Album / Artist: Gravity Freeze / Little Barrie

Label: Easy Eye Sound

Release Date: May 22, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Greasy, low-slung Easy Eye Sound garage soul from a 70’s that never was. They turned the heat down a notch, but Cadogan's guitar still bites. Low-slung grooves and bursts of guitar. - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Sixth album from the London trio led by guitarist Barrie Cadogan; new drummer Coote joins.

Recorded at Rat Salad Studios in Hornsey, North London, with Rupert Lyddon engineering and co-producing.

released May 22, 2026

FCCs: None found

RIYL: The Black Keys, Allah-Las, Oh Sees, The Mystery Lights, El Michels Affair, Skinshape

Play: All, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. ***** More Bad Miles Of Road 03:49 - Upper-mid pace, slinky and naughty wah-wah pedal heavy funk burlesque rock. Lead single; announced the album in February 2026. Heavy play on Library Show as a single.
2. *** It Isn't Soul 02:49 - Slow slinky with fuzzy guitar backing and bright guitar along the top. Great mix of dirt and polish. At home in a Tarantino film in a few years.
3. December 05:08 - Upbeat high-hat pace, echoing vocals. This one threw its go-go boots in the corner and is dancing barefoot.
4. ***** Luggin' Hurt 07:08 - “Do do do, de bap bap badada do,...” Shuffling R&B rhythm and licorice taffy guitar stretching all over 7 minutes of ass-shaking funky wah-riff perfect. Play this song and people will ask “who is this?” If you’re going to spend 7 minutes of your show on a single, it better be good. This one is worth the minutes.
5. Talk It Up Like It's Wanted 03:02 - Mid-tempo, unremarkable guitar solo shuffler.
6. ** Anything You Are 03:20 - Slow and slinky. Rhythm flits around under the strumming R&B guitar and smoky jazz club vocals. Picks up the pace at 1:30 a little.
7. *** Coralisa 04:49 - Great backbeat based rhythm, with buzzing guitar work over the top. Lightly reminiscent of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
8. Wire 03:37 - Another uptempo backbeat based slightly buzzy krauty?
9. ** Gravity Freeze 03:07 - Another R&B Funk hip swayer.

Album / Artist: Ultimate Love Forever / Lex Walton

Label: Sub Pop Records

Release Date: August 26, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Twenty minutes of scuzzy, anxious warbling power pop that bites the music-industry hand that feeds it. Sharp, funny and over before you know it (way too soon, IMHO). I'm loving this album right now. - DJ Stace

“wiggly, anxious power pop” - Paste

Release Notes:

Seven-song Sub Pop debut, about 20 minutes; first released on Youth Against Satan before Sub Pop signed her in August 2026.

Written by Walton; produced by Walton and Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs); recorded, mixed and mastered by Ben Greenberg (Uniform, The Men).

CD/LP out Nov. 20, 2026 in North America.

released August 26, 2026

FCCs: 2,3 Track 4's title contains a slur.

RIYL: Wolf Parade, The Men, Speedy Ortiz, Parquet Courts

Play: All but FCCs, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. ***** For Thee I Sing 02:01 - Smashing, crashing glorious intro. Walton’s warbling sarcasm and spit is the anthem we all need right now. Play it.
2. Hipster Runoff 02:17 - FIrst Single. Killer flailing angular rocker. Probably worth an edit! Single. About the blog-era buzz band life cycle. Abrupt ending. FCC shit x1.
3. ***** Yr Op-Ed Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore 02:52 - Stoogeseque growler with soaring vocal interludes and a killer Stooges style solo freakkout. FCC go fuck yourself x1.
4. *** USA = FAG NATION 03:23 - Upbeat Kraut-rockish talker. “I am not your market”. Title contains a slur. Consider on airbreaks.
5. *** I Wish I Was An M80 03:15 - Medium pop rocker with a killer rhythm, and interludes. FCC “After she sucked us both off…”
6. ***** Adrian Borland Will Have His Revenge On London 03:08 - Staccato strumming bright guitar and Walton’s fantastic warble is perfect here. Lots of “Meatloaf” feels on this on. Devolves into a crashing distortion fest with strings to a crashing outro. This one will be in heavy rotation on my playlist for years. About The Sound's Adrian Borland.
7. ***** Ultimate Love 4Ever 03:06 - Title track. Bouncing rocking perfection. Make this one a hit. This is the anchor hit song for soundtrack for the remake of “Pretty in Pink” (if anyone were ever dumb enough to do that). Fun, infectious, I guarantee you will dance like Molly Ringwald, when noone is looking.

Chrome / Ty Segall

Label: Drag City

Release Date: August 28, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Ty goes heavy. Mostly cut live with the band, fuzz pinned in the red, with a couple of crooner turns. Big, dumb, glorious riffage,and smart lyrics, man. - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Ty Segall's 18th solo studio album, billed as one of his heaviest.

Recorded mostly live with Ben Boye, Evan Burrows, Mikal Cronin and Emmett Kelly, plus Bitchin Bajas' Cooper Crain.

Same-day companion Love Fuzzz EP (Twins cover plus My Pet Guru).

Louder Than War Album of the Week.

Nine tracks, about 33 minutes.

released August 28, 2026

FCCs: None found

RIYL: Thee Oh Sees, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Black Sabbath, Fuzz

Play: All, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. *** Hospital 04:43 - Opener; quiet/loud blippy dirge transfers into a chaotic twin-guitar solo with all the slanted guitar god greatness you expect of Segall.
2. Running to Nowhere 02:30 - Super sludgy, with notes of Fu Manchu ruffage. Screamy lyrics give way to Segall's harmonics, gives way to screamy lyrics again.
3. ***** Black Paint 02:00 - Jangle-fuzz bouncing rock anthem with Segall’s wailing lead solos. Lead single and in a sane world, a hit. (June 2026);
4. *** Glass 04:27 - Medium upbeat. Proggy and metallic; Bass in heavy modulated fuzz; guitar duel mid-song. Segue with King GIzzard.
5. ***** Play Cowboys 04:59 - Climbing raw opening riffage is infectious. Psych ballad with keyboards; Ty croons. Probably my favorite on the album.
6. Everything You've Been 02:06 - Fast paced, breathy, least standout on the album. Still better than 99% of what was released, last year.
7. Let Go 03:33 - Starts with some 1/4” audio jack feedback lead that turns into a fast paced guitar puncher with siren guitar solo highlights.
8. *** Separation 02:52 - Fast paced, snared out punk rocker. Fun.
9. *** Chrome 05:08 - Ty steals and reforms Ted Nugent’s blues metal riffage for a machine gun repetitive rocker that will make you drive too fast if you aren’t careful. Title track closer, the longest at 5:08.

Album / Artist: Different When It's Silent / Tricky

Label: False Idols

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Tricky's best in years. Dark, guitar-heavy trip-hop, with Mitch Sanders' ghostly falsetto doing a lot of the heavy lifting. - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Bristol producer Adrian Thaws' 15th studio album and first full-length under his own name in six years, on his own False Idols label.

Bristol singer Mitch Sanders, 22, sings top lines on 12 of 14 tracks in a high falsetto; guests also include Marta Złakowska, Radana and Run Red Rambo.

Reviewers note distorted guitars, hypnotic basslines and electronic textures, with Tricky's low growl underneath.

released July 17, 2026

FCCs: 6,10

RIYL: Massive Attack, Portishead, Martina Topley-Bird

Play: All but FCCs, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. **** I Still See Me There 03:39 - Slow, plodding, whispering, sinister and Trypnotic. Falsetto vocals float over Tricky’s growling whispers. Tricky is back.
2. ** I'm Yours 02:36 - Medium paced bass and snare dominant rhythm line. Feat. Mitch Sanders falsetto; Interludes of Walls of sound applied to EDM.
3. *** Be Still In The Pain 03:22 - Upbeat by Tricky standard. Feat. Mitch Sanders and Run Red Rambo great falsetto duet juxtaposition. Abrupt ending.
4. *** I Tried 02:16 - Soft guitar intro, gives way to buzzing plodding marching rhythm and metallic guitar accompaniment with bass and vocal interludes.
5. So Cold 02:39 - Medium to uptempo ticking and buzzing tapper. “Bright,” for Tricky.
6. Paris Maybe 02:53 - Pretty straightforward guitar, bass and drums rock ballad? Would be at home in the 90’s segued to Divinyl. Not bad, but seems sonically isolated from the rest of the album. FCC fuck x1, shit x1.
7. *** Cannon Fodder 02:48 - Organ & heartbeat intro. Breathy falsetto is right up front. Transitions to some very fuzzy, desert rock guitar solo, then back to breathy whispers and organ to the end.
8. ***** Because I Don't Know 04:34 - Sinister, falsetto, trancy, repetitive, infectious groove. This is the hit on the record. Wall of sound drops with soaring falsetto crescendos are great. Can’t play it enough.
9. ** Marinade 03:20 - String intro, gives way to “Velvet Undergroundish” bass riff and spoken lyrics. Kinda cool. Would segue well with Kae Tempest. Abrupt ending.
10. Radana 03:10 - Middle Eastern flavor to the underlying music. Lyrics go hard. Would segue well with DAM. Feat. RMR & Radana. FCC fuck x3, piss x1, bitch x2.
11. *** Piano 02:43 - Piano and vocals with light atmospherics transition to strings and operatic chorale accompaniment. Lovely. Another abrupt ending.
12. **** Frontier Town 01:40 - Killer stomp, cap and cal.,Clearly inspired by field songs. If Alan Lomax recorded EDM, this would be on his radar. Segue with Delta blues or field recordings from Parnman Farm. short.
13. **** Hengrove Blues 02:57 - Soft acoustic strummer about a Bristol neighborhood. Lovely falsetto vocals with Tricky’s low growl underneath.
14. *** Out of Place 02:38 - Quiet operatic opening vocals give way to a fast-paced staccato growling rocker with Tricky and Marta Złakowska’s vocals full forward. . Lead single (April 2026, announced the album).

Album / Artist: Companion / Sluice

Label: Mtn Laurel Recording Co.

Release Date: March 27, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Hushed, wordy Durham folk rock with two nine-minute stunners and a song about Zillow. Bill Callahan fans, form a line. - DJ Stace

“exists in a cloud of dreamy contemplation” - Pitchfork

Release Notes:

Third album from the Durham, N.C., folk-rock band led by Justin Morris (guitar, piano, synth, kalimba, field recordings, vocals).

10 tracks, about 44 minutes

released March 27, 2026

FCCs: 3,4,6,10

RIYL: Fust, Bill Callahan, Friendship, Hovvdy, Sin Ropas, Red Red Meat, Califone

Play: All but FCCs, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. ***** Beadie 04:01 - Slow, plodding spacious, epic and glorious opener. Plodding anthem moves to a crashing crescendo at 3 minutes until the end. Great vocals. Lyrics refer to the romantically involved partners from TV’s “The Wire.”
2. **** Ratchet Strap 03:30 -. Quiet, low fi, no country strummer, reminiscence of Uncle Tupelo’s harmonic best, ends up a rocker by the end. Fiddles and two part harmonies always get me. Segue with Avett Brothers.
3. WTF 03:33 - Quiet intro gives way to “orchestra tuning vocal” layering, then quietly transitions to a fuzzy guitar plodder that reminds in places of Jason Molina. Great epic guitar interludes. FCC fuck x2.
4. *** Gator 08:46 - Very long stream-of-consciousness track; Lovely guitar accompaniment. Morris joked about making it a single. Kind of track you don’t hear starts at first, but grabs you and holds you so you end up listening to it again. FCC “smelled like shit” x1, piss x1.
5. The Ephemeral Stream 01:46 - Quiet, atmospheric recording, pastoral. Some sort of chopping breaks the silence. Bracing.
6. Torpor 02:49 - Medium tempo, story song about being the victim of a home robbery. Starts with soft guitar and transitions to a country rocker. FCC “get on the fuckin’ ground” x1.
7. Unknowing 09:01 - Slow, fuzzed but soft intro. VERY heavily distorted autotuned lyrics. Centerpiece; built on a prayer by a Trappist monk (source: Paste Magazine). Seque with “Tripped on Your Cape” by Sin Ropas. Final 90 seconds is near total silence, so you can crossfade at 7:30.
8. ***** Overhead 03:57 - Another quiet strumming guitar and vocal start, without being redundant. Reminds of Bill Callahan, here.
9. ***** Zillow 03:13 - Great no country pop toe tapper with lyrics culled/inspired from Zillow descriptions and comments about local housing prices.
10. Vegas 03:18 - Upbeat country rocker, gives Old 97’s vibes. FCC shit x3.

