Goddamn all these artists have 2026 albums that will wind up on so many AOTY lists! Get in on the ground floor:
THOMAS DOLLBAUM
Birds of Paradise lands a week from Friday, a record that The New Yorker is already hailing as “exceptionally deep and lovely—dusky, melodic, just a little bit dangerous-sounding. Big watching-a-thunderstorm-from-the-front-porch energy.” Uncut gave it a 4-page spread in their June issue as their Album of the Month, including an interview with Dollbaum and three albums that inspired the new one (Love is Overtaking Me, The Idler Wheel…, Bloomed, 3 for 3 imo). He gathers up the full band to open for Bleachers and Been Stellar next Wednesday at The Fillmore in New Orleans, followed by a run of shows in June with Widowspeak including a stop at Nelsonville Music Fest in Ohio. “Pulverize” joins the ranks of songs with a killer opening verse that is never repeated.
LAMBCHOP
The beloved shapeshifting Nashville institution returns with their seventeenth album Punching the Clown on August 21 via Merge, of course (City Slang rest of world, of course). Produced by Ryan Olson (Poliça, Gayngs) with songs by Lambchop’s principal Kurt Wagner and member Andrew Broder, the record was tracked over three days at April Base, the studio of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, and features Vernon on banjo as well as a six-part choir throughout. Ever heard of lined-out hymnody? Check it out, wild stuff. First single “Weakened” is out now, notably the only song on the record to include any percussion (castanets). Thanks to Pitchfork for specifically mentioning this, as well as Brooklyn Vegan and many others for getting hyped as they should.
VORHEX ANGEL
The psychedelic, mysterious cerberus of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall of JEFF the Brotherhood and Silver Synthetic’s Kunal Prakash have pulled the curtain back on their next album DRAIN, due June 12 on 2-LP/CD and July 08 digitally (excl. Spotify) via Soul Selects. In addition to newly announced tour dates with cosmic pedal steel player Luke Schneider, the trio premiered a genuine single on the legendary WWOZ in New Orleans, piquing the interest of Stereogum, Raven Sings the Blues, and The Line of Best Fit. Feast your ears on “Okie’s Song I” and your eyes on Rett Rogers’ music video, and catch the band at their album release show in the woods of New Jersey with Sunburned Hand Of The Man and many other freaks on June 13.
JACOB UNGERLEIDER
The Los Angeles songwriter and musician—who has clocked time collaborating and touring with Fruit Bats, Hand Habits, and Miya Folick—is announcing details of his debut record under his own name. Congratulations is out June 26 via 2 Heads, a new label founded by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, Bon Iver, and Flock of Dimes, for whom Ungerleider is a live band member. Co-produced by Wasner, Congratulations is the debut release for the label—a fully independent, collaboration-focused imprint designed to be a home for Wasner’s increasingly diverse output as a producer. Preorder the album on CD and LP via Bandcamp today, and take 3.5 minutes to fall in love with “Letters of Your Name,” arriving alongside a music video directed by Otium, who also handled equally stunning visuals for Ungerleider’s standalone singles from March. “Oh my god I’m a living breathing piece of ham!” lyric of the year? Check out Atwood’s deep dive on Jacob and this song today.
LILY SEABIRD
Lily+co opened for the legends Built to Spill back home as evidenced above (and here), playing the big room at Higher Ground. She’s got a quick run of dates supporting Saintseneca that begin tomorrow including stops in Montreal, Toronto, and Detroit, and a special band lined up for Green River Fest next month in Western Mass. All dates, including the UK run leading up to End of the Road Festival, are on sale now—grab a copy of Alas, and Trash Mountain on LP, CD, or cassette at the merch table. Thanks for continuing to blast “Demon in Me” which is on its way to becoming her most streamed song.
BROWN HORSE
The Norwich, UK band are presently exploring America for the first time with copies of new album Total Dive in tow. Low tickets at The Hideout in Chicago tonight (find me here) and Night Club 101 in NYC on May 20, be warned! The band is already plotting their return to the states this fall, including a stop at Nashville’s Americanafest and three dates with Drive By Truckers in September.