A band I’d never explored before. The opening track initially felt like straightforward rock, but as the album unfolded, there were clear new wave and modern rock vibes woven throughout. I kept wondering: is this goth rock? I’m not totally sure where the lines are, but there’s definitely a darker, dramatic atmosphere running through it.

The guitars are big and atmospheric, and Wayne Hussey’s vocals lean into that brooding, almost theatrical intensity. “Butterfly ... read more

Stay Sick! by The Cramps. I’d never listened to a full Cramps album before, but I knew enough about them to have a sense of what I was walking into.

They lean fully into a punk-meets-rockabilly sound — campy, sleazy, and intentionally over-the-top. The horror-movie imagery, the twangy riffs, and the swagger all feel exaggerated in the best way. Listening to this album almost felt like being in possession of contraband — something illicit or borderline obscene that, if I were ... read more

A Baby, A Blanket, A Packet of Seeds by Nothing Painted Blue — another band I’d never heard before starting this project. This one took some digging since it only exists as a rare LP and isn’t readily available on streaming services. Thankfully, someone had uploaded the entire album to YouTube, which feels very on-brand for how this project works — a mix of intention, luck, and internet archaeology. I’m glad they did, because I ended up really digging it.

The ... read more

101 Damnations by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine blends industrial textures, drum-machine beats, and punk attitude into something loud and scrappy. I’d never heard of these guys before I listened to this album, but I appreciated the mix of electronic pulse and sharp guitar energy. It feels sarcastic, chaotic, and intentionally abrasive.

“Rubbish” ended up being my favorite track — it captures the band’s mix of aggression and hook in a way that feels sharp ... read more

Jonathan Goes Country finds Jonathan Richman leaning fully into classic country sounds with a wide-eyed earnestness that feels completely sincere. I really only knew him as the singer who popped up in There’s Something About Mary, which earned me some scorn from my more serious music friends, but this record made it clear there’s a lot more going on here.

What stands out most is how un-ironic the whole thing feels. Richman isn’t parodying country or treating it like a novelty ... read more

Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil is peak early-’90s alternative rock — melodic, urgent, and completely committed. This was already a favorite of mine, and I know it front to back, but revisiting it reminded me how strong it really is. At this point in their career, Midnight Oil were operating at full power.

The hooks are sharp, the rhythm section is driving, and Peter Garrett’s voice carries conviction without ever sounding self-righteous. The title track “Blue Sky ... read more

Reading, Writing & Arithmetic by The Sundays feels like dreamy, jangly indie pop with a strong Smiths influence — at least that’s where my mind goes listening to it. I only really knew “Here’s Where the Story Ends” from the radio, but I clearly slept on this band.

Harriet Wheeler’s voice sits lightly above the chiming guitars, giving the songs an introspective tone that never tips into melodrama. “Can’t Be Sure” stands out for its ... read more

Flood finds They Might Be Giants at their most playful and accessible, blending alternative rock, new wave, and absurdist pop into something that feels both subversive and celebratory. As someone who grew up a huge TMBG fan, revisiting this record reminded me how deceptively sharp it really is. They twist pop structures just enough to make them strange, but never lose the hook.

“Birdhouse in Your Soul” is a perfect example — a weird, surreal song that somehow radiates warmth. ... read more

Riverside by Luka Bloom is a beautifully melodic blend of acoustic folk and Irish tradition, driven by rhythmic open-tuned guitar and emotionally direct songwriting. Bloom’s delivery is earnest without being sentimental, and the melodies often carry a haunting undercurrent that lingers long after the songs end.

“Delirious” and “Over the Moon” showcase his gift for pairing driving acoustic patterns with instantly memorable hooks, while “You Couldn’t ... read more

Hovvdy leans into a warm, understated strain of indie pop that quietly sets a mood and stays there. There are shades of Fleet Foxes and Death Cab for Cutie in the soft harmonies and gentle emotional tone, with moments that, to my ear, feel closer to the intimacy of Freedy Johnston or Elliott Smith.

The songs unfold in a hushed, almost confidential way, circling around relationships, growth, and self-discovery.

