When Blond Jesus released the breathless new single "Karma Buddy," he perfectly bottled the sheer, stomach-dropping terror of blowing up a perfectly safe friendship. There is an agonizing electricity in realizing you want something entirely different from someone you've known forever, and this track sprints headfirst into that exact moment of anxiety. https://open.spotify.com/album/3JwfBy3lewo48u7UloyjsN?si=iLL1viyySWKKoS8KHjNBwg Sonically, the guitars utterly refuse to sit still. Rooted deeply in the massive,...

Jacob Barrett completely dismantles the illusion of composure on his stunning new single, "Here I Go Again." At first blush, the San Francisco multi-instrumentalist sets up a relatively subdued, rhythmic bounce. It feels like measured, perfectly pleasant indie pop. https://open.spotify.com/track/4YHQAeYRcroBAogGz5iGFY?si=da5f0ca325ad4cc4 But that steady facade is incredibly fragile. The lyrics dive headfirst into the messy, alienating reality of living with a chronic illness. Barrett captures the specific...