Album / Artist: Thetans / Dread Spectre Council

Label: Handmade Records

Release Date: March 29, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Summer sleeper that too many missed. Fuzzy, crashing DIY indie rock from one guy in Norway. Solid songwriting and spectacular musical craftsmanship. If you miss the Built To Spill and Swervedriver lane, pull up a chair. This deserves to be an indie hit, let’s encourage more from this guy. 10/10 - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Solo project of Kenneth Amundsen from Nittedal, Norway; billed as indie rock from Oslo.

https://www.dreadspectrecouncil.com/

Released March 2026 by Handmade Records / Indigo (Oslo)

10 tracks, about 34 minutes.

released March 29, 2026

FCCs: None found

RIYL: Ty Segall, Built To Spill, Swervedriver, Dungen, Yo La Tengo

Play: All, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. ***** Hex's Up 03:50 - Kickass heir to Swervedriver starts the album strong. Play this one.
2. ***** Hooves & Cloves 03:24 - Killer Melvinsesque monotone vocal chunky riffage intro. Explodes to wailing fuzz guitar greatness that will make Ty Segall wonder if someone stole his DNA. Segue with Ty Segall or Melvins.
3. ***** Where Would the Light Go 03:11 - Upbeat pop anthem. Great melody and vocals. Best I can characterize this one is “Jangle-fuzz” and it’s pretty great. Hard to believe this is a one man show.
4. **** Sungate 03:52 - Great lilting guitar intro, solid lyrics, crescendos into a crashing outro. Another great track. Found audio recording in the background.
5. **** Spiderette 04:21 - Solid upbeat indiepoprock anthem. Bandcamp focus track. Would be right at home segued with Replacements or softer Iggy.
6. **** Evil Incarnate 02:37 - Medium paced rocker. Another Ty Segallesque fuzz rock anthem. More found audio recordings overlaid for atmospherics. Love it.
7. *** Wildling 02:59 - Quiet Travis pick tune that would be at home in Billy Bragg’s catalog. Outlier?
8. **** Treasure Trove 03:10 - Another killer medium tempo rocker with less fuzz than other tracks, with great effect. Great refrain. Play it.
9. ***** Raven 04:54 - Midtempo Built to Spill style guitar rocker. Excellent lyricism. Segue with BtS, obviously.
10. ***** Summon the Sparks 03:38 - Love the off kilter pace of this one. Reminds of Pedro the Lion. Another great song, lyrically and musically. Killer anthemic power chord ending to the left-field sleeper album of the year.

Album / Artist: Ox / Palace

Label: Palace Presents/Awal

Release Date: September 18, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Dreamy, floaty Palace, all of them new dads and singing about it. Big basslines, guitars that drift instead of hit. Great road trip music. - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Fifth album from the London band; first release on their own label, Palace Presents (distributed by AWAL).

Written as the band members became fathers; songs about watching a child hear music for the first time.

Reviewers hear a floatier, dreamier record than 2024's Ultrasound.

Ten tracks, about 44 minutes.

released September 18, 2026

FCCs: 3,8,10

RIYL: My Morning Jacket, Bombay Bicycle Club, Foals, Wild Beasts, Daughter, Jeff Buckley

Play: All but FCCs, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. **** Dream On 04:23 - Mid-tempo rising rock anthem. Like Coldplay, but listenable. Lead single; announced the album. About becoming a parent. Cavernous bassline under vast dissonant desert guitars.
2. **** Kid 04:22 - Upbeat jangly toe tapper with great vocal styling. Second single; fatherhood through absence.
3. **** Ohio 03:42 - Loping, bouncy and infectious. Great falsetto peaks in vocals. Like this one, worth an edit, if PISS bothers us. FCC “piss wine” x1.
4. ***** Denny's 04:50 - Brilliant, beautiful mid-temp Yacht Rock anthem about home being where your heart is. Great lyrics and vocal styling. Play it.
5. **** Lucky Boy 03:20 - More upbeat jangle pop rock, on the edge of yachtiness. This one segues well with My Morning Jacket.
6. **** I've Been Laughing 03:52 - Uptempo jangle strummer with a great refrain.
7. Kicking Up Shadows 03:56 - Shuffling uptempo sparklier guitar pop.
8. Brown Bread 06:26 - Iron&Wine type rhythm, guitar and lyrics, upbeat Americana flavored guitar pop. Good tune, but the whole refrain is FCC. FCC fuck x3, shit x3.
9. ***** Made My Bed 04:01 - Vast, big sky soaring guitar. Beautiful lyrics. Dreamy love song. Just about perfect. Play it.
10. Ox 05:21 - Up-paced shuffling snare rhythm, vocals get alittle Hamilton Leithauser on this one. Nice closer, but with an FCC. FCC “fucking grateful” x2.

Album / Artist: The Singer in My Band / This Is Lorelei

Label: Matador Records

Release Date: September 11, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Nate Amos gets in the car and comes back with a twangy alt-country road record. Tight, warm and catchy as hell. Look for cover versions of most of these, a la Box for Buddy, cause who could resist? - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

Third album from Nate Amos as This Is Lorelei, and his first for Matador.

Self-produced and recorded at his home studio in Brooklyn.

Amos calls it his road album; he wrote the songs daydreaming in the car with no instruments.

Lead single Billy Came Back (June 23, 2026). NACC #12 the week of Oct. 1.

released September 11, 2026

FCCs: None found

RIYL: MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, Alex G, Big Thief

Play: All, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. *** I Will Eat My Heart in the Morning Light 03:18 - Upbeat guitar anthem. Great lyrics and vocals.
2. ***** Oh No Now My 03:09 - Strong mid tempo thumper with great guitar hook throughout. Least alt-country track of the album. Stacked harmonies over low-tuned guitars. Play it!!
3. **** Billy Came Back 03:10 - Upbeat, jangly strummer about Billy, a karaoke legend.
4. *** Watching Heaven Fall 03:13 - Upbeat country popper.
5. *** Sailing (Your Baby's Down) 03:33 - Medium tempo upbeat country harmony yacht rocker.
6. *** The Singer in My Band 02:26 - Upbeat country rocker with banjos.
7. Nitro 01:27 - Fast paced low tuned acoustic guitar instrumental.
8. ***** Hey Sarah Is It Gonna Rain Forever 03:28 - Continuing the riff from the previous instrumental, becomes a cool baritone guitar stomper anthem to Sarah. Great vocal styling. Playing this one heavily on The Library Show.
9. **** The Kid With the Crown 04:15 - Starts with a light acoustic guitar jam, abruptly hits with an alt-country rocker punch in the face, and stays upbeat and bright throughout.
10. **** And I Haven't Seen My Love in Quite a While 03:29 - Fast-paced country two-step bouncer. Segue with Old 97’s.
11. **** Don't You Cry in Lonesomeness 03:19 - Strumming electric guitar and vocals alone. Brief. Goes quiet at 3:05, and hangs dead air for about 15 seconds.

Album / Artist: Florida Water Blues / Twisted Teens

Label: Chain SMoking / Going Underground

Release Date: July 10, 2026

Review Date: 10/4/2026

Reviewer: DJ Stace

General Comments / Reviews:

Same band six months later, slowed down and sunburned. Backroads swamp rock with unbelievably consistent songwriting and “finely” crafted recordings about backroads, marshes and coastal motels in place of city nerves. Mind the FCCs, and look for lofi, abrupt endings. - DJ Stace

Release Notes:

New Orleans band's second album of 2026, six months after Blame the Clown.

Next album: The Holy Cross Tigers is due Nov. 6, 2026 on Sub Pop (single When We First Met out now).

FCCs: 1,5,7,9,10,12

RIYL: Black Lips, Kurt Vile, The Gun Club, Ty Segall

Play: All but FCCs, Favs Rated with up to *****

Tracklist:

1. Why Did You Miss It? 03:36 - Fast Paced, starts with a frantic guitar intro, then the drum track leads into a fuzzed out lofi awesomeness. FCC fucked up x1.
2. ***** Hand Me A Cigarette 03:26 - FIngerpicked Delta Blues jam intro, leads into a driving lofi junk blues stomper full of understated, dusty swagger. Play it!
3. **** Swamp 02:55 - Noisy backwards masking intro leads into an upbeat swamp rock anthem to ,... LIVING IN THE SWAMP!
4. *** Guided Thunder 03:13 - Fast, emphatic. Spoken-word breakdown that builds and cuts off on a drum hit to stomp all the way to the raucous toy piano ending.
5. **** Florida Water Blues 03:45 - Pace: ____. Title track. Worth editing. FCC shit x1.
6. ***** Top Of The World Hwy No.2 2:12 - Fast paced power chord jammer!
7. Concealed Weepin' 02:27 - Fast paced buzzing rhythm section, with a plucky little guitar solo over the top. Frenetic and chaotic at points. Cool post-punk buzzer. FCC little fucker x1.
8. ***** Riding 03:54 - Drum machine starts off with a great little breakdown. Heavy steel guitar, driving pace. Great tune. Transitions to this amazing distorted over-autotuned harmonic vocals at 3:00 that turns out to be the best part of the song, maybe.
9. Business 02:23 - Jumpy female blues field recording vocals devolve into a janky plucker with talking vocals. FCC fuck x2.
10. Javelina 02:50 - Slow twangy country rocker chock full of FCCs and great lap[ steel guitar. FCC fuck x1, shit x1.
11. **** Weather The Season 03:45 - Crazy Horse style metallic guitar intros an early 60’s style crooner.
12. Dancer 03:00 - Fast paced with crying steel guitar riffage. Ode to the Exotic Dancers of the FC. FCC fuck x1.
13. **** Sun Go Down 05:10 - Straight guitar and lap steel strummer. Great closer, 12-string acoustic, the one real slow song.

Album / Artist: Blame the Clown / Twisted Teens
Label: Chain Smoking Records
Release Date: February 13, 2026
Review Date: 10/4/2026
Reviewer: DJ Stace
General Comments / Reviews:
Raw Power-era Stooges sitting in with a pedal steel player at a New Orleans dive. Scrappy, loud and a blast. If the Grateful Dead had been a garage punk band - DJ Stace

“punk unbounded” - Paste

Release Notes:
Bandcamp lists a first release on Chain Smoking in September 2025; wide release Feb. 13, 2026.

12 tracks, about 31 minutes.
released February 13, 2026

FCCs: 2,7,8, 11(maybe)
RIYL: The Stooges, Black Lips, Ty Segall, Shannon and the Clams
Play: All but FCCs (All FCCs worth editing), Favs Rated with up to *****
Tracklist:
1. **** Is It Real? 03:02 - Fast, driving guitar rocker. A banger right out of the gate.
2. **** Wild Connection 02:49 - Medium Fast paced love song that would have been right at home on the True Romance soundtrack. Worth editing. FCC shit x1.
3. **** I Operate 01:54 - Upbeat jangly, quirky, infectious, talking lyrics.
4. **** Little Seed 02:50 - Cool lowfi radio-style intro. Medium fast crooner.
5. *** 100 Bill Is Gone! 02:58 - Upbeat gravelly screamer about losing $100 in a purchase gone wrong in the French Quarter (probably, I’m not speaking from experience, or anything).
6. ***** Peekaboo Hand 03:23 - Upbeat, toe tapper with brilliant lyrics and phrasing. Brilliant steel guitar. This is peak TT. Possibly my favorite new song. Smells like Grateful Dead if they’d been a garage punk band. You can’t play this one enough.
7. Not Real 02:54 - Mid-uptempo power chord based talker. Definitive answer to the opening track. FCC “wake the fuck up” after the alarm noise at the outro x1.
8. **** Who Could It Be? 02:41 - Upbeat rocker about the devil come a’knockin’? Worth an edit, if someone were so inclined.FCC pissing x1?
9. **** Circus Clown 02:06 - Machine gun rapid fire screaming rocker with killer Theremin-style steel guitar. Play it!
10. **** Hurricane 02:00 - Medium tempo noisy (in a good way), trashcan percussion, recorded inside a giant tin foil roasting pan. Actually, perfect for a song about a hurricane!
11. ***** White Hot Coal 02:54 - Medium paced acoustic guitar blues crooning rocker! Outro with Fiddle, possibly Hurdy Gurdy!?, which would totally be on brand for these guys. Greatness. Possible FCC sounds like “shit”, lyrics sites say its “ship” but better safe than sorry.
12. Corpse Pose 01:02 - Instrumental noise weirdness with backward masking overlays, etc.. Short closer, about a minute. Cool for soundbed, maybe.

TMBG does what they do well, two broad "sounds" depending on which songwritier takes the lead, indie rock/pop and then theatrical/historical fun-nerd stuff with funky sounds. Always fun music & interesting lyrics too, either work on their own, and better together. Working on a song-a-day since the mid 1980's and keeping those music making skills strong, even as the musicians age, it ain't getting old.

