Shawn Donohue

JD McPherson returns with his first collection of original songs in six years on Nite Owls. The ten tracks strip down his sound a touch but keep the retro rocking vibe alive by interestingly rounding up new genre influences that McPherson incorporates.

The Hard Quartet’s debut self-titled double album is a gorgeous collection of fuzzy indie-rock earworms that ebb and flow with scruffy charm. The alt-rock legends (Emmett Kelly, Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, and Jim White) came together naturally to form this band, and the musical results speak to their joy in recording.

With the surprise announcement of a new album, Fate & Alcohol, the Japandroids reinvigorated their fanbase. Then, they immediately deflated it by saying the group was over, and this would be the last musical statement from Brian King and David Prowse. Who knows if that holds true—forever is a long time—but if it does, the duo goes out with their heads held high.

The second leg of the Drive-By Truckers Southern Rock Opera Revisited Tour is just getting underway as the group travels through a host of swing states prior to the upcoming election. Before they hit the Midwest, though, they made a sold-out stop in NYC to play Irving Plaza, updating their 2001 breakthrough album for the modern live stage.

With the Pixies’ tenth album, The Night The Zombies Came, the band has now matched its pre-breakup output. Since reforming in 2004, the group has released five albums. The group has effortlessly morphed from alt-rock groundbreakers into relaxed middle-aged rockers.

The long-running garage rockers from Queens, NY, The Fleshtones, release their first new music in four years with The band uses tongue-in-cheek humor, retro rock, and a sense of the macabre throughout the record.

Jeremie Albino’s fourth album, Our Time In The Sun, is a step up. The Toronto-based singer-songwriter

On his previous solo release, 2023’s Cedar City Sweetheart, Andrew Gabbard focused on adding more country/Americana elements to his indie rock base. This time, he mostly returns to his core strengths, using vibrating guitar and his soulful voice to bring it on home with Ramble & Rave On!

His last release Greatish Hits: I Followed My Dreams and My Dreams Said to Crawl was completely unnecessary. Father John Misty is one of the few artists who still revel in the full album format, immersing himself in sounds and themes over a record’s run time. His albums tell long stories, tie together disparate ideas, and can’t truly be experienced by picking out singles. That deeper exploration, his fine line between sarcasm/honesty, and his dynamic musical ear make each full length its adventure. Now comes

Kim Deal’s first proper solo album was a long time in the making. She started recording Nobody Loves You More in 2011 when she was still with The Pixies and wrapped up in 2022 when she worked with close friend (the late) Steve Albini. The record feels lived in, with a wide sonic scope and a distribution of feelings, as the years, pain, and perseverance are all present in Deal’s singing.