Every Friday, a staff member at the ugly hug curates a list of their five favorite new(ish) releases to share with us all. This week, our photographer, Will, put together a list of distorted hugs, tin can stunners and loveable bedroom pop tunes.

“Angel Like You” by Nick Harley

In what has quickly become one of my favorite albums of the year, Nashville-based Nick Harley delivers a perfect blend of Appalachian folk and low-fi indie. “Angel Like You” introduces the album with melancholic nostalgia with a simple instrumentation, just a couple of well-picked guitars, and some drums. The sentimental songwriting, about the purity and optimism of the beginnings of love, is captured on the warm fuzz of analog recording. The entire album creates the ideal soundtrack for driving through the Appalachian mountains after a spring rainstorm. For now, I’m settling for a post-rain walk on the streets of New York, and it’s just as good for that.

“Gulf Shores” by Merce Lemon, Colin Miller

Continuing with artists hailing from Appalachia, “Gulf Shores” by Pittsburgh-based Merce Lemon and Asheville’s Colin Miller has been a part of my rotation since its release in January. One of two covers by Will Oldham (who I only recently really dove into the discography of, and it’s a must listen to for fans of Songs Ohia, MJ Lenderman, etc.) and the song is truly done justice. A beautiful and melancholic song, sonically and lyrically, Miller takes the lead of the duet with the floating sounds of steel guitar (my absolute favorite instrument) behind him.

“Dotted Line” by Why Bonnie

Their first single after signing to Fire Talk, “Dotted Line”, proves Houston’s (now Brooklyn’s) Why Bonnie, led by Blair Howerton, has picked up right where she left off. The single maintains the grit of the band’s past work, rounded out with a more polished sound. The song juxtaposes the all too common frustrations of making music as an indie musician over an energetic instrumentation. After getting the chance to catch their live show at Baby’s All Right this month, their upcoming album is definitely something to keep an eye out for. 

“Julia” by Crate

New York’s Crate has a single line description on Bandcamp;  “like a warm hug”. This description rings true with their debut single “Julia”. After a slow build of synth and drums for almost a minute and a half, it comes crashing down when the guitars come in, and you are enveloped in a sea of warm distortion. After being lucky enough to see them open for A Country Western at Trans Pecos, I was blown away by their sound and can safely say it’s one that is only better live. Here’s to hoping that more music is coming on the way from them soon!

“Trudy” by One Wheel Fireworks Show

To finish on a sadder note, Ashville’s Will Cole, releasing music under the title One Wheel Fireworks Show, delivers a full album of songs as devastating as they are beautiful. “Trudy”, a tribute to the all too relatable despair of an aging dog, the song’s namesake also being who the album is partially dedicated to, and just might be the best of both. Cole sings softly over a steady hum of fuzz with a single guitar before a short slide guitar solo finishes the song. The song reads like a page from a diary with its heartfelt sincerity which is driven home by a minute of audio clips about dogs and Asheville that extends the melancholic feeling of the track. 

Written by Will McRae