Yoke Lore – “Bravado” and “Body Parts”: Yoke Lore has quietly risen to prominence over the past year or so. Few people seem to be talking about him, yet many people inside and outside my music circles have been catching on to his brand of catchy, dreamy indie pop. Yoke Lore recently dropped a pair of singles to continue this trend. “Bravado” is an atmospheric track that slowly builds, making good use of Adrian Galvin’s declarative tenor—an effect that I can only describe as a pleasant yelp, which is far from the shade it might sound like. Pleasant harmonies form the backbone of “Bravado.” The artist endorsed by Taylor Swift also succeeds in the execution of the driving, audience participation worthy “Body Parts,” which has several fun moments along the way.

Zoo Trippin’ – “Judge and Jury”: If you’re a fan of this party rock band, you should know by know that their MO is to get people grooving with big riffs, funky beats, and anthemic lyrics about the trials and joys of life. This single isn’t quite as thrilling as previous single “Come Correct,” but it still delivers with their formula hook, line, and sinker. A surprise in this track is the addition of metal growls—something that will undoubtedly wake up many of their fans that reside in the jam/funk scene.

Absofacto – “Rewind”: This is ethereal pop with auto-tuned vocals, but the stigma attached to such effects does not apply here. Or, it could be that Absofacto has such good control over his voice that it sounds autotuned. In any case, this short tune that is both happy-go-lucky and wistful is effective in it’s execution. Absofacto recently wrapped up a tour supporting SHAED where many dates sold out, and I foresee this momentum continuing. This is pop for the yuppie. It’s full of earworms but not overly cutesy.

Savage Hands – “Demon”: I don’t write about anthemic rock enough on this blog. “Demon” has Boston Manor vibes (their newest record) all over it. I’m also getting some reminders of Close Your Eyes (“Song For the Broken,” anyone?) here. These shout outs are meant to be compliments and not insinuations that this band is ripping anyone off. Sometimes, I just need some screams, a simple gnarly breakdown, and some headbang-worthy riffage. Savage Hands delivers on all counts here. Look for their record The Truth In Your Eyes to drop January 31st, 2020 on Sharp Tone Records.

Rowe – “Tired Love”: Not everyone emerges from a broken relationship in loud triumph. Recovery is usually day by day—sometimes with progress so small it practically is imperceptible. But progress is there nonetheless. This is the message I’m getting from the feeling of this song “Tired Love,” a somber ballad that at times offers sparkles to show that indeed there is hope. Just listening to this song makes me want to sit down with Becky Filip, the songwriter behind the Rowe moniker. I bet she has a lot of wisdom.

Sansol – “Two Hands (day of)” Nashville hip-hop artist has been rolling out drops week after week—this one articulates purposefully cheerfully that the artist wants to know where it all went wrong. It’s a straightforward track about trying to keep on keeping on. The “tell me where it all wrong” hook is upbeat not only to draw attention to that line, but also to demonstrate perseverance in moving forward, even as there’s confusion about personal hardship.