Desert Noises Release Everything Always
It’s rare for a band to take a six year gap between albums, let alone a young and ambitious one filled with promise like Desert Noises was when they released their 2014 debut 27 Ways. They were riding the rollicking wave of good old Americana as it began to peak in popularity, and they were hits in the scenes of Provo and SLC, which were then saturated with other bands with an ear for psychedelia, expansive folk and old school rock ‘n’ roll. Their lively combination of all three influences earned them spots at festivals all over the country, and an adopted hometown in Nashville, Tenn. But, the last six years found them flung far apart, with vocalist Kyle Henderson back in Utah and lost in the woes of a divorce, drug use and a subsequent rehab stint, while bandmates Tylser Osmond (bass) and Brennan Allen (drums) toured with other acts. Finally though, the group reconnected; Henderson moved back to Nashville, and with the help of Bill Reynolds of Band of Horses, the group began writing an album that is very much the sound of three grown-up artists. While 27 Ways was a masterful record in its own right, standing out from the melee of local Americana at the time, Everything Always (released Aug. 21) incorporates new grooves (quite literally in the case of the funk-infused “Heavy Metal Underground”) and less wild, more deep-cutting sultry qualities that make for a more compelling listen. Henderson’s raspy, reedy vocals translate well into this new, less folky environment, where the production values allow the formerly overwhelming barrage of drums and base to assume an atmospheric air. This softer side to Desert Noises not only suits them, but goes to show that the promise they had back in 2014 was only a shadow of what they would go on to do years later. Stream it on Spotify or Apple Music.

Utah County Births Another Star
However tiresome the trope of the Utah County pop star can get to locals, it continues to hold true. Whether it’s something in the water or not, the area is truly a wellspring for talent. The latest example comes by way of 19-year old TikTok sensation MASN, whose song “Psycho!” transcended it’s emo-rap trappings and transformed it into the high realms of memeability, with his gravely refrain of “I might just go psycho / too many drunk white hoes / I might just go psycho” being used by young TikTokers in videos about pet peeves and situations that make them go … well, psycho. But, the artist has gone beyond what might have been a five minutes of fame situation, with the song getting a remix featuring the well-established rapper Trippie Redd, which was his first release under his newly acquired label, RCA. The label also released his subsequent album, which came out on Aug. 21. The record, How To Kill A Rockstar, is a melodic slow-burn of easy-going beats and clean, weighty, masterful production, which is to be expected with a label like RCA on his side. More upbeat singles like 2019’s “Val!um” ironically shakes the general gloom that drips from MASN’s lowdown vocal delivery elsewhere in the album, with lyrics that indulge in the quiet thrill and romanticism of young adulthood—honestly marking a little maturity in the stretch between it and the breakout that was “Psycho!” Other publications have been calling him to watch, and that’s true outside of Utah—this local star’s another who's too big to stay home. Stream How To Kill A Rockstar on Spotify or Apple music.