Take the simultaneously gritty and polished instrumental style of groups like Television and Talking Heads, sprinkle some indie undertones, and then add a Morrisseyesque vocal delivery for a cherry on top and watch it shape-shift into a twenty-first-century group from NYC called Reptilian Elite. The band is back after a small break and has added Sam Grossman (not pictured) on bass to the line-up, assigning guitar duties to Dylan Kelly and Pablo Narea and freeing Eamon Rush to unleash his full vocal prowess. Their style is classic NYC: open dress shirts, sharpei boots, worn out chucks, and some good old indie rock. The group will be keeping their new run going by playing The Well Public House in Brooklyn April 6. – Rene Cobar

Sun Kil Moon’s latest release, I Also Want to Die in New Orleans (Caldo Verde Records) has singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek’s signature talk-singing style, like a Bill Callahan but with more of swaying, touch-of-blues rock and string-plucking country moments, and if you can imagine, more cocky. Tracks are embedded with Kozelek’s at times judgemental frustrations around San Francisco transplants and the general state of things in our country. Song “Day in America” is a very straight telling of Kozelek’s experience learning of the Parkland shooting; “I’m Not Laughing at You” is full of quotes of conversations Kozelek has had with frustrated people over the last 26 years. The most musically musical track on the album is “Couch Potato,” which has tidbits of all the disappointing ways in which newcomers don’t appreciate the natural beauty of San Francisco. Track “Bay of Kotor” includes distressing animal cries and concludes the album with a strange taste in our mouths. Take a listen on Spotify, (he’s not released any freshies in Bandcamp or Soundcloud) then refresh yourself outside with a long walk. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Despite hailing from Brooklyn, Rae Isla sounds completely stratified in the atmosphere above our country on “American Paradise.” Hovering between painful longing and bitter condemnation, this airy pop star stretches the gossamer of her sounds to a tense and passionate apex. Mournful guitars wane in and out of view while distinctly boom-bap drums ground the track to reality described as full of opposing ideas that make this world simultaneously inhospitable yet a necessary home to inhabit. Rae Isla sidesteps the clichés with earnest declarations of longing for a home she recognizes as flawed, and these honest moments are carried to a painful, celestial finish that finds peace when soaring above the land. -Tucker Pennington

It’s hard not to smile when listening to “Crocodilian,” a self-described “little indie bop” by Brooklyn synthpop artist Tatum Gale. It’s an accurate descriptor, given the track’s shuffling measure, it’s kitschy, bright keys, and Gale’s honest lyricism about relationships and, well, crocodiles. The track is accompanied by a music video that’s equally heartfelt, with the artist hitchhiking his way around the city with the help of a friendly anthropomorphized croc; while the visual is silly, it demonstrates Gale’s willingness to bare his soul in a way that’s truly genuine and unabashedly fun. Watch it below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

A rawness permeates the entirety of Supsine Butterfly, the debut full length by Brooklyn trio Ewe Dew. It’s a product of the band’s instrumentation, which veers from traditional folk punk into mathy, off-kilter acoustic segues on a dime, as well as the raw lyricism of frontman Christian Brion. Standout track “Wild Oats” is a pertinent example of Ewe Dew’s strengths, beginning with an antique metaphor of youth before transition to an impassioned, stream of consciousness narrative, highlighted by track’s shifting time signature and modulation between electric and acoustic textures. These dynamic changes make for engaging listening on Suspine Butterfly, and promises even more experimentation on Ewe Dew’s forthcoming second LP Birds Alight, dropping later this spring. Until then, stream them below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Bands like New York’s own BIG HUGE seem to exist sometimes for the single purpose of making you remember the past, only to suddenly find yourself relishing in its fascination. Power pop was an American counterpunch to the British Invasion of the ’60s and in their 2017 record CRUEL WORLD BIG HUGE channels it beautifully. With the fun and upbeat tempos of power pop heroes like Cheap Trick well ingrained into songs like “WENT BAD” and “LOST CLASSIC” the group takes full liberty to crank up the style to one hundred with fuzzy vocals and crunchy guitar licks that will shine proto-garage undertones at you. This New York City quintet remains above everything faithful to themselves, catch them on April 15th at Brooklyn Bazaar. – Rene Cobar

