New songs for November 9th 2026

 here they are:


"Easy Rider" by Untitled (Halo): Yes, before you (ask), there is a (parentheses) in the band's (name)! Speaking of parentheticals, the parenthetical title of this song should be "Adore," given how many times that word is used in this song compared to its actual title. Most of the vocals are breathy ones, similar to Silversun Pickups during their mellower and dreamier moments, and are supplied by Arianna Mamnoon, but fellow bandmates Jack Dione and Nicholas Noneman contribute midway through. "Easy Rider" has a similar structure to groups like Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, and My Bloody Valentine, with the opening riff of the song sounding like a cross between "Lazy Eye" and "1979." Although "adore" is the main word of the song, this song is not necessarily adorable, unless you consider lyrics like "How does it feel? Being alone in hell" and "Why is it always hard being f**ked in love?" to be such (I don't, personally). "Easy Rider" is not an easy song to listen to. It's an acquired taste, but well worth it if you like songs with a "jaded/failed romance with an undercurrent of angst" vibe.

"Heavy Eyes" by Houndmouth:  Houndmouth's music is often folk-rock-y, but rarely straight up acoustic folk. "Heavy Eyes" is the exception to the rule. Where their previous single, "Tiger Blood," was trying to fight off angst, "Heavy Eyes" seems like the resignation. Matt Myers seems to be asking how various women in his life are faring in this song, including one who was supposedly selling marijuana (according to the song's lyrics, at least). "Kill 'em all, kill 'em all with kindness," Matt sings during the chorus, perhaps implying that he just wants to be done with all the drama he's been through. The real resignation in the song comes towards the end when he says, "I'm burning out/See you later/I'm burning out/We've got..." and then repeats the song title seven times.

"Make it Easy" by Cage the Elephant:  Where CTE's previous single, "Beaches in Tennessee," was a welcome return to garage rock musically while being lyrically harrowing (about hospitals Matt Shultz went to he had difficult experiences in), "Make it Easy" has more of the neo-psychedelic "indie-pop" flavor CTE became known for later on. The song's subject matter also delves more into Matt's personal life, concerning the uneasy nature relationships can bring about, especially when they involve compromise. This is probably why Matt wants to "make it easy" for both himself and his partner during the chorus of the song. It's never easy to go through with something that not everyone agrees on!

"Moving Target" by Lime Garden:  This song has a unique flavor, combining new wave-y synths, psychedelic electric guitar riffs, and a folk-y acoustic backdrop within a single song. Lead singer Chloe Howard starts off the song by saying she "can't fall in love with a moving target," but the line changes in the second verse to "but I'm falling in love with a moving target" (and then moving back to the original line shortly after). According to Chloe, the song is about what it's like to fall in love even when you know it's not going to work out. By "moving target," she probably means someone who won't reciprocate her feelings towards her. Though the song is in a major key and kind of upbeat, it still feels a little bittersweet, perhaps because of both the subject of the song and Chloe's beautifully perishing vocal delivery.


"My Baby Loves Me" by Pokey LaFarge:  If this song sounds like a midtempo Buddy Holly or Elvis number, that's deliberate! Pokey LaFarge has shifted from the straight blues-y vibes of "Something in the Water" to more of a rhythmic blues-y rock sound for "My Baby Loves Me." Even the lyrics of this song sound like a '50s rock tune. Nothing heavy or ambiguous or angst-ridden in the lyrics. Just that he knows his baby loves him! Sometimes you don't need to say anything more!

"Setting Sun" by Dragonflies:  Like father, like son! Dragonflies, a rock supergroup led by none other than George Harrison's son, Dhani, has an "insect name" just like The Beatles! They are also psychedelic-ish but still mellow overall like The Beatles sometimes were, maintaining the meditative nature and gentle lyrics of George Harrison as well. Nick Valensi from The Strokes also lends his talents to this band, and his distinctive guitar playing is especially evident during the song's solo and in the octave chords used towards the end of it. Even the opening lyrics of "Setting Sun" seem Harrison-esque:  "You can't know if you don't even know yourself/You can't love if you think it's something else." Whoa, that's deep, man!! Far out!

"The Hardest Thing" by Julia Jacklin:  Where Julia's adult alt summer smash, "Get Away From Me (I Think I'll Love You Soon)" had a sort of gently teasing upbeat indie-folk flavor to it, "The Hardest Thing" sounds almost like a more world weary, Courtney Barnett-ish song in comparison. The lyrics to "The Hardest Thing" are kind of minimal, with short verses and a chorus that takes more prominence than the verses, but when you find out what the titular "hardest thing" is, it's easy to see why Julia chose to make the structure of the song as lyrically peeled back as she did. The "thing" in question is for her to believe it when her partner says they love her. Actually, there's two things. The other is "stick around trying to convince you," meaning that she gets exhausted from constantly having to "prove" her love to them. No one ever said love was easy, but it's still something a lot of us chase after.

"Todo Baila" by Silvana Estrada (featuring M. Ward):  The title to this song, equal parts Latin folk and indie-folk, translates roughly to "every dance." It is also bilingual, with the Spanish parts sung by Silvana and the English parts sung by M. Ward. From what I can make out from the English portions of the song, it seems to be about working up the courage to ask someone to dance with you. Whatever the song is about, though, it's beautiful and relaxing!

"Ugly Things" by Lizzy McAlpine:  The letter U is not a common letter to start song titles, but "Ugly" is even rarer. In fact, I think this is the first time I've reviewed a song whose name starts with that word! It's also the first time I've reviewed a Lizzy McAlpine song, and I like a lot of what I've heard of hers so far. The song has a sort of stark, stripped down indie-folk vibe. Fitting to its title, a lot of it uses minor key, though it's a D major song overall. In "Ugly Things," Lizzy is looking back on an old relationship she has had and is quietly wishing vengeance on her ex. The titular "things" in the song are flaws that will make her hate him so she doesn't have to deal with the difficulty of their relationship, but she remains a fool for him anyway. No drums come into the song until midway through, and even then, the overall hushed vibe of the song remains strong.