1. Slower, soundtrack-jazzy feel
2. ++ mid-tempo rock, catchy. Wish I was more of a Wu-Tang fan to get they lyrics better!
3. lower energy rock track, looking back
4. + Epic simple-French silly "epic-rock" tune, pairs well with Flight of the Conchords "Foux Da Fa Fa"
5. + fast indie, good music & lyrics
6. ++ fun love song? Is that like falling into magma?
7. + quiter short track, fun percussion & quirky
8. + A little Beach-Boys-ish piano & production, makes me sway
9. ++ faster rock
10. + slinky retrospective about a favorite music genre & making music
11. + 60's pop sound, more making music references, hey it mentions "the program director" yay radio reference!
12. ++ Fast rockin' self-depricatin'
13. quiet poppy old synth/organ, magic show's end theme
14. mid-fast tempo indie rock, good music
15. ++ Microtonal modulations in a gentle ballad of time distortion. How'd they do this?
16. + Rockin'
17. + fun
18. + catchy rockin' mid-tempo play on themselves

Light airy peppy Brazilian-sound music, acoustic guitar centered & light drums, from young early-career talented musician. Each track on this EP is done with a different important person in Mei's life. Every track good! No FCC violations

1. + Like a nice walk outdoors
2. faster
3. + slower and more conversational, personal. Japanese in the beginning

Nostalgic-sounding shoegaze; evokes the jangly DIY spirit of 2011 -- Zzzahara Jaime (they/them) is out of Highland Park, LA (has played guitar for Eyedress/Simps/U.S. Velvet) -- this album was inspired by watching the works of David Lynch and Wong Kar Wai, getting into lucid dreaming, and communing with their brother, who died at age 12. Wistful, dense, fun, etc: shoegaze pop that tries a bunch of different sounds.


1. (3:39) ****** Fuzzy murk, into sharp fast synthy guitar; wistful whine "I would have married you..."; great hook
2. (2:31) **** Swaying slow-mid tempo with western twang, sing-songy anthemic vox about youth
3. (2:41) **** Midtempo, insistent: "you don't want me to exist" snarl with spare atmosphere, builds up to a sound fuzzed-out jam
4. (3:16) ****** Sprightly synth into a soupy, swoony shoegaze quick-sockhop sound; fun and dizzy and wistful [transitions at end into next track...]
5. (4:00) **** Slow, fuzzed-out ballad, sounds very prom through a filter of nostalgia; 3 minutes in, the clicky distorted atmosphere gets really cool
6. (3:03) ****** 1-2-3-4 opening, into beautifully Shinjuku-toned shoegaze haze, uptempo and snarly but somewhat reticent vox... cool; very mbv pop
7. (3:22) * kinda stomp-clap-hey adjacent, i dunno
8. (3:50) ***** midtempo, weird distorto bedroom ballad; disassociative and cool; increasingly soupy and incoherent/cloudy
9. (1:50) *** short, but earnest and soulful ballad in a weird thumpy and circling distortion atmosphere
10. (0:37) *** VERY short super-bedroom lofi little ballad on acoustic guitar, with police sirens
11. (2:21) *** soft police sirens at the beginning; mid-tempo emo-adjacent sound with soaring chorus
12. (2:39) ****** plinky 8-bit sounds into weird soupy dancy disassociative atmosphere; uptempo but slightly nightmarish sweaty sound, weird and cool
13. (4:07) **** hushed and mumbly, uptempo in slightly crunch shoegaze soup; sweet and hopeful sound over sunshiney casio arpeggios

This is the fourth studio album from Tom Misch. If you want to chill out, this is a smooth ride.

FCC on track 3
Recommended: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8

1. (3:53) Flowers In Bloom – slow, smooth, jazzy and upbeat.
2. (3:32) Red Moon – playful jazz guitar, smooth vibe, soulful vocal.
3. (3:13) Slow Tonight – faster, upbeat, catchy with cool bass line. FCC fuck (once).
4. (4:05) Sisters With Me – contemplative tempo, evoking a sense of gratitude from Tom. Nice saxophone at the end.
5. (3:27) Old Man – reflecting on his generations before and after and thinking about the songs we play for each other young and old. Nice guitar solo at the end.
6. (2:46) Running Away – guitar picking as he observes the world and sings “I’m scared, running away”.
7. (3:50) Goldie – rhythmic acoustic guitar strumming and a “singing” electric jazz guitar that also delivers a mellow solo.
8. (4:12) Echo From The Flames – Despite singing “face down in the ashes” the song feels upbeat and optimistic with happy guitar picking and vocals.
9. (4:22) Fear Can’t Hurt Any More Than A Dream – repeating haunting background guitar notes layered by a lead guitar and vocals.
10. (3:32) Sultan Of Silence – meditative, jazzy solo at the end before a quiet ending.
11. (4:42) Days Of Us – saxophone intro and background with Kaidi Akinnibi drives the rhythm with drums entering with only 45 seconds remaining.

7th album from L.A.-based singer-songwriter, Dent May. Known for his low-fi bedroom pop created on his laptop. For this album, May headed into a recording studio with a handful of guest players. The lyrics are warm, sun-bleached and romantic — but also a little sad and regretful at times. The expanded instrumentation of a full band and strings give the many ballads and light power pop tunes depth. A lot to like on this one, especially May’s highlighted singles. RIYL: Andrew Gold, Ben Folds, Drugdealer, H. Hawkline, Matt Maltese and Nilsson or any similar early 70s pop rock artists.

Recommended: 2, 3, 7, 4, 11, 1. No FCCs noted.

1. (2:50) Here We Go Again — Breezy sunshine pop with sweet vocals. Chime-y piano and synth. Energetic beat. Plus, banjo and violin. **
2. (3:06) I Remember… — Perfect 70s-style pop rock single. Very H. Hawkline vibe. Piano and horns under May’s harmonized vocals, which soar into his falsetto range. ****
3. (3:38) The Big One — Whimsical piano ballad with a steady pulsing beat that confronts the fact that there will eventually be a major, life-changing earthquake in Southern California. ****
4. (3:03) I Don’t Like You (But I Love You) — Simple, bouncy piano-based pop with a carefree skipping rhythm. Strings as well. ***
5. (2:46) I Want To Believe — Another light, lilting, snappy pop tune featuring piano and melodica or harmonium. Sad, hopeful lyrics.
6. (3:55) Silly Me — Dreamy, gentle flowing ballad. Swelling vocals. Lovely piano arpeggios. Full orchestration.
7. (3:21) Second Wind — Starts as another slow piano ballad, playing off of being too tired for a night out. Then, shifts gears to an upbeat pop tune with Beach Boys-like energy and harmonies. Slows again at the end. ****
8. (3:25) I-55 — Road song vibe with a hint of the Doobie Brothers or Allman Brothers Band. Light and jazzy, with a tripping beat and vibrant guitar interlaced with keys.
9. (3:18) Last Night I Saw A UFO — Swaying pop tune set to a bossa nova rhythm. Witty and fun lyrics about an encounter with a UFO, which none of the lead character’s friends can believe.
10. (2:50) Such A Thrill — Strummy guitar and keys, wrapped in a twirling waltz. Lush strings in the lead break.
11. (3:50) Tell ‘Em All I Said Hi — A poignant, sad chamber folk closer with fingerpicked guitar, strings and May’s vocals covering his impressive range. ***

3rd solo album from highly acclaimed L.A.-based singer-songwriter, Phoebe Bridgers. The gifted artist puts herself out there on this nearly double album set. Many of the song topics are highly personal: about her difficult relationship with her father, her past loves or her current boyfriend (Bo Burnham). The arrangements are stunning. Production is flawless (with help from Jack Antonoff, Ethan Gruska and Tony Berg). And Bridgers’ lyrics are sharp, revealing and often disarming. RIYL: Boygenius (super group that includes Bridgers), Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Adrianne Lenker, Mitski.

Highly recommended: 2, 14, 5, 9, 1, 15, 4. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:58) The Outside — Robotic-sounding intro ballad. Space effects with Bridgers’ voice processed through a vocoder. Occasional breaks for unfiltered vocals and lovely keys. ***
2. (4:15) Lost Boys — An unforgettable earworm of a single. Tempo and key changes with an arrangement that builds into fully orchestrated power pop. ****
3. (4:42) Kill Me — Moody, breathy vocals over rich strummed guitar. Hazy, swirling soundscape with additional shimmering synths and guitars. Intense, distorted trail-out.
4. (3:28) The Governor’s Waltz — A gentle, music box-like waltz, but with biting vocals perhaps recalling an earlier relationship. Eerie, church-like backing vocals supplied by Caroline Shaw. ***
5. (4:00) Bobby — Another trademark Bridgers anthem. Big sound with march-like drums, twinkly keys, strummed guitar and soaring vocals. Rushes of powerful synths. ****
6. (3:39) Lost Weekend — Dreamy and atmospheric with a sustained glistening soundscape providing the bed for Bridgers’ halting vocals — before the melody bursts forth at around the 2:35 mark.
7. (3:35) Haunted — Folksy Americana. Strummed mandolin, fiddle and synths. Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker harmonize.
8. (2:47) Panorama — Off-kilter chamber pop rock. A broad mix of instruments and effects including banjo, mandolin and guitar. Minimal lyrics.
9. (3:57) Still Standing — Mesmerizing, crystalline ballad. Recalling childhood memories of a complicated relationship with her late father. Angelic harmonies. ****
10. (3:18) Liberty Tree — Propulsive folk toe-tapper — with some unexpected twists and turns.
11. (1:43) Never Going Back! — Starts with Bridgers’ a cappella vocals, then she adds a strummed guitar, banjo, backing vocals and spoken words taken from one of her father’s voicemails to her.
12. (2:21) Other Plans — Fragile, intimate keys-based ballad.
13. (0:56) Lost Parade — Swelling, march-like, orchestrated instrumental.
14. (3:38) I Can’t Wait — Collaboration with Cameron Winter of Geese. Urgent, pulsing guitar powering a pop anthem for 2 minutes, before briefly transitioning into softer alt country, and then finishing in anthemic fashion. ****
15. (4:25) As Above — Begins as a meandering, piano-driven ballad. Builds into a showcase for Bridgers’ powerhouse vocals. Finishes quietly. ***
16. (2:09) Lost Weekend (Reprise) — Haunting closer with sustained church organ and synths, plus Bridgers’ airy vocals floating above.

24th album from John Darnielle and the band. Like so many other Mountain Goats’ albums, the songs are loosely focused on a theme. In this case, it’s a look back at the music of the 70s, 80s and especially the 90s, and how as ‘days’ go by, music often comes into clearer focus. The arrangements incorporate piano, guitar, bass and drums — plus a lot of brass on the 12 tracks. As always with the Goats, it’s a pleasantly intriguing listen — with occasional surprises. (For example, despite its title, track 8 has no hard rock at all!) RIYL: Bright Eyes, M. Ward, The Decemberists, Robyn Hitchcock.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 3, 7, 4, 9, 12. No FCCs noted.

1. (2:13) Song For Layne Staley — Short, grungy storytelling tribute to the late lead singer of Alice in Chains. Acerbic, mostly spoken vocals. Builds to an explosive sound with fuzzed guitars.
2. (3:12) Charlie Sheen Reaches Out To The Feds — Rousing rockin’ groove — like a classic road song. Guitar and organ-driven, but also with peppy horns and harmonies supporting the lead vocals. ****
3. (2:30) Shallow Grave — Crisp, strummy folk pop. Bright piano, rapid drumming and handclaps — with horns joining in at the very end. ****
4. (2:56) Candlebox — An anthemic tune about Candlebox, a 90s grunge band from Seattle. Electric piano and a simple tapping rhythm, with multiple stadium-sized crescendos underscored by distorted guitar. ***
5. (3:17) Annie Haslam Imperial Phase — Tightly produced pop number about the band Renaissance when they played Carnegie Hall in 1971. Skipping rhythm, keyboards, some funk and Billy Joel-like horns.
6. (2:53) Crying On Eddie Nash’s Grave — Simple bouncy pop. Snare drum, rapid-fire bass, jangly guitar and female harmonies.
7. (2:33) Days — Wistful, swelling melody about how short the time is for all of us. Catchy toe-tapper with shimmering synths and earnest vocals. ****
8. (2:58) Best Hard Rock Albums 2013 — A curious, sweet breezy and jazzy pop tune. Chime-y synths and horns including a saxophone and trombone over a syncopated rhythm track.
9. (3:56) Going To Fennario — Old-timey, country folk tune. Rich harmonized vocals. Keyboards, upright bass, harp, plus brass in the distance. ***
10. (3:58) Woodstock ‘99 — Deliberate, spare piano and synth ballad. Feels sad, drifting and lost. Reminiscing about a singer who “yelled about cocaine” at one of the Woodstocks in the 90s.
11. (3:59) Hidden Majesty Of Later Venom Albums — Another chilling piano ballad. Swirling, reverbed keys plus harmonies from Manhattan Transfer’s Janis Siegel soar as Darnielle recalls an English band that was past its prime by the mid-80s.
12. (2:03) Last Day — A soulful, upbeat, almost New Orleans-style march. Piano, organ and a sharp beat…thinking about what our final day might be like. ***

8th album from the Austin-based indie rock band led by multi-instrumentalist and lead singer, Jonathan Meiburg. Shearwater was founded in 1999 as a side project of Meiburg’s and co-founder, Will Sheff’s, Okkervil River. Shearwater’s vibe features cerebral and introspective lyrics woven within otherworldly, often high-drama, theatrical soundscapes. Meiburg assembled a wide array of guest performers to join the band on this album and incorporated field recordings from his travels for his other passions — from writing books on falcons in South America to taking research expeditions to Antarctica. RIYL: Midlake, The Decemberists, Great Lake Swimmers, Okkervil River.
— Francis

