Soaked in reverb and nostalgia, “Two Babies in Michigan” is the moving closing track on Fruit Bats’ eighth full-length, Gold Past Life. After nearly 20 years in music, frontman and writer Eric D. Johnson wrote this album as a rumination on the “autumn of his years” by looking back fondly on life’s most intimate moments—the good, the bad, the bittersweet—and capturing those feelings like snapshots in a collection of unique and resoundingly hopeful arrangements. With reminiscent lyrics, the synth-pop ballad “Two Babies in Michigan” basks in Johnson’s childhood in Michigan through a message to his sister. “Oh sister, do you remember that time / When we were lined up waiting for the waterslide / Swollen clouds and airplanes in the sky?” The soothing arrangement, undeniably melancholic in theme, shows its beauty in small moments of reverie: the warm strum of the acoustic guitar, or the soft but persistent strings in the back of the chorus. Johnson’s distinctly high vocals are as strong and emotive as ever, reflecting the wisdom of the ages while basking unabashedly in the wide-eyed innocence and optimism of childhood. Bleak and beautiful, “Two Babies in Michigan” is a gripping portrayal of age and imminence that will stand the test of time.

LA native Nia Andrews introduces her recently released debut album No Place Is Safe with the self-produced second single, "Seems So." After two EPs and lending her vocals to projects by artists like Solange, the soul singer presents a full-length project that shows her story and artistry in a more intense way than any of her previous work. Every aspect of "Seems So" claims the freedom of doing whatever you want with the art you make. The lyrics are a love song to a careless and confident soul. It appears Andrews, the songwriter, yearns to possess that same liberation. Starting with a reminder of how hard it is to leave a track when you’re set on its way, Andrews finishes the chorus with “and I wish I didn’t think so much, it seems so wonderful”. Though the singer says she wishes she could scream a little more, her voice is undoubtedly loud enough to be worth listening to. Andrews’ album No Place Is Safe is out now.

Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, a duo affectionately known as Whitney, open their arms to welcome us back into their familiar upbeat, indie folk musical fortress with their lyrically forlorn new single “Giving Up”. The narrative of this track is one of a woebegone lover, clinging to what is left of the connection between the two. Whitney has a way of living out hurt in a whimsical fashion: through bursts of brass, and Kakacek’s brilliant & bright guitar genius. This track is the first single from their upcoming album, Forever Turned Around, set to be released on August 30th. With their indubitably bona fide spirit, Whitney comes back around with “Giving Up” to woo us like they never left.

The dust has settled from Record Store Day 2019 and the cratediggers everywhere have made off with their scores, b-sides and rarities and reissues galore. Julien Baker’s contribution to the nationwide phenomenon was a pair of unreleased singles, including the haunting “Red Door,” finally released in digital format. The track features many hallmarks of Baker’s sound, like reverb-heavy electric guitar, booming atmospheric percussion, and a steady build, while also addressing the typical Julien Baker themes of fighting expectations, conflicting emotions and dealing with anger. Baker has long been praised for her emotional songwriting and pristine voice. Still, many critics—at least until seeing her play a face-melting solo in “Salt in the Wound” to close out her shows with fellow boygenius members Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers—have underrated her guitar playing. While her slow, contemplative style doesn’t often leave room to show off lightning-fast technical chops, she employs impressive guitar riffs here both expertly and tastefully. But where Baker truly shines is in finding beautiful imagery hidden in everyday scenes, notably when she describes herself as “pale as a flickering bulb outside of a liquor store.” Her ability to evoke an emotional response from an audience is due in part to that juxtaposition, creating a space where our most extraordinary feelings seem commonplace and acceptable.

Future Generations find a sweet positivity in love and hold onto it in their newest single “Try.” It is a sweetly stripped-down love song driven by a soothing melodic synth with rhythmic accents. The simplicity of the instrumental allows the message to take center stage as lead singer Eddie Gore sings, “your eyes make me try.” It’s an ode to a lover that focuses on one simple feature but obviously means so much more. The Brooklyn-based electro, indie pop band has a knack for feel-good songs perfect for summer, and “Try” is no exception. It’s hard not to be happy while listening to someone sing, “your eyes have made a scene/ I need to watch it all.” Sometimes it seems like all anyone sings about is sadness and heartbreak, but this track is optimistic. There is no underlying pain just pure love and adoration that seeps into you even if it’s just for three minutes. The song was put out as a double single along with the track “Spirit of My Youth.” These two songs are the group's first releases since the band’s LP Landscape, which came out in 2018.

With her sultry, soaring vocal on one of her latest tracks, "What If," Amber Mark lets us know that she understands the butterfly effect. The multifaceted artist speaks to the mistakes that have led her to love. The “what ifs” float away with the track’s effortlessly groovy, R&B-influenced production and inspire the kind of pulsing vibe that makes your entire body want to move. Mark shows off her range on this song, hitting notes all the way up in her whistle tone, pushing her into the club of vocally exceptional pop artists like Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. Amber Mark is a massive artist to watch and seems to be one proper debut LP away from major limelight. Don’t sleep on her!

To grapple with contextualizing the dark cloud of uncertainty and existential anxiety hanging over our society is, it seems, to be an artist in 2019. It’s an attempt to cope, to suss out the myriad terrors of our times. “We stay inside our homes / we’re a face that never shows / and a light that never glows"—these are the first lyrics from Painted On, the nascent collaboration between Brooklyn’s Hillary Capps and Anthony Farina. “Fall,” is the duo’s debut single, a downtempo, brooding apologia to appeal to the better angels of our nature. Capps sings of a need for us to be our own light in the darkness. But towards the end of the song, as a beating war drum heaves climactic, Farina’s vocals enter into the fray, and he posits that the comfortable corner of darkness may be the best place to weigh it all out. By the time the coda hits, Capps sings the opening line one last time, and you’re led to wonder how much faith we should really have in ourselves.