by Dave Bertram

Bonnie Prince Billy, Big Thief, Maija Sofia, Barrie and The Twilight Sad make the cut for this week’s quickfire recommendations.

Irish art-folk virtuoso, Maija Sofia (Trapped Animal Records), has released The Glitter – the first single from debut full-length Bath Time – a powerful observation on the complexity and pain of female life written in the run-up to her native country’s decision to repeal the 8th amendment on abortion.

Barrie’s debut album Happy To Be Here is full of flush, metropolitan indie-pop that splits the difference between Haim and Belle & Sebastian, produced by the same person who helped Snail Mail’s Lush live up to its name. Listen to Clovers above.

Big Thief’s Two Hands was out this week- the band’s second album of the year following May’s U.F.O.F. After sticking Not out a few months back, the follow-up single is Forgotten Eyes. It exhibits the more viscerally textural side that they’re displaying on this album, a rootsy and strained song that addresses homelessness and those that slip into the margins.

Capping off a remarkable year for the band and with a fresh batch of UK and European dates about to kick off, The Twilight Sad return with a duo of new songs this week. You can hear Rats and Public Housing below.

And finally, the long wait is almost at an end. The second single heralding the first new Bonnie “Prince” Billy album in years is with us – listen to In Good Faith.

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