Recommended: 3, 7, 4, 2, 9. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:53) Even Song — Gentle piano intro. Remains quiet throughout, with one-two strummed guitar, Meiburg’s quavering vocals and layers of noise and effects producing a propulsive energy. Segues into track 2.
2. (4:10) More And More — Slinky blues groove, with piano and floating, mesmerizing clarinet. Cello, mellotron, and church bells plus blackbirds from Berlin are added. ***
3. (4:23) Daydream Unbeliever — Starts softly and stately with pristine piano and nearly imperceptible organ drone before building into an anthem with soaring orchestral arpeggios. A dog barks at the end. ****
4. (5:17) A Mink In The Dusk — Built on an intricate, exotic rhythm created by three musicians from Mali’s Ngoni Ba. Freeform jazzy. Bass, guitar, piano and woodwinds — the latter of which imitates birdsong at times. ****
5. (4:36) The Only Sound I’m Afraid Of — Anticipation builds across a drawn-out piano and guitar opening platform, laced with the sounds of Tasmanian ravens. Ultimately reaches an intense climax of guitar and vocals reminiscent of the Who.
6. (6:20) The High Ranges — Playful piano signatures and drifting vocals with haunting harmonies. Simple rhythm with some added layers from Ngoni Ba. Saxophone solo on the back end.
7. (3:43) Slugs In The Marigolds — Slow fade in. Becomes light and bouncy pop with Meiburg’s confident, lilting vocals playing off against soulful saxophone figures. Segues on field effects into track 8. ****
8. (5:33) Anamnesia — Slow and slogging, with spare instrumentation of piano and guitar in a minor key. Ticking rhythm with wistful vocals. Woodwinds are added toward the end. Long, meandering trail-out.
9. (7:03) You And Your Dog (Feat. Laurie Anderson) — Crystalline, chime-y piano and clarinet blended into an experimental piece, with spoken-word ‘vocals’ by guest artist, Laurie Anderson. A lovely, unexpected melancholic closer, which reflects on the little things that make us human. ***

5th album from Australian singer-songwriter, Alex Cameron. Often irreverent and funny, on this album Cameron seems a bit darker and brooding. His lyrics speak of failing actors, disgraced preachers, pathetic losers and more — often with a focus on toxic masculinity. The catchy melodies and arrangements blend synths with guitar and his trademark vocals. RIYL: Porches, Future Islands, The Killers or Nation of Language.
— Francis

Recommended: 8, 2, 3, 1, 6. FCC on unedited Track 10.

1. (3:35) No Soldier (Clean Edit) — Swaggering, guitar-driven march. Killers-esque stylings. Defiant, chanted vocals. Tales of a failed actor who missed out on a part. ***
2. (3:52) Statue Down — Bouncy, syncopated pop with a catchy bass line and glistening synths. Mellow storytelling vocals. ****
3. (4:51) Stand-In Man — Funky guitar rock groove with a throwback vibe. Slightly reminiscent of T-Rex’s “Bang A Gong (Get It On).” Short, sharp guitar, plinking piano and thudding beat. Nice bells. ****
4. (4:15) Testosterone In Blue — Bright, mid-tempo bass-led playful pop Stop-and-go rhythm. Pipe-like synths.
5. (5:50) Jesus Never Had No Porno — Stately and slow. Expansive synth soundscape, with deliberate guitar licks. Soaring vocals. Irreverent lyrics. Distant synth sounding like a pedal steel guitar.
6. (4:13) Ricochet — Opens with harmonica and then evolves into a breezy synth-pop tune with lofty harmonized choruses. **
7. (5:17) No Guns Come Alone — Moody organ-heavy funereal dirge. Slow, sad vocals. Noisy, distorted trail-out.
8. (5:05) Red Hook Rain — Fades in. 80s-style synth anthem with chugging rhythm and big choruses. ****
9. (3:35) Violent Man — Starts with indistinct, atmospheric synth before building into more chaotic, strident synths and guitar.
10. (3:35) No Soldier (Explicit) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of Track 1.

12th album from Chicago native, now L.A. resident, Eric D. Johnson and his Fruit Bats project. Johnson is the only permanent member of Fruit Bats, bringing in various members for recording sessions and touring. His expressive vocals frequently have an Americana flavor. But his arrangements take the album into territory ranging from power pop to 70s-style folk rock — with captivating melodies and thoughtful lyrics. It’s another solid entry in his impressive catalog. RIYL: Bonny Light Horseman (Johnson is part of that trio), Dr. Dog, Whitney, Cut Worms and The Shins.
— Francis

Recommended: 10, 2, 4, 5, 1, 6. FCC on unedited Track 11.

1. (3:01) The Saddest Part Of The Song (Clean Edit) — Swaying, cinematic and soulful. Guitar arpeggios and piano. Johnson’s melancholy vocals soar into falsettos. ***
2. (3:13) All Wounds — Chiming guitar over a skipping beat with contemplative vocals. Harmonica in the lead break. “Time heals all wounds is a thing they say/But I haven’t always found it to be that way.” ****
3. (2:41) Think Aboutcha — Power pop with a swaggering beat, plinking piano and distorted guitar washes.
4. (3:11) That Goddamn Sun — Light and nimble swinging pop with broad orchestration. Uplifting melody. Lyrics touch on light and dark emotions. ****
5. (4:17) Silverfish In The Sink — Starts with a few seconds of room noise. A sad and sentimental ballad. Piano — along with Johnson’s emotive vocals singing about the loneliness of living in Southern California — take center stage. ****
6. (3:35) Wild Pony Tower Moment — Throwback to pop of the mid-70s. Strummed guitar, piano, synths and flowing orchestration are reminiscent of bands such as America. ***
7. (3:44) Fishin’ For A Vision — Lightly tripping alt country tune. Syncopated beat. Agile guitar work. Playful vocal delivery.
8. (3:07) Perhaps We’re A Storm — Combines strummy acoustic and electric guitars with a tumbling drum track to create an urgent feeling.
9. (4:43) Hummingbird Sage — Slow-tempo ballad. Jangly guitars. Deliberate tempo with a steady beat. Expansive, anthemic vocals.
10. (2:56) The Landfill — An up-tempo folk rock hit with catchy melody and wistful, soaring vocals. Piano and reverbed guitar over a propulsive rhythm. Electric guitar in the lead break. ****
11. (3:01) The Saddest Part Of The Song (Explicit) — FCC: fucking — Unedited version of Track 1.

Unbelievably lo-fi experimental psyche-folk holy sounds from Brooklyn-based Nicaraguan-American musician; she recorded these songs over the course of five years on a Tascam 424. The mix is rumbled, distorted, faint, dreamy. This is essential music, soul-touching music, indescribable music, just listen

Almost all tracks (minus a few short rumblings) are beautiful, but esp. play track 1. No FCCs

1. (3:36) ********** Perfect human artifact; haunting, slow, stewing in tape hiss. Feels ancient, feels holy. Beautiful, towering
2. (2:01) ****** Slow, jangling. Voice muffled with hallway echo, sweet and spooky
3. (1:43) ****** Soupy strumming, voice low in mix; church-like harmony, puzzling and beautiful
4. (1:24) **** Hesitating piano notes plunked, a more agitated stripped-down take on track 1
5. (1:38) ***** Deeply low-fi, muffled timbre, slow, haunting/beautiful; sudden glitch ending
6. (1:59) ***** Weird muffled low-fi metronome beat, haunted discordant harmony vocals from two rooms; ends with (church?) organ snippet
7. (1:49) **** insistent guitar rhythm, chanted dirge
8. (3:03) **** Instrumental: Lo-fi soup, with hints of drum-machine; aligns into discordant church-y organ sounds
9. (0:37) ** weird distorted tape recording, voice backward?
10. (2:36) ******* Almost jaunty, straightforward but haunted folk rhythm melody with distorted synth giving weird tones; repetitive and dreamlike
11. (2:19) ****** Woman behind the radiator atmosphere, haunted foggy distant sounds, sweet but impossibly far; prom ballad tempo
12. (1:31) ***** strummed, mumbly discordant bedroom tape atmosphere, sweet and jumbled | suddenly cuts out
13. (3:30) ****** slow metronome, sweet and holy harmonies; reverb reverb reverb. Spare, haunting. Whispers...
14. (1:50) * instrumental: Plodding church organ low notes

LOCAL -- Fifth album by San Francisco group Cindy, led by Karina Gill; lo-fi soft, fuzzy textures with fem harmonized vocals, rich bedroom atmosphere, sad/wistful vibe. Meowcore + shoegaze; really lovely stuff. RIYL: La Luz, April Magazine, Grass Widow, Belle + Sebastian.

FCC clean!

1. (4:11) ******* Soft, rich, fuzzy; slow Pale Blue Eyes-style sway, soft and soothing vocals; aimless and cool
2. (2:31) ***** Fast, strummy, jangly. Sweet vox harmonizing, captured in fuzz
3. (2:04) ***** Wistful, slow, expressive -- instrumental until the last 25 seconds, then a half-talked little snippet
4. (2:33) ****** Classic country slow ballad sway, whispered and cool vox
5. (3:47) ***** Midtempo; chanted, like a spooky spin on a classic girl group/soul sound -- repeated and sustained, feels quite long
6. (2:21) ****** Faster, more of a yeye "upbeat" sound (though still fuzzy and languid)
7. (2:59) ***** Slow, plunky, downer; shangri-las-style wistful monologue amid sad harmony chorus
8. (1:23) ***** Strummy, sad/upbeat sound. Close harmony and wistful tone, fades away at end
9. (3:48) ****** Slow, whispered. Harmony soup, soft intimate vox, regal pace. Gets soupier and soupier; becomes diffuse, cloudy, fuzzy heaven

11th album from the Seattle indie rock band led by Ben Gibbard. First new album in four years. This set of songs grew out of the heartbreak and anxiety Gibbard felt in dealing with his recent divorce and the loneliness of touring. Critics are calling it the best Death Cab album in a decade or more. The lyrics are complex and emotionally engaging. The weariness in the words doesn’t diminish the energy of the band. The guitar work is excellent, rhythms are solid, vocals and harmonies shine, and there’s even a little synth pop thrown in as a bonus. RIYL: The Postal Service (Gibbard’s previous band), The Shins, Modest Mouse or Rilo Kiley.
— Francis

Recommended: 9, 6, 8, 4, 1, 2. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:23) Full Of Stars — Hushed and prayerful. Acoustic guitar and piano with Gibbard’s vocals setting the stage for the album’s themes. Jangle guitar in the lead break. ***
2. (3:12) Punching The Flowers — Heavier and a bit strident. Gnarly, discordant guitars. Snapping, urgent snare. Edgy electric guitar in the lead break. ***
3. (3:14) Pep Talk — Bouncier and more upbeat — one of the few such tracks on the album. Lilting vocals over jangling guitars.
4. (3:23) I Built You A Tower (a) — Wistful, harmonious melody with a traditional Death Cab sound. Skipping rhythm, shimmering guitar and powerful doubled vocals. The first of two takes on the title track — standing in stark contrast to the ‘in-your-face’ (b) version at the end. ****
5. (4:20) Envy The Birds — Starts manic and jittery. Grungy, with sharp guitar attacks and crisp, slapping drums. Resolves to a softer sound at around 1:30
6. (3:14) Stone Over Water — Another tune that captures the emotions Gibbard experienced during his time writing the songs for the album. Lucious chime-y guitar with a pulsing bass, steady rhythm and lovely harmonies in the choruses. ****
7. (3:30) How Heavenly A State — Raw track filled with distorted guitar, noise and feedback over chaotic drumming.
8. (3:53) Trap Door — Silky smooth synth ballad. Lush soundscape somewhat reminiscent of the late 70s, encapsulating Gibbard’s gentle vocals. Swelling piano solo in the lead break. ****
9. (3:17) Riptides — Confident strut over trance-like synth, driven by a single-note bass line. The lead single. Upbeat melody, with vocals that reveal the fatigue Gibbard felt in dealing with his divorce and other life changes. ****
10. (3:45) The Flavor Of Metal — Dynamic rocker with multiple layers and structural shifts. Relatively mellow, but with plenty of energy and pace.
11. (3:28) I Built You A Tower (b) — Alternate version of the title track. Much more ominous, distorted and cacophonous. Concludes on a roar.

Never Die - Matt Jencik & Midwife

Minimal ambient post-rock goth. Dreamy and wistful. Matt Jencik has played with Implodes, Don Caballero, and Slint’s live band, and has a few solo releases of ambient-minimal experimentalism which are worth seeking out too. Midwife (Madeline Johnston) plays ghostly slowcore. Together they make an album commemorating the losses you've yet to carry.

Shoegaze-style ethereal vocals, I don't understand most of the lyrics. No FCCs detected.

