New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 6

Summary

All Songs Considered: New Music Friday — The Best Albums Out Feb. 6, 2026

Host: Stephen Thompson (NPR Music)
Guest: Aaron Wolfe (Radio Milwaukee 88.9)
Date: February 6, 2026

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Overview

This episode of NPR's "All Songs Considered" covers the most compelling new albums released on February 6, 2026. Host Stephen Thompson is joined by returning guest Aaron Wolfe from Milwaukee’s 88.9. Together, they discuss standout releases from J. Cole, Ratboys, Beverly Glenn Copeland, Daphni, Charlotte Day Wilson, and John Craigie, plus a lightning round highlighting other remarkable projects. The mood is conversational, enthusiastic, and empathetic, focusing on the transformative power of music and the emotional depth found in these new works.

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Key Albums & Discussions

1. J. Cole – The Fall Off (Teaser Discussion)

• [00:53] The episode opens with anticipation for J. Cole’s much-hyped, "purportedly final album," The Fall Off.
  • Aaron Wolfe: Describes the album’s cinematic rollout and evocative lyrics, quoting J. Cole’s lines:

    “The way he starts everything out: ‘my life. I see it in reverse. I first appeared in a hearse and the image of his grandkids carrying his coffin.’ I’m just like, dang, that is some deep stuff.” (01:14)

  • The hosts don’t review the full album (not available pre-release), but stress the heightened anticipation and emotional weight.

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2. Ratboys – Singin to an Empty Chair

• [02:23] Discussion on the Chicago band's sixth record, its first on New West Records, produced by Chris Walla.
  • Aaron Wolfe:

    “The energy and emotion of this record really balances everything out... I feel like the Ratboys at their best.” (03:29)

  • Stephen Thompson: Notes Julia Steiner (vocals/guitar) drew on therapy experiences, using "rehearsing conversations" as a songwriting tool for emotional openness:

    “There’s always this light twang under the surface that gives their songs a little bit of depth and heft.” (04:32)

  • Influences highlighted:

    “Music writer Steven Haydn describes it as a mix of crunchy emo pop and punky, all country” (05:03)
    “There’s a lot of Tom Petty in this Rat Boys sound... big guitar rock moments with that twang. Tom Petty, Neil Young even.” (05:14)

  • The album stretches out with “epic quality” on longer tracks like “Just Want You to Know the Truth.”
  • Standout tracks: “Strange Love” (06:23, 08:15), which draws comparisons to Jenny Lewis, bringing both Americana twang and indie sparseness.

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3. Beverly Glenn Copeland – Laughter in Summer

• [08:37] Introduction to the "fascinating figure" of Beverly Glenn Copeland.
  • Stephen Thompson:

    “He’s a Black trans man in his early 80s... His own music spans New Age and folk and jazz. He had a classic electronic album in 1986 called Keyboard Fantasies.” (09:46)

    • Recent dementia diagnosis gives the new record “a sense of radical joy,” not grief.

    “This is not a record about grief or loss. It is a record about love and celebration.” (12:07)

  • Aaron Wolfe:

    “It felt like the first time I heard Anoni’s voice... just that deep, emotional, timeless, compassionate voice... these songs were all recorded in one take. So it just feels... very genuine and just very community driven.” (13:58)

  • The album is a collaboration with Copeland’s wife, Elizabeth, and is praised for its community emphasis and emotional immediacy.

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4. Daphni – Butterfly

• [18:02] The electronic alter ego of Dan Snaith (a.k.a. Caribou) delivers a club-centric, trance-infused album.
  • Aaron Wolfe:

    “Daphni, the more club-centric alter ego Snaith—sans vocals usually—is the stuff he makes for his DJ sets... even more escapist in this really bass, joyous way.” (18:42)

  • Stephen Thompson:

    “What I like about this record is it never feels samey... there’s certainly repetition... but there’s a lot of different feels kind of running through.” (19:27)

    • “Sad Piano House” opens the record on a melancholy, hooky note; “Waiting So Long” playfully credits Daphni featuring Caribou—both Snaith’s projects—noting a blend of sensibilities.

    “It’s kind of billed as Daphni, featuring Caribou... I thought was a witty way of doing that.” (21:29)

  • The album is praised for concise, creative tracks (“like... highbrow kind of Swedish sour raspberry candy”) (21:02).

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5. Charlotte Day Wilson – Patchwork (EP)

• [23:18] Toronto-based R&B artist known for her “deep-voiced, down tempo” style, previous collabs with BadBadNotGood, Daniel Caesar, James Blake, Kaytranada.
  • Aaron Wolfe:

    “Her voice is often described as satin that drapes around arrangements and she creates these quiet storm moments. Yeah, she’s definitely all that.” (23:18)

  • Stephen Thompson:

    “There’s something so kind of haunting and haunted about these songs... you get some of those Bon Iver vibes.” (24:25)

    • Track standouts: “High Road” (co-written with Saya Gray), “Lean” (noted for its playful tempo shifts), and “Selfish” (“so sleek and intriguing... sonic adventure”). (24:25–26:49)
  • The duo praises Saya Gray’s influence, seeing the EP as a creative duo effort.

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6. John Craigie – I Swam Here

• [29:31] Singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon, previously L.A., with “mellow Laurel Canyon vibe... folk pop.”
  • Stephen Thompson:

    “He just has a wonderful sense of humor, kind of a deadpan sense of humor... there’s something so breezy and vibey to these songs. They wrap around you like a blanket.” (30:07)

  • Aaron Wolfe:

    “I kind of felt just magnetized to his reedy voice, his narration... He is emulating Marty Robbins... It’s funny, and he’s doing a thing. But I’m also drawn to his more sincere moments.” (30:50–31:59)

    • Compares Craigie’s sound to Cotton Jones, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Lord Huron.
  • Noted for a balance between humor and emotional sincerity, with musical and narrative references both classic and current.

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Lightning Round: Other Notable Releases

[33:35]

• Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence – Havin a Talk:

  “Some of the most charming, classic, vintage-sounding country and western duets...”

• Alice Costelloe – Move on with the Year:

  “If you’re into beguiling, psyche, sometimes pastoral folk rock... you’ll dig this one.”

• Vegas Water Taxi – Longtime Caller, First Time Listener:

  “Jangly London alt country... packed with strange and wonderful pop culture references.”

• Ulrika Spacek – Expo:

  “England-based, post-rock/art-rock, lots of brooding on Expo and... comforting because it feels real right about now... about isolation and alienation in an online-centric world.” (37:02)

• Music City – Welcome to Music City:

  “Punky, spiky, poppy Irish band... with an undercurrent of rollicking bar band vibes.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Aaron Wolfe [J. Cole]:

  “Mama gives me my name then hands me over to the doctor and I watch as my spirit reverts then I’m no longer here on this earth.” (02:07)

• Stephen Thompson [Beverly Glenn Copeland]:

  “It’s a record that deepens the more you know the story behind it... an antidote to cynicism, to nihilism, to doomerism.” (12:07)

• Aaron Wolfe [Charlotte Day Wilson]:

  “Saya Gray, I think is a revelatory companion into Charlotte J. Wilson.” (25:43)

• Stephen Thompson [John Craigie]:

  “He’s conversant in so many sounds and eras... there’s something very western about this music.” (32:29)

• Aaron Wolfe [episode close]:

  “It’s always great to be talking music with you, especially at the beginning of a year. There’s so much to look forward to.” (39:08)

• Stephen Thompson [episode close]:

  “It fills me with this weird sense of an emotion I’ve never felt before—optimism.” (39:14)

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Timestamps for Discussion Highlights

• J. Cole – The Fall Off: 00:53–02:23
• Ratboys – Singin to an Empty Chair: 02:23–08:08
• Beverly Glenn Copeland – Laughter in Summer: 08:37–14:57
• Daphni – Butterfly: 18:02–22:54
• Charlotte Day Wilson – Patchwork: 23:18–27:49
• John Craigie – I Swam Here: 29:31–33:35
• Lightning Round: 33:35–38:18

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Tone & Takeaway

The episode’s tone is conversational, warm, and genuinely enthusiastic about emerging music. Stephen and Aaron’s rapport brings both knowledge and heart to the reviews, which combine musical analysis, cultural context, and personal reflection. The episode is ideal for both seasoned listeners and new music explorers, offering a curated roadmap through February’s most rewarding new sounds.

