Spent my Valentine’s Day with #NineInchNails on the latest leg of their #PeelItBack tour. It continues to be one of the best, most unique shows I’ve ever seen, just masterful in its design, setlist, experimentation, and execution. Read about it here: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/from-the-c...

What's happening in music this weekend? Besides the anticipated #BadBunny halftime show, we've got new albums by #Ratboys, #SilversunPickups, #JCole, and more out now. Read all about it on my Substack: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

It's Grammy weekend, meaning it's time for some predictions! I took on this year's nominees for Rock & Alternative Music. We've got #BonIver, #TheCure, #TylertheCreator, #WetLeg, #Turnstile, #HayleyWilliams, & more up for awards. Who should win? Read on: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/list-o-man...

What’s New this week? Albums by #Joseph, #LandeHekt, #Softcult, Charli XCX’s mockumentary, “The Moment,” and more. Read all about it here: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

New Substack post! We’re covering what’s out this week that’s worth your time, featuring Cat Power, Ari Lennox, Searows, The Format, Poppy, and Lucinda Williams. Read all about it: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

Both #SnailMail and #CourtneyBarnett released excellent singles within hours of each other and announced new albums dropping on the same day in March. That’s synchronicity for you! Read my take and listen to both tracks: thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/quick-hits...

I don't know about all of you - but I'm ready for Mitski season.

New Substack post: What’s New? Each week, I’ll highlight some upcoming releases to check out. We’re starting with new music from Cavetown, Courtney Marie Andrews, Jana Horn, Madison Beer, Mary Lattimore & Julianna Warwick, and Viserion. thejoyfulnoise.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

Music journalism in 2025-26

Another @bandcamp.com W.

I would've preferred that 'Sinners' took home Best Song too for "I Lied to You." But really glad that incredible score won.

Started a new Substack for my music writing - The Joyful Noise! My first post is on the legacy of David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, 10 years after its release, & tied it to an annual celebration of his music at Bowiemas in Ridgewood, Queens. What’s your favorite song off this brilliant record?

Fiona Summer is upon us.

one of the greatest letterman performances AND one of the great (greatest?) rock songs of the 2000s youtu.be/SlHrCg67axw?...

“DYE” by @big-girl.bsky.social is a bold slice of hard-hitting indie rock with great hooks, vocals, & the electrifying energy of a band with something to say. Listen to the below song, then the full EP, and get in on the ground floor with this group!

"Are We All Angels" by #Scowl is brilliantly, sublimely pummeling - the type of album that elevates your heart rate and electrifies your spine. It's made for sweaty rock clubs that leave you feeling sore and smiling.

"Welcome to My Blue Sky"? More like welcome to the best 90s album you'll hear all year. Momma's latest has riffs & hooks for days, filled with songs you will never get tired of listening to or singing along with. These are guaranteed to become someone's fav anthems. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG0m...

Despite its acclaim, Alligator still feels like an immensely underrated album. It is bursting with amazing tunes. "Secret Meeting," "Karen," "Baby We'll Be Fine," "All The Wine," "Abel," "Lit Up," and one of my favs: "The Geese of Beverly Road." Gave this a relisten this week & still got chills.

“Drive to Goldenhammer” by @divorcehq.bsky.social is chaotic, creative, spiky indie rock that’s not shy about swerving in unexpected directions. This debut is both fulfilling and brimming with even more potential! #Divorce

I’m gonna listen to all of these albums but Twilight Hours excites me the most. The Boss doing orchestral noir? Yes please!

The existence of a Modest Mouse cruise is kinda awesome (not least of all because they got Mannequin Pussy for it) but the choice to not call it Float On OR Ocean Breathes Salty is a fumble

Absurdly stacked start to a stacked month! Stay tuned for my thoughts on: - Sleigh Bells - Momma - Black Country, New Road - Scowl - and many more!

Everyone deserves the type of love #LucyDacus expresses throughout her new album, Forever is a Feeling. She brings forth a heartfelt, poetic reverence that permeates every note. Whether through joy or melancholia, her dedication remains intact.

I am all for more theatrical live performances. Hoping the band brings this vibe when I see them later this spring.

From the songwriting to the arrangements to the production, this album is a fantastic achievement! It has a gritty, muscular core and emotional throughlines that make it pulse with life. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GIh...

"For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)" is a bit of a left turn & the quietest #JapaneseBreakfast album yet - filled with swaying strings, gentle guitars, & pensive sighs. It slowly unveils itself over time, like a black & white film gradually filling up with color. www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2BY...

