Minneapolis' justgrey are back with their first single of 2020, again featuring the production work of Caleb Hinz . "Any More" has the band sinking into a hazy melancholy. Even more than with "Harriet," justgrey emphasize a lo-fi bedroom recording sound. Hushed vocals barely hover over a plaintive guitar arpeggio; the more you listen, the easier it becomes to imagine the song coming to life at 6 am as the day's first ideas of sunlight ripple through the window. The band specifically wanted to emphasize a raw, simple recording — going back to basics and letting the songwriting speak for itself. Whispered lyrics capture a freeze-frame Polaroid of teenage love, regret, and uncertainty. Hinz gives the drums enough punch to contrast with the wistfulness of everything else, but not too much to overpower the strong sentiments at heart. It truly does sound like a bunch of teenagers recording in their bedrooms, pouring every feeling into their songs. Listen t...

Another week of mostly catch-up (plus one new one)! If the huge amount of stuff we missed proves anything, it's that there are almost too many great bands putting out great music. Plus, there are only two of us, and we're both busy/tired/sad. Yet we must carry on. There's just too much music journalism money to be made. Sister Species - "Heat Death (Hold Me Here)" (self-released) For a song that is ostensibly about the end of the universe as we know it, "Heat Death" is remarkably calm. Lead by Emily Kastrul (of Betazoid), this septet brings their new single into the harsh light of a fresh winter. In this case, the illumination comes not from the sun, but from the vibrant horn arrangements, in delightful three-part harmonies. The world is crumbling and each one of us is helpless without an anchor. Kastrul pleads for someone or something to serve that purpose and provide the strength to persist through the burning winter and maybe even the combu...