The Must-Hear New Songs by Phoenix Musicians of March 2023

March is certainly a magical time in Phoenix. The weather's pretty nice; there are events galore and other things to do; and even if we can't always tell, there's a sense of rebirth and rejuvenation practically hanging in the air. All of this was especially true in the music released by countless local artists.

Be it experimental hardcore, club-ready hip-hop, or folk from a half-man, half-dinosaur, the offerings in March exemplified the excitement of this (increasingly small) window of pure springtime sorcery. Who knows what summer will hold, but let's hope the number of new releases rises with the actual temperatures.

AJJ, 'Death Machine'

We're still about two months out from the May 26 release of Disposable Everything, the 10th studio album from local folk-punk heroes AJJ. In March, though, the band treated us to two new tracks from the 14-song effort, "Death Machine" and "White Ghosts." The former is a decidedly direct blast of punk, with the band slamming away at its most energetic and anxious. The latter, meanwhile, is a subdued folk ballad, with emphasis on mournful expression over all else. Give them both a spin, but we opted for "Death Machine" because it's quintessential AJJ: a sonic shot of political noise that’ll leave you plenty pissed off.

Snailmate, 'Robe Guy'

As of publication, Snailmate recently wrapped a sizable U.S. tour that leads into a European jaunt later this summer. That doesn't mean, however, that they still didn't have ample time to release new music in the form of a fresh single, "Robe Guy." Hinted at last year via a hilarious dance video, the song is about embracing the inevitable fact of getting older. Not only that, but doing so in a way that's all about comfort. Sure, there's also some pointed commentary involved about the dangers of a sedentary life as a form of soul-death, but it's hard to hear anything when the robes are this comfy. Robe guys, forever, y’all.

Mega Ran, 'Wrestling Is Real, People Are Fake'

By now, it's no secret that Mega Ran is a huge wrestling fan. His extensive discography is packed with albums and odes to the true sweet science. But avoid thinking that there's still not enough love to powerbomb into our collective laps. So he's released another eight-track collection with Wrestling Is Real, People Are Fake. In addition to songs titled "Authors of Pain" (about the titular tag team), and another featuring actual wrestler and regular collaborator Austin "Xavier Woods" Creed, there's the truly slamming title track. This old-school-tinged, horn-heavy affair is classic Mega Ran — if only for lines like, "Shawn Michaels of the song cycle / The Paul Bearer of the small era."

JAMBUKA, 'Bands Are Dumb'

It's hard to tell what's more impressive about local punk band JAMBUKA. Is it that they released two projects (Kowtown and Scars Are Forever) in the same month? Or, that the former release is a whopping 28 songs in length (and each track runs at least two to three minutes in length)? Regardless, their buckshot of new music has given us several gems, including "Bands Are Dumb," off Kowtown. Here, the band delivers something infinitely cool: a lo-fi blast of post-punk dripping with equal parts sultry sex appeal and outright cynicism. Sure, it's always quality over quantity, but if you're gifted both at the same time, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed in the best possible way.

Dinosaur Love, 'March of the Tyrant King'

For those unaware, Dinosaur Love is the main project of Phoenix artist Peter Kulikowski, who effectively makes experimental folk music while dressed as a dinosaur. For the outfit's latest, Pangaea #1: Sounds From a Lost Continent, Kulikowski built "a portal to Pangaea ... to view the past through a telescope-esque viewfinder," then wrote five very intriguing songs. A true standout among some deeply weird and wild music, "March of the Tyrant King" is either an homage to the mighty machinations of the awesome T-Rex or the majesty of a herd of stegosaurus moving en masse over the great plains. Either way, it's a head-rush of off-kilter music that'll likely leave you roaring in pleasure.

Slug Bug!, 'Old'

Slug Bug! is still a relatively young band in the Phoenix-Tempe scene. However, these folks already have made quite a bit of noise, including a primo spot at the recent M3F Fest playing the main stage. They've seized on the added bit of attention by recently dropping a new EP, Jazz Compilation 5, which features a collection of both older and newer music. "Old" may be just that (it debuted in spring 2022), but that doesn't mean it falls short of being a great introduction for some newer fans. It checks the boxes for what makes the band so compelling so early into its career, including the energetic take on '90s alt rock and the technical prowess of all four members. In short, let this jam prove why there's still ample time to hop on Slug Bug!'s bandwagon.

Lana Del Rabies, 'Mourning'

This month, Lana Del Rabies (a.k.a. local musician-multimedia artist Sam An) released her latest album, STREGA BEATA. We've already heard a few tracks from the record, including "A Plague," which expertly captured the album's core motif of an "apocalyptic myth told through dense, textural compositions." But in case you need even more proof before snagging this record, be sure to listen to "Mourning." At over nine minutes, it's the longest of a 10-track collection marked by decidedly extended cuts. Yet in that span, An unfurls something compelling, a slow-melting journey into the realm of darkness and profound emotions. Even if you don't make it all the way through, you'll likely come out feeling very different.

GuestHouse, 'Hey, Honey'

It's a little difficult to make proper heads or tails of GuestHouse. The genre-blurring project of local musician Shawn Berry, it somehow exists on the ley lines between post-rock, pop, ambient, and straight-up folk. But while it's not always the easiest of listens, songs like "Hey, Honey," from March's eight-track Flowers, prove there's ultimately something to the GuestHouse sound. Whether that's the super-Auto-Tuned vocals from Berry, the wispy guitar part, or the painfully romantic tendencies and energies, it's a song that ultimately wins over its listeners with a sense of earnestness and curiosity. It's folk music for the overly sentimental (and/or fans of acts like Porches), and we think that's just swell.

SUN ORDER, 'Mold'

Dan Marinaro says his project SUN ORDER was "birthed from static electricity and the dry desert heat." And while that sounds all well and nice (and super intense), it's hard to fully understand the project unless you listen in-depth to SUN ORDER's debut, the five-track Memory Place. Pay special attention, though, to the EP's most intriguing selection, "Mold." You get all the bombast and intensity of Marinaro's un-subtle melding of oversized alternative and post-hardcore traditions. Yet at the same time, there's some aesthetic quality that makes the song seem as if it was recorded from a post-apocalyptic Ahwatukee. It's dystopian desert-metal, and it's as physically effective as it is oddly familiar.

The Grand Pricks, 'That Girl'

Tempe's own The Grand Pricks describe themselves as a "sunshine queer indie punk band." (Even as they make zero mention of having a generally awesome band name.) Over the last few years, they've been steadily releasing various singles, including last summer's totally great "M&M's." Now, they've given us a full blast of their sonic sunshine with the 15-track Filthy Blonde. And as far as standouts go, "That Girl" is like standing directly in the midday sun on your average July day. There are big hooks; little strands of influence from Devo and The B-52's; and humor and attitude galore. Or, everything you could want in a proper punk-pop jam. Just be sure to wear sunscreen when you listen to this record.

Maze Overlay and Sadhugold, 'Corpse Reviver'

Maze Overlay, if you haven't been paying attention, is a local rapper who is quite prolific in his own regard. Sadhugold, meanwhile, is a young Philadelphia-based producer also making decent waves. Together, the pair have released an 11-track tape, Afghani Gold, which contains "classic nature, unsolved mysteries, and hidden treasures." While it dropped in late February, a song like "Corpse Reviver" merited a slight bend of the rules. Sadhugold's production is surely unnerving — he blends slick samples and junk noise with brutal efficiency — but it's the perfect soundscape for Overlay's wordplay that's practically soaked in attitude and swagger. To think, this is just a sample of the mountain o'gold that lies ahead.

Smooth Hands, 'Kiss My Neck'