Oh, hey! Yes, Monthly Picks still exists. Except this time it’s for Q2 and Q3 (second and third quarters of the calendar year). I haven’t talked about many new releases this year, so here are some of my favorite albums, EPs, and singles that I think you oughtta check out. Let’s jump into it!
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Taylor Swift – folklore
Taylor Swift unleashed the best record of her career as a mid-July surprise, and it immediately swept critics and fans alike off their feet. Taylor retreats to her guitar-playing roots with an almost folk album, tugging at the heartstrings with lyrics that read like a diary. With minimalistic production, candid lines, and cultivated vocals, folklore is without a doubt Taylor’s shining moment. Standout tracks include “august,” “seven,” “peace,” and “this is me trying.” folklore will appeal to fans of Bon Iver, The Civil Wars, and Julie Byrne. Click here to listen.
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All Time Low – Wake Up, Sunshine
Wake Up, Sunshine has been received as a return to form for the pop punk veterans All Time Low. 2017’s Last Young Renegade was quite the departure from the band’s trademark rock style, but Wake Up, Sunshine reels it back in and better than we could’ve expected. This album is what a solid pop punk LP should sound like in 2020, and it’s nice to have the boys from Baltimore back. Standout tracks include “Safe,” “January Gloom,” “Clumsy,” and “Basement Noise.” Wake Up, Sunshine will attract listeners of State Champs, blink-182, and 7 Minutes In Heaven. Click here to listen.
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The Aces – Under My Influence
Under My Influence, the most recent LP from The Aces, is the opposite of a sophomore slump. This triumphant record displays the Utah band expanding their sound and trying out new styles with it rather than sticking with the same old, same old or switching things up entirely. This more refined approach certainly offers up some ’80s-inspired pop rock bangers you don’t want to miss. Standout tracks include “Kelly,” “Daydream,” “Not Enough,” and “Can You Do.” Under My Influence is sure to capture fans of Fickle Friends, Scavenger Hunt, and Neon Trees. Click here to listen.
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The Magic Gang – Death of the Party
Looking for some indie rock that isn’t watered down or boring? Here’s your album. UK band The Magic Gang’s second LP Death of the Party is a refreshing release and another great hit in the group’s discography. Buoyant guitar riffs, catchy choruses, and bright horn sections dominate Death of the Party, as well as thought-provoking lyricism. Standout tracks include “Make A Sound,” “Death of the Party,” “I Am Sunshine,” and “Make Time For Change.” Death of the Party is bound to satisfy followers of The Vaccines, Lady Legs, and Driver Friendly. Click here to listen.
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Neon Trees – I Can Feel You Forgetting Me
No, Neon Trees, we haven’t forgotten about you and we missed you so damn much. Six years after their last full-length Pop Psychology, Neon Trees finally return with their latest record. Filled to the brim with gleaming synths, syrupy hooks, and heartfelt lyrics, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me is a melancholic yet joyous mixture of spirited indie pop and soulful songwriting. Standout tracks include “Mess Me Up,” “Everything Is Killing Me,” “Nights,” and “Going Through Something.” I Can Feel You Forgetting Me will please fans of The Aces, MOBS, and Twin XL. Click here to listen.
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Charlie Barnes – Last Night’s Glitter
Gentle plucking of an acoustic guitar and tastefully ardent vocals characterize Charlie Barnes’ latest LP Last Night’s Glitter. This most recent outing is primarily a redux of Charlie’s past tunes, transitioning them from piano ballads or upbeat indie pop songs to stripped-down acoustic schlepping and operatic voice performances. Standout tracks include “The Weather,” “All I Have,” “Last Night’s Glitter,” and “Ruins.” Last Night’s Glitter will attract followers of Chris Dupont, Sean McConnell, and Ralph Pelleymounter. Click here to listen.
MORE GREAT ALBUMS
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Lady Legs – Off Days
Breezy indie rock begging for replays. Standout tracks include “Idle Hands,” “Quit Bringing Me Down,” and “Not Right.” Off Days is for fans of The Magic Gang, Steppes, and LEDGES. Click here to listen.
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Movements – No Good Left To Give
Another gut-wrenching outing filled with impassioned vocal performances and ripping guitars. Standout tracks include “Skin To Skin,” “Don’t Give Up Your Ghost,” and “Moonlight Lines.” No Good Left To Give is for fans of Citizen, Turnover, and La Dispute. Click here to listen.
