The North Country, “The New You” (Jan. 24)
From the first notes of the North Country’s new single, “The New You,” the pop sheen of positivity sweeps over the listener. With disco strumming and drumming, Andrew Grossman and company embrace the future in a well-constructed, three-plus-minute radio-friendly delivery. In the darkest of times, lines like “Love is the only currency there is/ Where you keep more than you get,” serve as a reminder that living well is the best revenge. Fans of Future Islands and the New Pornographers will find a lot to like in this new track. While the influences may be audible, the song is looking forward, both literally and figuratively. Inspired by the upcoming birth of Grossman’s first child, this is what dad rock should sound like. If this had been released in the 1990s, it would have had a shot at being played on modern radio. If this was the 2000 or 2010s, it would have worked well in an iPod ad. Since it’s 2025, it’ll hopefully end up on a buzzy Spotify playlist and catch the attention of whomever books modern music festivals. The North Country single release show with Broke Royals (celebrating their 10th anniversary and two new tracks) and Cal Rifkin starts at 8 p.m. on Feb. 1 at Songbyrd. songbyrddc.com. Listen here: soundcloud.com. —Brandon Wetherbee
Color Palette, “Grateful” (Jan. 24)
Color Palette; courtesy of the band
Color Palette, the five-piece band led by singer-songwriter Jay Neymeyer, returns this month with a cathartic ode to growing from and finding the good in adversity. “Grateful” ricochets between postpunk instrumentation and a floating, drum-driven bridge, mirroring the themes explored lyrically with skillful ease. The release of “Grateful” sees the band on a new horizon, as they plan to follow it up with more singles that culminate in a new full-length record this fall.
And while Color Palette are no stranger to genre fluidity, “Grateful” sees them lean in to darker sensibilities than before. The swell of guitar at the peak of the chorus is worthy of greats such as Interpol and up-and-comers like Wunderhorse. It’s never too heavy, though, as the song carries Neymeyer’s cries of gratefulness to the denouement of the song. Longtime fans of the band will feel at home with their masterful blend of genres, and Neymeyer’s vocals are stronger and clearer than ever. With this new era on the horizon, you’ll want to stay tuned to what’s next for the band after this taste of the new record. A cathartic sonic journey, you can experience it in your earbuds starting Jan. 24, or—even better—in person at Pie Shop later this month for their official single release. Color Palette play a sold-out single release show alongside Flowerbomb and DJ Paul Vodra at 8 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Pie Shop. pieshopdc.com. Listen here: linktr.ee/colorpalettedc. —M.K. Koszycki
Bushmeat Sound System, NitroZeus! (Jan. 3)
Bushmeat Sound System; courtesy of Luke Stewart
The Bandcamp page for Bushmeat Sound System has grown into a disorienting grid of more than 40 releases of experimental music, all presented with political intent and academic underpinnings. Suggesting an entry point feels lame—clearly, the implied mission is for listeners to jump around with no hand-holding—but the latest project is at least convenient in its brevity. The five-track, nine-minute NitroZeus! is hardly the most musical Bushmeat Sound System production: Glitchy, aggressive, far-out sounds come and go while mysterious voice samples arise and decay. But as with the rest of the discography, these tracks show undeniable purpose and pulse within the noise. (Elsewhere in those dozens of releases, there are actual beats and instruments. Sometimes.) The title refers to a cyberweapon that the U.S. prepped years ago for potential use against Iran, but Bushmeat Sound System extends the infection/disruption metaphor to the album’s listeners, instructing them to “be patient with it and yourself to reap the full benefits.” The human behind the art, George Mason University associate professor Thomas Stanley, has written about Sun Ra and P-Funk, hosted radio shows, and made his presence felt at venues like Rhizome. The message is always clear: Vibrations matter, and we should experience them in as many ways as possible. Listen here: eatbushmeat.bandcamp.com. — Joe Warminsky
Pet Names, Hey Hi Hello (Jan. 10)
Pet Names; courtesy of the band
Camila and Maggie make up the Maryland-based duo Pet Names, a pair who met in college a cappella and describe themselves as partners in both music and life. With their debut EP, Hey Hi Hello, Pet Names effortlessly pair early aughts indie sensibilities with classic rock. And that a cappella experience and vocal training? Camila and Maggie’s voices are just as strong as their respective guitar and bass. Their vocal chemistry alone makes it easy to imagine how the pair have remained connected in all aspects of their life and work since they began working on their EP in 2020.
