Regarding the modern indie-pop aesthetic, Boston’s Gillian perfects it: classy-creeping piano leads, pumping beats, and the singer-songwriter’s honeyed melodies slowly cascading over them. However, the theme of her latest single “High” goes beyond the standard, it digs a bit deeper, tackling a subject that is scarcely discussed in the youth’s pro-recreational mildew: sobriety. Gillian vents, via infectious hooks and exquisite harmonies, frustrations about a partner struggling to remain sober and how that struggle becomes an illness turning love languid, disappointment vivid. The music video for the track, directed by Nolan Knight, captures the exact atmosphere and heartbreak the song so radiates. Gillian is not only a bright beacon of indie-pop and its current influence on the mainstream but also an artist digging deeper, as artists do. Stream the music video for “High” below. - Rene Cobar

Igniting our month and weekend simultaneously, furiously shredding and adorably bopping, all the same, is Vaughan Supple’s brand new EP Backbone Elegy. The new record is more of Vaughan’s grungy brand of music, except this time the Boston artist varnishes his sound in a sweet mixture of gooey doo-wop that creates a product irresistible and all his own. Right out of the gate, the furious punk rhythm and sugary harmonizing of “For Old Time's Sake” gets a hold of you, ripping distorted guitars and floating Vaughan’s infectious melody in its raunchy medley of fun. Where “Perfume and Mirrors” is a gorgeous piano-led ballad, drowsy and passionate, “Bubblegum” is true to its namesake: short and sweetly-flavored pop-jazz. The title track of the new EP, is where Vaughan Supple’s theme is revealed, why with its thick ambiance of velvety harmonies and distinct acoustic guitar flourishes the artist takes vocal flight towards the past, reflecting as he longs for a simpler time in music and all elsewhere. One could say the final song in the album, a reprise of the first, is a moody send-off, but we argue it could just as well be the beginning as time is not always a river flowing in one direction, sometimes it is a beautiful storm to behold. Stream Backbone Elegy premiering exclusively below and here is to a great month. - Rene Cobar  

Hard to imagine a smoother, groovier, and more exquisite start to the week than the one Andrea Capozzoli serves up in her latest single “Last Goodbye.” Oh yes, the song is all the neo-soul goodness that has characterized Capozzoli’s trajectory, but there is added emotion and undertones of liberation in Capozzoli’s velvety, assertive vocals. Accurately, and oh so delicately landing on each note change, the artist dances past the sweet guitar riffs and the accompanying swing to bask in the growing excitement of the song’s soulful choruses. “Last Goodbye” is an ode to a friend’s triumphant escape from a toxic relationship, and yet, it is for all lovers who have done just that, and for those brewing the courage to join them in freedom, in strength. Andrea Capozzoli’s method is a prime example of the ever-lasting power of R&B/soul in the age of computer-generated hits: nothing beats watching musicians shaping the molten goodness of their skill into precious pieces for all to enjoy. Dmitry Ishenko (bass),  Dave Ross (guitar,) and Rob Mitzner (drums) accompany Capozzoli in “Last Goodbye” premiering below. - Rene Cobar

Putting a collection together of one’s work is no easy task, each piece is part of a greater story being told, and it must be told well. Boston’s Alan Scardapane does this brilliantly with his collection titled Winter House. Each track showcases Alan’s easy-going approach to music and serious melodic chops. Songs like “Camden Yards” drop you into a place of comfort: the music, with its lingering harmonies, and soft acoustic guitar plucks, flows like a cool river or a spring breeze you want to listen to, to breathe in, take in. “Without You” is folk-rock for the moodiest of days and the warmest summer evenings. Alan has collected his best tunes of 2014-16, and it shows; stream the edgy “Whiskey Girl” below for a proper weekend greeting. - Rene Cobar

Boston's Danny Moffat (The Collect Pond) has been keeping busy alongside his acoustic guitar and soul-merging loops; his latest offering, “Traveling,”  is an ode to that which we hope for most at the moment: peace and familiarity. With a combination of gentle strums and relaxed-captivating vocals, Danny slows down the heartbeat, sharpens focus, and suspends you into a better reality. His indie folk track takes on a fun, fast-paced rhythm toward the end that is fitting, so pop-punk of him, a la acoustic that is, of course. Steam Danny’s latest track below for a mid-week mood uplift. - Rene Cobar