All Songs Considered – New Music Friday: The Best Albums Out Oct. 31 (October 31, 2025)

Episode Overview

This Halloween edition of New Music Friday, hosted by Stephen Thompson (NPR Music) with guest DJ Julie B. (Marfa Public Radio), serves up a jam-packed rundown of fresh releases dropping on October 31st, 2025. The episode features in-depth discussions on highly anticipated albums from both indie darlings and inventive outsiders—plus a rapid-fire lightning round of other notable releases tailored for spooky-season listening. Julie also provides a glimpse into the DIY spirit of Marfa, Texas, and celebrates Marfa Public Radio’s recent milestones.

Main Albums Discussed

1. Snocaps – Snocaps (Surprise Release)

• [02:07–07:07]

Key Points & Insights

• Who & What: Snocaps is a surprise collaboration between sisters Katie and Allison Crutchfield (Waxahatchee, Swearin', P.S. Eliot).
• The album is described as fun, upbeat, and packed with strong, catchy pop songs—“no fluff here. Every song is really a winner.” (Julie, 03:52)
• The sisters’ harmonies stand out, and the record draws from their feminist roots in male-dominated punk scenes (04:57).
• Stephen highlights the track “Coast” for its dynamic quiet-loud formula and quotable lyric: “Can’t we just coast?” He notes, “These are not artists who have any interest in coasting.” (04:33)
• Standout lyrics from “Avalanche” underscore sharp, feminist songwriting:

  “I've got a lot riding on this next gentleman. His mythology's like a vitamin. He might wobble, but he always wins. He always runs circles around me while running in the right circles.” (Julie, 05:20)

• The arrangements may feel ambling and “a little shaggy,” but the lyric writing shines. Metaphors on “Heathcliff” evoke bigger ideas in sharp, memorable ways (06:00).

Notable Quotes

• “This album is rich. There’s no fluff here. Every song is really a winner.” — Julie [03:52]
• “It really feels like they’re at the top of their games… very, very sharp songwriting.” — Stephen [06:00]

2. Guided by Voices – Thick, Rich & Delicious

• [07:07–13:19]

Key Points & Insights

• Over 40 years and 42 full-length albums in, GBV returns to “power pop, with lots of hooks”—Stephen calls them “indie rock royalty.”
• Robert Pollard’s prolific output is highlighted: “He's always looking for that perfect combination of a lyric and a chord pattern that gives you a chill at the back of your spine.” (Julie quoting Pollard, 08:06)
• Discussion of how fans engage with such a vast discography: many “drop in and out,” but longtime devotees “hang on their every word.” (Stephen and Julie, 10:01)
• Stephen’s pick: “You Can’t Go Back to Oxford, Talawanda” for its irresistible hooks (11:11).
• Album closes with “Captain Kangaroo Won the War,” a “strange, gnarled thumper” that left Stephen instantly wanting more (11:28).
• Julie’s favorites include “Phantasmagoric Upstarts,” “Our Man Syracuse,” and “A Tribute to Beetle Bob.”

Notable Quotes

• "This album is getting a lot of buzz for kind of being a return to power pop for this band with lots of hooks. Bob, the king of hooks…” — Julie [08:06]
• “Each album will serve up a few kind of extra special highlights… hooks that are so indelible that you can’t resist them.” — Stephen [10:39]

3. Chat Pile & Hayden Pedigo – In the Earth Again

• [16:28–21:01]

Key Points & Insights

• A surprising—and successful—Oklahoma City pairing merges Hayden Pedigo’s haunting guitar work with Chat Pile’s sludgy, noise-heavy post-metal.
• The album ebbs and flows dramatically: starts atmospheric (“Outside”), then “Demon Time” gets darker, then with “Never Say Die” metal energy kicks in (19:23).
• The closing track “A Tear for Lucas” is noted by Julie as especially moving: “Make sure you’re alone the first time you hear the song, because it’s gonna make you cry.” [20:13]

Notable Quotes

• "They find ways to allow this album to ebb and flow from track to track, but also within an individual song…” — Stephen [17:54]
• “This album is really incredible.” — Julie [17:08]

4. KeiyaA – Hooke’s Law

• [21:01–26:15]

