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little oso

little oso | How Lucky To Be Somebody | 3hive.com
little oso | How Lucky To Be Somebody | 3hive.com

These are certainly challenging times, and it’s easy to get caught up in the negativity that surrounds us. I’ve been struggling with this myself, constantly dwelling on everything from political turmoil to personal uncertainties.

However, I had a surprisingly uplifting experience this morning. While driving to work, I listened to the new album, How Lucky To Be Somebody, by Portland, Maine’s little oso, and it was truly transformative. For 36 glorious minutes, the jangly guitars, dreamy vocals, and driving rhythm section swept away all my anxieties. Thank goodness for music!

little oso’s How Lucky To Be Somebody is out now via Repeating Cloud. It’s a charming* record that reminds me of bands like Camera Obscura and The Umbrellas, to name a couple. Check out one of their standout tracks, “Other People’s Lives” (below), and get your hands on this record. Enjoy.

*©samaman inc.

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Smalltalk

Smalltalk | as if | 3hive.com
Smalltalk | as if | 3hive.com

I’ve been listening to Smalltalk’s new EP as if on repeat the past few days, and it’s a nostalgic trip for me. The entire EP takes me back to the early ’90s when bands like Veruca Salt, Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins, and Velocity Girl were making waves. The Savannah, GA band calls their sound “griddy gaze,” which hits the nail right on the head.

Please check out “snaggletooth” below. You’ll be glad you did.

as if is out now on Candlepin Records. If you’re into physical media, Candlepin has a few cassettes left—don’t sleep! I highly recommend this EP. Enjoy.

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Prism Shores

Prism Shores | Out From Underneath | 3hive.com
Prism Shores | Out From Underneath | 3hive.com

Mark my words, Montreal’s Prism Shores are going to take the indie-pop world by storm with ten new tracks of jangly, power-pop-leaning tunes that are mingled with just enough gaze to put smirks on the faces of even the saddest of indie rockers.

Check out “Overplayed My Hand” and “Holding Pattern” below for a taste.

Their new album is called Out From Underneath and it drops on Friday 01/17/2025 via Meritorio Records. DO NOT SLEEP!


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Slippers

Slippers | So You Like Slippers? | 3hive.com
Slippers | So You Like Slippers? | 3hive.com

Slippers is the new project of Los Angeles-based artist and musician Madeline BB. Her debut LP, So You Like Slippers?, is ten charmingly (thanks Sam) snappy, jangly, twee-as-fu** power-pop tunes that only get better with each and every spin. Check out “XTC 1000” and “The Bus” (below) for a sample.

So You Like Slippers? is out now via Lame-O Records. You should get it! I love Slippers the band, I hate slippers the slippers. Enjoy.

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Sasha Bolof

Sasha Bolof | Tabitha | 3hive.com
Sasha Bolof | Tabitha | 3hive.com

Sasha Bolof’s new album, Tabitha, is 10 tracks of fuzzed-out, warm, guitar-driven tunes based on the lives of ten fictional (or are they) characters. It’s like a dream-pop / shoegaze / post-punk / art-rock hodgepodge, but unlike the definition of a hodgepodge, Sasha blends these styles seamlessly, like they all belong together.

Check out “June,” “Jane,” and “Michelle” (below) for a sample of how rad this album is. It’s the perfect album to close the summer with.

Tabitha is out now via Cruisin Records. Go get it. Enjoy.

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Teenage Tom Petties

Teenage Tom Petties | Teenage Tom Petties | 3hive.com
Teenage Tom Petties | Teenage Tom Petties | 3hive.com

Teenage Tom Petties’ set out to “make a 90’s-era power-pop record” on their third album in as many years (and only 9 months after their sophomore release, Hotbox Daydreams, and second self-titled album). I say they achieved that goal (and then some), as much of the guitar work and vocal harmonies throughout the record remind me a lot of 90’s-era Flaming Lips and Fountains of Wayne.

TTP is highly addictive, like Pringles. It’s a head-bobber from start to finish, that’s for sure, featuring eleven melodic, power-pop bangers. Check out “Tuff Top” and “Dumb Enough” (below) for a taste.

Teenage Tom Petties is out now via Safe Suburban Home. Enjoy.

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What’s Important

What's Important | bloodsoaked castle | 3hive.com
What's Important | bloodsoaked castle | 3hive.com

Oakland band What’s Important are releasing their latest album, bloodsoaked castle, today. Their PR refers to their sound as “mutant pop,” and their Bandcamp page calls it “castle pop.” I don’t know what either of those genres / sub-genres mean. What I do know is that bloodsoaked castle contains some glitchy, pop punk meets electro pop goodness. Check out “i think about it a lot” (below) for a taste.

bloodsoaked castle is out now via Cherub Dream Records. Get it. Enjoy.

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Nightshift

Nightshift | Homosapien | 3hive.com
Nightshift | Homosapien | 3hive.com

Glasgow band Nightshift are back with their latest album, Homosapien. It’s eleven tracks of melodic, slowed-down (to a near slowcore pace) post-punk. The added instrumentation, like accordion, melodica, violin, and trombone, is highly effective and gives Nightshift’s sound a new level of depth. Check out “Sure Look” (below) for a taste.

Homosapien is out on Friday (07/26) via Trouble In Mind Records. Judging from the singles it should be a good one. Enjoy.

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Golomb

Golomb | Love | 3hive.com
Golomb | Love | 3hive.com

Golomb is a power trio out of Columbus, Ohio. They are a brother-and-sister, husband-and-wife band. A band I meant to write about back in 2022 when they self-released their incredible self-titled album.

Golomb makes great noise, and it’s evident as ever on their new EP Love (out on Friday). Each track slowly builds into a bit of a frenzied end, a fabulous and effective recipe. Especially on middle track “Dare To Cry”.

You can listen to “Take My Life” from the new EP below; it’s the most upfront and in-your-face track on the EP. I love it.

Love is out tomorrow (06/14). You can get it from their Bandcamp page. Please do. Share Golomb with your friends. Add them to your playlists. Play them on your radio shows. Enjoy.

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Christina’s Trip

Christina's Trip | My Friend | 3hive.com
Christina's Trip | My Friend | 3hive.com

Oakland’s Christina’s Trip calls their sound “distortion pop,” which is about as accurate a description as possible. Their latest single “My Friend” (below) is a fuzzy, bedroom-pop-leaning track that would sound at home on an Elephant 6 compilation (I stole the comparison from Joe) and totally drives the “distortion pop” description home.

Their debut LP, Forever After, comes out in July via Cherub Dream Records, and based on their two available singles, this is definitely on the list of albums not to miss. Enjoy.