Transcript

[Announcer]

This message comes from Sony Pictures Classics presenting the President's Cake. A young girl in Iraq has been selected to prepare a cake to celebrate the president's birthday. She sets out on a journey in search of the ingredients, now playing in select cities.

[Singer]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone. From NPR Music, It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Aaron Wolfe from Radio Milwaukee's 88. 9. Welcome back. Welcome back to the show, Erin.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Thanks, Steven. So good to be back with you.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you. I always love getting back in touch with my beloved home state where I'm sure the weather is just balmy and approachable and everybody's just out frolicking shirtless.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Yeah. Shorts, flip flops, you name it. We are basking in the balminess.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, the music you're hearing is from the biggest album out this week. It is the new and purportedly final album from the rapper J. Cole. It's called the Fall Off. It is many years in the making and he released, you know, dribs and drabs leading up to it. But we did not get the full record to be able to talk about it in depth. But what do you think so far?

[Aaron Wolfe]

Well, I did see the promo video and I am so intrigued based on the visuals alone. Heightened excitement right now for this, for this release. I think fans are wondering if this is actually, as he is saying, the fall off where he is closing the door and he's falling off. I don't know if I completely believe that this is it, but it is a very cinematic lead up to what is purportedly this final record. I really love the poetry of the first song that was shared. The the way he starts everything out my life. I see it in reverse. I first appeared in a hearse and the image of his grandkids carrying his coffin. I'm just like, dang, that is some deep stuff. I don't know if you've ever had the honor to carry a grandparents coffin, but that just like hit me real hard.

[Singer]

I'm growing short of Pampers cover my hindquarters I watch my father walk back in my life and it clears up a hurt I couldn't explain. Mama gives me my name then hands me over to the doctor and I watch as my spirit reverts Then I'm no longer here on this earth.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, let's talk about records we've heard all the way through and in depth. Kicking off with radio Rat Boyz. Rat Boyz new album is called Singin to an Empty Chair.

[Singer]

Stretch out as Big as you can I won't say I told you so I won't say what's right so what's it going to take to open up tonight? Let's pick all the locks inside our heads it takes a while in your defense But I got lots of time so what's it going to take to open a mouth tonight?

[Aaron Wolfe]

So Rap Boys. Yeah, it's the Chicago band's sixth album. It's their first album for new label Home, New West Records. And they returned to working with producer and former member of Death Cat for cutie Chris Walla. They worked with him on 2023's the Window. And I just feel like the energy and emotion of this record just really balances everything out. And it's. I feel like the Rat Boys at their best.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it was interesting kind of reading about this record. The singer guitarist from Rat Boys is named Julia Steiner, and she wrote most of these songs after trying therapy for the first time. And one thing that, you know, people, if you haven't done a lot of therapy as I have, you know, one thing that sometimes comes up is you're asked to kind of simulate hard conversations, you know, with people with whom you've had conflict and as kind of a way of working through them, kind of having practice conversations, you know, about difficult topics as. As a way of wrapping your head around them. And, you know, she's talked about kind of using that therapy technique of rehearsing conversations and kind of allowing that to inform her songwriting here. And I think that kind of gives this record an emotional openness that I think the band wears really well. And one thing that I've always loved about Rat Boy's music, you know, they. They're kind of this, you know, big, catchy, crunchy indie rock band, but there's always this light twang under the surface that I think gives their songs a little bit of depth and heft.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Oh, absolutely. I think doing a little reading up, you know, Music writer Steven Haydn describes it as a mix of crunchy emo pop and punky, all country. And, yeah, on this record, there's a delightful little circling around those sounds. And I also really loved. I don't know why I didn't hear it before, but I feel like there's a lot of Tom Petty in this trap boy sound, which, you know, there's these big guitar rock moments with that twang. Tom Petty, Neil Young even. And I feel like guitarist Dave Sagan is a total beast on those solos. The added twang just really slaps in this really Satisfying way.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's also an epic quality to several of these songs. There are a couple songs kind of in the back half of this record that are sprawling out to like seven or even, like, in one case, eight and a half minutes. The song Just want you to know the truth and, you know, it's a song that kind of ambles along. There's kind of this shambling, jammy quality to it, but it's also like. It's. It's taking their sound to strange and epic places.

[Singer]

I hope I will be soon. I just want you to know the truth.

[Aaron Wolfe]

I think part of that magic was demoing these songs like they did. They went to a cabin and hung out and just really, like, isolated themselves, but in a good way to, like, work on the skeletons of these songs and then wallow. Of course. I read that he brought a lot of emotion. He wanted to pull out the emotion in these songs, and you can really hear it.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I feel like.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, he's a terrific producer. I mean, I've really loved everything that he's touched, going back to his days in Death Cab for Cutie. His solo records are really charming and interesting and take a lot of different sonic directions. And he just. He's somebody. If you've ever crossed paths with him, you can see how he is an extremely effective producer because he has this kind of easygoing vibe that you can imagine kind of bringing out creativity in an artist. I tend when he's listed as a producer on a record, I'm usually interested in hearing it because there's just. There's something about his aesthetic that I think translates really well to a lot of different sounds. I also wanted to call out a track called Strange Love kind of lands right in the middle of this record. Kind of takes a. A little bit of a hairpin turn. We've said the word twang quite a bit, but there's a spareness to this song that. To me. Did you hear Jenny Lewis in this song? Like, I definitely got, like, a big Jenny Lewis vibe, which I will always welcome a Jenny Lewis vibe in any setting.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Absolutely. Now that you say that. Yep. Okay. It's like Tom Petty and Jenny Lewis came together.

[Singer]

Well.

A strange kind of love's come over me I don't really know how it feels so free. That's okay. Cause we're moving now. Strange love is what I found yeah, A strange love is what I found.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Rat Boys. Rat Boyz new album is called Singin to an Empty Chair. Next up, very different sound. Very beautiful. The artist Beverly Glenn Copeland. His new album is called Laughter in Summer.

[Singer]

The wind blows over here hillside the day greets the dawn the sun dances down beside this road we are on Let us dance down the road.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Down.

[Singer]

The road Let us dance down the road. Let us dance down the road.

Down.

The road Let us dance down the.

[Stephen Thompson]

Road.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Down the road.

[Stephen Thompson]

So if you don't know the story of Beverly Glenn Copeland, he is a fascinating figure. He's a black trans man in his early 80s. He's been out as trans for about 25 years. Born in Philly, now in Canada, classically trained, his own music spans New Age and folk and jazz. He had a classic electronic album in 1986 called Keyboard Fantasies. And you want to take in the story of this record as you listen to it, because he's had this long and fascinating life. He was an actor on a Canadian TV kids show called Mr. Dress Up. He was a writer for Sesame Street. He's passionate about children's education, and he's made this beautiful music throughout his career. But this particular record is a collaboration with his wife, Elizabeth Copeland. She sings on a lot of these songs. They're working together. And one additional piece of kind of background information on this record is that Beverly Glenn Copeland has been diagnosed with dementia. And that hangs over a lot of these songs, which makes them feel that much more like works of radical joy. Laughter in summer.

[Singer]

How I remember.

[Stephen Thompson]

June through September.

[Singer]

Here with you.

