Tilly's Mixtape 11!

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(Back side)

Guys! Guys! Guess what? It's officially summer! 

And with a new season I think it's time for a new mixtape. We are embracing the summer vibes hard. 

Sun. Beaches. Water. Fun times. Fun drinks. Fun drives towards endless adventure opportunities and all your dreams come true! 

Am I overdoing it? Noway hosay! This is your time to enjoy yourself. Take a drive along a waterbody roadside and just embrace the open blue sky and sparkling water splashing on the shore. Or lay on the beach and have absolutely no obligations in your mind to anyone or anything. This mixtape is for those moments. 

We have a curated mix of old and new. Fast paced and slowed down. It ebbs and flows.

I hope you get an opportunity to play this playlist in one of these scenarios, but if not, you can imagine it too! I'll be throwing this on as I drive along one of our local lakes that goes for miles and miles. Pura Vida 😎

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Link to the mixtape:

Tilly's Mixtape 11!

it could be worse - a door you close yourself (2026)

Why I Like It: 

Wahoo! Discussing another release from 2026, we're on a role now. 

So today folks, we are deep diving into emo and its waves - and ultimately trying to decipher where we are at with this current iteration of the genre. Am I an expert in this? Heck no! Have I heard and read lots of thoughts on it? YEP! Hang ten, it's going to be a radical ride! My inner dad jokester cringes, but we tread on. 

Let's get to the main punchline now, I think we have our new sound of emo currently underway and it's the coined "2nd wave emo revival". Is it still 5th wave? Who knows. Reddit seems to be debating on if we are in the 5th wave or starting into the 6th wave. 

*If you want a breakdown of all the emo waves, as you follow along, here it is:

1st wave: 1985 to ~1992 (emocore/DC/Revolution Summer)

2nd wave: 1992 to ~2002 (Midwest emo/screamo/Skramz)

3rd wave: 2002 to ~2009 (Emo pop/basement emo/proto revival/screamo)

4th wave: 2009 to ~2018 (Emo revival/Twinkledaddies/Midwest emo/skramz)

5th wave: 2018 to Present (Emo pop/Sparklepunk/Weedmo/Emo Revival 2.0)

 (Credit to r/Emo)

I'll insert my opinion on this debate here. It's based off something I heard off the indie music podcast Indiecast - where they say the early 2020s was the Phoebe Bridgers Punisher era of music and we will be seeing the shift in sound within 2025/2026 (which I think might be indie country, or maybe indietronica?). From that discussion in mind, I will say this year we are seeing the real life transition into 6th wave emo and here's my reasoning. 

If you follow the trajectory of 5th wave, many would say it started around 2018, where bands took the 4th wave emo sounds and added a concoction of hyper-indie bedroom-chiptune-gaze to push the boundaries of the genre. If you think of it, Punisher was a covid era album that propelled the quieter female singer songwriter aesthetic for indie music, and the first glass beach album can be considered the covid album that propelled the hyper-indie bedroom-chiptune-gaze of emo. 

* Side Note- I picked Glass Beach because their album got traction in 2019 and is a pretty good representation of that sound I described. My personal pick would be Somewhere City by Origami Angel though. *

Now around 2025/2026 we've been seeing the popularity of a new sound in emo taking root. And oh man is it getting popular fast. There's an excellent article by Peyton Khorey, of KZSC Santa Cruz radio, that does a deep dive into this whole thing, that I highly recommend.  There's also another podcast, endless scroll, that describes another trend, where popular internet slowcore/shoegaze artists are releasing more "internet native emo" music that's adding fuel to this popularity fire. This last point I am completely out of my depth about, as someone who has no TikTok account, but it is an interesting aspect to bring into the conversation. 

Why the popularity of the 2nd wave emo sound? I have a couple thoughts there. The second wave of emo happened in the 90s. It was not popular yet, mainly DIY, and all analog. It's people gathering together to do something they are genuinely passionate about and not giving two shits if it's popular (remember selling out was a big deal at this time). What's happening right now? We are in the age of AI; with AI bands, bots creating fake hype, and less human hands in general on these projects. I think the fact that we have a revival of the 2nd wave of emo is a beacon of hope. There's a craving out there for more human experiences and creativity and I think the band, it could be worse, is one of those bands doing just that. 

