New songs for November 2nd 2026

 here they are:


"Better Man" by Rayland Baxter:  After a brief detour into pop-psychedelia with 2018's "Casanova," Rayland Baxter is going back to his country/roots-rock roots with "Better Man" (there are a LOT of songs with this title now, by the way, even from earlier this year). This "Better Man" has wistful, yearning vibes and a George Harrison-esque "sighing" guitar, both of which reflect the self-improvement oriented lyrics the song has to offer. Not a self-help kind of self-improvement, though, but more one that proves Rayland's perilous journeys of survival, and how he has come out a "better man" because of the challenges he's faced.

"Indu" by Greg Freeman:  Supposedly, Greg is a country-rock musician, but I'm getting Strokes and Modest Mouse vibes here (albeit a slightly rootsier version)! There's something almost sardonic about Greg's breakthrough song, "Indu," the title of which is only mentioned as the first word of the last verse and as the last word of the song itself. The chorus is centered more around the phrase, "All I wanna do is look at you." Greg isn't just saying these words as an act of love, though. He's also saying them as a way to find temporary relief in his busy life ("These days come so quick/These nights go so quick now"). I can relate! There's a bit of a crime scene undercurrent in this song ("That'll get you hurt with me as the crime scene," "They're gonna find my bones on the dunes of a pillow," etc.)

"Never Can Tell" by Jake Bugg:  Jake Bugg is a British indie/alt rocker. Sometimes he wears this on his sleeve (like in the garage rock-y "What Doesn't Kill You") but other times he doesn't (the far more folk-y debut song he had, "Two Fingers"). His biggest hit, "Lightning Bolt," came shortly after "Two Fingers," and was equal parts strum-y folk and stomp-y rock! Over a decade after the success of that song comes "Never Can Tell," perhaps the first song in Jake's catalog that covers country-rock and roots-rock (though it has a distinctly rock and roll solo). As its title implies, "Never Can Tell" is about how confusing and unpredictable life can be! Evidence of this can be found in lyrics like "Is heaven gonna save me, or am I going straight to hell?" and "I think I need something/Don't know what it is/Something I've forgotten/Does it even exist?"

"Shy Girl" by Haute and Freddy: Just in time for (after) Halloween is a dark-ish pop song that became popular from a show that was loosely based on Stephen King's Carrie. I'm not one for horror if there isn't at least a little bit of humor or camp behind it, but this song is still a good one! It's the only song so far this week that is more based on synth than guitar. The song does not seem to be about a girl who is shy as much as it is about one who merely appears that way, who is preparing to "run the whole wide world" in the process. I'm not sure if I should be feeling excitement or fear from this song...or something else entirely!

"When We First Met" by Twisted Teens:  I don't think Twisted Teens are actually teens, but they sure are twisted! In a good way. "When We First Met" is like a warped take on garage rock that doesn't even last for two minutes!! The hardest rocking AND shortest entry on this week's list, "When We First Met" is an oddball entry that is seemingly nostalgic lyrically, but with its sound coming off like something deliberately lo-fi, it's hard for me to take it seriously! In the time I took to review this song, it's already over! Whaddaya know?!