Garage rock four piece Dropper’s debut EP is a sun-drenched, nonchalant release, marching forward at an easygoing pace, bright guitar work and a muted-yet-emotional vocal performances in hand. Even during the release’s most heated moments, such as the shredding breakdowns on “$2 Beer,” Dropper manages to keep their sound centered and energetic, endowing their self-titled effort with an atmosphere that is engaging, never cacophonous. It’s a difficult task to produce guitar-driven rock that spirals outwards as a means of creating a compelling listen, but Dropper are confident keeping things calmly focused; listen to it below, and see the band perform at Rough Trade on January 15th, opening for THICK. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York indie outfit American Actor’s debut singles Chaos Creator / Cold Hands showcases an upstart alternative group with a penchant for gritty, growling rock and graphic (and sometimes salacious) lyricism. The release’s A Side (“Chaos Creator”) flexes frothy vocals and a sliding, siren-esque guitar, culminating in a no-holds-barred chorus with a heavy crunch, before transitioning to a distinctly chiller B-Side (“Cold Hands”), replete with lewd wordage and a self-effacing perspective. Between the band’s reliance on space-filling electric guitars and the forthcoming nature of their central vox, American Actor’s sound falls squarely between the instrumental stylings of alt giants like The National and the tongue-in-cheek lyrics of Alex Cameron, simultaneously bringing their own uniquely grimy songwriting to the forefront while never pulling punches. Listen to them below, and catch the band’s debut performance at The Broadway on January 27th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York punk rock group Unknown Sender spring into action with their debut, self-titled record, incorporating elements surfy, psychy, and thrashy into an ambitious first full length. From the beach-friendly fills in “On Trial,” to the death march drums of “No Use,” to the doom of standout “Engine Failure,” the band keeps their energy upbeat, consistently driving, and melodic throughout the album’s ten tracks. Perfect for fans of Minor Threat and the Menzingers, it’s worth its weight in the sweat and blood expected at their upcoming January 14th Union Pool show — listen below. 

At the core of Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Laura Wolf’s sound is the congruence of tones eclectic and electronic. Her new single “Good Veins” exists at a point wherein the acoustic becomes synthetic, where strings are modified and altered insofar as they become a new instrument altogether, a sound Wolf aptly describes as “cello glitch pop.” Despite the vast change Laura Wolf’s string performance undergoes, it resonates with the listener as orchestral regardless; samplers, keys and vox congeal in a symphonic manner, each individual part brought in to build the track’s dramatic climax, fashioning music that wouldn’t be out of place in a chapel or a concert hall. Listen to the song below, and catch Laura Wolf at the Sultan Room on January 10th, alongside Katie Glasgow, Powerlines, and Foxanne. —Connor Beckett McInerney, Image by Anna Azarov

This Friday Throwin’ Bo’s has a showcase of Bay Area bands that are sure to keep you energized and moving. Oakland’s Babewatch is surfy garage rock with just the right amount of punk. Stress Dreams isn’t as stressful as it sounds but they do describe themselves as “rat” music. Well said, we guess. Local dream catch Shutups are playing the bill, along with the quietest of the bunch, Andy Bender. Need some folk rock with more melodies and twists than you bargained for? Listen to Andy Bender! And come on down to Eli’s Mile High Club. -Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Those seeking a more minimalistic punk offering will find respite in the music of Quaker Wedding, whose 2019 Demo finds its strength in aggressive, electric guitar-driven songs and frothy vox. Recorded and released in February of last year, the immediacy in its release is instantaneously felt; tracks are concise, appropriately discordant, and without any unnecessary bells and whistles, perfect listening for fans of groups like Japandroids or Fucked Up. Give it a spin below, and see Quaker Wedding at the Windjammer on January 12th.

Lily Desmond’s EP Growing Flowers offers a wide selection of sounds as a debut effort, all of which highlight the artist’s songwriting chops and penchant for ear worm alternative sounds. Beginning on a lush, minimally acoustic note with extended play opener “O Hunter” before going grittily electric on “Oleander Eyes,” culminating with the orchestral and dramatic closer “Glory,” Desmond has no qualms with keeping things interesting, exploring different genres with an ease and comfort few can pull off on a first attempt. As such, the entirety of Growing Flowers provides something for everyone, a pleasant smorgasbord that shows an artist willing to explore a variety of differing instrumentations. Stream it below, and see Lily Desmond at Alphaville on January 11th, supporting Ruby and Lady Pills.

I Spent The Winter Writing Songs About Getting Better is a verbose album title, matched by the rapid, pop-punk delivery New York outfit Proper brings to each of the album’s sunny fourteen tracks. With no shortage of self-effacing witticisms and complaints about quotidian inconveniences amidst a record-spanning desire for self-betterment, Proper embeds their latest LP with an aspirational philosophy that’s matched by melodic, massive riffs and a breakbeat pace. Never too emo or too poppy, Winter sets realistic expectations for both itself and the listener, a sobering assessment of things as they are; listen below, and see Proper play at Bushwick Public House on January 11th, supporting MakeWar, Pass Away, and In The Meantime. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York punk veterans Weeping Icon returned late last year to deliver their self-titled LP, an exciting venture into the worlds of noise and electronic, a disorienting effort that upends expectations at every corner. Alternating between guitar-driven rides and sound collage vignettes, Weeping Icon basks in the experimental, effortlessly switching between spoken-word dirges on tracks like “Natural Selection” to screaming hostile takeovers on songs like “Power Trip” and “Ripe for Consumption.” In incorporating facets both harsh and experimental, the band taps into uncharted sonic territory that is engrossing and terrifying; listen below, and catch Weeping Icon at DRTY SMMR on January 10th, alongside Faccia Brutta and SIGNAL.

Garden State punk trio Wyndup Kid exude the type of energy you’d find at a New Brunswick basement party, and their latest effort S(t)OAKED is a rager that’s moments away from getting shut down by the cops. A four track melodically surfy EP, the band brings all bangers, laying down fast rock n roll with hilarious, indulgent lyricism; when they’re not wilding out after consuming a drugged “Spiked Cake” or driving 80 down the parkway on “Turnpike Kids,” they’re speedily recounting relationships on “Josie” or wilding so much insofar as they’re being escorted from the premises on “Kick Me Out.” Fun, vivacious, and never boring, Wyndup Kid embody the youthful energy you’d expect from three wild New Jersey dudes (and I write that as a formerly wild dude from Jersey myself). Stream them below, and catch them shred at Muchmore’s on January 9th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

On December 27, the San Francisco experimental rock group Dear Banshee released their latest, Viva Guernica. Title track has an accompanying video with dark synth feels and creepy vibes—in a good way. Catch them playing in Oakland at The Golden Bull January 23. -Lucille Faulkner

Queens-based “folk/goth” outfit Winnebago Vacation combines the quiet solitude of bedroom pop with the acoustic textures of the great outdoors on debut LP Camp Somewhere. A project of Queens-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eli Frank, each of the record’s eleven tracks deftly weave guitars, muted lofi drums, and echoing Casiotones to create soft, somber melodies and lonely lyrical testaments, a well-balanced mix of emo, electronica, and indie rock. Overall, it’s an excellent collection of songs for driving down an open road with no destination in mind; listen below, and catch Winnebago Vacation at Muchmore’s on January 5th, supporting Barely Civil. —Connor Beckett McInerney