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Forest for the Trees by The Low Blow

For fans of… Movements, The Hotelier, (early) MCR  

Genre… #indie-rock #emo #alternative-rock

LOCAL! Forest For the Trees heralds a promising emo era for The Low Blow. Songs like “This isn’t a Seance, It’s a Family reunion” and the title track pack up-tempo, moshpit-ready heat with a vocal intensity to boot –– lead singer Patsy Long reaches for stratospheric high notes straight out of golden era Judas Priest. This Nashville-based group is no one trick pony, however, as they also demonstrate first-rate balladry chops in stripped-back tunes like “Dead Nettles” and “The Moments You Felt You Belonged.” Most importantly, this record is illegally catchy. Like the titans of the emo genre of the early 2000s, The Low Blow has dressed up late adolescent angst in a earworm-laden package to great effect.

Review by Holt Templeton

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Living While Dying by fanclubwallet

For fans of… Peach Pit, Yot Club, Lunar Vacation

Genre… #bedroom-pop #alternative-pop #indie-pop

On Living While Dying, lead singer-songwriter Hannah Judge registers the human condition at its most playful and painful degree. The fanclubwallet outfit balances these extremes by pairing raw lyricism with radiant synths, jangly guitar hooks, and airy melodies reminiscent of ‘80s alt-pop. Over the 8-Bit innocence of “Head On,” Judge’s lines are both compassionate and honest: “It’s been lifelong, and I know it’s not right, but it takes some time to get my head on.” The track list amends the notion of ‘either-or’ to ‘both-and,’ particularly on standout songs like “Gears” and “Me Time.” Living While Dying tempers existence and oblivion, staring unflinchingly at the universal experiences which hurt us and heal us.   

Review by Bri Woods

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Cherry Valley by Carter Faith

For fans of… Hailey Whitters, Kaitlin Butts, Ella Langley

Genre… #country #hella sass

LOCAL! Carter Faith’s debut full-length album, Cherry Valley hits all the right notes. It blends traditional country instrumentation with witty, modern songwriting. Throughout the record, Faith explores a wide emotional range, from vices, mental-health struggles, and heartbreak in tracks like “If I Had Never Lost My Mind” and “Misery Loves Company.” Faith also includes more playful tracks about bad taste in men and clapping back at haters like “Bar Star” and “Grudge.” Faith’s powerhouse vocals and emotional vulnerability infuse Cherry Valley with an authentic ambience, rooted in her own self-discovery and development. Standout tracks include “Sails” and “Still A Lover.” 

Review by Isabella Montero

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LOTTO by They Are Gutting a Body of Water

For fans of… Clams, Parannoul, Merchant Ships, Blue Smiley

Genre… #shoegaze #DIY #rock

TAGABOW’s LOTTO is the latest installment of an undefeated Philly win-streak in contributions to the shoegaze genre. Lyrically, the fifth TAGABOW record is comprised of fragmented poeticisms, motifs centering the ephemeral, and an overall gritty dedication to mantra, “every end waits a new beginning.” These elements cultivate an emotional atmosphere just as alluring as the sonic world of the record. “trainers,” is an encapsulative example of this lyrical philosophy:  “crack dream on the floor / Bird chest in a well built nest / sticks plastic and chore / treat death like a teacher’s pet.” The dexterity with which the band handles transience is fantastic. And instrumentally? Warm, dense guitar distortion; detuned synthesized refrains; chorus and static-heavy reverb filters layered onto vocals –– TAGABOW uses these archetypal shoegaze elements to foster a band-characteristic sound bath of melodic drone. Stand-outs: “american food” is a no notes-level spoken word piece situated against the backdrop of a looping chorus and guitar riff; back-to-back tracks “baeside k” and “herpim” form a fantastic bifold of the miracle of survival and fantastically mirror the rhythmic motives of their melodies.

Review by Scotty Mihm

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Nightmares by Graham Blotter

For fans of… The Last Dinner Party, Luvcat, Aurora, Ethel Cain

Genre… #experimental #gothic #indie-folk

LOCAL! Graham Blotter’s Nightmares is the perfect album for Halloween and for folks with a taste for spookiness. In just one 48-minute album, Blotter references classic monsters and urban legends: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, skeletons, the Mothman, Bigfoot, and the Jersey Devil. He combines elements from different sonic styles such as the Romantic and Baroque era, techno, country, and funk. He layers viola, acoustic guitar, piano, organ, synthesizers, and reverbs for a varied, new sound. In this album, Blotter samples classics such as Danse Macabre and “Oh! Susanna;” cites accounts of Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail around the world but disappeared in his second attempt; and even includes an EVP session as interlude. Coming from a fan of Blotter’s music from the start, this album is his best and most experimental yet, and truly does not disappoint.  

Review by Renee Ho

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Undergraduation. by Any Two Words

For fans of… Mom Jeans, Modern Baseball, Marietta 

Genre… #midwest-emo #DIY #math-rock

Undergraduation. is everything one could ask for from a midwest-emo album: longing to change the past, fear of the future, yearning for love, and random trumpets as the classic finishing touch. Lyrically, Undergraduation. reflects upon the college experience, dealing with nostalgia, friendships, and the challenges of growing up. Despite its silly title, “Life is Roblox” paints out an existential crisis regarding becoming stuck in the same place. The album is also strong musically, with “Bucks in Six!” and “Object Permanence” containing strong, plucky riffs that emnate the dexterity of math-rock melodies. Spanning >30 minutes, Undergraduation. is the album for a college kid to re-evaluate their life while walking to their next class on the opposite end of campus during the cold, dreary fall. 

Review by Lora McPhail

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Observance by Primitive Man

For fans of… Conan, Thou 

Genre… #funeral-doom-metal #sludge-metal #black-metal

Observance is absolute funeral doom, soaked in sludge aggression. The guttural, abrasive vocals mix with violent drums and droning guitars to create a crushing atmosphere that gives way to a sense of grief and despair as opposed to pure rage. The record sounds like hopelessness in a strangely beautiful way. Haunting dissonance cuts through the atmospheric drone, to develop a soul-crushing atmosphere of social rot and self-destruction. Observance is an incredibly heavy, emotional window into the ugly parts of modern society. 

Review by Matthew Carpenter

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Beware of Pity by Zac Lawrence

For fans of… DEADLETTER, Grian Chatten 

Genre… #modern-folk #British-folk

Beware of Pity is for contemplating the very meaning of the human condition. In his sophomore album, Lawrence –– frontman of DEADLETTER –– steps away from his band’s typical post-punk sound, trading it for a complex, contemporary folk tonality. His guitar riffs stay true to traditional folk, and paired with strings, clarinets, and other orchestral instruments, Lawrence creates an atmospheric, expansive sound that gives the album both sonic and emotional depth. Lawrence’s lyrics are a focal point of the album and shine through in tracks like “Hotel Hamburg” –– an exploration of man’s reason for living in monotony –– and “Last Shot Fired” and “Using Only One Hand,” which contemplate man’s attempts to understand and overcome a system that works against him. Lawrence revitalizes folk with his gripping, poetic lyrics and creates a listening experience that makes one question their own place in this world in a beautifully philosophical way.   

Review by Lila Noack