Issue 140
This week includes debuts from Blossoms, Laura Roy, and NAO — as well as great new music from Grammy winner Lori McKenna and country rock heroes The Cadillac Three.
Heavy Rotation
What We're Listening To
Blossoms is sweeping the headlines this week for their ’80s-rooted guitar-rock sound, but they’re more aware of their context than their peers. They might sound like another decade, but it’s so easy to root for them that it doesn’t matter. Read more.
NAO’s debut record is finally here: For All We Know is an immense record that defies R&B’s current conventions and dares to think bigger, perhaps lighting a fire under the genre as she goes. It’s mandatory listening. Read more.
If Brad Paisley is “Eddie van Halen on cornbread,” then The Cadillac Three is “Brad Paisley on Eddie Van Halen and Black Sabbath.” Bury Me in My Boots is authentic country music for rock fans. Read more.
Ten albums into her solo career, Lori McKenna is able to frame the plight of women, particularly women in bad relationships, into beautiful songs that remain approachable despite their subject matter. Read more.
Laura Roy’s debut EP is clearly influenced by today’s biggest hits and some of Brooklyn’s best R&B, but her ingenuity lies in her precise production, vocal refinement, and songwriting abilities. Read more.