First Listen for 6 and 13 February 2026
Album: You Wish
Quick Thoughts: A fun, fuzzy February listen, I didn't really know / remember Dream Nails before Ken sent this one over and it is just a really great alt-rock record. "This is Water" is a standout, for sure, but I definitely want to highlight "House of Bones," which has some great harmonization with the mechanically great instrumentation. Don't sleep on this one.
Songs of Note: "This is Water," "Organoid," "House of Bones," "The Information"
Album: Singin' to an Empty Chair
Quick Thoughts: Ratboys are always pretty great, but this new album feels like a massive step forward for them in all the best ways. In an era where bands like Wednesday can flit between genres without a moment's notice, Ratboys somehow finds a way to ensure their roots-informed indie rock remains consistent even when leaning further into any particular direction. Honestly, this is one of my favorites of the year so far: "Anywhere" is a great power pop tune, "Penny in the Lake" the best song Big Thief never got around to writing. Just a great listen.
Songs of Note: "Anywhere," "Open Up," "Know You Then," "Penny in the Lake," "What's Right?"
Album: Tenterhooks
Quick Thoughts: That Silversun Pickups are in their third decade as a band is almost as crazy as the fact that Tenterhooks might be their best record since Swoon. No, there's not a "Panic Switch" on here, but the sort of fuzzy, Pumpkins-esque sound is close to its peak here. "Au Revoir Reservoir" is a favorite here, but I was honestly so pleasantly charmed by how solid this record is. Definitely make time.
Songs of Note: "New Wave," "Au Revoir Reservoir," "Witness Mark," "Long Gone," "The Wreckage," "Wakey Wakey," "Thorns and All"
Album: Strange Life
Quick Thoughts: Juanita Stein reuinites with her old band for a great little slice of alt-rock. After a couple solo records, this is a great reminder of how solid Howling Bells are as a unit and this ends up being a very fun rock record across the board. Give it a listen.
Songs of Note: "Unbroken," "Sacred Land," "Melbourne," "Sweet Relief"
Album: Everywhere Isn't Texas
Quick Thoughts: August Ponthier has been fairly outspoken about their personal life as of late, and their first album as an openly nonbinary individual is one worth hearing. It's a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, and has a sort of classic purity underpinning the broader message that isn't hard to hear. I've been a fan for a while, and this is one of their best so far.
Songs of Note: "Handsome," "Ribbons + Taxes," "I'm Crying, Are You?" "Everywhere Isn't Texas," "Betty"
Album: The Refrigerator
Quick Thoughts: Wanted to highlight this as one of the other really great indie rock records of February. A semi-throwback to those great early-aughts records, this is also one of Remember Sports's best listens so far. "Nevermind" and "Yowie" are both two favorites from this week.
Songs of Note: "Cut Fruit," "Across the Line," "Thumb," "Ghost," "Roadkill," "Yowie," "Nevermind"
Album: Pet
Quick Thoughts: Honestly, if you look at the name and the band and the album cover, it doesn't scream bluegrass / Americana. Big Richard, however, is all about challenging conventions, and in a time where I feel like a lot of these roots acts are sliding away from the pure distillation of their work, Big Richard instead leans in. Worth a listen this week.
Songs of Note: "It's Gonna Fall/Old Daingerfield," "The One I Love Is Gone," "Pet," "Circus Jerk," "Red Fox Run"
Album: The Fall-Off
Quick Thoughts: J. Cole, for me at least, only hit my consciousness when he was an early footnote in the Drake / Kendrick feud from a few years back. Does he deserve to be part of the "Big 3?" I don't know, but I do know that this double album has more than enough going for it where I'm going to listen for more. The second half is stronger than the first, but there's a ton of variety here that makes the listen compelling enough to pique anyone's interest.
Songs of Note: "Run a Train," "Poor Thang," "Old Dog," "Only You," "Man Up Above," "I Love Her Again," "What If," "Quik Stop," "Two Six," "Safety"
Of Note:
* Madi Diaz - Enema of the Garden State (Streaming distribution of her 2025 Blink 182 cover album.)
* vegas water taxi - long time caller, first time listener (Solid indie rock.)
* Puscifer - Normal Isn't (Latest from the Maynard James Keenan side project.)
* Pony - Clearly Cursed
* Kate Stephenson - This is What You Get
* Danny L Harle - Cerulean
* The Fake Friends - Let's Not Overthink This
* Converge - Love is Not Enough
* Krista Papista - Euro Divas
* MiddleMan - Following the Ghost
* The Dahmers - Creature Feature
* Mandy, Indiana - Urgh
* Storey Littleton - At a Diner
* Kristiane - Not Anythingm
* Ellur - At Home in My Mind
* The Grownup Noise - No Straight Line in the Universe
* Mariachi El Bronx - IV
* Michael Marcagi - Under the Streetlights
* Layperson - Sky Painting
* Julie Campiche - Unspoken
* Ella Mai - Do You Still Love Me?
* Carwyn Ellis and Rio 18 - Haf
* Asgeir - Julia
* Kristiane - Not Anything, Just Everything
* Tha God Fahim - The Dark Shogunn Saga, Vol. 3
* Music City - Welcome to Music City
* Yamilla - Noor
* LaPeche - Autotelic
* KMFDM - ENEMY
* John Craigle - I Swam Here
* Alice Costelloe - Move On With the Year
* Sarah Nixey - Sea Fever
* Asher White - Jessica Pratt
* The Nude City - Look Who's Back
* Q Tha Hero - Excelsior
* Swords2 - swordsface dirtbag
* Puma Blue - Croak Dream
* Daphni - Butterfly
* Melissa Carper and Theo Lawrence - Havin' a Talk
* Lunacy - The Crisis of Existence
* RZA - Bobby Digital Presents: Juice Crew
* 2070 - Big Blue
* Gogol Bordello - We Mean It, Man!
* Adam Sherman Band - Sorrows and Smiles
* The Paranoid Style - Known Associates
* Chad Crouch - Dosewallips Soundwalk
* Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys - Pale Bloom
* Charli xcx - Wuthering Heights
EPs:
* Qveen Herby - Isle of Qveen
* Christ Dillinger - basedwoods
* dream fatigue - no requiem
* Charlotte Day Wilson - Patchwork
* Kavari - Plague Music
* Rissi Palmer - Perspectives
* Proc Fiskal - Exchequer EP
Live Albums / Compilations / Reissues:
* fabric presents DJ Tennis
* Olafur Arnalds - like gravity
* Anus Kings - Days of Rain
Also Out:
* The Lone Bellow - What a Time To Be Alive
* Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
* SkyTigers - Injustice for All
* Night of the Vampire - The Enchanting Winds of the Dreamweaving Masquerade
