"The coldest and worst month of 2026 so far is behind us and let's hope things get better from here. They already have as far as Indie Basement goes, as I've given three new records Album of the Week status as part of six I review this week. This week's Indie Basement Classic is an ugly beautiful thing that turns 30 this year."
"Former Muncie Girls singer/guitarist Lande Hekt just keeps getting better with each solo album. Her third long-player is loaded with shimmering janglepop indebted to Flying Nun kiwi pop, Heavenly, The Pastels, Dolly Mixture, and other music you could call "twee," which also matches Lande's cardigan-clad style on the album's artwork. That word is generally used as a pejorative, but Lucky Now is the best kind of twee - full of fantastic songs and confident performances that are winsome and thensome."
"Lande made the album with producer Matthew Simms of MEMORIALS (also Wire and It Hugs Back), who really nails the sound here - keeping her voice, harmonies, and melodies at the center, while the instrumentation remains appropriately sweet but not without muscle and moments of swirling atmosphere. It would be hard to make a bad reco"
January 2026 was unusually cold, with hopes for improvement following the month. Three new records received Album of the Week status among six newly reviewed albums. An Indie Basement Classic celebrates a 30-year-old release described as ugly and beautiful. New albums by Joyce Manor, By Storm, and Red Sun appear among notable releases. The Cribs appeared on a BV Interviews podcast episode. Announcements include upcoming albums from Kneecap, ADULT., and Jessica Weiss of Fear of Men; a joint tour by Spoon and The Beths; and Cabaret Voltaire's final tour including North American dates. Sly Dunbar's death was noted, and Billy Bragg's Minneapolis tribute stood out.
Read at BrooklynVegan
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