I had the pleasure of chatting with the bassist and lead singer, Brittany, and it truly got me excited for the 6th wave of emo. Ya, there we go, I'm full committing to this narrative now. Either I will have my finger on the pulse, or this will be an utter failure of a prediction. But let's embody that 'not giving a shit' ethos and forge on. 

I was first enamored with the band it could be worse from their Reddit post titled 'god modern midwest emo is such ass', where someone said this about their music. First of all, that's a mean thing to say and they are deadass wrong. I was intrigued by the website that Brittany posted about (and turns out created herself) then listened to their new EP, a door you close yourself, on a sick looking Windows Music Player widget. Now that is some DIY ethos! It was basically love on first listen from there. Oh, and did I mention the handmade merch?? You can't even order it and have to physically go to a show to get it right now (keep an eye out for some limited tapes too!). 

That could change in the future, when this band blows up (lets manifest this now), but hell ya love that hands on approach! But seriously, look at the website. I'll add another link right here, because it is something of beauty. Especially if you grew up in the heyday of the early internet, you should appreciate this. 

Ok let's talk shop and get to the dang music already. I absolutely love Brittany's vocals. They will be soft in one instant, then utterly raw screaming in another. In her words, it's an androgynous style that she's been honing in. And I would be doing a disservice if I didn't mention the band's goal of filling a gap in the midwest emo scene, where it's dominated by "dude-who’s-bad-at-singing-but-picked-up-a-guitar kinda vibe", and proving that this scene can evolve and include badass people of all types! This is probably my favorite part of 5th wave and 6th wave emo, is the richness and diversity it brings. I find more relatable lyrics in this current era, than say the 3rd wave Warped Tour and Hot Topic era of emo, that I grew up on. 

A couple lyrics that I loved: 

• are you mad at me? lol - "irish exit from my own party/ so you will all finally stop perceiving me" 
• cousin you're scaring the normals - "i just heard you trash pete wentz/ i swear to god i will haunt you"
• arnold house (dm for the address) - "i caught myself whispering, "just take it all in"/ before the walls forget all the songs that we've written in them"

Also, an interesting tidbit that I learned about a door you close yourself is that most the tracks started with the drumming parts first, then the vocals, and finally the guitar. This is because the guitarist Erin was the last person to join the band before they were a complete unit. Those intricate midwest emo riffs and tapping are comparable to Dylan Mattheisen of Tiny Moving Parts (sentiments I stole from Brittany but whole heartedly agree with). And let's not forget the person that's leading the charge in these tracks, drummer Recce! I'm just going to copy and paste Brittany's words here again, because she describes it much better than I could: "kinda mathy, intricate, syncopated, and filling the space to match the lead guitar a bit more". 

I also appreciate the recording of this EP and how it looks. The instruments were recorded live and vocals layered over top. This makes the project sound like what you would authentically hear at a house show. The EP art was a cut & paste scanned cover too. I know I said DIY already, but this is genuinely embodied within a door you close yourself, from start to finish. There's nothing more spiritually 2nd wave emo than this right here.

To wrap everything up, 6th wave emo is here people and it could be worse is the band to check out if you want here what it has to offer!

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

arnold house (dm for the address) - "this feels like a eulogy for something that's still happening"

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Similar bands to check out:

Fine! I Guess, Drunk Uncle, February,  Stitching, 

*Bonus! First Day Back and the Ritornello Form

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Links to check out:

icbw.neocities.org

itcouldbeworse.bandcamp.com

Live @ the LAST ARNOLD HOUSE SHOW in Austin, TX

Joyce Manor - I Used To Go To This Bar (2026)

 

Why I Like It:

I think I should get something out of the way before I begin this write-up. Joyce Manor was a band that never clicked for me. Phew, nice to get that off my chest! As I avoid beer cans thrown from their diehard fans, I can say this album finally got me "falling into it", as lead singer Barry Johnson would say. The music of I Used To Go To This Bar has been the most stuck in my head for 2026 thus far. 

I can't explain what made this album all of a sudden work but I'm happy to be here now, finally. What I can do, is say what I like about the album. There's fun power pop guitar riffs, short punchy punk songs around the 2 minuet mark, and just catchy fuckin lyrics that I love singing over and over again like "freight train coming down the track/and it almost gave me a heart attack" or "got run over by my dream car/spent forever in the ER". Also "Grey Guitar" is a top Joyce Manor song (ya ya what right do I have as a freshly minted fan to say this, but it's already been said now). 

