In Heartbreaking Bravery‘s initial run, the phrase “stay tuned” became a bit of a mantra. Two simple words that carried a double meaning. A hyper-intentional choice of language that spoke directly to the promise of an ambiguous but worthwhile future, and the literal act of keeping things in tune. A train has to stay on the rails to get to its intended destination.
Heartbreaking Bravery‘s metaphorical train never fully divorced the rails, it was just relegated to a standstill; a complicated piece of machinery laying dormant at a half-abandoned station. Apart from an intermittently active YouTube presence, there has been no consistency in production or movement from any channel carrying Heartbreaking Bravery‘s name or logo since 2019. In the back end of 2025, that will change.
So, once more: stay tuned.
For reviews. For photos. For videos. For essays. For interviews. For reflections, recollections, and other refractions of what it means to wholly celebrate music in a cultural landscape that repeatedly chooses to intentionally deprioritize—and maliciously devalue—the arts.
While things get prepped and start slowly churning to life once more, anyone with any amount of interest is encouraged to follow along (or catch up) with the work I’ve been spearheading as the Music Editor over at Tone Madison for the past six years. My contributions to Tone Madison—a publication well worth supporting—will continue. Even taking that output into account, it has become increasingly apparent that the time has come to breathe new life into Heartbreaking Bravery. It’s an outlet that has had a profound impact on my life over the past 12 years, and that impact has ultimately pointed me towards a return.
It’s a hard thing to let something so important quietly recede into oblivion, and becomes harder still when the reasons to enliven it become more substantial than the reasons to let it decay.
Beyond an admittedly hazy “this year,” I would be hard-pressed to specify an exact date for when Heartbreaking Bravery will resume posting material with any amount of demonstrable consistency.
But I can promise, directly, that there is much more to come.
Knowing what the future holds, no matter how certain you think you are, is an impossibility. For now, it appears we’re on track to find a return to live music at some point this year, for better or worse. Safety and sustainability will be key in the pursuit of giving back an aspect of life most audiences and performers have been sorely missing for over a year. In the spirit of that looming return, it felt appropriate to return to some of the visual materials of live shows I’ve archived over the last 10 years.
Dating back to Spring 2011 and spread across multiple cameras, states, and festivals, I’ve put together a visual retrospective of some of the work that helped me feel at home across that time. Maybe nostalgia has gotten the better of me as I’ve forced myself into extended isolation but I firmly believe this type of work has greater meaning. Documentation can exist outside of stock archivist nature and connect to something deeper, exploring past the boundaries of generic time stamps into qualities that are more complex and intangible. Whether that be something as pointed as the evocation of a specific feeling or as sweeping as the nature of the human condition, there’s often an implicit value that’s more difficult to define but crucial to capture.
Understanding how to respect the possibilities of photography and videography has become critical to not just myself but to my favorite photographers, a few of which I’m fortunate to consider friends. Throughout the 700 photographs and 50 videos featured here, there are intentional reflections of the places and people that continuously made me understand the gravity of my surroundings. From feeling awed by those close to me as they came into their own as artists to the acute understanding that the conditions cultivated around Stevens Point, WI basement shows around the start of the 2010’s could never be truly duplicated. All anyone with a camera can ever hope to do is capture a modicum of what makes those moments singular.
To that extent, I hope this collection stands as not just an example of the tenderness I felt towards the people and venues featured here but as an extension of my gratitude. From DBTS and its residents, who took me in for a time when I moved to NYC in 2015, to Baby’s All Right, where I was fortunate enough to work doors over a summer in 2015, to the people who made up the acts that became my friends, chosen family, creative partners, and confidants: Good Grief, Heavy Looks, Charly Bliss, LVL UP, Perfect Pussy, Tenement, and so many more. I remain indebted to the people, places, and moments that have helped shape the person I’ve become and am hopeful that the near-future holds more of that type of importance for us all.
Take a look back as we collectively look forward to live music’s return by clicking on this Flickr link to access those photographs and by rifling through the videos embedded below. Enjoy. Hopefully some of this will mean as much to some of you as it does to me.
2020 has been a difficult year. There’s no way around the fact that the past 365 days have constituted one of the bleakest runs of days in any of our lifetimes. From the violent white supremacy of America’s police making headlines to a global pandemic that’s left hundreds of thousands dead around the world to an incalculably incompetent showing from government officials around the country, there’s been no shortage of reasons to despair. Fortunately, music’s offered something of a reprieve. For some it became an outlet to vent, for some it become a means of coping, and for others it became a reason for hope.