Considering how polished and sweeping Hey Hi Hello sounds, it’s especially impressive that the duo wrote, recorded, and produced it on their own. It’s an exciting peek into the world of the band, and one can’t help but get excited for what’s to come as they continue on their artistic journey. The EP’s instrumental interludes give them an opportunity to let their skills as musicians shine, with just two instruments melting into each other carrying the listener carefully from song to song. On Hey Hi Hello, Camila and Maggie sound right at home with one another, a comforting sonic experience to ameliorate some of the chaos of today. Listen here: petnamesmusic.com. —M.K. Koszycki
Buko Buko, All You Can Eat (Feb. 7)
Buko Buko; courtesy of the band
In the cosmology of Buko Buko, life is absurd and self-importance is sacrilege. The District’s self-described “spicy-sweet punk band” brought the head-banging party to many local shows in 2024. And, redefining hardcore, their lead vocalist and guitarist was pregnant for nine of them. This debut album gathers together many of the irreverent tracks that have powered the three-piece band’s rise in the scene thus far while throwing some new tricks into the mix. The result is an electrifying work of weirdo dance punk that has lots to say, fans to feed, and no time to suffer fools. Stellar bass and drums lay an airtight foundation for the band’s aforementioned lead screamer—who, perhaps because of a double life in the city’s 9-to-5 trenches, rocks a pink wig and omits her name from press materials—to explode onto each cut with an instantly memorable punk snarl and a grin so cheeky that the mic picks it up. Over 11 ebullient tracks, working from a swooping Kathleen Hanna-style register, she satirizes an unlucky coterie of targets. “I Am Not Your Mommy” takes aim at useless man-children and hits where it hurts: “I am not your mommy/ But you need her badly” is a biting psychoanalytic extension of the song’s premise. One of the city’s most soul-sucking rituals, the omnipresent postwork happy hour, catches a stray on “Banana Bread,” a track about stifled sensuality whose refrain is “Time of death/ 5:45/ Can you tell/ I’m not alive.” Elsewhere on the record, the half-Filipino singer takes on microaggressions and racist idiots with wit and wherewithal. On album highlight “They Say,” she intones, “They say you’re pretty for your breed… Tell me where did you get that color?/ From your father or your mother?” The rage is righteous, and the decadence is rousing; “fruits won’t finish themselves,” she sings on “Olly Olly.” Food joy recurs—indeed, buko means “young coconut” in Tagalog. Later, a playful 30-second interlude of ASMR-esque chomping and table cross talk gives way to a weirdly moving song, “Spaghetti Time,” whose silliness belies the simple, exquisite pleasure of eating pasta with your friends. The band kept it (mostly) local on the production side—Liam Hughes, of ascendant D.C. postpunks Ekko Astral, produced and engineered the album, which was recorded in an American University studio, while guitarist Vram Kherlopian from Brooklyn’s Gustaf did the mastering (Buko Buko opened for Gustaf at Songbyrd last year). Buko Buko play an album release show alongside XK Scenario and Tayls at 8 p.m. on Feb. 7 at Pie Shop. pieshopdc.com. Listen here: bukobuko.bandcamp.com. —Amelia Roth-Dishy
Professor Goldstein & the Adjuncts, Songs About Dinosaurs (Feb. 7)
Professor Goldstein & the Adjuncts. Credit: Kohei Kane
In the tradition of bad names for good ska acts (Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Kill Lincoln, etc.), Professor Goldstein & the Adjuncts lean in to the ska of it all on their new record, Songs About Dinosaurs, a 10-song concept album loosely centered around, you guessed it, dinosaurs. A subject much loved by both children, children at heart, and nerds (nerds is not a pejorative term), Professor Goldstein & the Adjuncts clearly know their audience. It’s not at all surprising to find out bandleader Aeryn Goldstein’s day job is a music teacher at an elementary school. The first track, “Blood! We’ve Struck Blood,” is a good sampler of the LP. Before getting to the more straight ahead sound of the genre, the first few minutes find the group sampling yacht rock-esque solos, jazzy easy listening, head bopping, sax solos, trombone choruses, and a Jeff Rosenstock meets the Hold Steady passionate delivery about extinction. Similar to how the Hold Steady wear their Bruce Springsteen adoration on their collective sleeve, the aforementioned Rosenstock influence is evident. In addition to the