GA-20

Orphans

Colemine, 2025

9/10

Listen to Orphans

The Boston blues-rockers GA-20 bring their vintage yet modern vision to these 8 show favorite tunes, where Matthew Stubbs, Cody Nilsen and Josh Kiggan are in fine form.

The rhythmic and gritty “Cryin’ & Pleadin’” opens with Nilsen’s powerful pipes alongside Kiggan’s bouncy drums, and “I Love You, I Need You” follows with a romantic spirit thanks to the heartfelt singing and Stubb’s cozy guitar.

In the middle, “Stranger Blues” offers a raw yet tuneful display of timeless blues, while “Hold On, I’m Coming” recruits Nate Edgar’s playful bass and Brooks Milgate’s animated organ that suits the rich and harmonic instrumental.

Getting close to the end, the dance floor ready “Just One More Time” bops and shakes with an infectious energy, and “Chicken Pickin’” exits with 2 minutes of fun via the dynamic rhythm section and meticulous guitar.

GA-20 draw inspiration from Otis Rush, J.B. Lenoir, Howlin’ Wolf and Junior Wells, and their use of vintage instruments and amps to yield their authentic sound makes for a blues experience you won’t soon forget.

Travels well with: Sue Foley- One Guitar Woman; Bob Corritore & Friends- Doin’ The Shout

Microplastique

Many Roads

Irritable Mystic, 2026

9/10

Listen to Many Roads

The Chicago avant-toy-orchestra, Microplastique, i.e. Adam Shead, Molly Jones, Josh Harlow, and Ben Zucker, bring their inimitable talents to these 7 unpredictable and exciting jazz tracks.

“Aghot’k” opens with a mysterious ambience, before the playful percussive ideas enters the strategic droning that carries a sci-fi appeal, and “Inner/Outer” follows with a ‘found objects’ mood that balances winds with drumming bouts.

”Turn II” and “Bounce” land in the middle. The former enlists dreamy flute amid the colorful whistles, while the latter is a rich album highlight that emits radiant sax alongside dense drumming. The title track exits, and it’s nearly 30 minutes of frisky drumming, animated winds and plenty of atypical noise.

This is the 2nd album from the improvisational wizards, and was recorded live across the ensemble’s 15-concert June 2025 U.S. tour. An impressive effort that embraces spontaneity, simplicity and archetypal melody, each member plays many instruments that commands our attention.

Travels well with: Microplastique- Blare Blow Bloom!; Stein/Smith/Shead- Volumes & Surfaces

Hard Maybe

More Of The Usual Stuff

Self-Released, 2025

9/10

Listen to More Of The Usual Stuff

A Seattle septet with an affinity for neo-soul, Hard Maybe make an impression with this debut LP where a fusion approach recruits plenty of grooves and elegance.

“Palace” opens with Jeanie Marinella’s soulful pipes alongside Monica Parshotam’s gentle keys before the setting gets upbeat and playful, and “Mama Said” follows with Sam Jaeger’s warm guitar and Alex Roemmele’s fluid drumming that surrounds plenty of melody.

In the middle, “Turbulence” welcomes Nathan Nzanga’s pipes to the funky flavor and Rebekah Way’s rich sax, while “DF” carries an infectious energy thanks to the frisky rhythm section, multiple voices and colorful keys.

“Sad Clown” and “Drop A Coin” exit the listen. The former makes great use of Daniel Lombard’s trumpet amid the chorus you’ll be singing pretty quick, and the latter touches on R&B amid bare instrumentation and harmonizing vocals.

An excellent debut LP that meshes neo-soul, jazzy-funk, and alternative R&B, there’s a lot of relatable themes present, and the music is fleshed out with a global appeal.

Travels well with: With Child- Undressing In The Wind; Horsefight- Volunteer

The Mendozaz

The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada

Cartridge Heart, 2025

9/10

Listen to The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada

The Toronto pop-punkers The Mendozaz bring humor, hooks and plenty of ‘90s spirit to this concept album that’s not short on gang vocals, either.

“Fuck You: The Musical” opens with a blast of melodic and bouncy punk rock, where plenty of f-bombs are surrounded by Jonny’s razor sharp guitar, and “A Piercing Shriek Of Death” follows with Dic’s thumping drums that suit the blasts of rock as well as the soft moments.

Halfway through, “Kokanee Joe” recruits plenty of head-bobbin’ and toe tappin’ fun to the timeless pop-punk that invites clapping along, while “Late Stage 12 Gauge” spotlights Michael’s playful bass and vocals that harmonize with Jonny.

Residing close to the end, the furious “The Bell Tower Killer” chugs and gets a bit dreamy in its diverse climate, and “The Unlikely Legend Of Captain Fuchs” exits with marching band style drumming and plenty of scrappy songwriting that you’ll be singing along to pretty quick.

As someone who at some point in their life would consider themselves an expert in the area of pop-punk, I feel quite confident that if anything related to Fat Wreck Chord, Lookout Records or Hopeless Records gets you riled up, well, you’re going to love The Mendozaz.

Travels well with: The Get Arounds- I Wanna Livehttps://takeeffectreviews.com/february-2024-1/2024/2/21/the-get-arounds; CC Voltage- Berliner Pilsner

Olivia Belli

Daimon

Sony, 2026

10/10

Listen to Daimon

The pianist and composer Olivia Belli is joined by Raphaela Gromes, Eldbjørg Hemsing, and Jess Gillam for this first piano concerto full length.

“Proci” starts with Gromes’ warm cello and Hemsing’s animated violin that interact with much exploration, and “Semplice” follows with pretty keys that are heartfelt and radiate tremendous beauty.

In the middle, “Telemachus” pairs the bright keys and quivering violin via much intrigue in its mesmerizing capacity, while “Eumaeus” offers a minimal approach that’s strong on ambience thanks to Gillam’s strategic sax.

Getting close to the end, the sublime grace of “Eurycleia” has the keys swirling around the wind in wonder and awe, and “Pax Athenae” exits with the strings and keys interacting with much care and melody.

Belli takes notes from Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, Philip Glass and Arvo Part, and inspiration from Homer’s Odyssey, which provides the groundwork for this stunning body of work that lacks pretense, touches on melancholy and hope and displays plenty of relatable emotions for a neo-classical masterpiece.

Travels well with: Gabríel Ólafs- Polar; Erland Cooper & Scottish Ensemble- Faded Landscapes

Víkingur Ólafsson

Opus 109

Deutsche Grammophon, 2025

9/10

Listen to Opus 109

The Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson brings us works by Bach, Beethoven and Schubert, which are executed with unparalleled attention to detail.

Bach’s “Prelude in E Major BWV 854” opens with the melodic keys emitting much warmth and color via the meticulous delivery, and Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90” follows with the rich progression that exercise both firm and animated gestures.

In the middle, “Partita No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 830”, by Bach, moves swiftly and with much charm in its infectious energy, while Schubert’s “Piano Sonata No. 6 in E Minor, D. 566” offers a pensive bout that builds into dense playing that rumbles unpredictably.

Residing near the end, “Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109”, by Beethoven, is quite intricate, cinematic even and “French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817” emits intimacy alongside the emotive keys of the soft exit thanks to Bach’s vision.

Ólafsson fleshes out a dialogue across the centuries with this superb solo piano performance, and like everything he’s done, it’s an enlightening and memorable program that warrants revisiting.

Travels well with: Víkingur Ólafsson- From Afar; Daniil Trifonov- BACH: The Art Of Life

Amo Amo

Amo Amo

Mystic Fox, 2019

8/10

Listen to Amo Amo

A Los Angeles outfit that includes a member of the always impressive Gardens & Villa, Amo Amo describe themselves as psychedelic dream-pop, which no one could disagree with, and a guy most of us have heard of named Jim James turned the knobs on this debut album.

“Closer To You” gets the album started with warm vocal harmonies and throwback nods to reggae as calm grooves set the scene, and “When I Look At You” follows with a punchier spirit that recruits pop ideas into their soulful formula.

Elsewhere, the dreamy, hazy “When We’re Gone” is a moment of mysterious beauty, while “Antidote” yields rich guitar work in a rhythmic setting where funk and soul enter the equation.

Near the end, “Teacher” is a cozy duet of indie-pop meets R&B flavoring, and “Wish I Had The Power” settles nicely into an eclectic late disc highlight. “Echoes Just Begun” ends the listen with expressive vocals, lush melodies and a fluid mix of synth and guitar lines, putting the exclamation point on the dynamic chemistry present here.

In a time when so much pop music contains trite commonalities, it’s refreshing to see creativity like this that’s difficult to categorize but easy to enjoy. An impressive first record, it will be exciting to see what lies ahead for these 5 artists.

Travels well with: My Morning Jacket- It Still Moves; Dirty Projectors- Rise Above