[Aaron Wolfe]

When I learned about Beverly Glenn Copeland and their life situation, it just felt like they are at this, like, precipice. This new body of work really, to me comes across as a time capsule of stored experience, you know, this life altering moment. They're at this brink, but they're submitting to it and going in gracefully. They're offering both, you know, a look into the past and this final realized experience and leaving it as a gift. Because from what I understand of dementia, you never know what exactly you'll remember, what you'll hold onto. You know what I mean, for how long?

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And music has a way, you know, this has been documented over and over again. That music has a way of kind of opening some of the channels to lost memories. And so that that sense really permeates this record. But at the same time, like, this is not a record about grief or loss. It is a record about love and celebration. There's a theatricality to it, you know, like these are people with theater backgrounds. And that really comes through in some of these pieces. But you take a track, like ever new, it's this gorgeous kind of theatrical piece. And it's just the epitome of kindness and welcoming grace. And it's so interesting to kind of hear this record in the context of our kind of current moment in life, in the world and just take this record in as an antidote to cynicism, to nihilism, to doomerism. This is a deeply loving and optimistic record. And the sincerity of it kind of knocks you back at first. If you spend a lot of time online, if you spend a lot of time kind of feeling a sense of weariness and cynicism, being hit with this kind of flood of very earnest and heartfelt warmth and emotion is a little bit jarring. And so I think it's a record that deepens the more you know the story behind it.

[Singer]

Welcome the spring, the summer rain Softly turn to sing again welcome the bud, the summer blooming flower.

[Aaron Wolfe]

The first time that I listened to it, I had not read anything about Beverly Glenn Copeland. I just heard the voice too, but the way that it made me feel, it felt like the first time I heard Anoni's voice in that respect, like kind of just that deep, emotional, timeless, compassionate voice. Beverly Glenn Copeland gives me those same feelings. And I feel like, you know, drawing on the sense of community and making something for the community, having a choir backing that up, that kind of brings in that appeal of community. And from what I understand, these songs were all recorded in one take. So it just feels very genuine and just very all engrossing and just very community driven.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Laughter in Summer, the new album by Beverly Glenn Copeland, a collaboration with his wife, Elizabeth Copeland. It is very beautiful. It is very sincere. It is an antidote to a lot of things and I highly encourage people to check it out. We've got some more records we're going to talk about in depth, but first let's take a quick break.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Stephen Thompson]

NPR Music, it's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Erin wolf from Radio Milwaukee's 88 9. Erin, tell us about what's going on at Radio Milwaukee.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Well, we just had our very first studio Milwaukee session of 2026 with Runo Plumb from Minneapolis. They released Patching last year. They're in town to play a show at Cactus Club, delightful club. And Lutalo, the indie artist, has been playing with her for like 10 years, was the drummer today. So Lutalo and Runo Plum, it was so nice to have them on our stage Patching such a understated record. I feel like it's perfect for the.

[Stephen Thompson]

Season right now, which unfortunately in Milwaukee will go on for many more months.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Yeah, that's Groundhog says so.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, boy. So people can check that [e-mail] that's right.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Excellent. And I know you got some more studio sessions coming up. Did I hear you say that say Shishi is coming?

[Aaron Wolfe]

Oh, yeah, yeah. We got Brother Wallace and then say Shishi was with us two years ago and we're welcoming them back. They play Vivarium in Milwaukee. We're so excited to have them back.

[Stephen Thompson]

Nice. All right. Well, let's get to our next record. It's by Daphne. Daphne's new album is called Butterfly.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Clap.

[Singer]

For Mars, Clap my clap your hands.

[Aaron Wolfe]

So I first became addicted to Canadian Dan Snaith's wizardry of sound in his psych pop project Caribou and his 2007 release Andorra. And so I followed him through his electronic iterations in Caribou, 2010's swim is a fave. Snaith is just so great at shining up sound and he really hones this little nugget of each song and really maxes out all the sparkle. And so Daphne, the more club centric alter ego Snaith Sans his vocals usually is the stuff he makes for his DJ sets. It's a little more tempo driven, a little more trancy, and even more escapist in this really bass, joyous way.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. One thing I really like about this record and about Snaith's work in Daphne in general is, you know, a lot of techno music. A lot of house music is really constructed around repetition and kind of glacial changes that unfold over the course of many minutes. And sometimes hooks can get lost in that. Right. The listener's relationship to it is to kind of dip in and out of it. And sometimes it can feel kind of samey to me. And what I like about this record is it never feels samey. There's certainly repetition, there's certainly patterns that are. That are, you know, kind of hypnotizing you, but there's a lot of different feels kind of running through this record. It opens with a song called Sad Piano House, which is perfectly titled because it's taking this kind of spare, melancholy piano line and giving the song its hooks and letting kind of fragments of vocals kind of come in to make the song feel less desolate but more mysterious. But from there this. This record is kind of all over the map in a way. Doesn't detract from how cohesive it feels. It always feels like the same artist.

[Aaron Wolfe]

I think what surprised me about this record was how so many songs were in the sub 5 or 4 minute mark and there are all these like little interesting interludes. This record to me was. Was like the equivalent of eating candy, but in like a highbrow kind of Swedish sour raspberry candy kind of way. It was just like delightful to consume and just enjoy in groove with, you.

[Stephen Thompson]

Know, the candy being fancy does not stop me from wolfing it like I'm eating the cheapest Halloween candy imaginable. There's also a track on this record called Waiting so Long, which, you know, my immediate reaction to it was it reminded me a little bit of like One More Night era Daft Punk, but with maybe a little bit kind of ghostlier vocals. And I was listening to the song, I was like, oh, this is so catchy. But it feels, you know, very familiar. And I saw realized the way that the song is billed is it's kind of billed as Daphne, featuring Caribou and Daphne and Caribou, same guy. They're both Dan Snaith. But it is this melding of the two sensibilities. And you know, one thing that Dan Snaith has kind of talked about is figuring out what is a Caribou project and what is a Daphne project? And as you mentioned, Daphne, it's a little more club based, it's kind of a little bit more like DJ set oriented. Caribou is a little bit more organic but I like the way this song kind of melds those two Personas and having like one featuring the other I thought was a witty way of doing that. I've been waiting so long.

[Singer]

I've been waiting so long.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Daphne. Daphne's new album is called Butterfly. Next up, a new EP from Charlotte Day Wilson. It's called Patchwork.

[Aaron Wolfe]

No, it's not going to be something the Bird. So Charlotte J. Wilson is this deep voiced Toronto down tempo R B artist who's guested with artists like, like Bad Bad, Not Good, Daniel Caesar, James Blake, Kaytranada. And she first came onto my radar with her CDW EP in 2016 which featured the single Work. Her voice is often described as satin that drapes around arrangements and she creates these quiet storm moments. Yeah, she's definitely all that. Those descriptors are spot on. She's got like this polished drama and I find her voice really grounding. I think that's why I always return to her again and again. So I was excited to see that she had a new ep.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And the songs here are really, really striking. There's something so kind of haunting and haunted about these songs. You're also hearing this kind of contemporary indie R and B vibe. If you listen to that Bon Ivera record from last year, you get some of those vibes. The occasional little saxophone might kick in. That kind of chopped up, loopy quality feels very, very of the. But at the same time the bones of these songs are so, so sturdy. You know the, the songs High Road and Selfish to, you know, big standouts on this record were both co written by another musician from Toronto, Sia Gray, who put out a really, really terrific record from last year. High Road kind of kicks off this record and for me like immediately gets you into that kind of dijon Bon Iver, very, very present R and B style.

[Announcer]

While.