standout first song, “Catching Consciousness” breaks up the ska-ness. With more in common with the Mountain Goats than Less Than Jake, it’s a palate cleanser before the seven-piece goes back to their chosen genre. “Yharg Pt. III: The Water Comes To Him” also showcases the horn section’s musical chops; there’s a little bit of Yiddish jazz in the outro that fits surprisingly well as a segue to the final track. Come for the ska, stay for the outliers, this is an entirely enjoyable 30 minutes with a group that you’ll either want to see live to skank out the jams or enjoy the not exactly pick-it-up-pick-it-up-pick-it-up songs that stretch out the Adjuncts’ sonic stylings. Listen here: soundcloud.com. —Brandon Wetherbee
The War and Treaty, Plus One (Feb. 14)
Courtesy of the War and Treaty
If there’s any doubt that success breeds confidence, I offer Plus One, the latest release from the War and Treaty as proof that this is indeed the case. Now more than 10 years since their formation, the D.C. duo are releasing their fifth studio album (out Feb. 14), which is a testament to their growth as both songwriters and producers. You can’t blame the husband-and-wife team of Tanya Trotter and Michael Trotter Jr. for feeling their musical oats: 2024 was a landmark year for the pair, starting with a performance on the Emmys and two Grammy nominations, and finishing up with performances at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Kennedy Center Honors, and the White House Christmas tree lighting. Their strength has always been to seamlessly blend various genres without it sounding stilted. There’s nothing forced about the way they combine bluegrass with soul, country with rock, Americana with rap. And with this extensive, meticulous 18-track outing, listeners do get a bit of everything. Not that this is a meandering listen. Across the genres, Plus One manages to make a cohesive musical statement. It’s the duo’s most stunning release to date. Michael, serving as the main songwriter and producer on 13 of the tracks, has made giant strides in both fields. “Love Light” is an epic ballad, complete with strings that would make the late Michael Kamen proud. “I Can’t Let You Go” is a slow-build rocker that contains an unlikely rap break (which totally works) that gives a shout-out to John Legend. Not that the pair are going it alone. They’ve reached the point in their career where other musicians are giving them their props by way of collaboration. Miranda Lambert co-wrote the song “Love Like Whiskey” with the Trotters, guitarist Billy Strings makes a guest appearance on “Drink From Me,” and Jonathan Singleton, John Shanks, Andrew Capra, and Jesse Frasure serve as producers on the remaining songs including the blues stomp “Mr. Fun” and “Skyscraper” (which has guest vocals from the duo’s daughter, Courtney Trotter, and Michael’s mother, Deborah Trotter). But the secret ingredient to the War and Treaty has always been how the tones of Michael’s and Tanya’s voices combine in a manner that is so perfectly matched it can only be a musical kismet. No matter what genre they perform, that vocal blend will always be their calling card. So as they sing “You and I/ We both got a taste of the good stuff now” in “Love Like Whiskey,” you can’t help but want to raise a glass to their continued success. Because what makes the War and Treaty stand out from their contemporaries is that they have no contemporaries. The War and Treaty play at 8 p.m on April 11 at the Howard Theatre. unionstagepresents.com. Listen here: thewarandtreaty.com. —Christina Smart
Kids Table, We Can’t Go Back in Time (Feb. 28)
Kids Table; courtesy of the band
Over the past couple of years, various subgenres of ’90s alternative have been enjoying a resurgence in indie rock. Blondshell is often compared to Hole, PJ Harvey, and Liz Phair. Miya Folick’s latest singles would feel at home on a coffeehouse playlist worthy of Central Perk. And the new EP from local band Kids Table sounds like the B-side of the 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack. The alt-rock six-piece formed last February after they all relocated to D.C. from Chapel Hill, where they attended University of North Carolina. Nearly a year later, they’re releasing We Can’t Go Back in Time, a three-song collection that blends acoustic guitar, piano, and trumpet notes for a sound reminiscent of Letters to Cleo, Save Ferris, and the Cardigans; on the track “Fall,” the band’s first single released in December, Amy Smith’s vocals even mirror Jessica Riddle’s in her 10 Things soundtrack contribution, “Even Angels Fall.”