It’s hard not bask in the languid world of “Eclipse,” the first single off dream punk act Looms’ new record The Way Up. Written after a summer tour and a break up, frontman Sharif Mekawy’s lyrics about “wishing the moon would make it dark” embody a passive paralysis, the feeling of watching the hours tick by, a stupor from the reception of unexpected and unpleasant news. Looms’ interweaving guitars bolster this vibe, its impressive sundrenched noodling a sonic representation of the frustration that lies just below the surface. And while the Brooklyn four piece may have chosen to name this track after a solar eclipse, it feels just like a lazy afternoon in how it encapsulates the boring-to-death moments in between the events that define our lives. Give it a listen below, and catch Looms at Berlin on March 28th alongside Color Tongue, Monoculture, and Huh. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo by Liz Maney

The “Are You With It” showcase, presented by Makings, is coming up at Cornerstone the 30th of March and it’s getting quite the local buzz. Makings is a music and artist advocacy group founded by Austin Prince and his manager, Kara McCall. Makings is all about helping promote Bay Area musicians who might not yet have a huge name or representation. The “Are You With It?” series does just that.

Says Austin Prince, “There’s no genres; we’re not trying to put on a big clubby scene or something where you have to know people to get in a set. You just have to be musicians who have talent and the passion to perform. We’re all about making those connections within our communities, at these shows. We want to help less-exposed artists find their footing and get their music out there.” So who’s on feature at this month’s Are You With It? A lot of funk, sassy R&B, and a touch of poppy indie rock, all brought to you by Madi Sipes & the Painted Blue, Trace Repeat & Cereus Bloom and–back by popular demand and fan’s insistence–Austin Prince. To honor Mr. Prince, check out his charming new music video featuring a skateboarding bird. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

QWAM’s newest single “Buy A Toy” is the sonic equivalent of a Subaru Outback barreling out of the crowded city, taking a scenic ride through the Poconos, and then driving off a cliff into the Delaware Water Gap. It’s energetic, filled with a lot of heart, and ultimately marked by a kind of humorous fatalism that makes it endearing in a “shit happens” type of way. While the crux of the song revolves around a repeating mantra (“just wanna buy a toy for you”), its simplicity plays against QWAM’s discordant shredding to deliver a concise, scorched earth product that may bring the listener to both dance joyously and burn something. Watch the video below, and catch them at The Footlight on March 15th alongside Plaid Dracula and Smock. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo by Karen Sofia Colon

Nu-Disco continues its resurgence with artists like LEFTI whose new EP Discoteca is a full-blown ode to the intoxicating rhythms of ’70s NYC Disco and ’80s European dance music. Inspired by the colorful disco show posters he saw scattered across the streets of Spain during his childhood family vacations, LEFTI (real name Alex Suarez) injects a heavy dose of house and funk into each song. The lead single “Every Time” (ft. Spencer Ludwig) is a powerhouse of high bass harmonics, snappy snare hits, and of course Ludwig’s fantastic trumpet. New cuts of “Make You Mine” and “All Night” also bring LEFTI’s classic disco influences to light with percussive beats and guitar riffs that would make Nile Rodgers proud. LEFTI will celebrate the release of Discoteca on April 4th at the Toucan Sounds label launch party at Freehold in Brooklyn, NY. – Rene Cobar

NYC group Ghost Funk Orchestra will be taking the stage at Brooklyn Bazaar on April 4th, and they will be bringing the sounds of their 2017 record Something Evil with them. In songs like “Fluorescent,” the group uses Djembe rhythms to lure the listener into a vortex of funky basslines and soulful vocals, their odd time signatures keeping you at the epicenter of the jam. The nine-piece ensemble of Julian Applebaum (bass), Seth Applebaum (guitar), Kyle Beach (drums), Stephen Chen (bari sax), Laura Gwynn (vocals/keyboard), Romi Hanoch (vocals/percussion), James Kelly (trombone), Joshua Park (guitar), and Rich Seibert (trumpet) utilizes every instrument at their disposal to craft a type of “heavy soul” or “dark funk” sound that fits their namesake. If you are up for something new, we recommend checking them out. – Rene Cobar

Distant Mountains released their latest album Stationed Lockstep on March 1, the first full-length album the band self-engineered and self-produced (Light Rail Studios, San Francisco). Well they’ve done a fine job. The album as a whole is a breathing piece; songs fade and blend into each other with seamless mixing and a refreshing blend of experimental, alternative rock that might please fans of Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Track “Look Back” is an opening song with the epic quality of early Arcade Fire and has some clever-funny lyrical and vocal moments. Enjoy that deep warble for a second there. Our recommendation is to hold out for Side 2: tracks “Expensive Taste,” “Solstice,” and “Junipero” blend together with a seamless spacey quality. Distant Mountains is Paul McCorkle, Scott Lord, and Ben Manning. Stay tuned into their sites for upcoming shows. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor