“Tougher than the Rest” Nation of Language

This way: Tougher than the Rest

Here is a charming cover of a song by Bruce Springsteen. 

Nation of Language is an American indie pop band that formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2016. The group consists of Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar, synthesizer, percussion), Aidan Noell (synthesizer, backing vocals), and Alex MacKay (bass guitar). Michael Sue-Poi was the bassist prior to the band's 2022 tour.

Devaney and Sue-Poi were both members of the Static Jacks, but the band became inactive after the release of their second album. Devaney was inspired to start a new project after hearing "Electricity" by OMD in his father's car, a track he listened to in his childhood. What started out as Devaney "fooling around" on a keyboard later evolved into Nation of Language, with the addition of Devaney's partner Noell and former Static Jacks bandmate Sue-Poi. Current bassist Alex MacKay joined the band in 2022.

[Spotify] Tougher than the Rest 

“Rhoda” Slint (Albini rough mix)

This way: Rhoda

Slint  was an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1986 after the dissolution of two local bands, Squirrel Bait and Maurice. It initially consisted of Brian McMahan (guitars, vocals), David Pajo (guitar), drummer-vocalist Britt Walford (drums, vocals), and Ethan Buckler (bass). Though little known during their original run, they gained a cult following and acclaim as one of the pioneers of post-rock and math rock.

Slint's debut album, Tweez, was recorded by Steve Albini and released in 1989 on their record label, Jennifer Hartman Records and Tapes. Buckler left out of dissatisfaction with Tweez and was replaced by Todd Brashear. In 1991, Slint released their second album, Spiderland, on the independent label Touch and Go Records. They broke up prior to its release. Spiderland eventually became one of the most acclaimed indie rock albums of the 1990s.

After Slint broke up, Touch and Go records released an untitled EP recorded between their albums. After sporadic reunions, Slint disbanded again in 2014.

[Spotify] Rhoda 

“Hand and Lips” Long Fin Killie

This way: Hand and Lips

Long Fin Killie were a Scottish indie rock band. They released three albums and several EPs on the British label Too Pure in the 1990s.

Long Fin Killie's core lineup consisted of Luke Sutherland (vocals, violin, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, saxophone, hammer dulcimer, thumb piano, etc.), Colin Greig (electric and upright bass), David Turner (drums/percussion), and Philip Cameron (electric guitar). Additionally, Kenneth McEwan (drums/percussion) joined in 1996. Sutherland had previously been in a band called Fenn, based in Glasgow,[1] who played many support gigs, including Ride and Catherine Wheel. Their name was taken from a family of ornamental freshwater fishes known as killifishes, noted for their interesting drought survival and reproductive habits.

The members were all highly trained, enabling them to create complex, atypical music which usually featured hypnotically-bowed violins/celli, jazz-influenced drumming, and meandering ambient passages. Allmusic cited them as having "staggering levels of musicianly talent". Vocalist Luke Sutherland often delivered his cryptic, highly literate lyrics in an androgynous falsetto voice.

Their debut EP Buttergut was released in 1994, with debut album Houdini following the next year. The band's sound, though diverse, was influenced by the likes of A.R. Kane, Can, The Fall and labelmates Moonshake, Pram and Laika. Mark E. Smith of The Fall contributed "guest rants" to the song "The Heads of Dead Surfers," which appeared in 1995 on the EP of the same name, as well as on Houdini. (Listeners to British DJ John Peel's radio show voted this the No. 10 best song of 1995 in the "Festive Fifty" list of that year.) LFK toured America in 1995 with the band Medicine; a split EP was released to promote it.

[Spotify] Hand and Lips 

“I Can't Die like that” Getdown Services

This way: I Can't Die like that

Is this the new Ween? Getdown Services are a British rock and pop duo from Minehead, consisting of Ben Sadler and Josh Law. They have described their sound as "disco and eighties and like seventies infused groove based music" with other influences, including classic rock.

