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

Dina Maccabee’s forthcoming record The Sharpening Machine is a balancing act; Maccabee juggles inclinations towards melodic singing and experimental vocal expression, while simultaneously modulating between instrumental textures both acoustic and electronic. While it can be initially perplexing to discern her overall vision, it is out of these contrasts that she creates a tension wherein shifts in structure and sound deliver a satisfying build and release. Recent single “Could You Be Right” serves as a testament to the record’s dynamic nature, changing from stumbling synth lines and a wandering vocal melody to an indie-pop, almost baroque-like march during the song’s chorus (and then back again). It’s a peak behind the curtain to Maccabee’s uniquely singular vision which will drop in full on April 5th – stream it below, and be sure to catch her at The Owl Music Parlor on April 6th with Kaethe Hostetter and Out of Sight of Land. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt)

Channeling a sound reminiscent of forward looking artists like Radiohead and Pink Floyd, NYC-based band Upright Man molds a signature psych-rock style propelled by a traditional guitar, bass, and drums set up. In their 2017 debut self-titled album, the trio consisting of Aidan Dolan (guitar/vocals), Nick Katz (bass/vocals), and Max Yassky (drums/vocals) flaunts  an assortment of openings for each song that range from punchy and overdriven basslines to swiftly picked guitar riffs. Songs like "Ecstacy" and "Agorognostic" soothe with ambient verses and then explode into hard-charging choruses that show off the band’s authentic sound. In songs like "Say What You Mean" you can hear the folk influences of Led Zeppelin’s groundbreaking second album, and yet, through all these changes the three New Yorkers remain themselves. The album’s title track (which double as the band’s names, since the record is self-titled) is a hard-hitting classic rock ode that truly crystallizes the group’s versatility. Upright Man will be taking the stage at Brooklyn Bazaar on March 15th. – Rene Cobar

Cassandra Jenkins released her debut album Play Till You Win in 2017, but her songs from that record continue to enchant new listeners in different ways. The songwriter released an acoustic version of her cosmic track "Hotel Lullaby" on March 8th, in which she strips the song of everything but her hushed voice, her guitar, and a symphonic string quartet. The track takes on greater intimacy this way, making you feel like you’re getting a listen into its inner workings. This version of "Hotel Lullaby" got some recent publicity when ABC’s Musicland — a show on their online channel ABC Localish — premiered it in a video, showing Jenkins performing the song at the Plaza Hotel where her father used to play piano. Take a listen to the acoustic version of "Hotel Lullaby" below. – Will Sisskind

New York City is a paradoxical place. With familiar landmarks vanishing on the daily, many of the things we conjure when we think about the city are in fact no longer there. This is the city that native Brion Starr inhabits, and his music reflects the disaffected feeling of watching the place you love become unrecognizable before your very eyes. What’s particularly fascinating about Starr’s music is that it draws a lot of influence from one particular New York legend: the underground glam rock scene of the 1970s. The sparkling cacophony of his experimental brand of vintage rock leans more toward Brian Eno than David Bowie, and while watching him perform in sequin jumpsuits its hard not to imagine what those who shaped New York’s past might think of the city today. Perhaps that’s the very question Starr wants us to answer. Wrapping up a tour with The Chills, Starr plans to release his LP Global Identity on March 21st – while you wait, check out “Oh Please”, the first single off the album, below. – Sunny Betz