Really liking the guitar work and energy in this one!

"Blood on the Silver Screen" by #Sasami is an immaculate album of heartbreak filtered through drum machines, arpeggio synths, & layers of guitars. But what elevates it are the endlessly entrancing melodies that will stay lodged in your mind.

Such awful, awful news. Way too young. May she rest in peace.

Monobloc's self-titled EP is out now, and I confirm that turn-of-the-century NYC indie has been reborn for the 2020s. These songs are filled with great, post-punk grooves that will make you feel like you've discovered a new favorite band. www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuYy...

I had Chiefs fatigue so I can relate.

"Phonetics On and On" by #Horsegirl finds the band getting looser and the songwriting getting sharper. This more chilled-out release has great vibes and is made for relaxing on a park bench as winter turns to spring. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF1o...

It's rare to go to a show where all the bands on the bill are destined for great futures. But that's what happened at Union Pool on Friday. I saw amazing sets by #TrophyWife, #BirthdayGirl, & headliner #Monobloc. Make sure you check out these up-and-coming purveyors of indie rock!

Alright, out of this shortlist of nominees, I'd pick Chubby Checker, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Oasis, Outkast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes to get inducted. What's everyone's picks? #rockandrollhalloffame

Wrote about Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl.

Looking for some great and highly underrated folk? Give a listen to the new self-titled album by #JuneHawthorn. More lo-fi than her previous release, it finds a lot of power just in acoustic guitar chords and her engrossing voice. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_a5...

I do think it’s funny when the car companies are like “we may be divided but now more than ever, I think we can all agree: car ❤️”

#SharonVanEtten releasing great music is a universal law at this point! Her latest album with her band, Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory, dives into dark, thrilling post-punk & post-rock, her golden voice acting as a throughline to navigate these shadows. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFOw...

Open Wide, the new album by #Inhaler, is their best one yet! Everything is sharpened here - the songwriting, arrangements, vocals, passion. A big level up for anthemic indie rock. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXb2...

“Glutton for Punishment” by #Heartworms is a monster of a debut album. Part-goth, part-industrial, part-post-punk, & another aesthetic that’s wholly unique to this artist. It’s the sound of a panicked, chaotic rush through a crowd where you just want to scream. Amazing. youtu.be/5htIIBUG0Es?...

While too long, The Weeknd's last album keeps intact his gift for melding adventurous production with endless hooks & cinematic presentation. The flow of songs, especially on the first half of the record, is fantastic. A worthy way to retire the name. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll6s...

"Eusexua" by #FKATwigs is an electrifyingly propulsive album with grooves & hooks for days! Her most chaotic and upbeat album to-date, with layers upon layers to peel back. Transcendence on the dance floor at the most underground club on the planet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PDi...

My first favorite of 2025 - "You and i are Earth" by @annabsavage.bsky.social! Her most stunning, intimate work yet! These are such gentle, jubilant songs that they come across as a warm hug between her & her beloved. A moving, intricate piece of art. #annabsavage www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZpi...

Do you like fast, furious punk? You may enjoy the debut by Lambrini Girls, "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Are the lyrics a bit too straightforward and the music a bit uneven? Yeah, but it's made up for with blistering guitar work and enough acidic rage to peel paint. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEYR...

No Challengers Best Score Nom, No Sale. Big, big miss by the Academy.

This might be the catchiest and best song that Horsegirl have released to date. Instant win.

Loving the new EP by #BloodLemon! "Petite Deaths" brings fantastic post-punk vibes that range from expansive, gothic prog to gentler touches that wouldn't be out of place on a Cranberries album. A band with lots to say & many ways to say it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpWn...

Kendrick Lamar's surprise release weekend feels like a good time to return to posting on Bluesky regularly! Leave it to k-dot to put an exclamation point on his monstrous year with one of his best albums yet. Holy shit, what a nuclear statement. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJaA...

To say I've been remiss at updating BlueSky is a massive understatement! In any case, there were lots of big releases in April! While not everything lived up to the hype, quite a few records did or exceeded expectations! I listened to a ton of music as usual - check out this thread for my top picks.

Wow, February was absolutely packed with fantastic releases! From folky to furious and everything in between, there was lots to love. And the year’s just getting started! Out of all the albums I listened to, these following releases were the standouts. If you enjoy them, support the artists!