All Songs Considered – The Best New Albums Out Sept. 19, 2025
Episode Overview
This week’s All Songs Considered, hosted by Stephen Thompson (sitting in for Robin Hilton), with guest Kyle Meredith from WFPK in Louisville, explores the standout albums released on September 19, 2025. The conversation covers a vibrant range of music—rock legends resurrected, indie gems, pop disruptors, triumphant comebacks, global soundscapes, and more. Each album is discussed in depth with insights into the songwriting, production, cultural context, standout tracks, and what makes them buzzworthy this week.
Key Segments & Discussion Points
1. The Long-Awaited Return of Buckingham Nicks
- [00:39] Stephen and Kyle open by celebrating the long-out-of-print 1973 album from Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, finally on streaming.
- Musical Preservation: Kyle notes his introduction came from a cover by Andrew Bird & Madison Cunningham, revealing just how “fully formed” the duo were even pre-Fleetwood Mac.
- Stephen: “Often when you hear the early works of a given artist, you’ll hear them in their kind of fetal stages… But I mean, this is like right before they were recording and releasing Rumors, which is still on the Billboard charts.” — [01:46]
- Speculation: They wonder if the rerelease hints at more tension or drama between the duo, underlining the album’s mythic status.
2. Joan Shelley – Real Warmth
- [02:43] First major new release: Kentucky’s indie folk staple Joan Shelley.
- Depth and Calm: Kyle calls ‘Real Warmth’ “another quintessential album for Joan. She just keeps sounding more Nick Drake with every single album.” — [03:28]
- Purposeful Artistry: Stephen admires Shelley and partner Nathan Salzberg for “big opinions about the world” that surface subtly through serene sounds. Especially moved by the track “New Anthem,” about using one’s voice for good.
- Joan Shelley (lyrics): “I want the anthem that feels like first love / I want the chorus that warms like fire...” — [05:54]
- Layered Warmth: The album title means human connection, spirit, and literally, global warming—a “cocktail for resilience, a recipe for desperate times.”
- Musical Activism: Making beautiful, calming music is seen as giving listeners “a reason to go on” (Kyle, [08:44]), not just “the opposite of the boiling frog scenario.”
3. Lola Young – I’m Only Effing Myself
- [09:01] The rising British pop provocateur returns with an album brimming with sex, chaos, queer love, and brash, catchy pop songs.
- Lived Experience: Stephen highlights track “One Thing” as “the song of the summer that wasn’t… this slinky, funky, funny jam.” — [10:25]
- Lyrical Candor: Lola is compared to Lily Allen for her “confrontational, upfront” lyricism (Kyle, [12:10]).
- Empowerment and Sex Positivity: “F Everyone” is a pansexual anthem with “big guitars… fuming rowdy energy” (Stephen, [13:18]).
- Musical Range: Album blends rowdy rock with infectious pop hooks; Kyle humorously calls for “a few guitar solos… otherwise, no complaints.” — [14:23]
4. Wednesday – Bleeds
- [18:11] North Carolina’s Creek Rockers return, blending Southern indie, grunge, twang, and poetic narrative.
- Character & Storytelling: Singer Carly Hartsman is praised for painting “a vision of small town life… parking lots and screen doors and details piled up on top of details.” (Stephen, [19:03])
- Kyle: “They remind me of Drive By Truckers and Sonic Youth at the same time… [But] I don’t feel like Wednesday have written their best album yet… And yet every record is a classic.” — [20:00]
- Dynamic Range: Tracks like “Townies” and “Elderberry Wine” showcase both distortion-laden and tender moments; the punk-metal blast “Wasp” is noted for its brevity and intensity. ([23:53])
- Full Band Impact: Guitarist MJ Lenderman’s solo success trickles back into the band’s gnarly, emotionally resonant sound.
5. Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken
- [24:43] Her first album of originals in over a decade, and a vibrant reminder of her 1990s laurels.
- Nostalgic Yet Fresh: “It feels like a Sarah McLachlan record. And there are songs… that, if they had come out in 1994, would be classics today.” (Stephen, [25:53])
- Kyle loves the beats’ return: “She was always on the peripheral of trip-hop… but she works so well with those ethereal vocals.”
