Any band that’s friends with indie darling Courtney Barnett is bound to impress, and Camp Cope didn’t let me down. Frontlady Georgia “Maq” McDonald sings with gut-wrenching emotion that could rip the toughest dude around to his core. Think Aussie Alanis Morissette with splashier drum fills, electric guitar riffs, and less pop-friendly song structures. Anyone who has ever felt ping-ponged between the redemption and desolation that come with newfound solitude will relate to the album’s stories. The trio from Melbourne, Australia, released its self-titled EP on Earth Day in 2016, a fitting choice given the record’s sociopolitical themes. –Michelle Kirk (Poison City, [email protected], poisoncityrecords.com)