Finding My Religion #5 & #6: 22 New Songs Anointed by the Priest - "Double Album" (+ Bonus 7")

Faced with the dilemma of keeping up with a rapidly increasing pile of great new songs, here's a double-LP's worth of new favorites. I can't say for sure, but I think it's our favorite mix of the year so far. Not front loaded, so stay around for all tracks. All songs are cut from the original masters and housed in a gatefold sleeve and a Stoughton tip-on jacket. The first 500 copies are pressed on black & white "priestly vestment" vinyl. While supplies last, we've even thrown in an exclusive limited edition 7" single at the end.

SIDE A

01 "I Believe in Love" | Tyler Ballgame

When I first heard this song, I was skeptical. I casually dismissed it as fluff and moved on. I can be that way at times because I'm the cranky, suspicious type, especially when it comes to theatrical singers with multi-octave ranges. They rarely use their powers in a way that pleases me. Then I heard the song again. And again. And again. And here we are, late to the Ballgame, so to speak. He, and his new album, For the First Time, Again, have finally won me over. He's not all the way there yet and shouldn't be (back in the day we'd support artists by giving them time to develop). But Tyler—a Ted Williams fan, presumably?—is undeniably an extremely talented singer/songwriter right out of the box. He's based in LA but was born in Rhode Island, and had the raw skills to get into Berklee at one point (he dropped out). Several years later, life being the unpredictable Tilt-a-Whirl that it is, people are suddenly tossing around Roy Orbison comparisons casually as a reference point. Other impossible references followed. If he debuted when Elvis was alive, I bet the King would tap into some of his songs for his Vegas act (especially "You're Not My Baby Tonight" which he would kill). This is all a lot to digest. I recommend we not put too much pressure on the guy. It's too much to live up to. What I do hear is someone with a unique songwriting style and a voice to pull off just about anything he attempts. Yes, some songs try a bit too hard and I can't help but hope he shakes the Broadway showstopper leanings out of his act at some point, but I'll hope for the best. For now, this is fine.

02 "Ruled By Fear" | Julia Cumming

Julie Cumming (the boys on the schoolyard must've had a field day with that one) sings with New York's Sunflower Bean as her main gig, a band that has been sporadically brilliant, albeit on a song-by-song basis. For her new solo album, simply titled Julia, she's found a consistent creative path that works for her on almost all levels. Her voice has always been like a hot flash for me, all red cheeks and awkward glances, but her open and honest songwriting is what makes me want to stick around to hear more. She's uber-cool and seductive on her worst days and here we find her allowing the song to develop slowly until the chorus hits, as if she knows you're not going anywhere. And she's right. I haven't moved. "Ruled By Fear" has all the trappings of a hit pop song, but with the maturity of a seasoned songwriter. It's about paralyzing self-doubt (a pan-generational affliction) that most can relate to in some way. Interestingly, it seems like she's exorcizing her fears in real time as the song progresses. Or perhaps she just hides behind her music. Either way, she's onto something here.

03 "Wings of Desire" | Hemi Hemingway

I'm not sure what's happened to me since my last mixtape, but I think I've become a sap overnight, suddenly demonstrating signs of moderate to severe 80s-itis. Or, a propensity to get all caught up in dramatic ballads with spotlight-friendly choruses. Hemi Hemingway's "Wings of Desire" is a symptom in search of a disease, the second song on our mix that could easily be the pivotal song in a Broadway musical. I hate musicals! Perhaps I'm evolving? Perhaps I'm devolving? Either way, the song wins thanks to a pleasingly rich vocal, a Kenny G (esque) saxophone solo, and an impossible-to-resist chorus that begs for extended arms and flicked lighters (put the cell phones down). Simply irresistible, as Robert Palmer sang back in the 1980s, my new spiritual home.

04 "Designer Citizen" | Jesca Hoop

Jesca Hoop's left-of-center songs stand out from everything else in the streamosphere, a blessing in a time when generic songs spew from algorithms all day until some start to think that's all there is. Your typical Jesca Hoop song, on the other hand, is a codebreaker, a disrupter, a pacechanger. She doesn't follow an assigned track, instead creating her own. "Designer Citizen" is a perfect example of her one-of-a-kind songwriting in action. Melodies get interrupted, lyrics are chopped up, instruments come and go, hooks appear unexpectedly, and her vocals find their way through it all. Pay close attention to her lyrics, too. This might be the smartest, covert political song of the year so far.

