Jim James’ first solo album in eight years finds him dealing with human disconnection in an age of chronic overstimulation. He uses a term he coined to describe this feeling as the title, Wowed Out.
Modern sensory overload in an age of technological wonder, somehow leaving us more alone, is something James grapples with throughout the record; however, this wasn’t a thematic plan. The album was assembled when James dug into recordings he’d created with his longtime friend, award-winning composer Brian Reitzell (Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides). These tracks were meant for different projects, but all share an underlying theme, as James calls it, of being Wowed Out.
The layers of instrumentation and vocals can…
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Forty years on, The Jayhawks remain true to their trusted sound. Their lush and patented three-part harmonies and thoughtful, imagery-filled lyrics never go out of style. Their 12th studio album, Sanctuary Park, is a balm for these times. They capture the innocence of teenage years, reflecting from the perspective of adulthood. The opening track, “Keeping Our Heads Above Water,” begins with the line, “under the football lights,” immediately putting the listener in a nostalgic frame of mind. Yet, the upbeat music obscures the theme of resignation heard at the end, “taking all that you have to believe again.” The album’s most riveting track, “Hands on the Wheel,” begins this way in a cappella harmonies, ‘We’ll steal your daddy’s car/Roll down the window…
A chandelier of CCTV cameras hangs down from the cover of 
Formed in 2018, the Bristol quartet emerge some eight years later with their first full-length. The record succeeds three EPs released between 2021 to 2025, ranging from the fierce and raw, grungy and economical post-punk of their self-titled debut release to ‘Anything for You’, a five-track collection highlighting increasingly expansive production and instrumental depth.
…includes the original album tracks supplemented by rare B-sides, remixes, and a pair of previously unreleased instrumental tracks.
…Almost a decade ago, when the Minnesota-born 
Ever wished you could be someone else? 
…a digital deluxe edition of the album with three bonus tracks.
Who is 
Finding glimpses of joy is very much the theme of 
“If I just get on my bike, I’ll outride any heartache,” sings Ella Williams on “Surfing USA,” a yawning, lovelorn paean to heartbreak in the Great Lakes. Since making her label debut as 
Get ready to dive into 
Taking a cue from Happy Mondays‘ smash’n’grab approach to making music, this super-deluxe reissue of the group’s totemic third album raids an array of previous Mondays releases. Alongside a new remaster of Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches is an amalgamation of the Madchester Rave On and Hallelujah EPs; Baby Big Head Bootleg Album, the “unofficial” 1991 live recording originally let loose by the band themselves; and a slew of remixes, some lifted from original singles, others from projects issued earlier this year.
2026 may have been a pretty depressing year in many aspects but one thing is for sure – the British music industry is in rude health. This year, bands like Mary in the Junkyard and Man/Woman/Chainsaw have built upon their burgeoning live reputation to deliver stellar debut albums, and now they’ve been joined by 
When 
Even for longtime fans, the Afghan Whigs still have some surprises left in them on Soft Control, the fourth release of the reunion era. Greg Dulli has always been an album man, and Soft Control follows the Whigs 2.0 blueprint in this regard: ten tracks, not quite 40 minutes, and a track sequence that makes you adapt a side A/side B mentality. Soft Control front-loads its most accessible tracks on side A, and side B begs to be listened to on headphones.