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Q's Compilations
Vol #169 – August to September 2026
It’s mid-October so as I write these notes so we’re a little late (edit, it’s late-October as I finish these notes…), and that might just be the theme for the rest of the year. I’m a little burned out at this point, which is probably reflected in these brief notes, but I have some good travel plans for the rest of the year.
01) Parts & Labor - Haunted Limbs: Brooklyn DIY vets Parts & Labor returned in July with their first album in 14 years, Set of All Sets clocks in at 79 minutes and may well be their best album. The record features all their quirky and intense signature moves and this track in particular aces that euphoric feedback that they specialise in.
02) Culk - Twenty, Eighteen: This act is from Vienna, Austria, and just released their latest album, Smogstar at the start of September. The record popped up as a recommendation after a bandcamp purchase and I usually click through a few of those as it has a decent track record! This song in particular has a real Sonic Youth vibe to it, at least to these ears.
03) Pet Fox – Balance: I’ve used three Pet Fox songs in the past and the Boston trio are about to release new album, Balance, on the 23rd of October, via the ever reliable Exploding In Sound Records. This title track opens the record and I’m expecting another solid collection of rockers when the album comes out.
04) Oso Oso - Know You Know Me Better: Long Island’s Oso Oso are back with new record An Exchange of Information, which is being released on Feral Twin, the new album from Hop Along drummer Mark Quinlan, as far as I can tell, they’re the only artist on the roster at present.
05) Stef Chura – Danny: Dancing Alone on the Concrete is Stef Chura’s third record and was just released on the 2nd of October on Saddle Creek. I had to use this song because it features Mike Mills and Peter Buck of REM.
06) Squirrel Flower – Cleveland: Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going is the lates album from Ella Williams aka Squirrel Flower, released on the 21st of August via Polyvinyl and is another strong addition to her discography.
07) Scarves - Self Soothing: Strays Forever, the latest record from Seattle’s Scarves, was produced by Chris Walla, who has production credits on numerous Q-Comp bands such as Nada Surf, Ratboys and Snarls. This track opens the record and has become a bit of an earworm.
08) Guided By Voices - We Outlast Them All: At the time of writing, Crawlspace of the Pantheon is the only GBV record of 2026, but the band’s 43rd overall. The record was produced by Travis Harrison, who also produced their previous album.
09) A Country Western - Blood Eagle: Philadelphia’s A Country Western return with new album Audition Tape on the 21st of October. I love how the guitars are so chunky and drums hit hard but the vocal delivery is in direct contrast with a low key delivery.
10) Chat Pile - Deep Blue: I was taken aback when a work colleague recently asked if I’d heard the new Chap Pile record, not the typical office conversation I have become accustomed to! I hadn’t yet listened to Who Loves the Sun, and it turns out I had missed a couple of records since 2022’s God’s Country which I did enjoy. So here I am in 2026 with some homework to do.
11) Porcelain – Apocalypse: Porcelain’s self-titled debut from 2024 might have been my favourite record of that year, so I’m pretty stoked to hear what their follow-up, Today’s Minor Victories, sounds like when it comes out on the 10th of October. The Unwound influences certainly haven’t gone anywhere if this lead track is any indication.
12) American Motors - No Horses: Speaking of another band that had a great record in 2024 and are about to release a follow-up… Functional Music will be released on the 6th of November, and they once again recorded with J Robbins, who at this point must be one of my favourite producers.
13) Yoo Doo Right - Doldrums, Doldrums, Eviler Than the Devil: Montreal trio You Doo Right have appeared on Q-comes in 2022 and 2024, so their 2 year cycle is due. Thankfully new album, Build and Rest by the Shepherd’s Light is coming out on the 6th of November, this is the lead single from the record and really locks into a head-nodding groove.
14) Sour Widows - Blood in the Grass: This is Sour Widows 3rd Q-Comp appearance, with their 2nd album, Sigil, coming out on the 23rd of October on Julia’s War Recordings. The tracks so far are a little more polished, and certainly less slow-core than previous efforts, I’m intrigued to hear the rest of the record.
15) Fish Narc - Mech Less Me: This band sounds like… Bush? Maybe the a little more pop, but the vocals definitely hit a bit like Gavin Rossdale (I don’t mean any of this as a slant, I like Bush. Razorblade Suitcase was the first album I ever bought). The band’s debut album, Uncle, just came out on the 16th of October and admittedly I haven’t checked it out yet, but this song sounds like it would have been a good radio hit 30 years ago.
16) Megasound - Record Baby: I’m just going to copy and paste this act’s bandcamp bio because it’s pretty well written! Kerry Alexander has fronted Bad Bad Hats with Chris Hoge for more than a decade, and the duo have known Elana Carroll (Party Nails) even longer. While on tour in 2018, Carroll joined Bad Bad Hats on stage for an encore performance and a new band was sparked. Elana on vocals, Kerry on guitar, Chris on drums. One night after watching Josie & the Pussycats together, Megasound was officially born. The band’s self-titled debut was released by Don Giovanni Records and it’s just a fun indie-pop record full of hooks and catchy lyrics.
17) Mesh - Violent Peasant: Philadelphia quartet released No Fun At All back in July, five years after their debut self-titled EP which I heard because I was a subscriber to Born Yesterday Records. The album gives off some nice Parquet Courts vibes to these ears.
18) Mr Husband - Is It Real: When I heard this whimsical, Fruit Bats-esque track on bandcamp I knew it was going to sit towards the end of this mix. The drums drive the sound along nicely, the vocals soar and the whole arrangement/production is incredibly nice.
19) Tami Hart - All I Do Is Sit Here: Another Don Giovanni submission for the mix, Tami’s third solo record and first since 2002, the self-titled album is set for release on the 13th of November and was produced by Ted Leo.
20) The Reds, Pinks & Purples – Heaven of Love (Slow Version): Another Q-Comp, another track by the Reds, Pinks & Purples. True Love Daydream is a companion EP to previous album Acknowledge Kindness, the only physical media is cassette at present which I have ordered. Perhaps more importantly, Glenn Donaldson and his band finally came over to the east coast and I felt very fortunate to see them play at Baby’s All Right.
21)
Ethel Meserve - Onward Foster: Back in June I saw Jejune play at the Mercury
Lounge which was an unexpected bonus of 2026. I still don’t know how Jejune
managed to get so many young fans, it was a very surprising crowd. Anyway,
post-hardcore emo band Ethel Meserve opened the show and I was kinda blown away
by the set, so had go back and dig into the back catalogue. Their initial run
as a band was quite short, from 1994-1998 but they got back together to play
some more recent shows and hopefully it will signal a second wind for the band.
As always, Peace and Love - Q
