The Best New Music by Colorado Musicians Released in April

Colorado musicians weren't in the mood for tomfoolery this April, but instead were all business, releasing a serious amount of new music. From psych to pop-punk to something called "yallternative," here's the best new music released by local acts in April:

Pool Sharks
Pool Sharks
Front Range rockers Pool Sharks don’t joke around. In the year since it formed, this Boulder/Fort Collins collective comprising vocalist and guitarist Leo Treviño, drummer Ethan Minard, guitarist Ted Stevens and bassist Tyler Truscelli has already headlined the Fox Theatre and toured the Midwest and East Coast.

On April 1, Pool Sharks independently released its self-titled debut album — seven tracks of what the band likes to call “shark rock.” Songs such as “Fingernail of the Moon,” “Sam the Frog” and “Hat Song” showcase the group’s penchant for psych, indie rock, funk and jam. “Which Light” even features some Krautrock flavors. The record, like the band, is as serious as a shark attack.

Fragile City
Bus Stop Bruises
Denver pop-punk trio Fragile City is not of this world. At least, that’s how Ryan Hatfield (vocals and bass), Jon Clemons (guitar) and Chad Howard (drummer) feel. The bandmates see themselves as aliens, which is why the Fragile City fan club is called the Lonely Alien Crew.

So it’s fitting that the group’s new self-released EP, Bus Stop Bruises (shared under the tag Lonely Alien Productions on April 4) begins with a UFO crash landing: “Does Anybody Know an Intergalactic Mechanic?”

But what follows is seven offerings of Earthly metallic punk, or “popcore,” as Fragile City has named it. “You & What Army” and “Hell’s House” are by far the heaviest songs, while title track “Fragile City” and “Coffins” showcase more tried-and-true pop punk. Maybe it's better to call it E.T. rock.

Shady Oaks
“Down”
Denver’s Shady Oaks is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. The five-piece blends blues and Southern rock into something more like “yallternative,” according to the band.

The group, formed by lead singer and guitarist Ty Gallaway in 2020, includes guitarist Isaac Vance, drummer Jonah Samp, bassist Hunter Bates and violinist Sarah Hubbard.

Shady Oaks dropped a new single, “Down,” on April 5 via local label Mean World Records. The shorter song, which also features the keys work of local player Ian Arras, is more of a slow-burn blues-rock banger that builds up to its roaring choruses and a crescendoing close. Yee-haw!

shadow work
“Severance”
Home may be more a state of mind than a physical place for Denver psych-dealers shadow work. But that doesn’t mean that Rafael Nava (vocals and guitar), Joseph Szlanic (bass) and Ben Zickau (drums) aren’t settling into their newfound city nicely after relocating from Idaho in 2021.

The trio’s latest single, “Severance,” released independently on April 5, is an ode to finding a sense of place, both as a band and personally, Nava says. The song, in turn, is more meditative than anything, with a rhythmic guitar and soothing backbeat. It’s just one of the ways shadow work brings the feels.

Sqwerv
Hors d'Oeuvres Part 1
Sqwerv is cooking up something fun and funky this year. The Denver indie-jammers shared the first course on April 5 with the independent release of EP Hors D'oeuvres Part 1. The three instrumentals have more of a live feel, which is what guitarist Guy Frydenlund, bassist Caden Kramer, keys player Jack Marty and drummer Zach Bulgarelli were going for. “Jada,” “Honolulu Blue” and “Miami” also share a tropical theme.

The band plans to release two more EPs of a similar length throughout 2024, leading up to a yet-to-be-named record.

Chris Ruiz
Heavy Eyes
Chris Ruiz may be best known locally as the vocalist and guitarist of Boulder band Natural Motives, but the singer-songwriter has also been busy exploring his solo work.

Heavy Eyes, released independently on April 7, features Ruiz with his acoustic guitar across ten tracks. It certainly showcases his softer side, with songs such as “An Ocean’s Blue” and “State of Mind” standing out.

Ruiz is celebrating the debut solo album with a mini-tour of Europe, where he’ll play Paris, London, Manchester and Brussels. Keep any eye out for him once he returns stateside this month.

Rod Wess
“Haze in Plur”
Nobody does metal and EDM quite like Denver guitarist and DJ Rod Wess. No, seriously, there is no one out there mashing up the two wildly different genres as creatively as Wess.

Starting with a death-metal background, Wess eventually taught himself how to wield a turntable. That’s when he truly developed his unique style.

Wess is back with another single, “Haze in Plur,” which he released himself on April 12. The beat-heavy instrumental will appeal to both club kids and metalheads, as Wess is never shy about showcasing his shred skills. But just listen to that hook!

Hunter Stone
Portraits of the New/Old West, Vol. 2
It might have taken a decade, but Boulder singer-songwriter Hunter Stone finally pressed his ode to Colorado, Portraits of the New/Old West, Vol. 2, on vinyl and released it independently on April 12.

“Releasing music all at once is expensive as an independent musician,” Stone explains. “Staggering digital releases and putting them on vinyl was the end goal. Now it's all coming to fruition.”

The eight tracks include notes from Stone’s ten years of living out West, with songs ranging from “Santa Fe” and “Ghost Town” to extraterrestrial ballads “Mars” and “Green Little Aliens.”

Elektric Animals
A Bear and The Bull
Denver duo Elektric Animals treated listeners to a nice little sonic treat in the form of new EP, A Bear and The Bull, which was released on April 19 via Open Your Ears Records.

Co-collaborators Nick Sanders and Will Hubert are heavily inspired by the 1980s new-wave movement, but also love 1990s pop music. That’s why fresh tracks such as “Dreaming/Wishing” and “Ready to Go” are not just catchy, but a little melancholy, even haunting.

“This EP embodies our true selves, our dream brought to life without restrictions, boundaries, or norms,” the musicians shared. “We strive to find our people to resonate with.”

Want your music to be included in our monthly roundup? Email it to [email protected].