Hey all! The weather is continuing to rob us of any sense of stability this semester, but whether it's flip-flop or jacket weather, tune into 1190 for your fix of new music.

Nathan Roberts & the New Birds' self-titled release is a traditional, yet masterfully crafted collection of pop songs that recalls the rootsier side of Wilco, and at times the slick pop of Big Star. A lot of bands try to turn the sounds of American folk music into pop anthems, but Nathan Roberts excels by not trying too hard to start a full-blown hoedown.

Though the new release by James Vincent McMorrow is titled Post-Tropical, the music seems more fit for the kind of day when beach weather is but a distant memory. McMorrow's soulful vocals mixed with crisp, colorful electronics make for music that draws from a wide variety of sources from popular music, and comes off as accessible yet intimate all at once.

Veterans of the post-rock game Thee Silver Mt. Zion have returned with Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything, a guitar-heavy effort that treads the line between celebratory and mournful with complex delicacy. Though the band is an offshoot of soundscape extraordinaires Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Zion's music takes a much more immediate approach to songwriting, making their seventh release a refreshing take on the usual post-rock tropes.

Other additions include:

The Rebel Set, How To Make a Monster!

Step Brothers, Lord Steppington

Tom Brosseau, Grass Punks

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Sam Goldner is the music director at Radio 1190. Email him at sam@radio1190.org.