When he’s not performing as the drummer for punk noisemakers Brunch, local musician Ayden Flanigan crafts a brand of twangy alt-rock, as heard in this new single from an upcoming album, which describes the confusion that arises when a friendship turns into something more.  FCC: Clean RIYL: Pavement, Wilco, Fruit Bats, Greg Freeman 

Keyboardist Tyler Mast has played with countless local bands, but he shines as the leader on this album, with a funky brand of Americana that pairs brilliantly with his soulful vocals.  Track Picks: 1, 2, 3, 5 FCC: 7RIYL: Little Feat, Jason Isbell, John Hiatt, The Allman Brothers Band

From promoter: “Written during the pandemic, singer and songwriter Hannah Hoffman was faced with the challenges posed by long-Covid symptoms, isolation, and what she likens to a “deep-dive into her Saturn Return”. Largely influenced by the sonic landscape of 80’s synth pop, Hoffman created a dreamlike tapestry interwoven with the fabric of intimate details from […]

From Bow: “This one could easily be called “Deathday Song.” The song is about life in a nutshell and is about as “Vermont” as I can get. You can smell the dirt, hemlock and granite in it. I actually wrote it on my birthday and while sitting behind the drum kit . . . which […]

Veteran VT guitarist Michael Chorney leads this instrumental collective on a journey through elements of jazz, rock, folk, and avant-garde music. The tracks are described by promoters as “soundtracks for films that have never been made.” Features UVM music prof Matt LaRocca on some astonishing viola work! Track Picks: 1, 2, 3 FCC: Clean RIYL: […]

Brattleboro’s Sage Hatfield continues to spin emotionally affecting tales and portraits on his latest EP, bringing together humor, pathos and tragedy in a lo-fi, soft-spoken acoustic package. Check out “Chelsea Royal Diner” for an unexpected WRUV cameo!  Track Picks: 2 (radio edit only), 3, 5 FCC: 2 (radio edit now streaming!), 4 RIYL: Elliott Smith, […]

Burlington musician Hamsa weaves a hazy tapestry of minimal lo-fi folk, electronics and experimentation on their latest album. Lyrics span the personal, spiritual, and political, delivered with shaky honesty and an occasional dose of autotune.  Track Picks: 2, 4, 5, 9, 14 FCC: Clean  RIYL: Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, James Blake

The new collaborative EP from local musicians Fuzzy Bones and Chazzy Lake (the latter now based in Nashville, TN) is a hazy, lo-fi gem, with twangy guitars, organ, and horns providing a backdrop for heartfelt songwriting. Track Picks: 1, 2, 5 FCC: 3 RIYL: Fruit Bats, Kyle Craft, King Tuff, J Bengoy

Dari Bay – Longest Day of the Year [Self-released] (LOCAL) BTV musician Zack James’ long-awaited latest album pulls threads from alt-country, shoegaze, psychedelia and further afield for a unique and hypnotic blend.  Track Picks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 FCC: 10 RIYL: Pavement, Greg Freeman, Wilco, Dinosaur Jr.

Local Americana trio Honey and Soul display versatility on the first two singles from their debut album, the self-empowerment mantra “Tower” and the neo-soul groover “Separate Her Heart” (also available in an earlier acoustic version).  FCC: Clean  RIYL: May Erlewine, Erin and the Wildfire, Kat Wright, Ali McGuirk

According to Burlington indie-pop singer-songwriter Amelia Wilcox, her new EP examines “the space between who I am and who I want to be.” Sonically, this music is all soft pastel tones, with twangy guitar and washed-out synth creating an ethereal mood.  Track Picks: 1, 4 FCC: Clean RIYL: Sylvan Esso, Mitski, Cate Le Bon, Luminous […]

Burlington synth band Night Protocol keep alive the sounds of the 80s that most musicians have left behind – wailing guitars and sax, booming gated drums, and theatrical vocals. Fittingly for a group of retro-revivalists, their latest album is described as “a reflection on all the things in this world that do not change.”  Track […]

Bow Thayer takes a psychedelic turn on his new single, with fuzzy guitars and dizzying vocal harmonies over a swampy groove. Lyrically, it’s less politically explicit than the title might suggest – according to Bow, the song espouses “departing from the confines of the status quo.”  FCC: Clean RIYL: Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon, Iron […]

Hailing from Enosburg, VT, The Mountain Says No have a truly unique sound. Different tracks on their latest album pull from prog, psychedelia, and jam-band music in equal measures, with vocal stylings ranging from distant and ethereal to in-your-face shouts. Now finally available on all streaming services! Track Picks: 2, 4, 5, 8 FCC: Clean  […]

Local comedic punk veteran James Kochalka takes out the stress and frustration of the holiday season in a way many of us wish we could on his latest garage-rock single.  FCC: Clean RIYL: The Aquabats, The Dead Milkmen, Atom and His Package, Rough Francis

Local singer-songwriter Peter Day has released two more singles from his upcoming album. “More for the Memoir” is an upbeat reflective number about “looking back but moving forward,” while “Dis-moi tes secrets” is a slow, tender number in French. Both are well worth playing, as is his previous single “Kaleidoscope.”  FCC: Clean RIYL: Semisonic, Gin […]