Certain performers possess a kind of earnest delivery — one that meets our ears in a deeply harmonious manner and allows us to better understand both the world and ourselves. Portland musician, Katherine Paul aka Black Belt Eagle Scout is one of those artists, and her debut album, Mother of My Children belongs to that rare breed. The record is a reflection of self/identity, loss, and what it means to belong to a place and a people whose face has been tainted over time. What does it mean to grow up within a group that so genially protects Mother Earth, when society has inflicted so much harm onto it? How do you identify as a member of this community when you too are constantly evolving? 

The third single off the album, “Indians Never Die,” probes these kinds of questions. Paul transforms anguish into something powerfully eternal. When she cries out, “Do you ever notice what’s around you? / When it’s all there, in the wake of you,” she is declaring the immortality of her people. Even though her ancestors don’t physically live forever, the customs and teachings they passed down are boundless. “Indians Never Die” works to reshape the way many of us think of heritage, identity, and human connection. The track is anchored by one ceaselessly repeated phrase, “wastin’ away.” It is through the unfeigned repetition of these two words that we can begin to understand why Indians never die.

Lala lala, Chicago artist Lillie West’s band, has released their lead single "Destroyer," an introduction to their upcoming album The Lamb, out in September from Hardly Art records. The album comes out of West’s recent personal chaos: a home break in, a loss of several close friends, the decision to become sober after suffering from addiction. The arrangement of the album, the blending of post punk with dream pop, includes synths, drums, guitars and the saxophone, providing listeners with the sound of learning how to balance. In this way, West has allowed us to peer into how she is creating a new space in her life, balancing the complex sounds throughout the work to create a singular and joyous sound. This, paired with the thought-provoking and poignant lyrics that make up the work, has allowed Lala lala to create an album that is not only healing for the artist, but also for anyone who listens. The narrative of the song is about West going back and forth between dealing and accepting blame for the chaos in her life. Whether our destroyers are addiction, the people around us or at times ourselves, the work leaves us feeling clean and ready to take it all on, headphones in ears and song on repeat.

Up and coming Brooklyn-based indie band Plastic Picnic have done it yet again and have released another dark, dance inducing synth pop track with their latest single “Doubt.” The track is fueled by beautiful blend of aggressive and driving guitar riffs, hypnotic synths, optimistic drums and smooth vocals that sound hopeful and keep listeners dancing despite the vulnerable lyrics that detail lovers drifting apart. The narrative voice in the song gives listeners a glimpse into the mind of the modern millennial regarding the anxieties they may feel in their personal relationships and how they combat loneliness. As the song comes to its peak, it breaks into a synth-centric bridge, offering a refreshing moment of relief from the track’s previously expressed “doubt.” It’s this moment and the rest of the song that almost act as a sonic metaphor for the euphoria you may feel when you realize things may be ok, despite how hard the situation at hand may be.

Austin duo Hovvdy have release a new song titled “Easy” as an introduction to their upcoming album Easy / Turns Blue, out October 5th. The song was released on Saddle Creek’s Document series, which is meant to, “capture a band and their community in a specific place at a specific time, and share that with the world.” The project has released singles from bands such as Palehound, Hand Habits, Wild Maker and Posse. Like these bands, Hovvdy has formed a distinctly authentic space within the bedroom-rock genre.

Will Taylor and Charlie Martin were both drummers before forming Hovvdy, which may be the reason that the leading guitar on much of their work is so naturally minimalistic. Martin’s kind sounding vocals and endearing lyrics paired with the dreary Sunday tone that has become so sought after in the rock genre has taken Hovvdy's simple sound and added a much needed depth to their work. The band could sound melancholic, or even sadly one dimensional, but instead they maintain a lullaby like sweetness throughout the song. "Easy" suggests that taking it slow may not be so bad, indeed it may be one of the sweet pleasures of the day we often forget to take solace in.

East coast folk rock singer/songwriter, Emma Bowers released In The Morning her debut EP on August 17. Off of that album is "Jonathan", a quietly powerful tune that speaks to pain that lingers even when your person does not. Bowers is soft and lyrical. Just as she is grasping at the nothingness that is left of her relationship, the listener grasps to hear more. There is an effortless way that Bowers translates her story through simplistic instrumentation and the sweet twang in her voice. New Yorkers can catch Bowers's EP Release Show on September 21 at Pete's Candy Store!