Sadler and Law met at school in Minehead, Somerset and are now based in Bristol.. In 2022, they self-released the single "Biscuit Tin", with proceeds going towards the local chapter of the ACORN renters' union, followed by "Cream of the Crop" in 2023. That same year, they signed with Bristol-based Breakfast Records and released their debut album Crisps.

The band have garnered a cult following with a reputation for being "Britain's best band". Following support slots for Fat Dog, Donny Benét and Antony Szmierek, they played a sold out headline UK tour in autumn 2024.The following year, they appeared at a number of summer festivals including Iceland Airwaves, Plisskën and Glastonbury.nIn 2026, it was announced the band would play at the Southbank Centre in London as part of the Meltdown festival curated by Harry Styles.

[Spotify] I Can't Die like that 

“Rowche Rumble”, The Fall

This way: Rowche Rumble

"Rowche Rumble" is a 1979 song by British post-punk band the Fall, written by Mark E. Smith, Craig Scanlon and Marc Riley. Released as the band's second single, it was the first record by the Fall to reach a recognised national chart when it reached number 31 on the indie chart in January 1980, the first month of that chart's existence.

The song was recorded at Cargo Studios in Rochdale in June 1979 by the band, at that time comprising Smith (vocals), Scanlon (guitar), Riley (guitar), Steve Hanley (bass), Yvonne Pawlett (keyboards), and Mike Leigh (drums). It was produced by Oz McCormick and the band. Its lyrics reputedly reference an incident when Smith worked as a shipping clerk dealing with the Roche pharmaceutical company, and as a result of a clerical error acquired a supply of barbiturates which he attempted to hide around Manchester. According to Riley, the music is loosely based on "Tight Pants", a 1977 b-side from American band Iggy & The Stooges. 

[Spotify] Rowche Rumble 

“Shallow Grave” Mountain Goats

This way: Shallow Grave

New Single from Mountain Goats released this week. A real classic here. The Mountain Goats are an American indie folk band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite the plural moniker. Although he remains the core member of the band, he has worked with a variety of collaborators over time, including bassist and vocalist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, singer-songwriter Franklin Bruno, bassist and vocalist Rachel Ware, singer-songwriter/producer John Vanderslice, guitarist Kaki King, and multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark.

[Spotify] Shallow Grave 

“Twist and Turn", Cardinals

This way: Twist and Turn

Cardinals are a highly-praised six-piece indie/post-punk band from Cork, Ireland. Known for blending traditional Irish folk with brash, 2000s-style art-rock, they gained significant international traction following the release of their self-titled EP and their debut album, Masquerade. 

[Spotify] Twist and Turn 

“Transcontinental” Richard Davies

This way: Transcontinental

Richard Davies (born 1964) is an Australian-American musician. Davies was born in Sydney, Australia.

He first came to prominence in the early 1990s as leader of the Australian band The Moles. Upon moving to the United States, Davies joined with Eric Matthews to form Cardinal, whose debut album, Cardinal, was released by Flydaddy in 1994. He has since released several solo albums including There's Never Been a Crowd Like This (1996), Telegraph (1998), and Barbarians (2000).[2] In 2009, Davies and Guided by Voices front man Robert Pollard, collaborating under the name Cosmos, released an album, Jar of Jam / Ton of Bricks. In 2012, Davies and Matthews reformed Cardinal and released a second album, Hymns.

[Spotify] NO

“Black Party”, Dan Sartain

This way: Black Party

Dan Sartain (August 13, 1981 – March 20, 2021) was an American musician. His music encompasses a variety of genres, including rockabilly, punk rock and the blues.

Sartain grew up in Fairfield, Alabama, and later settled in Birmingham. In 2001, Sartain's released his first self-produced album, Crimson Guard. The next year, he self-produced and released Romance in Stereo, through an independent record label.

