Another week of awesome independent music from the depths of my inbox. Support your favorites by liking, subscribing, sharing and connecting.

Daily Grind – The Life & Times, Circa Now

Pittsburgh based rockers Daily Grind is set to release their new album, I Did Those Things on Misra Records, and embark on their third nationwide tour this month.

Jesse Ruben – This Is Why I Need You

The message that Brooklyn singer/songwriter Jesse Ruben has been spreading through his music is simple and direct. I can. You can. We Can. When Jesse originally wrote his song “We Can”, he had just run the NYC Marathon and hoped to inspire people to start running. As it turns out, his message was meant to be much more universal. A few months after he released the track, a Vancouver elementary school reached out, saying they had been playing it to inspire their students. They asked Jesse to fly in and perform the song for their school, and so began “The We Can Project”, which now spreads across North America. Jesse began touring the country, visiting schools and helping students come up with personal goals and ways to give back to their community. Amazing things began to happen. Playgrounds were built. Gardens planted. Cancer walks organized.

Just as things were taking off, life threw a curveball. Jesse had just headlined and sold out his entire East Coast tour and was writing new music when he became incredibly ill. It took 9 months and more than a dozen doctors before he got his diagnosis: Lyme Disease. Jesse was so sick, he didn’t think he would ever play music or lead a normal life again. Suddenly, the message he had been spreading to students over the past year rang truer than ever before. I can do this. It took two full years to rebuild his health. It’s an experience Jesse won’t easily forget.

In fact, it’s changed his perspective on life and writing. Jesse had always wanted to inspire people through his music, but now has a mission and an even bigger message: No matter what you are going through, you’re not alone, and it will get better. Now, he is healthy and more motivated than ever to build his career and pursue his dreams.

Jesse will be releasing his EP, A Reply to Violence, later on this year. The title is inspired by a Leonard Bernstein quote he stumbled upon on the side of a school while walking through the East Village:

“This will be our reply to violence, that we make music more intensely, more beautifully, and more devotedly than ever before”

Phobos – Microsaccade

From ashes of ruination of previous projects spawned Phobos, the instrument of fear and pleasure. Defining the line between the heft, essence and cerebrum , the only real weapons humanity has. Phobos plays modern alternative/progresive metal with various elements and combining many genres. From old school melodic death to some new waves in extreme music like post metal, djent and deathcore.

Julia McDonald – Games

Julia McDonald is a high energy artist and songwriter, based out of Orlando, FL. Her debut EP Gravity, exposed her soul and style to the world while managing to preserve the 18- year old’s incredible depth and honesty with each song. In the past year, her songs have been performed for audiences throughout Central Florida, showcased at the 2016 Florida Music Festival, and were used to open for Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Andrew Duhon.

Looking to May, 2016, Julia will be back in the studio with Multi-Platinum producer Kevin De Clue who stated, “The minute I heard Julia’s voice, I knew it was a must that I work with her. I have listened to thousands of artists in my 20 plus years as a producer, and I can confidently say that Julia is one of the best”.

Goldfeather – Spilled Milk

Brooklyn-based indie-folk band, Goldfeather, announce the release of their latest single, “Spilled Milk,” premiering via The Deli Magazine NYC. The song is the first from their upcoming debut LP, Patchwork Quilt, slated for release September 2016. “Spilled Milk,” reflects on the lasting personal effects of an unresolved friendship underscored by haunting four-part harmonies. The band incorporates traditional folk and bluegrass instruments, and blends them with unusual sonic textures and evocative vocal performances.

“Spilled Milk,” features a chorus of stringed instruments including a driving banjo line, mandolin, guitar and percussive double bass. The song begins with a striking male/female vocal harmony reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, The Decemberists and The Carter Family. The refrain “my love for you is buried in the snow” is a serene passage featuring Sarah’s pleading voice that crescendos into her desire rooted in the heart of the song — “if only i could see you, I would make amends,” but when the opportunity arose, “all that I could do was run away.”

Goldfeather is comprised of Minnesota-native Sarah Goldfeather (founder, lead vocals, violin), Dylan Mckinstry (vocals, mandolin, banjo), Katie Martucci (vocals, guitar), Nathan Koci (vocals, accordion, banjo) and Pat Swoboda (double bass). The five-piece takes influence from Andrew Bird and Fleet Foxes, with collective musical backgrounds in almost every genre imaginable — including classical, contemporary classical, folk, bluegrass, electronic, avant-garde jazz, rock and more. After they were holed up in the studio to record their debut LP, Goldfeather notably teamed up for two shows with 7-piece new music ensemble, Exceptet, which Sarah also founded and co-leads as a violinist. The two groups played the Times Two Series in Boston and the Ecstatic Music Festival/MATA Interval Series at Merkin Hall in March 2016. Goldfeather has an upcoming show at Barbes in Brooklyn NY, on June 9th.

The Chris Paterno Band – Unfaithful

The Philadelphia-based six-piece was formed in 2015 by Paterno (lead vocals, acoustic guitar). Once a solo project, the band formed after Paterno was personally asked by the Philadelphia Freedoms to play the pre-match bloc party at the Villanova Pavilion in front of 2000 people. Such a sizeable stage required a full band, leading Paterno to bring on his friend and roommate, Connor McElwee (electric guitar, vocals), and their old high school English professor, Doug Parsons (percussion). To round out the eclectic group that forms The Chris Paterno Band, Mike Clark (trumpet), Adam Monaco (mandolin) and Frank Rein (trombone) came on board. Later that year, Grammy-winning producer Joe Nicolo saw them play at Chaplin’s (Spring City, PA) and quickly signed them to his label, BlacBird Productions, where they began recording their debut EP. The six-piece has stayed active by not only creating new music but by playing at local venues, including Kung Fu Necktie and Bernie’s Pub.

Amarii Davu – Hopeless ft Auriel & Lee Jackson

Nashville’s Amarii Davu is back with another single, Hopeless. This is the follow up to his previous release Cost of Melanin, stream that here. Check out our previous podcast interview with Davu.