Sara Jackson-Holman, River Queen (out now, Expunged Records, expungedrecords.com) Once while on tour with my band Alameda, I saw Sara Jackson-Holman silence a chatty crowd in Graz, Austria. She started her set with “Push Back,” an anthemic pop track from this new six-song EP, and people were sold right on the spot. To me this came as no surprise, considering that her larger-than-life stage presence itself captivates audiences, and it doesn’t hurt that she can also write a catchy-as-hell pop hook. Now available to everyone, River Quee

n—recorded at Miracle Lake Studios in Camas, Wash., where she recorded her two previous releases, 2010’s When You Dream and 2012’s Cardiology—sits you down at a roundtable of influences spanning the gamut from Adele to Bach. Combining hip-hop elements with piano compositions (Jackson-Holman is a classically trained pianist), these newest songs easily join a certain canon of radio pop hits (think Lorde or My Brightest Diamond). Backed with soundscapes of lush vocal harmonies, dense melodies, and booming beats, Jackson-Holman has expanded from a more minimal sound and ventured into expansive, lavish territory. Unapologetically pop, this is a mature and confident album of love lost and won. At just 21, she comes across as a veteran, knowing exactly what she’s doing. Now the only question is: What crowd will she be silencing next? STIRLING MYLES

Luluc, Passerby (out now, Subpop, lulucmusic.com) As opposed to the unmistakable lushness he brought to Sharon Van Etten’s latest release, Are We There, here producer Aaron Dessner takes a backseat—like way, way back—on this Australian duo’s Sub Pop debut. Accompanied by Steve Hassett, Zoe Randell is an effortless singer, and her dreamy vocals—like those of a post-rock Judy Collins, or Nico—seem to magically hover around these 10 lightly embellished songs that require little else. Soft touches, like the delicate thrum of nylon strings or a gentle piano chord, do the rest, with tender lyrics about the natural world, love, and the ephemeral. If you happen to notice a Nick Drake-like quality, a certain hushed and quiet tone, that’s no mistake; the band is good friends with Drake’s producer, Joe Boyd, and brings forth a similar rainy-day, coffee-shop-ready style. Yet the contemplative Passerby could also soundtrack any number of other activities—like a restful nap with your favorite cat, helpfully suggested by its cover art—and, in contrast with Sub Pop’s increasingly frenetic, experimental roster, is just as refreshing. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

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