First Listen: New Releases for the End of May and Early June 2026
Album: The Middle Ages
Quick Thoughts: If you know Boston music at all over the last 30 years, you know Aaron Perrino and The Sheila Divine. No musician in the area has persevered quite like Perrino, and I will say that The Middle Ages is my favorite Sheila Divine record and possibly the best thing Perrino's done since the 2003/4 Dear Leader records. That the band never really got its due nationally always felt like a crime, and while one could hope that this is the long-awaited breakthrough, Boston's best-kept secret might have put out the best album of the year.
Songs of Note: "Gods of War," "Middle Ages," "No Favors," "Hurry Up," "Celebrate the End," "We Once Burned"
Album: Inferno
Quick Thoughts: Boards of Canada is like a techno locust: they go into hibernation for a few years and then pop up and basically consume your life for a bit. The group has been largely quiet since 2013's Tomorrow's Harvest (which was eight years after The Campfire Headphase itself) until some hints were dropped and lead track "Prophecy at 1420 MHz" got released a few weeks back. It's too soon to say where this sits among the broader BoC pantheon, but I will say that this feels the most thematically consistent from start to finish since Music Has the Right to Children, and there is some very interesting sampling in here that was surprising and unexpected. Also one of the best of the year so far, but I want to spend a lot more time with this one.
Songs of Note: "Prophecy at 1420 MHz," "Father and Son," "The Word Becomes Flesh," "You Retreat in Time and Space," "Age of Capricorn," "All Reason Departs"
Album: Be Sweet to Me
Quick Thoughts: We know the elephant in the room with Violet Grohl is her legendary father. Violet Grohl's debut album, however, wears its influences proudly on its sleeve within its snappy runtime. Definitely more Hole than Nirvana, this is a well-developed grunge record with a lot of solid, catchy tracks throughout, and sure, you can hear some of the Dave influence in there too, whether it's genetic or intentional. It's a great album, so don't let the name make you think otherwise.
Songs of Note: "595," "THUM," "Bug in the Cake," "Cool Buzz"
Album: Run, Run Pure Beauty
Quick Thoughts: Francis of Delirium made a splash of sorts during the pandemic, and 2024's Lighthouse was a great debut record. Her latest is strongly reminiscent of Florence and the Machine, with the sort of soaring vocals and grandiose instrumentation that typically sets music like this apart. It's super polished and gorgeous, and it's definitely one that kept surprising me. Give this a listen.
Songs of Note: "Run, Run Pure Beauty," "Higher," "Damned," "Little Black Dress," "Modern Madonna"
Album: bitknot
Quick Thoughts: Speaking of classic alt-rock sounds, feeble little horse is back with another fuzzy classic alt-rock record. The whole thing is great, and if this is a sound you love this will be the album for you, but I highly recommend "Dior" as one of the better songs of the month regardless.
Songs of Note: "Doorway," "Rewind," "Cradle," "Guts," "DMT," "Dior"
Album: No Gasoline
Quick Thoughts: Widemouth is a Chicago folk rock group worth paying attention to. This debut album has a lot of Bonny Light Horseman in it, which is a very high compliment, but songs like "You and Your Girlfriend" and "Debbie" set them apart as not just another indie folk band. Worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Hotel Pool," "The Wind," "You and Your Girlfriend," "Debbie," "No Gasoline"
Album: For Love of Grace and the Hereafter
Quick Thoughts: Iceage fits in one of those "if you know you know" slots in my brain. I feel like the band should be bigger than they are, and they might be already, who knows? Regardless, "The Weak" rocks, the album is a solid alt-rock / punk-adjacent record, and it's definitely worth a spin. Don't miss it.
