Burlington twee-pop veterans The Smittens return with a pandemic love anthem written to soundtrack Burlington City Arts’ Bubblegum Pop exhibition. This ebullient new single (with melancholy subtext) is accompanied by three rare B-sides pulled from across the Smittens’ nearly twenty years of recorded output.  Track Picks: 1, 3 FCC: Clean RIYL: The Magnetic Fields, The […]

Burlington-based singer-songwriter Guthrie Galileo’s latest EP is a collection of gorgeously arranged, produced and performed alt-pop and R&B. His vocals are packed with genuine emotion but not overwrought, often overlaid in gorgeous harmonies and perfectly matching the varied electronic and acoustic instrumental backing.  Track Picks: 1, 4 FCC: Clean RIYL: The Weeknd, Toro y Moi, […]

Burlingtonian singer-songwriter Francesca Blanchard’s latest single might be her best yet. Over a shimmering nu-disco groove, Francesca both sings (in English) and recites (in French) lyrics which evoke looking forward, taking chances, and the awe-inspiring power of nature. FCC: Clean RIYL: Maggie Rogers, Phoebe Bridgers, Christine and the Queens

Veteran VT musician Peg Tassey taps into the spirit of the late ‘60s psychedelic proto-punk explosion with her latest single “Queen of Flowers.” With crushing fuzzy guitar, thudding drums, and Tassey’s commanding vocals, the song sounds as powerful and awe-inspiring as the nature-goddess character the lyrics describe. FCC: Clean  RIYL: The Murlocs, The Stooges, Blue […]

The first EP from indie duo Lavenderlux, a remotely-made collaboration between Butlington’s Amelia Wilcox and Washington state’s Joshua Human, has twangy tunes for both upbeat and somber moods. Lyrically, the record is themed around the idea of moving forward out of stagnant but comfortable places in life.  Track Picks: 3, 4, 5 FCC: 2 RIYL: […]

Burlington singer-songwriter (and former WRUV DJ) Ivamae delivers an echoey blend of indie-rock and jazz-pop wrapped around the swinging drumbeats of local legend Urian Hackney. This unique sound provides the perfect backdrop for her soul-inflected vocals.  Track Picks: 1, 3, 4 FCC: 8 RIYL: Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, St. Vincent, Weyes Blood

BTV singer-songwriter-producer Princess Nostalgia returns with a smooth, slow burning electronic R&B groover. Smoky vocals with abstract, vaguely astrological lyrics float atop a swung trip-hop beat full of synthesized choral voices. FCC: Clean RIYL: Everything But the Girl, St. Vincent, Maggie Rogers, Tricky

Brattleboro-based one-man band Dari Bay’s latest release is a fuzzy collection of lo-fi post-punk with locked-in, angular guitar and bass lines at its core. Vocals are buried in the mix, and alternate between punky recitations and tuneful melodies depending on the track, creating a truly unique sound. Track Picks: 2, 3, 5 FCC: 4, 8, […]

Brooklyn’s Dan Strauss and Burlington’s Ted Looby team up for this twangy alt-rock number that could have come straight out of the mid-90’s, with its jangly guitar chords and clever lyrics about the male ego. FCC: Clean RIYL: Semisonic, Wilco, Dinosaur Jr., Gin Blossoms

Gordon Goldsmith, the singer-songwriter behind Burlington’s The Young Love Scene, takes his cues from the best indie and alt rock of the mid-90s on the project’s debut album, which collates several singles and EPs released over the past year. The harmonized fuzz of Goldsmith’s guitars and vocals bring his music’s emotional heart to its full […]