In the midst of midterm madness, it’s music that gets me through.
During busy times, I’m guilty of falling back into familiar listening habits, favouring songs that provide the nostalgic dopamine hit needed to push through the ever-shortening days. As winter’s shadow looms closer, hitting shuffle on old playlists may offer short term comfort, but it quickly leaves me feeling frustrated and stunted without something new to add to the rotation.
Setting aside time to peruse new releases this past month gave me the boost of energy I needed to hand in those papers, survive the grueling Halloweekend, and brush out the cobwebs—making room for something fresh.
Song: “Your House,” Inhaler
Inhaler’s back with another single. With a new album, Open Wide, is on the horizon in 2025, this marks the first of much more music from the Irish band. After loving their 2023 release “If You’re Gonna Break My Heart,” they fell off my radar for a while, but “Your House” has put them firmly back on my playlist.
Despite its upbeat, catchy rhythm, the song delivers cutting lyrics that speak to the struggle of letting go of a past love, all wrapped up in a catchy refrain I’ve been humming all day long. Though only released last week, “Your House” already feels like a song I’ve known for a long time—its buoyant sense of nostalgia infuses a sense of worldly time-weariness into the track that exudes experience.
It probably doesn’t hurt that vocalist and guitarist Elijah Hewson is Bono’s son, but credit where credit’s due—the band holds their own.
Album: Cartoon Darkness, Amyl and the Sniffers
Amyl and the Sniffers are unapologetically authentic in their sound, performance, and songwriting, bursting the bubble of the risk-averse mega-music machine the industry has become. I’d been eagerly waiting for this album for a while, and Cartoon Darkness might be my favourite release of the entire year so far.
The Melbourne band, fronted by enigmatic singer Amy Taylor, has been taking the music world by storm. The album delivers hit after hit, leaning into the band’s brash punk sound, while also offering moments of tenderness and realism that reflect the anxieties of what it’s like to be alive today. They have a History show lined up in Toronto next year—so get in quick before you miss your chance.
While it’s hard to pick favourites, my current repeats are “Jerkin’,” “Do It Do It,” and “Me and The Girls.” The band doesn’t seem to care if you like them or not, but honestly, it’s hard not to. Their raw energy’s captivating. Once you’re on their rollercoaster, good luck getting off.
Artist: Lola Young
It’s been a big year for Lola Young. With the success of her third album, This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway, the young British artist is making a name for herself, both in the success of her own music, and featured collaborations.
Her appearance on Tyler, the Creator’s most recent album CHROMAKOPIA on the track “Like Him” is a standout. Sharing the spotlight with artists like Santigold, Lil Wayne and Daniel Caesar—Lola Young’s certainly in good company.
Her latest single, “Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty),” is another must-listen collaboration. Its smooth R&B sound highlights Young’s voice, serving the listener raw emotion on a silver platter. If you like the sultry confidence of Sade with the grit-flecked edge of Yves Tumor, Lola Young is for you.
From the vault: “You’re So Vain,” Carly Simon
On this day in music history—Nov. 8, 1972—Carly Simon released a stinging breakup anthem that still holds up in 2024. An ode to every self-involved man any woman has ever known, “You’re So Vain” is a scathing rebuttal to every “son of a gun” that’s strutted his stuff without care for others in the last 52 years.
It’s been a widely speculated debate on who this song refers to, with guesses ranging from Mick Jagger—who sings unaccredited backing vocals on the track—to Cat Stevens, Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, and more.
Regardless of the rumours, Simon’s track remains a staple on breakup playlists for a reason. Its timeless message of recentering women and scolding the men who scorn them is as powerful today as it was in 1972.
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