By: Music Journalism Club

Every Tuesday, our Music Director, Allison, chooses new releases to add to our music library. Here are some recent highlights, presented to you by WSUM’s Music Journalism Club.

cootie catcher, Shy at first

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Friend of a friend,” “Dumb lit”

GENRE: Electronic Indie, Pop

RIYL: The Softies, Kitty Craft, 22° Halo

Cootie catcher’s 2025 release of their album Shy at First is the perfect soundtrack for the start of spring. The songs bring to life a nostalgia for the 2010s with their simplistically sweet vocals. The group’s songs come to life through the record scratches and mixing that works throughout the album to showcase their musical talents and playful attitude, especially in the intro to “If it’s in vogue.” Shy at First displays a unique soundscape balancing the electronic aspects with avant-garde lyrics, such as those in “Dumb lit” and “Friend of a friend,” that beautifully encompass a longing to build new relationships. If you enjoy searching for shapes in the clouds, rewatching your favorite childhood cartoons, or are still waiting for the resurrection of twee, Shy at First is the album for you.

— Evelyn Krohn

Chaepter, Empire Anthems 

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Empire Anthems” , “Sibyl” 

GENRE: Rock, Post-Punk 

RIYL: Iceage, Stuck, Gilla Band 

Chaepter’s latest release, “Empire Anthems,” encapsulates the meaning of brilliant punk-rock music. Of the five tracks featured in the EP, there wasn’t a singular song empty of the magic an electric guitar riff brings. Moreso, Chaepter’s lyricism, especially highlighted in songs “Sibyl” and “Empire Anthems,” shouts the words which every human is afraid to say. The artist’s ability to create real stories, coupled with his true instrumental excellence, ultimately bolsters the importance for more of Chaepter’s music to be heard. While songs about relationships and heartbreak are cool, Chaepter has the special gift of curating concepts that question normalizations within the world. 

— Lillian Hescheles 

Sunbathe, Myself to You

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Myself to You”, “Running Wild”, “Psychic Mud”

GENRE: Indie Rock

RIYL: Alvvays, The Beths

Unabashedly authentic, lead singer Maggie Morris’s stripped down vocals shine on the band’s third full album. While maintaining a sense of vulnerability and introspection, this Portland group is simultaneously unafraid to have a little fun. Personal, sometimes funny, stories weave through dreamlike instrumentals, as if to lift some of life’s seriousness. If returning to real life post-Spring Break has you down, this might be the album for you. 

— Joely Emerson

Prostitute, Attempted Martyr

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “All Hail”, “Judge”, “Harem Induction Hour”

GENRE: Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore

RIYL: Swans, Daughters, Slint, Chat Pile

Dearborn, MI-based noise rock group Prostitute doesn’t need to convince you of their intensity with their debut record, Attempted Martyr. Through its nearly 45-minute runtime, the album carries the sheer weight of an early Swans record fused with the production value of a Radiohead release. From the jarring, shrill samples in “M. Dada”, to the equally evocative outro track, “Harem Induction Hour”, which relentlessly creeps forward with its post-punk instrumentation and lyrical work, the listener is brought–or perhaps forced–along on a hardcore journey with Prostitute. This experience is only amplified by the record’s duality, balancing unforgiving, visceral tracks such as “All Hail”–my personal favorite on the album, as well as more emotional and straightforward ones like “In the Corner Dunce”. A standout debut, Attempted Martyr is a record worth diving into for those drawn to the heavier side of punk and rock.

— Ryan Mercer

Will Stratton, Points of Origin

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “I Found You”, “Firewatcher”, “Temple Bar”, “Slab City”

GENRE: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter

RIYL: Bon Iver, Gregory Alan Isocov, Lord Huron, The Head and the Heart

Will Stratton’s soft voice and acoustic guitar make for a cozy and calm album. These songs made me feel as if I was sitting around a campfire in the middle of summer, surrounded by friends and family. The album feels very personal, humble, and understated, with only a few instruments in each song. The lyrics are poetic and I was a big fan of all the imagery he used in his songs. I felt as if I could picture each scene he described. My favorite track off the album was “Firewatcher”. If you’re yearning for warm summer nights then definitely listen to this album and you’ll feel as if you’re there!

— Christine VanDen Heuvel