JINX – Waterparks (July 2026) | 41 minutes | alternative / pop-rock

I’d definitely regret not mentioning the newest release from one of my favorite bands. I was lucky enough to see Waterparks on the Prowler tour last fall/winter, and I’m a little disappointed I’ll be missing them on their next one during my time in Harlaxton. Still, JINX is so much fun from start to finish. It opens with “TELL ME WHY”, a three-and-a-half minute wild ride packed with guest features (including Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus) that poses the universe (and God himself, voiced by Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam) a long list of questions about the way life works. The album dips into some of the band’s older sounds and even includes some reworked tracks including “GWEN STEFANI”, a COVID-era unreleased demo, and “TASTES LIKE TANGERINE”, which stemmed from a song on frontman Awsten Knight’s solo project VIDEO GAME MUSIC from 2024. The album closes with “GIRLS NEED GUNS”, a heartfelt, mostly-spoken track that contains a conversation with Knight’s mother about the current and past states of women’s rights (particularly abortion) that leaves the listener thinking. There are so many things, from samples to sound effects, hidden in each track that make this album worth more than one listen.

MY PICK: “TASTES LIKE TANGERINE”

I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven – The Callous Daoboys (May 2025) | 57 minutes | metalcore / mathcore

If you love an album with continuity and a story behind it, I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven is definitely one to check out. I discovered this album via a Spotify blend with a friend a few months ago, and I haven’t looked back. The Callous Daoboys have such a unique sound and bring a real freshness and vibrancy to the genre, especially through the inclusion of violin throughout their discography. Their lyrics are so clever and are truly unlike anything else I’ve ever heard before.I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven opens and closes with ambient tracks to situate the listener in the album’s conceptual framework: it is meant to be heard (300 years in the future) as an exhibit in the Museum of Failure. The album as a whole is anything but a failure; it’s chock-full of genre-bending and a daringness to push the band’s limits. “Distracted by the Mona Lisa” and “Lemon” both break free of the crunchiness of metal vocal styles in favor of beautiful clean vocals from frontman Carson Pace, giving the listener a handful of breaks from the heaviness of the rest of the album. Still, this isn’t to discount Pace’s ability to scream and growl; the rest of the album gives him plenty of room to shine — see “Tears on Lambo Leather” and “The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog”.

MY PICK: “Two-Headed Trout”

Life’s Not Out to Get You – Neck Deep (August 2015) | 36 minutes | pop-punk

Life’s Not Out to Get You is, in my opinion, one of the quintessential positive pop-punk albums. At times it seems overlypositive (a sentiment echoed by the band across many interviews and magazine features), but it’s a light in the sometimes overwhelmingly-bleak landscape of the genre. The song certainly is not devoid of breakup songs (par for the pop-punk course), but overall it focuses on a better future and coming to terms with yourself and the place you were born (“The Beach is for Lovers (Not Lonely Losers)”, “Can’t Kick Up the Roots”). Though the album had its ten-year release anniversary last year, I still believe it’s timeless and rings true in a landscape that has changed so much since the mid 2010s. It’s not afraid to face the topics of mental health struggles and feeling like you’re losing the war against yourself at times (“Life’s Not Out to Get You”, “Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors”). It’s strong from start to finish — nothing feels out of place. The album visuals, created for the by Ricardo Cavolo, was created before the artist had heard the songs at all, but matches remarkably well with the album’s overall feel. The Welsh pop-punk band packs a punch in under forty minutes, making it a perfect introduction to their discography if you’re unfamiliar.

MY PICK: “Kali Ma”

In the Shadow of the Mountain – Cole Chaney (September 2025) | 42 minutes | country/americana

I would be remiss to not give a spot to something in this genre, though it was certainly hard to narrow it down. I’ve had the pleasure of watching Cole Chaney’s music develop all the way from his debut album Mercy back in 2021. Age and performing experience, as well as an undeniable chemistry with his backing band Kyova, has led to a second album that was definitely worth the wait. Chaney’s low, rough voice melts into the grunge-influenced-bluegrass style of the instrumentals, often accompanied by beautiful storytelling invoking images from his home in Appalachian Kentucky. I was lucky enough to see the band on the second leg of their tour for this release over the summer in St. Louis. They are phenomenal live performers, adding bluegrass traditionals into the setlist along with their original material. The album opens with a swelling instrumental with Intro, leading seamlessly into the haunting title track. The album does not stray from more upbeat sounds, however; The Unsatisfied is a bright, playful song that draws on Chaney’s background and his restlessness when it comes to anything but music. Where Mercy was raw and at times unpolished, Shadow leans into a more developed sound that sends chills down my spine. Even if you think you’re not into bluegrass, I’d recommend giving In the Shadow of the Mountain a taste.

If you enjoyed my recommendations, consider tuning into my shows on Fireside Aces Radio where I run Side One (pop-punk, hardcore, alternative rock) and Homegrown (country, americana, folk).