by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A quick note to pass along a few new tracks that caught my ear. Like I’ve mentioned before, I probably get 100 email submissions a day. These are the few that managed to avoid the delete key…

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I never listened to Ben Kweller much over the years, but his latest song, “Dollar Store,” is a straight-up banger. It was recorded with Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield and is the first new music from Kweller since the death of his 16-year-old son Dorian Zev in 2023. The track is from his new album, Cover the Mirrors, out May 30 via The Noise Company. BTW, Kweller’s closest pass to Omaha on his upcoming tour is Minneapolis April 28.

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I almost skipped right over this email when I saw the band’s name was Smut, figuring it was just another metal act. But Smut is a Chicago-based shimmer-gaze band that recalls acts like The Sundays, but with a bigger punch. “Dead Air” is conventional-sounding indie rock that borders on alt, but… pretty; driven by front woman Tay Roebuck. This comes from an upcoming yet-to-be-announced album.

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Urban “anti-folk” folkie Jeffrey Lewis has a new album coming out called The EVEN MORE Freewheelin’ Jeffrey Lewis, due March 21 on Don Giovanni Records. It was recorded in four days in Nashville by Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo). “Just Fun” is the second single/video, which came out Tuesday.  

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No local band has worked an album harder than Clarence Tilton is working their latest, Queen of the Brawl.  Seems like they’ve dropped a new single every two or three weeks for the past few months. “Bongos” is the fourth single, released Feb. 14. The one-sheet doesn’t say when the whole record comes out, which is kind of a head-scratcher…

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Finally, for #TBT, here’s a review from 20 years ago. Just your typical night in Omaha, featuring Shelterbelt and The Golden Age. Whatever happened to those guys?

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2025 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.