In 2005 Sartain released Dan Sartain vs. the Serpientes, his first commercially available studio album, through the San Diego, California-based Swami Records. This was followed by Join Dan Sartain in 2006. In 2007, he toured as an opening act for The White Stripes and The Hives. In an interview, Sartain recalled, “Touring with the White Stripes was my Rocky Balboa moment.” In 2009, he released a new single on Jack White's Third Man Records entitled "Bohemian Grove".

In 2010 Sartain released his fifth album, Dan Sartain Lives. His single "Walk Among the Cobras Pt.1" can be heard in the "Russell episode" of the video game The Walking Dead: 400 Days.[citation needed]

Other videogame credits, "Sunset Overdrive(2014), songs "We're going to have a party" and "OD Life".

His songs "Walk among the Cobras pt III" and "Love is Crimson" are credited on the soundtrack of the 2014 film "10 Cent Pistol". On March 10, 2021, his label One Little Independent Records announced they were parting ways with Sartain on social media. The posts were later deleted.

Death and legacy

Sartain died on March 20, 2021, at the age of 39. His cause of death was not made public. One Little Independent Records declined to comment after his death. On December 1 2023, Sartain's friends and colleagues released Dan Sartain Vs. The World (is gonna break your little heart), a tribute album to Sartain.

[Spotify] Black Party 

“Two Trees” Wallis Bird

This way: Two Trees

This track from her latest LP released this year. Wallis Bird (born 29 January 1982) is an Irish musician, living in Berlin since 2012. As of February 2023, she has released six studio albums, including Architect in 2014 and Home in 2016. Bird performed at the Eurosonic Festival in 2012 when Ireland was the Spotlight Country.

Bird released her third studio album in March 2012 in Ireland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The album was recorded in Berlin, Germany. The first single, "Encore", was released on 2 March. The music video debuted on 1 February, and had been shot in Berlin.

[Spotify] Two Trees 

“Into Dust” Mazzy Star

This way: Into Dust

Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica, California, from remnants of the group Opal. Founding member David Roback's friend Hope Sandoval became the group's vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal.

Mazzy Star is best known for the song "Fade into You", which brought the band commercial success in the mid-1990s and was the group's biggest mainstream hit, earning extensive exposure on MTV, VH1, and radio airplay. Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band, with Sandoval as lyricist and Roback as composer of the majority of the band's material until his death in Los Angeles on February 24, 2020, from cancer. Mazzy Star's founding drummer Keith Mitchell, originally part of Opal, died on May 14, 2017, also from cancer. The EP Still released on June 1, 2018, was dedicated to Keith Mitchell and stage manager Tom Cashen who also died in 2017. Following Roback's death in 2020, Sandoval and Ewers are the last surviving members of the band's original lineup.

The band released the album She Hangs Brightly in 1990, So Tonight That I Might See in 1993 (the album went platinum in 1995), and Among My Swan in 1996. The band's fourth studio album, Seasons of Your Day, was released in 2013, followed by the EP Still in 2018.

[Spotify] Into Dust 

“Tumbling Tumbleweeds” Sons of Pioneers

This way: Tumbling Tumbleweeds

The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music performers and remained popular through the years. Since 1933, through many changes in membership, the Sons of the Pioneers have remained one of the longest-surviving country music vocal groups.

In the spring of 1931, Ohio-born Leonard Slye, the cowboy singer who would later change his name to Roy Rogers, arrived in California and found work as a truck driver, and later as a fruit picker for the Del Monte company in California's Central Valley. He entered an amateur singing contest on a Los Angeles radio show called Midnight Frolics and a few days later got an invitation to join a group called the Rocky Mountaineers.

In September 1931, Canadian-born Bob Nolan answered a classified ad in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner that read, "Yodeler for old-time act, to travel. Tenor preferred." The band was The Rocky Mountaineers, by then led by Leonard Slye. After listening to the tall, slender, tanned Nolan sing and yodel, Slye hired Nolan on the spot. Although Nolan stayed with the group only a short time, he stayed in touch with Slye. Nolan was replaced by Tim Spencer, who had been working in a Safeway Stores warehouse.

