Boston Trio, The Symptoms, hit the nail on the head with the sound of their latest EP “Contrasts.”  These guys write some smart and melancholy music, repeating a simple idea until the tiniest change smacks you in ear.  “Contrasts,” the Bands sophomore effort, raises the bar for this trio. They have definitely started to settle into their sound, with tracks full of ambient ear candy, odd overlapping meters, and despondent vocals.  Every track on “Contrasts” is repetitive on the micro scale, but “through-composed,” meaning they ditch all that pesky verse-chorus-verse non-sense. Kudos to The Symptoms for living up to the term experimental, without going too far off the deep-end. That’s an impressive task. Check them out on Facebook. – Paul Jordan Talbot

Northampton-based Bunny’s A Swine will be coming to the Boston area on June 27 to play a show at Great Scott in Allston. After recently releasing their fourth full-length, Calling Out, at The Thing in the Spring in New Hampshire, Bunny’s A Swine is taking to the road to help promote their album. This new collection of songs is full of bluesy, powerful guitar riffs, packed with enough energy to make even the most casual rock n’ roll listener get up and move. The vocal combo of Emerson Stevens and Candace Clement really makes these tracks stand-out. “Lasell”, the third track on the record, sounds like it could have been a B-side on Sonic Youth’s Rather Ripped, especially during the bridge. Stevens’ and Clement’s voices blend together perfectly, culminating in a raucous wave of guitar distortion and cymbal crashes.

According to a recent post on the band’s website, Calling Out  is currently only available in digital-download due to issues surrounding the pressing of the vinyls. But fear not, the band is working to resolve those issues and physical copies should be available shortly (you can still pre-order the vinyl on their bandcamp site).

The show at Great Scott starts at 9PM on June 27. Tickets are $8, 18+ with proper ID. – Dan McMahon

Along with nearly everything in the digital age, the song writers’ instrument of choice has shifted from the guitar to the computer. The result is polarization of electronic innovators and the acoustic purists. Stuck in the beautiful and mysterious place in between, is Skinny Bones.  The duo’s psychadellic release “Skinni Dip” is available now. Its first track “A Moment or Two,” puts out a lure with a beautiful acoustic guitar riff, and then surprises you with the tasteful and inventive electronic effects. By combining environmental percussion, and subtle electronics the duo gives us some sounds I can say I’ve never heard before, all supported by solid songwriting. Check out “Skinni Dip” on their Facebook. – Paul Jordan Talbot

Thick Wild’s latest release, “O Sinister Force,” is loaded with songs to creep you out. Boston/Brooklyn based Amelia Emmet’s voice has the sound of some alien time and place. It cracks and slips consistently, but she sells every sound. The imaginative lyrics on the record show glimses of a monster lurking beneath that light voice. She embraces those horrifying thoughts, and instead of shaking them off, she revels in them to make this wonderfully unsettling album. – Paul Jordan Talbot

The Deadly Gentlemen, Greg Liszt’s latest project after Crooked Still, are pumping out some seriously fun, politically charged folk tunes. Every member of this new-grass outfit knows their instruments in and out, which lets them go nuts on their innovative solos. Politics aside, they know how to have foot stomping good time, and there’s nothing more fitting than seeing a Deadly Gentlemen at a pub show.  Their new single, “Bored of the Raging,” suggests a change in the band’s attitude on the upcoming album, but I trust these guys not to disappoint. The Gentlemen’s are releasing their new album, "Roll Me, Tumble Me" on July 9th. Their earlier release, Carry Me to Home, can be purchased on their Bandcamp. (Paul Jordan Talbot) 

 Here We Just Dream’s self-titled album, released in June of 2012, is an incredible listen, most notably because it stands out from most other self-proclaimed “prog rock” groups. I’ll refrain from using the term “prog rock” for the rest of this review, mostly because that term makes me want to vomit. What interests me about this band is their use of smooth keyboard lines—they don’t over-power you with ostentatious solos or over-the-top virtuosity. The tracks “Birds Fly Information” and “Phototropism” are prime examples of the elegant use of keys on this record. They blend in beautifully with the intricate guitar licks and vocal melodies found throughout the album. While the record is more of an EP in length, it packs enough energy and musical skill to more than make-up for its brevity.

