ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN – SONGS TO LEARN AND SING REISSUE
Few compilations have served as a better introduction to a band than Songs to Learn and Sing. Originally released in 1985, it gathered the essential early Echo & the Bunnymen singles into one elegant package, capturing the group at the height of their post-punk powers. The reissue is a welcome reminder of just how incredible that run was. “The Killing Moon,” “Rescue,” “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” and “Lips Like Sugar” still carry an air of mystery and drama that countless bands have tried to imitate.
Stream • Korova • Connect: @thebunnymen
GOO GOO DOLLS – LET LOVE IN (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
It’s wild to listen to the 20th anniversary edition of Let Love In and remember the roots of the band were punk. The band that once opened for Motorhead, The Dead Milkmen, Bad Religion, and The Dickies spend the mid-2000s comfortably radiating warmth, optimism, and light loneliness. A sweet reminder as well, that the band had hits outside of their early A Boy Named Goo era with songs like “Better Days,” “Stay With You,” and “Let Love In.”
Stream • Warner • Connect: @googoodolls
THE SPECIALS – LIVE FROM THE CATHEDRAL
There is a bounce that only comes when a ska band is playing live. The skank is in full effect for The Specials Live from the Cathedral, which captures that energy beautifully. The band’s fusion of ska, punk, reggae, and social commentary feels urgent and in your face live. The rhythms are infectious, the performances are tight, and the songs still carry the same spirit that made The Specials the leaders of the revival era. It’s the perfect sendoff for the band (marking their final live release) and tribute to singer Terry Hall.
Stream • Warner • Connect: @thespecials
THE STROKES – REALITY AWAITS
Have The Strokes slowed down with age? The band that saved rock and roll in the early aughts is back in 2026 with Reality Awaits. The Strokes somehow manage to roll with the times (via vocoders) but the guitar and Julian Casablancas voice are so definitively “The Strokes” they could never go incognito at a dark concert hall. Produced by Rick Rubin, songs like “Falling Out of Love” trade sharp edges for a slow-burn emotional pull, giving Julian Casablancas plenty of room to explore the spaces between confidence and uncertainty. “Going Shopping” feels like a live take with Casablancas chuckling, a loose and jangly feel that makes you want to take in the live show.
Stream • RCA/Sony • Connect: @thestrokes