This is a shorter review, but in typical Joyce Manor fashion of short songs and albums, maybe this is all that needs to be said. No filler, just the facts. 

Sidenote - If you want more substance about this album and Joyce Manor as a whole, listen to the Bandsplain episode linked below. 

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Grey Guitar - "We both know that they can't fix you/ they haven't got the parts"

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Similar bands to check out:

Los Campesinos!, PUP, Jeff Rosenstock, The Menziners

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Links to check out:

Bandsplain podcast - Interview with Barry Johnson

Undertheradarmag.com - Review

Nate the Mate - Joyce Manor: The Punkest Band Alive

*It's an older video but covers why they have such a loyal fanbase 

Live show from 2025

Heart Tattoo with Mark Hoppus

New Found Glory- Sticks and Stones (2002)

Why I Like It:

Over the years I have learned the humility (or would like to think I have) to admit when I've had unjustified, ill conceived, and sometimes downright wrong opinions about a band. New Found Glory is one of those bands. Why the hate bro? One may ask. This has been a head scratcher for me too, to be honest, and I've dug deep to come up with some reasoning. Maybe. 

Growing up in the 90s and 2000s it was different how people consumed music and had opinions of genres. Basically you had to pick a band, plant your undying loyalty to them, and brush some other (equally as good) ones to the side. Like I was pro Backstreet Boys, because I had a young teenage girl crush on Nick Carter, and NSYNC was inferior. And of course my friends were in the same camp. 

Usually this call to join a team would start out because of a rivalry between bands. Some may even say a heated rivalry?- I had to get this TV show in here someplace because shoutout to Canadian gay hockey and Wolf Parade getting their due time! 

Some popular rivalry examples:

• Grunge: Nirvana Vs Pearl Jam
• Emo: Taking Back Sunday vs Band New
• Britpop: Oasis vs Blur
• Punk: Green Day vs The Offspring

These rivalries were either started from the bands themselves and/or the media made them up and I was absolutely a victim to it. I have an answer to each band above, of who I listened to over the other. 

Not to say these band vs band choosings aren't happening today, but it felt like something you had to do- to showcase who you are as a person. I think today people are more accepting of all bands and genres, which is refreshing! Also, there was this thing called monoculture back then, which meant everyone was listening to the same bands on the radio, watching the same MTV music videos, and reading the same Rolling Stones interviews. In essence everyone was plugged into the same music at the same time and there was more collective awareness of the 'rivalries'. 

So, what was this New Found Glory rivalry I'm thinking of? I will admit this likely completely made up in my head, but it was Blink 182 vs New Found Glory. I was team Blink and Glory were out, not interested. Although I did like the song "My Friends Over You", when I heard it on a Big Shiny Tunes 7 CD. That was it. No good reason besides Blink showed up first and I imprinted on them. To further prove this was all in my head, Mark Hoppus actually got New Found Glory hooked up with their manager Rick DeVoe. 

Ok let's actually talk about New Found Glory now. One of the pioneers of pop-punk, they have a legacy that echoes in today's pop-punk music. Some examples being that All Time Low got their name from a New Found Glory song lyric and The Story So Far is from one of their song titles. Oh ya, and both of these examples are from the album Sticks and Stones.

Sticks and Stones is an album I spin every time spring makes its appearance. After a stint of seasonal depression and the soul sucking grey backdrop of winter, this album coalesces with bright blue skies, green vegetation overtaking the colour palette of the landscape and lovingly pushing those dark thoughts out. It's the fast paced songs, ear catchy hooks, and sing along choruses that stick in your head as you inhale the fresh cut grass of suburban lawns.

The album, in my opinion, has no skips. It's pure pop-punk distilled into 12 perfect tracks...and one hidden one that scares the shit out of you if you're not paying attention. It's got your typical swooning over a girl tropes and girl troubles...tropes (ya sorry the vocabulary is rudimentary here). Just typical dudes singing about what their troubles are in their twenties, without the real life struggles of adult sh*t yet - you don't get to say shit until you have back pain and a multi day hangover from a few beers. However, as a middle aged lady with all the real life things to think about, I still connect to the music. Lyrics like "And it feel like I'm at all-time low" or "I'm sick of smiling and so is my jaw" can be relatable in many scenarios. 

