Falling somewhere in the middle of the mountainous terrain of psychedelia, the brothers Carney seem to know the valleys and peaks like the back of their hands. The trio leans towards some ’60s jangle but masks it with thick, buzzing riffs. They never pick up the pace, and there is no need, because “Honey” flows beautiful and sweet just as it is.
—John Ruscher

The 22-year-old darling from The Dirty Projectors busts out on her own with this track from her debut EP, Mind Raft. From Ms. Deradoorian’s very first “oh,” the song gradually blossoms outward like storm clouds gathering on the horizon. Both ominous and awesome, the tune makes you both eager for the impending downpour and fearful of what thunder and lightning might accompany it.
—John Ruscher

The opening sounds like the intro of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” in hyperdrive. Then Stern and Hella drummer Zach Hill kick it up a notch. Stern’s distinct vocal melodies ride on waves of fast-flying notes, while Hill pounds and splashes about. If you’re needing a little pep in your step, this tune, along with the rest of Stern’s new album, will give you just that.
—John Ruscher

Iconoclastic, enigmatic 60’s cult singer Tom Rapp says he turned down an invitation to perform at Woodstock because he was too busy loving his girlfriend on a Dutch lake. In this delicate song from 1967, he punctuates earnestly delivered lines of quirky poetry ("This may strike you odd-i-ly, but I want you bod-i-ly") with comically placed dots and dashes. If you know your Morse code, they translate to the naughtiest of four-letter words.
- Camilla Padgitt-Coles