[Aaron Wolfe]

I mean I heard speaking of Bon Iver, like little elements of the Bon Iver song from it just kind of was like not a twin but like maybe a cousin. It just felt like, oh okay, we're going on this journey. I've been here recently and I am here for it. Let me sit down, get comfy. And yeah, Saya Gray, I think is a revelatory companion into Charlotte J. Wilson. I really enjoy Saya Gray's artistry on her own, but having them together really felt, yeah, like I said, revelatory. I've really enjoyed Lean as a song too. Yeah, I think, like that little tempo change that Saya instigates is really kind of what makes the song go somewhere. She's so playful that I think that one was a standout for me as well.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, Lean stood out to me, too. I mean, it's as woozy and blunted as that title kind of suggests, but there's this kind of wobbly, trippy vibe to it that, as you say, you know, you feel like it's kind of in one place and then the song takes that pivot where there's this kind of skittish little breakdown late. And I think that kind of sense of creativity and surprise runs through this whole record. I also wanted to shout out the so Selfish, which is so sleek and intriguing and just the way that it's kind of setting this slithery vocal against these echoey, gauzy beats, there's a sense of kind of sonic adventure going on here that really portends. Well, I, I I'm really interested to hear where she go. That's Charlotte Day Wilson. Her new EP is called Patchwork. We've got one more record we want to talk about in depth, as well as a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today, February 6th. But first, let's take a quick break.

[Announcer]

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[Stephen Thompson]

Day deals from NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Aaron Wolfe from Radio Milwaukee. Before we get to our lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today, February 6th, there's one more record we wanted to talk about from the artist John Craigie. John Craigie's new album is called I Swam Here.

[Singer]

Around me like you never left this room I don't mind being.

[Stephen Thompson]

Home.

[Singer]

I take anything I can get from you. What do they want from me now I fail to start. You know I follow your.

[Stephen Thompson]

So John Craigie was born in la. He's now based in Portland, Oregon. But he's kind of an itinerant rambler. This is his 10th album and his songs, particularly here, have this kind of mellow Laurel Canyon vibe to them. Kind of singer, songwriterly, folk pop. But there's also one of the things that anyone who's a fan of John Craigie, our colleague Ann Powers is a huge John Craigie fan. And one thing his fans will tell you is this guy just has a wonderful sense of humor, kind of a deadpan sense of humor. And I think that kind of edges its way into these songs. But at the same time, there's something so breezy and vibey to these songs. They kind of wrap around you like a blanket.

[Aaron Wolfe]

I heard of John Craigie many times, but I've never actually listened to his music. So this one was such a pleasant surprise for me. I kind of felt just magnetized to his reedy voice, his narration. And he admits that on one of his songs called Edna Strange that he is emulating Marty Robbins. And lucky for him, I, I totally know who that is. I 50s classic gunfighter ballads and trail songs is just baked into my memory. And it's also baked into the that song. And I was just like, oh, this is, this is funny. And he, he's, he's doing a thing. He sings a tale of a fling gone wrong where a wife and husband end up dead. And he's asking who brings a gun to a one night stand and he finds out I saw it in a.

[Singer]

Purse when she laid it on the floor Saw it in her eyes when she double locked the door But I was escaped just a little on guard Cause I barely knew in the strange.

[Aaron Wolfe]

But I'm also really drawn to his more sincere moments. I don't know if you've ever heard of Cotton Jones.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh sure.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Michael Now's project Cotton Jones released this album called Tall Hours and the glow stream about 15 years ago. And I was absolutely obsessed with that record. And it's got like this shimmering but dusty sound to its songs. And I feel like John Craigie is really capturing that kind of same moment there with these songs.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I think he is conversant in so many sounds and eras. You know, I mentioned Laurel Canyon as kind of shorthand for some of those kind of mellow California vibes that seep in here. But you also get a sense, you know, you mentioned the music of 15 years ago. I was, I was writing down in my notes like the Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Lord Huron. Bands that kind of let this cavernousness into their sound where the vocals are kind of shimmering over the music like a vapor, where the voice is allowed to kind of soar. I think part of it is there's something very western about this music. This is a guy who was born in la, he's based in Portland and. And this music to me really felt like Pacific Northwest coded in a way. And I think some of that is just the sense of sweep that's going on. But one thing that I also really like about it is that every once in a while he brings in a little bit of a sense of instrumental heft. Right. These songs aren't just vibes. There's a track called Fire Season where the arrangement is kind of breezy and vibing be at first, but a little bit of force, kind of a storm comes in as the song goes on. That is John Craigie. His new album is called I Swam Here. Aaron Wolfe from Radio Milwaukee. Aaron, you and I, we couldn't possibly get to every album that is out today, February 6th. We are starting to get into kind of the meat of believe it or not, the spring music calendar. I know it doesn't feel like spring where you are or where I am, but we couldn't get to everything. We wanted to do a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums that are out today. I'm gonna kick us off. Melissa Carper is a singer songwriter from Arkansas. Theo Lawrence is a singer songwriter from France. Now they are both based in Austin. Together they sing some of the most charming, classic, kind of vintage sounding country and western duets. We just mentioned western music that you'll hear in the year 2026. Melissa Carper and Theo Lawrence's new album together is called Havin a Talk.