Enough talking about the album, just play the dang thing already if you've read this far! You've already made the time commitment by this point 😁

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

It's been a summer - "I'm cracked from my head to my spine/Ready to self-destruct at anytime" 

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Similar bands to check out:

The Ataris, The Starting Line, The Movielife, Midtown

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Links to check out:

If You're Listening - Someone's first time listen.
*Also the podcast that finally convinced me to flipping give this band a chance!

The Joe Vulpis Podcast - Interview

Pod Goes Punk - Review of Sticks and Stones

This Disaster DVD Full Live Show

The Verve - A Storm in Heaven (1993)

Why I Like It:

So, in my last blogpost (about Incubus) I started out with talking about shoegaze. Specifically its influence in today's music. Today I am taking that one step further and diving into a shoegaze (adjacent? Depends on who you ask) album from 1993 called A Storm In Heaven by the Verve. The "Bittersweet Symphony" band? Yes, that band. But this blogpost is not really about the album; it's more about the songs that are within that album (and EPs before it). Let me me explain. 

Don't get me wrong, A Storm in Heaven is a good album. However, the live version songs within this album are just SO MUCH better. Seriously, it will put you into a blissful trance. Shoeless, long haired, front man Richard Ashcroft is blitzed out in a altered state, that we get to witness and imagine his whimsical time amongst the stars. Then you have magic man guitarist Nick McCabe that transports you to that dreamy place that Nick is in.

I get why folks will place this body of work within the shoegaze box. The guitar walls of sound with heavy reverb is there, but I see no shoe gazing. There's not even shoes to look at! The term Psychedelic rock is put out there too and I absolutely see it and agree. However, with these live versions, I also see a lot of jam band elements. The definition of a jam band (according to Rate Your Music) is: 

"They combine elements from diverse styles under the Rock umbrella, and often take influence from genres such as Funk, Jazz, Country and Blues. Jam bands are defined by their approach to live performances, favoring longer setlists, songs with extended improvisational 'jamming', and fluid transitions between songs."

Extended improvisational 'jamming' is the part I want to focus on because I think this was the secret ingredient that made the live sessions of the early 90s Verve so good. It was well known that Nick would improvise lyrics and the songs are longer and more meandering. A good example is the live version of "The Sun, The Sea" (note this link has a part 1 and 2) vs the studio version. I personally found the live version to have more grit and raw emotion- for a lack of better terms - that invoked the nirvana state that some describe with this version of The Verve. 

Also, I briefly mentioned the earlier work of The Verve (Voyager 1 EP and the self-titled EP) because it just as good, or arguably better than, A Storm in Heaven and were played in these live sessions that I am talking about. Fun fact: The Verve were originally called just Verve, then had to change the name because a jazz band had it first. I couldn't find a good place to put this fact, so it's shoehorned here.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the rest of The Verve discography, which is also worth your time to listen to. By the time we get to the next album in 1995 (A Northern Soul), which was more polished and rehearsed, another band called Oasis released a little album called Definitely Maybe in 1994. At this time we are into prime Britpop territory and The Verve were starting to be categorized into this genre. Then we get to the breakout album, with the "Bittersweet Sympathy" hit, Urban Hymns that sent the band into the stratosphere of fame, for a time. 

I think The Verve get easily categorized as just another Britpop band, chasing that fame and commercial acclaim, but their roots are so much more interesting to dive into (in my opinion). There's a whole B-sides level of music to dive into as well, that I didn't even touch but there is a link below, that is also worth the time if you have any interest of what I have covered thus far. So what are you waiting for? Embark on an adventure into this Britgaze (I made this term up on the spot) band and discover your next favorite song!

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Gravity Grave - "To me you're like the setting sun/ You're here then you're gone" 

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Similar bands to check out:

The Catherine Wheel, Kitchens of Distinction, Spiritualized, Voyager One

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Links to check out:

Drownedinsound.com - Retrospective

Thequietus.com - 25 years later review

The Verve Documentary

The Verve Live Camden Town Hall 1992

The Verve B-Sides

Tilly's Mixtape 10!

