9 September 2026 - Wednesday - Townies

When I built my list of albums that were the best of 2025, for some reason, Bleeds by Wednesday did not make the list. 

It didn't even make the honorable mention list. 

I listened to the album for the first time last November.  It was clearly critically acclaimed.  And I really liked it.

And, every time I've come back to it, I've loved the album.

I felt like Getting Killed by Geese and Lux by Rosalia were critically adored albums that I liked but didn't quite feel were worth the hype.  Bleeds, on the other hand, I think I just kept forgetting. 

Well, today, I fix that, because Bleeds was a great album. You'll now find it listed in the Honorable Mentions paragraph.  

This was the last single and the second song off the album, and it is a 90s alternative throwback like no other. 

Of course they play the song live - and this is a slightly different version as MJ Lenderman no longer tours with the band. However, I'd argue this is a better version because you can see just how much Karly Hartzman sings the HELL out of the song. 

8 September 2026 - ADÉLA - Ain't In LA

I'm just going to say it.

ADÉLA was way too good for Katseye.

And now, she's having a real moment.    

Her new album, Prima, came out on Friday and this was the first single. As of this writing (and publication), the song sits at #68 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart - and has peaked at #61 with no signs of actually slowing down.   

By the way, this is the list of all Slovak artists who have had hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in history.

1. ADÉLA 

That's it.  That's the list. 

The song has drawn comparisons to Miley Cyrus's "We Can't Stop" and, since Theron Thomas was a co-writer on both, it stands to reason.  

The artist has performed the song live a few times.  Sometimes, she lipsyncs it, but in the case of the Reading Festival, she sang at least part of it live. 

31 August 2026 - Angèle - Une seule vie

Well, Belgian singer Angèle has a new album coming in October.

Instinct.

It's about time.

Way overdue.

She also released the album cover for her third album....

If you look closely you can see the covers of Brol and Nonante-Cinq in there

This single was released last week in conjunction with the official album announcement.  A very large rolling gazing ball much like the one she is holding on the album cover makes a prominent appearance. 

It's a really upbeat dance-pop song.  I like where this album is going. 

27 August 2026 - Énola Bédard - Hit & Run

Énola Bédard is, first and foremost, a dancer.  She went viral on TikTok in 2020 because of her dancing prowess.  She performed alongside Shakira as a dancer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. 

But she's also a singer, and this, her latest single, was co-written by her, Taet Chesterton and producer Tannergard,  

But let's face it.  The song is dance-forward. 

Also, she's from Quebec.  She may be going by Enola Bedard on her web page and on Spotify. Sher name is Énola Bédard.  Big difference. 

The song is fluff but it's fun.  Enjoy the ride. 

26 August 2026 - Gracie Abrams - Look At My Life

I was not a fan of Gracie Abrams.  If I heard "It's So True" one more damn time, I was going to delete Spotify. 

OK, that's overstatement.  But still.

I was not looking forward to listening to Daughter From Hell, her new album.  But, you know, I'm listening to 2000 albums in 2 years, so, yeah.  I did it.  

And I actually really liked it. 

This was the second single from the album and shares its name with the title of her tour in support of the album.  It is, like the rest of the album, co-written by her and deeply reflective. 

She has not yet had a lot of chance to play the song live - but she did when she appeared on BBC's Radio 1.  Honestly, you can see in her face that it is deeply personal and reflective. 

25 August 2026 (Special Edition) - Dolly Parton - I'm Gone

Dolly Parton posted this seven months ago. 

Today, her passing was announced. 

This is both the easiest and hardest one of these I've had to write.  On one hand, I think we all know that Dolly Parton is one of the kindest and most influential country artists in history.  I don't need to espouse about her impact on people, her advocacy and active giving to the cause of literacy, or the fact that you are greeted by Dolly when you enter Tennessee!

No, seriously.  

But this is also hard because the loss is so great. 

No, I instead choose to honor her in the way she would have intended - with this 2003 song that wasn't a hit but it perfect for today. 

Let you think she did this just for vinyl - no, she brought the fire to the performance. 

Dolly Parton will be sorely missed in the music industry, by her family, by Tennessee, and by music fans everywhere. She's with her Carl Dean now. 

25 August 2026 - Gelli Haha - Bounce House

Frankly, I want you to enjoy this video and the 360 degree experience it is, so we're doing this first.

Gelli Haha's Switcheroo was one of my favorite albums of 2026.  

"Switcheroo is a chaos record in the best way: jagged indie rock, synthy detours, sudden hooks that feel like tripping over a hidden step. It sounded like 2025’s attention span in album form, and I kept coming back to it whenever I wanted something that felt restless and playful but still weirdly, deeply emotional."

"Also, the red aesthetic really pops." - Literally me

"Bounce House" was a huge reason why I liked that record so much.  It was fun, it was bright, and yet, it still had surprising hooks.  

Here's the non-immersive version of the video, by the way.

 

I've written about Gelli Haha before.  And when I did, I said she had not played as Gelli Haha much.  That has changed, dramatically.  In fact, the stage show is a whole..... thing.  

From the KRCW studios.....

...to the MUCH smaller KEXP studios.....

....to this random club in San Francisco.

It's always consistent, and fun, and bouncy, and RED.