Although most of the recorded music industry has entered its Christmas hibernation period, there is still new music floating about that deserves our attention. In fact, I went through about 500 submissions (really!) and found these gems for this week’s Five Songs You Must Hear list.
1. Good Kid, Rift
Can We Hang Out Sometime? (Good Kid Records)
RIYL: Creator-friendly bands
Good Kid, the self-described “world’s most creator-friendly band,” has been just below the radar for the last couple of years for most people, but I have a feeling that’s about to change in 2026. The Toronto five-piece (Fun fact: They all have day jobs as programmers) announced a release date for their new album (April 3; yes, we’re looking that far ahead now), which was produced by John Cogleton, who has worked with Lana Del Rey and St. Vincent.
2. Stanley Simmons, Body Down
Single (Partisan)
RIYL: Kids with famous dads
A couple of KISS offspring are making music together. Evan Stanley (son of Paul) and Nick Simmons (son of Gene) have been making music together for a while but have yet to release anything. That has changed with the single Body Down. SPOILER: It sounds nothing like what their fathers do. Both are into stripped-down rootsy stuff with Americana influences. This track sounds more like CSNY with a touch of Beatles
3. Sheepdogs, Nobody But You
Keep Out of the Storm (Right On Records)
RIYL: Canadian prairie rock
Here’s another taste of an album we won’t see until we’re well into 2026. The Sheepdogs will release their first album since the departure of drummer Sam Corbett on February 27. They also roped in a bunch of friends from bands like Dwayne Gretzky, Born Ruffians, and July Talk to help out. This track could have been released in 1974. A Canadian tour starts the same day the album comes out.
4. Health, Ordinary Loss
Conflict DLC (Loma Vista)
RIYL: Beautiful dystopic noise
You haven’t run across Health yet, they’re a trio of industrial and noise rock lovers from LA who have now been around for 20 years. Their sixth album, released last week, was supposed to be a double album, but they decided to pare things back for this release. They’ve also dropped hints about an “addendum EP” sometime in the future. Don’t let the quiet intro to his single fool you.
5. SOAP, Awkward Now
Single (Slam Dunk Records)
Recommended If You Like: Late-90s British indie
SOS has always been my favourite ABBA song. That’s how I came to find SOAP, a four-piece British band who did a pretty rockin’ cover. The current single brings me back to the early days of bands like Stereophonics and Travis.
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