Album Review

Imagine a debut album that doesn’t feel the need to scream for attention, contort itself into viral snippets, or disguise sincerity behind a thousand layers of ironic detachment. Mystery of the Self by Brother Barnaby is precisely that: an album that dares to be earnest, melodic, and a little bit nerdy; in the best way.

You know how some albums feel like a desperate attempt to sound “authentic,” but come off more like a curated mental breakdown in 4K audio? Yeah, Believe is the opposite of that. Instead of trying to sell you pain like it’s a hot NFT drop, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and emotional endurance athlete from Southern California Ehson

If you’re the kind of listener who prefers their music unpredictable, uncompromising, and unapologetically analog, Maverick Smith’s latest offering, We Make Fire, They Make Smoke, is your next essential listen. Coming less than a year after their debut full-length, this album doesn’t just build on what came before; it breaks it down, burns it, and

Allow us to get right into it: this album has riffs and hooks galore. And yes, the name and the cover might make you want to ask questions, but it feels as though every single ounce of creative juice has been exerted to create nine tracks, all of which with their own unique concept, yet

Full disclosure: I’m not exactly fluent in Spanish; I’m more like an “enthusiastic beginner” who’s been picking up bits and pieces through a few lessons on Preply. So, when I dove into Heisenberg’s On The Edge and saw that their press release is written in Spanish, I really thought this is a Spanish album. So

Most albums about love fall into one of two categories: euphoric escapism or breakup therapy. Shara Strand’s Love Forever doesn’t belong to either. Instead, it operates more like a memoir written in stereo; a multi-chapter reflection on the terrifying, exhilarating, and often contradictory experience of trying to love in a world that gives you a

If you long for hidden rock talent with massive potential, then this record is probably a great place to start. It’s the type of music people move along to at the pub while clutching their drinks, just having the time of their lives. The attractive tone and unmistakable sound of each song are ones you

What if your dad’s midlife crisis involved a drum circle, a bottle of rum, and unexpectedly tasteful production? Welcome to Chili Island, the second full-length record from Miami’s reggae-rock dream-havers Chili Guys. Out June 17, it’s an album that dares to answer the question: What if your group chat planned a beach party and accidentally

A few weeks ago, I saw a Reddit comment where someone described a panic attack as “a haunted house you built yourself.” And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that. Because yeah, sometimes your brain is the worst theme park imaginable. There’s no fire exit. The tour guide is you at your lowest.

Every now and then, a debut album comes along that sounds like it’s not just about an identity crisis. Rather, it is one. Neverlyn’s Velvet Coffin doesn’t shy away from that. It walks straight into the emotional demolition site that was the post-pandemic era and sets up a drum kit. And somehow, miraculously, it works.