Outside the Heard

	Dan Croll Emerging Adulthood Dan Croll

“I’m facing more than 24” sings Dan Croll on his new album, Emerging Adulthood. He’s right to wanna run screaming –instead this once-promising rugby star from Liverpool, England focused his fear into creating catchy, genre-adverse pop music that isn’t afraid to get skronky or confessional – or stare into The Void. He’s pretty funny, too.

	DECLAN MCKENNA WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CAR? Columbia

What Do You Think About the Car? is the debut album from 18-year-old alternative singer/songwriter and socially conscious (and certainly smart-ass) artist, Declan McKenna. NPR Music has long supported Declan, with Bob Boilen noting, “Declan McKenna writes about a much bigger world than you or I might expect from a singer who only recently turned 18.”

	Offa Rex The Queen of Hearts Nonesuch

The Queen of Hearts, the debut album from Offa Rex, is an adventurous new project featuring English singer-songwriter Olivia Chaney and The Decemberists. Produced and recorded by Tucker Martine (Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case) and Colin Meloy, The Queen of Hearts draws on traditional English-Irish-Scottish repertoire to create a transatlantic musical conversation that flirts with psychedelia and folk rock while maintaining its own inimitable identity.

	Juiceboxxx Freaked Out American Loser Dangerbird Records

With his new album Freaked Out American Loser, Milwaukee-bred alternative punk/rap artist Juiceboxxx combines rap and hardcore with inexorable emotional honesty and unyielding commitment. Songs like "Guts and Tension" and "Destruction and Redemption" place the listener in the middle of the pit. "Freaking Out" and "Go to the Club Alone" finds J-Boxxx’s dexterous flow on full blast without sacrificing his jittery, post-punk edge.

	Mystery Skulls One of Us (Explicit) WB

One of Us was written by Mystery Skulls as the soundtrack to a story that follows the relationship of two underground, lowlife residents in a dystopian world as they fight to escape shadowy forces exerting control over society – particularly via the cameras and recording devices that we carry with us at all times. Musically, the future is bright, chiptuned, and eminently danceable.

	Bonzie Zone On Nine Beevine Records

The second album from Chicago-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bonzie, Zone on Nine pulls off the sublime feat of feeling both intensely intimate and otherworldly in scope. A singer-songwriter at heart, Bonzie might sound like Susanne Vega one moment only to be surrounded by circuit-bent electronics, or a raw Steve Albini production, or a string section the next – all without sacrificing melody and lyrical beauty. Highly recommended.

	Tyler The Creator Flower Boy Columbia

Flower Boy, is the new and long awaited album from Tyler, The Creator. Highlights include "Who Dat Boy" featuring A$AP Rocky, and "911/Mr. Lonely," featuring Steve Lacy and Frank Ocean, respectively. Flower Boy features two unique covers, the first one designed by Tyler himself and the other by artist Eric White, whose paintings have been described by The Los Angeles Times as being "nostalgic and at the same time also vaguely futuristic, even dystopian," to visually articulate the world of Flower Boy.

	Coldplay Kaleidoscope EP Atlantic/Parlophone

Coldplay's new 5-track Kaleidoscope EP features "All I Can Think About Is You," which builds from a rolling bassline to a spellbinding climax; the dreamlike ballad "Hypnotised"; "Miracles (Someone Special)," a collaboration with Detroit rapper Big Sean; "A L I E N S" written and co-produced with Brian Eno, and a new live version of the group's collaboration with The Chainsmokers, "Something Just Like This" recorded in Tokyo in April 2017.

	The Dears Times Infinity Volume Two Dangerbird Records

The Dears are the critically acclaimed “orchestral-pop-noir-romantique” rock'n'roll band from Montréal. The themes covered on their latest work, Times Infinity Volume One and Times Infinity Volume Two, are familiar – unconditional love, longing, and a debilitating fear of loneliness. Times Infinity Volume Two, completed in tandem with Volume One, though the band notes that Volume Two is the “much darker” installment of the pair.

	Needtobreathe HARD CUTS: Songs from the H A R D L O V E Sessions Atlantic

HARD CUTS: Songs from the H A R D L O V E Sessions is 6-song EP including four previously unheard Needtobreathe songs." We hunkered down in a mountain house and put together demo after demo after demo. We threw those demos out and made more demos... eventually leading to the 12 tracks you've heard on H A R D L O V E. One of the hardest parts about finishing this record was figuring out what songs we had to cut.” Problem solved!

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a group of some of the best independent music stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995; its current membership is made up of 29 accounts that handle 47 stores in 21 states. Many of the accounts have been recognized by the music industry and their local communities for their outstanding dedication to customer service and developing artist support.

Each member is bound by its shared love of music, a reputation for great selection and customer service in its community, yet each CIMS account is as unique as the market it represents. Most importantly, CIMS member stores continually seek to challenge the jaded, color-by-numbers advertising and marketing of other retailers.