 

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(back side)

Hello and welcome weary travelers from the internet. Come and sit, relax. Listen to the outside world for a second. Hear that? The chirping of birds? What a beautiful sound; unless it's a stellar jay, which is a beautiful bird but my goodness they sound like a shrilling human. 

This 10th mixtape is dedicated to our feathered friends, birds! Birds are all around us. In our backyards, parking lots, mythology, symbology, you name it. We envy their ability to just up and fly away from their problems. Use them as a metaphor of our inner feelings and troublings (yes I know troublings is not a word autocorrect but it's my authentic human blog, so bugger off). 

I will be honest and mention this was inspired by my son, who's been really into our birds in the backyard this winter. He has his own kid binoculars and everything. Robins, with their orange bellies are his favorite. Also, the song "I Like Birds" is his most requested one to play at the moment. 

However, since I like to listen to my sad boy music, this mixtape may start out happy and joyful but it turns to a more dower note (we are into the thick of seasonal depression, what can I say). Just a warning, because it gets fairly dark towards the end - especially the song sung by Scott Hutchison - which is so gorgeous but also tragic. I do make sure the last song is a hopeful one because I believe it's good to think of something hopeful at the end of some bleak musings and Turnstile fits that bill perfectly. If you take the time to stop and listen, a bird will likely be there, to let you know you are in good company. 

Hope you enjoy my mixtape dedicated to mother fucking birds! 

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Link to the mixtape:

Tilly's Mixtape 10!

Incubus - Morning View (2001)

Why I Like It:

If someone were to ask me 20 years ago, what genre from the 90s would be making a resurgence in the 2020s, I would never have guessed shoegaze. This is the genre that is famous for staring at their shoes while preforming for goodness sake. Acts like My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and Catherine Wheel I did not see influencing so many acts in our current age. Then we have the Deftones, a band that uses metal and shoegaze together in a beautiful ying and yang pull that have been an even bigger influence then I ever imagined. Some folks have said they are Radio Head level of influence, which blew my mind to think of, but could be true. I'm not the critical expert. 

In the early days, the Deftones were lumped into the Nu Metal genre - which their first couple albums could be argued for - then later they shed that title around Diamond Eyes (or at least when I noticed it). BUT this is not a Deftones post. It's too easy to do Deftones commentary. Now Incubus on the other hand, that's a band I'm also seeing the influence show themselves in the mid 2020s, as given examples by the No Filler podcast and Swim Into The Sound website. 

Incubus is a band that was also lumped into the Nu Metal label with the album S.C.I.E.N.C.E., then Morning View came out (after the superb album Make Yourself, that still had some Nu Metal tinge) and it was a whole new game. Similar to what Deftones did. So why does Morning View stand out above the rest for me? One reason, I must admit, is that it has one of more favorite songs of all time "Wish You Were Here" but there is more.  

Recently I read a quote from a Substack post that reads: "Your music depends on the things you do outside of music just as much as the things you do within music" and this connected me to story of Incubus renting a house in Malibu to record Morning View, which is the street name of where they stayed. The article mentions that there's this phenomenon called 'Studio Monk Syndrome', where the clinical and methodical method of making a album in a studio can feel lifeless or hallow. Kinda like something AI has made. But what happens when someone adds the experiences of living life into their sounds? Well, it's something uniquely human, and lived in. There's passion, messiness, and borders broken. Just look at their closing track Aqueous Transmission for example, it is a blissful zen song that is lead by a Pipa instrument and a chorus of frogs. That would not be in your typical "rock" album. 

When I read this Substack article from Sound + Creativity, I suddenly understood why Morning View is my favorite Incubus album. It's the most human and real sounding. 

If this is what inspires the new generation of artists, then I am excited to see what comes in the late 2020s.

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Circles- "We fall on and we fall off /Existential carousel, spin!"

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Similar bands to check out:

Minus The Bear, 311, Audiovent, Bemus

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Links to check out:

Why Morning View Is The Perfect Incubus Album

Rock N' Roll True Stories - Retrospective 

Stereogum.com- Review

Incubus: Morning View Sessions Live

Tilly's albums of 2025 awards!

