Author: nathan.lankford

Joyce Manor Share I Know Where Mark Chen Lives

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I think if Bob Nanna was working in the modern pop scene, he’d probably sound an awful lot like this new Joyce Manor single, and I mean that in the best way. There’s something about Barry Johnson’s delivery in the middle of the verses that just has this natural bounce to it, and in doing so, it opens up the chorus for this massive hook. That chorus hits you with this explosiveness that doesn’t shy away from being catchy, embracing the band’s lineage and pushing forward simultaneously. Personally, I’m drawn to their naturalness, if that makes sense, as the track’s don’t seem put on or like their mimicking their heroes, so it’s refreshing to hear a song hit in this fashion. Looking forward to I Used to Go to This Bar, out January 30th via Epitaph.

New Jams from Wild Billy Childish and CTMF

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Billy Childish shouldn’t be a surprise name popping up on our end, especially as his project Wild Billy Childish and CTMF has jumped into the fray of modern pop with a brand new 7″ for Spinout Nuggets. The A side has this stomping drum beat that feels primal and thunderous, while the vocal performance harkens to a sort of old British explosiveness…big sound with a twist of discord rocking out. Turn it over and you get a rock-a-billy take on the Batman theme, grooving and weaving through a mostly instrumental jam. Always great to see what Childish is up to, but you better hurry, as there are only a handful of 7″ left!

Heavenly Announce New LP

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Legendary indiepop act Heavenly have been fairly active the last few years, offering up reissues of their catalogue, as well as a little compilation of their hits (they’re all hits, dammit!). Alas, today comes the news we’ve been holding out for, a brand new LP! They come out of the gates swinging, using the interplay between Cathy and Amelia to recall a teenage romance with the nerdiest person in school; you can tell that their ability to harmonize and drive melody into our ears hasn’t escaped. When the chorus opens up and drives that punk energy into the hook you instantly get taken back to the glory days of the Sarah Records scene. You’re day can only get better from here. Grab Highway to Heavenly from Skep Wax before its February 27th release date. And, there will be a slew of dates to follow the release, though sadly no Austin show!

Dry Cleaning Share Final Single from Secret Love

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When listening through the lyrical content of the latest Dry Cleaning single, it might come as a surprise that the initial concept came to be through the viewing of advertisements in the Virginia Tech History of Food and Drink archives…but, it’s the message that should resonate as we turn towards a new year. The theme of “being sweet” could mean many things, ultimately leading all of us to look to more kindness…to ourselves and community. What I love the most about this track is the way Florence Shaw switches up her typical spoken-word delivery into a charming little croon; you get your first chance to hear it right after the 30 second mark. Wonder what else the group have in store for us when Secret Love drops on Friday via 4AD. Here’s to more “Joy” in 2026.

Circling Back on New Exek

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Amidst the year end goings-ons, I kept trying to circle back towards Exek‘s latest single…but despite being a fan of the group for nearly a decade, I just didn’t have the time (I failed!). So, here I am a good month later reminding you that the group has signed to DFA, and with that, there’s a new LP on the way, and it already sounds super rad. On the lead single from the album, it’s hard to identify what I love more about the track; I keep getting drawn to the sharp march of the drum work, snapping me into step with snare smashes. But, they seem to be embracing a sort of carousel psychedelic approach, spinning you up and down as the track circles, pushing you to maximum bliss. Really excited to hear what Prove the Mountains Move sounds like when it drops!

Flesh Cherub Offers Blind Single

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My personal aim for 2026 is to continue to operate all over the musical map, within the realm of my personal tastes. For me, an artist like Flesh Cherub is one of those haunting voices that you turn to when the world seems at its grimmest moment; there’s this heavily pained delivery, yet it’s got this uncommon beauty to it that keeps me thinking of a world between Jeff Buckley and King Krule…striking imperfection! The weight of the guitar strum was so soulful that it soaked deep into my skin, unable to scrub it off (not that I wanted to!). While there’s a definite vibe in the first half, wait for the burst of noise that greets you around the 2:05 mark, carrying the song into this splendid world of where serenity and cacophony do a proper dance. The artist will release Drowning in the Expanse of Looking Up on January 17th via Crossing House.

Another Bop from Milano Flash

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Just before the end of the year rang out, we brought you news of a new act from Sweden helmed by the Angergard brothers; the duo are known for their roles in Red Sleeping Beauty and Club 8, respectively, but they recruited Eleni Tzavara for vocals as they kicked off Milano Flash. Once 2026 hit, the band wasted no time dropping this heavily synthetic banger; the thumping alone got me excited, but then they added some nostalgic “whoa oh” moments throughout to maximize the hooks. Eleni’s performance almost feels like its disco-adjacent, smoky and nearing digitalization, with each line delivered as the groove punches through the roof. Have a little fun with this ditty.

New Winged Wheel Single Drops

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It amazes me how indifferent the indie scene seems to be to Winged Wheel. The band features indie rock stalwart Fred Thomas, rock legend Steve Shelley…not to mention folks like Cory from Spray Paint, Whitney Johnson and Matthew J. Rolin; this is a fucking indie rock supergroup if there ever was one! So yeah…they’ve got anew single from their forthcoming Desert So Green LP, and it operates in the fashion of a discordant Stereolab; the progression of the song definitely pulls from a psychedelia meets kraut-rock fusion, losing all pigeon-holing as it spins you around and around. I loved the cavernous effects that rocked through the vocals, seemingly distant yet locked into the front of the mix so it draws you further into the tune. The latter half of the song has this great little breakdown that twinkles and sparkles into this harrowing bit of psychedelia that should have your ears pinned back so you can grab a copy of the new LP; it hits on January 9th via 12XU.

Fresh Music from Ghost Plains

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Welcome to 2026 my friends! Thought I would kick off this year with a tune from Ghost Plains, delivering you this incredible rhythm section that instantly got me out of my bed; it’s thumping and quick, pushing this infectious groove. On the vocal trip, they’re presented in a slightly dreamy fashion, like a misty haze showering upon the upbeat pulse. In doing so, your shoulders sway from side to side while your head drifts off into the world, lost in the freedom of finer pop provisions. You’ll find this track on the Cardiff outfits newest EP titled Fear Patterns, which dropped just before we signed off in 2025.

Fun Noise Rock from Tiers la Familia

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November was filled with tons of last minute releases, often overlooked as folks hustled towards their list-making. One record I’ve been digging a lot is The Love Synthesis LP from Tiers la Familia; it’s the newest project from Joe Sefyu Sidney, featuring Jeff Tobias (Sunwatchers) and Cheryl Kingan. “Deep State Nine” was the first banger on the record that got me moving, hitting with these heavily pulsing synths and stuttering vocal delivery; it feels frantic, then opens up into this fun little tribal joy that totally had me hooked. You’ll also get some weird style pop like “Pan el Pan,” which feels like all these overlapping synth lines have lost control of their souls. Just dig in here, and be grateful to the folks at Debacle Records who put it out!

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