Pop & Indie
CONCERT: 11/19 – Krooked Kings @ College Street Music Hall
Lizzy McAlpine’s newest album, Older (and Wiser), includes 19 songs. The album concludes with “Spring Into Summer” a song about wanting to go back to an ex-relationship and how if she could go back she wouldn’t have caused the other person to hurt. What I like about this song is the false ending, McAlpine’s voice trails off and there is a few seconds of instrumental music fading out then all of a sudden it all comes back in. I enjoyed this song and I think I will listen to the rest of the album.
“PANIC ATTACK” literally describes the feeling of a panic attack. I never would have thought that the process and emotions you feel during a panic attack would make a good song but PEGGY made it happen. She discusses both the emotions felt and how you need to do certain things to calm yourself. It’s a song about something that isn’t talked about enough and I think it’s very interesting.
“story i tell myself” is about telling yourself that you’re fine when you really aren’t. Even knowing you deserve better doesn’t help you stop missing the past. Lindsay Ell takes a hard topic and adds an uplifting beat to create a really good song. I definitely recommend giving this one a listen.
“Lotus Eater” is the third single from Finneas’ newest album, For Cryin’ Out Loud! I haven’t actually listened to Finneas before despite this being his second album but this song is super catchy and I feel like I have to listen to the rest of the album now. His songs all have really interesting titles as well.
Happy Sexy Skinny Pill by Kate Grahn is a song the artist describes as being about the war between body image and mental health. She describes the feelings that side effects of mental health medication can have. I think her message about the song and how keeping a healthy mental state can have unexpected side effects is really important. The song also has a really cool cover on Spotify which originally pulled me in.
Punk & Alternative
CONCERT: 11/14 – Apes of the State @ Space Ballroom
You might recall that WQAQ Weekly last discussed Mötley Crüe in April before we all went home for the summer. The band had just released the first single to promote an upcoming new album. Well, the album is yet to be released, but Mötley Crüe did just drop the third promotional single on October 4, 2024. The track, titled, “Cancelled,” discusses exactly what you would think—and it is unfortunately a big step down from the first single released, “Dogs of War.” With lines like “TikTok videos smell like landfill,” “Speak your mind, you might get cancelled” and the opening lyrics being a play-on-words of the “woke mob” with “Woke up in the morning, you just got cancelled,” the song immediately dates itself and puts a sour taste in my mouth. “Cancelled” is a product of its time, and unfortunately, was not released when it would have been relevant. Mötley Crüe comes across as tone-deaf and unprogressive in this song—and it really really is not the right look for the band in 2024.
California-based Alternative band The Wrecks released a new single on October 4, 2024. “Always, Everytime,” the band’s first new release since 2023, definitely leans a little more pop-y than the band’s most popular release—”Favorite Liar” from 2017, which was the band’s debut single. Even though The Wrecks have existed since the mid-2010s, the band has only ever released two albums, one in 2020 and another in 2022 followed by a deluxe edition that same year. In that sense, it’s a little difficult to pin down exactly what The Wrecks’ “sound” is. The band’s newest release feels reminiscent of Wallows, while the band’s debut single could be off of Waterparks’ “Double Dare.” The Wrecks just announced the “Inside : Outside” tour, to start in the Spring of 2025.
“Cosmic Death Metal” band Blood Incantation released a new album on October 4, 2024. “Absolute Elsewhere” features six tracks, with two complete stories being told in three tracks each. The band formed in Denver, Colorado in 2011, and released a debut EP in November 2015. While I would not proclaim myself a fan of metal, I enjoyed listening to the entirety of this album. Each song had a surprisingly atmospheric sound, with sections of metal vocals being split up by the type of music I would study to. Some songs also featured some really melodic, moody vocals that sounded like they could have been on an album from The Smiths. This stark change in tone through each song gives the band an eerie, otherworldly aura. By upending the expected, Blood incantation kept me invested throughout the album’s full 43-minute runtime.
