On the rangy folk-rock band Big Thief’s Saddle Creek debut Masterpiece, the songs sound cherry-picked over a lifetime of writing, the stories carefully compiled.
Singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker pens evocative scenes of people and places, while the band shifts nimbly between lo-fi acoustic and throwback rock hooks, keeping everything noisy and tuneful. They do not reinvent the form and they probably won’t be the band to break it, but Lenker has a striking voice and a way with turns of phrase—she is a clear star.
Masterpiece is the name of the album and yes it sure is. Big Thief are a band that will go far – not only with NPR listeners.

While the wispy singing on “It Means I Love You” might invite too-easy comparisons to Grimes, it lives in its own unique, equally imaginative universe. With its effervescent blend of gently skittering beats and playful synth stabs, it dances nimbly and nervously around the edges of avant-garde, dubstep, and pop.  Jessy Lanza has written a gem. Contrary to the album’s recurring theme of anxiety, however, the mood is ebullient, echoed by the repeated refrain of, “When you look into my eyes, boy / It means I love you.”

Now she is nominated for Canada’s equivalent of the Mercury Prize and there is no doubt that she should win. An amazing talent from Hamilton, Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Not as accessible as Grimes but every bit as good. Give her a chance and this song will haunt you.

Frightened Rabbit’s latest album, Painting of a Panic Attack, is their first since Hutchison made the move from gloomy Glasgow to sunny Los Angeles to pursue a relationship that, for all intents and purposes, seems to be going well. (He has since moved to Hudson, New York.) The transition marks a clear shift in the band’s sonic and lyric approach. Maturity, self-growth, taking responsibility for one’s faults — though there have been some strong recent examples in the indie world, none of this, historically, has been the stuff of great rock songs. Fans live in fear of the day when their favorite artists make peace with the inner demons that torment them, but also inspire and motivate them to achieve great things creatively. On Painting of a Panic Attack, Hutchison writes from a different place, both literally and figuratively. He and his bandmates were separated by the Atlantic, composing over email and figuring out the best way to move forward. Frightened Rabbit are still underrated by many but their latest album is just amazing. Some might say this is no trend as the record came out a while ago – but TrendEngel says: Who cares?

This is a combination made in heaven. Synth poppers Metronome join forces with the Swedish disco queen Robin – It doesn’t get much better than that. Hang Me Out To Dry is the song and hopefully just the start of a beautiful relationship – and if not we can’t wait to hear Metronomy’s new album Joe Mount, Sommer 08:

Their new album will only be out in September but if their new song You Don’t Get Me High Anymore is any indication of the quality of the new record of Phantogram it’ll be worth the wait.

The song presents Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter at their best: One moment it’s a snarling synth-rock banger a la Radiohead’s “Myxomatosis,” the next it’s an emotional computer ballad like Nicki Minaj’s “Truffle Butter” beat bawling its eyes out. Barthel tells Pitchfork the duo’s new album Three will be a dark one, largely inspired by her sister’s suicide.

Julien Baker turns concert venues into sacred spaces. When she is onstage, the audience goes hushed, reverential. The only sounds you hear between songs are her fingers as she tweaks the tuning on her electric guitar, scattered whispers between friends, and the rustling as the crowd waits patiently for Baker to start strumming again. She never asks for this quiet from the pit, it just seems to coalesce around her. Baker herself is shy, squeaky, small of stature—an introverted pip in plaid shirts with a Memphis twang and a nervous stutter. But her music seems to demand a certain kind of pin-drop attention the moment she starts to shake her voice loose, flinging it up to the rafters of her range. At Primavera Sounds in Barcelona a few days ago she was standing on stage and grabbing the attention of an audience that didn’t com to see her but to have fun in the sun of Spain. This is unique and deserves our attention.

You’re tempted to call U.S. Girls Lynchian, but [her songs] are singular and personal enough to warrant their own adjective.  Musically, Meg Remy has been described as “an avant-pop deconstructionist”, “a basement R&B diva” or “a cheerleader on quaaludes”. She has, to date, employed a combination of reel-to-reel players, tape decks and samplers to record, and release bleary-eyed late-night music for driving down haunted highways on a number of labels such as Siltbreeze, Kraak, FatCat and her own Calico Corp imprint. Even at its most lo-fi, the largely four-track recordings evince a keen pop ear, even if this is pop from a series of distant eras. In terms of playfulness, texture, adventure and attention to detail, she has been compared to Eno. Seeing her in Barcelona at the Primavera Festival you can feel that she is about to go big. She commands the stage and has a fixating presence. Well. done. More please. Her latest song from her 4AD debut album  Half Free is New Age Killer:

The music industry is on high alert. This could be the next Lana Del Rey. Alexandra Savior is the new muse of Arctic Monkey‘s Alex Turner and a great song writer in her own right. She hasn’t release a single song and all you get is a demo version of this 2015 recording. Bur believe me – She is about to break big. Alexandra Savior is her name and she is from LA. Risk wasn’t just a one-off. Last week Alex and Alexandra took their project overground, with Turner joining Savior and her band (made up of LA stalwarts Papa) onstage at a tiny, 100-capacity sit-down venue in Hollywood called The Hotel Café. There’s also an album, reportedly called ‘Strange Portrait’, in the works

One of the highlights of this years great escape in Brighton was the show of Blaenavon. Premiering tracks from an incoming debut album, Blaenavon prove there’s far more to them than tender ages and fresh-out-the-printer A-Level certificates. ‘Hell Is My Head’ from last year’s ‘Miss World’ EP was the first hint at their gothier side, and ‘Orthodox Man’ from that aforementioned full length proves they’ve done well to succumb to the smoke. “

There’s evidence in every step tonight that Blaenavon are ready to graduate into the big leagues, though. Their fanbase is undeniable – ‘Into The Night’ dedicated to “all the absolute legends in the front that I see about fifty times a year”. The songs are well crafted and hooky without being cheap. Yes, Oasis comes to mind like so often when you listen to British bands with an attitude. Make up yurt own mind…oh yes and wait a minute. I almost don’t dare to mention ist as this might raise some eyebrows. Singer Frank Wright is the new young face of Burberry: