1 Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble “NOW” Recorded last summer after months of isolation and social upheaval in a series of urgent, nearly unrehearsed takes. The result is an album that is dazzlingly alive with pent-up passion, invention and hope. Available April 9
2 Queen Mars “Trust Issues” Singer-songwriter Brianna Brock’s debut EP delivers an irresistible blend of R&B and pop, gilded by honeyed vocals and driven by straight-up, badass feminist messaging. Available April 9
3 Cole DeGenova “Dopamine” The electro-soul singer-songwriter wrote and recorded his new EP at his home during quarantine. The result is an intimate, low-key set that positions him for a post-pandemic world. Available now
4 Joanna Connor “4801 South Indiana Avenue” The veteran blueswoman and slide-guitar virtuoso lays down a blistering restatement of what makes Chicago blues so indomitable—while reaffirming her own reputation as possibly our premier blues belter. Available now
5 Department of Revenge “Shut Up and Pay the Bill” The trio attempts, with surprising success, to fuse the ambition and scale of prog rock with the stripped-down sonics of a garage band—plus, on occasion, the searing wit and brazen energy of punk. Available now
Robert Rodi is an author, spoken-word performer and musician who has served as Newcity’s Music Editor since 2014. He’s written more than a dozen books, including the travel memoir “Seven Seasons In Siena,” and his literary and music criticism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, The Huffington Post and many other national and regional publications. Contact: robert@newcity.com
Music Top 5: April 2020 Thom Yorke's third album is a collective of complex, often cinematic material, ranging across the compositional landscape from songs to suites.
Music Top 5: May 2021 Outstanding new album releases by stellar Chicago artists, available now.