05 "Pretty Feelings" | Music City

Last year, we highlighted "Sorry," a retro power-pop song from Dublin's the Number Ones on one our new music mixtapes (2025, Vol. 3). That band featured a member named Conor Lumsden. Conor is also the force behind Music City, his one-man power-pop band (with guests). It turns out that he's another one of those power-pop prodigies (think James Goodson of Dazy and Kai Slater of the Sharp Pins, et al) and I've got to tell you that it's great to hear young artists adopting power-pop as a viable platform again (often it's relegated to 50-60 year-old dudes "keeping the flame alive"). "Pretty Feelings" is on his new album, Welcome to Music City, but it's been in circulation for a while now (dating back several years, in fact). He's smartly added it to his first major release; it's is one of those calling-card songs that'll be on a compilation of great power-pop singles from the early-2000's twenty years from now. Why wait 'til then to discover it?

SIDE B

06 "James" | Anthony Joseph

We've lured you in with a side full of pop songs, but now we get into the challenging stuff. That's often where things get even more interesting. Anthony Joseph is from Trinidad, now London-based, and he's got that spoken-word jazz thing boiled down to its essential elements, kinda like Gil Scott-Heron and Linton Kwesi Johnson back in the 70s. Hell, let's mention Sun Ra with no context, too. Anthony is a true poetry slam champ, the guy they save for last because nobody can touch him. His new record, The Ark, is one of those records that's packed with ideas, so it may take a while to reveal itself fully. He's assembled a great band to accent and propel his musings and it's never less than fascinating. "James" is a snapshot of a larger-than-nightlife figure who dances "with hips of precision" to old soul music (Archie Bell & the Drells referenced!) while a dog literally nips at his heels. A funky-ass visual to be sure, but a day in the life of New York City.

07 "Boots on the Ground" | Massive Attack and Tom Waits

Tom doesn't get out much these days, so word of a collab with Massive Attack was highly intriguing. It turns out to be an inspired pairing. What drew him out of his hole to begin with you ask? It's safe to assume the anti-war subject matter had everything to do with it. The song's main thrust, set to a military march beat, is senseless wars waged by arrogant cowards sitting behind desks while others put their lives on the line for so-called "urgent and just" causes. Yep, that probably did it. Of course, Tom goes about his work in a way only he can, even belting out "Big titties! Big titties!" at one point during the song, which always makes me chuckle until I remember the context. Then it ain't so amusing anymore.

08 "I Confess" | Tyler Keith

Like it raw, do you? Here's raw. Lo-fi, it goes without saying. Recorded in his kitchen to a 4-track. Good enough for you? Yes, a dingy bathroom might've been even more appropriate, but this'll do. Keith is a white-blues bastard and a 60's garage-rocker with some Howlin' Wolf thrown in for good measure. He's a guy without a penny to his name just doing his thing for the love of it. I Confess came out very late in 2025, but the vinyl is now upon us, even though I'm not sure that level of fidelity is actually needed. A cassette tape run over by a car and left in a puddle for a couple days seems more fitting to the material. If you're wondering, this guy has the needed credentials to pull off such a gritty pursuit. He's no poser. He's been around for a few decades now actually, starting his career with the Neckbones back in the 90s, and it seems like he'd be a perfect playmate for Jon Spencer or Greg Cartwright. "I Confess" is the perfect title-track, sounding like it could've been recorded at 2 A.M. in a drunk tank holding cell.

"I have no alibi for what I did last night!"

09 "Victim of Luck" | Metric

The undervalued Metric have returned and Romanticize the Dive is another solid record from the Canadian band. Singer/songwriter Emily Haines, on my short list of favorite female rock singers, is back in prime form with a strong set of well-written, catchy rock songs. Why complicate things? She's adept at phrasing, knowing just when to add an inflection of personality or downshift into something a bit more dramatic. "Victim of Luck" is a clever take on the winning hands dealt to some people. Most of us lament our misfortune and savor our luck without realizing that both are potentially fraught with potential issues. Takeaway: everything has a potential downside; the best we can hope for is to learn a valuable life lesson, which Emily does: It's time to live my life like it's never been done! I'm inclined to believe she can pull it off. She's already well on her way.

10 "Song for Hal" | U2

We're not much into U2 around here, so it's a rarity when they blip on our radar screen in a positive way. Main reason for our approach: Bono. He's insufferable, self-important, and bombastic. Strikes one, two, and three for me. That said, we must admit we find the latest two EPs from the band to be surprisingly tolerable, especially "Song for Hal," a touching tribute to music producer and all-around fine human being, Hal Willner. You won't find anyone on this planet who didn't love the guy. The main reason the song made the cut is that it isn't sung by Bono. Instead, the Edge got the nod for this one, and his vocal on the song begs the question: Why doesn't he sing more? His voice is pleasing to the ear and with a tribute like this, he brings just the right amount of genuine appreciation and humility to the affair. You hear that Bono? Humility.