Like much of ’90s alt-rock, “Fall” is unassuming and heartfelt. Smith’s voice holds a low and steady jazzy timbre alongside a mostly mid-tempo beat from drummer Andy King and Max Wooten’s bass. The tempo rises with “Between the Lines,” released Jan. 3. The song borrows from jazz, but bathes the listener in ska-inspired pop, largely thanks to the use of Ryan Thomas’ trumpet. For better or worse, it’s the kind of bouncy ska-rock that bands like Save Ferris and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones perfected. And the song feels a bit like an outlier sandwiched between the EP’s two other tracks. But Kids Table truly shine on “We Can’t Go Back in Time.” Coming out on Feb. 28, the EP has a title track that invokes rawness of heartbreak—a rawness echoed in Smith’s voice as she sometimes strains to hit certain notes, as if grief is constricting her vocals. It catches your attention as she sings along to Bryan Truong’s mournful piano and by the time the music crescendos at the song’s halfway point—with the drums, electric guitar (courtesy of Mike Weaver), and trumpet leading the way—you’ll likely find yourself singing along as Smith returns with the chorus, “And I’m coming up for air/ Cuz I know you didn’t care/ Instead you let me drown.” With only three songs, it’s hard to predict where Kids Table will go from here, but We Can’t Go Back in Time demonstrates a potential to find a healthy fan base in the ’90s resurgence. Kids Table play an EP release show at 8 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Songbyrd. songbyrddc.com. Listen here: linktr.ee/kidstabletheband. —Sarah Marloff
Attract Mode, The Art of Psychic Self-Defense (out now)
Attract Mode; courtesy of Attract Mode
Released last November, The Art of Psychic Self-Defense is a revival of sorts. A decade ago, Attract Mode’s Chris McCrea was playing guitar in the shoegaze group Motion Lines. That was before all his bandmates left D.C.; now he plays all the instruments in his recordings save for some backup vocals from Caroline Weinroth (of Cinema Hearts) and saxophone from Rob Spackey. On this new album, McCrea showcases a more traditional take on postpunk than in his former collaborative role. Reverb-drenched synthesizer and vocals blend with garage guitar and drums to create something Joy Division-esque but poppier.
A crunchy guitar starts The Art of Psychic Self-Defense off on “Vanish/Doom,” an edge soon tempered by smooth, cavernous vocals. The second track, “Spite as an Act of Affection,” adheres to a similar pattern: a biting intro—in this case a robust bass line and intricate kick drums—melodic verse and spacious chorus. McCrea has a clear knack for multi-instrumentation. There are no lazy members in his one-man band, and each instrument showcases complexity and depth. The lyrics on The Art of Psychic Self-Defense come across as somewhat of an afterthought, but this seems unimportant when McCrea is working through an innovative guitar solo. Attract Mode’s rich instrumentation peaks on “Fade,” a mournfully energetic track that outros in a burst of saxophone and glockenspiel. On the other end of the spectrum, “Dreams” closes the album in a whisper. Subdued vocals and sparse guitar lines alight without percussion, gently transitioning the listener into silence. Attract Mode lack the fuzz and upper register vocals of Motion Lines, but the past project still bleeds into McCrea’s new one. He runs with its synth-pop elements and ages them like wine. His rich instrumentation begs for a backing band, and he says he won’t play live until he finds one. His ambition invites delightful possibilities for the project’s growth as 2025 progresses. Listen here: attractmode.bandcamp.com. —Dora Segall