Everything is cringe in an increasingly nonchalant world. These days, artists either have to learn to laugh at themselves or grapple with the ever-chafing and eventual dissolution of their ego. The Sonder Bombs seem to have come to a calm acceptance of this truth and treat it almost like an inner joke- one that they let their listeners in on. There’s an undeniable defiance that pulses through their music, especially as they continue to evolve. The Cleveland trio (Willow Hawks, Jer Berkin, and Jimmy Wilkens) is known for balancing bright, kinetic hooks with richly layered arrangements that carry the emotional weight of Hawks’ deeply relatable songwriting.

FFO: Mannequin Pussy / The Killers / Yeah Yeah Yeahs