Each month, we’re rounding up the latest local music that’s been on repeat. Follow our Spotify playlist to keep up with new music releases from Minnesota. This month, anything we missed from 2023 is eligible.
“Shugarboy” by Nat Harvie, feat. Lala Lala and Brent Penny
The words “otherworldly” and “ethereal” encapsulate the new single from Nat Harvie, Lala Lala, and Brent Penny. Tinged with hyperactive electronic flourishes, this introspective single looks at life as an understanding of challenges glued together with a reassuring sense of optimism and luminosity. It’s a whirlwind ride of rock and indie elements that is both playful and bouncy, with a lightness of spirit radiating throughout.
“Old Friend Neil” by Sleeping Jesus
Sleeping Jesus’ newest album Hollywood Smile is a two-part meditation on the impermanence of life that also shines a light on the slow, but eventual years that mature us. The first single “Old Friend Neil” has a similar sensibility, patiently built from carefully chosen lines that are illustrated in large strokes by lush astral folk and intricately composed arrangements that manage to appear uncomplicated.
“Mesmerized” by Savage Moods
At their core, Savage Moods embodies what rock music is about: loud guitars, heavy riffs, and distinct drum fills that drill into your head. At times reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age, the band knows how to balance heaviness with hooks, antagonism with debauchery, while spilling their guts on every track. “Mesmerized” is the opening track off their third studio album, Memento, and it reflects the expressive moodiness that lives inside this trio who how to party.
“Loretta Lynn Blues” by The Roe Family Singers
The Roe Family Singers are closing in on two decades of Monday night shows at the 331 Club in Northeast, yet they are still creating fresh and interesting music that showcases them in their prime. “Loretta Lynn Blues” takes a drop of honeyed charm and mixes it with existential weight to make a perfect cocktail that features clever storytelling, warm sincerity, and a lot of fun.
“My Girl” by anni xo
The pain in anni xo’s voice is palpable as they sing about broken promises and lost love in a doomed relationship. The young artist is promising on their debut EP, showcasing their concisely shrewd lyrics, but especially a crystal clear voice that rips through and digs deep into the soul. “My Girl” is a powerful yet tender anthem, with its open-hearted emotional vulnerability, and sense of wide-eyed wonder against the odds.