The Lacking Permanence

High-order guitar instrumentals more concerned with melody and expression than pyrotechnics. Truly ear-opening.

Like getting picked up by the scruff of your neck and smashed into a wall of orange Jello, Swarming Branch gets your attention with the warping and weaving of "Zsazsur's Real Estate Song".

Take the most memorable weirdness to come out of Dr. Demento’s near-50-year reign and let a bunch of punks cover them.

More from this wave of reverb-drenched noisy Swedish psychedelia that we’re enjoying lately.

Did Jeff Rosenstock manage to find an unrecorded Ramones song? "Beating My Head Against A Wall" sure sounds like it, and that is 1,000% a compliment.

Aggressive debut from this UK band features some highly dynamic songs loaded with twisty hooks.

Thile (THEE-lee) is a world-class mandolinist who also happens to have replaced Garrison Keillor as the host of that Wobegon show. Subtle and introspective.

An interesting set of covers for solo piano, performed live

Posthumous release from one of the strongest voices in modern soul.

I'm really going to miss Sharon's voice and her uncompromising work ethic.