A lot of great albums were released in January, so here are our favorite records of the month! (In no particular order.) Want a Spotify playlist? Click here!

• The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer

The Dangerous Summer returns from their nearly 5-year-long hiatus to unleash their fiery self-titled record, proving they still have the poignancy and musicianship to deliver another outstanding full-length. The Dangerous Summer is intense, emotional, and hard-hitting, both lyrically and musically. Standout tracks include “Fire,” “Ghosts,” and “When I Get Home.” The Dangerous Summer will appeal to fans of The Wonder Years, Sorority Noise, and The Gaslight Anthem. Click here to listen.

• Waterparks – Entertainment

Waterparks’ unique blend of pop punk and electronic power pop is expanded upon and further refined on their sophomore effort Entertainment. Entertainment is undoubtedly entertaining between its anthemic choruses, syrupy synth melodies, and crunchy guitar riffs. Standout tracks include “Blonde,” “Not Warriors,” “We Need to Talk,” and “Rare.” Entertainment is sure to attract followers of As It Is, Against the Current, and PVRIS. Click here to listen.

• Dream Wife – Dream Wife

Raucous guitar work, blazing vocal performances, and punchy lyricism define the debut long-player from the genre-fusing band Dream Wife. Dream Wife amalgamates garage rock, pop, and punk with their riot-inducing songwriting to create a fierce mixture of empowering attitude and kickass stamina. Standout tracks include “Let’s Make Out,” “Hey Heartbreaker,” and “Somebody.” Dream Wife is sure to satisfy followers of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, girlpool, and The Sounds. Click here to listen.

• Tonight Alive – Underworld

Tonight Alive recrudesces with their trademark variety of heavy pop rock and powerful vocals, and Underworld captures their strengths better than ever before. Bombastic anthems and searing slow burners give Underworld diversity, and the real spotlight goes to Jenna McDougall’s stellar choral abilities. Standout tracks include “Disappear (feat. Lynn Gunn of PVRIS),” “Temple,” and “Crack My Heart.” Underworld will capture listeners of Mallory Knox, Deaf Havana, and PVRIS. Click here to listen.

• Phillip Phillips – Collateral

American Idol winner Phillip Phillips cemented himself as one of the few musicians who really “makes it” post-Idol by scoring big radio hits through his authentic brand of folk pop with inflections of rock sprinkled throughout. On Collateral, Phillips flexes his rock edge to the fullest extent and crafts a solid pop rock record bound to interest a wide array of audiences. Standout tracks include “Miles,” “Magnetic,” “My Name,” and “Sand Castles.” Collateral is sure to interest fans of Daughtry, The Fray, and Pearl Jam. Click here to listen.

• EDEN – vertigo

The organic instrumentation combined with electronic elements elevates EDEN’s debut full-length vertigo to exciting and refreshing heights. With catchy synth hooks and mellow acoustic guitar timbres, vertigo offers something new and yet something for everyone on each track. Standout tracks include “gold,” “crash,” “take care,” and “start//end.” vertigo will appeal to listeners of Lauv, gnash, and FAMY. Click here to listen.

• The Academic – Tales From the Backseat

Colorful guitar melodies and vibrant production melds with passionate lyricism and infectious vocal hooks to craft The Academic’s indie rock freshman release Tales From the Backseat. Tales has a youthful attitude about it, offering up carefree anthems ready for summer drives with the windows down. Standout tracks include “Different,” “Bear Claws,” and “Fake ID.” Tales From the Backseat is bound to attract listeners of Walk the Moon, Grouplove, and WATERS. Click here to listen.

• BØRNS – Blue Madonna

Smooth electro-pop artist BØRNS cultivates another outstanding record filled to the brim with energy and style. Blue Madonna showcases the singer exercising his slick falsetto and pop sensibility in a daydreamy soundscape composed of electrifying synths and saccharine guitar work. Standout tracks include “Faded Heart,” “God Save Our Young Blood,” and “Sweet Dreams.” Blue Madonna will capture fans of Saint Motel, Broods, and MisterWives. Click here to listen.

