It’s that time of year again, dear friends: The rivers have begun to rise, a familiar scent fills the air and the politicos are slinging more mud than Gary’s slinging burgers. Yes, spring is here.
Alongside these traditional signifiers of renewal, Montana’s myriad musicians have emerged from their winter dens to drop some terrific music into our fortunate ears. So buckle up, leave your troubles at the door and enjoy our roundup of the best new songs from across the Treasure State—from Johnny Cash-indebted country, to demonic thrasher metal, Burning Man-ready dubstep pop, howling punk rock and more.
Sean Eamon — “If Love Was a Fighter“
On the opening track of his new album With a Lean, Butte’s Sean Eamon delivers an impassioned and mildly goofy slice of mariachi-tinged lovelorn country. Eamon’s got a lovely baritone, and I especially enjoy the way he switches between his stately, Cash-esque natural register and a somewhat unhinged yelp. His band sounds terrific, too; rich stabs of horn and lap steel round out the sweet and sunny palette.
The Love Darts — “It Ain’t Easy (It’s so Hard)“
On “It Ain’t Easy,” Bozeman’s kings of chaos channel the Clash at their punchiest—as well as the unhinged spirit of Richard Hell and the Voidoids—into a frenetic shot of noisy rock’n’roll. Frontman Jeff Jensen brings his A-game, hollering his way through some deliciously silly one-liners (“Living in a hole, it ain’t so hard / Living in a rich city, it ain’t so hard”) in a sandpaper howl; the song’s delirious seething shitstorm of a lead guitar riff seals the deal.
Desperate Electric — “Prove Me Wrong”
On their slinky new single “Prove Me Wrong,” the groovy duo Desperate Electric spin dusky disco, the deadpan delivery of Khruangbin’s “Evan Finds the Third Room” and a healthy dose of Duke Silver into a lusty late-night mandate for romance. I particularly love the half-time breakdown in the chorus, where Kayti Korte proclaims, “You gotta make time / you better have money, honey” as Ben Morris’ sax squeals behind her.
Cosmic Sans — “Yuri“
Missoula’s Cosmic Sans have covered a lot of ground in a few short years, starting with their noodly 2021 self-titled debut and casting a wide prog and classic-rock net on their follow-up, last year’s Psychedelicatessen. On new single “Yuri,” the band delivers one of its strongest performances yet. Vocalist Jake Howell leads the charge, howling his way through a tale of either following a girl to outer space, or joining a death cult. All the while, hard-hitting guitars erupt around him, the chorus evokes Strokes-y swagger and the song swirls with sonic doodads in the vein of Tame Impala. “Yuri” is a potent reminder that Cosmic Sans remain one of Montana’s most inventive bands, and that they always have something fresh up their psychedelic sleeves.
Skitzo (featuring SVNIIVAN) — “Sound of Sirens“
I’ll be honest: Dubstep / electronic dance music / anything that reminds me of Burning Man isn’t usually my cup of tea. But this banger from Hungry Horse’s Skitzo (who also runs Lost Woodz Entertainment) wormed its way into my heart with its ultra-catchy chorus, stellar maximalist production and enough low-end force to sink a battleship. If EDM was always this infectious and fun, I might be inspired to strip naked and bike through the desert among the acid-head flamethrowing clown pirates in the middle of the night…again.
Lust Hag — “A Deep Gouge“
Take the zombies from World War Z, make them listen to Slayer and Deafheaven, turn them into metalhead virtuosos and you might end up with something like this dazzling, utterly fucked-up slice of doom from Missoula’s Eleanor Harper. I also love Harper’s other project, Termagant; “Chainsawed in Half,” from her Termagant demo, is the stuff of demonic dreams.
Slanted — “Intropy“
On the eight-minute “Intropy,” a highlight from Slanted’s new full-length When a Tree Falls, the Missoula artist Obsidian Nichols embraces everything from downtempo drone-y indie rock to scathing emo-punk and space-age synths. It’s fun, ambitious and full of sonic left turns that keep me guessing even on repeat listens.
Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld — “The Numbers” (Radiohead cover)
Back in March, veteran singer-songwriter Martha Scanlan, working with frequent collaborator Jon Neufeld, released a full covers album called Save it For Later. The record takes many delightful and unexpected turns, including a sweet piano-driven rendition of Beyonce’s “XO.” I’m particularly fond of their sparse and earthy take on Radiohead’s “The Numbers,” from 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. Scanlan and Neufeld do away with the song’s snaky bass line, plinky piano and wisps of metallic atmospheric clutter, amplifying its core message of environmental destruction and the earth’s resilience.
Fish Bwoi — “tortoise wrld”
Calling all fans of space-y, trance-y dance music: Missoula’s Fish Bwoi, and his new full-length Planet Drool, may be just the thing to scratch that “it’s late and you’re super stoned but you still wanna boogie” itch. On standout track “tortoise wrld,” FB twists a top-shelf bass line, clattering drum machines and a looped vocal sample into a streamlined groove that brings to mind the Toro y Moi side project Les Sins at its most playful, or a lo-fi Disclosure.
Roki — “Horizon II“
Let’s wrap up our list with a palate cleaner for your ears, a sonic sorbet. On “Horizon II,” from her new record Whitetail, the Trego-based musician Roki blends a plucked guitar, wordless vocals, brooding violin and slowly building percussions into an elegant and ominous composition. Every time I hear it, it transports me into a deep and dark forest, where a hippogriff, or a lost Burner, could be hiding behind every tree.
Looking for more awesome music from across Montana? Check out our last round-up of Montana’s best new music here.
