Punk & Alternative
April started off with a bang with the second single released since 2011 by Kittie, “We Are Shadows.” Kittie is known for being a standout nu metal band back in the late 90s, even more so because of the all women lineup. Pop-punk band Between You & Me just released an EP, Sh!t Yeah, including a collaboration with Knuckle Puck on their opening track “Kill My Vibe.” Another collaboration? Yes! Andres Aparicio and Brain Butcher (of The Home Team) worked together to create “Casual Bender.” Rising artists in If Not For Me had multiple releases recently, including their new album “Everything You Wanted,” which includes their popular “Feel Me Now” single. Finally, genre mixer Blake Yung released his new single “Parasite” this past week. Everyday we get closer to the incredible performance that Bleed From Within is about to give at Toad’s Place in New Haven on April 30th while they support The Ghost Inside on their headlining tour!
Hip-Hop + R&B
Ciao! has a really cool beat used commonly by a lot of scam rappers, but Tiller flips it on its head. He floats on this beat with melodic verses, and when the horns came in at the end, I was blown away.
The Need 2 sample in “POINT ME TO IT” was absolutely crazy. There’s honestly better songs on this debut tape (LA REID, ON THE RADAR CYPHER, NOT DA 2), but I need the people to know about this song. Just think of any meme jersey club remix you’ve heard, but this is just better. I’m really happy I gave this song a chance.
I’m a fan of a few rappers like GloRilla (Rico Nasty, Flo Milli, Tierra Whack) but I hadn’t listened to much Glo outside her popular TikTok song. Her flow on this song is great, and Meg is always a great complement. Don’t be too quick to judge Glo.
This might be a hot take, but I’m a fan of Doja Cat expanding her horizons in nearly everything she’s done over the past year or two. She’s completely reinvented herself, and this song is grittier than anything I’ve ever heard from her. The A$AP Rocky verse feels super nostalgic since I haven’t heard him deliver a verse this good in a while. The whole song just clicks for me.
If you’re looking to get on to a diamond in the rough, Tino Szn could be for you. Definitely takes a lot of influence from artists like Don Tolliver or Travis Scott and only has 17k monthly listeners on Spotify. This song has a really interesting off-beat rhythm that carries through the whole song, and Tino’s riffing is beautiful in my opinion. This song is definitely prompting me to look at his other music.
Pop & Indie
This week saw the arrival of several highly anticipated music releases. Conan Gray’s ‘Found Heaven’ album dropped, treating listeners to a nostalgic journey with its 80s-inspired synth sounds. Meanwhile, Doja Cat brought fans “Scarlet 2 CLAUDE,” an extension of her previous album, ‘Scarlet.’ The album features exciting collaborations with artists like A$AP Rocky and Teezo Touchdown. Lizzy McAlpine’s “older” album captivated audiences with its collection of heartfelt acoustic pop ballads, showcasing McAlpine’s signature style. Rising star Benson Boone released “Fireworks & Rollerblades.” The songs “Beautiful Things” and “Slow It Down” have been very popularized on TikTok and many love his strong power ballads featured on the album. Additionally, Glass Animals dropped the single “Creatures in Heaven,” a vibrant preview of their upcoming album “Love You So F***ing Much,” set to release on July 19th. In other news, on June 2nd, FLETCHER is scheduled to perform at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.
Folk & Country
Beyonce is breaking down barriers in the country scene with new album “COWBOY CARTER.” Although she stated “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album”, the album features country legends Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.
Multi-Platinum artist Dylan Scott has announced his new deluxe album “Livin’ My Best Life (Still),” out March 29 via Curb Records.
Breakout singer-songwriter Josh Ross released his highly anticipated EP, “Complicated”. The eight-song project includes his emotional power ballad “Trouble” and current chart-riser “Single Again”.
“Hixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape,” a tribute to country legend Joe Diffie led by genre fusionist Hardy, is out now via Big Loud Records. The project is being released in conjunction with the Diffie Estate on the fourth anniversary of his passing.
Recorded at Muscle Shoals’ Fame Studios, “Mind, Man, Medicine “is the fifth album by Alabama siblings The Secret Sisters–Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle; it features Alabama Shakes bassist Zac Cockrell, multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, and co-producers John Paul White and Ben Tanner.
Billy Strings is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician, his album “Home” winning the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2021. He is set to perform at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater on July 26th.
