Earlier this month, New York-based singer/songwriter Lucia Roberts released her latest album, ‘I’m Just Dreaming.’ Featuring such guitar-shadowed tracks as “So Kiss Me” and “Thorns And Roses” (streaming below), the release unveils not only the musician’s celestial voice but also a kind of “night-folk” full of mythic imagery and forlorn feeling that is akin to John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. There is, in fact, something novelistic about these songs but Roberts’ voice is so ravishing that one could just listen to them and nestle into their quiet beauty. Lucia Roberts plays at The Living Room on Wednesday (9.2). – Zach Weg

New York-via-Colombia musicians Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada make alternative pop under the moniker Salt Cathedral. Their Facebook description reads, “I am a holy soul in a foreign land,” and it seems that, in this way, their otherworldly sound is intertwined with their lives. The band’s latest album, ‘OOM VELT,‘ was released in September 2014. Accompanied by ethereal beats, it is a dreamy, cohesive, piece full of layering and harmonies beautifully sung by Ronderos. Still, we are hungry for more music. A magical experience could include going to see a show of theirs; good thing the opportunity is coming up! The band will be playing at Baby’s All Right on Friday, September 4. Check out one of our favorite songs, “Good Winds,” below. – Lauren Schechter

When B.B. King passed in May of this year, guitars across the world wailed in tribute for weeks; many still do. Brooklyn rapper NOTAR, known to channel some blues into his swagger, has caught The King of The Blues’ spirit in his new album, ‘L.A.R.R.Y.’  Equal parts Kanye West and Citizen Cope, this album feels like NOTAR has finally reconciled an inner conundrum he’s been battling with for years. A concept album exploring a veteran’s return home from war, it is a deep and compelling work worthy of numerous close listenings. One of our favorite tracks, "Sacrifice ft. Adam Duritz," is streaming below. The King would approve. – BrokeMC

The dreamgaze-y quartet Last Canyon (fka Nightmail) released their newest EP "gold, sight, and silver" yesterday in an El Cid performance with post-punk revivalists The Electric West and the bright-eyed melancholic surfpop of Little Magic.

It’s been three years since their debut self-titled EP, an abrasive yet melodic spectrum of synth and oscillating guitars, and the group certainly have not lost their sharpness even as they announced a name change last October following singer-keyboardist Tammy Herrera’s departure. However, small changes to sound were in order: the halcyon voices of bassist Dvin Kirakosian (ex- Courtney Love and the Chelsea) and drummer Brian Ramirez now intertwine as they fade in and out of focus. Nick Nevlin (light fm) and Gabriel Fernandez (Facts on File) trade line for line on the guitars, re-imagining the nostalgic tones of 90’s dreampop with new romanticism, new sincerity, and new conviction.

"gold, sight, and silver" is available to stream on the Last Canyon’s Soundcloud. Listen to it below, starting with the sublime first track "Daymoon". – Ryan Mo

Vocalist/bassist Sera Timms is ready to show the fruits of her labor with Black Mare, who last played at The Complex mid-May, and featured new songs "Fighting Birds" and "Babalon’s Fold" for fans who had little chance to see the songwriter since her previous show with Glaare, Lightsystem, and He Whose Ox is Gored almost one year ago. The former member of critically acclaimed Black Math Horseman, Timms’ project expands on the atmospheric post-metal qualities of her previous output: drifting, evolving folk dissonance in blank verse. It’s characteristically minimalist, yet retains craftsmanship and aesthetic reminiscent of ISIS, Chelsea Wolfe, and Emma Ruth Rundle.

Black Mare performs at The Echo on September 13th with visiting SF bands Them Are Us Too and Chasms. Listen to "Low Crimes" from Black Mare’s split with Arizona’s Lycia. – Ryan Mo, image credit: David Lee Dailey

Country will meet city tonight when Virginia-based sextet Love Canon descends on Brooklyn Bowl for bluegrass renditions of ‘80s songs. The group has recently released its third album ‘Love Canon Greatest Hits III,’ which features covers of Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” and the Giorgio Moroder-composed “Danger Zone.” Also playing tonight is the Alex Borsody-fronted band Dancegrass with the Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter Seth Kessel, whose 2013 album with the Two Cent Band features such poignantly animated tracks as “Goodbye July” (streaming below). Next week will see more bluegrass as the Brooklyn-based Ryan Cavanaugh Band will play at Brooklyn Bowl on 9.6 as part of the venue’s Bluegrass Brunch series. – Zach Weg 

