Crofton Coleman's project Melvin Knight has released his new record, Shades of Us, into the world. You should absolutely listen, it is quite good — Spotify and Apple Music are where you can find it.

Check out the track listing and album art below, and head back and watch the video for "Ice Cream". 

Shades of Us:

1. Intro
2. Ice Cream
3. Shades of Us
4. That's the Truth (interlude)
5. Butterfly Bed
6. Everything is Everything
7. Magic (interlude)
8. Promised Land
9. Paradise in Spring
10. Sandcastles

Experimental/post-rock trio Staghorn have released their new record, Wormwood III, which you can stream now. The album was written and recorded at Earth Analog studios, engineered by Aaron McAllister.

The single track spans nearly 23 minutes. The band is performing at Audiofeed Festival this week, and while you're at it, read our interview with them.

Although Special Death isn't a local project, Rat King Records is a local label, and Special Death features Kyle Lang of Easter. Easter lived a wonderful existence in Champaign-Urbana, and I posted a little while back about the lovely DEMONSTRATION on Easter.

Special Death just released a new 7'' on Rat King Records, and the label also is reissueing DEMONSTRATION on cassette.

Here's the video for "Night With A Friend" from the Special Death release:

Gazelle's Sunblown might be a record and a band you've never heard of, and that's OK. Adam Fein of Absinthe Blind and Jeff Dimpsey of Hum, Honcho Overload, and National Skyline made this record, and it came out 10 years ago this week — June 10th, 2008. Sunblown was released on Hidden Agenda, and rated as one of the best releases of the decade by the SP team back in 2009.

Stream the record below:

Winder has announced a new EP entitled GONE, FOR GOOD — and you can stream a brand new track below, "Brain Tired". The band has a performance tonight at Blips and Chitz, and you can preorder the album via their Bandcamp (linked above). The EP is out July 6th.

This release is a follow up to 2017's ALWAYS ASSUME.

1. Brain Tired
2. An Augury
3. VOID REPORT
4. I Mean, Maybe
5. Floral Print Handkerchief

Top photo by Veronica Mullen, Album Art by Never Angel Nørth.

Local rapper and spoken word poet Rota has recently released his new record, YOLO! ... an album about death, which he promises is funnier than it sounds. The album's theme deals with honest discussion about death, grief, and loss. 

Rota's final show in Champaign-Urbana is this week, he's a member of Rogue Tendency, and they are performing at Memphis on Main.

Listen to the album below:

Poster Children have released their brand new album — their first since 2004's No More Songs About Sleep and Fire — Grand Bargain!. We debuted the title track back in January, and now, the full album is available for streaming/purchasing.

Rapper CJ Run has released two new tracks, "747" and "Indigo", which you can stream now on a variety of platforms. They've been on tour and recording recently, but here's a taste of some new material for the time being.

I stopped by the Give Back Garden (201 W. Kenyon Road, Champaign) this week and learned that they are in need of volunteers NOW for the following tasks:

• Watering beds
• Weeding
• Mulching
• Fence painting
• Additional planting
• Overall garden maintenance

All of the garden's harvest is free and given away to the community, but they need assistance with growing and maintaining the garden. All tools are supplied by the GBG. 

So, if you individually are interested in gardening/community service or are affiliated with groups looking for summer projects, please reach out to Valerie at GiveBackGarden@c-uphd.org and commit your organization to support this effort this summer. 

Check out SP's article on the Give Back Garden for more info on the work that they do.

Photo by Nicole Anderson Cobb

Experimental electronic project Snayl has a new album on the way — Without is out on Jun 9th. The album will feature CJ Run, Cii La'Cole, KVMPVIGN, and more. This is the follow up to Snayl's last record, Dreaming of Ghosts.

Earlier this week, Motes announced their new album Crash the Day would also be out June 9th.

Check out the track listing and album art below.

Without:

1. Under Bright Ghosts
2. Bebop Lizard
3. Happily Coherent
4. We Were Seabirds
5. Warm Rain (ft. Cii La'Cole)
6. If Only (ft. KVMPVIGN & CJ Run)
7. Neighbors
8. Without

Album art by Billi Jo Hart

Back in March, Motes announced their new record Crash The Day was on its way. Today they've detailed more information about the Keep it in the Dark follow up, which is out June 1st 8th via Heirship Records.

Check out the album art, track listing, and new single "Again Again" below.

Cover art by Paige Spangler

Crash The Day:

1. Montana
2. Salt
3. Came To
4. Silver Pine
5. Acting Alone
6. Day Moon
7. Again Again
8. Problem Patron
9. Choir
10. Softer

Psych outfit ZXO have released a couple of new tracks, "Silver Parade" and "​Blinding Ray", their first new releases since LP1 came out at the end of 2017.

Stream the tracks below, and check out the album artwork: