Joy Postell

Diaspora

Before she’d ever released an album, Joy Postell had become a seminal artist in the local music scene thanks to her clarion calls for justice and equality. And now we have her first record, a dynamic feat that announces the singer-songwriter as a mighty voice for her city—and the country. Across 10 tracks, from social commentaries (“Consciousness”) to intimate love stories (“Signs”), Postell draws from the historic sounds of the African-American experience—haunting spirituals, jazzy neo-soul, funk-infused R&B—and adds her own flair and fire. Whatever the subject, she speaks from the soul, bares her own truth, and searches for means of growth, both personally and as a society at large. Pay attention to her words. They pack a powerful message.

Haint Blue

Overgrown

Boy, is this one holy roller of a record. Haint Blue has gained a loyal local following over the years, but the septet is ready to soar with this first full-length record—a powerful reckoning with faith, family, addiction, and acceptance by way of righteous indie-Americana music that both smooths and shakes your soul. Through big, bold anthems and bare-it-all ballads, these 12 tracks explore the real-life experiences of frontman Mike Cohn, from fleeing a religious upbringing and battling a dark period of drugs to losing loved ones along the way. Whatever your own story may be, the band’s hearty arrangements, founded in traditional acoustic instruments, Cohn’s textured vocals, and tight, golden harmonies, strike a deeply human chord. The record comes out next month, but listen to the first single, “Bear The Burden,” now.