Hello and welcome to the much anticipated Tilly awards! If you are new to my blog, the concept is that I award a couple handful of albums made up awards (usually 10 or so). I've been doing it this way for a couple years now and it's been pretty fun! These are generally albums that have stood out to me for one reason or another in 2025. I also just wanted to give a big thank-you to those that have taken the time to read this little part of my internet corner. It's be a little over 5 years of doing this blog now and I've greatly enjoyed it. If you have been thinking of doing one, I say just start it! Anyone can do one :) Cheers and here's to 2026! 

The best August 22, 2025 album release award: The World Is A Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die - Dreams of Being Dust

So 2 albums were released on August 22, 2025 that I was equally excited for: Deftone's Private Music and The World Is's Dreams of Being Dust. Given the award you can read above, you could likely guess which won out. Although I do want to give the Deftones their props and say good solid record guys. However, Dreams of Being Dust just had more evolving dynamics and punch to the album. It has hardcore screams, metal breakdowns, and a tinge of the emo beginnings they started with. It's everything I didn't know I wanted with a new The World Is album.

The Back to the Future award: First Day Back - Forward

First Day Back looks, acts, and sounds like they took a DeLorean to the past, immersed themselves with the second wave emo scene of the 90s - self-releasing albums, playing in basements, recording everything live with no flourishes added- then traveled back to 2025 and created Forward. It's so endearing how they created this album and watching them preform live. 

This comment from Reddit sums it up well:

My replacement for Gulfer award: Spite House - Desertion 

*Please note this award is loosely based off 2 bands that are in the emo/post-hardcore scene, and are from Montreal. That it, that's their connection. I just miss Gulfer still ok (they disbanded).* 

Throughout the year I like to throw full albums into a playlist and hit shuffle. It allows lesser known songs from an album to potentially start first, instead of say 6th, in the que and give them their moment to shine. Every time a song from Spite House came on, I would pause and check who the artist was. With that said, this album stayed in that playlist throughout the fall and winter and deserves the honorary award. I got to give a shout out to the album art as well, which apparently is visual art that was constructed, destroyed, then re-constructed and destroyed several more times. It ties into the albums themes of grieve and how it shapes you as an adult very nicely. 

Best album title award: Moving Mountains - Pruning of the Lower Limbs 

As someone who has made their career about trees, this is a biased opinion. The concept of pruning the limbs of a trees, as a metaphor to bettering yourself by getting rid of things weighing you down is intriguing. In dendrology terms, pruning limbs of a tree can allow it to put its resources into growing the remaining healthy ones. In a forest, trees do this naturally with their competition, putting their nutrition and energy into the limbs that have the best access to the sun, and not the lower ones that are generally within the shade of the competitors. I think this title also relates to the band tightening up their songs to have more traditional song structures (as described by lead singer Gregg Dune) and less instrumental parts. Overall a great project by a band that hasn't been in the scene for over 12 years. 

Best album release award (redux): Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

To be honest, not sure if I am using the term redux right (it's my blog so lets say yes) but it's an award I gave last year to Jack White's album No Name, and I think it's worth giving out again to Hayley. So get this story, a batch of 17 songs were accessed on Hayley's 2000s looking website by getting a password from her hair dye product, Good Dye Young, which had a new yellow dye called 'ego'. From there, fans were told to make their own tracklist out of it and apparently some were even recruited to help make the official tracklist. How cool is that! I think Hayley is officially in her punk era, unrestrained from the cooperate hold of Atlanta Records, playing the music she wants to make, and not for the masses. Just listen to lyrics of "True Believer" or "Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party" and you will see what I mean. I love this era for her (and yes I am referring to 'era' because of Paramore opening for Taylor Swift's eras tour). Anyways there's more I want to say, and I do cover a Paramore album in this blogpost, but there's an excellent piece of writing that already summarizes everything so much better here.

The best love album award: Greet Death - Die In Love

What is love to most people? Likely something you've seen in a Romcom or I suppose Love is Blind? I've never seen Love is Blind but I always hear about it. How about the old couple that have been together 40+ years? There's blissful times but also the rough patches to navigate through. That's the type of love Greet Death tackle in this fabulous third album. The lead singers, Logan and Harper, should know this kind of love, as they've been friends since they were around 10. I've been with this band since New Hell and love them even more with Die In Love.

