Each week, our Songs of the Week column shouts out the best new tracks from the last seven days. Find our new favorites on our Top Songs playlist, and for more great songs from emerging artists, listen to our New Sounds playlist. This week, we’ve stuck on bangers and great tunes from Wolf Alice, Die Spitz, Algernon Cadwallader, and more.
Algernon Cadwallader — “Hawk”
For the first time since 2011, celebrated emo revivalists Algernon Cadwallader have a brand new album on the way. It’s called Trying Not to Have a Thought, and its first single, “Hawk,” hints that time hasn’t dulled the band’s sharpness, energy, or passion. There’s some twinkle, a couple of mathy riffs, and shouty vocals. In short, those of us who have been waiting for over a decade can let out a sigh of relief — Algernon are back, and they’re back with the good stuff. — Jonah Krueger
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Die Spitz — “Pop Punk Anthem (Sorry for the Delay)”
Ahead of the release of their debut album Something to Consume on September 12th, Austin quartet and Third Man Records signees Die Spitz have revealed the fuzzy-but-furious “Pop Punk Anthem (Sorry For the Delay).” True to its title, the song sounds as humongous as your usual shout-along pop punk tune, but Die Spitz add a good helping of agitation to counterbalance whatever major chords might pop out of the fray; that manifests in gnarled screams, crunchy guitars, and a murky distance more suited for an underground rock club than, say, Warped Tour. If this is what a Die Spitz anthem sounds like, we’re hooked. — Paolo Ragusa
Sam Gellaitry — “START UP A RUMOUR”
Sam Gellaitry’s renaissance continues with “START A RUMOUR,” a tightly-syncopated disco track perfectly suited for fans of his viral 2021 hit, “Assumptions.” The light timbre of Gellaitry’s voice, combined with an appropriate touch of reverb, lends itself perfectly to the song’s shimmering synths and surprisingly quick groove. Though he’s been consistently killing it on the production front for nearly a decade now, “START A RUMOUR” is another display of Gellaitry’s confidence as a vocalist and disco connoisseur; if he wanted, a full-on pop star pivot would be a treat to watch. — P. Ragusa
Saturdays at Your Place — “what am i supposed to do”
You know what, that’s a good question, Saturdays at Your Place, “What the fuck am I supposed to do?” Well, at least when it comes to enjoying an emo-tastic summer, throwing on the most recent single from the band’s upcoming album, these things happen, seems like a pretty good option. “what am i supposed to do” is an earworm of light-on-the-soul, emo-tinged indie rock. It’s catchy, relatively up-tempo, and holds off on its cathartic explosion of emotion until the very end. Like I said, perfect for Emo Summer ’25. I mean, there’s even a dude swimming on the album art. — J. Krueger
Total Wife — “make it last”
Recently, Nashville’s Total Wife announced a new album, come back down, with the woozy lead single “second spring.” This week, they’ve continued to tease the record with “make it last,” the closing number that’s loud as fuck and, impressively, actually pretty darn catchy. After an inviting intro with skittering vocal samples and a hopeful lead melody, a wall of fuzz tones envelopes the listener. Fans of Loveless and freaks who find musicality in the hums of vacuums or air ducts (yours truly) are bound to find a whole lot to love. — J. Krueger
Victor Jones — “Mother Teresa”
Victor Jones has been killing it around New York’s DIY scene, and their latest synth-pop track “Mother Teresa” is a great reason why. It’s more than slightly chaotic and irreverent (“Mahatma Ghandi and Mother Theresa/ Are gettin’ kinda freaky on a beach in Ibiza” is quite the couplet), but Jones’ booming synth bass and percussive, dance-punk production quickly moves “Mother Teresa” into banger territory. By the time they hit “Lost my shit in the shower/ No water, no power” at the start of the second verse, Jones has made it easy to rope us in for the long haul. — P. Ragusa
Wolf Alice — “White Horses”
With every release from their upcoming album The Clearing, Wolf Alice have been building out a fascinating new world for them to inhabit. “White Horses” is the latest offering, and drummer Joel Amey takes the majority of the vocals this time; it’s a treat to hear him duet once more with Ellie Rowsell, so much so that it makes you wonder why he wasn’t featured more prominently on the mic before the band’s 2021 album, Blue Weekend. Unlike the prior two singles, though, “White Horses” feels more dynamically aligned with the Wolf Alice of yore, with swelling momentum and a touch of psychedelia. Still, right now, they sound like a band born anew, and it’s thrilling. — P. Ragusa
Wombo — “S.T. Tilted”
Wombo’s latest effort, Danger in Fives, dropped today, but earlier this week the Louisville act offered up one last preview with the slick-but-off-kilter “S.T. Tilted.” Built on a stunted guitar riff and dissonant chords, the tune is surprisingly pleasant on the ears, as Wombo successfully attempt to toe the line between outsider post-punk and danceable indie rock. — J. Krueger