[Aaron Wolfe]

We haven't got $50 in the bank.

[Singer]

Cause you spent it all on record Smokes and Wine.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Alice Costello, formerly of the band Big Deal, releases her debut solo Move on with the year. If you're into the beguiling qualities of Artie's psyche, sometimes pastoral folk rock from artists like Julia Jacqueline, Andy Shat Ralph, Kate Laban and more. You'll dig this one, especially if you're into singer songwriters that don't just dabble in guitar flavored things. She also adds in recorders, flutes, synths and pianos. Let's move on with the year from Alice Costello out on Moshi Moshi Records.

[Stephen Thompson]

Crucifix a crown of thorns he talks.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Of angels in the dark, Visitations from the past.

[Stephen Thompson]

The jangly London alt country band Vegas Water Taxi is led by a guy named Ben Hambrough, whose songs are packed with strange and wonderful pop culture references and commentary about the surreal, chronically online world in which we live. These are songs about weight loss, drugs. They're songs about bad breakups and a world where not getting into brat summer is is a punishable offense. Vegas Water Taxi's new album is called Longtime Caller. First Time listener.

[Singer]

Asked me about my long brat summer But I couldn't remember a thing I said in my cozy era. I wonder dance.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Another release that's speaking to our increasingly online world is Ulurica SpaceX new album called Expo. They're an England based electronic infused post rock slash art rock quintet who really captured my ears with there's sound, there's threads of television, women, Sonic Youth, and even like Daniel Rassen adjacent projects like Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles. There's a lot of brooding on Expo and although it's not a comfortable listen, it's comforting because it feels real right about now. Expo is their third full length and its lyrical focus is isolation and alienation in an online centric world hyper focused on individuality. That's Expo from Ulrika Spacek on full time Hobby Records.

[Stephen Thompson]

Finally, the punky, spiky, poppy Irish band Music City has a new record full of soaring, timeless songs that occasionally recall bands like Super Chunk or Bad Moves, but with an undercurrent of kind of rollicking bar band vibes, if that makes sense. Their new record features guest appearances by members of Gilliband and Sheer Mad Flag. It's called welcome to Music City. That is our show for this week. Thank you Aaron Wolfe, for taking time time out of your week at Radio Milwaukee's 88 9. It's always great to have you.

[Aaron Wolfe]

Ah, it's always great to be talking music with you, especially at the beginning of a year. There's so much to look forward to.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, it fills me with this weird sense of an emotion I've never felt before. Optimism. If you enjoyed this week's show we always appreciate a positive review on Apple or Spotify or whatever app you're listening to right now. This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and Al Mannion and edited by Otis. Our production assistant is Dora Levitt. The executive producer of NPR Music is Soraya Mohammed. We'll be back next week to discuss new music with Nastya Vojnowskaya from KQED in San Francisco. Until then, take a moment to be well root for the Seahawks and Bad Bunny to win the super bowl and treat yourself to lots of great.

[Singer]

It's all right. Life take time. I know the choice is mine.

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