SIDE C

11 "Mata Zyklek" | Angine de Poitrine

Side C is here to take you to some new places. Please keep the aisles clear and your minds open. First up is Quebec guitar/drums, art-rock duo Angine de Poitrine, a bit of a buzz band at the moment thanks to their unconventional and anonymous stage presence (see above), where they dress in polka-dotted outfits and papier-mâché masks (with phallic noses) whilst they ply their trade. Sounds unforgivably pretentious doesn't it? It may be a little much, but the propulsion behind their spasmodic, off-kilter grooves is strangely appealing to me much in the same way as an early Devo single or long-form Kraftwerk. "Mata Zyklek" is the choice here, but put the whole record on and let it roll. At the very least, the neighbors will think you're nuts (not a bad thing) and at the very most, these oddballs will toss a knuckle-curveball into your everyday soundtrack.

12 "Victoria Amazonica" | CAVS

I've grown a little weary of King Gizzard projects over the years, often skipping some of their releases to preserve my sanity and wallet both. One you shouldn't skip, however, is CAVS, the side project of drummer Michael "Cavs" Cavanagh. His new drum-centric record, Sojourn, is an exotic, intricately arranged record full of jazzy, funky vibes that you might hear while on a Jeep tour through a tropical island. "Victoria Amazonica" finds "Cavs" in a pocket even the late great Afrobeat legend Tony Allen would appreciate. Keep this record around come summertime. It'll make the cocktails flow smoothly. And yes, the vinyl is currently available on Amazonia Prime.

13 "Derhan N'Oulhine" | Imarhan

Imarhan quietly delivered one of the best African desert blues albums in recent years (and one of the best albums of this year, period) during the cold, blustery days of January. An odd choice, but maybe they thought that's when we here in the frigid American north needed them the most. The question, however, is if this is truly desert blues at all. It's an easy way to categorize a general style of music for an international audience, but this record is much more than that—a welcome expansion on a sound we've come to love by now (if you've been following Bombino, Tamikrest, Tinariwen, Songhoy Blues, Mdou Moctar and others, that is). The record has a spiritual, meditative quality at times, with electronic accents and gorgeous harmonies mixing in with the usual African rhythms and guitar lines. They've created a calm inside the sandstorm this time and sitting in the middle of it is one of the biggest pleasures of 2026 to date.

14 "Chibani"| Souad Massi

While in Africa, we stop next in Algeria for another intoxicating musical experience. Souad Massi's latest album, Zagate, is a subtly funky, groove-based record that's easy to get caught up in. That it fits perfectly slated next to Imarhan on this mix is gravy. Her music incorporates a little of everything, literally. Asian, Indian, South American, French, Arabic, English, Afrobeat, you name it. She also lists AC/DC, Zeppelin, INXS, and Leonard Cohen as influences, too. The girls gets around. "Zagate" means, loosely, "things are getting worse," so there's a political, social, and cultural undercurrent to the record, too, if you're in the mood to translate. Her voice is a whole other world, seductive and powerful at once, so one song doesn't come close to showing what she's all about, but you've gotta start somewhere. "Chibani" (not about yogurt) is my choice for now thanks to the killer organ groove throughout. I'm a sucker for such things.

15 "Welcome to Burning-by-Sea" | Joe Jackson

It's been a long time since his commercial heyday in the late-70s/early 80s, but Joe Jackson hasn't gone anywhere. He's just followed an unpredictable creative path, often to his own financial detriment. He's a true artist's artist, in other words, but don't think for a second that he's lost his songwriting ability or his distinct voice. Both are fully intact and present all over his new record, Hope and Fury. "Welcome to Burning-By-Sea" is a composite postcard from several seaside towns in England and the visuals rendered in the lyrics are both heartwarming, funny, and kinda sad depending on the moment. I found it particularly amusing when Joe notes the town fish & chips joint spells "chip's" with an apostrophe. Nothing evades his keen eye for detail, it seems. If you're looking for a sea shanty vibe with a bit of a Latin influence—and who isn't?—I've found your next favorite track.