I haven’t written anything on Heartbreaking Bravery in 2020 but I did take over, officially, as the music editor over at local outlet Tone Madison, which has kept me busy. I’ve also been working as a photographer with a local studio and doing independent contract work for a tech umbrella, while continuing to seek freelance opportunities. In the midst of all of that, I wanted to make sure I did something with this place, which has remained a critical part of my life, even in its public absence. Towards the start of 2020, I got the idea to reassemble how I wanted to feature new music. After kicking around a lot of ideas, I settled on something specific: creating and curating a hyper-personalized radio program for the new music I wanted to highlight.
While that idea never came to total fruition, I realized there was a way I could subvert this idea into something useful while staying close to that initial concept. Over the past 12 months, I have been assembling (and intentionally sequencing) a playlist of the songs and music videos that, in previous years of Heartbreaking Bravery’s existence, would’ve warranted standalone features. Additionally, I started compiling an ancillary playlist of the honorable mentions, which has no reason or rhyme beyond the unifying principle of the songs and videos contained in that mix being worth watching/hearing. The Best of 2020 playlist features 309 songs and videos, while the playlist containing the honorable mentions contains 1,711. In total, 2020.
I may take the following week or two to assemble a more traditional list of the albums, songs, and videos that impacted me the most over 2020 but, for now, I’m happy with this: a reflection of a year’s worth of work and a time capsule for the worthwhile art that helped navigate and contextualize an immensely difficult year. I don’t know what 2021 will hold and I continue to grapple with the direction of this publication and the question of whether or not it should be laid to rest. I may never have an answer but I do know that these songs and videos deserved notice, appreciation, and praise. I hope anyone that clicks into these finds something new to celebrate.
THE BEST OF 2020
(Content warning: a few of the videos contained in this mix involve flashing lights)
At some point over the next few months, Heartbreaking Bravery will cease the bulk of its editorial aspect. A lot of thought went into this decision and the scant posting of the past few years likely reflected this was on the near-horizon. While I still firmly believe in the mission of this site (to provide a space that elevated smaller artist’s work to a point of focus typically reserved for acts with deeper pockets), the work simply became too much at various points. While it’s easy to make blanket generalizations like “it was getting to be too much”, I wanted to show the proof of the extent of that work.
Over a year ago, the Heartbreaking Bravery twitter account started running a series called A Quick Hit that promoted work that wouldn’t necessarily have received a standalone feature on the site but still deserved to be highlighted. In effect, this was to not just cut down on the time spent sculpting the feature pieces but to allow them to breathe more fully while giving a more focused platform to the separated selections. While the time spent on curating and promoting remained roughly the same, at some point I realized the best way to reflect the breadth of what that entailed was to make a comprehensive compilation of the songs I liked — and possibly even loved — that, for one reason or another, weren’t selected as features.
So, at the end of November 2018, I decided to start making that list. I continued adding to that collection up through the final week of 2019. There were several points throughout that process that I set a small parameter, tracking the number submissions I received or considered versus the overall selections I liked. On six separate occasions, what I liked never accounted for more than 17% or less than 12%. Through that exercise I realized how much time I was spending on things that I either actively disliked or struck me as uninteresting. While the sheer thrill of discovering unexpected gems buried in the rough still makes rifling through an excess of mediocrity worthwhile, the toll that takes can be surprisingly taxing (to this point, the list of links below is slightly under 1/10th of what I listened to in 2019).
On average, I receive upwards of 1,000 emails a week. Some get deleted on sight but the vast majority of them received a click-through and the requisite amount of attention. At some point, the time spent entertaining the options nearly quadrupled the time I was spending covering the music and videos I would’ve liked to have given even more attention. In addition to the daily email routine, I had a list of sites I would try to check on daily: Stereogum, Post-Trash, The Grey Estates, Impose, Various Small Flames, GoldFlakePaint, dimestore saints, Gimme Tinnitus, Brooklyn Vegan, and Noisey, were all part of those ranks, among others. I’d also keep an eye out for recommendations from friends or touring bands and I’d habitually add labels to the accounts I’d follow on Soundcloud, which I’d also check daily.
