
No Expectations issue 139, a Thursday‑morning newsletter, blends a personal essay on physical magazines with a $5‑a‑month reader‑supported subscription pitch. It spotlights four indie‑rock albums—including Ellie O’Neill, i26connector, kitship, and Red PK—and provides a 15‑track playlist. The edition also reviews the Prime Video comedy *Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat* and Meg Jacobs’s 1970s energy‑crisis book, while linking to a Chicago live‑music calendar. The piece underscores the newsletter’s Midwest focus and its reliance on community backing rather than advertising.

No Expectations 138 delivers a Midwestern‑centric music newsletter that blends album recommendations, a curated playlist, and cultural commentary. The issue spotlights four indie releases—Dialup Ghost’s *Donkey Howdy*, Resavoir’s *Themes For Dreams*, Spencer Hoffman’s *Cherry Picker*, and vega’s *beacon, how blue*—while also...