Beings - "Flowers That Talk"
The latest addition to the No Quarter roster sees Steve Gunn, Jim White, Zoh Amba, and Shazad Ismaily connect for a new outfit that explores the intersection between jazz, psych, no wave and pop. “Flowers That Talk” eases into view on Ismaily’s synth clouds before Amba’s vocals come in, assured and aloof. The guitar tangles with White’s drums before Amba sears the track with sax bleats full of heat. The track flashes back to the acerbic end of the ’70s, a cut that’s studied, but never stilted.

Magic Fig - "PS1"
A second single soars out from the upcoming Magic Fig record. Lead by Inna Showalter’s (Whitney’s Playland, Blades of Joy) gossamer vocals, and featuring members of other Bay Area indie-pop acolytes The Umbrellas, Almond Joy and Healing Potpourri, the band takes a surprising turn away from expectations and into prog-folk’s welcoming embrace. Just peeking out from under the shadow of Broadcast, “PS1” pretty fully embraces the ‘60s psych that moves through Trees and Pentagle and into the more synth-heavy side of the ‘70s, cribbing more sonically from ELP than the Canturbury crew they cite, but it all boils down to a simmering slab of psychedelic pop in the end.

Laughing - "Bruised"
Montreal’s Laughing launch into a classic strum, picking apart memories of Matthew Sweet, Lemonheads, Choo Choo Train, and Permanent Green Light. The jangle of mandolin gives the song a bit of an Athens ‘80s wash as well. With past and current members of Nap Eyes, Monomyth, Human Music, and Fountain, the band’s already got a pop pedigree in place and they translate it easily to a cut that feels like it’s already spent quite a bit of time on the ‘90s CMJ charts. It’s a loving homage that sticks around the head for days.

A monthly round-up of sounds that filter through the blog Raven Sings the Blues, presented here as a two-hour block of psychedelic seep. While constantly trying to draw lines between the fringes of the past and the fringes of the present, the show explores music from all manner of independent labels, threaded together with a sense of exploration and joy in reshaping pop along the z-axis. Guaranteed good times. Broadcast from Hudson.