It’s the dead of winter. On the bright side, we’ve got, what two more months of this? That’s just eight weeks or so. New Music Friday will help keep you sane.
Singles
1. Billy Bragg, City of Heroes (Independent)
Billy has a long reputation of using his music to fight injustice. When he heard heard about ICE’s shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, he wrote, recorded and released this song in 24 hours. He had this to say: “The murder of Alex Pretti was horrifically shocking, all the more so as we are still reeling from the images of the murder of Renee Good.” Pay attention to the lyrics for a history lesson in fascism.
2. Papa Roach, Wake Up Calling (New Noize Records/ADA)
Still no new album from Papa Roach, but they continue to drop out singles. After two hard-rocking songs, they’ve switched gears for a more melodic and vulnerable approach. Don’t worry, though. It’s still intense. Front man Jacoby Shaddix said this: “ is a song about standing on the edge of disaster — being pulled back from the brink, and ultimately choosing love over self-destruction. It’s one of the most raw, emotional songs we’ve written.”
3. Bruce Springsteen, Streets of Minneapolis (Sony)
Another anti-ICE song from another guy who knows how to use his voice for justice. Alex Pretti was shot on Saturday, January 24th. Springsteen wrote this song that day, recorded it with the E-Street Band on Tuesday, the 27th, and released it on Wednesday the 28th. The Boss holds nothing back in the lyrics, either.
4. Rob Zombie, (I’m a) Rock n Roller (Nuclear Blast)
Zombie is set to release his first album in almost five years. This is the third of three advance singles so far and isn’t as heavy as the first two, but only marginally. See if you can pick out the subtle David Bowie reference in the lyrics. The Great Satan (gee, I wonder to whom he’s referring?) will arrive on February 27. Then there’s a tour with Marilyn Manson called Freaks on Parade. I’m in.
Albums
1. Lily Allen, West End Girl (BMG Rights Management)
Has it really been eight years since the last album from the admitted compulsive shopper, Lily Allen? She’s had a rough go, suffering through a bad divorce that had her in rehab, something that comes out in the lyrics. Early reviews are excellent. Rolling Stone calls it “a masterful portrayal of modern love and loss, revealing an unflinching honesty that’s made many listeners reassess their own experiences.” Must pay attention.
2. Buzzcocks, Attitude Adjustment (Cherry Red)
The Buzzcocks (est. 1975 as one of the Big Five punk bands along with The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, and The Jam) are still at it. All you need to know is that this is a punk record. A very good punk record. Just put it on and turn it up loud. Very loud. Pete Shelley (d. 2018) would be proud.
3. Kula Shaker, Wormslayer (Strange F.O.L.K.)
Remember in the late 90s when Kula Shaker was mentioned in the same breath as Oasis and Blur for about 15 minutes? That’s unfortunate, because some pretty good music followed, incluidng Natural Magik, an album from 2024.Front man Crispian Mills is still very much at it with his subtlely-60s, Indian-flavoured psych approach. This is the band’s eighth album. Fire up the bong.
4. MØL, Dreamcrush (Nuclear Blast)
I include this released from the Danish band because (a) I like the way their name looks, and (b) I love that they call their style “blackgaze,” the part of the universe where black metal shares the space in a Venn diagram with shoegaze. Have a listen to this single, which sounds like Snow Patrol having a psychotic break.
5. Softcult, When a Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life Records)
Grungey stuff from Canadian Twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, whom you might remember in their previous incarnation, Courage My Love. Even though this is their debut album, they have a long list of singles and EPs. Having followed them for years, I really hope that 2026 is their time to break out.
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