Sarah Bethe Nelson brings her indie rock swagger to the swinging tunes of her third record Weird Glow. The California native’s jaunty jangles combine with a driving backbeat to create one of the most consistent efforts of the week.  

With elements of traditional English ballads blending with sounds of the American West, Manchester’s resident Califorian, Jesca Hoop, has created a moody opus with her new STONECHILD.

Full of their signature electro goth-pop swagger, with remixes and instrumentals from this year’s excellent Careful, Boy Harsher have released a companion piece in Careful Remixes, etc. that further accentuates the dark beauty of the original.  

Boy Harsher return to Chicago with a show at the Metro on October 9th. Tix are $16.

It wouldn’t be a week without a band from Australia turning our heads, and the latest from Melbourne’s Bench Press just cam hot off the presses. Not the Past, Can’t Be the Future is a  bit Parquet Courts and bit Idles and all the way fracking excellent. 

On January 13th, 2018 the state of Hawaii received a false text of a missile alert, leading to chaos and panic throughout the island state. For 38 minutes, the threat of imminent death hung over paradise. The King Blues, a celebrated political folk-punk collective out of London, have used this event to tell an affecting tale with their new perfectly-coined concept record 38 Minutes.   

Eighteen minutes of intense indie power rock fills Philary’s debut LP I Complain. The solo project of Stove and Pile bassist Alex Molini, these hard-edged tunes must be his outlet to be able to come back to his two bands’ melodic core. 

Scrapping an entire, finished record after ending a terrible relationship, Jessica Boudreaux and company returned to the studio to deliver this ragger. Summer Cannibals have found a renewed sound in Can’t Tell Me No, that is as infectious and engaging as indie rock gets.

Summer Cannibals is hitting the Subterranean on August 10th. Tix are $10.

Dreamy waves of grooves fill Brijean’s debut record Walkie Talkie. The perfect headphones on the  beach record. 

Jammy, jazzy goodness populates all of The Aristocrats’ work, and new record You Know What... ? has the live vibe that is so difficult to capture in the studio.

Reggies is hosting these Cali improvisers on July 20th. Tix are $40 and up.

Spacey San Fran jam warriors Dire Wolves return for a third record full of their sonic explorations with Grow Towards the Light.   

L.A.’s Christian Paul Philippi creates some soft vibe indie rock that is not to be missed on debut Gem. 

A master of the everyday story song, Mark Mulcahy has been entertaining fans for nearly twenty years as a solo performer after a stint in the influential Miracle Legion and Polaris, the house band of the legendary Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete and Pete. His new record The Gus continues the compelling legacy.  

Mulcahy is playing The Hideout on September 26th. Tix are $15.

Erin Durant’s second record is a masterful work of classic folk beauty. Islands is bound to live with classics of the genre.

Minneapolis synth pop throwbacks Graveyard Club’s newest effort Goodnight Paradise will transport you back to the days when light ‘80s melodies met dark crooning vocals. 

They’ll be visiting Sleeping Village next week on July 16th for $1 beer night with Modern Vices and Cold Beaches sharing the bill. Tix are $5.

Another quality Austrialian putting out some excellent indie rock. Gena Rose Bruce hits it out of the park with Can’t Make You Love Me. 

Irish soul man Foy Vance just keeps the smooth grooves coming with From Muscle Shoals. If you listen to one record this week, make it this one, and sway along with a loved one.

Thalia Hall is hosting this one of a kind performer on October 23rd. Tix are $25.

Producer extraordinaire Mustard’s newest mixtape gathers a who’s who of hip-hop elite and shows why he makes them all better, and Nipsey Hussle’s prophetic posthumous “Perfect Ten” (from which the record draws its title) will bring chills.

Mustard is appearing with YG, Future and Meek Mill at Tinley Park on August 31st. Tix are $35 and up

Texas Alt-Metal duo Low Flying Hawks bring their western-tinged oddness back with Anxious Ghosts, and we can’t seem to get enough.

The sons of Gregg Allman and Dicky Betts have recurited an allstar cast to help recreate the feel of classic Allman Brothers glory in The Allman Betts Band, and Down to the River is their perfect studio debut. 

The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL is hosting The Allman Betts Band on August 29th. Tix are $39 and up.