Songs of Note: "The Weak," "No Fear," "mother-of-pearl," "1835," "True Blue"
Album: Every Single Muscle
Quick Thoughts: Lots of music is about sex. Every Single Muscle is often about sex. Every Single Muscle is not a sexy record, but speaks to the sort of awkward, unsexy nature of things that few songwriters dare tread. Everything The Bug Club has done up to this point has shown they're an underrated treasure, but I really thought this album was great on a host of levels, and is worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Make It Count," "Full Range of Motion," "How Can We Be Friends," "Every Single Muscle," "Third Best Friend"
Album: Ruido Tovar
Quick Thoughts: This hit my radar because of a few Beck features, and it's a fun lo-fi Mexican electronic album that charmed the hell out of me. Come for "Ritmo Babilonia," stay for the fun casiotones. Really loved this listen.
Songs of Note: "Ritmo Babilonia," "Concorde," "Cumbia Beckiana," "Cumbia de los estudiantes"
Album: Some Kind of Pure State
Quick Thoughts: Shoegaze fans have been eating well as of late, and The Dharma Chain's entry into this particular menu kind of blew me away. This is definitely worth a whole album listen, but the sort of airy, fuzzy, ethereal nature of Some Kind of Pure State absolutely sets it apart.
Songs of Note: "Borderline," "Red Red Red Red Red," "Cross Over"
Album: Solstice
Quick Thoughts: I've often wondered why A. A. Williams hasn't gotten more buzz over the years, and part of me wonders if this album is as much an acknowledgement of a similar idea. This gives me a lot of Chelsea Wolfe vibes throughout: a little more gothic folk than what we've normally gotten from Williams, but without the metal influences. The result is a really strong, compelling listen from a woman with a discography full of them.
Songs of Note: "Little by Little," "Poison," "Outlines," "Just a Shadow"
Album: The Rosy Red World
Quick Thoughts: Labrador is another one of those acts that has "best kept secret" vibes. People who love them love them, and this new album has some rock and power-pop elements that have made me a believer, too. It's raw, powerful, political, basically all the right ingredients to get anyone excited.
Songs of Note: "Slow Down, King," "Too Much Wanting," "We Drew Straws," "Metaphors for Love"
Album: Babylon
Quick Thoughts: We've been a fan of MorganEve Swain since her days with Brown Bird, and if I have any complaints about this latest Huntress record, it's that we've had to wait as long as we have. There is a sense of epic proportions here that sets the album apart. "Promethean" and "Beasts We Are" in particular should, if there's any justice in the world, turn folks into true believers. A great listen.
Songs of Note: "Promethean," "Doctrine," "Ritual," "Rocky Coast," "Bilgewater," "Beasts We Are"
Album: Cry Baby
Quick Thoughts: I've never really connected with Vince Staples over the years, for no particular reason. I recognize that he's one of the A players on the scene, but I've struggled to get on board. I'm glad I listened to this one, though, because there is something to this album in particular that clicked really well. It's of this moment, in this time, and is vicious and direct in its message, all of which is a welcome surprise. "Blackberry Marmalade" is the highlight here for both the musicality and message, but the whole album is really great. If you've been resistant, give this a listen.
Songs of Note: "Blackberry Marmalade," "The Big Bad Wolf," "TV Guide," "7 in the Morning"
Of Note:
* Zoh Amba - Eyes Full (An interesting, buzzworthy record that straddles a few genres perfectly.)
* Jessica Lea Mayfield and Dolour - Pinkerton (A fun, breezy take on the Weezer classic.)
* Pippy - Pippy (Solid alt-indie listen.)
* Ed O'Brien - Blue Morpho (Latest solo record from the Radiohead guitarist.)
* Widowspeak - Roses (Great, sometimes stark-sounding, indie singer-songwriter.)
* Bella White - A Sign in the Weather (Rootsy goodness from one of the best.)
* Chad Crouch - Cedar Grove Soundwalk / Cascade Pass Rain Soundwalk
* The Coral - 388
* Overcoats - The Ghost
* Arc Iris - iTMRW
* One Leg One Eye - Crone
* Steep Canyon Rangers - Next Act
* Big Special - O'Joy!
