2026 Music Reviews
Dry Cleaning, Secret Love (2026) D
It's the same deal as previous recordings from this Mark E. Smith-inspired British outfit: banal pronouncements are spoken over lively guitars. If they were wittier it might be more engaging, but it's mostly reveling in being as snide as possible.
Joyce Manor, I Used to Go to This Bar (2026) D
They stick closely to the power-"punk" formula of two minute tracks (and there are only nine of them), but would it have been too challenging to make any of them sound like they weren't written by angsty teenagers who were flunking English and only dreaming of spending time at a dive bar? Choo-choo says the train, etc.
The Kid Laroi, Before I Forget (2026) D-
At his "best" he comes across a little like The Weeknd, but at his worst (which is most of the time), it's basically 90's R&B which you would hear when trying out khakis at the mall. It can't be a coincidence that "Laroi" happens to rhyme with "fuccboi."
Xiu Xiu, Xiu Mutha Fuckin' Xiu: Vol. 1 (2026) B-
The unique duo of Jamie and Angela are no strangers to doing their own versions of other bands' songs and making most of them sound deranged and zany, so this is nothing new for them. I could have done without the Talking Heads and Screamin' Jay Hawkins covers - since they're so familiar - but they manage to make Throbbing Gristle even more menacing, which is quite a feat.
Singles of the Year: Fcukers: "L.U.C.K.Y," Harry Styles: "Aperture"
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