1. ++ organ(?) drone and slow quiet sung vocals.
2. Guitar with reverb, distant post-rock
3. ++ Airy guitar and vocal
4. 80's synth, upwards-optimistic sound. At end backwards vocals harmonize
5. + a couple guitar notes droning with sung-whispered phrases, anticipatory then resolves by slowing down
6. ++ Hmm 3/4 ambient major-key slowcore! a good drugged lullaby
7. + A full stripped-down song and most understandable vox "only death is real"
8. dreamy instrumental
9. whisper-sung breathy vocals, mid-tempo goth, good mix of reverb guitar & early Pink Floyd synths
10. + Slow Cure beat & guitar, forward sounding, while lyrics are regrets looking back. Is this a reference to Pittsburgh's Rickety Records, or Kennywood's wooden rollercoasters?

Young Well Seasoned Mississippi Native, Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist & Harmonica Player. Backed Powerfully By The Little Village/Greaseland Crew. 90% Original Material,Fresh Authentic Electric blues

1) 3:51 Strong Chi-Town Strut
2) 4:38 Haunting Midtempo Lament
3) 3:17 Sweet Chi-Town Soul Bounce
4) 3:49 Low Down Alley Walk
5) 3:55 Driving Guitar Instrumental Showcase
6) 4:57 Laid Back Lope
7) 4:39 Easy Walkin' Bounce
8) 3:27 Serious Chi-Town March
9) 3:23 Funky Laid Back Walk
10) 3:55 Easy Walkin' Chi-Town Chestnut
11) 3:45 Driving Blues Harmonica Instrumental Showcase
12) 3:28 Powerful Dark Blue March

Fifth album for the English band considered one of the originators of ‘twee’ indie pop. Active from 1989–1996, when drummer Mathew Fletcher took his own life. Core members then migrated to Tender Trap, releasing four more albums from 2002–2014. Highway to Heavenly features all the remaining musicians. This album isn’t simply a nostalgic trip into the past. Rather, like the band’s previous albums, it merges “sharp-edged politics with shamelessly joyous pop music…combining the American Riot Grrrl sound with the pop charms of the English indie scene.” RIYL: Tiger Trap, Tullycraft, Go Sailor and even 70s/80s female-first bands such as Blondie.
— Francis

Recommended: 1, 2, 7, 10, 6. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:49) Scene Stealing — Smoothly tripping twee pop with a sunny girl group sound. Rich harmonies. Sustained organ and minimal guitar. ****
2. (3:12) Portland Town — Punky with scratchy, palm-muted guitar. A bit of a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” vibe. Amelia Fletcher and Cathy Rogers trade off on lead vocals. ****
3. (4:03) Press Return — Urgent guitar-led track with plenty of organ or synth mixed in. Lyrics focus on the arrogance of some tech bros.
4. (3:00) Skep Wax — Playful with lilting vocals. The song is titled after the band’s UK record label, which is run by Fletcher.
5. (3:57) Deflicted — Opens with spoken lines, like hits from the Shangri-Las or other girl groups of the 60s. Then, shifts to shimmering organ-led pop.
6. (2:36) Excuse Me — Energetic punk. A retro review of teen romance with a definite 60s vibe. Stop-start guitars, organ and cooing harmonies. ***
7. (4:59) A Different Beat — An intriguing guitar melody over a hint of a disco-influenced foundation. Transitions from up-tempo bass-driven sections to wistful choruses. Reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian. Excellent! ****
8. (3:29) Good Times — Dreamy and chime-y. Swingy melody set to a stately pace — with lots of xylophone.
9. (4:06) The Neverseen — Simple storytelling ballad. Strummed guitars and organ.
10. (4:01) She Is The One — A boy/girl tale. Almost a Latin flavor to the rhythm. Uplifting female lead vocals in a light melody. ***
11. (3:20) That Last Day — A song about when lead singer Fletcher’s mother passed away. Mostly light guitar work underlying the heartfelt lyrics, but with clash-y discordant guitar in the lead break.

Goose is on the rise. If the Grateful Dead is folk-oriented jam and Phish is funk-oriented jam, Goose tends toward an indie pop and arguably more accessible take on jam band. That might sound unappealing, but I actually love it. Their guitarist Rick Mitarotonda is phenomenal at electric guitar—especially the jams—and just keeps getting better. The other members are excellent in their own right too. These jams can open doors to the astral plane. Goose sold out Madison Square Garden last summer, notably going an hour past curfew, and this live album is taken from that night. Many tracks exceed 15 minutes, allowing the jam to unfold. Take it in...

Related: Grateful Dead, Phish, Dead & Company
Favorites: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18
No FCCs

1. (18:48) * Factory Fiction—Grateful Dead feel but the guitar jamming is brighter, solid opener, eleven minutes in a meditative jam that gets anthemic by the end
2. (18:00) Hungersite—High energy jam that turns intense and cacophonic by the end
3. (4:52) My Mind Has Been Consumed by Media—Driving krautrock, 80s guest vox, very different from Goose’s usual
4. (16:05) * A Western Sun—Profound folk meditation with evocative lyrics, Rick sings, excellent piano-driven jam starts seven minutes in—this is prime Goose
5. (6:25) ** Running Up That Hill—Melodic soaring vox and chiming guitars, excellent overall, packs a lot in just six minutes
6. (7:47) Give It Time—Feel good summer jam, reassuring
7. (8:52) Feel It Now—Great jam with horns, would also recommend the jams at Stanford, September 2024 and Holmdel NJ, September 2024
8. (11:02) Dustin Hoffman—Emotional melodic jam, would highly recommend also checking out the jam in San Francisco, May 2025 as it’s seminal
9. (17:07) ** Animal—Excellent vox, jam starts five minutes in and it grooves in a Grateful Dead melodic way, really great jam overall
10. (21:47) ** Thatch—Cool syncopated funk jam that’s very Phish, then gets more dreamy and piano-driven and eventually quite driving for the final ten minutes—hands down one of the best Goose jams
11. (17:46) Red Bird—Very Phish funk-oriented jam, similar to Thatch but remains on the funk plane throughout, don’t love the closing jam
12. (8:30) Don’t Leave Me This Way—Retro jam vaguely Hendrix, multiple vox, radio-friendly
13. (21:06) * Tumble (Part I)—Classic early Goose jam, like a cross between the Red Rocks 2022 jam which was peak + their jams of other songs, gets into a sultry groove around nine minutes in with Rick soloing, truly great though the jam gets gnarly in last seven minutes
14. (12:24) Creatures—Soulful jam driven by crunchy guitar/bass dynamic and soaring vox, good if disjunct outro
15. (7:00) Shama Lama Ding Dong—Clean guitar tone and vox, feel good grooves, Rick briefly talks about how they’re going past the MSG curfew—closes with anthemic jam
16. (7:32) Tumble (Part II)—Freewheeling intense jam
17. (8:01) * Jed Stone—Calm Grateful Dead summerteeth atmosphere, vox shine
18. (16:33) * Dripfield—Experimental rock, huge sound, excellent rock n roll instrumental jam starts at 8:30, one of the best Dripfield jams I’ve heard
19. (12:52) Arcadia—More explicitly grooves, similar to Jed Stone, good closer

Fifth album from the New Zealand-born singer-songwriter. Harding moved to Wales in 2020 and collaborates with her live-in partner, H. Hawkline (Huw Evans), as well as other local musicians. Her somewhat low-key alt folk is “warm and inviting,” while being strange, playful and out-of-the-box at times. The melodies are carried by guitar, bass, piano, drums and synths — with pedal steel and even a harp thrown in. But it’s Harding’s curious, intriguing poetry set to music that define the 10-song set. The result has earned “Train On The Island” exceptional praise, including an almost unheard of 90 from Pitchfork. RIYL: Cate LeBon, Jessica Pratt, Julia Jacklin, Fiona Apple, Bedouine.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 5, 1, 3, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (4:07) I Ate The Most — Spare, pensive opener. Sputtering, shuffling percussion. Organ and brief guitar licks. Extremely present, low-register vocals — like Harding ‘ate the mic.’ Some backing harmonies. ****
2. (3:30) One Stop — Urgent, repeated piano arpeggios. A very radio-friendly song, but with unexpected twists and turns. The song transitions to strummed guitar at around 2:25. ****
3. (5:35) Train On The Island — Very laid-back storytelling feel. Composed of just two piano chords, three bass notes and two guitar notes over a simple rhythm. Yet, it’s all mesmerizing and draws one into Harding’s dreamy, slightly sultry vocals. ****
4. (3:54) Worms — A slow and sensuous piano ballad. Snare drum rhythm and a hint of pedal steel guitar.
5. (3:17) Venus In The Zinnia (ft. H. Hawkline) — A highlight! Lovely duet with H. Hawkline. Strummed guitar with an interesting bassline and the vocalists playing off one another. Some player piano in the lead break. ****
6. (4:12) If Lady Does It — An experimental feel. Keyboards, bass and guitar once again. Frequent changes to tempo and musical structure. Playful, quavering vocals.
7. (4:42) San Francisco — Slow, soulful and free-form jazzy. Organ and pedal steel guitar. Unexpectedly breaks into up-tempo strumming with a very Joni Mitchell throwback feel at 3:30.
8. (3:45) What Am I Gonna Do — A funky groovy vibe. Deep drums, bass and shimmering keys. Throaty vocals. Again, unpredictable shifts in musical signatures.
9. (2:58) Riding That Symbol — Sweet and beautiful folk ballad over picked and strummed guitar.
10. (3:29) Coats — Hip and fun, with a nice swagger. Fuzzy guitars along with a simple bassline and rhythm. Quizzical lyrics about “Big thick coats on the dogs of people just trying to help.” ***

Fifth solo album from the 33-year-old L.A.-based singer-songwriter, who’s a frequent collaborator with Sufjan Stevens. This album is a small miracle — De Augustine was at home on Halloween 2021 when he lost feeling in his entire body and collapsed. He couldn’t move, hear or see well. The medical crisis was never fully diagnosed, and De Augustine has had to relearn how to walk, talk, play and sing. “Angel in Plainclothes” emerged from the artist’s lengthy journey back. The album moves away from his early DIY days to a set of indie folk tracks that have more layers while remaining spare, fragile and intimate. RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Denison Witmer, Elliott Smith, Andy Shauf or early Paul Simon.
— Francis

Recommended: 5, 4, 1, 9, 2, 7, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:00) Empty Shell — Wistful waltz featuring De Augustine’s close-mic’d ethereal vocals, strummed guitar and harp. Almost a Beatles white album vibe with its throwback strings. ****
2. (3:46) Pet Cemetery — Exotic rhythms created with unusual instruments, setting up an island vibe. Guitar, tinkling piano and shimmering idiophone, with haunting harmonies. Lyrics about the pet cemeteries for the stars in L.A. ***
3. (2:49) Spirit Of The Unknown — Sensitive and achy love ballad with a deliberate tempo. Quavering, falsetto vocals. Rich orchestration.
4. (4:22) The Cure — One of several standout singles. Soft and Donovan-like, but with more energy in the choruses. Guitar and chime-y keys. Lyrics compare managing a chronic illness with the cycles of addiction. ****
5. (4:07) Mirror Mirror — Lilting vocals over a droning soundscape created using the varispeed function on a tape machine. Nice mid-tempo rhythm, strings and backing harmonies. An early Paul Simon feeling. ****
6. (2:28) Cosmic Ride — Aptly named, otherworldly lullaby with guitar, piano and breathy vocals.
7. (2:44) The Universe Was Our Mother — Slow fade in. Gorgeous halting, crystalline love ballad featuring harp and piano. ***
8. (3:41) With A Love So Kind — Another gentle, heartfelt arrangement with doubled vocals, swelling strings and xylophone.
9. (4:09) Pictures On My Wall — Strummy and bouncy folk song. This one could easily be a Simon & Garfunkel tune from their early years. ***
10. (3:06) Goodbye Baby Blue — A brief, hopeful and uplifting closer. More traditional folk with a solid bassline. Beautifully harmonized vocals. A hint of Americana. ***

This is a fun, gritty record with angsty, incisive lyrics that belong on college radio. One-man show Matt Koenig explores the space between punk rock, breakbeats, funky indie, and catchy pop. Be advised: some tracks start or end with considerable silence / quiet. RIYL Fratellis, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, !!!, or something in between.

Two songs with FCC issues.

1. A little funky, gritty, angsty. Ends with ~30s crickets chirping.
2. ** Upbeat, 2000’s punk rock nostalgia.
3. *** Great for summertime airplay! Upbeat, danceable. 2010’s indie feel.
4. Fast, but lower-energy lackadaisical beat.
5. Plodding, Fratellis sound.
6. ** Medium-speed and catchy. Closer to singer-songwriter. Orchestral walk-off.
7. * FCC “God damn”. Punk rock with a driving beat.
8. * Indie rock. Upbeat angst with strained vocals. Another quiet outro w/ sound effects.
9. *** Upbeat, poppy anthem with vocal commentary apropos of generational angst. Belongs on college radio!
10. * Fast punk rock breakbeats.
11. *** FCC “the fuck was I to do”. Blastable indie rock.
12. Percussion-focused, clean rock.
13. More sterile dance beat.
14. A quick, upbeat outro.

