NYC folkster Common Jack is playing at Mercury Lounge on March 30th, in support of Giant Stone. The Virginia-bred, New York-based guitar picker is a master of the sweet and the morally dissonant. On his most recent release from August of 2017, a song entitled "One Too Many Days," Common Jack laments the violent travesty that was the protests in Charlottesville, VA. Channelling The Avett Brothers, Conor Oberst and early Bob Dylan with gentle finger-picking and mournful harmonica, Common Jack’s sentiment is one of deep frustration, but above all else, weariness. He’s weary of the carnage, the hatred and the fallacies of monochromatic American civic pride, of which there seems to be no end in sight. He croons, "I heard a voice begin to shout that both sides are to blame/I never thought I’d argue about a Nazi USA." Listen to the track below, and don’t miss Common Jack at Mercury Lounge on the 30th. – Ethan Ames

Whiner are this generation’s goth kids. Their melancholic lyrics are tempered by a glam-soul sensibility, while driving drums and dream guitar hooks work to keep their songs from being too saturated in emotion. Indeed, Whiner’s unique blend of genres creates a sound centered on the strength of both not caring and caring too much. If you can’t get enough of their addictive artistry, you’re in luck. Whiner will be performing in a Sunnyvale residency every Tuesday in April, headlining shows with emerging artists. – Amanda Ogea

In the new video for “Grieving Friend of a Superman” (streaming below) by the San Francisco baroque alt pop group Leon + the Fantastic, stop motion animation is used to convey an otherworldly experience. The video, directed by Japhy Riddle, follows an astronaut (played by frontman Leon Rosen) as he journeys back on Earth and is disoriented by how unrecognizable it is following advances in technology. This is the first single to be released from the upcoming debut EP Let Me Cool, which is currently available for pre-order and set to be released on May 18th. – Lilly Milman, Photo by Jenya Lum 

LANZ, the solo project of Beirut’s multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Lanz, just unveiled single “Auckland,” from upcoming LP Hofferlanz II. Revealing an "avant" approach to pop, the track features unpredictable hooks built across a framework of drum machines, and both acoustic and electric guitars. Though the new album maintains LANZ’s signature edgy style, the songwriting seems to be moving towards a more comfortably pop aesthetic with indecipherable lyrics. Make sure to check out the Cyd Charisse-inspired video for “Auckland” while waiting for the Hofferlanz II debut on April 13th.–Amanda Ogea

New York indie-pop artist Stevie Wolf is playing at Baby’s All Right on 03.18, alongside April + VISTA and headliner Cautious Clay. Wolf blends a wide array of musical influences toward a product that’s uniquely his own. On the song "Who," a Jeff Buckley-esque voice floats over lush but sparse electro-pop instrumentation reminiscent of Tame Impala’s 2015 album "Currents" and modern R&B. While the feel of the song is laid-back and radio-friendly, Wolf’s lyrics subtly demand more than a cursory glance, with the disarmingly existential refrain: "Who are you when you’re alone?" Listen to "Who" below. – Ethan Ames

One of the most creative singer/songwriters to claim Texas as home, Walker Lukens has put in the time to get where he is.  Eclectic pop ditties exude from his pores, and at the recent Float Fest he proved to have one of the hottest live shows in the Austin music scene. Walker Lukens will perform at SXSW tomorrow (03.13) at Cheer Up Charlies. Check out this interview he gave to our sister blog Delicious Audio about gear and the creative process. – Lee Ackerley

Oh Malô’s newest single is full of a dark, frenetic energy that quickly becomes trance-inducing. It’s a welcome new sound for the band, one that shows a more mature vision of the core elements from 2016’s As We Were. The music is as expansive as ever, but the act exchanged their former delicacy for the darkness and tension that comes with a more industrial aesthetic – it’s an evolution we find very exciting. Check out Oh Malô at Alphaville alongside the dream-pop duo Lillet Blanc, on  March 26th.– Amanda Ogea

Cool Company’s 2016 album, Slice of Paradise, is a salient and smooth piece of R&B/neo soul and hip-hop fusion. Each song is rife with enticing percussion, hypnotic melodies and deceptively intricate, jazz-like chord progressions. The album is appealing and original, a testament to Cool Company’s potential for greatness. The band will be bringing their smooth sound to at Elsewhere on 03.18, alongside Argonaut & Wasp and Miles Francis. Check out "Slice of Paradise" below! – Ethan Ames

 "I Don’t Mind," off New York’s Native Sun‘s 2017 EP, Songs Born From Love and Hate, is eminently danceable, particularly for fans of ’70s punk and the moody, ’90s alt-rock of The Pixies. With their unrelentingly heavy drums, growling power chord-laden guitars, and in your face vocals, the band wears their punk influences on their sleeve, but enjoys occasional drifts into unsettling, psychedelic territory. For Native Sun, however, brevity is an asset, and they don’t wade too long in the muddy waters of psychedelia before bringing it back to the meat of the song. It’s compelling and energetic music which makes for a rollicking live show. Check out "I Don’t Mind" below, and don’t miss them when they play at Baby’s All Right on 03.18, with Yaasss and Coco Verde! – Ethan Ames

Rivergazer, the solo project of New York guitarist and songwriter Kevin Farrant, is playing at Rough Trade NYC on 03.15, with Tall Heights. Farrant, also known for his work as lead guitarist in Porches, is a contemplative and versatile songwriter. His most recent release, 2017’s Giver, showcases his ability to find his own unique groove across a broad palette of musical styles. Though the album is an inviting blend of indie pop, funk and R&B sensibilities, Farrant’s smooth, polished arrangements belie the turmoil and vulnerability contained within his lyrics. On "Loves the Hardest," featuring Greta Kline (a.k.a. Frankie Cosmos), Farrant indulges in lush synthesizers and autotuned vocals, over which he muses on love and loss: "I never wanna be the one/To say it’s over when it’s done." Listen to "Loves the Hardest" below, and don’t miss Rivergazer at Rough Trade NYC on the 15th! – Ethan Ames

Dick Stusso is a character—as in, a fictional person. Nic Russo, on the other hand, has been crafting melodies and songs and successfully entertaining close friends and families for years. They took notice of an obvious talent, collecting live performances and stems and eventually was coerced into completing the albums Nashville Dreams and Sings the Blues. In the two years since, Russo’s Stusso project has garnered lots of attention and in January 2018, the Oakland, CA based musician was signed to Sup Pop Records’ Hardly Art imprint. Check out the first single from his upcoming record, In Heaven, below. Stusso plays Thursday, March 08 in Santa Cruz, CA at The Catalyst Atrium and his tour worms its way to Austin for SXSW in two weeks. – Joshua Huver, Photograph by Cara Robbins

Bay Area artist Roxy Rawson creates jazz-influenced folk with an edge, using a fast-paced delivery and dynamic vocals to create music reminiscent of Soviet Kitsch-era Regina Spektor. Rawson distinguishes herself through her advanced techniques and grasp on music theory. The singer was classically trained in both piano and violin at the University of Paris VIII, and is now bringing her sweet sounds to the Bay.

The Deli SF is proud to be premiering her newest single, “Rounded Sound,” a singer-songwriter’s take on freak folk. Listen below, and stay on the lookout for her debut album Quenching the Kill, coming out later this year. – Lilly Milman