Weekly Round-Up 51
May 4 - May 10
My friend graduated from her master’s program, my other friend came to visit from Virginia. These albums soundtracked my great (and busy) week! Also, there’s only 6 albums this week hehe sorry
Artist: India Shawn
Album: Subject To Change
Year Released: 2026
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.3
Best Song On First Listen: Cotton Candy Blvd
Travie Says: India Shawn has been active in the music industry for well over a decade, working as a songwriter , background singer, and releasing her own original music. Her latest EP, Subject To Change, is worth a listen from you if you’ve been in the mood for some smooth R&B to soothe your day. I especially enjoyed the sugary Lucky Daye duet “Cotton Candy Blvd,” and the Brandy influence all through the album, most evident on the closing track, “Multiplicity.”
Artist: Tiara Thomas
Album: Make It Make Sense
Year Released: 2026
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 3.8
Best Song On First Listen: Move
Travie Says: Grammy and Academy Award winner Tiara Thomas first broke through as the featured artist on Wale’s hit single, “Bad.” She continued working as an artist and songwriter, working with frequent collaborator, H.E.R. Tiara’s latest EP, Make It Make Sense, opens with “Never Been To The Parties,” where she flaunts her Oscar win and discusses navigating the wild music industry. The strongest song here, though, is her new duet with H.E.R., “Move.”
Artist: Noah Guy
Album: MEMORIA, in blue
Year Released: 2026
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.1
Best Song On First Listen: THAT’S MY…
Travie Says: Noah Guy has been releasing music since 2019, and has now released his debut album, MEMORIA, in blue. His “Fans also like” tab on Spotify lists Jordan Ward, Elmiene, Destin Conrad, and other up-and-coming R&B singers as his contemporaries. I definitely felt a twinge of Justin Timberlake circa 2006 on this album. And also, maybe album cover over the week??
Artist: Muddy Waters
Album: Folk Singer (Expanded Edition)
Year Released: 1964
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.3
Best Song On First Listen: Feel Like Going Home
Travie Says: Our Midnight Marauders pick of the week comes from my friend Leila. She had just seen the film Cadillac Records for the first time, the 2008 film that shows the background of Chess Records and its many musical stars. Muddy Waters is a musician depicted in the film by actor Jeffrey Wright. Muddy Waters is considered a pioneer of blues music, and after listening to this album, I can see why. The album was immediately smooth and soothing. Still, I would be absolutely remiss to not mention the deeply bizarre “Good Morning Little School Girl.” I know this is a very famous song, but does it not make your skin crawl a bit?
Artist: Lykke Li
Album: The Afterparty
Year Released: 2026
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.3
Best Song On First Listen: So Happy I Could Die
Travie Says: Sweden is known for producing great pop music, and Lykke Li is no exception to that. I was first captured by her sound thanks to her excellent song, “sex money feelings die.” Now, she’s returned with her 6th studio album, The Afterparty. My favorite song here is (the non-Lady Gaga cover, even though I thought it might be when I saw the title lol) “So Happy I Could Die.”
Artist: MUNA
Album: Dancing On The Wall
Year Released: 2026
Rating (Out of 5 Stars): 4.6
Best Song On First Listen: On Call
Travie Says: Queer rockers MUNA return with their 4th album, Dancing On The Wall and trust - this album will surely make you dance. The opening song, “It Gets So Hot,” raises the temperature immediately. I also enjoyed the title track, “Eastside Girls,” “Big Stick,” and the glorious “On Call.”
