Laura Stevenson waves her pop-punk influences like a flag. On her criminally overlooked 2015 album Cocksure, Stevenson echoes the angry-but-exhausted despondency found on Liz Phair’s 1993 record Exile in Guyville, and jangly guitars sound inspired by Smoking Popes. The Brooklyn-based musician tells stories of insecurity and stagnation with smart humor and an injection of fun, an approach she honed during her time with Bomb the Music Industry. Stevenson’s emotional gusto is palpable on tracks like “Jellyfish”—hopefully her following only continues to grow.

by Emma Burke