1) The music of Ben Kweller / Ahead of a new record, I’ve been digging through Kweller’s back catalog, luxuriating in his pop songcraft—especially on records such as 2002’s “Sha Sha” and 2006’s self-titled effort. These are bright, buoyant albums that amplify what good sits in the soul.
2) Samantha Crain, “Gumshoe” / The Oklahoma songwriter’s new one forms a near-perfect slice of Americana, Crain’s terrific talent and craft framed by equally thoughtful arrangements.
3) Billy Woods, “Golliwog” / Woods’ newest set of 18 tracks dares listeners to plunge into artful articulations of texture, emotion and shape. This is painterly hip-hop, but don’t let that suggest it’s quiet or elegant; Woods purposefully throws color at the canvas, then makes so much meaning of each stroke and streak.
4) Tiana Clark, “Scorched Earth” / The poet’s latest collection is a masterwork of awareness and attention. Early, deeply incisive poems about divorce bleed into meditations on pop culture and poetic forms themselves. The pieces here can be read as standalones, but compound and give each other the gift of context as pages turn.
5) Emily St. James, “Woodworking” / I’m still quite early in St. James’ novel, but loving the tale of a trans student and trans teacher who help each other through small-town South Dakota life. St. James seamlessly unites humor, heart and serrated reality while showing how friendship is always a renegotiation of our roles and rites.