The Immaculate Beings - "Come In (Space Control)"

I'm not sure which of The Immaculate Beings - Trevor, Griffin, Joe, Christian, Casey, Staurie or Michael is the one singing this song, but what a great showcase for their voice. Particularly when they ascend on "I'm an extra-terrestrial human" and during the scoop and drop on "come in space control / is there anybody there." It's a gymnastic line they hit like Simone Biles.

The entirety of Mental Space is worth a listen as the band "promote the importance of self-love, self-care, and self-validation through their music" and "create a safe space that reuminds you how much you matter in this world. You are so loved."

As I post this, the day happens to be a corporate-sponsored national discussion of mental health in Canada, but as I am learning, every day is the right day to talk about these things and this record might help.

Bridal Party - "Attention"

Didn't realize I'd taken quite so extended a break from RR - August turned out to be a busy month IRL and while there was a slew of music crossing my desk, I just didn't ever get my head above water to share stuff.

That said, I'm catching up on last week's releases as I was completely off the grid and found Too Much in my inbox from Victoria BC's Bridal Party waiting for me. It's a front-to-back solid slice of indie pop, but it was album closer "Attention" that really got mine.

It pairs a really bouncy track with a pretty scathing take on social media behaviour and great vocals from Suzannah Raudaschl that showcase her range - particularly on the chorus.

The band are about to hit the road - including a stop here in Winnipeg - and fingers-crossed I'll be talking to them for my radio show and possibly coaxing them in to UMFM for a live session.

Haley Blais - "Let Yourself Go"

Vancouver artist Haley Blais just released the EP Let Yourself Go last week. "Small Foreign Faction" is apparently the cut that's taking off, but for me the title-track is just an irrepressible slice of pop sunshine. Blais is hitting the road in support of the EP and will play Forth on May 1st at a show that is somehow by donation but also indicates there can be advance ticket-holders. I may be puzzled over that, but I'm certain Blais is one to check out.

alae - "Stone Cold"

I've been listening to the new Josh Rouse record a lot this week (he's one of my all-timers) so it likely put me in the perfect place for this new single from New Zealand trio alae to show up in my inbox this morning, but I'd have probably loved it without having the pump primed by Love in the Modern Age already.

Ringing guitars are one of my weaknesses and "Stone Cold" has a doozy that has echoes of The Sea & Cake (another all-timer) and then Alex Farrell-Davey's vocals come in and have the same timbre as Rouse. Both possess gentle voices that still have weight behind them and are perfect for pop love songs ("Stone Cold" is about love as an addiction).

The architecture of this song is great too in the way that the guitar line and a very subtle drum track get a full 20 seconds to establish the song before the vocals come in and then a tom and snare beat accompanies Farrell-Davey's first words. The bass line drops in around the 45 second mark and then all of this drops away for a moment around 1:06 at which point we reach the chorus AND THEN OHMYGOD THERE ARE HORNS. 1:19 is when my crush on this song becomes full-blown swooning. The trumpet line brings with it a more bouncing beat and the irrepressible sunshine at the heart of this song bursts out.

This is the best Josh Rouse song Josh Rouse hasn't written and it leaves me eager to hear more from Auckland's alae.

Mean Lady - "Walking Flower"

Newark, Delaware band Mean Lady have released a couple singles since 2013's Love Now (which was my #4 album that year), but FINALLY dropped a new full-length on the world. Nature came out on Valentine's Day *swoon* and Katie Dill's vocals remain as wonderfully nonchalant and captivating as they were on Love Now. The matter-of-fact delivery within a narrow range is what makes the effect of the occasional swoops (like the 2:50 and 4:00 marks on "Walking Flower") so potent.

Plus these two know their way around a melody like nobody's business.

Sorrey - Thick As Thieves

Pardon the wordplay but you will not be SORRY if you listen to SORREY.
Go on, do it.