Matt Nation drops "April’s Fool," and I am instantly struck by the sheer exhaustion of loving a hologram. The Brooklyn-born, LA-based artist has a knack for dissolving the borders between alt-pop, R&B, and nu-disco, but here, he channels a soul-stirring pop-punk urgency through a laid-back, indie-pop filter. https://open.spotify.com/track/7rPHpg1lXMiQFFuuIX9ZT5 It is a strange, brilliant contrast. A melancholic chord loop cycles endlessly, creating a flowing foundation for Nation's...

San Francisco’s queer honky-tonk institution Country Risqué returns to announce their forthcoming sophomore album "As the Crow Flies", leading the charge with an irresistibly bouncy single called "Motorcycle Johnny". https://open.spotify.com/track/09mrnJCwv6Rf3ZNjlEazVv?si=b3b7ec5d8e08487a There is a strange, captivating alchemy to this band. The vocal friction alone is brilliant: Miles Gordon provides a rich, formally trained warmth, while Daniel Bromfield leans hard into a languid, almost defiant deadpan. Supported by...