Weekly Round-Up 41

February 23 - March 1

I barely slept last week, but these were the albums that kept me company:

1. Artist: Kate Brunotts

   Album: Light in Dark Places

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.2

   Best Song On First Listen: Never Finish What I Started

   Travie Says: Thanks to my friend The Music Week, I was introduced to Kate Brunotts. Her music was pitched to me as “rave party” haha so my interested was immediately piqued. “Never Finish What I Started” was the standout for me, but I also enjoyed “BRIEFCASE!” and “Tart.” This is the perfect album to listen to get pumped up when you’re driving to work at 6 AM (which is the context I listened to this in lol).

2. Artist: Charlotte Day Wilson

   Album: Patchwork

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4

   Best Song On First Listen: Lean

   Travie Says: Canada’s Charlotte Day Wilson is back with her latest EP, Patchwork. He brand of R&B feels intimate and personal, and she introduces more of this over the course of the 7 songs on this EP. I enjoyed the usage of horns on this body of work, and I think you should keep your ears open for “Lean” featuring Saya Gray.

3. Artist: They Are Gutting a Body of Water

   Album: LOTTO

   Year Released: 2025

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4

   Best Song On First Listen: baeside k

   Travie Says: Firstly, what an incredible name for a band. They Are Gutting a Body of Water comes out of Philadelphia. Although I’m not usually a fan of understated vocals and music that overpowers the them, this band makes it work. I stayed engaged throughout, even though I couldn’t always understand the lyrics lol but that’s because this album is so instrumentally interesting.

4. Artist: hemlocke springs

   Album: the apple tree under the sea

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.3

   Best Song On First Listen: sense (is)

   Travie Says: Definitely my most original listen of the week! North Carolina’s hemlocke springs is definitely not trying to be anyone but herself. These songs are full of personality and kookiness. There’s definitely and underlying spooky vibe to the apple tree under the sea. This album is really gonna HIT during October for Halloween. My favorite song was “sense (is),” but I have no doubt that the opening track “the red apple,” “head, shoulders, knees and ankles,” “w-w-w-w-w,” and “set me free” will catch your attention as well.

5. Artist: Gorillaz

   Album: The Mountain

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.2

   Best Song On First Listen: Delirium

   Travie Says: The Friday pick of the week from the Midnight Marauders group, everyone’s favorite animated band is back. Gorillaz aren’t monkeying around here - The Mountain is spacious and ambitious, and at times larger than life. My favorite song here is the late-album gem, “Delirium” featuring posthumous vocals from Mark E. Smith, the lead singer of English band The Fall.

6. Artist: Bruno Mars

   Album: The Romantic

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.7

   Best Song On First Listen: Why You Wanna Fight?

   Travie Says: Talent and style can’t help but ooze from Bruno Mars. The Romantic is Bruno’s first solo album since his Album of the Year Grammy-winning 2016 album, 24K Magic, and he proves that in 10 years, he still hasn’t lost the magic. The sensational album opener, “Risk It All,” feels like the song we’ve been waiting for Bruno to sing his whole career. I will not be surprised (or upset) if Bruno chooses to dabble further in Latin music for the rest of his career. The true highlight is “Why You Wanna Fight?” The song brings Bruno back his sweet spot - soulful longing. “Why You Wanna Fight?” is disarming and a dutiful addition to his long catalog of superb love songs.

7. Artist: Mitski

   Album: Nothing's About to Happen to Me

   Year Released: 2026

   Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.6

   Best Song On First Listen: If I Leave

   Travie Says: I ended the week with the Thursday Girl herself, Mitski. On her 8th album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, the Queen of Yearning leans into the true lovergirl she is. The album opens with the absolute stunner, “In a Lake” where she sings in the first verse: “I'd never live in a small town/I've made too many mistakes/For where you gotta write your book early/Or it gets written up in your place/Where you never get away from your first love/It's like one brand of soap's sold in town/'Cause anyone you can get close to/Smells like your first time around.” Damn. 😭 Mitski is a WRITER, okay hunni?? Some of my other favorite moments on this album are “I’ll Change For You” and the absolute heartbreaker, “If I Leave” where Mitski contemplates being interdependent and having low self-esteem while in love. Just listen to this album with tissues nearby. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.