I would do my best to keep track of the hundreds upon hundreds of channels I subscribed to on YouTube and, whenever possible, if I found a record I loved on bandcamp, I would look at the titles that artist had listed as further listening suggestions. Whenever a new band started generating buzz among the musicians and friends I trusted, I would look at their upcoming bills and scope out the acts listed I’d never heard, knowing that there was a decent chance I’d wind up walking away with a new artist to give a deeper look in the near-future. All of those habits created an enormous world that became next to impossible to traverse without losing ground on other aspects of my life; I had less time for my actual, paying work, my relationships, and my other hobbies.
In 2019, I did my best to start balancing out my completist tendencies when it came to Heartbreaking Bravery’s overall coverage with some other areas of my life that provided me with fulfillment and kept me in check both physically and mentally: I started skateboarding again, I completed a home studio and started making music on my own, I invested more time in my partner and her needs, and I made it a point to occasionally step out of my comfort zone. I became a full-time photographer, expanded the scope of my outside contributions, became more politically involved on behalf of causes that I believe would yield the most productive good, and dedicated a little more time to studying film and critical analysis. I will look to continue doing all of these things throughout 2020 in addition to seeking more avenues for collaboration.
Yet, in the midst of all of that change, I still focused an inordinate amount of time on Heartbreaking Bravery and the music and videos that had caught my ear. I couldn’t shake it entirely and learned that I may never be able to shake it entirely because I do still believe in what this place has always strived to accomplish. So, I leave this here as not just a testament to the work that’s required to make something like this hum when it’s just one person in control of every aspect of the operation but as a transparent resource for those who are considering starting something similar, which will always be needed.
Before I leave the list below (which may or may not break this site entirely), I’d like to leave a list of suggestions for anyone who is actively considering starting a blog that primarily functions as a way to fixate on smaller releases:
Be inclusive. Be careful. Do your research. Don’t feature abusers in any capacity. Credit the photographers of promo pics, whenever possible (even if it means sending an email, which is a length I rarely went to but would’ve liked to have done more). Promote ideologies that are empathy-based. Look for artists that don’t have PR but do have strong material; find them, promote them, and make them know their work has value. Champion independent voices, especially ones that are challenging the capitalistic overreach of the industry at large. Be kind. Listen to genuine criticism when it comes along and try to use it in a constructive manner but also defend what you believe in and don’t let criticism challenge your conviction on that point (but still give that criticism some consideration). Accept help, even if your pride has to take a hit in the process. Lift up your contemporaries and try to foster a sense of community over a sense of competition. Be kind to publicists and try your best to be responsive. Don’t let traffic or lack of interest dictate worth or value. Push for the art that speaks to you and make sure you’ve done your best to get it heard or seen. Be stubborn. Be persuasive. Evolve.
During the course of Heartbreaking Bravery’s now 5+ year run, I set a lot of arbitrary guidelines that I believed would make me a better writer. In some senses, those guidelines did help instill some very particular disciplines but they also allowed me an invisible wall that was always a little thrilling to break, which can be helpful as it gives a practice that could grow monotonous a new life. Here were a few: avoid first-hand narrative, avoid gender-specific terminology (“songwriter,” “bandleader,” “mastermind,” “multi-instrumentalist,” were all helpful terminologies in addition to “they”), disclose close personal connections, never over or under-value anyone based on anything outside of their art, use original visuals whenever possible, avoid being overly passive, and make sure to keep things fair in terms of representation. A few of those I will stand by and a few I will break and continue to break when appropriate (this entire post has essentially shattered the first person perspective rule of thumb) but they were rules of worth.
Another thing I avoided, though maybe more than I should have, was including outside exclusive features for this site’s standalone spots. I was always adamant in providing a direct route to art with as few steps as possible and still remain openly critical of exclusive premieres (which lend more to a sense of competition than a sense of community) but never properly honored a handful of releases I genuinely loved. To that end, I will make up for some of those oversights here by kicking this list off in earnest with a list of exclusive premieres I either liked or loved, before divvying the rest up between Soundcloud, bandcamp, and YouTube. Many of these will appear as links and as links only, as the amount of time it would take to properly tag these would be beyond exhausting. There may be doubles scattered here and there but, again, this was almost impossible to track from the jump. So, please: click to your heart’s content and leave this list with something new to love.