The Late Night Tales mix series turns 25, with a mix by Barry Can’t Swim, the scottish DJ specializing in lush downtempo works; the mix includes various obscurities, and some new works by BCS himself, outtakes and unreleased cuts from earlier in his career, and a new single

FCC on 3, rest is clean; quite varied in what we got here, take your pick


1. [Jackson Mico Milas] (1:48) *** Soft piano, woozy beachy; sax, some faint voices -- vague and romantic
2. [Majid Bekkas & Magic Spirit Quartet] (5:39) ***** Echoes of soft smooth jazz over beachy jazz bass and percussion: vocals in Moroccan, emphatic, aching energy with a midtempo groove
3. FCC -- "fuckin'" [Jesse Bru] (2:11) *** Mumbly hallway chatter in bg, beach waves, soft and inviting exotica atmosphere; casual chatter (including FCCs)
4. [Loket] (6:22) ******* Spacey rapid synths-- some triumphant brass, chill xylophone, nice and cool, plummy rich instrumental atmosphere, resolves in bittersweet strings
5. [Superpitcher] (4:07) ******* Spacey sweet harp glissandos, fading into aggressive midtempo dance beat, then everything warbly/warp-o, start and stop, repetitive hypnotic strangeness
6. [Scott Orr] (1:39) ****** Some chatter about "the banjo setting" on a synth, then some crooning over some plunky little lush atmosphere; sweet, nice
7. [Marigold Sun] (1:49) ** Some atmosphere over simple plinky piano melody
8. [Barry Can't Swim] (2:43) **** The single--soured synth riffs; a plaintive distorted vocal floating over it, then the beat drops... insistent beat, some nightmarish distortion, lush full sound, an overall mysterious atmosphere
9. [Freddy da Stupid] (6:47) ****** Nice caribbean beat, with weird hush-ing beat over; mysterious 1980s vibe with whoop-ing cyber-caribbean atmosphere, odd, interesting instrumental... repetitive and haunting... last 20 seconds are a very quiet and fluttering fade-out
10. [Factory Floor] (8:27) ***** Straightforward beat with some echoey sighs over it... more of a straightforward (but loose, handclap) house beat; repeated, monotone "how did you do it" vocals; atmosphere becomes buzzier, richer, then chaotically echoey
11. [Ronald Langestraat] (4:16) ***** Casio keyboards, weird distorted scatty vocals; cyber jazz club, odd atmosphere, bittersweet musical evocation
12. [Lance Desardi] (6:50) **** Heavy, housey straightforward beat with some warp-o distortion... two minutes in, spoken-word woman monologue, simple but rich mood
13. [O'Flynn] (3:31) ***** Fragmented, odd, haunted atmosphere, distorted vocals sounding in pain with heavy liquidy sounds, strong straightforward beat, but dreamlike impression
14. [Accelera Deck] (3:11) ****** Buzzy, polytempo percussion; hypnotic and chaotic and also chill effect - instrumental
15. [Pepe] (5:15) ****** Odd minimalist woodwind cuckooish sound; chaotic atmosphere of different timbres. Simple instrumental but hypnotic weird effect; cool experimental vibe
16. [This Mortal Coil] (4:07) ****** Vibey bladerunnercore atmosphere, foggy minimalist synths, whale sound-esque sighs... female vocals, jazzy lynchian jazz club atmosphere ... fades into dignified string quartet
17. [St Francis Hotel] (1:47) ***** Epic and dignified strings into chill slow beat; cool weird atmosphere but short
18. [Barry Can't Swim] (2:16) *** Minimalist fuzzy atmosphere with simple piano melody
19. [Seamus] (4:25) Spoken word monologue (no bg), heavy scottish accent ... very droll
20. [Barry Can't Swim] (1:52) **** [vinyl-exclusive bonus track] Foggy misty atmosphere with dramatic piano, ethereal chorus, glitch-out, it's over

3rd album from NYC-based band that serves up folk rock, pop, Americana and a bit of alt country. Fantastic Cat brings together four singer-songwriters led by Brian Dunne (2025’s “Clams Casino”). Three have their own solo careers and the fourth fronts another group as well. The tracks on this album shift seamlessly among the genres, with arrangements blending guitar, piano, organ, strings and drums. High energy on most of the cuts, with only a couple of ballads. The goal was to create a live feeling, even though the album was recorded in the studio. RIYL: Dr. Dog, Bruce Springsteen, Avett Brothers, Delta Spirit.
— Francis

Recommended: 4, 2, 1, 8, 10, 11, 3. FCCs on unedited Tracks 13, 14 and 15.

1. (4:02) Donnie Takes The Bus — Simulated live opener. Begins with cheering crowd effects. A rollickingly exuberant Americana stomp with guitar, honky-tonk piano and pounding drums. Crowd sounds out. ****
2. (3:23) The Waiting Room (Clean Edit) — A Brian Dunne composition with a strong hook. Yearning vocals over guitar and plinking piano, with choruses that encourage you to sing along. ****
3. (4:01) Elevator — Alt country, with some pedal steel guitar licks and a kickin’ dance hall backbeat. **
4. (4:14) Don’t Let Go — Up-tempo pop rock song that’s super catchy. Heartbeat rhythm. Arresting lyrics powered by emotive vocals. Urgent pace set to tumbling drums. Second single, but it might be the best. ****
5. (2:56) How’s That Working Out — Brash, spirited rocker. Harkens back to raw rock ‘n’ roll from an earlier era. A goer!
6. (4:38) Back To The Beginning — Slower, with a sad and wistful vibe. Big and anthemic. Showcases a mournful pedal steel guitar.
7. (4:13) I Spoke To God A Lot Last Year — Heartland rock, with earnest vocals over a full arrangement featuring guitar, piano and cracking drums.
8. (4:47) Mona Be Still — Beautiful ballad, again composed by Dunne. Timeless lyrics, beautifully supported by guitars, organ, strings, piano and an intricate rhythm. Extended lead break featuring a guitar solo. ****
9. (4:09) No Goddamn Way — A bold, in-your-face anthem that rails against disappointments and attests to the strength of resilient relationships. Rocker with a bounce to it.
10. (3:17) L U C Y (Clean Edit) — An energetic, up-tempo Americana tune with strummy acoustic and electric guitars, tambourine and more. ***
11. (4:28) Turn Off The Lights (Clean Edit) — Sprawling, cinematic ballad with soaring vocals, ringing guitars, full orchestration and even harmonica. ***
12. (3:49) Nobody Better — Simple acoustic closer. Honest and unvarnished. “There ain’t nobody better than nobody else.”
13. (3:23) The Waiting Room (Explicit) — FCC: Fuck it — Unedited version of Track 2.
14. (3:17) L U C Y (Explicit) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of Track 10.
15. (4:30) Turn Off The Lights (Explicit) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of Track 11.

Sophomore album from an all-female, alt rock quartet from Brighton, England. Reportedly inspired by the band members all going through breakups at roughly the same time, the album loosely conjures up what a night on the town might then be like. The band refers to their sound as wonk pop, combining alt rock with electropop and even disco. Lime Garden captures the vibe of early-twenty-somethings trying to make their way in the world — dealing with self-discovery as well as self-deprecation. The lyrics have an edge throughout — a balance between playful and put out — with irreverent, ‘slacker’ vocals. Lots of fun! RIYL: Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes.
— Francis

Recommended: 4, 1, 9, 2, 5, 10. FCCs on unedited Tracks 11 and 12.

1. (2:49) 23 (Radio Edit) — Swaggering strut. Garage rock with a techno growl. Shouted vocals. ****
2. (2:41) Cross My Heart — Energetic, disco-funk with a liquid bassline. Glitchy percussion and electronic effects. Doubled vocals. ***
3. (2:37) Downtown Lover — Strident, guitar-driven garage rock with a solid backbeat. Title repeated frequently in the vocals.
4. (2:59) All Bad Parts — A fabulous danceable electropop single in the style of bands such as Wet Leg. Cool, mischievous vocals about ending up stuck with a partner who may not be their favorite option. Catchy! ****
5. (2:45) Maybe Not Tonight — Propulsive, off-kilter, punky garage rock reminiscent of the 00s sound. Distorted vocals. Softer lead break. ***
6. (3:13) Body — Another rocker with vocals that vary from edgy to sweet. Distorted guitars and shimmering synths. Lyrics about body-image and self-worth, driven by seeing another woman on the dance floor.
7. (2:22) Lifestyle — Roaring guitars, overmodulated vocals and feedback.
8. (3:20) Undressed — Electropop with a pulsing bassline, playful keys and Strokes-like guitars. Chime-y keys and lengthy guitar solo in the lead break.
9. (3:32) Always Talking About You (Clean Edit) — Flowing, softer alt rock where Chloe Howard admits to the band’s secret dream. “I wanna be famous/I wanna be rich.” Mesmerizing bass line and gruff vocals. ****
10. (2:42) Do You Know What I’m Thinking — Anthemic closer. Starts like a ballad with sweeter vocals from Howard, but spotlights Leila Deeley’s exceptional work on lead guitar and Annabel Whittle’s drumming. ***
11. (2:49) 23 (Explicit) — FCC: Fuckin’ — Unedited version of Track 1.
12. (3:33) Always Talking About You (Explicit) — FCC: fuck (twice), asshole — Unedited version of Track 9.

A series of emotional pieces focused on female-driven vocals carried by a range of instrumentation from middle-eastern electronic beats to anthemic orchestration. Eccentric lyrics discussing themes of spirituality, sexuality, and desire.

No FCC issues.

1. Medium-speed funky eastern groove.
2. Begins with 20s spoken word. Chanting about sex, though neither profane nor obscene.
3. * Upbeat with middle-eastern flair and a beat evocative of 90s nostalgia.
4. Slower. A dynamic, ethereal, emotional mix following piano-vocal lead.
5. * Medium speed, more danceable, with peppy orchestral backing.
6. Slower, awash with ethereal reverb and lyrics of frustration.
7. ** Arabic cover of the famed “Hallelujah”.

Chilean activist and hip hop icon Ana “Anita” Tijoux delivers pensive lyricism, a brief taste of DJ Dacel’s jazz-infused lofi beats. For a more laid-back listen, spin 1 or 4. I’d argue track 3 boasts the most impressive rap on Ana’s part and is most reminiscent of her beloved earlier work.

All tracks en Español.
No FCC issues.

1. Leisurely ode to wine and vinyl.
2. * “Smooth sailing”: jazzy, upbeat, borderline danceable.
3. ** Faster, bass-driven Gorillaz-like beat; ends with an odd key change.
4. A heady, heavyhearted duet discusses putting a hot romance on ice.

Nearly 25 years after their debut, The New Pornographers return with their 10th studio album. The band’s line-up continues to feature their core players led by AC Newman and Neko Case — but minus Dan Bejar who left 10 years ago to focus on his solo project (Destroyer). This album is full of fascinating stories. A woman trapped on a cruise ship. A final drink with a dying friend. A preacher who watches his town float away in a flood. The music blends bright synth with guitar-driven rock — topped by distinctive, often harmonized vocals shared by Newman, Case and others. RIYL: Destroyer (Dan Bejar), The Decemberists, The Hold Steady, The Shins.
— Francis

Recommended: 6, 4, 9, 1, 2, 10. FCC on Track 11

1. (4:11) Great Princess Story — Floats over juddering, arpeggiated synths. Layers of guitar and chime-y notes as well. Pounding drums. Features a stunning duet between Newman and Case. ****
2. (4:10) Pure Sticker Shock — Pure synthpop. A jaunty stroll with a confident beat. Lyrics explore the “sticker shock” we might feel should we discover that we value ourselves higher than the ‘market’ might. ****
3. (3:50) Ballad Of The Last Payphone — An ode to how technology marches on, as the new replaces the old with minimal fanfare. Straight-ahead simple rock with female backing vocals playing off Newman’s lead.
4. (4:54) Spooky Action — Guitar-driven tune with a nice shuffle to it. Almost island-like in its rhythm. Synth in the breaks. Once again, Newman on the lead with warm harmonies from Case and Kathryn Calder. ****
5. (3:40) Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It — Heartbeat rhythm. Sparse arrangement with guitar, lonesome synth and plaintive vocals.
6. (3:46) Votive — Starts gently with twinkling synths and breathy vocals. Then, it kicks into gear with edgy guitar licks and a driving beat. ****
7. (1:49) Wine Remembers The Water — Insistent, pulsing synth rhythm with swirling tones surrounding stop-and-go vocals in this short track.
8. (3:48) Calligraphy — Guitar-based, with almost an R&B groove. Funky vocals and nice guitar licks in the breaks.
9. (4:35) Bonus Mai Tais (Clean Edit) — Tells the story of visiting a friend with cancer. The somber subject is counterbalanced by the bright synthpop arrangement highlighted by Newman’s and Case’s harmonized vocals. ****
10. (6:38) The Former Site Of — A gorgeous, sprawling cinematic closer. Builds to feature tumbling drums. Roaring guitars and synths. Powerful lead vocals with harmonized backing. ***
11. (4:35) Bonus Mai Tais (Explicit) — FCC, mild: “Knowing dick all about such things” — Unedited version of track 9.

