The other night I found myself at Woods, playing cards with a friend and enjoying the finest cider I’d laid lips on in a while. A local quartet had just set up and as the music on the speakers died down, the vibrant sounds of jazz lit up the space and I’m telling you: the room shifted. Bassist Lisa Mezzacappa was killing it, Jordan Glenn snapped away on those drums, the trombone and the alto sax blended beautifully. At one point my card playing partner turned to me with happy shaking head, saying, “Who is this?” Between songs I went up to ask the trombonist (Rob Ewing) who wrote the piece and he pointed to saxist Beth Schenck. “It’s called ‘Dedicated To,’” he told me. Amazing.

I’ve since been digging on more SIFTER and found myself listening to another project led by Ewing, Junior Reggae, who just released their latest album These Lines, off Slow and Steady Records. The band is “avant-dub,” with modern jazz at its core but with—as the name suggests—a marriage of reggae, dub and fluid jazz compositions throughout. Influenced by Augustus Pablo and Lee “Scratch” Perry, the group is a unique find that brings together an inspiring collection of musicians. There’s Max Miller-Loran on trumpet and keys, Steven Blum on keys, Jason Levis on percussions and Rob Ewing on bass, trombone, keys and more percussion. It’s an ear fest. Junior Reggae is playing Woods this Friday December 6 from 5-8. Come on out for an evening and save me a cider. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Album artwork by Jesse Rimler. 

Uncertainty permeates “Certain Thoughts,” the latest single by NYC indie pop trio Deep Sea Peach Tree, interspersed among jangling, treble-friendly guitars and an unperturbed vocal performance by frontman Kristof Denis. Amidst lyrics detailing how “some things never change,” Deap Sea Peach Tree play on, their bright, upbeat sound counteracting the song’s meandering narrative. In the same sense that Denis’s lyricism seems to accept the cards as they fall, that despite how he may “look for answers, [they] never appear,” the band seems happy to play on, embedding “Certain Thoughts” with a certain sunny optimism and a compartmentalized worldview; listen below, and catch Deep Sea Peach Tree at Our Wicked Lady on December 7th, alongside QWAM, the Down & Outs, and Lackadazies, presented by Bloodless Management. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Post-punk outfit FLEXÏ’s debut effort EP I is a scorching affair, marked by aggressive deadpan vocal performances, acid-washed guitars, and a seemingly unstoppable momentum. Starting on a stuttering, syncopated invocation of the trio’s proclivity for asynchronous instrumental lines and a screaming vox (“Post Synapse”) and concluding with tactile, nearly spoken word trudge on closer “No Sense in Reason,” FLEXÏ explore a range of noise throughout the extended play’s six tracks, never letting their sound get stale. Listen below, and catch them on December 4th at Our Wicked Lady, supporting BRNDA, Fat Heaven, and Dougie Poole. Photo by Joe Saturday (via Instagram)

Brooklyn post-punk trio Patio’s debut LP Essentials is an engaging, introspective, and darkly humorous listen. From the sinister bass and spoken-word vocals of opener “Split,” to the self-effacing lyrics of “Boy Scout,” and concluding with an evenhanded examination of the present (and future) on “Legacy Continued,” Patio demonstrate a penchant for idiosyncratic songwriting and energetic, guitar-driven instrumentality. The band’s ability to reconcile the often-discordant nature of their playing with the intensely honest (but hopefully optimistic) lyricism makes Essentials a good album for those craving a down-to-earth, no bullshit rock record. Listen below, and see Patio live on December 13th at Le Poisson Rouge alongside Pile and Gabby’s World.

“Pop-adjacent” artist Blush FM’s newest EP Project A is a sparse, at times haunting affair, replete with moody, minimalistic synths and a powerful central vocal performance. It’s the type of release that exudes confidence, one that highlights Blush’s dramatic vox against quietly brooding synthetic swells; the most high-key element of the Project A’s five songs would be a tactile-but-understated 808 that propels the tracks forward, and the occasional hair-raising resonance-heavy synth, which lend additional drama and intrigue the project’s overall sound. Fans of artists like FKA Twigs and SHAED will feel right at home with this extended play; stream single "Move" below, and catch Blush FM at Mercury Lounge on December 5th.

