Brooklyn Vegan — by Andrew Sacher Twenty-year-old Memphis singer/songwriter Julien Baker fronts the bands Forrister and The Star Killers, and as of last week she's got a solo record out in the world called Sprained Ankle. It's on 6131 Records, which is mostly... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — photo: The National at Barclays Center in 2013 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin) Although The National haven't released an album since 2013's Trouble Will Find Me, they've had a very busy two years. They premiered their documentary, Mistaken for Stra... more info

Stereogum — Austin rockers Shearwater have announced the release of a new album called Jet Plane And Oxbow, the follow-up to 2012’s Animal Joy and 2013’s covers comp Fellow Travelers. It features contributions from composer Brian Reitzell (best known for his... more info

Stereogum — Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner has been making great experimental synthpop under the name Flock Of Dimes for a few years now, although she’s only released a handful of singles thus far. Recently, she wrote some original music to accompany a Baltimore stag... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — by Andrew Sacher Seattle's annual Capitol Hill Block Party returns in 2015 from July 24-26. This year's lineup includes Ratatat, TV on the Radio, The Kills, Father John Misty, Jamie xx, Toro y Moi, Built to Spill, Wye Oak, The... more info

Stereogum — In their centennial 2015-2016 concert season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is partnering with WTMD-FM 89.7 as part of Pulse, a new concert series to appeal to the “next generation.” Pulse is bringing indie rock bands to the stage alongside Ba... more info

Stereogum — Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner records synthy, reberby music on her own under the name Flock Of Dimes. And as Flock Of Dimes, she’s lately been on tour with solid-gold dance-poppers Sylvan Esso. Together, Wasner and Sylvan Esso recently took part in the A... more info

Stereogum — Brooklyn-based electro-pop purveyor Big Data — helmed by Producer Alan Wilkis — have a new album on the way, and it features a whole host of collaborators including Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner, Twin Shadow’s George Lewis Jr... more info

Stereogum — With Shriek’s move over to the synth-ier side of things, Wye Oak now have more in common stylistically with Sylvan Esso than they ever would have previously, and this remix of “Play It Right” feels very appropriate. The duo adds a few new eleme... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — Protomartyr's second album, Under Color of Official Right, is one of the year's most acclaimed albums, matching witty if bleak observations to snarling postpunk backing. The band spent most of the year on the road, out on tours with... more info