Key Points & Insights

• KeiyaA (pronounced “Kia-A”)—Chicago-born, now NYC-based—delivers jazz, hip hop, R&B, and soul, with all writing, producing, and performing done herself.
• The follow-up to her acclaimed debut is “a little more daring, a little bolder… more dissonant sounds… themes of self love and self care are all over the lyrics.” — Julie [21:54]
• Stephen notices a recurring theme in many albums discussed: “Artists who pivot within songs, artists whose songs don’t take an entirely linear journey.” [23:00]
• On “Be Quiet,” Julie loves the demand for personal space:

  "Place me in your bread and take a bite / Let the juices fly and while you’re chewing try to be quiet." [24:56]

Notable Quotes

• “It’s so listenable. This record just drew me in and I listened to it over and over again.” — Julie [24:56]
• “You just get a record that you can’t turn away from.” — Stephen [24:20]

5. Anna von Hausswolff – Iconoclasts

• [27:02–32:16]

Key Points & Insights

• Swedish singer-songwriter known for her grand, avant-garde, organ-driven soundscapes returns with her most expansive album yet (73 minutes).
• Features Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain as collaborators.
• “Not as scary and somber as I was expecting,” notes Julie. But still eerie—“Struggle with the Beast” recalls the controversy of her church performances (Julie, 29:27–30:06).
• Stephen highlights how well this fits into the evolving “Halloween music canon”: “If you’re looking for a track to add to your Halloween playlist, make it ‘The Mouth.’” [31:07]
• Julie compares her approach to art-pop icons: “She was kind of almost channeling… Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson.” [32:03]

Notable Quotes

• “Such an otherworldly voice—so strong, clear, and really pretty.” — Julie [29:27]
• “She’s just a fabulous artist. So inventive. Really creates this very, very distinct sound world.” — Stephen [32:16]

Lightning Round: Other Notable Releases

• Florence and the Machine – Everybody Scream: Big, dramatic, Halloween-perfect bangers. “The title track from this record truly belongs in the still developing Halloween music canon.” — Stephen [32:16–33:29]
• The Charlatans – We Are Loved: Lush and dancey with standout single “Deeper and Deeper.” Tim Burgess says it’s their best record yet – “Super dancey. It’s an earworm, for sure.” [34:09]
• Saintseneca – High Wallow and Supermoon Song: A long-awaited return—21 tracks of “brooding, idiosyncratic, catchy” indie folk pop. [35:00]
• Hilary Woods – Night Crew: Moody, immersive, Lynchian-inspired sound (with production input from Lynch’s sound designer Dean Hurley). [36:13]
• Lily Lyons – Reopen the World: Delicate, forceful English folk in the tradition of Laura Marling and Joan Shelley. [37:08]

Memorable / Notable Moments

• Julie’s Top Song: “A Tribute to Beetle Bob” by Guided By Voices—“I love this joyful celebration of a man who devoted his existence to celebrating music. He was a true music fan.” [38:15]
• Stephen’s Top Song: “Everybody Scream” by Florence and the Machine—Stephen embraces the expanding world of Halloween music: “More and more artists are really trying to tap into Halloween music the way so many artists have tapped into Christmas…” [39:05]
• On Marfa’s Halloween DIY Scene: Julie describes Halloween in Marfa, Texas as “very DIY”—homemade costumes, local Misfits cover band, and candy from the Dollar General (01:00–01:42).

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• “This album is rich. There’s no fluff here. Every song is really a winner.” — Julie, on Snocaps [03:52]
• “He's always looking for that perfect combination of a lyric and a chord pattern that gives you a chill at the back of your spine.” — Julie, quoting Robert Pollard [08:06]
• “Make sure you’re alone the first time you hear the song (‘A Tear for Lucas’ by Hayden Pedigo), because it’s gonna make you cry.” — Julie [20:13]
• “Place me in your bread and take a bite / Let the juices fly and while you’re chewing try to be quiet.” — KeiyaA, discussed by Julie [24:56]
• “She’s just a fabulous artist. So inventive. Really creates this very, very distinct sound world.” — Stephen, on Anna von Hausswolff [32:16]

Flow & Tone

The show balances deep musical analysis with conversational warmth and plenty of good humor (especially about Halloween traditions and the quirks of Marfa, Texas). Both Stephen and Julie bring a deep love of music and a knack for highlighting not only standout tracks, but also the talent and intent behind each release.

For New Listeners

This episode is a stellar primer on what’s hottest and most inventive in the indie/alternative scene right now. The deep dives into new records provide insights into their sound, context, and emotional impact—a perfect Halloween treat for music fans hungry for discovery. Whether you want thoughtful lyrics, genre-bending artistry, or simply some fresh songs for your haunted playlist, this episode has something for you.