Good Riddancesaw Abrams documenting her emotional experience with more precision and impact than ever before as the 23-year-old achieved a new level of lyrical honesty and self-possession. The recorded live shows with close collaborator Aaron Dessner (The National) bring those experiences to an even greater level of quietly captivating intimacy.
Across Halfsies, No shares her Miss Freedomland character’s questions for the world, while creating enough space for the listener to ask their own. When doors are bolted shut, what should a black artist in this industry do to create their work? Halfsies' answer is clear: stop knocking and build your own beautiful genre.
Caligula’s Horse bridge the gap of the jittery guitar lover; the hug-craving, sunset-staring sadboi; the chorus-hook, bravado-stricken empath, all with a brand of progressive metal that’s grown in curious, somewhat convergent ways. The Aussie alt-proggers continue to paint with broader strokes on Charcoal Grace maintaining a sweeping, cinematic focus.
All of the intertwined melodies and melding of styles exemplify Halvorson’s template: bring together a group of musicians to interpret complex compositional passages but also given free rein to solo as they see fit. Cloudward is a shimmering, deeply satisfying example of a jazz sextet firing on all cylinders. Prepare to be astonished.
As sonically textured and layered a debut you’ll find, Now That I’ve Been Honest professes to be a coming-of-age story detailing Maddie’s life since moving to Los Angeles and coming out as queer, while continuing to build upon the sound foundation of her early work and the community she’s created and fostered in her music.
The five-song EP pulls upon different situations of queer love, religious trauma, and body-shaming that Zahm and far too many others have endured in life. It’s reverent of Zahm’s past while also aware of the way her youth was damaged and hurt, curating five worship sounds for not a church but herself and her growth.
Inspired by musical luminaries from Diana Ross to Dolly Parton and influenced by contemporary legends from Beyoncé to Sade, Hello… is a personal love letter to Britti’s home of New Orleans. Signed, co-written, and produced by Dan Auerbach, the album is fresh and wondrous, with a levee-like hold on her own heritage.
On his second album McCall pays homage to his late grandfather who features on the album’s cover (during the Vietnam War) and whose input on McCall is invaluable. Mellow War explores the balance of good and evil, destruction and healing and the importance of having faith in the darkest of times.
20th anniversary album of all new material from the globally renowned classical crossover group. It’s the first release with new member Steven LaBrie, after the passing of founding member Carlos Marin in 2020. Il Divo takes flight with their 10th full-length, once again leaping forward creatively, expanding their style and vision all at once.
Remastered reissue. There's a degree of vulnerability in great songwriting, and In the Throes finds it on every song. Moreland resists punching the listener's gut with a guitar riff like he often did in the past and instead breaks hearts by structuring quieter arrangements around these world-weary, often emotionally naked lyrics.
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The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a national level organization comprised of the best independent record stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995 with the goal of uniting like minded independent store owners, giving them a more powerful voice in the music industry. The stores that make up CIMS are all very different, but we share the same desires – to be the heart of our communities, to super-serve our customers, to support and develop artists, and to share our love of music.
For more information about CIMS and the stores in our organization, please visit cimsmusic.com or find us through social media with the #cimsmusic hashtag. And please remember to always shop local by supporting your neighborhood record store.
