Best New Releases

After a few years off, the post-hardcore outfit with members in Florida and beyond returns with an awesome new album with a cool stylistic shift! This album embraces the incendiary hardcore-inspired elements of their previous output but also has some shoegaze and other stylistic beats of 90’s alternative thrown into the mix, all to excellent results! Favorite track: Idealized

From Veronica Bisesti, host of Subculture

2000’s Brit garage rock darlings The Libertines are BACK!!  A little older and a lot more sober, they are still hitting all the rock & roll marks with this latest release “All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade”.    “Run Run Run” is a springtime bop for sure!

From Patrick Meigs, host of The Mixtape

Waxahatchee – “Tigers Blood”

How does Waxahatchee keep putting out incredible record after incredible record?! The new album Tigers Blood is another in a long line of thoughtfully written, impeccably crafted and melodic records. Waxahatchee is a storyteller for the ages. This is a must for the collection, I just don’t know what else to say!

Sarah Jarosz – “Polaroid Lovers”

Multi-talented instrumentalist and singer Sarah Jarosz has put out another great record. While Polaroid Lovers has a more pop feel than her other records, the strength of the album lies in the musicality, the storytelling and the overall feel of the record. Sarah Jarosz is a master musician and she knows how to put together a strong band and it shows on this record. Whether you are a big fan already or just being introduced to her music, Polaroid Lovers is a great addition to the collection.

John Craigie – “Pagan Church”

Portland’s own John Craigie continues to put out records that are wonderful to sit back and spend an afternoon listening, too. On his most recent record, Pagan Church, he has teamed up with another excellent Portland band, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings. On this record, he has continued his wonderful storytelling, his thoughtful turn of phrase and the backing band adds a beautifully intentional texture to the album. John Craigie has put out a record that just gets better the more you listen to it!

From Jonny Polivka, host of Jonny’s Playlist

Middle Kids – “Faith Crisis pt. 1”

We’re never far from being reminded that life can hurt or be hard to cope with, often by our own judgement, but there’s also a weight of evidence to show that these hardships can be overcome and turned around if we’re not stubbornly attempting to do everything on our own. Middle Kids
seem to have found a renewed faith in themselves as people and as a band on to Faith Crisis Pt 1.
– The Line of Best Fit

Middle Kids will be playing at Mississippi Studios on June 17, 2024.

Idles – “Tangk”

On TANGK, Idles smooth their rougher edges as they explore love in all of its facets—it would be their
warmest and most melodic record to date… – Pitchfork

IDLES will be playing TWO sold-out shows at the Roseland Theater on May 4 and 5 th .

Future Islands – “People Who Aren’t There Anymore”

…the album’s currency clearly doesn’t lie in springing sonic surprises. It lies in setting Herring’s lyrics to striking melodies, an area in which it fully delivers: soaring on the ballad-tempo Corner of My Eye, lush on Peach, sparkling at odds with the doleful emotions of Say Goodbye. It makes for an album that’s too involving and engaging and powerful to count as merely more of the same: you leave the turmoil of People Who Aren’t There Anymore feeling moved, rather than jaded. — The Guardian

Future Islands will be playing for two nights at Revolution Hall on September 14 – 15 th .

From Aron Shur – Host of Playing by Ear 

Mildlife –  “Chorus” 

Mildlife is serving up their third full-length Chorus, and with it they seem to have crafted their brightest work yet. Indeed, the same sense of airy serenity they’ve always had clings to the grooves and melodies across the album’s length. But even though previous albums were never prone to go into more rugged textures, Chorus presents their sonic vision at it’s most honed, with every contour smoothed out and clear coated with a shining finish. – Everything is Noise

Hannah Glavor – “Otherside”

Hannah Glavor’s music used to lean toward singer-songwriter folk. But her newly released single, “Otherside,” shows an indie rock side to the Portland musician. She writes about loss and hope, and about darkness and the light on the other side. – Oregon Public Broadcasting