by Jesse Hudgins
2026 has brought some wonderful albums throughout each genre of music. If you think this year has been short on great new music, clearly you haven’t been looking hard enough. Luckily, I have 5 of my favorite albums of the year so far to share.
Pain Travels by Love Rarely
Coming as the debut LP from this British band, Pain Travels is all gas and no brakes. From the get-go, the band hits you with intense post-hardcore, screamo, and math rock elements that create such an amazing album. Listening to this record, you would never guess this is the act’s first LP. Each song flows so well into the next, and even when the band pulls things back ever so slightly, it doesn’t last long. The mixing on this album is also fantastic as each element, musically, gets to shine throughout the record. “Severed” is a personal favorite on this album as it encompasses the sum of its parts perfectly, creating a beautiful crescendo of a track.
Fav Tracks: “Severed,” “Haunted,” & “Through Families”
I Used to Go to This Bar by Joyce Manor
I won’t lie; this album took a bit to grow on me but grow on me it did. Joyce Manor has always been one of my favorite bands, and I really loved their last record, 40 oz. to Fresno, so maybe that’s why I had reservations. Over time, though, the band has proven they can write catchy and hooky tunes like they used to. They also added some country twang to it through songs like “All My Friends Are So Depressed.” Songs like “I Know Where Mark Chen Lives” became quick favorites due to the short, hooky nature Joyce Manor has come to master at this point in their careers. I especially love the closer, “Grey Guitar,” which, while not long, tackles death in a meaningful way. It’s a great closer for a tight-knit and cohesive album.
Fav Tracks: “Grey Guitar,” “I Know Where Mark Chen Lives,” & “The Opossum”
Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge by Genesis Owusu
Genesis Owusu is an artist I discovered a few years ago after watching him and The Chats cover “Psycho Killer.” After listening to that, I delved into his discography and I was impressed with the mixing of genres in each of his albums. Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge is no different. Genesis Owusu doesn’t hold himself down to one genre as he cohesively blends post-punk, rap, dance, trap, and more all into this one album. One of the big things about this record is how charged it is. Genesis Owusu doesn’t hide how he feels about the world on this album. He wears it all on his sleeve and proudly displays it. This record has some depressing theming thanks to it being about the current bleak state of things, but it does end on a more optimistic note with the track “ONE4ALL.”
“It’s not forever, just for now; The sun will always set, my child; But we gon’ be alright, my dog; Yeah, we gon’ be alright ’cause.”
The very low-fi nature of the song boosts the more optimistic lyrics in a great way, creating a happier way for the album to end.
Fav tracks: “DEATH CULT ZOMBIE,” “FALLING BOTH WAYS,” & “ONE4ALL”
Whack’s Museum by Tierra Whack
Called a return to form by critics, Whack’s Museum was my first introduction to Tierra Whack. This short release offers a cohesive, tight set of songs that don’t linger; the longest song is barely over three minutes. However, it lasts long enough to showcase the talent that Whack possesses. It features great creative beats that complement Tierra’s flow and rhyme schemes. I was impressed by Tierra’s cleverness and punch lines in the lyrics that comment on the reception of her previous work and how this album is her returning to what people liked. On top of the beats differentiating the songs, her flow and vocal performance vary per song, giving each track its own distinct feel.
Fav Tracks: “WAX PAPER,” “EARWAX,” & “SIREN”
Crybaby by Vince Staples
I know Vince Staples has been going for a while and this may not even be his best album, but Crybaby is so solid with great hooks throughout with Vince experimenting with a post-punk sound. The great guitar riffs and acoustic drumbeats, mixed with Vince’s performance on the mic create a sound I didn’t know I needed. From the get-go with “Blackberry Marmalade,” I was hooked on the sound as well as the message behind it. Another politically charged record, Vince doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messages he pushes throughout. While I may be newer to Vince and his discography, having listened to him here and there in the past, this record confirmed I needed to do a deep dive on the rest of his work.
Fav tracks: “Blackberry Marmalade,” “TV Guide,” & “Go! Go! Gorilla”
