Last week, Blossom released her newest LP, Maybe. It’s a beautiful reflection on what the mind can do when left alone. Blossom makes fever dreams feel spine-tingling and sultry. She has great command over her voice, delivering each word succinctly and powerfully. As the months get hotter, we’re all going to get more and more grateful that she’s released this album in time for summer. “Betty Rizzo” is an especially alluring song, which makes sense given its namesake. It’s one that will probably bring more than a few bodies to the dance floor.

Blossom will be having an album release party for Maybe next Monday, June 10th at the Armory. She will be joined by Butter Baby, DJ Dubblife, Fountaine, KayelaJ and Bocha.

-By Avril Carrillo

Post-math rock band Childspeak released their latest album Indulgent Endeavors last March, and it’s dreamy instrumentalist really speaks to the ways the band has grown. The album is mature and thoughtful. Indulgent is an apt name, as the band really takes the time to steep in every emotion instrumentals can produce. The band also plays around with the subjectivity that controls these emotions. As guitarist Bri Haber explains, “Reality is sculpted by a person's individual experience and is intrinsically subjective.” Childspeak makes room in its music, not only for their own individual realities but for the realities of their listeners as well.

Childspeak is playing a show this Friday, June 7th at Sessions Music Lounge. Long Hallways and Gazelle(s) will also be playing. 

-By Nick Hartman, photo by Sam Gehrke 

Tonight, you can catch the first of the Ladd Circle Outdoor Concert Series. Presented by Common Bones Production and Ladd Taphouse, the show will feature Dirty Revival, White Lotus, and HEREISGOOD. All proceeds from the event will go to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco. The ILRC is a is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to create a fair and democratic community for all. It’s a great chance to listen to some good tunes and support a great cause, which is always something to appreciate.

The show starts at 5, at Ladd Taphouse. Tickets are $15. There’s also going to be an after party, featuring Jen Siren.

  -By Avril Carrillo

Portland indie folk-pop artist Tara Velarde is playing a local release show for her new EP this Friday. The album, titled Rise, is thoughtful and sensitive. It has some wonderful pop ballads, such as "Touch You." Velarde's voice is rich, but light and airy at the same time. She has a unique and subtle twang in her voice, imbuing each song with traditional folk sound. At the heart of her sound, and appeal, is soft folk-pop done beautifully. Of course, Velarde isn't just soft corners, and songs like "Such an Island" bring out her grittier, tougher side. It's a nice balance, and shows the depth of Velarde's country-music chops. Check out "Touch You" below.

The release show is this Friday, May 17th. It'll be at Secret Society. There Is No Mountain and Far Out West will also be playing. 

-By Avril Carrillo, photo by Stacie Shoots

Instrumentalist and composer Caroline Mason has an EP coming out this fall, and she released a new single this past March. The song is called “Floating”, and that's exactly the headspace the song takes you too. Sometimes it can be hard to maintain an ethereal, enigmatic space in a song with a faster pace. That doesn’t seem to be a problem Mason faces. Her voice echoes and floats above the percussion. Fittingly, this effect happens most noticeably as she sings about her feet being on the ground. It’s very easy to connect with the song. Mason is able to control the flow of both your mental intake of the song, and the physical responses your body has to her instrumentals.

Mason is responsible for all the instrumentation on this track. This becomes incredibly clear in the songs music video. The video consists of very close up shots of each instrument - her hands on the keyboard, her fingers on the guitar, her mouth as she sings. Occasionally we get wider shots of Mason, standing on a rocky dessert playing a single drum set, or the camera panning farther away as she strums on her guitar. It’s intimate and disconnecting, without feeling jarring. Check it out below.

-By Avril Carrillo, Photo by Christal Angelique