New York indie rock duo Dog Petter bill their new video “Sucktitutde” as “what Lord of the Rings would look like if it cost $20 to make,” although one could argue it looks a bit like a poor man’s Skyrim. Soundtracked by noodling guitar lines and predominantly soft vocals, band members Emmitt and Brian embark on an epic voyage through Middle Earth (or the woods of New Jersey), leveling up their stats and befriending a God-like dog along the way. Humorous visuals aside, Dog Petter’s sound is somewhere between the muted repose of bands like Duster and The Antlers and the emotionally explosive elements of northeast emo outfits like Snowing, finding a happy medium between the quiet and cacophonous; watch the video below, and stream their most recent effort Asleep in the Heat here. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Despite my aversion to driving, pollution, and traffic inherent to owning a car, New York rhythm-and-blues quartet the Jay Vons create music that makes me wish I had a set of wheels of my own. Their recently release LP The Word is immediately evocative of yesteryear’s Mo-Town sound, a grooving collection of songs that would perfectly soundtrack a Sunday drive on the BQE. From the record’s opening organ, to the horn-hits on misty-eyed love song “Changing Seasons,” to the spring box percussive churn of “Keep On Moving,” the Jay Vons bring the heat, laying down soulful call-and-response vocals and solid gold brass lines amidst warmly vintage guitar tones. And despite the band being beholden to the tropes of classic RnB, The Word never feels kitschy or forced, resonating instead as a contemporary take on an old-yet-still-kicking musical tradition, a record that excels with many of the instruments and sonic textures listeners are are already well acquainted with. Listen below, and catch the band at Union Pool on December 1st, alongside Holy Hive and Masino. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Northern New Jersey’s Well Wisher have essentially perfected the art of the asynchronous indie punk song, creating melodic, exciting tunes that are marked by deeply melancholic lyrics. Their most recent release This Is Fine contains ten, primarily upbeat jams, filled with tension-building guitars and dramatic major-minor chord resolutions, all set against by front woman Natalie Newbold’s bright vox and sad lyrics. It’s the ideal music for club catharsis, the type of music that induces immediate hype in a live setting while providing space to scream out the words (in a room full of strangers) as a space to bask in shared sorrow. Stream this fun duality below, and catch Well Wisher at the House of Independents on November 29th, supporting Beach Rats, Speedy Ortiz, Restorations, and American Trappist.

New York duo Shake the Baby Til the Love Comes Out have no problem making disconcerting-yet-engaging math rock (as their slightly unsavory name belies). Their new LP Growth and Healing Through Bringing Others Down continues the stumbling momentum of last year’s in a pretty suit; sludgy melodic riffs and absolutely massive drum fills on single “For All the Days That I Am Happy” shows Shake the Baby has no problem letting the lead out while seamlessly switching rhythmic gears. Revel in the noise below, and catch them at Trans Pecos on November 27th for their album release show.

It’s possible you’re already acquainted with Brooklyn-based musician Saara Untracht-Oakner by way of indie four-piece tour de force BOYTOY, but under the name SUO she steps out as a solo act to lay down grooving, tactile indie rock on new track “Unsatisfied Blood.” Muted guitars and atmospheric wah-wahs underlay Untracht-Oakner’s post-punk vocal delivery, drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists including David Byrne, Prince, and Patti Smith; the song (and its lyrics detailing insatiable bloodlust) serve as a nice score for the music video in which SUO engages in nocturnal bloodsports, Man Bites Dog style. Check it out below, and catch her at The Broadway on December 14th. 

Sipper’s debut Adam Driver EP came out earlier this year and properly introduced us to Joe Beerman’s hushed, almost secretive songwriting and spare indie rock, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting in new single before we wrap 2019. Opting for a more acoustic, room filling sound, recently unveiled track “Ghost” carries much of the same easy listenability of the project’s previous release; Beerman is still cranking out catchy hooks coupled with minimalistic instrumentation while exploring different, increasingly psyche-tinged instrumentation. Better yet, as the first single off the band’s next, as-of-yet unnamed EP (out next year), it builds appropriate hype for those of us clamoring for more Sipper music (present company very much included); listen to it below. —Connor Beckett McInerney

New York electronic act Acidhead mix elements of pop-punk, new classical, and synthwave on new LP Distractions, delivering a strange, exciting effort for fans of the experimental. Between pulsing 808s and dissonant keys, multi-instrumentalist Patrick McGee croons in heavy autotune, crafting tracks that resonate with the listener as both emotional detached and deeply lachrymose; peppered in among this primarily electronic backbone are massive guitar riffs, sax lines, and meandering piano playing, all of which contribute to the esoteric nature of the release. The final output reads as the lovechild of Angelo Badalamenti and Yung Lean (in the best way possible); stream it below, and catch Acidhead at Knitting Factory on 11.27.