Best discovery from another AOTY list, award:

For this award I am pulling a Steven Hyden and making a list within my list, giving the award to 3 different music content creators:

• The Wax Museum for Shallowater - God's Gonna Give A Million Dollars 
• Some absolutely fantastic dirtgaze (band's self described sound)

• Mic The Snare for Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer 
• Australian electronic music that hasn't gotten me this excited since early Grimes. Not that I am that versed in electronic music. If anyone has suggestions I would love more like this!
• The album is discussed around the 51 min mark of the video

• BrooklynVegan for Snocaps - Snocaps
• A supergroup project that includes twin sisters Katie and Allison Crutchfield (P.S. Eliot, Waxahatchee, Swearin’), MJ Letterman (featured in my list last year), and Brad Cook. It combines many aspects of these bands that I like into one cohesive album and it works brilliantly. 

The post-partum blues coping mechanism award: Charmer - Downpour

In the blogpost before this one I cover Charmer's album Downpour and how it clicked with me after having a kid. Since then I've been using it as a coping mechanism whenever the droning daily routine (of feeding, burping and changing) get too routine and I need to walk outside- in the dirt slushed snow residential sidewalks, backdropped with the lifeless grey sky- just to get a jolt of life back. Ya it sounds bleak but I actually do enjoy parenthood and love my kids dearly, it's just all consuming at times, and the members of Charmer get it.

I want it, fever award: Momma - Welcome to My Blue Sky

I already did a blogpost on this album, so I will just add this album was my go to for the rest of this year. Whenever I didn't know what to play, it was Momma. Wanted to dance in the house? Momma. Wanted to get motivated while doing dishes? Momma. Have a driving song? Any song from this album. If I did do an actual ranked list, this would be the unequivocal number one. It really was a Momma fever for me this year (supported by my Spotify wrapped). 

Best fictional band award: McGwyer Mortimer from The Ballad Of Wallis Island

I am combining one of my favorite movies of 2025, The Ballad of Wallis Island, with this award. One of the lead actors (Tom Basden) created these original songs and sings them in the movie, with co-star Carey Mulligan. There's this one scene towards the end of the movie, where Tom sings on a beach to an audience of just two people, and it genuinely moved me to having one of those moments when you get the chills, goosebumps run up your arms, and you know you will remember this scene for the rest of your life. I'm not going to link the scene because I think you need to watch the movie in whole for it to really do its magic. It was an example of the marvelous power cinema and music can have when in tender partnership. 

Charmer-Downpour (2025)

 

Why I Like It:

Some albums just don't "click" until you are in the right mindset and Downpour by Charmer was a prime example. This album came out in May of 2025 and it's now, within November, that I have "gotten" it. You know what has happened between now and then? I had a second kid. 

It was a biting cold and windy day that I was walking the newborn and good ol golden retriever, because god dammed I'm getting out of the house one way or another, and I randomly tried the Spotify daylist, which threw the song "watercolour" at me. Now I don't usually use Spotify to pick my music, nor usually recommend it, but I was rushing out the door and needed something fast. After hearing "watercolour" I kept coming back to it a couple times and then listened to the whole album on that miserable walk. 

After looking into Downpour more I discovered between the albums Ivy and Downpour the band members also had kids and now I am starting to see the connections take place as to why this album worked for me all of a sudden. There's this lovely thing that happens when you have a kid called post-partum blues and it's, quite frankly, a bitch. Your emotions are unregulated, there's no concept of time and it feels like it's always groundhog day. There's a passage from a Stereogum article (linked below) that articulates parenthood and creativity well:

"One of the things they don't tell you about becoming a parent – aside from the unsettling number of times you'll hear "Wheels On The Bus" – is how it completely closes the book of your youth. There is an inherent youth to any creative pursuit, and as you get older, it can become distressingly easy to lose that need to create. However, if you're lucky and willing to make some sacrifices, the road will eventually rise to meet you once again."

Holly shit, yes, this is exactly the case! Even this blog I have to make time for, when exhausted from a day of temper tantrums and hearing "Baby Shark" 10x. You know what though, it's worth carving that time out for yourself and I think it has worked out tremendously for Charmer. It seems that they used the time they created for themselves to make the most of it, and I believe this is a step up from all their previous work. 

Each song is distinct and brings a different piece to the album as a whole. The track list flows so well together that you don't get bored, and even want to experience the album again. 

