Fazed On a Pony Announces Swan

When you think of the New Zealand scene, particularly as it relates to our coverage, you’re thinking brazen guitar pop with 12 string guitars and huge melodies. But! That’s not what you get when you listen to Fazed On a Pony, the songwriting project of Peter McCall, who crafts delicate Americana, not far from off from the sounds that one guy crafted in Red House Painters. The bending notes of guitar feel like they’re stretching for emotion, finding you happily waiting on the other side to lap up heartwarming waters that come through your speakers. His new album Swan is likely to find many a spins on our end; it comes your way via Melted Ice Cream and Meritorio Records in January of next year!

Pet Owner Share FOMU Single

Another act I adore, Pet Owner, is hinting at what’s in store for us when the new year opens the door to fresh tunes; today we’re sharing “FOMU,” which is operating mostly as a low-end electro pop ballad. What I mean by the low-end, as it’s clearly employing the bouncing nature of the pop genre, is that she’ll pull away and sprinkle in these little moments of singer-songwriter fashion, opening the doors to where her album could possibly go. It’s both delicate and luxurious in its approach to synth-oriented pop, so I’m already penciling in her works as one of my favorite things about 2026!

The New Tigers Return

I’m a big fan of Finnish outfit The New Tigers, and they’ve mostly been quiet since the release of their Do Xao LP back in 2018, with the rare single here and there. Today, they’re back with a new single and news that a new LP will be out in 2026. On today’s singles, they embrace a lighter side of guitar pop, though they’re careful to include a driving enthusiasm that bleeds through the distorted riff work. They fill the spaces in between with drifting melodies and charm that make it difficult to pull away from, as if you’d even want to! The second of the tunes is a really beautiful ballad, so I hope you’ll take the time to invest in listening to the group’s latest offerings; look for the new LP via Soliti in the new year!

Morning Pop from Foamboy

We’re almost there friends, and I promise we’re going to all make it to Friday; we’ve got this great track from Portland’s Foamboy. They’re kind of hitting that sweet spot of electro-pop, wherein they’re just on the cusp of being overly amplified, but they hold back so it doses push into pure schmaltz. Think of a Chromeo record, only a little more seductive and built for longevity, and you’ll pick up on the vibes here. This song’s built around a love story that just didn’t quite finish, sputtering out and leaving our lover with nothing more “than a book and a cold.” Step into Thursday my friends.

Major Murhphy Share Like a Wrecking Ball

When the heavier strum of the guitar gets locked in on this new Major Murphy tune, there is something that happens to your soul; it’s a subtle little hook, but the sort that pulls you deep inside the tune. Once they’ve got your attention, they take their Americana vibes and begin to flesh out the background by layering backing vocals and sliding guitar to stretch the song to the horizon. The perks of this tune is that you can also hear a demo version accompanying the single, giving off a super stripped down version of the tune, equally as intoxicating. This tune is brought to courtesy of Winspear.

Lola Share Moon Song Single

When you stumble upon great songs, they can sometimes take you aback, like this new tune from Germany’s Lola. I honestly thought that the song was going to spin into some modern post-punk, delivering a huge bounce that erupted into some euphoric moment; I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was totally okay with that happening. But, the group instead, add a little more rhythmic texture, then lock into the tension, building it block by block as the song moves forward with faint little sprinkles hinting at the endless possibilities that could unfold. It’s the perfect tease, and I can’t wait to hear more from this group.

Lucid Express Announce Instant Comfort

The humidity outside my window is such that there’s a wall of condensation building, meaning we’re likely in for a rainy day here in Texas, and Lucid Express have the perfect tune to sneak into the weather. They carefully let you into the tune, opening it up with these intermingling guitar notes that are spacious, yet you can feel the tension as it builds; it crashes into you right at the 46 second mark, but it’s a brief display of force before they sneak back to a safer, quieter moment. From there, they immerse you in the dreamier realms of pop music, intermittently letting the noise play its part in their sound. If you’re enjoying their vibe, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Instant Comfort, coming your way in February of next year!

Matt Kivel Shares Vampire Weekend

The entirety of Matt Kivel‘s new record is all about storytelling, detailing his life as a musician living in LA, and how he made it out alive! His latest single instantly hits at the struggle to make it out, musically from the city, with a nod to Vampire Weekend and their success during the 00s. Going through, I love the sincerity with simplistic charms like “my sad songs aren’t sad enough/my weary songs aren’t weary enough, reflective and yet openly self-deprecating. His guitar play in the middle of verses is pretty special too, displaying his craftsmanship, lovingly including a bit of gritty guitar riffs; plus a nice little Everly Brothers nod never hurt nobody! Escape from LA will be out via Scissor Tail Records, with a release show here in Austin on the 12th!

The Baby Seals Drop Tamoo Trance

You might have already caught wind of this track from the Baby Seals, as it was hanging out for a few days in the Bandcamp world…and now it comes with a video. The UK outfit is quite similar to their compatriots in Wet Leg, delivering global criticisms from behind a wall of playfulness and rock n’ roll. This tune directly comments on our love of consumerism…even in a paywall funded music community! There’s a bit more rock in the band’s work, which definitely lets them bring out more growl, as you can hear in the repeated belting out of “Tamoo trance” in the chorus. Not only do you get a sweet video, but you can grab the song on a new 7″ courtesy of Trapped Animal Music.

New Music from Human Missile Crisis

There’s something in the air of late, as I’m full on in rock n’ roll mode as of late, and when I came across this Human Missile Crisis single, it was hitting all the perfect notes for me. It starts off mostly steady, somewhere between Hot Water Music and the Constantines, clearly leaning towards punk though being shaped by pop tendencies. About midway through the tune, it erupts into this full explosion, emulating gang vocals as the tune continues to push forward with its steadied drive of melodious punk rock sounds. Just a kick ass bit of grinding rock n’ roll, and I’m definitely hear for it today.

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