It’s a dark, oft-demonstrated truth that society lashes out at its most vulnerable members when the world gets scary, and 2024 was a shameful year for Americans scapegoating and scaremongering against the trans community. But as a trans woman who has been creating and performing since the ’90s, Shawna Virago knows a thing or two about resilience. Blood in Her Dreams adds a ramshackle punk punch to the world of Lucinda Williams-esque Americana. And while the insightful, evocative lyrics are more personal than political, there’s an undercurrent of resistance and fortitude that makes Dreams a much-needed catharsis in reality. — J.L.