Fresh Five – Keep Shelly In Athens, Gus Dapperton, Torn Hawk, The Clientele and Ora Cogan

by Adam Bubolz · Published August 9, 2023 · Updated August 9, 2023

For the Fresh Five we pick out five great new(ish) jams that we’re currently obsessing over.

Keep Shelly In Athens are back with its first full-length since 2017’s Philokalia. The album’s opening track, “Fire,” weaves haunting melodies and pulsating rhythms into an ethereal sonic experience. Recommended for fans of The Chromatics and similar.

“Sunset” is an excellent track off of Gus Dapperton’s latest album that starts as a simple plucked guitar and voice piece before exploding into full-blown pop. Catch Gus on September 23rd at the Fine Line.

Torn Hawk makes nostalgic instrumental music. “Come True” features some excellent fuzzy guitar work over a dreamy beat and synths straight out your nostalgic movie soundtrack dreams.

The Clientele’s 8th album dropped a few weeks ago on Merge, a 19 track opus full of their chamber pop charm. “Blue Over Blue” is a great example of what’s great about the band, their guitar/bass/drums lineup being fully fleshed out with plenty of lush layers.

Ora Cogan hails from Vancouver Island in Canada and plays beautifully haunting country folk-tinged music. “Cowgirl” is from Ora’s upcoming album Formless and is described as “…a haunted acid trip of intense sorrow, deep solitude, and dark nights of the soul.” Couldn’t say it any better myself.