Monthly Album Recap - October 2026
Really caught up some backlog items this month and did a fun visit to Ryley Walker's discography. People keep making music, I will keep listening. Even if most of it is just fine.
New Spins
Arab Strap - Half-Told Tales // Post Punk
Feels like a documentary being narrated.
Bimbo - The Bimbonacci Sequence // Pop Punk
Guess their creative work went into a great pun.
Black Bananas - Bad Bunch // Art Rock
This is like if someone did an Animal Collective/Panda Bear/Avalanches record and made it worse.
Boy Harsher - GET MEAN // Synth Pop
Seems like they are doing a sexier version of The xx.
C.O.F.F.I.N - Out in Oslo // Punk
Has some sick riffs and a guy that sounds like he is yelling through gravel. Pretty sick.
Deer Leap - Routines // Pop Punk
Sounds like Killers trying to do pop punk. It almost works.
The Drin - I Lost My Way For Centuries // Psych Rock
Hello, reverb. Hello, vibes. Hello, not creating a lasting impression.
Some Images of Paradise - i expect the same of u // DIY Screamo
Move over soundcloud rap, I found something that is equally full of noise.
Helen - Linda's Head // Indie Pop
C+ Beach House
Penelope Isles - 3 // Indie Pop
I guess slow pickin' indie pop is in. rejoice, sleepy heads.
Nothing But Thieves - Stray Dogs // Alt Rock
Strong power pop punk vibes with a few standout songs. Just listen to Evolution.
D.I.D. - EP // Punk
Deep throated anger.
Ian Noe - Canyon Falls Trailer Band // Country
Cowboys do get sad and wistful!
Index - Vis Inertiae // Post Punk
This leaned heaver into the punk aspect and it really shone through! Felt refreshing to have a little more OOMPH to artsy punk.
Pain of Truth - Pain of Truth // Metal
This appeals to me. Don’t know why. I still can’t figure out what's good and what's bad metal music.
Wrong Man - Here's That Feeling // Post Hardcore
Production is slick, and the singing is like putting my head through a thresher. I love it.
Turn of Phrase - Out in the Water // Punk
Just a lot of yelling.
Wishy - Nature's Pill // Alt Rock
Grainy hand cameras aesthestics.
Quadeca - Life 1 // Art Pop
This is just soundcloud pop now. Feels sparse.
Brother Bird - The Lodge in Miller County // Alt Country
I understand this is nothing groundbreaking, but it's just very good music.
Sadness - sunset blush // Post Emo
Second great album of DIY post hardcore inspired emo. Oh, to be young and have emotions.
BODEGA - All Inside Aquarium // Indie Rock
Indie-ass muzak.
whimm - No Promotion // Post Punk
The longer this went on, the more it devolved into just noise. It was like trying to find something interesting in that Ethel Cain drone album. Spoiler: Not much was.
Hollow Hand - Wish Road South // Alt Rock
This feels like it's out of the Black Keys universe.
wakelee - Under Construction Forever // Post Emo
Modern emo/pop punk is in good hands. Not as catchy as others, but the production is solid.
Deafheaven - At Work In The Fields Of The Bomb // Metal
I didnt think they could get more intense, but I'm an idiot.
Sophia Stel - the greatest album of all time // Art Pop
I need to come back to this. It has interesting moments, but the whole autotune thing wears on me after a bit.
The Avalanches - No Bad Memories // Electronica
Sounds like the Avalanches! Doesn’t stick as much.
Haywire 617 - I DON'T WANNA SAY GOODBYE // Punk
As aggressive as a punk album should be.
Holidays in United States - How to Count to Five // Emo
This is DIY, Dirty Projectors inspired emo but less grating.
plague skater - plague skater iii // Punk
Coming soon to Tony Hawk Pro Skater 6.
Holy Motors - Heaven's Night // Dream Pop
If you're going to make it boring, at least try to make it sound pretty.
Lily Seabird - Lightspheres on Their Way // Singer Songwriter
it almost goes alt country, but maintains the indie pop influences in a great way.
Basht. - Poor Advice // Post Punk
This started off slow and built into this almost operatic post punk album. Interesting! Just not my cup of tea for a whole album.
Star Moles - Highway to Hell // Indie Rock
Another coffee shop album. Sick artwork, though.
Queen of Jeans - hard/SWEET // Indie Rock
This feels like a slow burn of star moles. If there was anymore distortion it would be shoegaze.
