As the summer winds down, are you looking for some music to rev you up? Our critics here at Up to Date have scoured the best of local, national and international music released this year to give you a wide selection.
Chris Haghirian
Local picks:
The Sluts, "Let Me Go" from The Sluts
- "It's a nice, loud ruckus-y garage band sound. It looks like he's protecting himself with his drumsticks."
Hipshot Killer, "Give Me Something Better"
- "This song snuck up on me... I just can't stop listening to this song. It's just this happy rock song."
Barrel Maker and D/Will, "Hands High" from BLK FLANL
- "Barrel Maker is doing a lot of interesting collaborations."
Worldwide picks:
- "They've done what we want every local band to do-- to go out and have a national and even they're having an international presence."
Lord Huron, "Fool For Love" from Strange Trails
- "It's a four-piece dreamy indie rock from L.A."
Waxahatchee, "Air" from Ivy Tripp
- "Her voice has this sound that's a little close to Heidi Phillips from Frogpond."
Seoul, "Stay With Us" from I Become a Shade
- "It's four guys that look like they're 12 years old on stage... This song is hands-down the most listened to track of the year for me."
Hannah Copeland
Local picks:
Earthly Delights, "Drifting Solo" from Earthly Delights
- “It's dreamy, it's fun, it's catchy. It's not what you expect from a ukelele.”
Rex Hobart and The Misery Boys, "Ring Ring Ring" from Long Shot of Hard Stuff
- "There's fabulous acoustic and electric guitar picking (on this album)... this is one of the saddest and most beautiful tracks."
Tech N9ne, "Aw Yeah" from Special Effects
- “This album, it's got something for everyone. There's serious themes... but there's also tracks about getting drunk and having fun.”
Worldwide picks:
Courtney Barnett, "An Illustration of Loneliness" from Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit
- "She has this hypnotic stream-of-consciousness style."
Tame Impala, "The Less I Know The Better" from Currents
- "He started off with a really indie rock sound and moved on to this groovy, dream-pop funk sound... this whole album is super psychedelic."
La Luz, "You Disappear" from Weirdo Shine
- "It's an emotional ride with beautiful four-part female harmony."
Calvin Arsenia
Local picks:
Jessica Paige, "Beautiful Life" from Beautiful Life
- "It's very real and raw. I think that she's a lot like James Morrison, Brandi Carlile-- these songwriters that can make you feel what they feel."
Teri Quinn, "Free of Wanting You"
- "I remember the first time I heard her play, hearing this choppy, clunky banjo that was so beautiful and wispy at the same time."
Ivory Black, "Ready Get Set" from Ready Get Set
- "I imagine playing this first thing in the morning, driving down the highway, getting pumped for work."
Worldwide picks:
Bjork, "lionsong" from Vulnicura
- "She opens the door into her own personal life and the end of her marriage. For the first time we get a glimpse at her life, instead of the worlds she's created."
Sufjan Stevens, "John My Beloved" from Carrie & Lowell
- "This is all about himself and his upbringing and how he was raised."
Son Lux, "Change Is Everything" from Bones
- "He originally started making music for his wife, who is a ballet dancer."
