In the two years since their debut, Kelly Zutrau and Joe Valle of Wet have been hard at work on their sophomore album, Still Run. Following the departure of founding guitarist Marty Sulkow, Wet still created a collection of songs true to its indietronica roots. A menagerie of steel guitars, piano and…

All Bebe Rexha really had to do with her first album was introduce listeners to her sound, but she came out swinging and made a statement. Expectations comes together as a uniquely-woven pop album with plenty of room for genre-bending and experimentation. Features from some of rap’s heavy hitters and…

On his third solo album, Call The Comet, The Smiths’ guitar alumnus Johnny Marr creates a futuristic narrative while giving fans the old-school post-punk sound that they have come to expect from the veteran. The 13-track album shows Marr’s instrumental and vocal range as the songs vary from airy rock…

Arctic Monkeys, “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino.” In the nearly five years since Arctic Monkeys released their commercial breakthrough, A.M., the band has done much reinventing, reimagining and reestablishing itself on new album Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino. Exploring a new terrain of piano-dominated melodies, along with spacey synths, while…

Middle Kids‘ lively debut album, Lost Friends, is full of stylistic diversions and genre-blending tunes, making for a strong introductory statement by the Australian trio. With songs covering a gamut of influences from early 2000s punk to more modern indie rock melodies, Middle Kids know how to paint with multiple musical palettes. Lost…

It’s clear right off the bat that Texan Kacey Musgraves wanted to get past her country roots with her new record, Golden Hour. She embraces AutoTune and dominant dance beats on several tracks while maintaining her roots with steel guitar riffs and banjo accompaniments on others. On some songs she…

Photos: Karen Goldman SAN FRANCISCO − AJR held nothing back on Wednesday night as The Fillmore was transformed into a feel-good, storytelling, sing-along that fueled dancing and celebration. A visual display created from a giant pyramid of light-up blocks pulsated as the band walked out to one of their own…

George Ezra, “Staying At Tamara’s.” English singer-songwriter George Ezra proves he’s got more to him besides “Budapest” on his second album, Staying at Tamara’s. Following the release of his debut, Wanted on Voyage, in 2014, and three years on the road, Ezra spent last year in the studio. On the 11-track…

After a lengthy court battle with his old label and the devastating loss of his grandfather, no one could have blamed country singer-songwriter Scotty McCreery for dropping his music career and returning to his quiet North Carolina hometown. Operating from the wheelhouse of pop country, Scotty McCreery’s rise from…

Photos: Joaquin Cabello SAN FRANCISCO − WHY? explored the new sounds of its latest album, Moh Lhean, at the Fillmore on Thursday, alongside an energetic set from Mister Heavenly and soulful Florist. Immediately commanding the stage as the lights went out, WHY? started its headlining set with one of its oldest songs, “Bad Entropy,”…