They’re particularly good at finding a hook or groove and letting it ... read more

A jazz record, but not in the way most people expect. I’m not especially well-versed in the genre, though I’ve encountered a few jazz records along my musical journey, and this was easily the wildest and most experimental of them.

Sharrock’s guitar is fuzzy, powerful, and almost noise rock-infused, cutting through the mix with distortion and urgency rather than clean bebop lines. Joined by Pharoah Sanders on sax and the legendary Elvin Jones on drums, the album becomes a ... read more

Solo album from Greg Saunier, best known as the drummer and co-founder of Deerhoof.

This is disjointed, chaotic, unpredictable, playful, and strangely addictive — a series of fractured power-pop anthems stitched together with wild falsetto vocals and sharp left turns.

I hear flashes of Guided By Voices looseness, Ween’s genre-hopping weirdness, Beatle-esque melodic instincts, bits of metal, blues, psychedelia, and at least a dozen other influences I can’t quite pin ... read more

A catchy roots-rock record that blends jangle pop and early-’90s alternative vibes with a strong 60s throwback feel.

The acoustic arrangements and Byrds-esque harmonies give it a warm, melodic backbone, making it feel like it sits in the same family wirh The Jayhawks and Tom Petty.

It’s fun without feeling lightweight — polished enough to hook you, but still has some authentic rough edges.

Highlights for me include “Monday Morning,” “Maybe It’s ... read more

This album is a perfect blend of shoegaze, punk, power-pop, and dream pop. It is the grandchild of My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Bikini Kill.

But this is not derivative. They have a bit of experimentation here that adds a distortion effect here which gives it a crackle of electronic edge that I like.

It's fuzzy, loud at times, the vocals are gorgeous and the harmonies just kill me and the lyrics either break my heart or incites some visceral reaction from deep inside.

I also love the ... read more

This one is a wonderful blend of styles and I feel like I hear a lot of typea of bands and artists in here. Bowie, Dramarama, Wilco at their dreamiest. Then I think its got some soul music influences. Then I think I hear a song like Radiohead. Then I think they've The Cocteau Twins. It's psychedelic, shoegaze, atmospheric, power pop, rock, indie folk and probably a dozen other things.

I found the songwriting real sharp, the eclectic nature of the album wonderful, and the entire vibe ... read more

Weezer and Bob Mould coded punk/rock/power pop. Fuzzy guitars, harmony, melody, sharp songwriting. It's just super catchy. Awesome chunky riffs. Clean sound. Great vocals. It's 1997 all over again. Really, really loved this. A perfect set of songs that are all gems.

New artist for me. A very cool collection of eclectic songs. I guess it's indie pop, but there is a lot of depth here and you can hear all the influences sort of blending together. Sometimes I hear Yo La Tengo and sometimes I hear Bill Frisell.

This album takes its time to endear itself to you. Layers of sounds and it never rushes to hit a hook. Theese songs are much more interested in atmosphere and settling a tone.

I found some of this to be gorgeous and haunting and stayed with me ... read more

Wow. This is something. Indie pop with intricate arrangements that set the mood and songs that break my heart and, oddly, give me hope. It's a wonderful, emotional, inward focused album that's also bigger than the sum of its parts. There's a cleverness here, and an earnest nature to these tracks that make me feel like I'm being allowed into a private space.

The vocals while dreamy are sharp. Has the soul of say, Fiona Apple and Billie Eilish. That soft, haunted, ... read more

Dreamy, intricate indie pop mixed with shoegaze. You get that classic cascade of guitars that just wash over you. I really love the layering of the vocals here and the richness it adds to each track.

The songs give off this sense of longing. Wanting to stay forever in the quiet intimacy. Having a hard time moving on from someone you feel intertwined with. Being unable to let go of someone even after they've gone. Overall, I really liked this.

This sounds like what modern rock radio would play in the 90s. Makes me think of groups like And One, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Jarboe, etc. It's got a great groove and a foreboding presence. It sounds like it mashes a bunch of music styles together so you get classic 60s movie soundtrack elements mixed with samples, funky beats, ambient noise, Herbert Hancock vibes, rock guitar, dance beats, and just a fun, weird little E.P. that I enjoyed a lot.