Inkblot Page - Here She Comes Now // Post Punk
Felt like amped up Parquet Courts. fun, but not different enough
Billboard Style - Pull of the Moon // Indie Rock
Just a little too moan-y for me
Andy Boay - Doomed // Indie Rock
This is new age animal collective so your mileage may vary
Troye Sivan - She's the Best // Pop
I can only mean Charli XCX for allowing him to be on one of her songs.
The Tubs - Hard Life // Alt Rock
Sounds like Jack Black doing 90s rock.
heavensouls - cantu of the sower // electronica
Some songs sound like IDM cosplaying as dubstep which made it hectic, but good work music
unpeople - we are unpeople // Poop Punk
Not a typo. Shit A Day To Remember cosplay.
Convinced Friend - Nowhere Songs // Singer Songwriter
This has a chance to grow into a strong AOTY contender. Slow burn alt country vibes that just hit better in October.
Dummy - Do You Love the Color of the Sky? // Trip Rock
Just more 90s bullshit.
Echo & The Bunnymen - Apples For Isaac // Folk Rock
Ben Folds fans probably love this shit.
Fontaines D.C. - Dopamine Chamber // Post Punk
I love Hayley Williams, but I don’t get the fervor for this band.
Formal Sppeedwear - Punch Card // Synth Pop
David Bowie cover band appeal.
Zach Bryan - Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs // Country
His politics are that of Aaron Rodgers and this upsets me. Decent to good music, though!
@ - Autosmile // Indie Rock
I get why this is getting acclaim, but I don’t see the full appeal or care to come back to this more than once
Stef Chura - Dancing Along On The Concrete // Indie Rock
Falls into the “inoffensive to good but not memorable” category
Greg Freeman - All Set The Bone // Singer Songwriter
I can’t figure out if his voice is annoying or good to cut through the clutter. Nothing really else stuck out.
Cantilever
Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant To Be // Jazz Fusion
This sounds like good lounge music. Was it good? I am not smart enough to answer that. Was it enjoyable? Mostly!
The Magnetic Fields - Get Lost // Alt Rock
The 90s singers really all had the same voice, huh?
Cathy Hamer - Lady Full Of Dreams // Singer Songwriter
Feels like 1970s acoustic vibes. It's good end of summer filler.
Catalogue Visitation
Ryley Walker
Primrose Green // 9
- Initial Thoughts: Some stellar tracks to start off the album and leans into some jam-bandy, bluegrass vibes in the middle. The great production kept up the whole time and his voice just beckons you to listen that I haven't experienced in a while.
- Ear Catchin' Songs: Primrose Green, Same Minds, Sweet Satisfaction, All Kinds of You
- Skips: On the Banks of the Old Kishwaukee
Golden Sings That Have Been Sung // 7.5
- Initial Thoughts: Feels more stripped back as a follow-up, but the guitar work continues to be great. His voice is soothing and this whole album feels more intimate which hinders it from shining.
- Ear Catchin' Songs: Funny Thing She Said, Sullen Mind, The Roundabout
- Skips: I Will Ask You Twice
Deafman Glance // 8.1
- Initial Thoughts: Appreciate how slow moving and intricate this album was. Had some really good songs, but outside started to blend together. Don’t know if that is his fault or mine. Im going to assume mine.
- Ear Catchin' Songs: Telluride Speed, Spoil with the Rest, 22 Days
- Skips: Expired
The Lillywhite Sessions // 6.6
- Initial Thoughts: First song really is up tempo and feels like a fun departure and seems to set up an experimental, 90s rock/horn inspired album. It is interesting because his voice stays the same so it almost claws you back. Also, the most jam-bandy album yet.
- Ear Catchin' Songs: Busted Stuff, Captain
- Skips: Grey Street, JTR
Course In Fable // 8.7
- Initial Thoughts: Feels like he was building up to this by taking the great parts of Primrose Green and all the good parts of the last three to put together a great jammy, but intricate album.
- Ear Catchin' Songs: Striking Down Your Big Premiere, Lenticular Slap, Pond Ocean Scum
- Skips: N/A
Deep Fried Grandeur // 8.0
- Initial thoughts: This is a jam band record with two songs that combine for 40-minutes of grooves. Can see it coming based on the discography, but it delivers! So, who am I to complain.