For the past 5+ years, I’ve been dividing this site’s content between three main platforms: Soundcloud, YouTube, and bandcamp. A rare Spotify link appeared on occasion for truly exceptional releases but I tried my best to avoid that situation entirely. I chose those three for ease of access and general convenience, as they seemed to provide a more direct way to unlock off-the-radar artists and their work, while not engaging in the casual classicism that’s built into paid subscription services. The extent of how much I used those sites will be revealed in the ensuing post, which may or may not break this site entirely, but to warm up, I’ll divide the best offerings of the past two months between those triangular points. Songs, music videos, and records are all accounted for and will be mixed in together. Click on anything and reap the rewards of that decision.
Surprise EPs, rapid-fire singles, daring long-form narratives, and more populated the best records of October. All but two of the artists featured in this list have been featured on this site in the past, while the two new entries provided head-spinning introductions that set each respective act up for further exposure. Each record hits different nerves of pleasure, so whether prospective listeners are looking for something a little more streamlined or a lot more frantic, they should be covered by something on the list.
Due to time constraints and the emphasis placed on the upcoming year and decade-end material, this will be an abridged version of what was originally intended. Nonetheless, these are all very much worthy of listeners’ full time and attention. Don’t let the scant review space stand as an indication of worth; a few of these will be mentioned again shortly. In the meantime, enjoy exploring below.
1. Charly Bliss – Supermoon
Explosive, volatile, and a perfect bridge between Charly Bliss‘ first era and their current mode. An unabashedly energetic thrill ride from start to finish, one of the strongest EP’s of the year, complete with some of the best songs from one of the decade’s best bands (“Feed” and “Heaven” alone could’ve powered this into a featured selection).
–
2. Ex-Vöid – Ex-Vöid
One of the more interesting punk bands of the past new years, Ex-Vöid feels like a natural extension of the members’ previous projects (namely, Joanna Gruesome) with a dash of something new. There’s a specificity to both of the songs on this 7″, one more pop and one more hardcore, that points to Ex-Vöid being a more fully realized project than some might think.
–
3. Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel
Few bands have gained the type of singular reputation afforded Lightning Bolt. One of noise’s most celebrated duos, the pair matches virtuosic playing with an unmatched, almost feral intensity. Sonic Citadel, their first record in four years, find them in a more polished pop mode (by their own unique set of standards) and yields some of the most immediate and enjoyable work of an already legendary career.
–
4. Black Beach – Tapeworm
Black Beach have appeared on this site a few times in the past and their natural artistic progression continues to make an impression. Tapeworm, the band’s latest, finds them at the top of their game, blending post-hardcore production aesthetics with noise-punk intensity and a deceptively pop-leaning melodic sensibility that tethers everything into a uniquely compelling whole.
–
5. clipping. – There Existed An Addiction to Blood
One of the most interesting acts of the past 10 years, clipping. have carved out a unique niche for themselves through a remarkable consistency. Even as the noise-rap band grows bolder and more adventurous with their artistic choices, there’s an innate quality to both the production and bandleader Daveed Diggs’ astonishing command of narrative that makes the trio’s latest, There Existed An Addiction to Blood, stand out at every unpredictable, terrifying turn.
–
6. Blush Cameron – Ambiguous World
Every once in a while, a bedroom pop record rolls around from a local upstart that is so fully-formed and thoughtful in its concept and execution that it feels as if the artist responsible for its creation has been making waves for years. Blush Cameron’s Ambiguous World falls firmly into that rare category, utilizing a fondness for ’90s alternative to great effect, imbuing an impressive record with a lo-fi warmth that elevates the whole affair from great to irresistible.
–
7. Great Grandpa – Four of Arrows
One of 2019’s most unexpected records for a whole host of reasons, Great Grandpa‘s sophomore effort is a breathtakingly accomplished piece of music. A startling leap ahead in directional sensibility, Four of Arrows finds the band transforming their explosive, pop-leaning math-grunge into a genre-defiant collection of styles. Radiohead, Imogen Heap, The Cranberries, Tom Petty, and Cyndi Lauper all somehow wind up being major points of reference across the record, making it one of the year’s most fascinating listens. Impressively, everything the band throws at the wall here works. An astonishing record.
