Weekly Round-Up 40

February 16 - February 22

I had such a good week last night, and these albums were the soundtrack:

1. Artist: Claire Rosinkranz

   Album: My Lover

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3.6

   Best Song On First Listen: Bleeding Violet

   Travie Says: The striking cover of My Lover by California’s Claire Rosinkranz gripped my attention and made me want to give this album a listen. Some Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor traces are found in this collection of songs. My Lover serves as Claire’s sophomore album, and I’m sure she has a great future of music-making to come.

2. Artist: WILLOW

   Album: petal rock black

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.4

   Best Song On First Listen: holy mystery

   Travie Says: WILLOW’s musicality stuns me every time. She’s jazz, she’s rock, she everything she wants to be. Her latest album, petal rock black, feels both urgent and pensive at the same time. WILLOW has so much to share musically, and how fortunate are we to have the chance to witness it.

3. Artist: Yolanda Adams

   Album: Sunny Days

   Year Released: 2024

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.2

   Best Song On First Listen: Child of GOD

   Travie Says: Fresh off a Grammy nomination at this year’s ceremony for Best Gospel Album and recent social media praise for her vocal support of the LGBTQIA+ community, I wanted to listen to Sunny Days to show some love to Yolanda Adams. She’s known in Gospel music for her powerful voice and uplifting songs throughout the 90s and 00s, and Sunny Days finds Yolanda continuing that legacy. Sunny Days feels modern enough, but listeners who have long enjoy her music will be able to feel good about the musical direction of the album.

4. Artist: Natanya

   Album: Feline’s Return

   Year Released: 2025

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.3

   Best Song On First Listen: Guitar

   Travie Says: The United Kingdom’s Natanya breaks out on her debut album, Feline’s Return. Vocally, she reminds me of fellow U.K. star NAO. It will probably take another full listen of this album for it to fully sink in, but even on first listen, I was pretty damn impressed.

5. Artist: José José

   Album: Reencuetro

   Year Released: 1977

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 5

   Best Song On First Listen: Como Ser Diferente

   Travie Says: This Midnight Marauders pick was from my friend Chris, and he chose Reencuetro by Mexican star José José. Now, I’ve mentioned before that I do not speak Spanish, but the beautiful thing about good music is that it can transcend language barriers. José José absolutely TEARS through the romantic “Sólo Tú,” and I think “Como Ser Diferente” will catch your ear as well.

6. Artist: Mumford & Sons

   Album: Prizefighter

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.2

   Best Song On First Listen: The Banjo Song

   Travie Says: Mumford & Sons returns with their latest album. Prizefighter features a roster of heavy-hitting guest vocalists, such as Chris Stapleton, Hozier, Gracie Abrams, and Gigi Perez. Any song with Chris Stapleton is always going to be a standout for me, but my favorite song on first listen was “The Banjo Song,” with its captivating lyrics like, “I'm a mess myself, but I think I could be someone if you need someone.” The runner-up to the best song here is “Conversation With My Son (Gangsters & Angels).”

7. Artist: Emergence Collective

   Album: Perennials

   Year Released: 2023

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.5

   Best Song On First Listen: Again & Again

   Travie Says: I first heard of Emergence Collective thanks to my friend t. phoenix rahel’s amazing taste in music. You should definitely listen to this quartet is you love vocals. The harmonies here are immaculate! “Again & Again” absolutely stopped me in my tracks, but I also loved “Forgive Me” and the title track.