- Meaningful Comeback: The track “Rise” stands out: “There’s this narrative of like, hey, let’s pretend for a second that everything’s better… And sometimes a song hits, and it’s exactly what you needed.” — [28:04]
- Inventive Arrangements: Kyle is fascinated by the album’s blend of unlikely instruments: “Like a ‘70s synth with a banjo underneath it… and a harpsichord!” — [30:22]
- Coda: The album’s closer includes a children’s chorus: “By the end of your first album of new material in 11 years… you’ve earned a children’s chorus.” (Stephen, [30:54])
6. Yasmin Hamdan – I Remember I Forgot
- [32:25] The Lebanese-born, Paris-based innovator releases her third solo album after eight years.
- Global Sonic Tapestry: Her music blends Arabic traditions with electronic, trance, and cinematic feel. “Simultaneously haunting, beautiful, trancy, propulsive… weaving in so many kind of Arabic sonic textures.” (Stephen, [34:58])
- Kyle’s Instant Favorite: “It’s my favorite thing… if not all week, maybe all year. Some albums are made for headphones… There is so much going on in this.” ([35:09])
- Standout Tracks: “Shadia" is described as an “eclectic timeless puzzle box,” while “The Beautiful Losers” is a “moodier, more haunting ballad.” The title track is deeply resonant for Kyle: “I think I’ll keep revisiting this one for a while.” — [37:36]
7. Lightning Round: Other Notable Releases
- [38:08] Hosts run through several strong new releases:
- Kieran Hebden & William Tyler – 41 Longfield Street, Late 80s: “Heavily inspired by late ‘80s folk and country… hooked me from the jump.” (Stephen)
- Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares Soundtrack: “Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross call it a NIN album… reminds me of The Fragile with so many instrumentals… moments that recall Bowie’s Berlin period and Radiohead.” (Kyle, [39:40])
- Lawrence Matthews – Between Mortal Reach and Posthumous Grip: “A hard-hitting swirl of darkness and trauma and survival, but also hard-won peace… genreless, with a sense of playfulness.” (Stephen)
- Joy Crooks – Juniper: “Body politics, queer love, envy, mental health… loose, minimal production with bedroom soul energy. Vince Staples guests on one track.” (Kyle)
- Joanne Robertson – Blurrr: “Ambient, enveloping, experimental—delicate and beautiful.” (Stephen)
8. Hosts’ Pick: Best Song of the Week
- [44:31] Kyle: “Title track from Yasmin’s I Remember, I Forget. I’ve probably played it a dozen times.”
- Stephen: “The title track from Sarah McLachlan’s Better Broken is such a revelation… a reminder that 30-plus years in, an artist can still turn out her best work.” — [44:49]
Memorable Quotes
-
“Every one of [Joan Shelley’s] records is like a pellet fed directly to my soul.”
— Stephen Thompson, [09:01] -
“It would be easy to talk about this being, you know, what it says about sex and how it says about sex. [Lola Young] reminds me a lot of the way Lily Allen would talk about it… Her lyrics… so upfront… confrontational in a great way.” — Kyle Meredith, [12:10]
-
“Wednesday’s music is gnarly and beautiful… her songs represent a vision of small-town life… details piled up on top of details.”
— Stephen Thompson, [19:03] -
“There’s a song on here called Rise… Sometimes a song hits and it’s exactly what you needed in that moment.”
— Kyle Meredith on Sarah McLachlan, [28:04] -
“Some albums are made for headphones… There is so much going on in this. I think I’m still having that moment because all I want to do is listen again.”
— Kyle Meredith on Yasmin Hamdan, [35:09]
Notable Tracks with Timestamps
- Joan Shelley – "New Anthem" [05:54]
- Lola Young – "One Thing" [11:28]
- Wednesday – "Townies" [22:03]
- Sarah McLachlan – "Better Broken" [24:54]
- Yasmin Hamdan – “I Remember I Forgot” [37:36]
Episode Tone & Flow
The episode is intimate, informed, and enthusiastic—mixing musical geekery with genuine love for each artist and deep dives into the meaning and feeling of each record. The banter is warm, collegial, and peppered with personal anecdotes and musical memories, making the episode a meaningful guide for new-music seekers and longtime fans alike.
Closing Thoughts
This week’s All Songs Considered is a master class in musical curation, highlighting releases that range from the high-profile to the quietly groundbreaking. Thoughtful analysis, honest enthusiasm, and memorable moments make it an essential listen—or, with this summary, an essential read—for anyone searching for their next favorite album.