OH HEY It’s been ages since I’ve posted something here, hasn’t it? I suppose I should catch up! Time to provide you with a list of some of my favorite new releases from mid-March to the present!

American Football, American Football (LP3), released 22 March. This is definitely a band to have in your collection. It’s laid-back post-rock, only more melodic and jazzy. And they do write beautiful melodies.

UNKLE, The Road Pt 2: Lost Highway, released 29 March. Surprisingly more upbeat and introspective than The Road Pt 1, but still a moody epic from James Lavelle. Big props for getting Tom Smith (the lead singer of Editors) to sing one of the album’s best tracks.

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, released 29 March. This is such a hard album to pin down, because it’s so freaking weird. It’s not goofy-weird like, say, Flaming Lips. More like I think there might be something wrong with you weird. And it’s also dead clever — sound effects and vocal stutters whiz by unexpectedly, the lyrics often hide a wicked sense of humor, and the production is just fantastic.

PUP, Morbid Stuff, released 5 April. Goofy pop-punk with dark undertones, it’s a fun romp even when they’re singing about shitty things.

Fontaines DC, Dogrel, released 12 April. Old-fashioned working-class punk from Dublin, this band’s a favorite of KEXP, who got me completely hooked on them.

New Age Healers, “Hang On” single, released 15 April. I’m really digging this band, partly because they channel the Stone Roses so damn well! Great tunes and lovely dreamlike sound. I’m looking forward to hearing more from this band.

Lamb, The Secret of Letting Go, released 26 April. Still amazing after all these years, this band never fails to capture the perfect mood in their music. Still one of my favorite bands to listen to during writing sessions!

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride, released 3 May. This record completely surprised me by how damn good it is! They seem to have eased back considerably on their trademark quirkiness and focused more on the not-quite-retro semi-acoustic sound reminiscent of their first record. For a double-album, it’s solid from start to finish.

HAELOS, Any Random Kindness, released 10 May. Why did it take me so damn long to get into this band? I mean seriously: moody lyrics, atmospheric production, dreamlike melodies…this is 100% in my wheelhouse! This one has been getting extremely heavy play here in Spare Oom, and it’s not going away any time soon.

Charly Bliss, Young Enough, released 10 May. This band could easily have fallen into the sophomore slump, but they pulled through and recorded an even more solid record than their debut! Great bouncy punk fun.

The National, I Am Easy to Find, released 17 May. Always slightly strange, always moody and meandering, but never a dull moment from this band. It’s brighter than their previous record and a wonderful listen.

The Head and the Heart, Living Mirage, released 17 May. This band has evolved in so many different ways you can’t really file them in with the other alt-folk bands anymore, but they’ve definitely hit their stride with this new record.

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Well! I seem to have gone against my own better judgement and previous complaining about writing schedules by deciding that maybe working off the whiteboard isn’t all that bad a thing after all. The more I thought about it, the more I really enjoyed talking about both new and old music here at Walk in Silence, so hopefully starting this month I’ll be back on a twice-a-week schedule again. We shall see…!