[Spotify] Tumbling Tumbleweeds 

[Charming Cover] Tumbling Tumbleweeds 

“The Power of Independent Trucking”, Big Black

This way: The Power of Independent Trucking

Songs About Fucking is the second and final studio album by American rock band Big Black, released on September 10, 1987, by Touch and Go Records. The album includes a rendition of Kraftwerk's "The Model" in a remixed version from that which appeared on Big Black's then-recent single. The compact disc of Songs About Fucking added the other side of that single, a cover of Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore".

Steve Albini has said that Songs About Fucking is the Big Black album that he is most satisfied with. In a 1992 interview with Maximumrocknroll magazine, Albini said:

The best was side one of Songs About Fucking. I was real pleased with the way we did that. We just hopped into the studio, banged all the songs out and hopped out. Didn't take long, didn't cost much, just real smooth. Side two we recorded at a more leisurely pace and I think that hurt us. And that Cheap Trick song got on the tape and the CD by accident, and we just left it on.

The band had already decided to split up before the album was recorded, prompted by guitarist Santiago Durango's decision to enroll in law school and the band's desire to quit at what they felt was a creative peak.

 

[Spotify] The Power of Independent Trucking 

“Okay Not to be Okay” Ecca Vandal

This way: Okay Not to be Okay

Ecca Vandal is a South African-born alternative rock singer, songwriter and rapper based in Melbourne, Australia. Vandal's first album, Ecca Vandal, was released in 2017, and her second, Looking for People to Unfollow, was released on 22 May 2026.

Ecca Vandal was born in Louis Trichardt, South Africa, to Sri Lankan Tamil refugee parents. When she was a child, her parents left South Africa with Ecca and her older sisters, and moved to Australia, settling in Melbourne.Vandal grew up listening to gospel music, before discovering soul, hip hop, and '90s R&B in her sister's record collection. After this, she "became obsessed with jazz music". Vandal attended the Victorian College of the Arts, studying jazz as part of a Bachelor of Creative Arts.

In 2014, Vandal released her debut single “White Flag”, co-produced with Kidnot and Hadyn Buxton. The track later appeared on a double A-side 7-inch single, “Battle Royal” / “White Flag”, released in 2015.

On 29 January 2016, Vandal's debut EP, End of Time was released, with her performing a promotional national tour throughout February.

  

[Spotify] Okay Not to be Okay 

“BFF” The Blushes

This way: BFF

The Blushes, all-female punk band from Los Angeles, featuring Katie Earl-Hogan, Katy Rose, and Lori Dorfman. Their journey began during a middle school theater camp, to this raw punk powerhouse. They will fuck shit up.

[Spotify] BFF 

[Charming Live] BFF 

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, Robert Hazard

This way: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Robert Hazard (August 21, 1948 – August 5, 2008) was an American rock musician from Philadelphia.

Robert Hazard was born Robert Rimato to an Italian family in Philadelphia, the son of an opera singer who was a tenor for the Philadelphia Opera Company and also owned a jewelry shop. He grew up in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Springfield High School in 1966. His older sister introduced him to some of his greatest influences such as Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent and Carl Perkins. Kurt Loder profiled him in a 1981 Rolling Stone article, describing Hazard as a musician "...who started out as a Dylan-era folkie, then spent eight years singing country & western. 'I just love country music', he explains, which of course explains nothing, least of all the two years he subsequently spent with a reggae band... or his current electro-pop approach, which owes little to any of the above."

He wrote, composed, and recorded (as a demo) the song "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" in 1979, which was recorded in 1983 by Cyndi Lauper who turned it into a best-selling hit. He also composed the new-wave and MTV songs "Escalator of Life" and "Change Reaction", which he performed with his band, Robert Hazard and the Heroes, that was popular in the Philadelphia club scene during the 1980s.These songs appeared on the five-song extended player Robert Hazard, released in June 1982 by his own record label "RHA Records", and the next November by major label RCA Records. RCA released his first LP album, Wing of Fire, in January 1984.

[Weird Al] Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch