Even though it felt like some weeks in April had a rather minimal new albums, it was quite overwhelming to narrow down the best of the month and I easily could’ve added five more albums to the list of great new music from the past thirty days. Whether it was an outpouring of shoegaze and dream-pop that were pleasant compliments to the blooming season we’ve been experiencing or the wealth of electronic records that dropped as well, there’s been no short of new tunes from across the sonic spectrum. Turnstile and Scowl softened their hardcore edges, DjRUM and Barker mixed ambient with more traditional dance music in forms of techno and breakbeat, and Momma revved things up with blistering alt-rock. On her first ever solo U.S. tour, Beth Gibbons warmed hearts and melted faces while Marshall Allen brought his debut to life at the age of 100. Whether on record or on stage, there was plenty to distract from the current events of every day life.
Album of the Month
BON IVER | SABLE, fABLE
Ever since his debut album as Bon Iver, Justin Vernon has been pegged as the archetypal indie sad boy. The man who recorded that break-up album in the woods, setting the stereotype of the flannel-clad bearded hipster of the past decade. What his latest album begs to ask is, what if Bon Iver is actually happy? On his first album in nearly six years, Vernon makes strides towards more uplifting, peaceful, and downright hopeful music. The melodies here are warm and enchanting. The choruses swell into jubilant motions that rocket towards the heavens and shower in basking glows of radiant harmonies. “Everything Is Peaceful Love” is without a doubt one of the best songs of his career and amazes me on every listen. When the first few songs were released as the lone SABLE, EP last fall, many believed that Vernon was retreating back to the acoustic sounds of his much lauded debut, something many had been hoping for ever since he switched his focus with his sophomore record. The subsequent singles released earlier in 2025 pivoted away from the acoustic ballads and back towards the sleek synth-pop shine of his more recent work. However while he didn’t fully revert to his original sound, this is still the most pop-oriented we’ve heard Vernon since the For Emma days and his ability to make such splendid tunes carry such massive weight and still sound so true to his ethos is just another testament to his undeniable talent. Five albums and fifteen years into his career as Bon Iver, Vernon continues to find new ways to shape his sound and each time he proves that his talents know no bounds and his ability to consistently defy expectations and still remain a top talent with few peers only goes to show that he’s earned the reputation as a true artist of his generation.
EP of the Month
AFTER | After EP
On their debut, self-titled EP, After, the duo of Graham Epstein and Justine Dorsey (who happen to have the exact same birthday of August 23, 1995) marry blissful ‘90s pop with skittering trip-hop beats to create what they’ve called “trip-pop” or “the atmospheric y2k trip-hop pop band you always knew you needed because you heard it in a dream one time.” The opening track in particular finds the fully realized vision of this sound come to life with striking confidence and endless dayglows that shimmer over a bright horizon. There’s an equal amount of minimalism here as well as blossoming pop moments that seem destined for something bigger and the catchy choruses and melodies make it seem like it wouldn’t be a stretch for these songs to find their way to a radio station in dream land. These aren’t obscure or abstract tunes, but rather ones that could easily be enjoyed while basking in the sun, grabbing a drink, or riding in a car, windows down, and your arm outstretched, waving in the wind. Their own self-described aesthetics of “Massive Attack meets Michelle Branch” is exquisitely on point and they live up to the hype you’d expect from a mash-up between those two, equally bright and bubbly with a darker undercurrent running below the dreamy, gossamer vibes.
Live Album of the Month
ADRIANNE LENKER | Live at Revolution Hall
At 43 songs and over two hours in run time, the Big Thief singer’s live album is a massive sprawl that fluctuates between the usual characteristics of a live recording as well as a classic bootleg that feels like it’s been passed along from collector to collector with great care. Including both songs from her main band as well as her excellent recent solo records, the album is primarily Lenker on acoustic guitar with slight accompaniments on backing vocals and the occasional stringed instrument. Cut with the occasional conversation like a venue staff member ushering people through security or the side comments from fans who are declaring their love for the music, the added chatter makes the album that much more intimate. It doesn’t hit you like a labored over project where the artist secretly cut some overdubs to cover blemishes that didn’t quite hit the tape, this is a raw take and the mistakes aren’t just included, they’re highlighted when Adrianne calls them out but pushes through. There are moments when things shift mid-song from grainey and faded to sharpened and focused, making it feel all that much more in the moment, both real and raw all at once. As the main voice behind Big Thief, Lenker has led the band to become a powerhouse live act that can rage on and rock with the best of them, but here we are greeted with the more contemplative and reserved side of Lenker’s work. It’s a massive output, but a wonderful way to get lost in the world of these inspiring songs.
Don’t Skip:
BARKER | Stochastic Drift
DJRUM | Under Tangled Silence
MARIA SOMERVILLE | Luster
MESSA | The Spin
SUMAC & MOOR MOTHER | The Film
Concerts (in review)
BETH GIBBONS at the Beacon Theatre // 04.01.25
MARSHALL ALLEN AND THE NEW DAWN at Roulette // 04.05.25
MOGWAI at Brooklyn Steel // 04.10.25
LUCY DACUS at Radio City Music Hall // 04.23.25
FABIANA PALLADINO at Music Hall of Williamsburg // 04.24.25
MJ LENDERMAN AND THE WIND at Brooklyn Steel // 04.30.25