DESERT BLUES. Veteran Saharan Tuareg band (1979-) with an interesting story as nomadic performers and political refugees. Focus is on traditional hand-drumming, vocals, and Tuareg-influenced electric guitar. All songs in Tuareg language, with additional Spanish on Track 2. No full instrumentals. Note that rhythm typically develops gradually.

No FCC issues.

1. * Folksy, with call-and-response vox and a driving baseline. Clap along, medium speed.
2. ** Featuring Tuareg + Spanish vox. Hopeful, folksy, faster speed.
3. *** Cool rhythm, more electric guitar. Feels like Neil Young tripping in the Sahara. Medium speed.
4. Slower, moody. Choral vox with a complex harmony. Simple instrumental arrangement.
5. * Upbeat, faster speed. “Asstaghfero Allah” (“Let God forgive me”).
6. *** More upbeat. Featuring choral and female vox.
7. More somber, pensive. Features American roots guitar style.
8. * Upbeat, dancey, less lyrical.
9. ** Sweet melody with light percussion, male lead vox. Hum along.
10. Chant-like vox with a focus on more dynamic drumming.
11. Slow, solemn, ethereal. Exploring reverb and effects.

Chill synths and sparse melodic ideas -- simple music that does feel like it's made for plants. Ambient but in a minimal way, with a sense of rhythm and hummable melodies. Frequently mirrors meditative Asian music (the parallel-fourths thing). Great for setting a minimal, relaxed mood.

Faves: 5,3,6

1- (4:26) Placid morning dewdrops, moves slowly
2- (3:27) Sugary, like baby nursery music
3- (6:20) Percussive. Builds layers until there's quite a bit going on
4- (4:26) A chanting rhythm
5- (3:37) Spacey synth melody slowly winds its way. Upbeat ritualistic rhythm
6- (4:30) Upward melody like a tomato plant climbing
7- (2:53) Slow and halting

SF’s coolest natural wine haunt, Bar Part Time, is now a record label! This is the 3rd release they’ve put out, and they’ve selected Detroit's very own Ben Christensen to serve up a handsome 4-track EP. Marrying contemporary sounds with 80s Detroit and balearic nods, this EP is a fun blend of old and new that sets a lighthearted, groovy tone for a night out.

All tracks FCC Clean
RIYL: Space Ghost, Ryan Spencer, Juan Atkins, Cal-C, Dream Chimney Records, MM Discos

1. Funky, retro drum machine workout clocking in at eight minutes. A real throwback to 80’s Detroit electro. Tasteful vocal samples and a skippy marinade add some flavor but mostly it’s head-down jamming on some Rolands
2. Electro house with some pitch-shifted vocals, a seriously floaty synth line, and liberal handclap samples. Retains the same old school hoppy feel as track 1.
3. Beautifully aquatic balearic /downtempo track. Serene and peaceful with some glittery effects and a bouncy bassline. My favorite of the lot.
4. True to its title, “New Sun” this track offers a sun-kissed escape—slowly blossoming tropical melodies paired with bright tropical percussion(and a few chirping birds). Infectiously groovy and sparkly.

Blissful and immersive electronic compositions, (“”IDM”” if you will), the debut album from San Francisco producer Cahl Sel. Pitchfork notes that it “sounds like a lost ambient-techno classic from the ’90s” which is pretty spot on. Snappy drums, skittery melodies, unpredictable twists and turns…I could listen to this all day.

Try: 1, 3, 11, 4
FCC Clean (all tracks instrumental)
RIYL: µ-Ziq, Aphex Twin, Warp Records, Autechre, r/TheOverload

1. Muffled bass, snappy claps, a nice bounce, gorgeous rosy melodies
2. Slow-building abstract synth. A sparse beat kicks in at the halfway point
3. Cold, industrial buzzy intro leads into a bubbly effervescent drift-along
4. Snappy beat, pleasant stretchy synth melodies
5. Kaleidoscopic spiraling track with tendrils of synth and cascading chimes
6. Dubby liminal, haunting
7. Sparse funky beat with some lovely glitchy effects
8. Short wobbly ambient track
9. Squirmy and skittery
10. Deep, bottom-dwelling ambient piece peppered with blips and bloops
11. Open, loose, jazzy. Wandering synth and bright sunny xylophone
12. Smooth, serene, cinematic ambient. Really pretty outro

Soundscapes built from nature -- a patient take on "noise" calling attention to the Arctic region's fragile eocsystem. Tracks hover and drift, with sounds becoming tranquil or ominous depending on your thinking. Useful for setting a abstractly meditative or spooky mood.

Cheryl Leonard makes music on natural objects: bones, driftwood, sand. Here she combines that work with field recordings from the Arctic, conjuring images that both celebrate the region and mourn the environmental damage being done there. The instrument lineup includes some human-made objects found in that region.

See the CD booklet for specific instrumentation and descriptions of accompanying films.

Recommended: 1,3,5

1 - Starts with clackety driftwood and shells, then low flute-like sounds. This is a tribute to walruses, with guest Phillip Greenlief imitating walrus calls on Leonard's kelp-built flute.
2 - Water and quiet rushes of sound over the faint rumble of a ship's engine. Ends with chimes and kelp flutes. The least 'icy' track.
3 - Ringing wine-glass sounds (actually Pyrex beakers). Builds into an eerie gathering of tones, surging and pulsing.
4 - A suite of stillness, inspired by an abandoned Soviet settlement. Starts quietly: Buzzing, scraping, like sound out of focus. After 6:00, crisp sounds of rocks, metallic scrapes, and water. After 10:00, a coda of muffled chimes (played on a metal handrail) and bowed resonant sounds.
5 - Raspy, breath-y sounds ranging from airy to metallic. A slow meditation on sila, the Inuit concept that 'links the individual.

3rd solo album from Athens, Georgia-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Spencer Thomas. Formerly with Futurebirds, Thomas is an accomplished keyboard player, as well as being proficient on the guitar, bass and drums — and even cello and tuba. He blends folk, rock and a touch of Americana into arresting melodies reminiscent of the 1970s. His arrangements feature “retro synthesizers, vintage drum machines and fuzzed-out electric guitars in an intoxicating blend of analog and electronic sounds.” In the lyrics, Thomas wryly tries to make sense of the obstacles and existential uncertainty we face in the world today — to find the meaning to move forward. RIYL: Runnner, Tom Petty, Warren Zevon, The Wallflowers, and even Randy Newman.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3, 7, 10. FCCs on Tracks 11-13

1. (2:34) This Is Your Life Now — Confident, deliberate and strummy, with accepting, introspective lyrics. Strings or synth orchestration added as the song progresses. Sounds like Jacob Dylan of the Wallflowers. ****
2. (4:04) Hoeny Burne — A lovely, melodic sway featuring piano, organ and harmonized vocals. Wry, humorous ballad with storytelling lyrics about a struggling novelist/English teacher. ****
3. (3:49) Grab Enlightenment By The Horns — A relaxed alt country shuffle. Nice laid-back bassline under sustained synths, the latter of which at times sound like a mournful pedal steel guitar. ***
4. (4:14) The World Is F---ed And I Love You (Clean Edit) — Super catchy, splashy, up-tempo New Wave-influenced pop rock with a serious message about environmental concerns, science sceptics, our divided electorate and more. Blaring synths, guitars and programmed drums. ****
5. (6:18) Video Farm (Clean Edit) — Leisurely stroll built on a prominent bassline with ‘spoken-sung’ vocals. Lyrics focus on the desire of so many to be constantly on their phones and visible through social media. This one sounds like Runnner (Noah Weinman). ****
6. (3:22) Honeymoon Suite — Light and jazzy slow dance with a plink-y piano and simple syncopated rhythm consisting of reverbed claves.
7. (3:36) Jim (Clean Edit) — Pensive storytelling tune about a factory worker who watches everyone else get ahead at work except for him. Tom Petty-like vocals with organ and shimmering guitar. ***
8. (5:05) Reborn — Slow-tempo, almost funereal in its pacing. Sorrowful vocals over sad, church-like keys. Dramatic, repeating echoed drum signature. Woodwinds and swirling effects in the lead break.
9. (3:04) Cynical Vision — Upbeat rocker with edgy guitar, a bit of piano and a solid backbeat. Very Tom Petty-ish.
10. (3:59) So Lucky When The Music Plays — Surprisingly hopeful closer. A rich, warm synth and organ-heavy ballad with flowing strings and lilting vocals. ***
11. (4:14) The World Is Fucked And I Love You (Explicit) — FCCs: fucked (5 times) — Unedited version of track 4.
12. (6:18) Video Farm (Explicit) — FCCs: assholes, shit — Unedited version of track 5.
13. (3:36) Jim (Explicit) — FCCs: shit (twice) — Unedited version of track 7.

Torrey Self-Titled
Review by Soup of the Day (my first review, please let me know how I can improve)

RIYL: Lunar Vacation, Alvvays, (Psychopomp era) Japanese Breakfast, Slowdive, Softcult, Florist, The Beths, Cocteau Twins

Local Bay Area band! Soft, chill indie pop with shoegaze vibes. Fun ambient and reverby effects, layers upon layers of droning, dreamy synths and guitars. Music fits well with foggy day weather and sunny, crisp mornings.

No FCC
Favorite Tracks: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

1. Rain: light and echoey vocals, scratchy upbeat guitar
2. No Matter How: upbeat start with drums, classic shoegazy pop, chill but exciting fuzzy energy, fun synth bits and sustained chords, reminds me of Alvvays
3. Moving: Shoegaze pop, cool panned funky fuzz guitar chords and echoey vocals, vaguely Cocteau Twins or Cranberries vibes
4. Bounce: nostalgic indie pop, high energy and fun guitar riff, flying and light vibes, chimey synths
5. Hawaii: gritty fast-paced guitar and busy drums, punk-infused, fuzz vocals, distortion
6. Garage Intermission: elevator music if it was slowed + reverb indie with slide guitar, echoey vocals
7. Slow Blues: chimey mesmerizing synths, flowy shoegaze, squeaky guitar line
8. Pop song: high energy upbeat, synth melody, fast paced bass, echo distorted guitar, busy drums with lots of crash
9. July (and I’m): bit-crushed drums, slow strummy acoustic chords and whoosing, very echoey ambient calm
10. Happy You Exist: whimsical echo guitar chord strums, similar to tracks 2-5, fun layers of distorted guitars
11. Really AM: shoegaze indie, melancholy, bassline carries chords with droning and screechy guitars that wrap around the vocals
12. We’re Dancing (End): ambient atmospheric, distorted droning ending to the album, no vocals, reminds me of if Sigur Rós was shoegaze

Mitski - Nothing’s About to Happen to Me
Review by Soup of the Day / Aliza (first time reviewing, feedback appreciated)
Similar to: Lana Del Rey, Japanese Breakfast, Phoebe Bridgers

Storytelling through her interesting and thought-provoking lyrics, Mitski incorporates slide guitar, strings, and other bluegrass and country influences into her eighth album. She invokes feelings of mystery, angst, longing, and more through this release. She takes inspiration from sounds of the 70s and captures the same ominousness as an episode of Twin Peaks.

Favorite tracks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
FCC: 5

1. In A Lake: slow ballad with vocals, banjo plucks, accordion, and acoustic guitar chords, bluegrass instruments, loud ending
2. Where’s My Phone?: distorted scratchy guitar, fuzzed vocals, loud, ominous, screeching, ripping guitar solo and warping out ending
3. Cats: gentle, country-inspired ballad, quiet and soft vocals with slide guitar
4. If I Leave: dark, plucking distorted guitar tones, loud, desperate vocals in chorus
5. (FCC WARNING) Dead Women: slow, sweeping strings, dark chord progression
6. Instead of Here: soft and gentle, ballad with guitar and piano, sad organ
7. I’ll Change For You: slow ballad, folksy, with samples intertwined, sweeping strings, flute
8. Rules: upbeat and twangy, louder vocals with slide guitar and organ, fun instrumental section with clarinet solo and brass
9. That White Cat: twangy electric guitar riff, tense buildup, cowboy showdown vibe
10. Charon’s Obol: acoustic and slide guitar, gentle vocal with background humming vocals, with fiddle solo
11. Lightning: starts with twangy acoustic slow and transitions to scratchy heavy distorted sound, similar to track 2

Long-awaited return of one of the best indie and sunshine pop bands in the nation, based right here within the greater Stanford community. This is the 6th album from the full foursome that’s been together for 20+ years. Singer-songwriter and ukulele virtuoso, Karla Kane, fronts the band — along with Khoi Huynh (bass, vocals, keys and more), KC Bowman (guitar, vocals and more), and Charlie Crabtree (drums). Many friends contribute as well — including former bandmate Angela Silletto (now Rhoades), Helen Luker of the UK band Fun Of The Pier, and Bradley Skaught of The Bye Bye Blackbirds. As always with the Corner Laughers, the lyrics go far beyond the simplistic to consider topics and issues impacting us all. RIYL: Belle And Sebastian, Neko Case, Allo Darlin’, Camera Obscura.
— Francis

Highly recommended: 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 9, 10. No FCCs noted.

