Anna Shoemaker, courtesy.

This week’s Tuesday Tracks span rock (Bobby Mahoney), punk (Moonraker), metal (Hollow Front), TikTok pop (Mia Rodriguez) and some songs that defy categorization (The Knocks, Anna Shoemaker).

Hollow Front, “The Price of Dreaming” — Let’s kick the week off with some metal, shall we? Featuring screamed verses and sung choruses ripped from the aughts combined with extremely heavy guitars, Michigan metalcore band Hollow Front is both fresh and nostalgic on the title track from its upcoming album. Also novel is a video featuring a ballerina, something not exactly common in the metal world. Not a ton of overlap with the ballet world there, which is a shame if you think about it.

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Mia Rodriguez, “Shut Up” — And now for something completely different. Mia Rodriguez is described in her press release as an Australian singer-songwriter but that really, really doesn’t capture what’s going on here. Rising from TikTok celebrity to winning a variety of Australian music awards, her major label debut showcases her fusion of pop and hip-hop, with touches of everything from K-pop to EDM. She’s very TikTok—in other words, taking the catchiest parts of everything and merging them to grab your attention in a short period of time.

Moonraker, “Crickets” — Maybe you’re not in the mood for TikTok. Maybe you’re in the mood for a dingy dive bar in the late ’80s. In that case, allow me to introduce you to Southern California punk band Moonraker. The Bad Religion banner behind the band in its video isn’t out of place. That band is a clear inspiration for Moonraker and “Crickets” is clear proof. With the world how it is, we need real punk now more than ever.

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Anna Shoemaker, “Until I Die” — Anna Shoemaker calls herself an indie pop singer-songwriter, but I’m not sure that really captures “Until I Die.” Pop-rock is maybe closer, but it’s combined with hints of a garage rock aesthetic. The vocal style is poppy but the song’s attitude is something else entirely. In a world where everything is increasingly categorized, something I can’t quite figure out is a breath of fresh air.

The Knocks, “Slow Song” — I write a column for RIFF, and in one edition earlier this year I sung the praises of Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart.” It’s possible this song resonates with me so much because its bass line is very similar to that. It’s also electronic funk, a sort of neo-disco that I didn’t realize I needed in my life. Though it’s my own fault for not paying attention; we’ve been covering the Knocks since 2016.

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Bobby Mahoney and the Seventh Son, “Moth to the Flame” — Sometimes you just want a rock song. Genres have splintered so much that it can feel like every band has its own “-core” it claims as its own, but there was a time not long ago when rock was just rock. It sounded a lot like “Moth to the Flame,” which is to the credit of Mahoney and his bandmates. Going back to basics and doing it well can be harder than fitting into a narrow niche, after all.

Danny’s pick: It’s a tough call. I want to give Moonraker props for being a real punk band, and I’m always the first to celebrate metal. But this week my pick of the week is Anna Shoemaker’s “Until I Die.” As big a fan I am of certain genres, I’m a much bigger fan of artists that ignore genre conventions and just do their own thing, and it feels like Shoemaker has done just that. We need more unique music.

Follow editor Daniel J. Willis at Twitter.com/BayAreaData.