A few years ago, Andrew Collberg released an excellent album called 1986 and I’m thrilled at the news that he’s to release a new one, Popcorn Graveyard, featuring the guitar and pedal steel prowess of LA-based Connor Gallaher (who’s played with Calexico, Pearl Charles, Anna St. Louis, and Jeffrey Silverstein) and the result is gorgeous, like Mac DeMarco meets Roxy Music. “Temporary Cruise” is reminiscent of a surfy Magnetic Fields’ “Strange Powers”, replete with Collberg’s signature gorgeous piano riffs. Popcorn Graveyard is out soon via Papercup Records. Pre-order it on Bandcamp!

Today The Answers in Between, formerly known as Fell From the Tree, release a pair of power pop sad girl dance tracks with evocative lyrics, exploring the relationship between desire and identity in different ways. I read a book recently with the brilliant line “do I want your body or do I want your body?” which brought Hannah’s quote to mind immediately. Cigarette by The Answers In Between In Hannah’s words, “Cigarette” is about an “identity crush” – essentially, a person reflects something in you that you can’t yet express yourself. Coupled with queer “do I want to be or be…

More front range rock is on the horizon with the release of Aaron Dooley’s The International Disassociation Of:, out October 6th on the always amazing Centripetal Force label, with cassettes available through the also incredible Island House records. Bassist and composer Aaron Dooley rounded up an epic ensemble of musicians to make something blurring the lines of spiritual jazz, high lonesome ambient country, and improvisational drone. Upon first listen, Westbound Alameda was the first to really catch my ear with its sophisticated melodicism, and reading Aaron’s note below, I’m elated to see that my beloved Psychic Ills had some influence,…

Adeline Hotel’s releases evolve continuously, expanding genres, and Dan Knishkowsky’s latest, Hot Fruit, is his most out there- and one of his most gorgeous releases yet. Following last year’s The Cherries are Speaking, Dan continues his (formerly) unconscious fixation on fruit with a spiritual jazzy motif, Hot Fruit‘s theme ponders the notion of self as relationships change, mirroring the questioning of fandom – if one concept is cemented in one’s mind, this unexpected departure from Dan is an illuminated revelation. Hot Fruit by Adeline Hotel Dan also made this thematic playlist with songs all about that juicy sweetness – you…

James Wallace’s pseudonym could easily be JAMS Wallace, but he opts for Skyway Man, whom he describes as ” a superimposed image, always flickering in and out of existence, different each time. One Skyway Man chased love across dimensions, another followed death through the underworld, this Skyway Man is reckoning with the reliance of his past memory.” Memory and telepathy are major themes on his upcoming album, Flight of the Long Distance Healer, featuring friends like Andy Cabic and Erin Rae, out 11.32.23 on Mama Bird Recording Co. Watch the short film for the first track and pre-order the album on…

The exquisite front range rockstar Golden Brown is back with Wide Ranging Rider, out September 8th via Inner Islands. The beautiful video by Sia Urroz is as lovely as the song, featuring Stefan’s amazing children Lola, Oscar, and Scout, who are the cutest, most lovable creatures I’ve ever seen (you can follow them on Instagram, I love them so much!). Be sure to pre-order Wide Ranging Rider on Bandcamp, and hear it in full this Friday!

Today, Bay Area-based band Rose Haze shares the premiere of the video for their new song, “Slow Decay.” What was Kate Ramsey’s alter-ego is now a full band, with misty, swirling guitars and synth, and timeless, soaring vocals, reminiscent of Swervedriver, sweetly discordant rather than saccharine. Shoegaze is alive with Rose Haze! Explore Rose Haze’s discography on Bandcamp. “Slow Decay” is very much a shoegaze wall of sound cloaked in analog synth swells and sweeps, which is exactly what Ruben Gonzales and Kate Ramsey do best over a rock-solid rhythm section. The lyrics tell a story of the cycle of…

One of our very favorite Texas-based troubadours has announced the release of his fifth solo album, New Shadows, out on September 21st. True porch music (Jerry literally wrote the album on his front porch,) he describes the album as “literary-goth and avant-Americana meditation, absurd and ruminative,” which sounds like true Jerry music and is exemplified extraordinarily in Manzanita Bay – a little broody, a little dance-y, and absolutely nails the goal of the album’s production modeling Jerry’s favorite early 80s albums (ZZ Top, Lindsey Buckingham, Lou Reed, Robert Palmer). “Manzanita Bay” features David Hidalgo from Los Lobos on electric guitar,…

Petal Motel is excited to premiere the song “Matters of Time” from Nightblooms, the nom de plume of artist Sam Logan. The Greenboro, NC dweller is releasing his debut album, The Slow Decline, in a series of three installments, the first being the EP Night Blooms in the Apocalypse, out 9/1/23 via Sleepy Cat Records. Instrumentally, the first single is perfected indie pop bliss, lyrically, it plumbs familiar depths. I’m quite taken with the first track and looking forward to hearing more from this baby band – if this is the apocalypse, it’s going to be a beautiful way out.…