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Vistas – Everything Changes In the End
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Hayley Williams – Petals For Armor
The pensive singer/songwriter solo project from Paramore’s frontwoman. Standout tracks include “Cinnamon,” “Leave It Alone,” and “Crystal Clear.” Petals For Armor is for fans of Soccer Mommy, Maggie Rogers, and Julien Baker. Click here to listen.
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Stand Atlantic – Pink Elephant
Solid pop punk with strong vocals and catchy riffs. Standout tracks include “Wavelength,” “Blurry,” and “Like That.” Pink Elephant is for fans of Seaway, With Confidence, and State Champs. Click here to listen.
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A. Swayze & The Ghosts – Paid Salvation
Rowdy, punk-tinged garage rock. Standout tracks include “Nothing Left to Do,” “Mess of Me,” and “Connect to Consume.” Paid Salvation is for fans of WAAX, Bad//Dreams, and White Blanks. Click here to listen.
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PVRIS – Use Me
Tasteful amalgam of electronics, acoustic guitars, and layered vocals. Standout tracks include “Dead Weight,” “Loveless,” and “Death of Me.” Use Me is for fans of Deaf Havana, Maggie Lindemann, and Emarosa. Click here to listen.
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IDLES – Ultra Mono
Dude, it’s IDLES. Standout tracks include “The Lover,” “Model Village,” and “Mr. Motivator.” Ultra Mono is for fans of Protomartyr, Girl Band, and Heavy Lungs. Click here to listen.
Extended Plays
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Pinkish Blu – there’s no such thing as good people
Best EP you’ll hear all year. Standout tracks include “Calm Down” and “Red Hot Moon.” there’s no such thing as good people is for fans of LANY, Heart of Gold, and MILKK. Click here to listen.
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Troye Sivan – In A Dream
Standout tracks include “Rager teenager!” and “Take Yourself Home.” In A Dream is for fans of Ruel, Years & Years, and Lorde. Click here to listen.
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Go For Gold – Color Me
It’s pop punk. Standout tracks include “Forget About It” and “Tone.” Color Me is for fans of Neck Deep, Gold Steps, and The Story So Far. Click here to listen.
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Day Wave – Crush
Standout tracks include “Potions” and “Starting Again.” Crush is for fans of Surf Rock Is Dead, Craft Spells, and Plastic Picnic. Click here to listen.
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American Authors – Counting Down
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Bears In Trees – I Want To Feel Chaotic
Standout tracks include “Permanence” and “Cobwebs.” I Want To Feel Chaotic is for fans of spookyghostboy, McCafferty, and Beach Bunny. Click here to listen.
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Until We Get Caught – Surface
A splendid maturation of sound. Standout tracks include “Fading Out” and “Ghost.” Surface is for fans of Outwaves, Bring Me the Horizon, and A War Within. Click here to listen.
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hellocentral – HEATWAVE
Standout tracks include “Lsof” and “One More Sunrise.” HEATWAVE is for fans of A Will Away, Less Than Jake, and Oh, Weatherly. (I think?) Click here to listen.
Featured Singles
Dream Jacuzzi hits another homerun with this single, filled with up-tempo guitar strumming, hazy vocals, and playful percussion. Most notable may be the striking guitar solo or the personal yet relatable lyrics.
Chance’s most recent LP portraits was crowned our best album of 2019, and after a string of solid singles, “Bad To Myself” is an empowering and emotional catharsis as Chance explores his recovery from anorexia.
For the first time, Local Natives has an EP on the horizon, and its lead single “Statues In the Garden (Arras)” is a chill, mellow contemplation contrasted with sweet melodies and soaring backing vocals.
Dan Burke, former lead vocalist of Off the Record, hits the ground running with his newest project. Among his first few singles, “flights” is a heartfelt yearning that sets the tone for this band’s direction.
The debut solo single from 5 Seconds of Summer’s Ashton Irwin is a reflective look into Irwin’s personal struggles with body dysmorphia, delivered via an acoustic ballad void of his signature instruments: drums.
The Vamps kick off their new LP with the lead single “Married In Vegas,” a jaunty pop rock tune charged to the brim with sky-high vocal peaks, dashing piano melodies, and spirited percussion.
Blake’s farthest step into an acoustic folk direction is a shining ballad characterized by vivid lyrics that are as painful as they are beautiful.
