Hunter’s Briefcase - Ghost on the Highway EP

Hunter’s Briefcase has been sharing tracks from its latest EP to live audiences for some time. But the studio versions tell another story entirely. The psych-rock trio—Jake Mendoza on guitar and vocals, Nicolas Mendoza on drums and Carter Woodson on bass—share a distinct chemistry that feels both unflappable and impenetrable. These musicians, with their fondness for fuzzed out riffs and funk-flecked guitar picking, coexist in a universe of their own making, shining as an absolute unit on each tune. “Ghost on the Highway” illustrates the band’s nuanced song structures and theatricality, the hazy track slowly building into a frenzied jam of crashing cymbals and reverb. Ear-splitting guitar solos, as on the epic close of “Fiive,” inject identity into the songs, as does Jake Mendoza’s wailing, fragile falsetto. instagram.com/huntersbriefcase

Mercy Music - What You Stand to Lose

Mercy Music’s Brendan Scholz had teased that the band’s fourth studio album would be its cleanest yet, but What You Stand to Lose outshines anything we envisioned. The pop-punk trio stands at the top of its game on this 11-track LP, released on Double Helix Records and recorded at the Blasting Room, the Fort Collins, Colorado, studio/home of the Descendents’ Bill Stevenson, who produced the album. The chord progressions pop, the solos ring and the drumming packs enough punch to raise a roof. It’s, dare we say, optimistic, but fans know that’s always been the bait of this lyrically rueful band.

Scholz pledged this could also be Mercy Music’s darkest record yet. There’s no arguing that point, either. “I’m in the darkest place/With all the love in my heart/Still falling on my face/You’ve given up on me/I don’t blame you/It’s your life,” Scholz sings on “Found Out I’m Useless.” The frontman exudes striking candor throughout, bringing listeners in close to examine his wounds. “I want people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re struggling with,” Scholz said in a press release. “I hope they find comfort in the record the same way I do in the records I love.” linktr.ee/mercymusic

Neon - It’s Almost Summer

Fans of Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning Renaissance album should love this disco house-inspired epic. Neo-soul singer Neon hits her stride on this ’70s-inflected dance record, assigning sensuality, confidence and simmering sex appeal where they thrive best. It’s Almost Summer magnifies Neon’s strengths as a singer and former MC with a groovy landscape of beats as the backdrop. From the wobbling synths on “Velvet” to the pulsing electronica of “Drifting,” Neon knows her listeners, and they’re ready to boogie. linktr.ee/neon1

Juno Rucker - Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

Singer-songwriter Juno Rucker makes a strong entrance with this self-produced project, dedicated to his late grandmother. Rucker, who chose to record the album in several households rather than a studio, scratches at the recesses of his mind on these confessional tracks, exploring dark, unspoken thoughts (“I’m on the roof when nobody’s home/I think I know where this is going/I want to jump/But the show must go on,” he sings on “Rucker!”) and what it is to find meaning in it all. Some Things is a patchwork of genres, with Rucker bearing down on his Lauryn Hill, Dominic Fike and Frank Ocean influences to create a beguiling fusion of lush guitar notes and soul-stirring hip-hop and R&B. lnkfi.re/somethingsarebetterleftunsaid

Secos - Loveseat EP

Loveseat, recorded by Secos at Downtown’s National Southwestern Recording, picks up where the indie desert dwellers— now a four-piece following guitarist Enrique Orozco’s exit—last left off. The follow-up to Secos’ 2022 self-titled album serves as a showpiece for frontman David Candelas’ operatic voice, fitting for an EP rife with messy romances and a flair for drama. The vocalist plays the part of the jilted lover as he laments on the tonally gripping “Cold War.” On “Encounters,” a standout for its bright, cruising melodies, he’s content to “Have another drink tonight/It’s OK, I won’t bite.” linktr.ee/secosband

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