There's no lyrics directly about parenthood but the themes are about grieving the loss of youth and how adulthood is fucking bleak sometimes, which I think can relate to a lot of people. All while using the Michigan outdoors as the backdrop to the emotions being conveyed. Lyrics like: "my memory's in watercolor" or "I'll leave this bloody mess buried in the winter (I'll let this linger)" deeply resonated with me. 

I'm so happy this band decided to give it go for another album. Let's be real, you'll be seeing the album again whenever I make my year end list (yay list season is upon us!). So there's my case for listening to Downpour by Charmer. Giver a go, maybe it will be a right place right time for you too. 

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Blue Jay - "Listen to the birds sing/ Do they make you feel less lonely?"

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Similar bands to check out:

Liquid Mike, Sport, Have Mercy, Good Luck

*All bands with new material out this year!

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Links to check out:

Prismreviews.wordpress.com - Review

Podioslave Podcast - Interview

Swimintothesound.com - Review

Stereogum.com- Interview

PUP - The Dream Is Over (2016)

 

Why I Like It: 

To start out this blog post I will not be talking about PUP, but instead Twenty One Pilots. Just follow me along the rabbit hole and we will get to what major thing them and PUP have in common. 

For Twenty One Pilot's latest album, called Breach, they spent a 1 Million dollars on a 10 minute long epic music video, called City Walls, that wraps up their decade spanning story of Dema. Ya, they went all out. Do I know all the lore and backstory of this story? No, I'm a casual fan of the band, but I madly respect the effort and craftsmanship that went into this work for their true fans. One thing that really stood out to me from the "City Walls" music video was the very end where it reads:

 "Thank you for still believing in music videos. It gives a lot of great people great jobs". 

This quote really got me thinking about music videos, with regards to their relevancy and importance, for todays age. Do people still hold music videos with high regard like back when they were on MTV? Wellll that's a hard one to quantify. Today we have different platforms - YouTube, Tik Tok, short reels, the visualizers on Spotify/Apple music - that the someone can use to have an visual experience for a song. The music video could be argued as dead but I would like to think it has just evolved with the current social media zeitgeist. Mic The Snare has an excellent video on this subject. 

My personal option is that a traditional music video, that involves real people and their creativity, is still the superior form of a visual music experience. Especially when a band decides to create it themselves, like PUP. See? I got there. It took me four paragraphs but we are at the core of the onion. 

Mic The Snare asked if anyone is still doing music videos well these days, and I got the answer for him, PUP is. Since their first studio album in 2013 (PUP) to their latest in 2025 (Who Will Look After The Dogs?) the Canadian boys have been crafting their own music videos that are unique, witty, and a blast. The album that I chose to talk about, The Dream Is Over, has the best run of videos. Let's list them off because people love lists. 

    - If This Tour Doesn't Kill You Then I Will. A video of the band members all trying to kill eachother but still play their set.

    - DVP. Uses an old CRT TV screen to show old video games that play the lyrics of the song.

    -Sleep In The Heat. Continues off the storyline for the video Guilt Trip, where now after bondin from a shared murder crime, the lead singer gets a dog and...just watch it, there's Air Bud levels of emotion. Also the video has Finn Wolfhard in it! He's got mad indie cred. 

    -Old Wounds. A choose your own adventure video, where you're the tour manager and have to pick a band member (all with different levels of difficulty) to get to their hotel room after a gig. Simple right? Hell no. Try escaping from aliens, fist fighting Golden State Warriors fans, or not dying of starvation from lack of pizza. I did the hard work for this blog and personally played through all 4 scenarios, even Stefan's impossible route (with a little help from this Reddit post). 

Not only is PUP S tier level at making music videos, and have a treasure trove of others to check out, but their live set everyone raves about. I so want to dance my face off at one of their shows! I love their aggressively happy style so much. Please check PUP out if you've made it this far into my post, you must be invested at this point right? 

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Old Wounds - "You wanna know if I'm still a prick? Well, I am!"

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Similar bands to check out:

Jeff Rosenstock, Single Mothers, Pkew Pkew Pkew, The Dirty Nil

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Links to check out:

Pitchfork- Review

Elias Whitfield- Interview from touring on The Dream is Over

Pod Goes Punk- Review

Q With Tom Power- Interview that goes into the band's ethos more

Bonus link! My own curated playlist of music videos that I like