16 best new Milwaukee music releases to check out this October

Just as this is the time of year when Oscar contenders start hitting theaters, fall is frequently when some of Milwaukee’s most talented musicians drop their latest projects, perhaps for year-end list consideration.

Spoiler alert: You’re likely to see something here on the Journal Sentinel’s list.

Here are 16 top new albums, EPs and songs from Milwaukee artists to check out this October, listed in alphabetical order.

The pop-punk band led by Liz Mauritz continues to lean more into the former on their latest slick single, with Mauritz’s no-BS lyrics offering a cool contrast to the smooth melodies.

The prolific electronic artist was ahead of her time, only to see the glitchy hyperpop sound she specialized in reach the mainstream (see Charli XCX’s “Brat.”) But her innovative and unpredictable new album “Cherry” shows she continues to be ahead of the curve.

“Dear Little Me,” Liamani

Racine native Liamani Segura, 16, is building up quite the acting CV, scoring prime rolls in Disney’s forthcoming installments of both the “Descendants” and “Camp Rock” movie franchises. Her music career also is off to a tremendous start via this vulnerable and mature six-song EP, led by radiant vocals that Mariah Carey has praised.

Dak Dubois’ prolific pop songwriting bears fruit on latest single “Garden” with its sweet melodies and tart, funky bite.

Socially Suspect’s latest release is just six songs and 23 minutes long, but they stuff “Ghost Stories” with a lot of ideas and anything-goes execution, from rousing prog rock opener “The Original” to the bass-slapping experimentation of “Caustic Figments.”

“Heartbreak Ain’t Easy,” Cam Will

Heartbreak may not be easy, but Cam Will makes catchy songwriting seem effortless with this emo-influenced hip-hop and pop bop (with just a pinch of country twang).

Milwaukee’s lowend rappers have twisted and served up a lot of delightfully unexpected samples, but the latest single from TheRealQd is especially inspired, powered by a reimagination of Ray Charles’ “Hit The Road Jack,” without overshadowing the rapper’s larger-than-life confidence.

B~Free is at the top of her game. The R&B singer, songwriter, producer and flautist gives her all on her latest album, her first since relocating to Los Angeles. Spanning just over an hour, B~Free doesn’t waste a moment, masterfully infusing “Millennial Symphony” with lush melodies, gorgeous vocals and straight-from-the-heart vulnerability.

Schoepp has been one of Milwaukee’s sharpest songwriters since his late teens, even earning a co-writing credit with Bob Dylan. But for a decade he struggled with substance issues and addiction to prescription painkillers following spinal decompression surgery when he was 20. After checking into the Hazelden Betty Ford rehab center, Schoepp’s emerged with his greatest album so far, chronicling his struggles without sacrificing his melodic strengths for “Loaded” and “Wildfire;” unleashing his most visceral vocals ever on “Three Speed Queen;” and boldly blasting the former owners of Purdue Pharma on “Satan is Real (Satan is a Sackler).”

Leading her country band the Steed, Natalie Sue sings with the weight and wisdom of an old soul. The fact that “Patchouli and Tobacco” is their debut project is all the more impressive.

Parker Schultz’s latest album is inspired by his first few years after quitting an office job to focus on his music career, the rawness and electricity of his songs giving listeners a front-row seat to an exciting new life chapter.

A titan of Milwaukee’s music scene for over four decades, Cebar returns with his first album in over a decade. He still finds fresh ways to get grooving, as on the album opener “When We Sing,” and brings palpable soul, pain, and even beauty, on an all-timer of a track, “Dreaming Back,” as his finale.

Alexander delivers incredible rhymes on this 10-track album — second track “Sulfate” is a standout — his crisp flow sharply contrasted against cool, cutting-edge production.

Shontrail continues his exciting evolution from lo-fi hip-hop to raw, emo-accented indie rock with his latest eight-song EP.

“Are you ready for the guillotine?” Richie Murray screams with throat-ripping fury at the start of opening track “Chopping Block” from Poison Hand’s seven-song EP. The punk band is so delightfully brutal, it’s hard to resist the invitation.

Lightning has struck twice for funny lowend rapper 414BigFrank, who followed one of the Milwaukee hip-hop scene’s biggest hits last year, “Eat Her Up,” with another one this year on “There It Is.” With trumpet-blaring production from Sunny Lou, the result was a local viral sensation with Milwaukee’s mayor even getting in on the action.

“Must-Hear Milwaukee Music” runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at [email protected] for review consideration. Follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.