Mike Katzif
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The cheerful, buoyant instrumental track, titled "Olympic Village, 6AM," is tailor-made for a heroic sports montage.
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Messy and fun, the Australian duo's pop-punk bursts with chunky guitars and big riffs. It's a perfect sun-streaked soundtrack for skinned-knee skate videos and beach bonfires at dusk.
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The band's tense, visceral, unpredictable sound doesn't let listeners get comfortable for very long. These 15 songs were inspired by the music each Deerhoof member grew up loving.
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Barwick's songs are musical inkblot tests: The voices trickle in and out, but never quite materialize into lyrical coherency. So it's up to the listener to interpret them and ascribe personal meaning.
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As rapturous as the band's second album feels in its catchiest moments, it's all in service to songs that touch on the dueling bittersweet experiences of love.
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On her new album, Thao Nguyen and her band sound emboldened and unafraid to delve into some heavy, nervy stuff.
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After a hiatus, the versatile, genre-smashing Santi White returns with a collection of playful, fun songs that reveal more of her personal voice than ever.
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The former Coral frontman's songs ache with the resignation of someone still searching for answers. Remarkably, these songs sway with a light touch, with melodies that feel lived-in and singable.
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In his new band, The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach plays immersive, funky R&B and soul that's embellished with velvety harmonies, hissy tape recordings and lip-curling attitude.
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Ellen Kempner and her band document a fraught transition from childhood to adulthood — and do a great job, in part because they're still living through the process.