7. Mal Blum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvN6T6aM2_o Mal Blum creates endearing anthems to social anxiety and difficult relationships that demand to stay stuck in your head. If you want to feel connected to other's self-deprecation through a mutual laugh, go for Mal's albums. On their more concise songs, you can't help but recall The Magnetic Fields in terms of misanthropic accessibility. For its singer-songwriter roots, the music has no flair of pretension. Its relatable and always at the level of the listener. Mal understands feeling out of place and heartbreak and all of the other anxious feelings one might get in their 20s. Though the approachable style of these songs does not leave them without a sharp wit. Mal is as receptive as all get out and the lyrics certainly show it, often feeling like a more earnest step from the ironic mannerisms of their anti-folk predecessors. Its a return to honesty without a complete abandonment of sarcasm that steals your heart with every song. Recommended albums: Tempest in a Teacup and Every Time You Go Somewhere