When Zach Vinson woke up on Friday, January 20, 2017 he, like many of us, faced a startling new reality in which the forward momentum towards equality, a stable planet, a balanced economy, an open immigrant policy and balanced thinking were gone. Say what you will about the Trump presidency, there’s no arguing that we live in a more chaotic time now than we did prior to that.

“Hold My Son” is the latest single from Vinson’s forthcoming album, And Yet (due April 26th), and serves as a direct response to the realizations on that morning. As a white male, Vinson is aware that his place in the world is a privileged one, reflected in the lines “Show me what you give for power, and I’ll show you exactly where you lost the plot.” Vinson isn’t out for dominance, he’s striving for using his place in the world to bring up others.

Based on the prior single, “Better Man,” there will be plenty of rockin’ numbers on the forthcoming album but this track is a particularly sombre number, which is fitting given the tone of its inspiration. Vinson’s vocals are tender and sincere with just the right balance of optimism; a crack in the darkness that we could all hold on to.

Afterlife, more than anything, is a gateway drug to the world of R. Stevie Moore. There’s no room for complaints about weird voicemails, skits or lo-fi recording quality; much of which makes Moore so damn charming in the first place. These songs prove that Moore’s songwriting and pop skills work no matter the sonic fidelity. In fact, these songs are more than just catchy, they’re interesting.

Portions of the album seem to pay homage to some of Moore’s favorites – like “The Winner” harkening back to poppy XTC & Bob Mould or “Here Comes Summer Again” being a clear Beach Boys nod. These tributes are never insincere and still come drenched in plenty of Moore’s own style.

There’s no definitive R. Stevie Moore album and never will be. Capturing everything he’s capable of and great at, with all of his variety of styles, just wouldn’t fit into one thing. Fortunately, Afterlife does a wonderful job of serving a delicious appetizer into the full course, should you choose to partake.

Back in January of 2018, Bleary released a batch of demo’s that was a highly enjoyable blend of shoegaze and dream pop. Now the band has released “Ghosts” and announced the official follow-up to those demos in the form of Gates, a full-fledged EP due out on Cold Lunch Recordings on April 4th.

Based on this single, it seems that the vibe from the demos hasn’t been lost in the slightes. The band has refined their recording techniques to further emphasize all the right parts. The guitar tone is uniquely Bleary and fits perfectly with singer Callan Dwan’s emotive hooks; a blend of introspective melancholy and tender storyteller. That vulnerability paired with the explosive chorus is a formula for a worthy place in your heavy rotation.

Last we heard from Murfreesboro’s The Schwa, they were releasing their MTSU recordings from Studio D in the form of the Bound to Happen EP. Today they’re releasing a brand new track – “Stuck in the Middle” from a new forthcoming EP set for release this Summer.

The track builds upon the sound and swagger of the previous EP, evoking sneering BritRock bands like Artic Monkeys or Nothing But Thieves. That’s not to say they don’t have their own thing going but if you need a touchstone for a jumping off point, that’s an appropriate place to start.

They stepped up their production on this one as well. There’s plenty of subtle layered vocals, small warbles on the guitar and just enough flourishes to give you something new on a relisten. It’s energetic, memorable and an excellent taste of what’s in store for their future release.