I remember seeing Half Alive at Lollapalooza a few years back and really enjoying their set. Give Me Your Shoulders, Pt. 1 is a seven-song EP that includes the singles “Hot Tea,” and Summerland,” which are beautiful synthpop songs, with great melodies. Their latest, the guitar-driven “Back Around” shows a funkier side that should sound incredible live.

How cool is it that Tears For Fears are still making new music? Very cool, indeed! But let’s go a step further and say, they are making new music that is relevant with an updated sound. “End Of Night” sounds as fresh as anything on this week’s Release Radar, and that’s a pretty big feat, considering they’ve been out of the game for eighteen years. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith still have their finger on the pulse of pop music and The Tipping Point has proven itself an album you need to seek out.

I haven’t heard from the Swedish House Mafia in about the same time-space Tears For Fears have been missing. Apparently, the trio flew to New York and had a meeting with Sting about re-recording his Roxanne vocals for their new single, “Redlight.” Now, The Police’s most popular song will get a new life, and another shot at the charts. I actually kind of like it.

Goth Babe makes some of the best pop music around, but a collaboration with Blood Cultures? That’s some next-level fire right there! I loved Blood Cultures’ “Set It On Fire,” so when I saw this collab I was excited, and “Driving South” does not disappoint. Also, “Running Round,” the first single from the Santa Catalina EP, is one of my favorite songs of the year so far.

Welcome back, Regina Spektor! I knew that was your voice playing from afar, but I still had to double-check my phone. Sure enough, “Becoming All Alone” is the latest single from her new album due out in June, entitled Home, before and after.

“Come Away With Me” is a beautiful song, and it was a nice surprise to have Norah Jones show up in my Release Radar this week. I knew there must be a reason why she made the algorithm, and after some digging, I now know that Come Away With Me is getting the 20th Anniversary treatment. While there are several versions, the Super Deluxe Edition will include “22 previously unreleased tracks including her early demos and the never-before-heard first version of the album she made with producer Craig Street, which offers a fascinating look at the album that might have been.” Enough said.

Everybody knows the No Doubt covered “It’s My Life,” but after a friend told me that Talk Talk was his favorite band, I took a deep dive down their rabbit hole, and now they are all over my #RADAR. “Strike Up The Band” screams “80’s” but it’s still a cool tune. This is a band that you have to spend some time with, and I promise you’ll find something you dig.

Amos Lee’s Dreamland was Magnolia’s Record Of The Month, and for good reason. It’s a soulful, slow burn. So, dim the lights, turn up the volume, grab a good book, or just close your eyes and, “See The Light.”

This is the second time saxophonist/producer FKAjazz is moonlighting as your Jazz Cut Of The Week. “Air” is the first of ten singles from his new Deep House/Electronica album, Of Space & Earth. “The Jazz scene wasn’t doing it for me and although I had a lot of fun creating and touring with all sorts of bands, I felt like there was something missing. So, I decided to give Jazz the backseat and try something new and unexpected.” -FKAjazz

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