1) Oso Oso, “life till bones” / Jade Lilitri and Co. perfectly twine the bitter and the sweet on the new oso oso record, an album that slips its hand in yours for every moment of this half-hour catharsis.
2) Osees, “Sorcs 80” / Punk in every way that matters, the latest Osees joint never stops teasing and taunting the listener toward something better, toward some more liberated existence.
3) Hembree, “Better Days” / This L.A.-by-way-of-K.C. outfit is forever discovering ways to create fresh translations of timeless pop. The band’s latest glides in and around the listener, drawing from wells dug by artists like Prince and Talking Heads and, later, Tame Impala. “Better Days” approximates the soundtrack to some lost late-night movie, something where the protagonist comes into his own skill and sex appeal, winning over the audience in the process. The record just begs your fingers to hover over the repeat button.
4) The music of Pink Breath of Heaven / I’ve only heard two singles from this San Francisco band, and already I’m smitten. Thankfully, Pink Breath of Heaven has a new record on its way later this month; I don’t know how long I could last without more of the dreamy, gauzy rock music they make—adjacent to shoegaze, adjacent to psych pop, but its own not-so-secret thing.
5) Liz Riggs, “Lo Fi” / Like a 21st-century “High Fidelity,” Liz Riggs’ new novel sweeps you up in the feeling of being in love with music—yet knowing that the music, depending on the night, both can and cannot sate your need to live unbidden. Orbiting the concert scene in Nashville, the book is sexy and specific, rarely takes itself too serious while underlining our need to feel human in a friendship, a kiss, a playlist, an act of creation. This is my sort of page-turner.