(Cover art by Shannon Maroney) Allergen 's first single feels like a private conversation, being broadcast to the world. Well, technically it's their first official  single — the delightfully sad " Picket Fence " remains on Bandcamp exclusively. And even "Open Letter," which will be releasing in full tomorrow, was performed primarily by Shannon Maroney, the band's singer/guitarist, with drumming from the band's lead guitarist, Eve Speers. So we'll have to wait a bit for a full-quartet Allergen song. But "Open Letter" is more than enough to fill the gap in the meantime. Maroney's lyrics flow straight to the heart with an abundance of references to alcohol. The bubbling instrumental gives their vocals a sense of gentle buoyancy, especially during the first minute. Intensity builds like a gradually rising tide and releases with the chorus' arrival. Gloriously harmonized vocals plea a single word — "give." T...

One of these days, I'm gonna have to finally listen to Careful Gaze . Today is the day. The Minneapolis quartet is following up their 2019 debut You Too Will Rest  with the standalone single "Goals," continuing their journey of emotions-first music. Careful Gaze's full range is on display, from transfixing alt-rock to chiming melancholy to post-hardcore breakdowns and back around again. Gabe Reasoner, the band's lyricist, paints the walls of the storm's eye with questioning words of misanthropy and hope. The emptiness of nights spent alone is matched with relational determinism. It's unclear whether there is encouragement or anger buried underneath the song's rubble — it is left up to the listener. Regardless of how one interprets Reasoner's lyrics, the potency of the overall emotion is undiminished. Guitars squall, Reasoner howls, drums punish. What more could you want in an anthemic rock song? "Goals" is out now. Buy it below...

(Artwork by Sara Legel) When Wrister put out their debut record in December of last year, it affirmed my opinion that anything over three minutes is prog rock. "Flowers On The Fault" is a raucous, unabashed ode to feeling complacent and looking for an out. It is two minutes of thrashing drums and jangly guitars that felt like a drop-out anthem. While Wrister's debut album Different Teeth feels like a party record with its loud instrumentation, it's more like a heartfelt conversation in the kitchen while the party goes on around. The record has the band looking for a place to connect, to relate, and to belong, beer-cracking sound effects and all. The album's second single "Lack of Truth" is an earnest look at trying to cut through the noise and uneasiness and find their base. As it progresses, Different Teeth gives way to subtler moments on songs like "Driver" or "Headlights" — the brashness opens up to allow for honesty. I pe...

Every once and a while, we get a new Colin Bracewell song. Each single follows a path of exponential growth, briefly tantalizing listeners before leaving again. "20+ Years," Bracewell's third song in just over a year, is his best yet. Immediately, "20+ Years" sets itself apart with how full it feels. Prior singles, solid as they were, sounded solitary. There were minimal embellishments, mostly leaving things bare and letting the music speak for itself. Now, there's an actual band bringing the songs to life. Bracewell has recorded with other musicians in the past (and plays live with a quartet), but "20+ Years" is a full-band song through and through. Any traces of the folk found on "Little Secret" have been mostly erased and replaced with a harmonic rock influence. Bracewell pairs wistful reminiscence with ringing guitar chords, allowed to vibrate through the song's walls. "20+ Years" is another exciting sample of B...

It's somewhat baffling that this song didn't come out in the summer. The latest single from Jack Pfeffer, "All Alone With U," is a 75-degree, June night song. If you listen long enough, you might convince yourself that there isn't snow outside. Pfeffer and co. conjure a humid vibed-out mood on their first song since 2018. It sneaks into your head, builds a tiny campfire, and starts roasting marshmallows. The groove, between psych guitar licks and understated drums, builds up to pure smoothness. For only thirty seconds does "All Alone Without U" rise above its languorous pace. The track's last leg starts with a sun-drenched guitar solo, a snapshot of kaleidoscopic bliss. It effortlessly sinks back into a final chorus. And before you know, it's gone. Put it on repeat and pretend it's warm out. Listen below.