Pop & Indie
CONCERT: 5/30 – Kate Stephenson @ Space Ballroom
Kiya Barczyszyn, now known as Kiya Christine, released her first-ever single titled “Care Too Much,” and I am a big fan. I first found Kiya on TikTok a few years ago when she was singing a cover. I then watched some of her dance videos and found out she was on “Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution.” Kiya was successful in “XOMGPOP!,” Jojo Siwa’s girl group, and then she moved on to being a Kidz Bop kid. I think Kiya is incredibly talented, but I was surprised to see her begin releasing music since she is seen as more of a dancer. Despite my surprise, I really liked this song. The beat is super catchy, and I’ve already listened to it multiple times. I think it has some Olivia Rodrigo vibes, and I’m excited to see where she goes with her music career.
Aly & AJ, a pop duo that got their start on Disney Channel, and have since been recognized by their song “Potential Breakup Song,” have released a new single titled “If You Get Lonely.” The single is leading up to their album “Silver Deliverer,” which will be released next week. I really like Aly & AJ, I’ve seen them live twice, they opened for Ben Platt on the Reverie Tour, and Kelsea Ballerini for her one-night-only Patterns album release show at Madison Square Garden. The duo has also been advocating against gun violence after surviving a shooting in 2022 and released a song about it last year. This new single is very quiet and slow compared to what I have previously heard from them, but I still really enjoyed it. I’m excited to give their new album a listen next week.
Maren Morris released another single off her upcoming album “DREAMSICLE” that will be released on May 9th. I covered one of her songs a few weeks ago and I also really liked that one so I have high hopes for this album. She has definitely lost some of the country sound she used to have but I like her as a pop artist as well.
“If You Get Lonely” from the Aly & AJ track, Jake Scott won’t be much help. “How To Be Lonely” is about not knowing how to be alone. He says he knows how to be heartbroken, but not how to miss someone and be on his own for the first time in awhile. I like this song, it reminds me of the Dean Lewis single from last week.
By this point in the year you should’ve learned that I find songs with the most random titles and this week is no different. Molly Grace’s “Do Me (Feels So Good)” is exactly what you would expect from the title, an upbeat pop song with themes of self love. I honestly really liked this song, I think it’s very fun and has a catchy beat. You should definitely give it a listen.
Punk & Alternative
CONCERT: 7/9 – Linkin Park @ Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Pennsylvanian grunge band Superheaven released a new album on April 18. The self-titled project is the band’s first new album since 2015. I covered the first single from this album, “Long Gone,” in November. At that time, the band hadn’t released any new music in 10 years. “Long Gone” was followed by three more singles before the album’s full release. The album has ten songs and runs for just over half an hour. “Superheaven” is the band’s first LP release with its new record label, Blue Grape Music, but only the band’s third album. The band’s resurgence comes after some much-deserved TikTok virality of its song, “Youngest Daughter” from the band’s 2013 album, “Jar.” The new album has been a certified hit with fans, with lots of debate over where it falls in fans’ personal album rankings. Superheaven definitely hasn’t lost its touch over the past 10 years, and I’ll be looking to pick up this album if it comes across my radar.
I’ve been keeping track of Mayday Parade’s upcoming EP since January, and it’s finally here. Mayday Parade released “Sweet” on April 18. The band released three singles prior to the album’s full release, “Pretty Good to Feel Something” last year, “By The Way” in January, and “Towards You” in February. The full EP has been released, and I am thoroughly impressed. I’ve talked about classic Pop-Punk bands releasing new music in the 2020s in the past with less than positive feelings, but as I mentioned when I covered “By The Way,” Mayday Parade is rocking it. This EP is amazing. There isn’t a single skip on this album; each and every song has such a charm to it, and every song has its own identity. Mayday Parade perfectly adapted their sound to the 2020s while keeping their identity and the drive that made the band such a powerhouse in the 2000s. My favorite song on the album has got to be “4,000 Days Plus The Ones I Don’t Remember.” The first song on the tracklist that I hadn’t heard prior, and I was absolutely just blown away. “Sweet” is the beginning of a three-part album run, the perfect way to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary.
Djo released a new album on April 4, titled “The Crux.” I covered one of the singles for this album, “Delete Ya,” a few weeks back. I had no idea what I was in for going into this album. I was absolutely shocked at the variety and artistry that went into this album. The album is a mix of alternative rock, synth pop, indie rock, and psychedelic rock. There are so many different things going on with this album—and that isn’t a bad thing. There are so many clear musical influences in this album that make it a total piece of art. We go from synths at the beginning of the album to what feels like it was ripped from the Beatles’ vault with the eighth track, “Charlie’s Garden.” Despite the artistic differences between the songs, the album as a whole does feel like a cohesive story, and you just get hit with the artistry and passion that went into the album’s creation. Djo released “Basic, Basic, Basic,” and “Delete Ya” as the singles for this album, and in part, I can understand the reasoning—those two are a little more traditional, less experimental than some of the other tracks, but wow, some of those other tracks just blow them entirely out of the water musically. There’s so much to say about this album that I can’t quite express it other than telling you to absolutely take a listen to it for yourself.
Folk & Country
CONCERT: 5/30 – Kate Stephenson @ Space Ballroom
Julien Baker and TORRES’ collaborative album, “Send A Prayer My Way,” was released on April 18. Departing from mainstream country tropes, the album embraces a gentler, more sincere sound, reminiscent of artists like Lucinda Williams. The opening track, “Dirt,” sets the tone with its understated melody and Baker’s distinctive, frayed vocals. The lead single, “Sugar in the Tank,” is a standout, a blend of banjo, pedal steel, and harmonies perfect for late-night dives. TORRES’ deeper timbre complements Baker’s croon, their vocal chemistry shining throughout the album, particularly on the poignant “Bottom of a Bottle,” which they debuted on The Daily Show. Other notable tracks include “Tape Runs Out” and the tender “Sylvia,” a love letter to TORRES’ rescue dog. The song’s simplicity and emotional depth resonate deeply. Critics have praised the album for its authentic storytelling and the seamless blend of traditional country elements with contemporary themes. The Guardian describes it as “an intimate, queer reclamation of country music,” highlighting its emotional resonance and understated arrangements. Pitchfork notes that the album “stands out for weaving queerness into a genre that often resists such narratives,” emphasizing its significance in expanding the boundaries of country music. Through their shared experiences and distinct voices, Baker and TORRES’ “Send A Prayer My Way” is both a deeply personal album and universally resonant.
By blending swampy Southern with classic rock riffs, Brent Cobb’s upcoming album “Ain’t Rocked in a While” (due July 11 via Ol’ Buddy Records/Thirty Tigers) is less a detour and more a homecoming. The Grammy-nominated songwriter has always had a rock and roll heartbeat underneath his country hits, and now, with his touring band The Fixin’s, he’s letting it shine. The title track, released on April 16th, and Cobb really leans into gritty vocals that feel both fresh and familiar, akin to Creedence Clearwater Revival. While Cobb has long been praised for his songwriter sensibilities, and rightly so, with credits for Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, and Whiskey Myers under his belt. “Ain’t Rocked in a While” showcases the other side of his musical identity: the teenage rocker raised on Skynyrd and AC/DC. And thanks to The Fixin’s (Len Clark on drums, Matt McDaniel on guitar, Josh Williams on bass), the record has the raw chemistry and stage-born muscle of a seasoned touring outfit that knows exactly how to bring a bar crowd to its feet. With “Ain’t Rocked in a While,” Cobb reintroduces himself, not as a different artist, but a fuller one. It’s a real Southern rock revival, swampy blues that wouldn’t feel out of place on a vintage vinyl shelf, and if the title track is any indication, the rest of the album is going to go just as hard.
Released on April 16, “Time Well Spent For A Man” is the latest glimpse into Jesse Daniel’s forthcoming record “Son of the San Lorenzo” (due June 6 via Lightning Rod Records). The track also features Americana heavyweight Charles Wesley Godwin. It is a gentle, fiddle-laced song on time, memory, and the things that have yet to come. Written by Northern California songwriter Nick Foster, the lyrics steer clear of country clichés and instead offer something simple, weighty, and universal. There’s a tenderness to Daniel’s voice here that fans of his honky-tonk-heavy back catalog may find unexpected. Daniel shows range and restraint on this track, and when Charles Wesley Godwin steps in, his gravely vocals blend seamlessly with Daniel’s, enriching the song. From a structural standpoint, the song favors simplicity. No dramatic bridges or sudden key changes, just clean, purposeful progressions. The steadiness gives the lyrics more room to breathe; they linger just a beat longer and hit that much harder. The fiddle, understated but ever-present, weaves nostalgia into every note, calling back to Daniel’s influences, yet the track never feels stuck in the past. It’s rooted, not dated. Jesse Daniel and Charles Wesley Godwin offer a song that tells you to pause and reflect, it’s an invitation to live more deliberately.
Hip-Hop & R&B
CONCERT: 6/3 – phoneboy @ Space Ballroom
JID’s newest solo single is nothing short of incredible. I think it’s up there with some of the best songs he’s ever released, just proving that he was really putting in the work since “The Forever Story” dropped nearly three years ago. The production is incredibly busy, with hard-hitting synths, layered speaking parts, and swelling background vocals. His lyricism has always been one of his strong suits, but the way he switches the flow at multiple points in this song is what impressed me the most. I think this song fulfills a similar role to a song like “Stick” in his discography, just done so much better. The don’t care hype attitude of this song can’t be understated, and I can see this one ending up in my queue every time I hit the gym.
When this single got announced earlier in the week, my eyes practically jumped out of their sockets when I saw this lineup. Statik Selectah is a producer I’ve seen a decent amount of, but he hasn’t been able to hook me over the course of a few collab albums. I wasn’t expecting the beat of this song to be so happy, since the Griselda style is more gritty and includes classical instrumentation. I think it totally works for a calmer summer song, though. All of the featured artists did their thing, too. Westside Gunn took the first verse, with Stove God Cooks handling the hook. I became a much bigger fan of his after Westside Gunn’s 2024 release, “Still Praying.” Rome Streetz followed, along with Joey Bada$$, who gave my personal favorite verse. This one was one of my favorite posse tracks I’ve heard in a while, so I highly recommend this one, especially if you like Griselda.
I can only assume that Yeat’s newest single, “The Bell,” references the ginormous bell that adorned his stage at Coachella this past weekend. The song has a ton of energy, even for a Yeat song, which is what caught my attention immediately. Then, the high notes he hit really caught me off guard. The hook was equally catchy and hilarious and yet different from all of his other songs. I think Yeat’s best songs are the ones with more unconventional elements, and this one has a lot of novel ones, along with the titular bell. Having been a fan of Yeat for a little while, seeing him perform a song that’s all about his success at the biggest music festival of the year felt pretty vindicating. You’re doing yourself a disservice by not checking it out.