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MORE GREAT ALBUMS

• Fall Out Boy – M A  N   I    A

Standout tracks include “The Last of the Real Ones,” “Heaven’s Gate,” and “Hold Me Tight or Don’t.” M A  N   I    A is for fans of Panic! at the Disco, Set It Off, and New Politics. Click here to listen.

• Tiny Moving Parts – Swell

Standout tracks include “Caution,” “Applause,” and “Wildfire.” Swell is for fans of Seaway, Modern Baseball, and Knuckle Puck. Click here to listen.

• Porches – The House

Standout tracks include “Find Me,” “W Longing,” and “Leave the House.” The House is for fans of LANY, Wild Ones, and Heart of Gold. Click here to listen.

• Super Whatevr – Never Nothing

Standout tracks include “For You,” “Telelelevision,” and “Bloomfield.” Never Nothing is for fans of The Technicolors, Vinyl Theatre, and Catfish & the Bottlemen. Click here to listen.

• Speak Low If You Speak Love – Nearsighted

Standout tracks include “Enough,” “Contrasting Colors,” and “Cannot Have It All.” Nearsighted is for fans of The Middle Ground, Hussey, and Faces Like Flint. Click here to listen.

• First Aid Kit – Ruins

Standout tracks include “Fireworks,” “It’s a Shame,” and “Ruins.” Ruins is for fans of Great Lake Swimmers, The Head and the Heart, and Chris DuPont. Click here to listen.

• Into the Great Divide – Into the Great Divide

Standout tracks include “Chapter 4: Tests & Enemies,” “Chapter 5: Challenge Accepted,” and “Chapter 2: A Call to Adventure.” Into the Great Divide is for fans of Saor, Kauan, and Nechochwen. Click here to listen.

• Anderson East – Encore

Standout tracks include “All On My Mind,” “Girlfriend,” and “Cabinet Door.” Encore is for fans of St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Muddy Magnolias, and Hozier. Click here to listen.

• Young Dreams – Waves 2 You

Standout tracks include “Wildwind,” “My Brain On Love,” and “Somebody Else.” Waves 2 You is for fans of Passion Pit, Mutemath, and Bloody Beach. Click here to listen.

• Moon Taxi – Let the Record Play

Standout tracks include “Two High,” “Not Too Late,” and “Keep Me Coming.” Let the Record Play is for fans of The Colourist, COIN, and The Mowgli’s. Click here to listen.

• Django Django – Marble Skies

Standout tracks include “Beam Me Up,” “Tic Tac Toe,” and “Marble Skies.” Marble Skies is for fans of Young Dreams, Franz Ferdinand, and Chairlift. Click here to listen.

• Of Mice & Men – Defy

Standout tracks include “Defy,” “Back to Me,” and “Warzone.”  Defy is for fans of Crown the Empire, Memphis May Fire, and We As Human. Click here to listen.

• They Might Be Giants – I Like Fun

Standout tracks include “I Left My Body,” “Let’s Get This Over With,” and “Push Back the Hands.” I Like Fun is for fans of The Long Winters, Ok Go, and The Mountain Goats. Click here to listen.

• Cane Hill – Too Far Gone

Standout tracks include “Lord of Flies,” “Too Far Gone,” and “It Follows.” Too Far Gone is for fans of Beartooth, Sworn In, and Of Mice & Men. Click here to listen.

 

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Extended Plays

• Zoology – Bloom

Chill, guitar-driven indie pop. (DEFINITELY worth your time.) Standout tracks include “100°,” “Portland,” and “Waterfalls.” Bloom is for fans of pineview, Petit Biscuit, and Anna of the North. Click here to listen.

• The Neighbourhood – To Imagine

Standout tracks include “Scary Love” and “Compass.” To Imagine is for fans of Lauv, LANY, and, like, blackbear…? Click here to listen.

• Lizzy Farrall – All I Said Was Never Heard

Standout tracks include “Broken Toy“ and “Better With.” All I Said Was Never Heard is for fans of Gardenhead, Julien Baker, and The Accidentals. Click here to listen.

• Persei – 117 Whatever Street

Standout tracks include “Sanity“ and “Mess.” 117 Whatever Street is for fans of Welman, LEDGES, and First Time In Color. Click here to listen.

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Let us know what you think of January’s releases down in the comments below!