Bad//Dreems has finally unleashed ‘Ultra Dundee‘, and it is a glorious, gritty masterclass in Australian rock that feels like the band reaching their absolute peak just as they’ve announced an indefinite hiatus. The album is a sweaty, poetic collision of post-punk energy and storytelling, with standout tracks like the blistering “Night Shooting” and the anthemic […]
Hope Machine by Johnny Society
It is truly a full-circle moment to see Johnny Society return with such a strong showing in 2026. At OKR, we’ve been championing their sound since our very first streaming radio shows back in the late 90’s, when tracks like the hypnotic “(Soul) Invite Me” and the raw, acoustic-driven “Everyday” from their breakthrough album ‘Wood’ […]
The Former Site Of by The New Pornographers
If you’ve ever wondered what it sounds like when a group of musical geniuses turns a series of emotional “short stories” into a power-pop explosion, look no further than The New Pornographers’ tenth studio album, ‘The Former Site Of‘. Released on March 27, 2026, via Merge Records, this record proves that bandleader A.C. Newman still has […]
Sexistential by Robyn
After a long eight-year wait since Honey, pop’s favorite Swedish innovator returns with Sexistential, officially dropping on March 27, 2026. This ninth studio album is a high-speed collision of past and present, trading the soft meditations of her last record for a “spaceship crash-landing” back into the punchy, ecstatic pop of the Body Talk era. The title track, “Sexistential,” is […]
Not Dead Yet by American Sharks
Alright, if you’re like me, your current personality is roughly 60% Usinger’s brats, 30% Nathan’s hot dogs, and 10% whatever ice-cold Hamm’s is left in the cooler. Right now, I’m staring at my backyard grill with the same longing a Victorian widow stares at the sea, just waiting for the Brewers game on the radio and enough sunshine to justify a […]
Weight of The Truth by FOOTBALLHEAD
Looking for a perfect soundtrack to accompany a mid-day existential crisis and a $12 sandwich, look no further than FOOTBALLHEAD’s album ‘Weight of The Truth’. This album manages to capture that specific brand of “90s alt-rock nostalgia” so effectively that I halfway expected my internet to revert to dial-up while listening. It is fuzzy, melodic, […]
lost + found by snakeworld!
If the Twin Cities music scene is a localized fever dream, then snakeworld!—yes, the exclamation point is a non-negotiable part of the brand—is the high-octane alarm clock nobody asked for but everyone secretly needed. Their latest offering, lost + found, feels like the sonic equivalent of finding a crisp twenty-dollar bill in a pair of […]
News from Planet Zombie by The Notwist
The album ‘News from Planet Zombie’ by the Munich band The Notwist is a glitchy, electronic masterpiece that really meats all my expectations for moody indie-pop. While the title suggests something undead, the music is actually full of incredible energy. Tracks like “Object 11” and “Exit Strategy” have layers as complex as a well-stuffed casing, blending mechanical synths with […]
Grey Hour EP by Frantic Repair
To really complete the Milwaukee “Frantic Repair” experience, you have to fuel up correctly, and for me, that means a trip to Palomino Bar. Now, in a past life, I would have dove headfirst into a bucket of their famous fried chicken without a second thought. But times change, and I’ve recently become something of […]
Hard Hearted Woman by Ora Cogan
Ora Cogan’s Hard Hearted Woman is the perfect soundtrack for anyone who wants to feel like a haunted orphan wandering through a neon-lit forest, which is, coincidentally exactly the vibe after a 20mg hike through the neighborhood. The album is a masterclass in “ethereal grit,” delivering vocals so smoky and reverb-drenched that you’ll start wondering […]