After one listen to Jaffee Judah’s latest offering “Solid,” it’s nearly impossible not to have the verse bouncing around in your head. The combination of drums, Judah’s falsetto delivery and affirming lyrics of “everything I do is solid, wherever I go is solid” is simply undeniable.

The official video follows Judah through various performance locations; the studio, East Nashville, Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist and, most notably, Alkebu-Lan Images, Nashville’s only Black-owned bookstore. The video also depicts various profiles of friends and collaborators of Judah, all peppered with positive vibes and messages (one shirt reads “once oxygen hits the blood we’re all one color”). The Big 6 feature accents the message of the track expertly and keeps the upbeat vibes rolling through the end of the track. On paper it’s a conceptually simple video but the editing keeps things moving between black-and-white cut scenes and colorful outdoor interludes.

It’s been a minute since Judah released a track but he’s certainly not been sitting on his laurels. If you aren’t following him on Instagram, do so now. His Bang 4 Liberation project (featured quickly in the video) aims to address gun violence through art and community organizing and that’s just one of his undertakings. Be wise and stay tuned in.

The official press release for Katy Kirby’s Cool Dry Place states that it came together “After a series of painful failures to complete a record that reflected the temperament of those songs.” That’s not a statement you include in your official PR if you haven’t worked tirelessly to capture your songs in their most desired form. The results of these efforts are clear when listening to the record, Kirby has crafted an infectiously catchy album of pop songs that are cut with melancholy and introspective observations from start to finish.

As luck would have it, we’ve been tuned in to some versions of these songs since 2018 and can confirm that the changes over time were positive enhancements. The official video for “Juniper,” the second track from the record, does an excellent job of paying service to the song with a simple and varied performance from Kirby. Intercut scenes between a cyc wall, a Brooklyn garden and a brimming kitchen table keep you locked in for the duration.

There’s no bad jumping off point for getting into Kirby’s work but if “Juniper” doesn’t whet your appetite for more, you should be asking yourself some serious questions about what you’re looking for out of music.

Without batting an eye, it’s easy to describe Tape Deck Mountain as firmly a shoegaze band. All of the necessary tropes are present; big wall of guitar sound with warbly accents, calm vocal delivery sitting in the middle of the mix and plenty of larger explosive moments. It may check all the boxes but Tape Deck Mountain’s latest release, True Deceiver, takes things beyond shoegaze.

“NOMO”, the second track from said record and the focus of this performance video includes moments of soaring guitar, some accents that feel like progressive versions of the best Failure or Shiner songs and lyrics that actually carry some weight. Hearing frontman and primary songwriter Travis Trevisan calmly lament “You’re all alone, on your phone” through layers and layers of sound is a powerful thing to hear; especially if you crank your speakers to their maximum.

The video itself is filled with purple hues, prism effects, static feedback and the quintessential shoegaze performance style; not overly excitable and more interested in enveloping you in sound. It serves as an excellent introduction to the band if you’ve not had the pleasure previously. “NOMO” is a standout track on the record but, frankly, True Deceiver continues this vibe through the duration and fans of the genre looking for something just a bit bigger and better would be wise to pay attention.