1. (5:02) Terra Mia — An opener full of contradictions. Musically, it’s built on strummed ukulele, a busy bass line, synths, guitar riffs and uplifting, lilting vocals. But the dark lyrics contemplate the mess we’re making of the environment and the worrisome consequences for the world. ****
2. (2:54) Dusking — Upbeat, catchy indie pop. The arrangement harkens back to the best Brit pop hits from the 60s, with a classic melodic construction and rich instrumentation. ****
3. (3:04) Rainbow Cardigan — A hyper-catchy single. Acoustic guitar and lightly jangling ukulele. Huynh’s ‘spaghetti western’ bass and Crabtree’s cracking drumming help carry the tune. Marvelous lead break by Bowman. Wonderfully inventive wordplay, which muses about merging colors and shades and matters of time. ****
4. (3:03) Crumb Clean — Bouncy and fun. An optimistic counterpoint to the harsher environmental message of the opener. The melody draws from a musical piano riff played by Karla’s talented young daughter (who also performs on this cut on the album).
5. (4:16) The Harvestman — Soothing and dreamy lullaby. Measured tempo. A gentle swing. Lush lead vocals. Crystalline Beach Boys-like harmonized backing vocals, especially nice in the leisurely trail-out. ****
6. (3:35) Dark Matter — Syncopated, stop-and-go grabber. Slow fade in. Originally released as part of a ‘bewitching’ collection for Halloween by the Big Stir label. Lots of accolades to members of the clever crow family. ***
7. (3:16) Red Yarrow, Yellow Yarrow — Jazzy, piano-forward folk tune that pays homage to a native California flowering plant, which is as at home in suburban backyards as it is in the wilderness. Sweet vocals.
8. (2:57) Universe Point — Composed by lead guitarist Bowman, this tune has a hooky, march-like vibe with a brief, throaty guitar-driven lead break.
9. (3:58) Victoria Sponge — Tells the story of the rise and fall of the Crystal Palace in South London — a cast-iron building that was 1,851-feet wide and 128-feet tall — with brilliant, plate-glass walls. The warm melody was composed by Helen Luker of UK-based band, Fun Of The Pier. ***
10. (2:54) Larkspur Landing — A slightly unsettling, yet somehow reassuring, chamber pop closer with an important nod once again to caring for our environment. Larkspur Landing is where the San Francisco Bay ferries come and go in Marin County. ***

Very DIY indie pop rock from a local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Rich Ajlouney (pronounced AHJ loan ee) is a long-time high school teacher in San Jose. This is the 11th studio album or EP he’s recorded since the early 90s. It’s got an intentionally self-produced, recorded-at-home feeling. The tracks recall music from the 60s and early 70s, with styles ranging from Brit-influenced pop and folk rock to a hint of psychedelic rock. Arrangements feature piano and guitar with some synth orchestration. Unvarnished, down-to-earth vocals throughout. RIYL: the Pixies, David Bowie, the Beatles, Kinks and Bob Dylan.
— Francis

Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 7. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:49) Run Away With Me — Mid-tempo. Energetic pop with a repetitive plinking piano, synth strings and reverbed, harmonized lead vocals. Some nice call-and-response elements. Reinforces the DIY vibe of the entire set. ****
2. (3:41) Flying On That Plane — Very David Bowie-like. Guitar-driven but wrapped with rich sampled horns. Tumbling drums at times. ****
3. (3:25) Help Me Go To Sleep — Bright, strummy acoustic folk. No rhythm track. Smooth, gentle harmonized vocals. Reminiscent of the Beatles’ white album period. ****
4. (3:15) Fairytale — Pays homage to 60s folk rock coming out of the canyons in L.A. Chime-y piano and acoustic guitar. Recalls Dylan’s “All I Really Want To Do,” as performed by the Byrds and/or Cher. ****
5. (3:04) Under The Sun — Meandering psych rock with spacey effects and slightly drone-y vocals.
6. (3:14) And I Love You — Measured, melodic rock ballad with filtered vocals over throaty guitars in the choruses. ***
7. (6:58) Dislodger — Intriguing anthem. Starts with lovely, picked guitar, but then layers in synth, organ and guitar effects. Disarming vocals harking back to the Kinks of the late 60s. ***
8. (2:55) No Plans — Down-tempo rock swagger — with tasty, reverbed guitars and piano.
9. (3:32) She’s A Lady — Piano-based love song. Sad, emotive vocals about a chance meeting with a woman after a breakup. Some uplifting synth orchestration in the choruses.
10. (2:23) Now What — Throwback to simple 60s pop rock, with a piano-led melody and trombones or tuba in counterpoint.
11. (3:01) Forever Blue — Spare and melodic. Vulnerable vocals backed by simple acoustic guitar.

Ambient/experimental/ethereal: a collaboration of Julianna Barwick (a fave of many with her hypnotic, lush, pretty pieces featuring a good deal of wailing), and Mary Lattimore, specialist on the harp. They collaborated at the Philharmonie de Paris with extensive access to the Musée de la Musique’s instrument collection, in partnership with the French label InFiné. The harps date from 1728 to 1873. No FCCs!

1 (5:33) ******* Minimalist, slow, persistent harp.... soft ethereal vox, sound gradually becomes richer and more fleshed out with synthy, ambient backing ... then halfway through more of rich, haunting full choir; beautiful stuff
2 (7:05) ***** Harps form a hypnotic dirge, joined by an uncanny buzzing of overlapping voices, grows into a fairly haunting but pretty atmosphere
3 (2:37) **** A Roger Eno composition; melancholy plinking strings and solemn, soft wailing
4 (7:12) ***** Somewhat hopeful harp movement, soft and distant vocals, eventually joined by lush, fuzzy chorus of voices; repetitive and hypnotic, nice vibe; fades out with fuzzy fat synth
5 (4:15) ******** A cover of a piece by Vangelis for "Blade Runner" (1982) - somewhat spacey synth with futuristic glissandos, then somewhat curious vocals and an array of other spacey and far-out instrumentation, some whistling, just a great atmosphere
6 (7:11) ****** Bluzzy diagonal synth; plinky high spacey sounds joining it; eventually gets a pretty cool and driving beat, closest to being dancey, very very spacy atmosphere; eventually soft and gauzy bg vox
7 (8:37) **** Hypnotic repetitive pattern, plinky synth and elegant harp sounds together; vocals join halfway, eventually with more of a melodic hook than the rest of the songs

Matmos, the experimental noise duo (originally SF, now in Baltimore), have a release composed entirely of sounds made from metal, combining traditional instruments with actual junk; the album is stitched and formed together from various studio recordings, some live shows, some short tracks and one long track (20 min) to end it. The sound itself is ever-changing and largely indescribable, sometimes beat-driven and even occasionally melodic, and other times out in spacey atmospheres, listening is believing. No FCCs (no words are spoken/sung)

1. (4:14) ***** Creaking doors, sudden striking piano thuds, spare and spooky and ominous, eventually turning into antic, chattering, paranoiac beat
2. (5:06) ***** Crinkly crumbly sounds, then bang-on-trash-can sounds create a sort of groove; more hallways of soft airhorns, various percussion; somewhat catchy, somewhat nightmarish
3. (4:14) ****** Soft sweet organ sounds, with antic schizo percussion, then maybe super-sweet xylophone... hypnotic and cryptic, strange and childlike and spacey, almost poppy
4. (3:58) ***** Gulpy percussion leading into almost a music-box sort of atmosphere; strange and cacophonic, but also sunshiney and hopeful? At least, until the sort of claustrophobic xylophone nightmarish sounds that close it out
5. (2:57) ***** Plinky atmosphere, with big fat spaghetti western guitar; shimmery sounds enter; spacey but somewhat coherent
6. (20:42) ******* The long piece, the sounds are very of a piece with the tracks above, with more time to flow, evolve, change, grow; beats: sometimes

Music from the new Jim Jarmusch film, featuring music done jointly by the legendary director, joined by the relatively young British/German singer-songwriter Anika, who crossed paths at a Sacred Bones label event in 2022. Anyway, the film is a funny, sweet, and somewhat cryptic series of three stories of parents, their children, home, memories, and loss; the music (hazy electronic sounds, and a few vocal songs in opening/closing credits) was released as a soundtrack, many tracks are quite short, but you can even probably allow them to flow continuously; NO FCCS, all of it is quite nice

1. (2:12) *** A cool, jazzy take on the 1960s pop/r&b song "Spooky", with minimalist bass accompaniment for the first half, then keyboard in back half (short overall, just two minutes)
2. (1:01) **** Woozy, dreamy, blissy, bittersweet
3. (0:46) **** Hazy and tape-warpy, daydreamy and indistinct; in the film, a sort of epiphany in the presence of skateboarders (see track 10 for longer take on same theme)
4. (0:55) *** Soft, sweet, hazy
5. (0:33) *** Sweet and hazy, but a bit of longing and confusion
6. (1:08) *** Take-warpo sound, liminal and hazy
7. (1:08) **** nostalgic and hazy, plinky guitar and electric haze
8. (1:10) **** Soft and warm enveloping sounds
9. (1:15) **** Hypnotic and european guitar haze and reverb swamp
10. (3:38) ***** Sour and metallic reverb haze, that spirals out into even more hazy and dreamy circles of sound, reaching an epiphany, finally fading into soft, few echoes
11. (1:35) ***** Soft and sweet synthy bubbles of sound, floating about in a soft cloud
12. (0:47) ** Very short hazy bit
13. (3:36) ***** Take on Jackson Browne's "These Days", done with very similar arrangement to Nico's famous take on it, but a bit more minimalistic at first, and then evolving into a rich synth soup of warm electric sounds and echoes, eventually with air of electric guitar fuzz
14. (3:43) ******* Plinky, dreamy, hazy, really pretty, and unlike earlier tracks in this vein, long enough to hold onto
15. (4:21) ***** Ethereal, somewhat sharp and razory, sounds in a minimalist suspension of soft sounds, echoes and daydreams, even some white noise hiss -- sound congeals towards end
16. (3:32) ******* See #13, but additional mix featuring the Kaleidoskop string quartet, makes it a bit more interesting, but the other more minimalist mix is nice too

Solo debut for UK singer-songwriter, Jenny Hollingworth, who’s also half of the art pop band, Let’s Eat Grandma. While it is Hollingworth’s solo LP, her L.E.G. bandmate, Rosa Walton, contributes on three of the ten tracks. The overall vibe leans toward 80s-inspired New Wave, updated for 2026. The melodies are strong with lots of catchy hooks, particularly in the front half of the set. The arrangements range from bright sophistipop to power pop anthems, with a hint of noisy dissonance. RIYL: Let’s Eat Grandma, Bethany Cosentino (former Best Coast frontwoman), CHVRCHES or 80s pop.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 1, 3, 9, 6, 4. FCC on Track 11.

1. (4:18) Good Intentions — Cinematic and orchestrated. Guitars and synths carry this power pop tune, with Hollingworth’s vocals soaring above. Let’s Eat Grandma bandmate Walton adds to the stirring harmonies. ****
2. (3:42) Quicksand Heart (Clean Edit) — Shimmering and rapturous. Synth-driven tune. Verses build to driving choruses with guitars layered in. Lyrics deliver on the “quicksand heart” analogy. ****
3. (3:43) Every Ounce Of Me — Lead single. Catchy pop with a soundtrack quality and lyrics like one would hear at the apex of a romantic movie. ****
4. (4:23) These Streets I Know — New Wave ballad with swelling synths and emotive lead vocals. About getting away from London’s hectic pace and pressure to the countryside surrounding her family home in Norwich. **
5. (3:00) Pacemaker — Formulaic pop standard that blends in with the rest of the album’s tunes. Nice, harmonized lead vocals.
6. (4:47) Dolphins — Wistful, playful and childlike. Repetitive keys in a liquid soundscape, like swimming in the ocean. High-pitched synths in the distance suggest dolphins communicating with one another. ***
7. (3:19) Groundskeeping — Warm, acoustic ballad. Piano and synth-led, with plaintive lead vocals.
8. (3:22) Push — Another sophistipop track with a persistent beat that gets a little lost in the set.
9. (4:18) Do You Still Believe In Me? — Syncopated beat. Throaty guitars and glittering synths. Hollingworth’s crystalline vocals carry the New Wave power pop tune. Noisy trail-out. ***
10. (4:49) Appetite — Powerful, uplifting closer. Guitar-driven with a solid drum track carrying the cross between an anthem and a ballad. Another track with Walton lending her voice to the harmonies.
11. (3:41) Quicksand Heart (Explicit) — FCCs: fucked-up (three times) — Unedited version of track 2.