Freak Slug

Following the September release of her album “Amulet,” Xenya Genovese — better known as Freak Slug — embarked on a North American tour for the second time this year. But it wouldn’t just be 18 headline shows in the span of a month. Nine shows in, she and the band flew back to Europe to make appearances at Pitchfork Festivals in Paris and London. Less than a week later, they were in the air again headed back to the U.S. to pick up where they left off.In London, Genovese spoke about her latest record, the ongoing North American tour and what comes next for Freak Slug.

After years of buildup, Radio Free Alice has finally released an album. These 11 tracks see them expand upon their earlier releases in a way that wasn’t possible on the explosive 4-track EPs they had come to be known for. With “What’s In Between,” the band has made a record that reflects just how far they've come in such a short time. This interview was recorded a week before the Oct. 30 release date, but our first conversation happened over a year ago.Here, vocalist Noah Learmouth and guitarist Jules Paradiso reflect on those last 14 months, the making of their first record and the inexplicable route to success in the modern world of music.

James Eichman has spent years playing guitar in other people’s bands. He’s recorded independently before, but it wasn’t until recently that his solo work became more of an artistic priority. “St. Catherine Street” is his first full-length record and the first time he’s enlisted the help of his friends for the production; to them, this debut was worth every bit of extra effort.The album came out in August, and the release show is scheduled for Oct. 27 in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. In this interview, we spoke about the new record, how it was made and what you can expect from Eichman in the near future.

It’s been ten years since Fraternal Twin released an album. It was a challenging decade for songwriter Tom Christie, but the band’s latest record signifies the triumph of coming out the other side. “Halo Fell Forever” came out Sept. 4 – not long ago, Christie spoke about what it took to get to this point and what’s in store for the future of the band.

Gently Tender’s latest album came out Oct. 16. It’s a deeply reflective body of work that contrasts the tranquility of the countryside surrounding London with the chaos of the city itself. Songwriter Sam Fryer has been making music his entire adult life — long enough to see the industry change, along with his own idea of success. A few weeks before the release, he spoke about the band, the record and how it all took shape.Listen to this interview anywhere podcasts are available.

Wishy has changed in some ways since the release of their first album in 2024; they’re more accustomed to productive jams as a full group that have given way to some of their new material. But in other ways, they’re the same band they were in the beginning. Wishy’s sophomore album, “Nature’s Pill,” came out Oct. 2 — and it’s a sonic catalog of what’s different and what’s only become more ingrained over time. Now, Wishy is once again on the road in the U.S. and Canada. Just a few weeks before they left, vocalists and guitarists Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites joined me for this quick interview.

This St. John’s, Newfoundland, band is DIY in its purest form. Sick Puppy’s latest record, “NOBODY GETS HURT,” came out July 24 — and everything from its production and engineering to its cover art was handled by the band and local friends. The result is an album made entirely on their own timeline and artistic terms.Recently, two of the group’s founding members, Jacob Cherwick and Isobel McKenna, spoke about what that looked like for the band.

This year marks a decade of prolific New York City band BODEGA. Their latest record, “All Inside Aquarium,” is due out Oct. 9, and it’s arguably their first body of work that doesn’t contain one central message. Rather, each song is its own artifact with a distinct story to tell. The album puts fear and wonder on the same rail, and that rollercoaster is the singular through line tying these 12 tracks together.Recently, founding members Ben Hozie and Nikki Belfiglio spoke about the making of their latest body of work, the ideas that shaped it and the creative impulses pulling the band in new directions.

ME. is an acronym for Mark O’Connell and Eddie Reyes, formerly of Taking Back Sunday. Having closed that chapter of their lives years ago, it was only a matter of time before they gathered together a fresh band and returned to doing what they do best. Their debut album, “All Good Things,” came out July 24, and it sounds exactly like what you’d expect when career musicians rediscover the excitement and authenticity of starting something new.A few weeks ago, O’Connell discussed the record and what it was like to start over from scratch.Listen to this interview anywhere podcasts are available.

Hannah Cole has been making music her entire life. But it wasn’t until she moved out of her hometown that everything became more real. After a few steady years of EPs, her debut album finally arrives Sept. 4. It contrasts the challenges of starting out in the music industry with the familiarity of coming home. “Switchbacks” is built around the idea that sometimes, in order to move ahead, we must look to the past.In the not too distant past, Cole spoke about what it took to get here, and what it means to take your passions seriously.