Folk & Country
CONCERT: 11/05 – Bridge City Sinners @ Webster Theatre (Hartford)
Hayes Carll and The Band of Heathens, performing as the supergroup Hayes and the Heathens, released their self-titled debut album on October 4. This record is a seamless blend of rock ‘n’ roll, country, and folk music, all packed into one stellar album. It even features a fantastic rockabilly-style cover of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” When you bring together musicians who truly love what they do, magic happens—and that’s exactly what this album delivers: 30 minutes of pure fun. “Fun” might be the best word to describe it. My top picks are “Nobody Dies From Weed,” “Adeline,” and “Nothin’ to do with Your Love.” Trust me, this album is a journey you don’t want to miss. It’s an easy, quick listen, so definitely check it out.
Andrew Bird, a master fiddler and Grammy-nominated artist who has performed at some of the most notable venues, has teamed up with Madison Cunningham, who won a Grammy for ‘Best Folk Album’ for her 2022 release, Revealer. Together, they are creating a unique project, as they slowly release covers of every song from the cult classic, out-of-print Buckingham Nicks. So far, they’ve covered “Crystal,” “Crying in the Night,” and most recently, “Without a Leg to Stand On.” As a loyal Stevie Nicks fan, I have to say Bird and Cunningham have done an incredible job of making the beloved album their own. Their folky rendition of “Without a Leg to Stand On” is, in my opinion, even better than the original. While the album isn’t strictly folk, when two of folk music’s greats collaborate—and add a touch of that Fleetwood Mac drama—I can’t help but pay attention. Definitely check out both Andrew Bird and Maddison Cunningham.
On October 1, Waxahatchee released her new single, “Much Ado About Nothing.” It’s an emotional folk-rock song with a distinctive twang, featuring impressive instrumentals and a guest appearance by MJ Lenderman, an accomplished folk-indie musician, on electric guitar. The song is a master class in symbolic and imagery-rich lyrics that truly paint a picture. And if you don’t believe me, take it from writer Rob Sheffield. In his Rolling Stone review of Waxahatchee’s 2024 album Tiger’s Blood, he called the singer-songwriter a “master storyteller.” I truly believe Waxahatchee is the next big thing in folk-rock so keep an eye out, and if you want to say you were a fan before she blew up check out her latest release, “Much Ado About Nothing.”
Hip-Hop & R&B
CONCERT: 11/8 – Polo G @ The Webster
Tee Grizzley makes my list again this week, and for good reason. While his newest album, Post Traumatic, was underwhelming as a full work, there are some diamonds in the rough here. My favorite song was “Suffer In Silence.” The simple piano beat with well-placed 808s really makes this work. Grizzley even has some more variety in his flow with this one, including some melodic parts as well. I wasn’t a big fan of the singing he does on the bridge, but the actual rapping Tee Grizzley does on this song is top-notch.
I was pleasantly surprised by BIG30’s deluxe drop of Still King. Granted, this is a 25-song album so I didn’t listen to the whole thing, but what I did hear I liked. My favorite song off the project was, “COME SAVE ME,” which had this fun beat with a high piano chord that would pop every other measure. BIG30’s flow reminds me a lot of rappers like Pooh Sheisty, but the lyrics are catchy and silly enough to make this one a fun listen. Even if you aren’t normally a fan of this kind of music I totally recommend it.
This is a pretty run-of-the-mill 41 song. If you’ve ever heard any song from them you’re familiar with the New York drill-style beats and verses from every member of the group, most predominantly Kyle Richh and Jen Carter. What makes this song different is a new voice in the form of Nemzzz, of Manchester fame. The modern UK drill staple makes his presence known in this song and delivers the best verse without a doubt.
Ericdoa is quickly becoming a rap genre innovator, with his newest single, “do ya?” giving some unique funk and ’80s influence. The prominent bassline provides a ton of personality during the verses, and the synths during the verse contribute to such a full-sounding song. Ericdoa’s experimentation with his new jazz beats is something to behold, and I’ve been looking forward to every single time he drops.
Ian’s current run of stellar form continues with the release of his latest single, “End Up Gone.” He’s been teasing this one for a little while now, and I’m very excited that it ended up on Spotify this early. The beat has a lot of moving parts, but that’s pretty standard for an ian song. The vocal performance is also solid. I can envision myself swaying in the back seat on the way to a party to this song.
