INDISPENSABLE NEW MUSIC PICKS
May 2023
Kristine England
June 1, 2023 at 4:00:00 PM
The Bomboras
Songs From Beyond!
Formed in 1994 in LA, The Bomboras celebrate the classic surf sounds of the 60s. Taking inspiration from Dick Dale, the Sonics as well as garage rock of the era, the band’s live shows were characterized by stage diving, fire and destroying their instruments. All in good fun, of course. The group had a long hiatus between releases, returning in 2021 with an EP after a decade of inactivity. They’re back with a full-length album this time around. Fans of surf rejoice!
FEATURED TRACK: “The Good, The Bad And The Single Fin”
Hannah Rose Platt
Songs From Beyond!
Though she hails from Liverpool, singer/songwriter Hannah Rose Platt’s craft is deeply rooted in Americana and Country music. To call her latest record as haunting is to describe both the sound and the content. Filled with themes from horror stories, the tales on Deathbed Confessions are eerily beautiful, “ a bewitching cauldron of the dark, depraved and eternally damned all marinated in vignettes of the supernatural.” (Americana UK)
FEATURED TRACK: “Feeding Time for Monsters”
Rahill
Flowers At Your Feet
Lansing, MI native Rahill Jamalifard is an Iranian-American singer who’s best known for her work in Habibi, the psych-rock group based in Brooklyn. Her debut solo album is a departure, with an amalgam of Eastern and Western folk influences as well as trip hop a jazz. It’s a highly personal exploration straddling two cultures, with the featured track an ode to her late Aunt Elaheh. It’s a compelling work from an artist whose continued development will be exciting to watch.
FEATURED TRACK: “I Smile for E”
Opus Kink
My Eyes, Brother!
With a sound NME once characterized as “Horn-fuelled filth-funk, where punk and jazz combine in grimy circumstances,” Opus Kink certainly carved out an interesting niche for themselves. The boys from Brighton hold nothing back on their latest EP. “The songwriting, the inventiveness and, let us be honest, musical genius shines very bright indeed.” (Backseat Mafia)
FEATURED TRACK: “Dust”
Guadalupe Plata
Guadalupe Plata
The Spanish duo is back with its seventh studio album, their first release in four years. The featured track is a cover of guitarist Agapito Marazuela, who is also an avid student of Spanish folklore. The tune tells the tale of a battle between a stork and a snake. Judging from the translated lyrics, the stork wins.
FEATURED TRACK: “La Cigüeña”