream pop inspired route. It’s a song aware of its circumstances, acknowledging that grand system we could all get lost in and fighting to find the connections to keep us alive. A powerful statement like this could only be found in a precise and uncomplicated song made by a band at this juncture in their career, and it’s exhilarating to witness. You can see Big Bliss perform at Baby’s All Right on July 29 and stream “Contact” below. – Tucker Pennington

The indie/psychedelic/dream-pop trio known as ackerman are that special type of band that seem to capture songs in their entirerty out of thin air. Their process is impossible to discern when listening to their music; the harmonies and melodies emerge effortlessly and fully formed. The newest single “Loverboy” is sweet sounding and starry-eyed, finding the breezy elements in the disparate pieces of the track. Starting with a muffled intro before the ambient guitar licks and snappy bass lines pop into the forefront, each instrument sounds like it was stripped from summer mixtapes of yesteryear to create an anachronistic playground. These bright moments juxtapose the somewhat heartbreaking themes of the song to instill a sense of impending autumnal grief, but as the instruments fade out, the ethereal hook bleeds through. ”Loverboy” is over in just over three minutes yet feels like a brief respite from the heat waves of this year and will be something you’ll want to replay over and over. The sophomore EP from ackerman will drop sometime this fall and you can stream “Loverboy” below. –Tucker Pennington