"Wherever You Sleep" is the newest single from LA band Bay Ledges. With a psychedelic disco feel singer, songwriter and producer Zach Hurd creates a track that will get you moving. Written after a break-up "Wherever You Sleep" tells of the aftermath of trying to get over someone and how consuming it can be. "I think about it when I'm dancing / I'm think about it when I hear your song / I think about it when I'm asking / How did everything go so wrong?" With such strong retro vibes its no surprise that Hurd was raised listening to the greats — The Band, The Beach Boys, and Aretha Franklin. While Hurd is stuck with thoughts of his former love, he similarly leaves us stuck with this catchy tune in our heads. Catch Bay Ledges on tour with YOKE LORE this fall at these locations!

It's a topic that's been up for debate for as long as time has been around — do people change? The fine folks that make up the indie-folk group Mipso tend to believe that they do. In this soft and nostalgic song "People Change," frontman Jacob Sharp wistfully sings that "people change when they walk away." Mipso is folk music at its very best. Telling us a story in the format of a song, "People Changes" stays with you the way tales do when they are full of heart and depth. As the song starts we are given a time frame, ten years have passed since he's seen this person he "used to love." Just as time has passed, so have feelings and hopes for the future. It's a confusing sort of emotion, missing someone while also being okay with the way life turned out without them. Chances are this song has a similar framework to a story in your own life and as you listen your mind and emotions will find in the gaps giving you the illusion that it was written just for you. 

J Mascis will release his third solo album, Elastic Days, on November 9 via Sub Pop. The Dinosaur Jr. guitarist has released the lead single off the album, "See You at the Movies," his first solo work since the 2014 album, Tied to a Star. Mascis’ new work is far warmer than much of his past work, with acoustic guitars and tenderly constructed rock chords culminating into an endearing folk-rock song for a new era of listeners.

"See You at the Movies" alternates between breezy strumming and piercing electric guitar solos, yet it is in the lyricism that listeners are able to understand the complexity of the work. The narrative examines a love story between two individuals existing on different planes of relationship realities, with the lead character of the work trying to examine his inability to ground himself in the relationship. The last lines of the work, “I kiss the freedom that you made / Still in shock and so it fades / Can't let go, so it just stays,” end in a hopeless yet charming manner. This song leaves us excited to see where this narrative will lead in Mascis’ new work, we can only hope it will remain as engaging and captivating as the single.

As Andrea Silva aka Loyal Lobos would agree, most songs are inspired by intense emotions. In the world of indie-folk the most dominant of those emotions tends to be sadness. In her newest song, “Swim”, Loyal Lobos grabs her sadness by the horns letting us and herself know that she has accepted it for what it is. Lobos crafts a delicate glass blown piece that looks into lost love, isolation, and what it means to move forward when your heart is always trailing behind you. Her words are heartbreaking yet incredibly honest — tastefully paired with shoegaze-inspired guitar and minimal to no instrumental production. In fact, the only sections of “Swim” that employ significant post-production are the vocals and the percussion that comes in more than half way through the song. “Swim” is exhilarating and calming all at once, it explores both happiness and sadness and the humanness of that dichotomy.

Norwegian pop singer Dagny’s modern pop take on the iconic Fleetwood Mac track “Landslide” provides listeners with an electro ballad they didn’t even know they needed. The song, which was recorded for an episode of the popular tv drama, The Bold Type, turns the classic into something new without erasing its original, subtle beauty that pulls at the heartstrings. Overall the track is a modern yet simplistic cover filled with ethereal vocals, melancholy and nostalgia that takes listeners on a journey down memory lane before time made them bolder and older. It’s safe to say Dagny has done a stellar job covering this timeless classic.

Maceo Haymes and Nick Hennessy — better known as The O’My’s — have just released their newest album Tomorrow. Filled with rich, soulful arrangements and a lengthy roster of longtime collaborators, the project is unmistakably Chicago in both sound and spirit. Like the rest of the album, “Idea” fuses classic Chicago soul with the city's more modern influences. Its first half has Haymes delivering an intimate hymn atop delicate piano keys and marching drums. "There was no light / Nothing but rain.” His lyrics invoke faith — of persevering against life’s many obstacles, the importance of feeling overseeing. Chance the Rapper lends a direct and vivid verse to reinforce these themes, using imagery of a ship in a storm as his sermon. Then, backed by pitched up vocals that resemble a full-blown choir, Haymes lets out one final, powerful refrain to drive the idea home. The cries are impassioned, but the song never sways from its peaceful core and calming sound. "Idea" is yet another showcase of the strong bonds that drive the Chicago music scene, as each artist builds off one another to bring out the best.