The Head And The Heart: Arrow
Here's the first sample of an upcoming album to be announced shortly, on which the band returns to self-producing and something closer to their early folky sound. "We really wanted to make our next music our own way, and it was a lot of fun to have all of us in a room together again," says vocalist/guitarist Jonathan Russell. This song, he says, is "very self-empowering ... It’s nice to know that you have your own way of providing yourself with confidence when you're out there in the dark.”
Lilly Hiatt: Shouldn't Be
The upcoming album Forever was written and recorded by Hiatt and her husband, Coley Hinson, in their home outside Nashville. Hiatt calls this first single "a song about standing in your truth" and not needing validation from others. "I hate when you leave me on my own / I start spinning now - but I shouldn't be."
Lost Leaders: Cookie Jar
We're catching up with the recently released Hungry Ghosts, an 8-song collection (is that a short album or a long EP?). The title refers to a Buddhist concept about people searching to fill the void. The duo of Byron Isaacs and Peter Cole says the album captures them "in all of our moods: pointedly snarky, whimsical and outlandish, reflective and confessional. It starts very worldly getting caught up in the surge, moves to psychedelia, then the journey ends with getting yourself back home. In the end things are alright."
Phantogram: Running Through Colors
The duo of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter just released their fifth studio album, Memory of a Day. The AU Review writes: "The album creates a rich, atmospheric soundscape that feels incredibly cinematic and immersive." This track is one of several highlights, with "a bold, confident sound."
311: Full Bloom
The title track of the Omaha, Nebraska band's 14th (!) album is "about maintaining some innocence and sense of wonder and not becoming jaded," says lead singer/guitarist Nick Hexum. "One can decide that they’re in the prime of their life and choose to live in full bloom."