SIDE D

16 "Your Social Security" | Juliana Hatfield & Eric Payne

Juliana has taken an odd career path as of late, alternating original albums and tribute albums (The Police, ELO, Olivia Newton-John) since 2018. Last year's Lightning Might Strike was new material, so I was expecting another covers record, but instead we got something totally out of left field—a record she recorded with Eric Payne, the contractor working on her home remodel. You heard right. Her contractor. You may or may not know his work, but that hinges on whether you've added a new deck or bathroom to your house lately. Turns out the guy is a solid songwriter, so she did a little "skills for labor" exchange, I presume. I didn't expect much, but fuck me if it didn't work out pretty well. Especially the first track, "Your Social Security," which has nothing to do with retirement I'm afraid. What skills does your plumber have?

17 "Dozen Roses" | Thomas Dollbaum

Up for a singer/songwriter with an MFA in Poetry? Well, that's where we're going next. New Orleans-based Thomas Dollbaum is a name you may hear more about soon because he's got a unique voice—kinda Richard Buckner-ish—and an easy gait to his songs, too. The first time I heard him sing my head tilted involuntarily to the side like a dog hearing a new sound for the first time. "Dozen Roses" and the rest of the songs on his new record, Birds of Paradise, use an economy of words just like he's a trained poet or something. On top of all this, he can rip on the guitar when he wants to as well. A new, original voice in the world of Americana. Not as common as it used to be.

18 "It Won't Be Me" | Joe Pernice ft. Rodney Crowell

Joe Pernice has always been an excellent songwriter, but I'd argue he's getting better with age. His voice is uniquely suited for his songwriting style—hushed and grainy in the best way. He also seems to be on a roll right now. Lately, he's been pretty prolific and his Rolodex is also pretty impressive. A duet with Neko Case on his last album made my Top 10 Songs of 2024 and now we find him hooking up with Rodney Crowell on "It Won't Be Me," another track that sounds like an instant Pernice classic. This song, and the entirety of his new record, Sunny, I Was Wrong, will bring some peace to your home*.

*"Peace in Our Home" is the album's opening track, but it fits perfectly in this context, so I co-opted it.

19 "Bad Husband" | Trashcan Sinatras ft. Tracyanne Campbell

20 "Dancing Days" | Fellow Mortals

Frank Reader of Trashcan Sinatras is one of my favorite singers, so I'm in double-luck this year. I get a new Sinatras record, Ever the Optimist, that has been teased with two fabulous singles already, this one and "The Bitter End," and both are excellent. I chose "Bad Husband" not because I am one (am I?), but because it features another fave singer, Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura. Both songs make me very optimistic for the rest of the record. The band, and Reader's vocals, sound as strong as ever. No-brainer.

Talk about blessings! A second Reader album for 2026 is a release by his side-project, Fellow Mortals, and their album Stella's Birth-Day (sic), which converts poems written by Jonathan Swift in 1724 and 1725 into shimmering modern day pop gems. The poems, as the title suggests, were written for Swift's "friend" Stella Johnson on the occasion of her b-day and we should all be so lucky to get such a thoughtful gift. How many birthday gifts have you received that will still be around 300 years from now? The songs from this album can be streamed, but there's a book that comes along with the vinyl version that completes a gorgeous looking package (only 300 made, so snag while it is available). Three hundred years in the making, then. Beat that.

BONUS 7" SINGLE

"Fade to Black" by the Tubs b/w "Cool Boys" by Neko Case

We end with two cover songs on our first fictional double-A-side 7" single. Well, partly fictional, I should say. The Neko Case cover of Flat Duo Jets' "Cool Boys" (from their 1993 record, White Trees) was released as an exclusive single for this year's Record Store Day.* It's a tribute to Neko's friend and collaborator, the late-Dex Romweber, who led the band back in the day. It's among my favorite Jets songs so I was pleased to see Neko give it her own special take. On the B-side of her RSD single was "Winchester Mansion of Sound," which is the beautiful song Neko wrote for Dex and released on her most recent record, Neon Grey Midnight Green. Note: This was an exclusive single for RSD, so no link provided. If interested, you can get it cheap on eBay.

To celebrate the band's signing to Merge Records—a perfect pairing, I may add—the Tubs, of course, put out a cover of Metallica's first ballad, "Fade to Black," an ironically morose track to accompany what should be a bright spot in their career. The Tubs' singer Owen Williams has gone on the record as saying Metallica's lyrics are "basically always trash" but you wouldn't know it by their inspired take on the song. If this is what Metallica sounds like when Tubbified, perhaps they can do a few more songs or a complete album in the future. Do I hear a jangly version of "Sad But True (Tubs Version)" in my future? I hope so.

*Also released on RSD, which I have since picked up, is Flat Duo Jets' Boogie On Your Head!, an LP's worth of smokin' songs recorded for their debut album, but didn't make the cut for one reason or another.

____________________________

For now, I too fade to black.

Cheers,

The Priest