John Andrews and the Yawns "Streeetsweeper"
John Andrews has spent the past few years tucked away in Red Hook, Brooklyn—a neighborhood that sits just beyond the natural drift of the city. Once shaped by maritime industry and later a haven for artists in search of vast warehouse space, its history and isolation give it a quiet magnetism. Streetsweeper, the fifth album by John Andrews & The Yawns, reflects that vantage point: tranquil, self-contained, and curious about the movements most people overlook.
Just a few cobblestone blocks from the freight-ship-lined harbor, Andrews wrote dozens of new songs at his electric piano. Nine of them found their way to Los Angeles to be recorded with Luke Temple, who played guitar and some bass. Drummer Noah Bond and bassist Keven Louis Lareau, both longtime members of The Yawns and Cut Worms, formed the rhythm section. Will Henriksen of Florry played fiddle on “Something To Be Said,” while Emily Moales of Star Moles sang harmonies recorded remotely by Kevin Basko at Historic New Jersey.
On Streetsweeper, Andrews leans into guitar like he hasn’t in years, still letting his relaxed, unhurried touch guide the music. The whole album was tracked using the personal guitar pick of late troubadour songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker, a gift Lareau received from a family friend. Each lyrical vignette offers a bit of gentle empathy from someone who might’ve seen you playing fetch, kissing on a park bench, or crying on a lunch break.
Avery Cochrane "Male Validation and Other Drugs"
Avery Cochrane’s long awaited second EP “Male Validation and Other Drugs” has finally arrived, via S-Curve records. Despite her likeness to Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, Cochrane still marks her own path as a new sensation in the pop industry with her infectious melodies, going viral on TikTok and performing at various festivals. Featuring themes of self-image, validation and desire with hard hitting lyrics, Avery Cochrane expands beyond her last EP to deepen her narrative as an artist. Stream “Male Validation and Other Drugs” here.
José González "Against the Dying of the Light"
José González has delivered a new album, Against the Dying of the Light, a companion and further meditation on the themes of his critically acclaimed album, Local Valley. Where Local Valley turned inward toward place, language, and personal reflection, this new record widens its gaze, becoming an urgent call to preserve the light of humanity with all its flaws, at a moment when, technology increasingly shapes how we think, feel, and relate to one another.
While José has always embraced technological advancement, he questions the assumption that every new possibility must be pursued to its maximum potential, especially when progress comes at the expense of human flourishing, attention, and empathy.
Joshua Abrams "Music For Pulse Meridian Foliation"
Joshua Abrams’ Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation is the aural manifestation of an art event described as “an in-between space and access point to a pulsating experience that connects body and land.” Like the action of a slow-spiraling coil, the music information here revolves in dappling light, an evolution drawn slowly, magnetically forward, resonating there and back again. Deep-reaching in elemental movement, it leaves traces and echoes in the air—and in our ears, as our own experience evolves.
When playing with Natural Information Society, Joshua’s writing is directed toward the form of the music as uniquely occupied by the group. Here, he wrote in strict dialogue with the exhibit, responding with choices in composition, performance and production on Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation. A key interpretation of the exhibition is voiced by Josh in the hand-off of information between the two violas as they weave together from oppositional points across the sound stage.
On Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation, Lisa Alvarado asks, “How does memory transform and live within the body?” and, in collaboration with Joshua Abrams, a transformation is enacted.