Art-pop singer Julia Holter’s upcoming release, In the Same Room, a live studio recording of 11 select songs from three previous albums, Tragedy, Loud City Song and Have You in My Wilderness, offers listeners a new vantage point from which to enjoy her work.  In the Same Room Julia Holter March…

Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest teamed up with East Coast rock trio Gold Connections to create their debut self-titled EP. Although Toledo played drums, electric guitar and bass, sang back-up and helped master the final product, he won’t be with the group moving forward. Gold Connections Gold Connections March 31…

Jeb Loy Nichols continues to surprise us with his perfectly blended mix of soul, country, folk and blues. His latest album, Country Hustle homes in on his life experiences and travels. Country Hustle Jeb Loy Nichols March 31 On his first track, “Come See Me,” the lyrics tell the story of living…

The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Damage and Joy.” It’s been 19 years since Scottish shoegaze rockers The Jesus and Mary Chain last released an album. They’ve continued to tour off and on, but Damage and Joy offers them their first chance to tour in support of new material since their last release in 1998. This, their…

Craig Finn is a veteran writer, guitarist and singer and has been around the block more than a few times since starting indie-rock band LFTR PULLR in Minneapolis in 1994. Ten years later he formed the Hold Steady in Brooklyn, which went on to release six albums, the most recent in 2014. Finn’s solo…

Phil Elverum turned to what he knows best following the loss of his wife, artist and musician Geneviève Castrée. Elverum, who records under the name Mount Eerie, immediately threw himself into music in an effort to grieve and begin his healing process. Using his wife’s instruments, he began documenting…

The sound of Bay Area pop and rock band Emotional spans a variety of genres. Their second full-length LP, The Band (released March 3), was written and recorded in just three days. Despite the quick production, songwriter and local label Death Records co-founder Brian Wakefield’s insightful lyrics mesh well with psychedelic melodies…

If the title Heartworms, were a play on the term “earworms,” it would be an exceedingly apt descriptor for the Shins‘ fifth record, because its 11 catchy and emotionally relatable tracks seem bound to lodge themselves firmly in both the ears and hearts of listeners. Heartworms the Shins March…

It’s been well established that Greg Graffin is not your typical old-school punk rocker, and his third solo release, Millport, described as “Laurel Canyon country-rock,” is no exception to his 40-year career of refusing to be pinned down. Millport Greg Graffin March 10 As a founding member of Bad…

The sound of Detroit quartet Bonny Doon is not what you’d expect to come out of the Motor City. The band is more lyrical than house and more acoustic than Motown. Although it falls within the country-rock genre, the band’s new self-titled album has more alternative influences. The poignant lyrics of singers Bill Lennox and…