New songs for January 26th 2026

 here they are:


"Count the Ways" by The Last Dinner Party:  The latest song from The Last Dinner Party combines a slinky guitar riff with Abigail Morris' sultry yet venomous vocals. Right from the opening lyrics, we get lines like, "Let the snake bite/Let her crawl under your skin/Let it eat you from within/It's alright," and shortly after that, "You break into my house/I'll break into your house/I'll do it/Do it." Those are very vindictive lyrics if you ask me! But the song also has a yearning undercurrent to it, centering around how much Abigail misses her lover. I dunno 'bout you, but I think I'm gonna count the ways this song lends itself to lyrical ambiguity!

"Site Unseen" by Courtney Barnett (featuring Waxahatchee):  When it comes to sardonic yet sweet women of 2020's indie-folk-rock, Courtney Barnett and Waxahatchee are both giants, so it's interesting to hear them come together here! The song lacks the bite of Courtney's recent adult alt radio hit, "Stay in Your Lane," and isn't quite as indie/alt-forward as Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee)'s "Heathcliff" with her side project, Snocaps, but "Site Unseen" is a charming little indie-folk ditty that's good in its own right. In the song's three minutes, "Site Unseen" could be taken as a song about procrastination ("Site unseen/I promise, babe/Let's figure out the rest another day"), but it really seems to be about trying to focus on what you have when you have it. Then again, the song does refer to things like questioning choices and being in indecision, so maybe I was onto something with the song possibly being about procrastination.

"Slumber Party" by Brigitte Calls Me Baby:  Brigitte Calls Me Baby are unique among 2020's groups who have made strides on adult alt radio stations. Their debut record from late 2023 scored a whopping total of four hits! What made them so good? Perhaps it was a combination of their angular, Joy Division-style post-punk-y riffs made more palatable for modern audiences and Wes Leavins' charmingly quavering vocal style, coming off like a cross between Roy Orbison and Morrissey. BCMB's latest song, "Slumber Party," continues their trademark formula of jagged riffs, smooth vocals, and catchy tunes! The titular slumber party is probably just a metaphor, and in this case, it seems to refer to a large gathering of people Wes was among where he brought a Blue Velvet DVD. After mentioning this, he sings, "That's what makes it harder." Make what harder, though? More than likely, this is a reference to how controversial Blue Velvet was at the time of its release for its frank depictions of violence and sex. 

"Super Bowl Sunday" by The Brook and The Bluff:  We're two Sundays away from Super Bowl Sunday...so why not write a song about it?! That's exactly what up-and-coming indie-rock sensations, The Brook and The Bluff, did. Don't be fooled by the song's celebratory title, though. Underneath its catchy power pop facade and fun title, "Super Bowl Sunday" is a song that revolves around the stress that the lead singer feels about the current state of the world ("Am I just waiting for the end times?/The world is burning, I'm just inside") and more personal predicaments ("Do you wanna throw it all away?") So while you're rooting for the Seahawks or Patriots, don't forget that not every special occasion is going to bring back fun memories for everyone!

"Votive" by The New Pornographers:  It's unusual enough to have a song starting with V, but "Votive" is an equally unusual word! The song sounds solemn, almost reverent (but darkly so) for a NPs song! Well, first, let's consider what "votive" means. It refers to a fulfillment of a vow, itself a sacred act, so that might explain why the song starts out the way it does. About a minute into it, "Votive" gets a bit more synth-y, but still stark, and at about two minutes in, it gets an almost Joy Division-ish post-punk-y sound and intensity! Try imagine what it might be like to hear "Transmission" with Mamas and Papas-ish harmonies. That's "Votive" in a nutshell! Fitting for a song that was probably influenced by Joy Division, "Votive" has very minimal lyrics for a song that lasts roughly four minutes. There's something almost ghostly about this track, but deliciously so! And it doesn't flicker out of existence once it stops. It stops abruptly!