–
8. Carver Baronda – Spooky Love
Spooky Love, the latest EP from DIY alt-country force of nature Carver Baronda, is the songwriter’s most impressive work to date. Filled to the brim with a romanticized take on the genre’s best strains, Baronda carves out a collection of memorable tracks that are teeming with intricate subtleties and well-articulated nuance (the restrained slide work is especially tasteful). A small but staggering EP from an artist that deserves everyone’s full attention.
–
9. Amy O – Shell
One of the more consistently engaging emergent voices in indie pop, Amy O followed up 2017’s winsome Elasticwith a more considered album, allowing it’s thoughtfulness to pay dividends. From the opening title track through the 10 songs that follow, Shell casually invites and thoroughly rewards investment. A small but notable triumph for an intriguing songwriter that never seems to stop getting better.
While 2019 hasn’t been as strong for the music video format as some previous years, there are still gems to be found. A quartet of them popped up during the course of October, each one accentuating the strength of their central song while holding their own as a work of art. Varied in approach and execution, each of these clips had something unique to offer. Each one deserves a certain level of investigation and the investment that process entails. Give all four a watch below.
1. Amy O – Crushed
Color damage, lo-fi effects, solid editing, and a great basement pop song. Sometimes that’s all of the ingredients you need to create a smart, engaging music video and Amy O‘s “Crushed” is certainly one of those times. Simple, effective, and just about perfect.
–
2. Wilsen – Ruiner
Mitzi Akaha and Tamsin Wilson deliver strong turns in Michael Simon’s clip for “Ruiner”, a single from Wilson’s Wilsen project. A quietly unnerving clip that oddly echoes two Elisabeth Moss films, Queen of Earth and The One I Love. Shot in the style of a Gothic psychological horror, Simon makes great use of atmosphere and a superlative lead performance. Jake Saner’s cinematography gives a perfect read on the song’s tone and pushes the “Ruiner” clip over the top, leaving it as one of 2019’s best clips.
–
3. Ada Lea – 180 Days
“180 Days”, the latest music video from Ada Lea walks a fine line between traditional music video and lyric video. Never really establishing a clear narrative, the clip mostly thrives on Lea singing to the camera in a variety of poses and costumes as the lyrics scroll by on the bottom. Despite the simple conceit, those foundations prove to be more than enough, as “180 Days” keeps the viewers attention steadfast.
–
4. Common Holly – Crazy OK
When I Say to You Black Lightning, the most recent full-length from Common Holly, is an astounding work. One of the record’s strongest highlights comes in the form of “Crazy OK”, the record’s explosive finale. Max Taeuschel & Aaliyeh Afshar stepped behind the camera for the song’s music video and spearheaded an incredibly memorable visual accompaniment. Leaning heavily on the song’s lyrical narrative, Taeuschel and Afshar let the images of bandleader Brigitte Naggar’s posture and movement provide an effective maximization. Gripping through and through, “Crazy OK” is easy to admire and hard to shake.
October held a lot of surprises, a few new singles sprinkled among their ranks. From resuscitated projects to fast follow-ups to fascinating departures, the month seemed to be as rich as any in 2019. Nine of those tracks made a sizable impression as the month wound on, making waves right up to the end. While it’s literally impossible for one person to consume every song that comes out on any given day, hundreds earned consideration for placement here but the ones that made the cut here made the cut for a reason. Enjoy.
1. illuminati hotties – ppl plzr
Last year, illuminati hotties broke out in a big way, landing in several Best Of lists. Now, riding the wave of that success, the band sounds emboldened, evidenced by the relative fearlessness of “ppl plzr”. While they’ve excelled at maximizing dynamic composition, “ppl plzr” takes that trait to another level, finding illuminati hotties at their most engaging. Whether simmering at a slow boil or flowing over with unchecked aggression, “ppl plzr” is proof that illuminati hotties are only getting better as they go.
–
2. Failed Flowers – Broken Screen
Not too long ago (but an eternity ago in terms of media cycles), site favorites Fred Thomas and Anna Burch teamed up to co-front an excellent basement pop band called Failed Flowers. With Burch and Thomas’ solo careers both taking off and finding success, Failed Flowers got pushed to the background but the band’s now offering listeners a peak at their final stages via a Slumberland single. “Broken Screen” is the A-side and finds Thomas biting into a characteristically sardonic narrative that’s buoyed by the band’s jangly sensibilities. A perfect addition for a release that will ensure the project goes out on top.