See them tonight on May 30 at Radio in Somerville or this weekend at Red Room, Café 939 at Berklee College of Music on June 1. – Dan McMahon 

 I can’t vouch for the former, but this three-piece Boston outfit is certainly pretty– their  latest, Golden Rules for Golden People, has been slowly gaining critical acclaim that their long-standing Beantown fans can cheer for. Often compared to early new wave from Elvis Costello to Squeeze, don’t listen to the blogs that tell you Pretty and Nice are merely influenced performers. In their single “Hibernate”, you hear snippets of the Kinks and a snatch of electronic, but the blend is completely unique to the group. Holden Lewis and Jeremy Mendicino have been playing the New England scene since 2004 and are finally gaining some clout in the community. Golden Rules is terrific, but for even more Pretty and Nice fun take a listen to their earlier recordings– their current sound is a careful blend of everything they’ve done to date, and it’s a cool journey to take. Catch them at the Sinclair on Thursday with the Thermals. – Jamie Loftus

Samira Winter just received a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Emerson College, but has spent her college years cutting her teeth in the Boston underground music scene. Hailing from Brazil, Winter is one of Samira’s side projects when she’s not DJ-ing, producing short films, or working for her online zine “Wow & Flutter”. Joined with fellow students Nolan Eley, Kyle Oppenheimer, and Ana Karina DaCosta to develop some of the dreamiest, most forward-thinking sound in the scene.

The collaboration started solely with Winter and Eley corresponding, she with rough recordings and he with expert production skills, then expanded into a full performing outfit that’s played local venues like TT the Bear’s and station WERS 88.9. Their album Daydreaming sounds a little bit Vivian Girls and a little bit Beach House with a better sense of humor, airy vocals over a sonic soundscape in the title track and “Bedroom Philosophies”. Their sound doesn’t take itself seriously and runs in a stream of consciousness through Winter’s melodies, leaving us to hope that of all her talents, this girl sticks with the music. Four-track Daydreaming is available on Bandcamp now for a lean five bucks (dab of Winter’s perfume included).

Also worth checking out: the band released a killer cover of Pink Floyd’s “Time” last month, giving it the twenty-first century trip treatment it didn’t ask for, but certainly deserved. – Jamie Loftus

This seven-piece Portland-based indie rock ensemble known as Forget, Forget are known for their big sound and unorthodox lyrics. Their demo Do You Love Me?, released in March, is going to be the perfect playlist as you transition from spring to summer. With upbeat feel-good tunes, it’ll make you feel like you’re riding cross-country with your top down even if you’re just sitting in your bed at home. They’ve got those lyrics that don’t make sense on paper, but you can’t help but vibe to them and sing-along all day. And if you’re into them, check out Kickstarter and give them a hand in recording their debut album! – Sam Hill

Thank God people still know how to play rock n’ roll. That was my first thought when I heard Whatever Forever, the latest release by New Hampshire-based quartet The Migs. After going to college in New Hampshire, I have become accustomed to associating that area of New England with smelly hippies and boring, repetitive jam music (my sincerest apologies to anyone who is a Trey Anastasio fan). Naturally, I was pleasantly surprised with The Migs’ raucous, surfy, 60s-inspired tunes. In fact, the middle of “When She says My Name” immediately conjured-up images of The Kinks playing a basement gig in 1965 (I wasn’t around then, but I’m fairly confident this is what they would have sounded like). The guitars are tight, and the vocals are loud and somewhat muffled, adding to the raw rock-awesomeness of this collection of songs. Weighing in at a modest 7 tracks, this record packs a hell of a lot of rock into such a small amount of time. I thought everything was very well-balanced and the use of organ (most notably on the eerie “Gravestoned” and the dance party that is “Fuzzy Sun”) really helped to add nice depth to the tracks. I’m more than excited to hear original rock tunes sounding so good that are coming from the Northeast. So, if you’re bored at work (and who isn’t), or just looking for some kick-ass tunes to listen to, scroll down and give Whatever Forever a listen. – Dan McMahon

Daniel James and Cam Jones are Worried Well. They’re about to release their new album Luck on May 7, and you definitely need to check them out. Playing a lot of pop-acoustic tracks, but being a rock n’ roll band at heart, Worried Well consistently delivers a quality song with thoughtful, poetic lyrics. You’ve got a variety of styles on this album, too, from the Death Cab for Cutie-esque “Find Your Own God” to “Lords of the Beach” where James finds his inner-Max Bemis. This album is a natural progression from their earlier work, so long time fans and newbies will be on the same page. – Sam Hill