1. EHM Sky Patrol — “Pulling Around Moons” is a gentle Southern waltz that is equal parts dreamy and romantic.
2. Matt Tarka — “Time Travels” is a jangly Southern rock number that calls to mind both REM and Against Me!.
3. Lauren Ruth Ward — “Well, Hell” marks the triumphant lead-off single of the songslinger’s debut album. Lauren Ruth Ward is no stranger to these parts and “Well, Hell” is a spitfire indictment of social conservatism.
4. Youngsmith — “Hell Keeps Me Runnin'” is expansive blues rock of the best kind.
5. Nichole Wagner — “Pennies” is a train song that, Wagner notes, is “honestly come by,” due to Wagner’s proximity to railroad tracks growing up. The lyrics and old-school country beat are real honest, too.
6. Morgan Cameron Ross — “I Won’t Live Until I Die” captures the moment Ross realized he had sold out to the glitz and glamor of easy rock’n’roll money. Here, Ross recaptures his integrity.
7.Nick Schott — “Shadows of Fire” is a frenetic number that damns performative masculinity while asking you to dance. What else do you need?
8. Party of the Sun — “Heart Like Gold” is a gentle, steel guitar-heavy song that feels like the deep gold sunlight of late summer and early autumn.
9. Weatherboy — “A Bright Flame”is the epic orchestral pop song you didn’t know you needed to brighten your day.
10. Blonde Wolf — “Let It Go” is a rough-around-the-edges cut of a song that Blonde Wolf has labored over. But I get the sense while listening to it that this is what the song needed to be: a little raw in order to communicate the vulnerability required when admitting that you are, in fact, not perfect.
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