Older, Sadder, Better: American Football Leans In On ‘LP4’
American Football’s fourth studio album, *LP4*, arrives as the band’s third release since reuniting in 2014. Co‑produced by Sonny DiPerri, the record pushes the group’s signature emo‑rock sound into darker, more experimental territory, featuring eight‑minute slow‑burns and heavier textures. Lyrically, frontman Mike Kinsella confronts middle‑age disillusionment, divorce, and self‑destruction, moving beyond the youthful melancholy of earlier work. The album signals both a creative rebirth and a maturation of the emo revival that the band helped spark.
Zhu’s ‘Black Midas’ Turns Tragedy Into Gold
Los Angeles producer Zhu released his fifth studio album, Black Midas, as a direct response to the 2025 Palisades Fire that left his Topanga home uninhabitable. The 14‑track, 53‑minute record leans into melodic techno, tribal percussion and minimalist R&B, turning...
OOIOO and Lightning Bolt: Together at Last!
OOIOO and Lightning Bolt have issued a split LP titled *The Horizon Spirals/The Horizon Viral*, pairing two of the underground’s most daring acts. The record juxtaposes OOIOO’s two extended, rhythm‑rich tracks with Lightning Bolt’s five concise, high‑octane pieces. Both groups...
Gary Klebe Grows Up Without Growing Old
Veteran Shoes bassist Gary Klebe, now in his 60s, has issued his first solo record, *Out Loud*, handling vocals, most instrumentation, production, and mixing from his basement. The album preserves the bright hooks and soaring harmonies that define power pop...
Souled American’s Downbeat Country Still Feels Vital
Souled American, the cult‑favorite downbeat Americana duo, has broken a 30‑year silence with their seventh album, Sanctions. The record preserves the band’s bleak, ambient‑infused alt‑country aesthetic while adding fresh lyrical focus on immigration, mortality and cultural decline. Jeff Tweedy, who...
Failure Finds New, Fertile Ground On ‘Location Lost’
American alt‑rock trio Failure has dropped their long‑awaited seventh studio album, “Location Lost,” marking a fresh creative surge after a decade of touring and side projects. The record opens with the IDM‑infused “Crash Test Delayed” and quickly pivots to the...
Adopt Fantastic Cat
Fantastic Cat, a NYC singer‑songwriter supergroup featuring Brian Dunne, Anthony D’Amato, Don DiLego and Mike Montali, has dropped its third album, *Cat Out Of Hell*. The record moves beyond a casual side‑project, delivering a cohesive folk‑rock sound that feels like...
WU LYF Returns From 15 Year Slumber to Make Us Feel Again
After a 15‑year silence, Manchester collective WU LYF has resurfaced with its sophomore album, *A Wave That Will Never Break*. The record, released exclusively through the band’s own website, continues the group’s blend of anthemic indie rock and gospel‑infused spirituality...
Amanda Bynes and Fenix Flexin Launch Into Space with EDM Track “Girlfriend”
Former teen actress Amanda Bynes released her first music single, the EDM track “Girlfriend,” on April 10, partnering with producer Zabba and rapper Fenix Flexin. The song departs from pop conventions, embracing a cyber‑punk club aesthetic with Auto‑tuned vocals and a...
It’s Hip to Be Squarepusher
Electronic veteran Tom Jenkinson, known as Squarepusher, has issued *Kammerkonzert*, his first album to foreground a chamber‑music aesthetic. The record pairs digitally‑triggered strings, woodwinds and vibraphone with live drums, creating a hybrid of modernist classical textures and his trademark breakbeat...
Sunn O))) Channels Nature and Mark Rothko On Latest Record
Sunn O))) has released a self‑titled album, their first on Seattle’s Sub Pop label after decades on Southern Lord. The record marks the duo’s inaugural effort playing every instrument themselves, recorded with Brad Wood in a rural Washington studio. Spanning...
Jason P. Woodbury & the Nightbird Singing Quartet Journey to the End of the Night
Jason P. Woodbury & the Nightbird Singing Quartet released a self‑titled debut that pairs a Vintage Contemporaries‑inspired cover with a soundscape of hazy reverb, pedal‑steel twang and expansive melodies. The album’s tracks, from “Birdsong” to “The Season Has Arrived,” weave...
Kim Gordon Is Captivating, Commanding On ‘PLAY ME’
Kim Gordon’s third solo album, PLAY ME, arrives on Matador as a stark, glitch‑laden statement that fuses hip‑hop beats, punk aggression and IDM abrasiveness. Co‑produced with Justin Raisen, the dozen‑track record showcases Gordon’s spoken‑word Sprechgesang layered over fractured, digital textures....
Shabaka Picks Up the Sax and Drops Some Beats
Shabaka Hutchings returns to the saxophone on his new solo album *Of the Earth*, released in early 2026. The record, issued on his own label, is a fully self‑produced effort that fuses jazz, hip‑hop beats, and experimental electronic textures. Hutchings...
Bill Callahan Confronts Mortality and Legacy on ‘My Days of 58’
Bill Callahan’s new album *My Days of 58* confronts mortality, legacy, and fatherhood after a recent health scare. The record blends his trademark baritone stoicism with gentler humor and intimate acoustic arrangements, marking a shift from the louder, rock‑leaning sound...