First Listen: New Releases for 19 and 26 September 2025
Album: Altar
Quick Thoughts: This latest album from NewDad feels like a coming out party in a lot of ways: the production and performances are sharp and polished, and the songs are winners almost across the board. I was hooked within the first song, but tunes like "Misery" and "Everything I Wanted" changed this from a great listen to one of my favorites of the week. Perfect for fans of Mother Mother.
Songs of Note: "Other Side," "Pretty," "Misery," "Everything I Wanted," "Vertigo"
Album: Rollercoasters
Quick Thoughts: The Barbaras, the indie duo of blog favorites Sallie and Weezy Ford, are back with a great little roots-influenced record that does exactly what one might expect it to do. It's been a few years since we heard from Sallie Ford, so anything new is more than welcome, but this new album is a good reminder of how well the two sisters are able to craft songs that are equal parts fun and deep. Loved this listen.
Songs of Note: "Fool," "Hey Stranger," "Boyfriend Heaven," "Terrible Taste," "Johnny," "Tommy Teardrop," "Salt n Pepper"
Album: Drink the Sea 1
Quick Thoughts: I'm a simple man: I hear of an R.E.M. side project, I listen to the R.E.M. side project. Drink the Sea is probably closer to Tuatara than The Minus Five in terms of Peter Buck joints, as this features a ton of interesting instrumentation and musical choices ("House of Flowers" in particular does a great job of demonstrating this) while still maintaining a lot of the musical personalities of the featured artists. I really enjoyed this one, and I think it's probably among the best of the post-R.E.M. Buck projects early on.
Songs of Note: "Shaking for the Snakes," "Saturn Calling," "House of Flowers," "Tuareg Asteroid," "Parades"
Album: Jestures
Quick Thoughts: Atmosphere continues to demonstrate why they're operating at a different level than everyone else. The album starts out somewhat slow and deliberate, but you realize as you hit the back end how much of it was just laying the groundwork for a killer finish. They're one of my favorites, so biases aside this is a great listen with a lot of memorable moments.
Songs of Note: "Baby," "Kilowatts," "Heavy Lifting," "Mash," "Locusts," "Neptune," "Really," "Used To," "Westbound"
Album: Where the Earth Bends
Quick Thoughts: Wanted to make sure I highlighted this one from Daffo, who I didn't know before this week. There's a great alt-indie sensibility here with memorable hooks and a great vibe, and it's worth your time in the hours before Taylor Swift takes over again.
Songs of Note: "Carrot Fingers," "Get a Life," "Dagger Song," "Absence Makes the Heart Grow"
Album: Nobody's Girl
Quick Thoughts: I think we all knew this was going to be brutal, but Nobody's Girl, the Amanda Shires side of the Jason Isbell/Shires post-divorce work, doesn't pull any punches even though it's some of her more vulnerable work and perhaps he r best in some time. There are so many times I winced at how direct this record is, and I'm just as much impressed by the musicality of the whole thing. In an era where music feels more personal and confessional than it has in a long time, this was a really great listen.
Songs of Note: "A Way It Goes," "Living," "Piece of Mind," "Friend Zone," "Strange Dreams," "Not Feeling Anything"
Of note:
* Kojey Radical - Don't Look Down (A cool callback to early 90s rap music.)
* Wednesday - Bleeds (A solid record that a lot of people will love.)
* Patriarchy - Manual for Dying (Big Nine Inch Nails energy.)
* The Dreadnoughts - Polka Pit (Sea shanties ahoy!)
* Boo Boos - Young Love (New indie project featuring E from Eels.)
* Marlowe - Slow Burn
* Rezz - As the Pendulum Swings
* The New Limits - These Are the Nights
* Kara-lis Coverdale - From Where You Came
* Chad Crouch - Pollinator Corridor
* Cuddle Magic - Underwater
* Bad Cop Bad Cop - Lighten Up
* Evan Greer - AMAB/ACAB
* Total Wife - Come Back Down
* Hotel Pools and Brothertiger - Paradigms
* Neko Case - Neon Grey Midnight Green
* Molly Parden - Semi Permanent
* Golden Apples - Shooting Star
* Sydney Sprague - Peak Experience
* Stella and the Very Messed - Big Familiar
* Scaler - Endlessly
* Emily Yacina - Veilfall
* Lys Allen - Boyish
* Coach Party - Caramel
* Kendra Morris - Next
* Moon Panda - Dumb Luck
* Joe Alterman and Mocean Worker - Keep the Line Open
* Malin Petterson - Wildflower
* Eera - I'll Stop When I'm Done
* Soup Dreams - Hellbender
* Geese - Getting Killed
* Kieran Hebden and William Tyler - 41 Longfield Street Late '80s
* Meule - Dare
* Múm - History of Silence
* The Happy Fits - Lovesick
* Monster Florence - Petty Cash
* Christt - Soft Rock
* The Divine Comedy - Rainy Sunday Afternoon
* Laura-Mary Carter - Bye Bye Jackie
* Platonic Sex - Face to the Flywire
* Black Lips - Season of the Peach
* Joanne Robertson - Blurrr
* The Favors - The Dream
* Yasmine Hamdan - I Remember I Forget
* Eades - Final Sirens Call
* Stealing Sheep - GLO (Girl Life Online)
* Blue Sirens - Things for You and Me
* Syko Friend - Dizzy Magic
* Castle Rat - Bestiary
* Los Straitjackets - Somos Los Straitjackets
* Milo Korbenski - Sex Angel
* Purity Ring - Purity Ring
* Maura Weaver - Strange Devotion
* The Cords - The Cords
* Wilder Maker - The Streets Like Beds Still Warm
* Joan Shelley - Real Warmth
* Wednmesday Campanella - Kawaii Girl
* Cowgirl Clue - Total Freedom
* Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override
* Grandbrothers - Elsewhere
* Cochemea - Vol III: Ancestros Futuros
* Meredith Moon - From Here to the Sea
* John Maus - Later Than You Think
* Pulse Emitter - Tide Pools
* Ida Maria - Seven Deadly Sins
* Jensen Interceptor - Interception
* Algernon Cadwallader - Trying Not to Have a Thought
* Josie - A Life on Sweets Alone
* Jupiter - Katabasis
* Gideon Broshy - Nest
* JADE - That's Showbiz, Baby!
* Afternoon Bike Ride - Running With Scissors
* Bitchin Bajas - Inland See
* Sam Prekop - Open Close
* Former Champ - I Saw You in Paradise
* Nine Inch Nails - TRON: Ares (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack)
* Ho99o9 - Tomorrow We Escape
* Griefcat - Dirty Laundry
* Frost Children - Sister
* Cappadonna - Solar Eclipse
* Automatic - Is It Now?
EPs:
* Jolie Laide - In the Low Light
* Brent Amaker and the Rodeo - Vaquero
* Lauren Mann - Heaven
* Alfred - ELF.
* Bright Eyes - Kids Table
* Johnny Sais Quoi - Love on Ice
* tUnE-YaRdS - Tell the Future With Your Body
* DjANk - Pooshka
* Air - The Virgin Suicides Redux
* Slothrust - Wildcard
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks - Buckingham Nicks (A re-release of their lost album from the 1970s.)
* Johnny Marr - Look Out Live!
* Ghostmane - Sass Phonk Album
Also out:
* Medusa - Mantis
* Igorrr - Amen
* Cardi B - Am I the Drama?
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