* Maniac Maison - Maniac Maison
* Hyd - Hold Onto Me Infinity
* Lowertown - Ugly Duckling Union
* Modest Mouse - An Eraser and a Maze
* Sun Kin - Bobby's Voice
* Thomas Bangalter - Mirage - Ballet for 16 Dancers
* Death Cab for Cutie - I Built You a Tower
* Guided by Voices - Crawlspace of the Pantheon
* The Magic City - The Magic City
* horsegiirL - Nature is Healing
* of Montreal - Aethermead
* Ada Rook - Cum Songs
* Fightmaster - Tolerance
* Old Crow Medicine Show - Union Made
* Satya - Yellow House
* Liz Lawrence - Vespers
* Slippers - Slippers 08
* Purbayan Chatterjee - Feathered Creatures
* Juana Everett - Past Lives in California
* Hania Rani - Sentimental Value
* Grey Delisle and Les Greene - Grey & Greene
* Suzanne Ciani and Metropole Orkest - CIANI / ORKEST
* DJ Crypt - Tales From the Crypt
* Katatonic Silentio - Paradise Mountain
* Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy Featuring Dave Milligan - Windblown
* Bedouine - Neon Summer Skin
* Beck Zegans - Engraving of Armor
* Matt Pond PA - Songs of Disquiet
* DJ Seinfeld - If This Is It
* Sons of Yusef - Battle of the Black Gold
* Labrinth - Cosmic Opera Act II
* Lee "Scratch" Perry and Mouse on Mars - Spatial, No Problem.
* Dogstar - All In Now
* Criteria - Seize!
* The Real McKenzies - Paul McKenzie Sings on Yer Bike
* Shed - Rave Echoes
* The Freqs - No God on the Gold Coast
* obli - Soft Speak
* Deer Tick - Coin-o-Matic
* Digitalism - Optimism
* Veps - ChurchyardStreet 8B
* Renee Fleming - The Fiddle and the Drum
* Villagerrr - Carousel
* Lenka - Good Days
* Kim Petras - Detour
* Paul McCartney - The Boys of Dungeon Lane
* Threat Level Burgundy - Oh, Nice
* Lake Haze - VHS Memories
* '68 - They Are Survived
* Sibille Altar - Sibille Altar
* My Morning Jacket - Peacelands
* Bethea Beadman - Kitten Feel
* Ecca Vandal - Looking for People to Unfollow
* The Greenberry Woods - It's All Good, Sugar
* Otyken - Instrumental Fantasy
* ear - Rumspringa
* KARYYN - Physics Universal Love Language
* Alela Diane - Who's Keeping Time?
* Joey Quinones - Inna Soul Steady Situation
* Max Winter - Like the Season!
EPs:
* Gently Tender - This Was Once Fields
* Wu-Lu and Poison Anna - Bakerz Dozen
* Dolly Creamer - You Make the Revolution Irresistible
* Good Teal and Noir Benny - Good Benny
* BrightMoon - First Light
* Film - Permanence
* Karen Nyame KG - Epiphany
* Good June - Afterimage
* Vic Bondi - Vic Bondi and His Issues
* Noelle Sucks - Sick Little Star
* Soft No - Super Neutral
* Loose Fit - Bittersweet
* Anna McClellan - Space, you big cloud
* Vandoliers - Afterglow
* Hotel Pools - controller
* Nayan - in the dirt
* Integra Pink - Knucks (left)
* '92 Winona - '92 Winona
Live Albums / Compilations / Reissues:
* The Deslondes - Don't Let It Die: Vol. 1 (Series of cover songs from the Americana band.)
The Highwomen - Live at the Gorge 2023
* Rosie Carney - doomsday night tapes
Also Out:
* Future Islands - From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth
* SPARTA - Cut a Silhouette
* Converge - Hum of Hurt
