Whether approaching an early Mudhoney aesthetic (‘MTV’), adopting a sound that blends the melodic indie of early Franz Ferdinand with heavier, almost grung breakdowns (‘Always Here’), delving into something much moodier and channelling Pavement (‘Sausage’), or throwing themselves head first into a world of minute long, punky bangers (the bulk of 2021’s ‘Ten’ “long player”), Das Kapitans often guarantee their audience a good time. For those who’ve followed the band since near the beginning, it’s been interesting to watch them grow.
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PUSH PUPPETS – Tethered Together
Chicago’s Push Puppets are a pop rock band who think a little bigger than most. There are moments during their second album ‘Tethered Together’ that hark back to the alternative boom of the 90s, moments that celebrate power pop, and there’s even a touch of melodic prog within some of the guitar work. It’s to main man Erich Specht’s credit that he has the creative vision to make everything fit together so well, but since he’s given sole credit for writing the songs and creating the album’s string arrangements, alongside being the band’s vocalist and guitarist, and being the co-producer of this record, he obviously has a very clear understanding of the direction he wishes the music to take, despite everything being drawn from different influences. What this creates, of course, is the kind of album that encourages its audience to listen closely.
SUGAR BONES – Make Me Bad
When it comes to blending funk, rock, soul and disco, few do the job as effectively as Sugar Bones. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Corrin Cruz, the US band made a superb noise on their self titled EP, its five songs acting like the perfect primer for the first time listener. For those who enjoyed that short release, the full length ‘Make Me Bad’ – released in June 2025 – should be considered essential listening. The record’s eleven tracks capture Sugar Bones in great form throughout, on a selection of tight, funky and occasionally harder edged tunes that show off the entire band in the best manner possible.
MURDERESS – Time To Kill EP
Brazilian death metallers Murderess really pack a punch on their debut EP ‘Time To Kill’. In a little over thirteen minutes, the band run the full gamut of extreme metal, ranging from intensive thrash riffs crossed with a melodic death core, all the way through to a purer death sound that celebrates the genre’s less than compromising origins. The female dominated band attack from all fronts, and manage to fit a great breadth of noise into a pleasingly short assault, ensuring this release is a superb introduction to their world of brutality.
AVERY FRIEDMAN – New Thing
Brooklyn’s Avery Friedman only began playing live shows in 2024, and didn’t spend years honing her sound before the recording and release of her 2025 debut ‘New Thing’, so the album’s songs still have an element of freshness and occasional naivete. You couldn’t call the material raw, though, or even suggest its potential has been sold short in any way. The best of the record’s eight songs represent brilliantly crafted indie pop, often sharing a sound that’s much older than Friedman’s years, but everything is presented in a hugely confident manner.