–
3. Timothy Heller – Not Even For You
“Not Even For You” starts off at a slow pace, working its way to something bigger. At every pace, the song remains mesmeric, going a long way to ensure Timothy Heller is a name that doesn’t slip from the mind. A mid-tempo slice of psych-inflicted indie pop, “Not Even For You” impresses on multiple levels. A complete work that indicates the band’s mastery of dynamics, identity, and composition, “Not Even For You” stood tall as one of October’s most unexpected surprises.
–
4. Emily A. Sprague – Mesa
Florist mastermind Emily A. Sprague has been going on solo journeys quite a bit as an artist lately. Both as an ambient artist — one who recently toured with William Basinski — and even under the Florist guise, which was stripped back to just Sprague for Emily Alone. “Mesa” finds Spague occupying ambient terrain once more, conjuring up a lush, melancholic dreamscape that floats along at a glacial pace. A song that only ever stops unfurling as it winds down, “Mesa” is as lovely as anything that’s been released in 2019.
–
5. The Whiffs – Shakin All Over
A scruffy throwback power-punk number, The Whiffs’ “Shakin All Over” is one of many songs that uses retro styling to push a classic setup into modernity. Falling somewhere between Dark Thoughs and Sheer Mag with the pop sensibility punched up to the max, The Whiffs have landed on something instantly likable and surprisingly memorable in “Shakin All Over”. A winsome, punk-minded triumph from a band that sounds as if it’s been around forever but is only just getting started.
–
6. Dead Soft – Trimmer
Dead Soft have come surging back to life in 2019, releasing a handful of towering behemoths. “Trimmer”, a four minute, shit-kicking, shoegaze-driven monster is just the latest but it captures a band that’s not only found its voice but a confidence in that voice. The gas pedal’s been driven down to the floor and the band seems acutely aware of the kind of chaos that action always invites. Then again, it’s probably hard to care about much else when the songs that are getting written sound this good.
–
7. Alice Bowman – The More I Cry
For years, Alice Bowman has been writing and releasing gorgeous, understated songs. “The More I Cry” may just be the songwriter’s finest. A ’50s throwback ballad, the song’s production perfectly accentuates the sound as Bowman’s breathy vocals float along the ether. A song of loss, longing, and heartache, “The More I Cry” is yet another song that convincingly mines past styles to effectively prove their effectiveness and worth in today’s musical landscape. A beautiful turn from one of today’s more fascinating songwriters.
–
8. Potty Mouth – Favorite Food
Earlier this year, Potty Mouth released SNAFU, a record that acted as a form of catharsis for the band, who had to navigate their way out of industry hell to return to full power. While that record was as excellent as anything the band’s put out to date, they hit a new high with their latest single, “Favorite Food”. Guitarist/vocalist Abby Weems nearly sounds reborn, guiding the band to a sound that has significantly more bite than their previous releases without sacrificing any part of their established musical identity. It’s a small but noticeable evolution for one of today’s best pop-punk bands.
–
9. Jeff Rosenstock – Ambient 7
Most people aren’t going to know Jeff Rosenstock for the songwriter’s ambient work, which is fair, especially in the face of a celebrated career as a punk artist. Yet Rosenstock’s talents as an ambient composer seem set to demand greater attention. “Ambient 7” finds Rosenstock in full ambient mode, delivering a shockingly beautiful drone work that seems to echo Stars of the Lid and nearly hits the 7 minute mark. Vexing and immersive, “Ambient 7” sounds like the work of a practiced ambient artist, which may be yet another road for Rosenstock to seize if the mood ever strikes. If that day never comes, at least “Ambient 7” will always be out there, gently beckoning for a return.
22 excellent records were released between June and August. While no posts went up on this site about those records in that time, there’s a remedy: a compilation of all of those titles. Basement punk demos, intimate folk epics, adventurous rap odysseys, and quite a few spaces between those triangular points comprise this particular field. Due to time constraints, these will be presented without any additional context but don’t let that aspect of this post distract from some truly incredible releases. Dive in below.
Between June and August, an avalanche of great songs came crashing down into the world. From genuine song of the year contenders (Big Thief‘s “Not” chief among them) to bands striking gold multiple times (Lauran Hibberd, Pom Pom Squad, Kal Marks) there was a lot to consume. Here’s a playlist of the best of best, presented with no extra fanfare. All of these selections are bold enough to stand on their own.