What band is “Like the Beatles on Nyquil,” inspired by Natalie Merchant, and sounds like a mix between Smog and Sun Kil Moon with a country twang? You probably didn’t guess Finchler, but that’s who we are thinking of. Since 2005, the band, which has produced a plethora of music in its time, hasn’t released anything since their 2012 album, Hair Gimmicks of Apathy. We can only hope that new music will soon be arriving. Finchler are pros at the anti-folk, self-deprecating, talkative lyric game. We find it endearing. Check out their song “Freaky Painting” below, and go see them live at Cake Shop on August 31. – Lauren Schechter

Looking for new, versatile jam that makes you jump, dance, and lose your mind? Try on indie hard rock band The Milestones for size; it’s a good fit. They’re a brash and fun quartet from Baltimore with a distinct and diverse sound all their own and their live performances are unmissable.

Their performance at DC9 on 8/26 did not give this writer’s eardrums a break and infected the audience with an energy that didn’t quit, even after the band started tearing down their kit. Their set featured excellent guitar fades and mind-blowing drum solos. These guys know how to interact with the audience given their fun banter and focused showmanship, so make sure to catch them live or miss an experience worth remembering. They have an EP, Honey, coming out later this summer and some shows in NYC this weekend. Leftfield, 8/29 at 8pm and D’Herde East, 8/30 at 2pm. -Jonathan Goodwin

Brooklyn vocal marvel Jonathan Hoard conjures power from the depth of soul seldom explored on his new song, "Tidal Wave feat. Rabbi Darkside" (streaming below). With a powerful yet smooth voice somewhere between Stevie Wonder and Beyonce, the singer/songwriter/arranger has the acumen to match the energy of any track he tackles. As his harmonies swirl and pulse, it’s easy to get lost in the wave’s giant blue heart. Known to many from his accompaniment with the New York jam session known as The Lesson (led by the band Gentei Kaijo), Hoard smashes with his solo work. “Tidal Wave” also includes a ferocious verse from hip-hop ambassador Rabbi Darkside. Brace yourself. Jonathan Hoard performs tomorrow (8.28) at The Brooklyn Bowl as part of The Lesson. – BrokeMC

Back in May 2013, Brooklyn singer/songwriter Janet LaBelle released “Wide Awake Dreaming” (streaming below), a wistful piano track that Brian Wilson would approve of. Capturing a forlorn lover’s sleepless night with imaginative lyrics such as “The world’s an empty cup,” the song shows the merry LaBelle of “Just a Little Rain” or “You Don’t Get It (So Forget It)” as a melancholic nightingale here to coddle us back to rest. Reportedly at work on a new release, Janet LaBelle performs at Mercury Lounge on Sunday (8.30). – Zach Weg

Caverns is a NYC-based indie-rock band whose latest EP, ‘Tonche,’ seamlessly blends elements of psych-rock, prog-rock, and a bit of pop into a replay-worthy debut. The influence of classic acts on the group is undeniable. The EP’s third track, "Count to Five" (streaming below), opens with a psychedelically dark guitar riff that would feel right at home on a Pink Floyd record, and yet there’s enough of their own fingerprints on the music that it has a unique sound. The rest of the EP follows a similar pattern, succesfully blending a modern indie-rock nature with psych-and-prog-rock qualities. Caverns has made quite an impact with its debut record. The opening track, "Ghosts," already has over 30,000 plays on Souncloud, just 3 months after the EP’s release. The band is currently working on new material and you can catch them live at Knitting Factory on September 10. – Patrick Wolff

Originally formed in Vermont, Alpenglow, the now Brooklyn-based band, is dropping its old “atmospheric folk” sound and exchanging it for one with more sonic vibes. This band is blasting off. Their latest EP, ‘Chapel,’ which still encompasses their old sound, can be defined as the word Alpenglow itself: “the rosy light of the setting or rising sun seen on high mountains.” Lead singer Graeme Daubert’s shifting vocals and unforeseen relatability manage to give listeners the sense that they are on one of those mountains. Recently, Alpenglow added some singles to their soundcloud that we recommend you listen to. "Dreaming Too Much" (streaming below), for instance, encompasses the space vibe they claim to be working towards. The band should be previewing some of their work at Rough Trade tonight, August 28th. – Lauren Schechter