Mud season is moving in, leaving swamps where snow piles once stood. All over the world, musicians are shaking off their winter sofa blankets and releasing music again. For this week’s playlist, extra credit and priority was given to bands composed of actual musicians playing musical instruments.
Gleeson, an Austin, TX band, more than meets that criteria, although their multi-instrumental nature means that various instruments are performed by the same person. Their big tune is “Erasable,” which brings out their signature influence, which is My Bloody Valentine, but in their own original way . The new album is Cinco, and in addition to being stuffed with 17 tracks of great music, it has an unusually attractive, hand-drawn cover.
“Hiking,” by Hiro. Hashimoto, from Nagoya, Japan, is a chill meditation on sunlight filtering, making us wonder if there’s haiku in those lyrics. With a sunny lilt and a light touch, it all comes together into a pleasant synergy that belies the unease proposed by the album’s title, Strange Days.
“Fagerborg” is a smooth jazz number reminiscent of the theme to a 70s detective show. I mean this as a compliment. Led by Oslo musician Arnfinn Langsaeter, the album Koloni steadily impresses with its discerning mix of old school pleasantries and contemporary improvisation.
Rounding out our favorite new music selections for the week, The Cascadian Divide kick ass on their new track, “Few and Far Between.” With crunchy guitars and subtle allusions to many of the less savory aspects of our rotten world, I’m taken back to Boston in the late 80s. Where would we be without boys who rock? Look out for their new ep To The Sky. Full disclosure: The Cascadian Divide are from Seattle.
The full play list below…
March 11, 2026
Be Of Good Cheer
Space Ghost – What Day Is It?
Jaydee Louise – Opening Day
Gold Dust – An Early Translation of a Later Work
Gleeson – Erasable
Eastern Wind Ensemble – March Grandioso
Abbot and Costello – Mudder and Fodder
Cartoon Planet Band – Corned Beef
Mad Lib – The Mad March (Rock Konducta)
Elizabeth Mitchell – Lady Bugs’ Picnic
Ro-Cee – Show Respect
Evelyn Champagne King – Let the Sun Shine In
Propellerheads – History Repeating feat. Shirley Bassey
Fred Kirby – When That Hell Bomb Falls
Nipsey Russell – Slide Some Oil
Melle Mel – World War III
The Jennifers – Good Morning Starshine
Matt Long – Neptune
Hiro. Hashimoto – Hiking
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards – I Am Woman
Lyn Collins – Women’s Lib
Prince – Still Waiting
Steven Jones + Fluid Japan – Transmission
Arnfinn Langesaeter – Fagerborg
Asparagus – Winnie the Pooh
Betty Dylan – Masters of War
My Bloody Valentine – Blown a Wish
Persica 3 – Problem
Mama Aiuto. Dan Gregory – Telegraph Hill
Photo credit: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋), CC BY 2.0