Bastille’s “survivin'” is a breezy reflection on the band’s career thus far and a testament to their resilience, as well as their openness to explore new styles and sounds.
Let us know what you think of Q2 and Q3’s releases down in the comments below!
Our Alt Col Picks are curated lists of the best albums and EPs for each month! We keep a schedule of upcoming releases and pick our favorite ones at the end of the month, giving them a spotlight here and on Twitter. To be featured in one of our lists, hit us up on our contact page or Twitter, though nothing is guaranteed. (We occasionally include past releases, so for instance, if your album came out in June, we might be able to feature it in our post for July or August.)
Hayley Kiyoko has risen to popularity through starring in Scooby Doo and Disney television shows, but her solo music career started taking off with the release of the This Side of Paradise EP in 2015 which featured her hit single titled “Girls Like Girls.” This indie pop song is an absolute anthemic jam for women-loving women everywhere, and the emotional music video presents the struggles that many gay people face in relationships and friendships. Hayley released her follow-up EP Citrine in 2016 which delivered more empowering tunes, like 
Coming from the last genuinely good Panic! at the Disco album, 
Lynn Gunn, the frontwoman of the electro-rock band PVRIS, is gay and open about it in hopes of providing representation for others. It was hard to narrow it down to one song to feature in this post, but we settled on “Ghosts,” a personal favorite that exhibits the struggles of a relationship when dealing with “ghosts” which Lynn has explained is a metaphor for mental health issues, namely depression. This tune seems to tell the story of a couple facing challenges in their relationship due to these ghosts, the “things [Lynn] can’t see” but are still having an affect on their emotional connection, again pointing to psychological problems or other hardships. Overall, PVRIS has consistently released fantastic music and their powerful frontwoman continues to serve as a gay icon in the scene.
Tyler Glenn, lead singer of the pop rock band Neon Trees, has come out as gay and is shameless about it. He distanced himself from the Mormon religion due to his sexuality and other disagreements, and his debut solo album Excommunication discusses his experience and frustration with the LDS Church. “Shameless” is about not giving a damn and “living a life so shameless” while also calling out others on how they “hate what they don’t understand.” In a vein similar to Lady Gaga’s power anthem 
Again, it was difficult to choose just one song to include from the LGBT+ pop icon Betty Who. Jessica Anne Newham, known by her stage name Betty Who, relocated to the United States from Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and pursued a music career in the early 2010s with the debut single 
Speaking of Betty Who, she is featured on Troye Sivan’s emotional song “Heaven” from his 2015 debut album Blue Neighbourhood. The South African-born Australian initially found his fame on YouTube, garnering attention from other LGBT+ internet personalities like Tyler Oakley, Hannah Hart, and Connor Franta, and, through his profound interest in music, eventually signed to EMI Australia in 2013 to deliver his EP titled TRXYE, released in 2014. Troye is openly gay and acts as a role model for his viewers and listeners. “Heaven” discusses the familial and religious struggles that are unfortunately attached to the orientation, such as hiding the truth from one’s parents, coming to terms with oneself, and questioning spiritual beliefs. The piece is moving, haunting, and showcases perfectly the challenges many LGBT+ people face personally in the church.
The Vamps debuted as a British pop rock reggae band with syrupy sweet melodies and summertime vibes, though they originally started out uploading covers on YouTube, everything from One Direction and Austin Mahone to Neon Trees and McFly. Even as their career has progressed, they still continue to post covers, branching out to more rock oriented artists like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and 5 Seconds of Summer. Their second album Wake Up featured the band taking a more pop approach in their style with songs that could easily have appeared as One Direction b-sides but still maintaining their guitars in most instances. The project also included the monumental “I Found A Girl,” an energetic pop rock reggae fusion song about a man falling in love with a lesbian and, like Brendon in “Girls/Girls/Boys,” he doesn’t condemn her sexuality but rather welcomes it.
Norwegian up-and-coming pop artist Matilda (no, not the musical/film) has released multiple amazing singles and albums, unleashing infectious electro indie pop tunes with a ferocious bite. (Oh, and she also wrote some of them with Betty Who.) Her music video for “Apologize (ft. OMVR)” gained viral attention from the LGBT+ community for shining the spotlight on the ups and downs experienced by a lesbian couple. Her song 
Catey Shaw, a pop artist from Brooklyn, mentioned in an